Is That a Fruit Growing in the Morrisons Beds?

Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Whitecurrants, Gooseberries

One bush will provide you with plenty of fruit in around July for your family.
The fruit freezes really well and is only available in the shops for a short time, if at all!
If you like berries, it is a good idea to grow your own!
Tips for looking after your fruit bushes
Fruit bushes are cheaper to buy bare rooted in the winter. They can be bought in pots at other times of the year.
Plant outside as soon as you receive bare-rooted plants so the roots don’t dry out and will start to grow as soon as the soil warms up.
If you are not ready to plant them in place when they arrive, plant into a large pot with peat-free compost. Ensure the compost doesn’t dry out.
Fruit bushes can be planted amongst your non-edible shrubs.
The non-edibles will help to feed your fruit bush and planting a mixture of plants together keeps away pests and disease.
Water frequently in the first year then less so once established.
Add a layer of well rotted manure in the spring to release nutrients slowly – leave a gap around the base of the bush.
Adding a layer of cardboard around the bush with a mulch on top will prevent the soil drying out – again, leave a gap around the base of the bush.
Pick fruit around July.
Prune on a dry day in winter when the leaves have all fallen.

The rhubarb is very popular in the flowerbeds! If you enjoy eating rhubarb, this is really easy to grow!

Rhubarb can be bought bare rooted in the winter.
It can tolerate a little shade but prefers to grow in a sunny position.
When planting, ensure the crown is level with the surface of the soil.
If you don’t have much space for growing vegetables, plant a crown of rhubarb in your flowerbed.
Water regularly in the first year and during dry weather in subsequent years.
Do not pick the stalks for the first year to allow it’s roots to grow strong.
Feed in spring by spreading a layer of manure around the base of the plant leaving a gap around the stalks.
Adding a layer of cardboard around the base of the plant with a mulch on top will prevent the soil drying out – again, leave a gap around the plant so it will not rot.
Pick the stalks from when they begin to grow – leave two or three stalks on each plant to get energy from the sun to grow more stalks.
The leaves are poisonous so never eat them! They can be composted.
Stop picking in July to allow the plant to allow them to recover for next year.

Fig tree – the fig is a beautiful tree and doesn’t mind our salty air so much – did you know there is an old fig tree at Tide Mills?

Fig trees are easy to grow.
The roots of a fig tree need containing or the roots will travel and the tree won’t bear much fruit. The tree can be planted in a large tub in a flowerbed. The fig can be planted in a special bag which allows moisture and nutrients through – Rootex Root Control Bag.
Prune your fig tree in the winter. You will find guides on the internet.
Some summer pruning will be required. Visit Ashridge Nurseries website for advice.
Add a layer of well rotted manure. Leave a gap around the base of the tree to prevent rotting or disease.
Adding a layer of cardboard around the bush with a mulch on top will prevent the soil drying out – again, leave a gap around the base of the tree.
In September, pick off any unripe figs. Leave any pea sized figs, they will hopefully grow and ripen next year.
Visit this article on the Gardeners World website to find out more about planting and caring for a fig tree.

Strawberry – it’s been lovely to hear children excited when they see a strawberry growing in the Morrisons beds.

Strawberries need a little bit of looking after during the growing season.
Before planting strawberries, mix well-rotted manure with compost and put a layer on top of the soil where your strawberries will be planted.
Cover the area with a layer of carboard and completely cover with a layer of compost or rotted bark chippings. This will prevent the soil drying out.
Plant the strawberry plants 30cm apart in a row level with the soil. Leave 75cm between rows.
Water regularly.
When flowers start to blossom, add a potash feed (comfrey) when watering.
Add a layer of straw underneath the plants to protect them from the soil.
Visit this page on the Gardeners World website to find out more about looking after your strawberries and propagating (growing more plants from the runners).

Alpine strawberries are a really useful plant to have in your garden.

They like shade and pretty much look after themselves!
The plants spread providing ground cover.
With the wetter winters we’re having, a carpet of alpine strawberries will hold onto the soil and nutrients to stop them washing away.
Plant them underneath your fruit bushes to act as a living mulch.
As well as holding onto the soil and nutrients in the winter, alpine strawberries will hold moisture in the soil longer in the summer.
Hidden alpine strawberries under bushes are a gardeners secret treat while you’re working in the garden.
If they get too matted, you can pull away the unwanted plants, sprinkle over a layer of compost, shaking off any that falls onto the remaining plants into the soil, leaving space for new plants to grow into.
It’s important to have flowering plants around your vegetables when they’re growing to attract beneficial insects and look great!

Japanese quince is a really easy to grow low bush.
It provides beautiful bright flowers in spring and fruit in autumn.
The quince can be trained along a wall.
It can be planted in light shade.
It doesn’t really need pruning.
Mulch with manure in spring taking care to leave a gap around the base of the plant.
A Japanese quince does not provide much fruit but is a useful shrub to have in the garden.