The month of roses - and they have been particularly spectacular this year, especially the ones I have in pots on the patio. This could have a bit to do with the fact that in April I took pity on the poor straggling things and decided to lob a handful of feed pellets into each pot. Don't both asking me how much should be added per litre of soil or anything like that - I don't wear reading glasses when gardening so you can forget anything with instructions on the side. Each pot got a handful or two and a lecture on the alternative to a good flower production. Whether it was the pellets which worked or just terror of the alternative is immaterial, this year I have a lovely display of roses.
This July has been a month of contrast - days of heatwave interspersed with days of sustained heavy rain. The result of this is a total green explosion. Bushes that were large to start with now desperately need a drastic haircut if I want to be able to see out of my sitting room windows again. That job has been put on 'the List'. In point of fact, it hardly every comes OFF the List - its like painting the Forth Bridge, by the time the job is completed its time to start at the beginning again. Yes, I DID have an electric hedge-trimmer to do the job ... the first thing I managed to do with it was to cut the cable in half so its back to the good old shears.
Grow Calendar 2011
The Victoria plum is sparsely fruited this year. The last two years there was such a glut of fruit that branches got broken down by the weight. Still, those plums that are there are of good size for eating - last year's puny things were really only suitable for the jam pot. That said, I 'do' jam. Like to make lots of different types - that you would never see in the supermarkets. This year nectarine and raspberry has been my favourite, but when the blackberries are ripe I shall go picking. Last year's blackberry, apple and Victoria plum turned out to be a superb mixture.
Ah yes, and its time for an update on the bee situation. The hive in our garden is still empty, but the old hive we sent up to son Tony has been colonised by a substantial swarm of nice golden-coloured honeybees. The light coloured bees are usually the quieter variety, easier to work with - the darker the bee the more ...well, shall be say 'lively' ... they can be. I have been chased for fifty yards across an orchard by the bees from a 'dark' hive. Needless to say, I much prefer the little blondies. Last weekend we went into the hive for the first time and its now set up for honey production. It was the first time Tony had ever seen the inside of a populated hive, and I think he was amazed at just how many bees were in there, and how manageable they were when handled properly. Of course he had had a bit of a run-in with them, because he couldn't wait for me to go up with the protective clothing etc before he 'just had a peek'. He found out that levering up the top of a beehive with a screwdriver results in thousands rising in retribution - and was dead lucky to only get one sting. The result could have been nasty, and I think he now realises just how lucky he really was - and has put his name down for the local Beekeeping for Beginners class. Mind you, his main aim appears to be to get a few jars of honey to sell down the pub - and a few good stories to go with a pint or two.
Well, that's it at the moment - time to de-weed the pond ... oh joy ...
The Reluctant Gardening Calendar - July Grow Calendar 2011
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