The Potting Shed

July 2020

Here are the current list of changes to our proposed Programme for 2020. We will continue to monitor and make any additional changes as needed.

  • Members’ Gardens Day (5th July) - Moved to Sunday 2nd August

  • Mel and Gill’s Barbeque (11th July) - This has been cancelled but will be something to look forward to next year in 2021

  • July Club Meeting (14th July) - This will be a live speaker presentation via Zoom by Sue Jeffries on 'Courtyards and Container Gardening'

  • Members’ Gardens Day (2nd August) - Rescheduled from July

  • Summer Show (11th August) - This will be a Virtual Show via Zoom; Details will be sent to members by the 26th July

  • Coach Trip (5th September) - This has been postponed to September 2021. We will try to organise a local visit that can be undertaken by own transport to have something to look forward to at the end of the Summer

It is very sad to have to make these changes, but we will continue to do everything we can as a Club to still make this a year we can remember for some of the right reasons too.

Working

Jobs to Do in the Garden this Month

In these exceptional times, keep safe and keep gardening

  • Lift garlic as the top leaves start to wither and go brown and dry carefully before cleaning for storage

  • Keep watering, especially in the greenhouse or plants in pots that may need a drink once or twice a day in hot weather

  • Dead head as often as you can to encourage new flowers to form to extend your enjoyment

  • Dig up and enjoy new potatoes. The stems from lifted potatoes can often be successfully trimmed back to a short stump and replanted for a second crop later in the summer

  • Beans and peas (and sweet peas) will be flowering and cropping now. Don’t be tempted to leave pods on the plants for too long or they will stop flowering altogether

  • Cut the lower leaves off tomato plants to allow the sun to ripen trusses faster. A weekly feed of high potash fertiliser (potassium, the K on fertiliser NPK numbers) will also help them to continue flowering and fruiting

  • Take softwood cuttings of many shrubby perennials, half-hardy/borderline-hardy perennials such as Salvias, and shrubs such as lavender and rosemary

  • As perennials increase in height, tie in, stake, or support stems before they fall over - see the post about Monty's Hoops!

  • Remember to stop and enjoy your garden!

Something missing? - Use the Feedback form to suggest your own Tips and Dos and Don'ts...

Relaxing

What's Looking Good in the Garden - The Full Richness of Summer is Here

Use the arrows on the pictures to browse

  • Hemerocallis 'Joan Derifield'

  • Verbena bonariensis

  • Delosperma 'Jewel of the Desert Amethyst'

  • Alchemilla mollis

  • Geranium 'Rozanne'

  • Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

  • Arum Lily, Zantedeschia aethiopica

  • Dierama pulcherrimum

  • Balloon Flower, Platycodon grandiflorus

  • Lythrum virgatum 'Dropmore Purple'

  • Achillea 'Walther Funcke'

  • Penstemon 'Firebird'

  • Clematis, 'Polish Spirit'

  • English Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead'

  • Kniphofia 'Mango Popsicle' and Knautia macedonica

Something missing? - Use the Feedback form to let us know your recommended plants to grow...

Thinking

This month's wordsearch with some topical words

Visiting and Seeing

Places to Go and Things to Do

  • WGC July Club Meeting - 'Courtyards and Container Gardening' by Sue Jeffries, a Zoom Web Meeting, Tuesday 14th July, 8pm

  • WGC Members' Gardens and Garden Party - This has been postponed to Sunday 2nd August, but we will continue to monitor the situation

  • WGC August Club Meeting - 'Summer Show and Social' , Fairlands Community Centre or as a Virtual Zoom Meeting, Tuesday 11th August

Some of the Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted and a few gardens are opening up. Most require pre-booking of tickets and timeslots so please check the respective web sites for more information

Something missing? - Use the Feedback form to suggest places to visit or local events...

Sharing

What's been happening on our Facebook page and on the new Blog

  • The new Worplesdon Garden Club Blog is a way to get a bit more information on topics included in the Newsletter

  • Click on the topics below to view the posts in a new window

Box Tree Caterpillars

Newsletter Extra: Read a bit more about Box Tree Moths and Caterpillars, what to look out for, and what you can do about them if you're unlucky enough to find them on your box hedges and topiary

Monty's Hoops

Newsletter Extra: See how to make the plant supports featured on Gardeners' World a few years ago, and let us know if you would be interested in buying some produced by the Club

Something missing? - Use the Feedback form to suggest other items to share with Members...

Remembering

The Old 'Potting Shed' Pages

If you have any comments or suggestions about the web site please use the Feedback Page. You can also add gardening advice, plants to grow, and places to visit.