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Gardeners Notebook for April 2024

28 March 2024

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Unknown 34Gardeners Notebook, March 2024 

From a Gardener’s Notebook, April 2024 

It seems to be quite correct to say our weather is defiantly  changing, with endless rain and very little frost in the mornings pear trees and apple trees have not had enough frost, for their germination and good growth.   

The Hornbeam, I planted in July 2006, when we first moved to Great Barton has developed well providing much wanted shade in our back garden.  There were no little birds in our garden when we arrived, but constantly filling feeders has helped a great deal. A very special treat in March 2007 was a flock of some 2,000 Golden Plovers, which we reported to the Suffolk Wild Trust.

For our novice gardeners I’d like to suggest that they observe

the seasons with interest and note when plants and trees flower and so on. A tree paeony will take one week  from bud to flower, if the weather is warm. Last month I suggested looking out for second hand tools;  this month look for books 

Oxfam have special book and music shops in Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge excellent books perhaps originally £20 may be sold at £4. When unable to get outside take the chance to read and learn more.  Has anyone had a failure with geranium seed this year?  I have met one other person who like my self has had no joy.

How is your greenhouse?  I hope you have given it a good clean this will make such a difference to the light for your plants.

Prompt Points:  time to sow runner beans in pots.  There are many shrubs to prune in April as in March, here are just three.

a)  Forsythia,  flower shoots only, do not hack!

b)  Tree paeony  dead branches

c)   Perowskia  Russian sage.  Just above the ground  level.

d)  Lastly, look out for plant sales, they start this month. 

Listen for the cuckoo you might just get lucky.  With Easter now behind us may I wish you all, happiness and pleasure this season.

 

Sincerely, Mary