HOPEFULLY by now your garden will have recovered from the dreadful storms pre-Christmas. Certainly the soil should be damp deep down, enough to start planting trees and shrubs. I have wanted to move some plants for some months, but hung on hoping for rain to help in the process. When it eventually came it was in such strength that a lot of plants were knocked over, leaves were shredded and plant pots waterlogged! As my under-gardener says ‘There is no Utopia’.
This month I hope to cover a couple of points that have come up during the last year regarding palm trees. Someone emailed me during the summer to ask how to cut the trunks of palm trees so that they look neat. I don’t grow palms but I asked someone who does and it is all to do with how the branches are removed from the trunk. You will need a very sharp Stanley Knife or what the Americans call a Box Cutter. Start as near the bottom of the trunk as you can and cut sharp lines around the trunk to remove the branches. The ends of the branches where they project from the trunk are tough, so that is why the cutter needs to be very sharp. The branch should peel away as you cut, leaving you with a line around the trunk which, when the tree is finished, looks very smart. If you just hack at the branches then you will be left with hard sharp ends that look rather untidy. As the tree grows then you may have to clamber up a ladder in order to trim it, so take great care. I have even seen people cutting the top-most branches of palms from the basket of a Cherry-picker.
Another problem associated with palm trees is the dreaded Palm Beetle, which can cover great distances as most fly in from Egypt. One reader did some research into this as she had this problem after her gardener hacked off the branches with a chain saw, leaving open wounds on the trunk. From her contact with the Ministry of Agriculture (www.moa.gov.cy/da) and speaking with one of their tree experts, she learned that Perfecthion is the most effective ‘medicine’. This sells for €14 for 1 litre and is obtainable from Garden Chemical shops. Dilute 250ml Perfecthion in 10 litres of water and pour into the crown, around the base area and into any open holes. She has done this several times and hopes to have got on top of the problem.
I think that her advice of being vigilant and taking prompt action is very appropriate.
The European Union is introducing stricter measures to combat red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), a harmful insect not native to Europe, that can attack a wide range of palm trees, including date, coconut and areca palms. The insect was introduced to the EU through imports of palm plants and has been found in all Mediterranean Member States (Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain), causing concerns about the future of palms in these areas. The Commission first adopted emergency measures to control the entry and spread of the insect in May 2007.
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH
HOPEFULLY there will be some glorious Halcyon Days this month which you can take advantage of and plant or move shrubs and trees. Having chosen the right spot with care dig a hole larger than the rootball of the shrub and put some slow-release fertiliser into the bottom of the hole. In the UK you would add some bone meal but it doesn’t seem to be available here now. Remove the shrub from the pot and gently tease out the roots, which may have grown round in a circle, especially if the plant has been in the pot for too long, and insert it into the planting hole. Add some fresh soil around the sides and top and firm it all the way around with your foot. You may like to insert a stake before you plant, especially if the shrub is at all ‘willowy’ and likely to move in the winter winds. By doing this before planting you will ensure that the roots are not damaged, as they are vital to the plants well being.
As well as planting some pruning takes place this month. Most olives, even the tiny Greek ones, should have been ‘cut’ by this time and so you can start to prune. Why do we prune trees at all? The main reasons are to rid the tree of dead and diseased branches as well as any that cross. Keeping the centre open allows air to pass through freely, reducing the chance of mildew and other nasty diseases that like cramped, moist areas. Rub off any growths that appear on the trunk as they will only weaken the tree if allowed to grow. Keep the tree to a height that you can harvest the fruit or nuts easily. For instance, if you do not keep pecan trees to a reasonable height then they can grow to about 25 metres and your chances of eating their delectable nuts come Christmas-time will be nil as the crows will get them all!
Almond trees, part of the prunus family, are the first trees to flower in the New Year and can be in full bloom by the end of the month in warmer areas. It’s vital to prune their branches before the weather starts to warm up or the pretty blossom, which flowers on bare wood, will be out. You are bound to cut off some of the fruiting branches by pruning, but it is a vital part of keeping the tree in good shape. In my garden we tend to prune these trees in late autumn. Other members of this family – cherries, nectarines, peaches and plums will not be out for a while, so do them after the almonds. Prunus branches and stems make good garden sticks, so don’t throw them away!
Grapevines look gaunt at this time of year as most of their leaves have fallen but it gives you the opportunity to have a look at the basic structure and do some pruning before the sap starts to rise. Avoid congestion within the vine by cutting back the fruiting stems to one or two buds and pinch out all but the strongest new shoots. Vines do need some summer pruning as well but if you didn’t manage that don’t worry as I will remind you later on. Check over the support while the vine is bare and see if there is need for any repairs or strengthening, as vines when fully in leaf and fruit are very heavy creatures!
Check your potted plants frequently during January as they can become top heavy with rain and the saucers filled with water. Tip out the water and consider moving them into a more sheltered spot for a while. Herbs suffer from winter weather too, so find a space near your kitchen door or even have them on your kitchen window sill, if you are lucky enough to have one, for the next couple of months.
Outside winter jasmine should be in flower brightening up the garden. This is a shrub or climber that is pruned AFTER flowering. It’s amazing how many plants are in flower throughout the winter. Pyrostegia (see Plant of the Month), Viburnum tinus, that very useful evergreen shrub with masses of buds and such pretty pink flowers at this time of year, and of course Polygala, which just never seems to stop blooming. Those Paper whites that you planted before Christmas should be in flower now scenting the air, and the very early narcissus, bursting into flower on sunny days, giving a hint that our Cyprus spring is not very far away.
Plant of the Month Pyrostegia venusta
MOST commonly known as the Flame Vine, Pyrostegia venusta, a member of the large Bignoniaceae family, is a fast growing evergreen vine, whose vivid orange tubular flowers bloom from winter into spring. The very attractive flowers are sometimes so heavy that they hang down. The plant throws out many shoots and tendrils that latch onto any available support and can quickly cover an unsightly wall or fence line.
Coming originally from southern Brazil, northern Argentina and Paraguay, pyrostegia is accustomed to growing best in tropical or subtropical conditions although it can grow more modestly in less warm and humid places. In ideal situations it can reach over 24 metres long but severe pruning after flowering will curb its growth and in the following season there should be even more flowers. Grow pryostegia in full sun for best results, although the plant can tolerate some shade. It is an ideal plant for Cypriot gardens as it can cope with drought conditions once established. Propagation is by semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Pyrostegia appears to be pest and disease-free and tolerant of any soil conditions. It requires little maintenance apart from summer pruning.
