Gardening Techniques From A - Z. Part Two.
Here is part Two of my mini series on gardening techniques.
Dibbing In:
Dibbing in is an easy and fast planting technique compared to using a trowel. The conventional dibber is a stout wooden or metal spike bought from the garden shop or made in the home from an old spade handle. These dibbers are for big seedlings. For pot culture and for small seedlings outdoors use a pencil or dowel. The tip of your dibber needs to be rounded as opposed to sharply pointed.
Dibbing in (or dibbling) entails inserting the dibber suitably deeply into the soil so the roots will fit comfortably. Place the plant into the hole and then firm the earth by re-inserting the dibber point about 1 - 2 inches away from the stem. Move the dibber towards the plant in order to press the soil all around the roots.
This really is an effective technique for planting vegetables which have been raised in a seed bed. Brassicas, including Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts etc, are popular examples. It is also trusted for planting cuttings, but in all cases you must be certain the hole is no deeper than necessary. The role of dibbing in is restricted - use a trowel and not a dibber for big size planting material like bulbs or tubers, and do not use a dibber in heavy, wet soil.
Disbudding:
Normally, flower buds in the garden are allowed to grow and open naturally to produce the maximum display. For exhibitors however, and others interested in the size of individual blooms, the flower stems are disbudded. This involves pinching out side buds the minute they can be handled, leaving the central bud to develop into a large specimen to catch the eye of the judge or earn the envy of your neighbours. Chrysanthemums, Dahlias and Carnations are frequently treated in this way for show purposes. Many Hybrid Tea Roses produce more than one flower bud at the end of each shoot. With this flower it is nearly always desirable to seek the maximum size, so disbudding of side shoots is recommended. Delay taking off side buds if you want to hold back flowering for the day of your show. If the Rose variety produces very full blooms which spoil badly in wet weather, reverse the process and pinch out the terminal bud so that the side buds develop.
Earthing Up:
There are several reasons for earthing up, this means the drawing up of soil towards and around the stems. Potatoes are earthed up to prevent the tubers being exposed to light. When the haulm is about 9 inches high a draw hoe is used to pile loose soil against the stems to create a flat-topped ridge. The greens (Broccoli, Kale, Brussels Sprouts etc) are earthed up for a different reason - soil is drawn up all around the stems of well developed plants to improve anchorage against high winds.
The stems of Celery and Leek are blanched by earthing up. This begins with Celery when it is about 1 foot high - with Leeks this is done in stages, the height being increased a little at a time by drawing dry soil around the stems.
Earthing up is important on the vegetable plot but it has a place in the herbaceous border. Shoots might appear early during a mild spell in early spring, it is advisable to draw loose soil over them with a hoe so as to prevent damage by severe frosts which can come later.
Dibbing In:
Dibbing in is an easy and fast planting technique compared to using a trowel. The conventional dibber is a stout wooden or metal spike bought from the garden shop or made in the home from an old spade handle. These dibbers are for big seedlings. For pot culture and for small seedlings outdoors use a pencil or dowel. The tip of your dibber needs to be rounded as opposed to sharply pointed.
Dibbing in (or dibbling) entails inserting the dibber suitably deeply into the soil so the roots will fit comfortably. Place the plant into the hole and then firm the earth by re-inserting the dibber point about 1 - 2 inches away from the stem. Move the dibber towards the plant in order to press the soil all around the roots.
This really is an effective technique for planting vegetables which have been raised in a seed bed. Brassicas, including Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts etc, are popular examples. It is also trusted for planting cuttings, but in all cases you must be certain the hole is no deeper than necessary. The role of dibbing in is restricted - use a trowel and not a dibber for big size planting material like bulbs or tubers, and do not use a dibber in heavy, wet soil.
Disbudding:
Normally, flower buds in the garden are allowed to grow and open naturally to produce the maximum display. For exhibitors however, and others interested in the size of individual blooms, the flower stems are disbudded. This involves pinching out side buds the minute they can be handled, leaving the central bud to develop into a large specimen to catch the eye of the judge or earn the envy of your neighbours. Chrysanthemums, Dahlias and Carnations are frequently treated in this way for show purposes. Many Hybrid Tea Roses produce more than one flower bud at the end of each shoot. With this flower it is nearly always desirable to seek the maximum size, so disbudding of side shoots is recommended. Delay taking off side buds if you want to hold back flowering for the day of your show. If the Rose variety produces very full blooms which spoil badly in wet weather, reverse the process and pinch out the terminal bud so that the side buds develop.
Earthing Up:
There are several reasons for earthing up, this means the drawing up of soil towards and around the stems. Potatoes are earthed up to prevent the tubers being exposed to light. When the haulm is about 9 inches high a draw hoe is used to pile loose soil against the stems to create a flat-topped ridge. The greens (Broccoli, Kale, Brussels Sprouts etc) are earthed up for a different reason - soil is drawn up all around the stems of well developed plants to improve anchorage against high winds.
The stems of Celery and Leek are blanched by earthing up. This begins with Celery when it is about 1 foot high - with Leeks this is done in stages, the height being increased a little at a time by drawing dry soil around the stems.
Earthing up is important on the vegetable plot but it has a place in the herbaceous border. Shoots might appear early during a mild spell in early spring, it is advisable to draw loose soil over them with a hoe so as to prevent damage by severe frosts which can come later.
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