April showers bring forth May flowers
Jill writes.
The many benefits of being calm and reconnecting even just for a few minues can come from a woodland walk which at this time of year comes with the added bonus of bluebells or ‘dusking’…….
The delicate Bluebell abounds at this time of year and almost half of the bluebells in the world can be found growing in the UK. They are very slow to establish taking between five to seven years from seed to flower and so reflect the health and quality of our ancient woodland.
As prolific as they may seem they are at risk from invasive foreign species such as the Spanish bluebell and in areas of high footfall entire colonies can die out from being trampled. The various organisations looking after bluebell woodlands request we do not stray from pathways nor pick the wild flowers. Our native blue bells have narrow levaes with a single deep violet-blue flower on one side whereas Spanish bluebells are more visible due to their broader leaves and light blue or pink flowers on all sides of the plant.
Both the Woodland Trust (woodlandtrust.org.uk) and Wild Life Trust (wildlifetrusts.org) have lists of the bluebell woods they look after so, if possible, treat yourself to a few hours in the quiet beauty of such a wood.
Another source of calming and reconnecting with the natural world could be Dusking or ‘schemeren’ from the Dutch word for dusk, de-schemer. Dutch newspapers from the early 20th century made mention of this ritual carried out by farming families gathering round the table to look for and observe the day become night. After which they would light candles and eat supper. By 1960 and 1970s these articles were noticing a decline in this ritual as modern life accelerated.
Welcoming dusk is a meaningful ritual in many cultures: reflection upon the peaceful calm of the evening is known as kvällsro in Sweden; the Balinese tradition of matahari terbenam marks a moment of sunset contemplation and in Japan, the yūyake song observes twilight.
Our lives have become efficiency driven providing little space for stillness to aid restoration of our brains. There is a slow resurgence of dusking, organised events such as York Moors Dark Skies Festival and a Dark Skies Station at Danby Lodge Natural Park Centre. To gain the benefits you
To notice the slow disappearance of the daylight requires being in the moment and persistent attention; your mind will wander but just keep coming back to focus on twilight. The act is almost meditative but with open eyes. This simple ritual can be carried out anywhere inside or outside but sitting is preferred over standing. Giving yourself permission to be unproductive in thought and deed, focusing on and embracing the coming darkness provides calm and a different perception of the coming of nighttime, helping to restore connection with nature and a calm mind ready for whatever life throws at you on the morrow.
Traditionally this ritual was observed in the company of others but in silence. Sitting alone has the same effect upon your brain while in some organised events a soundscape of calming music and narrative is used.
Garden Snippets
Now is the time to plant summer flowering bulbs to bring colour and impact to the garden and containers. Irises love sun so providing a very sunny spot and acidic soil encourages flower production; when planting out pot brought plants ensure the top half of the rhizome is above the soil surface, not buried – this is essential if you wish for long term flowering.
The guidance is to apply a general fertiliser to spring flowering bulbs whether growing in clumps, singly or naturalised in grass. Water in well unless raining or rain is forecast. For bulbs not fed for years now is the time to apply a foliar feed to the foliage.
Fertilisers can be home made from plants such a comfrey and nettles to provide. Afree, eco-friendly way to improve plant health
Also sow annuals such as zinnias, rudbeckias, marigolds in trays/pots in warm frost-free place. Wait til weather warms and direct sow calendulas, Nigella, Cosmos.
Prune evergreen and early flowering shrubs once finished flowering. For Forsythia and Ribes prune back any stems which flowered this year to a healthy-looking vigorous outward facing shoot, leaving an evenly spaced open framework. For Japanese quince take back to one or two healthy buds. Leave Daphne and Edgeworthia unpruned.
Dead head (flowers and seed heads) spring bulbs like tulip and daffodil to divert energy back to the bulb; leave foliage to die back naturally so plant can photosynthesise nutrients. Same applies to hippeastrum, dead head after flowering and feed and water throughout the summer to build the bulb for repeat flowering next year.
Lift, divide and replant herbaceous perennials such as hostas, daylilies and phlox to reinvigorate old clumps and give extra plants.
Potatoes. Earlies sown in recent weeks may show signs of growth above the soil and because there is still possibility of frost these need to be covered to encourage growth and prevent crop turning green. A variety of materials can be used – soil, leaf mulch or leaves from previous autumn. Plant main crop potatoes late in April.
Beans need support, especially runners, so construct supports now before they are needed.
This month you can begin successive direct sowing of hardy vegetables such as beetroot, carrots, lettuce, radish and spring onion to produce a steady supply rather than a glut. Cucurbit family e.g. courgettes, can be sown in a warm sunny spot such as window sill ready for planting out later. Like-wise brassicas sown now will provide transplants for June and July ready to harvest in autumn and winter. Any over wintered brassicas need coveriung with mess to protect from cabbage white butterfly and pigeons, making sure the mesh does not touch the plant as butterflies can lay eggs through the mesh.
Water fruit trees, canes and bushes especially those planted recently as a wet soil will help with fruit set and nutrient uptake by the roots. A thorough drenching is more effective than frequent small waterings.
Tomatoes sown now on warm window sill or heated propagator will be ready to plant out in early summer. Acclimatise ion cold frame or greenhouse
Hoe, hoe, hoe the weeds! The germination rate and growth will have accelerated with the warmer weather and will appear almost overnight. The relatively warm weather will waken slugs and snails to venture out at dusk to satiate their hunger. Collecting them up, beer traps – good excuse to finish the bottle – or apply a biocontrol like Nemaslug, unharmful to wildlife and pets.