subject: Ponds And Greenhouse [print this page] Ponds And Greenhouse Ponds And Greenhouse
During hot and windy spells keep the water levels topped up in ponds and in the reservoirs of water features. If fish are gulping at the surface of the pond in close, thunder weather, turn on the fountain or direct a jet of water from the hose into the water to churn the surface and help oxygenate the water. Remove faded blooms from repeat flowering marginal plants and from bog garden plants. Overcrowded water lily pads can be thinned out, as can over grown submerged plants. Propagate tender perennials by taking cuttings during late summer, over winter the cuttings somewhere frost free.
Provide adequate shading and ventilation to prevent over heating. Damping down may be necessary on hot and sunny days. Continue to tie in new growth on tomatoes and cucumbers and pinch out side shoots. Plants in containers will need watering several times a day in hot weather; you may wish to install an automatic watering system. Feed actively growing plants. Continue to watch for signs of pests, such as aphids, spider mites and whitefly, and diseases such as botrytis and take appropriate action promptly. If you want to have a productive green house in winter, you need to sow winter lettuce, as well as carrots and radishes for early spring.
You need to water all fruit and vegetable plants in containers as necessary. Plant with developing crops will also need watering during dry spells to prevent reduced yields. Also you can water potatoes and leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, during dry spells throughout the summer. Consider installing automatic watering to make the job easier. Prepare the ground for new fruit in autumn strawberry beds. Remove netting and mulch from fruited plants and cut back their foliage. Sever rooted strawberry runners pegged down in early summer from their parent plants.
Prune blackcurrants after harvesting by removing the oldest stems. Cut back canes that have fruited from summer fruiting raspberries and tie in new canes to their support. Pick fruit and vegetables as they reach the right stage of development. Some types of vegetable, including runner beans and zucchini, need picking regularly, otherwise cropping will be reduced. The garden, a riot of color, shapes and textures, looks its best at the height of summer. Keep an eye on plants that need support, such as tomatoes, and tie them in when necessary. Some edging plants, such as the poached egg plant, can spill out on to the lawn, causing bald patches. Remove completely or trim it back.
