Not everything is rosy in my garden this week. Firstly it's been really dry; the water butts are two thirds empty and some days I've had to resort to the hosepipe, there have been so many plants needing water.
Then it's been really windy. The lawn and flower beds are covered with shredded bits of cherry tree and the cold frame lid has blown off overnight, breaking a pane of glass.
Finally, the big maple in the front garden has been invaded by blackfly, and all the plants beneath the tree are covered in sticky honeydew - charming!
Not everything is gloom and doom, however. My dad came over to help me to put new hinges on a sticking window in the lean-to greenhouse and I've managed to plant out all my bedding and early vegetables in good time this year.
Because it's been so dry, the soil was quite hard and cracked in places. In marked contrast, borders where I had added organic matter from the compost bin earlier in the year were still moist and crumbly beneath the surface, easy to plant into.
It was also easier to water the new plants in because the water didn't run off, but went straight to where it was needed around the roots.
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The addition of organic matter or humus to the soil is a universal panacea. It helps to retain moisture in periods of dry weather and yet it also mops up excess water in times of deluge.
Humus supplies food for plants and it improves the texture of the soil, making it easier to cultivate. Plants growing in humus-rich soil tend to be healthier and less prone to attack by pests and diseases. Perhaps that's why my maple is having such a bad time; it grows in the hottest, sunniest part of the garden, in very thin, poor soil. I suspect that most of its roots are beneath paving and the concrete-lined pond - it's not easy to add organic matter to its base.
Build up your compost heap by using as many different ingredients as you can lay your hands on - grass clippings, waste paper and cardboard (shredded or torn up small), vegetable and fruit peelings, spent cut flowers, autumn leaves, old egg boxes and toilet roll middles, rabbit and guinea pig bedding, the contents of the Hoover bag, coffee grounds, used paper kitchen towels, chicken manure, bracken, sawdustall these things are all better in your garden compost than they are in landfill sites.
Keep a constant eye out for external sources of humus to add to your soil, such as spent hops from your local microbrewery, used mushroom compost and stable manure, which can all be put straight on the garden.
Jobs for the gardener this week...
Trim back winter-flowering heathers this month, cutting back last year's growth but not cutting into the old wood.
Help annual climbers like sweet peas to get a good start by tying them in to wires, canes or netting.
In the vegetable plot, plant out winter greens such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
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