The Spaniel Diaries

So here we are in February already, the month of romance and love, hopefully mum will get us dogs some steak just like we had at Christmas! She’s alway saying she loves us so we shall soon see how much!

The recent weather has been so awful and wet, mum has insisted on us having baths, I shall be calling the RSPCA as being a spaniel I actually do prefer to be caked with mud –doesn’t she realise it’s very moisturising for one’s fur? And to top it all off she’s now got a proper doggy hairdryer, I shall have terrible split ends at this rate! Still it’s absolutely hilarious watching that annoying puppy galloping around doing zoomies after his bath and mum trying to catch him!

One good thing is mum checks us over for any sores or wounds especially as she’s worried about Alabama rot which is a horrible disease associated with muddy walks. I did actually have a very sore nose this week after cutting myself on the brambles while snuffling around, but I’m ok now.

That puppy is still here, in fact every time he does his big sleep at night he wakes up and he’s growed again, he’s actually taller than me now! Him and Mav are just two total idiots together now, hooning around chasing after boring old tennis balls, they are both little creeps – mum thinks they are delightful and better behaved than me, but actually it’s me who has the best brains and I am far more intelligent! The puppy starts his big boy training soon so we’ll see what he’s made of!

I can smell spring in the air, not long now until the warmer weather comes. I can’t wait as it means longer walks, more pottering around the stables which means that I can hunt mice around the haybarn again! Hopefully we’ll get some exciting day trips again, especially the new forest, walks galore!

That puppy has also noticed spring is in the air, he’s dug up some of mum’s plants, luckily she doesn’t have any poisonous ones in the gardens but the mess he’s made is something else! Mum thought an elephant had trampled through the place, then she caught sight of the puppy charging past through the flowerbeds complete with spring primrose in his mouth! I think mum will be growing shrubs from now on, I think she’s also grateful we don’t have a pond or we’d never get him out of the thing!

I have taught the puppy to love water and like myself he’s a wonderful swimmer, something Mav has never been – he’s like a drowning meerkat, absolutely no elegance in the water at all – honestly, I think a brick floats better than he does! It’s probably his silly lanky legs making things worse. He might be an athlete on land but in water he’s hopeless!

Until next time, stay safe and have fun.

Jeannette Douglas

When we rented a house in the south of France one summer, there was a peach tree in the garden and the owner invited us to help ourselves. We have never eaten so many sweet, ripe peaches. Nothing in the supermarkets here has ever compared to those fat globes of nectar.

A few years ago, I discovered that it was possible to grow peaches in this country too, with a few caveats. In the far south it’s possible to grow them against a south- or south-west-facing wall. Further up the country we need the help of a conservatory or a large greenhouse. The reasons for this are threefold: peach trees tend to flower very early, around February, when the UK can still suffer sharp frosts in the mornings; they also develop fungal diseases if the weather is too cold and damp and finally, our short summers generally don’t give enough time for the fruits to ripen. But if you have that south-facing wall or conservatory and would like to have a go at growing peaches (and who wouldn’t?) read on.

‘Peregrine’ is a white-fleshed peach quite wellsuited to the English climate (the above warnings notwithstanding) though generally best grown under cover. ‘Rochester’ is a very reliable yellow variety that gives good harvests of large fruits in August. It also has the advantage of being a late bloomer, making it less susceptible to frost damage. If space is limited, which it often is in a conservatory, choose a plant grafted on to dwarf rootstock.

Peaches are best grown as a fan. Fasten horizontal wires to the wall at 30cm intervals to allow the stems to be tied in and spaced out evenly. The plant should be positioned about 25cm from the wall with branches sloped towards it, and if planted directly into the soil, this should be enriched with wellrotted manure or compost. If planted into a pot, make it as large and deep as the space will allow.

When the flowers appear, cover the plant with a light fleece at night to protect the blossom. Because of the lack of natural pollinators early in the year you can help things a long by using a long dry paintbrush to dust pollen from one flower to another. Then water the plant regularly and feed with tomato food through the summer to keep it healthy. Prune any branches that grow out away from the wall, and also remove any that overcrowd the framework. Cut some old and fruited lateral shoots out each year to allow new ones to take their place.

It might take a couple of years but with a little care and attention and a smidge of luck you will be able to reap the reward of harvesting your own peaches. There are few activities quite as delightful!

Happy gardening.

Rachel Leverton

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West Chiltington Floral Club

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Tuesday 21st February, 1.30 for 2pm start. We welcome Gaenor Circus with her demonstration ‘A Woman’s Place’ Visitors are most welcome, £5. The meeting will be held at West Chiltington Village Hall, Mill Road, RH20 2PZ. For more information, please contact Brenda (01798) 813712 or Carol (01798) 813608 Email: wchiltfloralclub@gmail.com