Page 27 - ALG Issue 3 2016

Growing with children
If you take your children or grandchildren to the plot at weekends and holidays, you may be able to keep their attention for a little longer if you offer a structured activity. Here are a few ideas for activities in late summer and early autumn:
Saving seeds
Save yourself some money and encourage your children to gather seeds from owers such as sun owers, nasturtiums, calendulas, poppies and nigella. Poppy and nigella seeds can be collected by shaking the seed head into a paper bag, whilst sun owers and calendulas are larger and easier for ngers to pull apart.
Small envelopes can be decorated with colourful felt tips or crayons, lled with seeds and then stored in a cool, dark place. In the spring the children can then sow the seeds they harvested and start all over again.
Make an insect tower
Building a home for insects could take several weeks of planning, collecting materials and preparation. The tower could be very simple or as elaborate as you have time and space for. The idea is to build a construction that has several layers which are then lled with materials that provide the right habitat for various insects. Here are some ideas for materials and the sort of insects that will be attracted to overwinter in the space:
Dead wood is essential for the larvae of wood-boring beetles, such as the stag beetle. It also supports many fungi, which help break down the woody material. Crevices under the bark hold centipedes, spiders and woodlice.
Hollow stems, such as old bamboo canes or holes drilled into blocks of wood make good nest sites for solitary bees. Holes of different diameters cater for different species. Place canes or hollow plant stems in a length of plastic drainpipe, an old tin or a section from a plastic drinks bottle.
Straw and hay provides many opportunities for invertebrates to burrow in and nd safe hibernation sites.
Dry leaves and sticks provide a home for a variety of invertebrates such as ladybirds (aphid munchers!).
Lacewings and their larvae consume large numbers of aphids, as well as other garden pests. You can make a home for lacewings by rolling up a piece of corrugated cardboard and putting it in a waterproof cylinder, such as an old lemonade bottle.
www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk/about.aspx
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Healthier root development by Mike Boylan
Pot Plants – patio, conservatories, indoors, potting shed...
Most experienced gardeners know to ‘bottom feed’ when watering their pot plants, i.e. water from the saucer, but for many, this method is not fully appreciated.
Healthy roots lead to healthier plants; to achieve this, roots need to reach down to nd water and suf cient feed to strengthen their root system naturally, rather than struggling within a waterlogged system.
This is why I came up with the idea for TwistPot®, a combination of feeder tray and plant pot – a simple lift and twist of the pot allows the plant to be raised to a higher drainage position or a lower feeder position, giving the potted plant the
best of both root development
bene ts. There is no need
for additional drainage
products; TwistPot® is
useful for dry periods
thus saving costs, worry
and time. It is also a vital
safeguard during wetter
conditions.
Enjoy the satisfaction of successful pot plant growing with the proven bene ts from the TwistPot®.
For a healthier pot plant
TwistPot®
• A revolutionary new eco-friendly, plant pot
and tray system
• Height adjustable
• Allows water to drain and air to circulate
• Promotes healthier, more productive plants • Eliminates the use of drainage products
• Organic pest protection
Visit www.Twistpot.com for more information.
Special price for NSALG members - contact Mike on 07951 220935 or email mboylan@twistpot.com
TwistpotSV.indd 1
05/07/2016 15:42
27
TwistPot® saves time, money and effort when gardening