We have had more than a fortnight with very little rain in the south and grass has needed very little mowing.
It has given us a chance to keep on top of problems like moss and an application of MO Bacter twoi weeks ago is starting to pay dividends. We watered a couple of times because our Sussex Greensand dried out to such an extent that we wanted the bacterial action to kick in.
I am pleased to report that the moss has gone light brown and is starting to disappear. The ground is at last starting to warm up, giving the bacteria even more chance to do its work.
I’ve been able to give the lawn edges a good touch up with the Atom Edger and everything is neat and tidy, ready for the bedding plants to go in. Too many heavy frosts this week have prevented us from making a start - and one or two friends have lost early beans and potato tops because of the severity of the cold.
But it looks like we are on the turn with cherry blossom out and the leaves on the horse chestnut fully green with bunches of flowers in abundance.
In fact the hayfever season seems to have started with a vengeance and the nasal sprays and inhalants are working overtime as pollen counts seem to have reached an all-time high with the lateness of spring.
The good thing about our harsh winter is that there seem to be less pests around and Pippa Greenwood, the BBC Gardener’s Question Time panellist who gave us a talk last week, says there are definitely less slugs and snails.
One less problem to worry about as the bedding plants go out. But it will be a week or two before we risk any beans in the ground here in West Sussex – unless they are under cloches.
Weeds seem to have been just a slow to germinate, which is another blessing – but keeping the hoe going to be on the safe side.
Off to see my son’s garden in London now – he has a stray cat which has kittens in the shed, the so the grandchildren will be over the moon.
And no worries at all about the lack of plant and grass growth.
