I thought this month, instead of talking about what needs doing in the garden I would talk about petrol and using it in garden machinery.
On the 1st September unleaded fuel was changed from E5 (5 % ethanol) to E10 (10% ethanol). The reason for the change is to help tackle climate change and to reduce CO2 emissions.
Sweet peas can be sown now indoors for an early flowering next year.
Prune tall shrubs that will be hard pruned in the Spring, eg Lavatera and Buddleja, by half now to reduce wind rock. Cut down herbaceous
perennials that have finished flowering and are looking untidy.
Make the most of the warmth in the air and soil, before the temperatures drop at the beginning of Autumn. Some Broad beans and pea varieties (such as Aquadulce Claudia and Pea ‘Douce Prvence’) can be sown now for an earlier crop next year, along with spring cabbages and spinach (which might need to be covered from frosts).
[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips – September 2021
Hello again, thank you for all the lovely compliments I received for my first Chapter.
This is not Chapter 2 as promised but more Part 1: Andy’s Story – Part 1: Early Years, Hiltonbury Farm, and… My Old Morris as I have just returned from a visit to Devon where my older sisters Jennifer and Janet live and in conversations with them I have more to add to part 1.
My Father’s Mother died quite young. Jennifer thinks she died in the Sanatorium, a TB hospital in Chandler’s Ford just off Cuckoo Bushes Lane. It has been knocked down and the area is all houses now.
My Father’s Father was the gardener at Hiltonbury and my Father’s mother married him and it was terrible to marry beneath her. It seems that all the family except her Brother George Beattie disowned her but Uncle George was very kind to her.
Uncle George was the Farmer at Hiltonbury, who took my Father in after both my Father’s parents died and brought him up as his own son, sending him to Peter Symonds School in Winchester.
Father used to ride there every day on his bike all the way from Chandler’s Ford to school, and that’s about seven and a half miles. I agreed there was no traffic in those days but all the same fifteen miles a day and the roads were not up to much either.
I presume he would cycle up Hursley Road to The Pound, go right through Hursley, past his Cousin’s Norman Coopers place – North End Farm, and along through Standon to Winchester, then Chilbolton Avenue to Bereweeke Road and so to College.
What an achievement, rain and shine, hot and cold, along, not roads as we know them today but probably tracks some of the way. Amazing. You would not get the youth of today doing that. It’s even a long way to go in a car, probably take as long today with all the traffic as well!
Now back to Cantley in Wokingham where I was born, there are a couple of fuzzy photographs of me in a pram and sitting on the lawn having something to eat, also a photograph of Mr Watson who was the owner of the farm where my Father was the bailiff / manager.
[Read more…] about Andy’s Story – Part 2 – Stories from Beechcroft
Having been asked to write some articles for Chandler’s Ford Today I thought for ages where to start and what to tell.
My Mother and Father had got married in around 1938 and my sister Jennifer was born on the 6th of Feb 1939, followed in 1941 by Janet, then the son that they craved (or so I was informed) dutifully arrived on 6th April 1943. I am told there were air raids while in the nursing home and I was shoved under the bed in a basket a number of times it seems.
Not that I am into the stars but it reports that people who are born on the 6th of April in 1943 have an astrological sign of Aries ♈. Aries’ life pursuit is the thrill of the moment and a secret desire to lead the way for others. People of this zodiac sign like taking on leadership roles, physical challenges, individual sports and dislike inactivity, delays, and work that does not use one’s talents. The strengths of this sign are: courageous, determined, confident, enthusiastic, optimistic, honest, passionate. OK on most of that but not so sure about the physical challenges bit!! [Read more…] about Andy’s Story – Part 1: Early Years, Hiltonbury Farm, and… My Old Morris
Now is the time to summer prune your wisteria, which will have put on lots of wispy tendrils. Unless they are pruned twice a year, it will grow very large and soon outgrow its allotted space. Cut the wispy growth back to five or six buds from the main stem.
Once your lavender bushes have finished flowering they can be given a good hair cut to get them back into shape. This can be done by reducing the section of green growth that exists between the wood and the bottom of the flower stem. French lavender needs to be treated slightly differently, they just need to be dead headed throughout the summer. [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips – August 2021
Dead head plants regularly to keep them looking good and make their flower display last longer.
Don’t forget to keep watering newly planted plants, because until they have established a good root system their roots will be shallow rooted and small.
Update: This business has now closed.
Today (in year 2021) I visited the newly opened Suki Asian Shop on Winchester Road. I’m quite impressed.
I asked the young lady Annabelle what ‘Suki’ meant. She told me it meant ‘customers’ in the Philippines. She told me her mum Jemelle ran the shop. [Read more…] about Suki Asian Shop Open – Winchester Road, Chandler’s Ford
Cut lawns once a week, apply a lawn weed, feed and moss killer if not applied last month. Check that herbaceous perennials that need staking have some support otherwise they can flop over and the stems can then be damaged trying to bring them upright again.
[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips – June 2021
When I wrote this column last year I talked about how we were all at home, keeping social distances and struggling to get any seeds to sow, compost or plants for our gardens. A year on, we have a little more freedom, and garden centres have been open, but even they are struggling to source stock due to covid and Brexit.
Did you remember or celebrate St. George’s Day on the 23rd of April?
This is a video with some footage in 2017 showing the St. George’s Day parade, by the magnificent 14th Eastleigh Scout and Guide Band “The Spitfires” Band.
This video features the band’s second and third parades of the day in Winchester and Chandler’s Ford.
[Read more…] about Previous St. George’s Day Parades in Chandler’s Ford – Video and Photos
Lawns – now is the time to start looking after your lawn.
Every gardener knows, trimmed edges can make all the difference! Apply a spring lawn feed now. Any bumps and hollows on lawns can be repaired by peeling back the turf and either adding or removing soil. Sowing new lawns, or reseeding patches, can be started this month, depending on the weather.
From Churches Together In Chandler’s Ford
For Christians, Easter is a time to celebrate New Life and God’s love and hope for the world. This feels especially timely this year. As churches around Chandler’s Ford are cautiously returning to worshiping in their buildings, Churches Together locally have also combined to create an opportunity for the community to celebrate these with us in the open air by taking part in our Easter Trail. You will be guided around 10 locations in Chandler’s Ford, finding clues and discovering the unfolding Easter Story.
All are welcome to join in any time from the 31 March 2021. There will be simple activities to take part in and small gifts to pick up along the way. Simply join the start of the trail at St Martin in the Wood, Randal Roadd, or look out for the egg signs. The route is about 3 miles so families with younger children may want to spread it out over more than one walk. We hope people of all ages can enjoy this and celebrate with us.
Happy Easter!
It is time to get busy preparing seed beds, sowing seeds, cutting back winter shrubs and generally tidying up around the garden. Hoe and mulch weeds to keep them under control. Pruning of wisterias will need to be completed this month.
Summer flowering clematis, late flowering shrubs (eg Buddleia and Perovskia) and winter flowering shrubs can be pruned now. Apply a general purpose fertiliser and mulch to beds and borders. [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips – March 2021
Complete pruning of climbing and bush roses before new growth becomes too strong. Once winter flowering heathers have finished, trim them back with shears to the base of flower stalks. Cut back ornamental grasses and other perennials left for winter interest. Prune shrubs hard such as Cornus and Salix grown for winter coloured stems.
Winter flowering jasmine can be pruned after it has finished flowering. Take out any dead or damaged wood, then tie in any stems needed to extend the framework, then shorten side shoots to 5cm from main framework. Topdress beds and borders with a balanced fertiliser. [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips – February 2021
If you have been doing your socially distanced walk locally, you might have discovered some new things. Today we have 3 questions for you:
[Read more…] about A Quiz from Local Walks in Chandler’s Ford
This is a great time to plan what you would like to do in the garden for the rest of the year. Take a note book and walk around the garden. Look at seed catalogues for ideas of what to sow.
Usually at this time of year musicians and singers from the Churches of Chandler’s Ford join forces to serenade Christmas shoppers in our local ASDA with a selection of carols. This year COVID restrictions and regulations have meant it is not possible but instead we were invited to provide a carol for the store radio in December.
This very familiar carol , with a modern twist is an invitation to gather joyfully to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Gathering and Joy may feel in short supply this year but Christians everywhere believe that when God came in Jesus to share the sufferings of humanity he showed his love for us and that is a cause for celebration.
Whoever you are with this Christmas, God is with us. We invite you to share in the comfort of this. We wish you a joyful Christmas.
[Read more…] about ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ – Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford
Chalvington Road in Chandler’s Ford has some fantastic Christmas lights and decorations. The neighbourhood has come together and illuminated the road.
Our friend Jill Mayes has shared these photos with us that she has taken on her walks. She particularly loves the lit up village which had falling snow in the window.
Take a walk along Chalvington Road and see if you can spot the 12 Days of Christmas.
The 12 Days of Christmas are all different – it could be a picture in a window, or something in a front garden. It could be big or small. The trail went live at 6pm on Saturday December 5th, and will run until Christmas Day.
Take your time and enjoy the lights on Chalvington Road.
[Read more…] about Chalvington Road, Chandler’s Ford – 12 Days of Christmas Trail
Clear paths of moss and lichen so that they are not a slip hazard (elf ‘n’ safety!) Check that there isn’t any fuel left in your garden machinery before storing over winter, as stale fuel is often the reason why a mower will not start at the beginning of the following season.
Keep raking up those leaves from the lawn and borders.
From now until the end of March is the time to plant any bare rooted trees, shrubs and roses. Check stored fruit, throw out any that are rotten. Reduce watering on houseplants.
To keep your indoor hyacinths blooming longer, make sure they are kept in a cool, bright place. If they are kept too warm the leaves will elongate and the flowers will fade quickly.
Put bark chips around your hellebores to protect emerging blooms from rain splashes. Cut off any leaves with black spots on them to try and prevent the fungal disease spreading. [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for December 2020 + Vegetable Sowing Chart for the Year
