Gardeners World episode 22 2019: Monty advises on essential summer pruning and adds French beans to the vegetable garden.
We meet a gardener in Hertfordshire who combines her love of cottage garden plants with tropical plants, and we visit a garden in Kent where pots are the stars of the summer show.
Gardeners World episode 22 2019
Deadheading plants
Deadheading is the term used for the removal of flowers from plants when they are fading or dead. It is done to keep plants looking attractive and encourage more blooms, whether in beds and border, containers or hanging baskets.
Most flowers lose their attraction as they fade, spoiling the overall appearance of beds, borders and containers, and are best removed. However, there are other reasons:
- Regular deadheading directs energy into stronger growth and more flowers. Once the flowers are pollinated; seed heads, pods or capsules form at the expense of further growth and flower development
- It can prevent plants with numerous petals, such as peonies, some camellias and many roses, scattering debris widely
Apple & pear summer pruning
Summer pruning apples and pears allows sunlight to ripen the fruit and ensures good cropping the following year. This is the main method of pruning for restricted forms such as cordons, espaliers, fans and pyramids.
Summer prune when the bottom third of the new shoots is stiff and woody. Generally, this will be from mid-July for pears and the third week in August for apples and about ten days later in the north. To reduce the possibility of secondary growth it can be left until late August. Judge the exact timing according to the vigour of the plant, the weather and locality.
What is an espalier?
Training apples and pears as espaliers is a space-saving way of growing fruit on a wall or fence. They require little pruning once established and are attractive in blossom and fruit and architectural during winter. Ornamentals such as Pyracantha are sometimes trained as espaliers.
How to grow air plants
Air plants are from Mexico and South America. They are so-named because they use their short, wiry roots to attach themselves to branches, cliff-faces, even electricity and telephone lines, rather than rooting in soil.
The most important considerations when cultivating airplants are their requirements for air, light, water and warmth. Plants can be placed outside in the summer in the UK to benefit from the brighter conditions, rainfall and increased humidity. Return them under glass or bring indoors in early autumn.
