Let nature help you on your way!

This is the best time of the year to plant hedging.

Planting now means your new hedge will get off to a quick start and be well poised for take-off in the Spring.

The area for your new hedge should be clear of all perennial and pernicious weeds prior to planting.Choose a calm sunny,dry day to spray the area prior to planting with Round-up.This will clear the area of competing,threatening,weeds.

It is important to be completely rid of these prior to planting otherwise the nutrients of the soil will be diverted into the weeds rather than your newly developing hedge.

Spray off a strip about 12-18 inches wide(30-45cm.)

 Your new hedge will benefit from the addition of Shamrock Browngold or Gee-up together with some blood,fish and bone meal.

Bare-root/open ground hedging should be planted right away.

Make sure the plants are well firmed and secured in the ground.Don,t allow plants to dry out or become exposed to frost.

Hedging is normally planted at 18 inches apart(45cm.)-so a good rule of thumb when calculating your requirements is to multiply your total number of yards by 2 –this will give the total number of plants required.

Planting before the new year gives you the following very positive advantages-

No need to water as days are shorter,sun weaker ,less sunshine hours.

Ground is warmer so will establish quicker.

Less weed growth.

Spreads your gardening workload.

We cannot over emphasise the importance of Autumn planting,your hedge willestablish much better and the establishment rate will be much enhanced.

Hedges to choose-

Whitethorn is much favoured in rural areas and conforms with planning requirements as well as the REPS scheme.It is a good habitat for wildlife and encourages biodiversity.

On farms and smallholdings it is agood choice as an excellent stock-proof hedge.

Blackthorn is ideal for rural areas and again conforms to REPS and planning requirements.

Fuchsia ricartonii is a good choice for seaside areas.It will reward you with its abundance of continous flowering from June until well into November.This is the West Cork Fuchsia symbolic of our region and much loved and admired by our tourists.

Laurel is a good choice in shade locations.It is a good strong dense reliable hedge for inland locations.

Olearia from New Zealand is a tried and tested hedge for coastal planting.Its silver grey foliage is resilient to the ravages of coastal proximity.It is a strong vigourous grower.

Cornus alba-dogwood is hardy,very good in wet ,soggy areas.It is not a dense hedge.It is quick growing and has bright stems/bark in the depths of Winter.Its brightness on a bright mid-winters day is most dramatic.It looks well planted with Heathers and early Spring flowering bulbs.

Holly is increasingly popular,it is hardy,evergreen produces red berries in late Autumn-Winter and if clipped to form a dense hedge make a very effective barrier. You can include Holly in a mixed native hedging scheme.

Timely reminders

Your Citrus will benefit from a weekly liquid feed of Chempak Winter Citrus feed.

This is used at the rate of 1 level teaspoon to 4 pints of water.Feed every 7-10 days until March when you switch  over to a summer feed.

Casoran weedkiller is applied at this time of year.

It will control weeds in places where

growth  is undesirable-paths,drives,patios,yards

established hedges ,ornamental shrubs,roses,trees

Under bush,cane and top fruit.

Ensure all areas involving plants have been established for at least 2 years.

Casoron maybe applied from October to April. The granules can be applied directly from the container.No other special equipment is needed.No water is required. Apply the granules to the area at the following rates;

Trees and shrubs-10-13.5g/sq.m

Total weedkiller on paths and drives-15-40g./sq.m.

Casoron should not be applied on

On or near lawns

Conifers bulbs

Herbaceous plants,annual bedding plants.

In or around glasshouses.

Trees or shrubs which have been planted less than 2 years.

Frozen or waterlogged soil.

Where you will sow or replant within 18 months.

As a pre-planting treatment.

Pack sizes available 50sq.m

100 sq.m.

Always follow instructions carefully prior to the use of all chemicals and weedkillers and follow all recommendations and precautions.

Polythene tunnels

Do you want to garden in all weathers –then a polythene tunnel is the solution.

Choose a calm,dry sunny day to clad. Site in a sunny,sheltered position.Orientate your polytunnel on an east-west axis to maximise light transmission.

The book  the Polytunnel Companion which is now up-dated will give you all the do,s and donts of choosing and constructing your tunnel.

Topics covered include-selecting your polytunnel.

Planning and preparation.

Construction.

Maintenance and repair.

Getting the most out of your tunnel.

Gardening through the seasons.

Existing tunnels can be cleaned of all old debris at this time of year and disinfected once everything has been thoroughly and scrupulously cleaned.

A new tunnel will benefit from generous applications of Cork made Gee-up

Moss

Moss on paths,drives,paths ,patios and lawns can be controlled with applications of Armillatox-log onto www.armillatox.co.uk for full details of its versatile range of uses including honey fungus,rose sickness,winter wash for fruit trees,vine weevil control.

Choose a dry calm sunny day for application.

Still time to plant bulbs

You can plant bulbs right up until Christmas ..

Tulip Yokohama is yellow,short stemmed .It flowers April/May -35 cm./14” in height.-bright,cheery,ideal for tubs and containers.

Tulip Uncle Tom is a double dark burgundy red-45cm./18”,flowering April/May.

Add blood,fish and bone meal at planting time.

Gift ideas

Benches from The Lindsey range are a superb classic timeless bench,excellent workmanship-the ideal  family gift for Christmas or a special occasion.

Ready-planted containers are ready-to-go and will give continous colour until next Spring.

John Hosford