Grass cutting mulch, slug control and bulbs

I know I keep on but after this unseasonal weather, one minute warm, then cold winds, snow, warm weather again and then more cold, plants, like us, are not sure what is happening and need help. So keep up that feeding regime – granules or liquids, they are not fussy!

Now to continue on the same subject, according to some of our local ‘oldie’ this summer could well be a hot affair so now that you have started cuttings your lawns, use the grass cuttings to much around all your shrubs, trees and roses. The cuttings will rot down and feed your plants naturally, as well as keeping the soil moist, so saving on water.

With all this rain, slugs and snails can be a problem. Salt, coarse sand and pebbles will help keep them at bay as will slug baites that you can buy. Recently a hosta grower told me that he uses copper tubing. If you have hostas in pots or in the ground, use some old copper pipe (bost Brico shops sell rolls of thin copper tube) to surround your plants. Slugs and snails making contact with the copper, create an acid that kills them.

Spring time in England… yes I know we live in France buw we gardners like to have a remidner of spring flowers. At this time of year, snowdrops are advertised for sale ‘in the green’. These are bulbs that have finished flowering but still have elaf. Be wary of buying these – unless you are preapred to really look after them during the summer months, you could be throwing money away.

This year my supplier is not lifting any bulbs until the autumn. Our recent summers means that bulbs planted now do not tolerate the dry or the ehat. We will be rpducing a list of available bulbs in August – if you are interested, please let me know.

If you have a large garden, by planting some trees and a selection of bulbs you can create your own woodland area.

By Mike Curtis, An English Nursery in France; 00 33 (0)5 46 33 66 17