Gardeners in Northern Europe may envy us our sunny gardens, where we can grow many sub-tropical plants along with the more usual ones. Sometimes though, I long for the lovely year-round greenness in many of my former gardens. With the lack of regular rain in our summers what can we expect, when even wells run dry in some places.
Rather like other parts of Europe we have temperature variations but we know we will have wall to wall sunshine for a great deal of the year with some rain during the so-called winter. This year has been quite an exception with sunshine for months on end and hardly a drop of rainfall. The hot weather seems to have been more widespread this year than usual.
Even plants that started life in hot places like South Africa and the southern states of America have found it difficult to survive. Although bushes of Leucophyllum frutescens ,(commonly called The Texas Ranger) thrived on the heat and humidity, showering us with loads of pretty pink lightly perfumed flowers, all summer long.
After all that summer heat November is a great month to be out in the garden again. Remember though that gardens can be hazardous places to work in, when you consider all the tools kept in your garden shed – chain saws, hedge clippers, secateurs, forks, spades and hoes and don’t forget ladders!
Is it any wonder that 87,000 people were injured in gardens in UK in 2004. Apparently, the worst tool is the lawn mower, followed by plant pots and tripping over hose pipes, which we don’t do too often in Cyprus because the use of hosepipes is not encouraged.
Someone close to me slipped and fell down a bank whilst clipping a hedge, which resulted in two cracked ribs! I hope that I haven’t put you off gardening but do be careful as you work your way around the garden.
The soil temperatures are still good for planting new fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, whilst in many other areas there could be dramatic cold night temperatures to hinder growth.
It depends at what elevation you live as to which fruit trees you could grow. Plum trees are generally grown between 800-1750 metres along with cherries, both of which are known as drupes (one seeded fruits), even though the size of kernel can range from tiny to very big.
You may like to try nectarines and peaches, which are closely related, the only difference is the skin – one is shiny whilst the other is felted. However, they do like a winter chill.
One of my favourite trees is Loquat, originally from China, which is starting to produce flowers now with the most beautiful perfume, always reminding me of the smell of babies’ talcum powder. Known here as Mespilia, it is a favourite tree in many gardens, as they are low-maintenance and do not require much watering, except when the fruits are swelling. Most years, winter rainfall is enough to do that.
The fruits, which are usually ready to eat in April or May are full of sugars and are often eaten raw or used for making jams and jellies whilst the leaves provide shade as the weather hots up. Watch out as the birds love them too.
It’s also time to think about planting hybrid tea roses now that it is cooler and the choices are excellent, as they can usually be found in many gardens around the island. Some roses come potted up or as ‘bare-rooted’ roses. The latter may need a good soak in water before planting.
I like to take cuttings now if there are any available on my favourite plants, but the co-called ‘potting’ compost available here leaves a lot to be desired. Although lots of gardeners take ‘hard wood cuttings’, for best results I prefer what are known as ‘green cuttings’ where the stem is still soft.
I take off the lower leaves leaving about 7cm of growth, and dip the ends up to where the lower leaves were removed, into a hormone rooting powder, as this is where new roots will emerge. Remove any dead or dying flowers and buds. The cuttings are then inserted into a pot of compost using a dibber or even a pencil and then pressed firmly in with the fingers.
I usually do about 6 or 7 at a time around the edge of the pot trying not to crowd them too much. Water gently and put them in a plastic bag and tie the top. Keep them in a light place but out of the sun.
Some cuttings root very quickly – rosemary is the quickest in my experience. Check the pots two to three weeks later and when you see white roots appearing through the holes in the bottom of the pot, the cuttings are almost ready for moving on into their own pot. Plants sometimes suffer a little set back in growth when you do this, but they catch up quickly.
Some cuttings will root in water but this tends to be for more tender plants like Tradescantias, so keep them out of the sun.
There is still time to plant any bulbs if you haven’t done so yet. November is a good month for putting in tulips, making sure that the soil is friable where you are going to put them.
If you want to give pots of ‘paper whites’, (Narcissus papyraceus), as Christmas gifts then prepare them about the middle of the month. A shallow bowl is best and sometimes they are just grown in water.
After Christmas when the flowers and leaves have died down you can transfer the bulbs to the garden where they may flower next year with a little tlc.
If you want amaryllis to flower for Christmas, then you should plant new bulbs now. Place them in a peaty compost with their neck and shoulders above the soil. You will be amazed at their rapid growth.
If last year’s amaryllis bulbs are still resting, don’t start to water or liquid feed them until the end of the month as they need a good three months dormancy. Once the leaves have turned brown, they should be carefully removed.
The soil in your veggie plot would improve if you have included any rotted down kitchen compost and you may even have a bonus or two of tomatoes and melons sprouting in a little while.
Potatoes start to throw out shoots in your veggie basket and there is just time to plant them in the garden in order to have fresh new potatoes in the New Year. They do prefer a deep soil in which to produce wonderfully tasty potatoes.
Broad beans, which grow so well here, are best soaked for a little while before planting and they may need some staking to protect them from the strong winds and heavy rain which may come in a little while. Pinching out the tops will encourage more shoots from the base of the plant and more beans to harvest later on.
Garden centres have benches full of plugs of other winter veggies like broccoli, Kohl rabi, cabbages and even Brussel Sprouts if they are to your liking. If your garden doesn’t get too cold, then you could still grow a few salad crops as well, or grow them in pots if space is short.
As temperatures continue to drop, move more tender potted plants into protected areas and wrap them in straw or some of that green material sold by garden centres and builders’ merchants, leaving air to circulate around the plant.
This very popular shrub or small tree is a hybrid named after the Fraser Plant Nurseries in Alabama in the United States, where in 1943 it was first discovered as a seedling.
The ‘Red Robin’ variety was subsequently developed in New Zealand, and with its highly coloured new growth it has become by far the most popular of all garden Photinias and is a delight to have in any garden, although I have found it to be rather short lived, certainly in my garden.
The vibrant colour of the early leaves is so heart-warming after a particularly long winter. It has small creamy-white flowers in spring, which are followed by red berries.
Whether you use it as stand-alone tree or for hedging, remember that its ultimate height can be as much as 6 metres.
Some pruning will help to maintain bushier growth. Give it a feed of blood, fish and bone if you can get it, which should ensure a good root system.
Photinia thrives in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil, as it doesn’t like to be water-logged, so allow the soil to dry between watering.
Generally, these lovely small shrubs are grown in the garden, but can be also grown in a tub but do need regular watering and feeding.
