Yes, the warmer weather is coming but be wary until frosts are gone and ensure optimum siting for plants to bloom, says Pete Harcom.
Foxgloves are biennial – the plants will root and produce foliage in their first year, remain dormant throughout winter before erupting into beautiful blooms the following year. Foxgloves prefer partial shade – they are a woodland plant and so like woodland conditions
May should be a lot warmer, but as said last month, keep an eye on the weather forecast and protect early outdoor sowings and plantings with fleece. Gradually harden-off tender plants for outside (and hanging baskets) before planting out after the last frosts which should be by mid-May (possibly)! Bedding plants may need to wait to be planted out towards the end of May. Now is a good time to re-evaluate the positioning of plants; try to reduce any failures or poor growth due to their siting in the garden.
The right spot If you have a shady area in your garden, it’s a good idea to check your individual plants requirements – research any that are unfamiliar. Always ensure they get planted in the correct place in the garden. Check out if the plant’s natural habitat is, for example, a woodland – then you can be sure it will grow best in dappled shade, and not in full sun. Following is a list of plants and shrubs that prefer to be in dappled shade or even full shade:
Shade lovers Astilbe, Azaleas, Hostas, Bergenia, Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) Foxgloves, Solomon’s Seal, Pieris, Hydrangeas, Hellebores, Ferns, Forget Me Not, Lily of the Valley, Autumn Anemones, Pulmonaria, Vinca Minor and Major (Periwinkle), Shrubs – Mahonia, Viburnum, Rhododendron, Holly (Ilex), Berberis, Euonymus, Fuchsia Shrubs, Skimmia, Weigela, Cotoneaster, Daphne, Ribes (flowering currant). Do note that the leaves of Skimmia shrubs turn yellow if in full sun. You may need to give the plant a tonic of sequestered iron after you have moved it from the sunny position. Acer Palmatum trees enjoy partial shade – these can be spectacular in Autumn. You can buy a wildflower ‘shade mix’ of seeds for a ‘wild’ and shady part of your garden.
Other jobs • Birds will be starting to nest now – please check hedges before trimming them back. • Prune spring-flowering shrubs such as Deutzia, Choisya, Weigela and Philadelphus. These can all be pruned after flowering to maintain shape. • Keep tying in Clematis, Sweet peas and honeysuckle as they grow up their trellis or other supports. • Apply liquid feed to Daffodils and the Spring bulbs to ensure good flowers for next year.
It’s not just a political slogan – we simply have to, argues the Green Party’s Ken Huggins.
‘Build Back Better’. Great ambition, or just another meaningless slogan designed to make people think you’re worth voting for ? Can we actually ‘Build Back Better’? Of course we can, and the blunt truth is that we simply have to. Not least because the present parlous state of the planet has been brought about by the failings of the existing political & economic models. They have allowed human greed for money and power to create systems that put profit before people and planet. With disastrous consequences, as so many of us are now beginning to realise. First, though, we have to answer more questions: who are we going to build back better for, what does building back better mean, and how are we going to go about it? Answering those questions honestly will require us to set side our differences, and work together. Not an easy task for some, I know, but surely an essential one. The answer to the first question has to be ‘Everyone’. And not just in the interests of equality, as vitally important as that is. The ever-growing divide between the Haves and the Have Nots threatens to bring down our whole society. If that were to be allowed to happen then we would all lose, rich and poor alike. I was much heartened by the recent by-election in Lyme & Charmouth, which saw a slump in voter support for all three main parties and an astonishing 27% swing towards the Green Party. My pleasure was not because ‘We’ beat ‘Them’ but because the result shows that the mood of ordinary people is continuing to shift as their disillusionment grows with the failings and inequality of the present system. It also means there is now another voice on Dorset Council speaking for people and planet. What’s not to like !
The Government is punishing the victims of cross-channel trafficking, not the perpetrators, says north Dorset Lib Dems’ Mike Chapman.
I had only just got over the ‘let them eat cake’ resonance of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, when I heard of the proposal to ship asylum seekers to Rwanda on a one-way ticket. I am probably being a bit unfair, but I was immediately reminded of Jonathan Swift’s ‘Modest Proposal.’ Its title carries on’…For preventing the Children of Poor People From being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country and For making them Beneficial to the Publick’. The Proposal, of course, is that the rich should eat the poor starvelings, (preferably in a casserole!). So, how is it that people with the multi-national background of the Prime Minster, Chancellor and Home Secretary have stewed up such a proposal allowing them to sit in judgement over the future lives of fugitives from war, repression and poverty?
Fair and reasonable? It beggars belief that the way to break the criminal gangs is to victimise their prey even further. The ‘system’ seems to have lost its ability to be fair and reasonable and is lashing out with this make-or-break, immoral, unjust and damaging idea. Much of the problem is born of the notion, now institutionalised, that we must make asylum application very slow and very hard because otherwise “they” (whoever “they” are) will all want to try to jump the immigration queue. On the other hand, coming down hard in an internationally co-operative way on the smugglers seems wholly right and proper. With the right investment in co-operative surveillance and intelligence, it cannot be beyond the wit of man to find them, and raise the stakes of their game considerably whilst delivering fair and reasonable asylum solutions. Whatever the outcome of our local elections, there is a strong case for those representatives forming the new unitary Somerset Council to leave their party badges at home. It will take a massive effort to make the new council work. If it all starts off on party lines, Us v Them, the losers are likely to be the people expecting the services and the positive changes they have been promised. These are hard yards building a new perspective, culture, system and process. Let’s approach it with goodwill all round.
From insect burgers to sushi made from bugs, Mr Dines and his class of Year 5 pupils from Motcombe Primary School were very lucky to be invited to the Future Classroom at Shaftesbury School to do a STEM project looking at the future of food.
The first day consisted of a series of mini workshops with STEM ambassadors from the school, where the children looked at profit and net costs, branding, the benefits of insects as a food choice, and designed and created a basic recipe using future food ingredients. Creativity had no bounds and they created some unique recipes that they were then able to cook in the professional kitchen alongside Year 7 pupils, and Head Chef Clive Harris. When in the kitchen, they got a taste of what secondary school life is like from talking to the students who were helping. They also got to make and watch their wonderful and weird creations come to life, and realise that they actually tasted really nice. The students showed determination to try them, and they are glad they did. The benefits of eating insects is something the children researched – rich in much-needed protein and iron, they cause less strain on the land and water resources and help in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. “It was definitely fun and I also liked cooking the sushi because I have never cooked it before and it was tasty with crickets.” (Viggo J) “…being in the future classroom was really cool. It’s bigger, you can write on the walls and there was great technology to use.” (Alice S)
This month Barry Cuff thought it might be interesting to share his month of activity on the allotment, along with his daily notes on growing conditions.
Barry’s Conference pear tree was a mass of flowers by the 14th of April
April was dry with cold nights, some very sunny days and the wind mostly from the north and east: 1st • Cut two large Medallion cauliflowers. • Covered purple sprouting broccoli with a net to protect from pigeons. 2nd • Frost down to -1ºC. • Pricked out Ildi and Bumble Bee tomatoes (all other varieties were pricked out in March). 3rd • White frost -3ºC. Thin ice on water buts. 4th • Plant three lines Rooster potato • Sowed in the greenhouse Spanish Flag Ipomoea and Grandpa Ott Ipomoea. Both showy climbers for a wigwam. 5th • Sowed a patch of French Breakfast radish. • Sow in modules the Brendan Brussels sprouts. 7th • Plant one line Picasso potato • Weeding around fruit bushes and mulched with manure. 9th • White frost. • Weeding where needed • Sow various annual flowers in trays and modules (greenhouse). • Sow in pots Marketmore and La Diva cucumber (greenhouse) 10th • Frost -1ºC. • Trimming edges of plots. 14th • Pumped water for site. • A mass of flowers on Conference pear. • Cut chicons (our second cut). • Spray beans for weevils. 17th • Picked purple sprouting broccoli. • Dug five leeks. • Removed sprouts (chimps) from stored potatoes. • Sow Greensleeves celery and Asterix celeriac in modules. 18th • Plant out under cloche Little Gem lettuce. • Sow two pots of Musselburgh leek. 19th • Pumped water for site. • Sow two lines Palace parsnip • Plant out from modules two lines of Golden Bear onion. • Cover beetroot seedlings to protect from the sparrows. • Sow line Early Nantes carrot. 20th • Plant further two lines of Golden Bear. 22nd • Pumped water for site. • Picked last of the purple sprouting broccoli. • Sow one line of Hurst Greenshaft pea. • A Red Kite flew over plots. 24th • Some very useful rain in the night. • Earthed up eight lines of potatoes. 25th • Sow further line of Hurst Greenshaft pea. • Plant two lines Picasso (after the purple sprouting) 26th • Pumped water for the site. • Cover eight lines of potatoes with fleece as more frosts forecast. • Dug remaining leeks and put them on the compost heap as they were running up to flower.
From our store and freezer we still have potatoes, squash (Crown Prince), broad beans and French beans from last year’s harvest.
Rachael Rowe visited Sprout & Flower, a beautiful flowermonger/greengrocer /deli (with ‘the best coffee for miles’) in Mere, and chatted to owner Sarah Collins.
Sprout & Flower have been on The Square in Mere for over a decade.
There’s an attractive colourful display of fresh vegetables and floral bouquets outside Sprout and Flower on The Square in Mere. The smell of fresh fruit and vegetables blended with foliage and flowers greets customers inside. “We need to can that smell,” smiles owner Sarah Collins.
How did you get started? What’s the story behind the shop? “I have been a florist for 20 years. Then, 11 years ago, my family expanded, and we needed a bigger house. And then this place popped up in Mere. So, we ended up with a bigger house, a shop, and the business started. I had always worked for other people and thought: “I’ll give it a go”, and the business has grown subtly and slowly. “This was originally a greengrocer but needed some updating. I started the coffee bar around seven years ago, and it has really made the place a hub for people in Mere. It’s also a nice stop off for people heading to the South West (note – it’s just off the A303). It’s a green oasis. “People comment about the smell. We do produce our own candles here, but if only we could just can the smell because everyone comments on it. We were also the first place to have a milk station in Mere, and we sell cheeses and charcuterie. “We keep the place looking rustic with lots of upcycled and reclaimed furnishings. It has an earthy feel to the place.”
Sarah admits she’ll always be a florist at heart, and they are the favourite part of the shop “No one does flowers quite like us. They are very natural, and we buy mostly British flowers”
How big is the team? “We have three full-time staff and five who are part-time. Some do one day a week.”
What’s flying off the shelves right now? “Our flowers are always very popular. No one does flowers quite like us. They are very natural, and we buy mostly British flowers, although some are imported. The cakes are another bestseller. People adore our cakes, and I have just got a fantastic new baker. Our coffee is also excellent. I’m told we’re the best for miles around.”
Tell us about some of your local suppliers. “Almost everything in the shop has a local twist. I have three baking ladies locally. We use Jane’s Grains from Tisbury, and we have local cheeses. Our vegetable stall outside is all local, apart from the kohlrabi. We get carrots from North Wiltshire, and we’re lucky to have Mere Trout Farm close by. John Hurd’s watercress is just down the road, and he always seems to know when I have run out because a fresh box appears in the doorway.”
Sarah had been a florist for twenty years when her family expanded and they moved to Mere in 2011 for a bigger house – which came with a greengrocer’s shop. She decided to give working for herself a go, and hasn’t looked back
What has been your biggest challenge in the last decade? “Lockdown – changing the business was a challenge. We went from a happy florist to a food and veg box assembly line overnight. The whole team came in, and we did 40 box deliveries a day. Customers could not go all the way into the shop. It was a real challenge for two years.”
What is your absolute favourite part of the shop? “I’m a florist! I love planters and things like that.”
I started the coffee bar around seven years ago, and it has really made the place a hub for people in Mere. It’s also a nice stop off for people heading to the South West (note – it’s just off the A303). It’s a green oasis.”
And what part of the business are you most proud of? “The whole thing. And that it’s so supported. We have some real characters in Mere. And that I have kept it going for 11 years.” Sarah recalled a day last Christmas. “Two men came in and bought huge bouquets of flowers. One of them couldn’t believe the place. He said it was just like being in a storybook, and it was magical. It made me quite emotional to hear that.”
Baskets brimming with fresh citrus fruits, delicious tomatoes, Italian pasta, dried herbs & spices and in the fridges local organic salad, chard & spinach, local cheeses & charcuterie…
So what’s next? “Well, I never really plan anything. I think it’s enough!” Assistant Fiona looks up thoughtfully. “I like that every day is different here. And I think this is the type of shop that brings nice people in.” It’s definitely a place to visit and stop for a coffee, treat yourself to flowers, and enjoy that smell.
Events at a Dorset council meeting made national headlines, but ultimately overshadowed the importance of the vote, says Labour’s Pat Osborne.
You may have missed events at a Dorset Council meeting last month. First, the Tories voted against a motion calling for national legislation to be strengthened to allow councils to reject fossil fuel applications. Second, a vote favour of a motion calling for the opening up of more oil and coal fields in the UK. It seems clear that Dorset Tories were never serious about taking action to avert a climate catastrophe, and their support of a Climate Emergency Declaration in recent years feels nothing more than ‘greenwash’. In short, this is a significant backwards step for Dorset Council that shows the Tories can’t be trusted on climate. Sadly, these events were overshadowed by two ladies with a tube of glue who stuck themselves to a table to interrupt proceedings as a protest against the motions. With the ‘glance and scroll’ many of us now consume the news, it was this desperate but ill- conceived way they expressed their message (rather than the message itself) that took the headlines both locally and nationally. The Tories will no doubt be feeling relieved that they were gifted the opportunity to brush off legitimate climate concerns by fanning the flames of controversy around what appeared to be little more than a storm in a teacup. Stay accountable Dorset Tories shouldn’t simply be let off the hook for inflicting a deliberate act of climate crisis self-harm on all of us. Neither is it necessary to take extreme, headline grabbing action to hold them to account. If you’re as serious about the climate emergency as I am, you’ll write to your local Tory councillor and tell them what you think about those votes. Then you’ll vote in the next election in favour of a candidate that you feel you actually can trust on climate.
The Wessex teams arranged a makeover for the communal garden of the Nadder Close community as part of its wider Social Value Charter.
Nadder Close is located in the centre of Tisbury and comprises 34 apartments and eight bungalows for social rent and has a large garden and patio areas for all the residents to enjoy. Built in 1992, Nadder Close celebrates its 30-year anniversary this summer. To celebrate, the Wessex teams turned their hands to gardening to refresh the communal areas. Many of the residents’ apartments face onto the gardens, with the focal point a 30 year old wisteria which provides a spring display of colour and scent, as well as shade in the warmer months. Having notified them about the Nadder Close project, Edmundson Electricals very kindly supplied all the materials needed for the garden refresh. Over the course of three days, the Wessex team jet washed the patios, mowed the gardens, weeded and planted new flowerbeds and pruned back the wisteria. The team also undertook structural work to stabilise the pergola supporting the wisteria, replaced and painted hand rails and rebuilt damaged raised flowerbeds. Lastly, the teams created a new gravelled terrace with seating in a sunny spot overlooking the new flowerbeds. Jamie Robinson, Operations Manager, Wessex Electricals said “The team have got to know the residents over the years, and wanted to help to refresh the garden for them.” Nadder Close resident Maureen came to oversee proceedings, including the pruning of the wisteria, and offered wise advice, as well as cake for the team. She said “It’s nice to have them here helping out, the gardens look amazing, and I am looking forward to sitting on the new bench in the summer. We are all really grateful.”
We’re dealing with beetle, unseasonal weather and confusing, costly messages from the EA, argues Dorset NFU County Chair George Hosford.
Where have all the larvae gone? There we were, a few days ago, hunting around in flowering rape for evidence that there had been any flea beetle attack this season. Eventually we found one larva embedded in a stem – far short of anything to worry about. Since the Europe-wide ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments in 2013 we have tried countless methods to outwit the little devils which have decimated the UK rape crop over recent years. The flea beetle is a formidable pest. The adult will attack the tiny emerging plants shortly after sowing in autumn, and on many of the plants that survive, the beetle lays eggs, which eventually hatch and then attempt to burrow into the stems as the plant grows in late autumn and into early spring. They can weaken plants considerably, and when you think you have escaped the autumn onslaught, you find patches of plants in spring where they have given up, having been hollowed out. We have tried applying smelly manures, sown companion crops to distract them, sown early, even grazed the rape off with sheep in the hope that the sheep actually eat the larvae in the plants. Overall larvae numbers on this farm were lower in 2021 than 2020, and appear to be lower still this year, the fourth since forsaking insecticides. Can we dare to believe that beneficial predators are making a comeback, now we aren’t repeatedly killing them off with increasingly unsuccessful chemical attempts to control the flea beetle?
We know the drill In a vain hope to encourage a bit of rain in May, is it appropriate as I write this on the 23rd of April, to have a good moan about the very dry, cool and windy, weather? Our spring barley is seriously struggling, it was sown into rapidly drying seedbeds, which in spite of our intentions to direct drill, had to be cultivated to make a half decent seedbed. A return to the field with a heavy flat roll this week has been required to try to encourage some late germination where there are gaps, and to conserve what little moisture is there. The spring beans, usually more sensitive to lack of moisture than most crops, are holding out at he moment. We managed to direct drill some of them into the kinder soils, and in two small fields we are using them as a break with which to improve some worn-out permanent pasture. Direct sowing the beans into the turf has so far worked well: leatherjackets, that would otherwise have demolished a cereal crop, are not interested in beans, and will have hopefully hatched and left the field before we sow a wheat crop in the autumn, and then establish a long term herbal mixture in the following year. Digging down below the turf finds surprisingly moist soil, protected from the wind and sun by the old turf.
A urea heap? Defra have announced some long-awaited answers for farmers recently: firstly, their response to the urea fertiliser consultation that they issued a year ago, which had left farmers who are accustomed to using urea fertiliser, with no idea whether they could buy, let alone use any urea this year. The decision means that previously announced restrictions on the use of urea are being postponed whilst the industry tries to cope with the enormous rise in fertiliser prices that has occurred in the last few months. Urea has traditionally been used as a cheaper form of fertiliser than the more widely-used ammonium nitrate, but a major drawback is that it leads to the emission of more ammonia into the atmosphere than AN. Both contribute to global warming, but urea is worse. The decision seems likely, in the longer term, to lead to a regime which will restrict urea use, force farmers to adjust the timing of applications and to only apply it in conjunction with an inhibitor, to help reduce emissions.
In 2018 the Environment Agency (EA) announced a clampdown on manure spreading in the autumn. The implication was that farmers who produce organic manures would not be able to apply them to any more than a narrow range of permitted crops in autumn – the time when traditionally many millions of tons of manures are applied to newly sown crops.
Costly storage needed? The second announcement relates to the ‘Farming Rules for Water’, devised and policed by the Environment Agency (EA), which aims to control pollution from farmland to waterways and ground water. These rules have been contentious from their inception in 2018, when the Environment Agency (EA) announced a clampdown on manure spreading in the autumn. The implication was that farmers who produce organic manures would not be able to apply them to any more than a narrow range of permitted crops in autumn – the time when traditionally many millions of tons of manures are applied to newly sown crops. Lots more storage capacity would have to be built to carry it safely through until it could legally be applied in the spring. There are many reasons why this draconian ruling didn’t make sense, and I plan to return to this subject soon, but to put it concisely, DEFRA have asked the EA to look again at this, and work more closely with farmers to make the system more sensible. No farmers intentionally allow their manures to get into water, they are far too valuable to do that. A confrontational approach helps no-one, and I very much hope now that we can move forward with an environmentally responsible, and economically justifiable blend of common sense and practical regulation.
