Colin Evans

I've spent the last few days in my own garden sorting out the compost heap. When I moved into my present house, I decided to pile all the grass cuttings into the bottom of my garden and let it turn into compost.

The pile of decomposing grass cuttings was getting bigger every year. When I checked, I saw that the pile of compost had been cooking for nearly three years.

I could tell something was happening because in spite of piling heaps more grass cuttings on, the level had reduced. This is a sure sign that after three years, the grass clippings are now becoming their end product, compost.

Wellington Boots

I quickly set about weeding all the large borders and getting into my wellies and tackling this compost. My fertilizer crumbles in the hand and has no smell other than that of sweet decay, just as it should be.

All the weeded borders have now had a thick covering of the very best compost. This will help reduce the weeds and hold in valuable moisture.

If you have an area in your garden for a compost heap then don't hesitate, it will be worth its weight in gold.

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' has great balls of white flowers during June and July. They are borne on stems of light green fleshy leaves.

Hydrangea arborescens

This Hydrangea will grow in almost any soil and grows rapidly. After flowering, the shrub unlike the Lace cap varieties, can be pruned keeping the plant in shape.

Topical Tips

Pinch out the growing tips of runner beans when they have reached their required height. Make sure that the plants are never allowed to dry out as this will affect the flavour of the beans. Also, make sure you give plenty of liquid plant food with every other watering.

Remove the dead heads of roses, just above a healthy bud. This will encourage new blooms to appear and keep the shrub compact. Feeding is vital, so liquid rose food must be applied, especially if the shrub is flowering well.

Keep an eye open for mildew or black spots and spray with a fungicide or Bordeaux mixture at the first sign.

Apples

On apples and pears, if you spot mildew simply remove the infected foliage using pruners. Dispose of the debris in the dustbin, not the compost heap.

Manually removing the problem is easier than trying to spray it with a fungicide.This is because the tops of large trees are almost impossible to reach with the chemical.

Happy Gardening