Gardening with Patricia Jordan
WITH all the dry weather this winter I was able to get out into the garden almost daily turning over the soil, digging out obstinate weeds and moving plants around.
Each time I went out to work, I would be joined by a robin redbreast that became very tame, to the point where he would sit on the handle of the garden fork, just like you see on a Christmas card. Luckily there was no snow around to complete the picture! I wondered if he was hoping that I would dig up worms for him but there are very few if any in my garden, as we have very little soil over the rocky hillside base.
However, having searched the internet it would appear that robins much prefer insects or soft fruits and berries so he obviously found enough to keep him plump and good looking. Now alas he has abandoned me and I garden to the cooing of collared doves and the far away calls of the hoopoes.
Talking of red robins, my Photinia ‘Red Robin’ trees are looking quite magnificent this spring as their fiery red new foliage makes a bold statement among the dark green foliage of all the citrus trees. They take a while to settle into the garden but once they like their spot, they will reward you eventually with huge clusters of flower buds and flowers. They are now available as standards, which means that even if you have only a small garden you should still be able to grow one. April is such a good month for trees. With fresh foliage and wonderful flowers not yet spoiled by too much heat, the island is ablaze with colour and perfume everywhere.
In the orchard citrus blossom is attracting the bees to pollinate the wonderfully scented flowers. Our bay tree has been full of flowers which also have a wonderful heady scent. Known here as Daphne, these trees are a great asset in the garden as well as in the kitchen. Along the avenues and streets Bauhinia flowers shower petals down on unwary passers-by and roses are blooming in gardens. In fact some roses never seem to stop blooming throughout the year, although they should have a rest during the cold season. With the milder than usual winter they are showing off their beauty much earlier than other years, and my Banksia rose has never looked so wonderful, with the blowsy Rosa damascenas catching up quickly along the fence line.
Climbing up along the veranda railing as well as a bougainvillea which is sprouting new growths, is a wisteria (see Plant of the Month), which was given to us as a present five years ago as we had lost another bougainvillea in a particularly cold winter. The wisteria has certainly flourished in its new home. The huge ponderous racemes of light mauve flowers hanging gracefully down just delight me and the perfume is heavenly, wafting on breezes into the living areas. Last year it made a lot of seed pods but it is necessary to have a lot of patience if you want to grow this climber from seed. It may take up to seven years before you have any flowers. What a glorious but short time spring is!
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH
Longer days and warmer temperatures mean that hedges and shrubs probably need a trim. Topiaries can easily lose their shape if they are not regularly trimmed but there are special topiary shears that are ideal for that job. The mild weather also encourages green fly and blackfly to invade our gardens and attack any fresh green leaves. The old remedy is to use a soapy water spray for that or you can rub them off in gloved hands, but be quick before they damage the first soft leaves. Among other bugs that may infest your garden are aphids called Cinara cupressivora, which, as their name suggests, feed on members of the cupressus family. In fact they can cause such die-back that you could lose the tree or bush altogether.
It is difficult to see the insect as it is much smaller than a scale insect and I lost a couple topiaries to this bug a few years ago, as I didn’t know what to treat them with. If you part the branches you will see tiny white blobs attached to the ‘leaves’. The treatment is to spray 50cc of Confidor mixed in 10 litres of water with a drop of washing up liquid added, to make it stick to the branches and leaves. Spray your trees and hedges with this every two weeks. If you cannot find this, use 12cc Mospilan SP20 in 10 litres of water, which is what we also use for the dreaded mealy bugs. Ants start to become troublesome this month as the ground warms up and they look to make new homes. Don’t let them get into flower pots or they will make nests there, completely killing off the plants.
Either raise the pot off the ground on little Chinese ‘feet’ or if you are re-potting, place a piece of nylon stocking, a piece of J Cloth or something similar over the drainage hole to stop them from entering the pot. We have been using ‘Divipan’ for this problem for years now but suddenly it is not available, so we are searching for an alternative. Pouring boiling water down the ant hole usually does the trick, but whatever treatment you try, take care not to damage the plants nearby or harm yourself. The early spring bulbs are over so cut off any dead flower heads but leave the stems to help the work of forming the flowers within the bulbs for next year. You will have to be patient and let the leaves die down naturally, even if they look unsightly at this stage. When they turn brown or yellow then you can gently pull them off. Deadheading flowers like osteospermums, salvias and marguerites is an ongoing regular task or the plant will just make seeds, thinking that it has done its job.
It’s getting rather late for sowing annual seeds, which are usually sown straight into the ground and need only a light covering of soil. The resulting seedlings can be thinned out when they are big enough to grasp. Summer salad plugs are in all the nurseries and make growing your own salads and vegetables so much easier than sowing seeds and waiting for them to appear. Some veggies have to be sown directly in the ground, like beetroot, carrots and peas, but beans are available in little plugs just needing to be planted. Don’t buy plugs if they are dry and crusted, as it is unlikely that they will be able to take up water again. Get them home as soon as possible and if you cannot plant them straight away, then give them a drink and keep them in the shade until you can.
PLANT OF THE MONTH: Wisteria sinensis 
Wisteria sinensis (Chinese Wisteria) is a woody, long-lived, perennial climber – sinensis is the descriptive word for plants grown originally in China. This wonderful plant was first introduced into England and America in the early 19th century and is one the most popular climbers grown today in many countries, including Cyprus. Mature specimens are often to be found in gardens in old parts of our cities here. Over time the plant may grow to about 10 metres, aided by the twining tendrils which will latch on to any support or nearby trees. The trunk will eventually become very thick and strong, necessary to support all the top branches and leaves. The pea-like flowers which appear before any leaves, hang down in huge racemes of white or violet, sometimes exceeding 30 centimetres in length as the plant matures.
They exude a wonderful light perfume. Like lots of other climbers, the roots should grow in shade but the heads should be able to enjoy the sun to bring out the best of the flowers. Wisteria is a heavy feeder and likes to be mulched around the root area with lots of organic matter. Grown over a sturdy pergola or along wires at the front of a house it can become a wonderful feature and why would you want to hide this beauty away – let everyone enjoy it. The climber may flower a second time after the leaves have formed, but the flowers will not be as many or as vigorous as the first blooming. Some pruning is required in late winter when all shoots should be cut back to 2 or 3 buds and any dead stem ends removed. This seems quite severe but good advice. Later in summer you can trim new shoots a little, as long as you keep the main framework of the climber intact. Be careful handling wisteria as all parts can cause nausea or vomiting if ingested. Propagate by the huge flat seeds produced in hard pods in late summer. It is best to soak them first before sowing. Layering is another option.
