Keep all newly planted items well watered. This includes ones planted last autumn.

Sow or turf new lawns and keep mowing established ones – but not too low.

Treat difficult lawn weeds e.g. clovers, black medic with Weedol Lawn Weedkiller, it has the right ingredients for these weeds.

Hang up a codling moth trap in your apple tree, or a plum moth one in your plum

tree, to reduce the number of maggoty fruit. There is also now a trap readily available for catching box tree moths which are now quite widespread in our area.

Plant out cabbage, cauliflower and other brassicas but take precautions against root fly.

Keep on top of pest and disease outbreaks, as well as controlling weeds.

Don’t forget your houseplants, feed and water them regularly.

Sow suitable varieties of pansies to flower from autumn throughout the winter.

Sow biennials for flowering next spring onwards e.g. wallflowers, myosotis, sweet

Plant out chrysanthemums for flowering in borders or for cutting.

Plant out summer bedding plants when frost risk is minimal.

Tie in wallshrubs and climbers to their supports try to train them at 45 degrees or

Trim over aubretia and arabis after flowering to keep them neat.

Prune wall trained pyracantha and chaenomeles after flowering.

Keep strawberry fruits off the soil using straw or mats.

Cut down spring flowering perennials – e.g. pulmonarias and doronicums after

flowering to produce a neat mound of new foliage. Untrimmed plants often become mildewed.

Sow swedes, beetroot, carrots, parsnips, French and runner beans outdoors.

Plant out sweet corn in blocks, rather than a long row, as they are wind pollinated.

Take cuttings from dahlias and chrysanthemums for flowering later in summer.

Plant tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers etc in a cold greenhouse or outdoors if in sheltered site.

Make up summer flowering hanging baskets and containers.

Brighten up your patio with some spectacular frost tender container plants, like brugmansia.

Prune clematis montana straight after flowering, if they are getting out of bounds.

Plant out leeks, marrows, courgettes and melon plants.

Enjoy more herbs by sowing Basil, Corriander and Parsley every fortnight.

Spinach often runs to seed if sown after mid May – so sow leaf beet instead.

Sow some half-hardy annuals for use as winter pot plants e.g. calceolarias, schizanthus and cinnerarias.

Sow ornamental cabbage and kale for winter colour in tubs and borders. Beware of houseplants getting scorched on sunny windowsills.

Listen to the weather forecast in case of any nasty late frosts.

Pershore Times

Upton Times

Powick Times

May gardening tips

Sow annual climbers e.g. Asarina, Eccremocarpus, Cobaea, Ipomoea, Tropaeolum and Rhodochiton. Dead head daffodils and narcissi – feed them but DO NOT cut off the foliage. Keep an eye out for slugs and take steps to control them. Prune out any frost damaged shoots on less hardy shrubs such as Pittosporum. Plant summer flowering bulbs outdoors e.g. Gladioli and Nerine bowdenii, if you already have overcrowded clumps of Nerines in your garden lift and divide them now. For trouble free roses, spray with one of the safer rose combined pest and disease treatments or Uncle Tom’s Plant Tonic for an organic solution to rose diseases. Prune Forsythias and winter Jasmine after flowering. Finish dividing overcrowded herbaceous perennial plants. Plant summer flowering bulbs eg. Gladioli, Dahlias etc. Straggly silver foliage plants can be cut back now e.g. Saintolina. (but not down into old wood - that is risky). Lift and divide pond plants. This is also a good time to introduce new plants too. Plant Asparagus crowns and Jerusalem artichokes. Divide overcrowded clumps of Nerines and Siberian Iris. Treat potted ornamental plants with Bug Clear Vine Weevil Killer, as it acts as both a control measure and an insurance policy .One treatment lasts three months. Organically, place a half inch layer of horticultural grit on top of the compost to prevent successful egg laying. Cover some established strawberry plants with cloches to get an early crop. Plant new conifer hedges and trim established ones. 

Tackle pernicious weeds, like bindweed, with a systemic weed killer containing glyphosate, it is best to use an “extra strong” version. Hardy annuals can still be sown in situ outdoors. Plant dormant dahlia tubers 10cm (4in) deep outdoors at the foot of support stakes. Undertake lawn renovations by repairing damaged edges and removing bumps and hollows. Watch out for whitefly appearing in your greenhouse, hang up some yellow sticky traps to monitor them. Plant some French marigolds or Coleus cannina near your tomatoes to deter the pests. Take conifer cuttings. Pull off 7.5 – 10 cm (3-4in) side shoots. Trim up the base. Dip in hormone and insert in free draining compost. Watch out for attacks of gooseberry mildew and gooseberry sawfly, these devastate bushes. Plant out cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprout and celery plants. Finish planting sprouted maincrop potatoes. Sow tomato seeds now for outdoor planting in June. Begin planting up hanging baskets, keep them inside until frost risk is minimal. Check your greenhouse regularly, as watering, shading and ventilation are important. Sow Basil indoors, but do not plant outside until there is no risk of frost. Start successional sowings of salad crops eg. Lettuce, carrots and radishes. 

Sow tender veg. indoors for planting out next month e.g. courgettes, French and Runner beans. Sow marrow, courgette and squash seed on its side and soak Sweet Corn seed in water for 4 hours before sowing. Prune early flowered Clematis after blooming e.g. C. alpina and C. macropetala. This is only necessary where space is limited. This is a good time to re-pot any houseplants that are pot bound Store unused seeds left in open packets in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Treat your lawn to an application of lawn food. Miracle Gro Thick and Green is my favourite as its food is release according to the weather conditions.  

Early in the month, middle of the month and end of the month. What will you do during this month?

April gardening tips

On Thursday morning, November the 11th, members of the Defford Airfield Heritage Group with villagers and all the children and teachers from the Defford-CumBesford C.E. First School gathered by the little green beside the church. They then took part in a short ceremony by the memorial to those killed developing airborne radar in World War 2.

The ceremony was led by Tom Holdstock, the Headmaster, and Nick Hubble, the Chairman of the DAHG committee. The children, who had been well briefed about the meaning and significance of what they were to take part in, joined in the one minute’s silence, read to us and laid a wreath on the memorial. I felt that those who had lost their lives all those years ago would have greatly appreciated the children’s part in this event. “We will remember them”.

On Thursday morning, November the 11th, members of the Defford Airfield Heritage Group with villagers and all the children and teachers from the Defford-CumBesford C.E.

Defford Remembrance

Due to the ongoing pandemic, Pershore Abbey will be holding an outdoor Christingle service this year on 

 Families are asked to dress up warmly in their favourite nativity character outfits to take part in the telling of the Christmas Story before learning about the significance of Christingles. Being held in the 

the service will be scaled back but there will still be the opportunity to sing some carols and for the children to receive a Christingle. Revd Claire Lording said “One of the highlights of Christmas in our Benefice are our children’s services and it was really sad last year when restrictions prohibited us from hosting them. We are very mindful of the ongoing pandemic and decided that in order to keep everyone as safe as possible, we would organise something outside in the fresh air. We hope that our familieswill still come out and support this service in readines  for Christmas Day. Pershore Abi- our Benefice Bear is already in her Angel costume ready to join in with the children!"

Due to the ongoing pandemic, Pershore Abbey will be holding an outdoor Christingle service this year on Friday 24th December. Families are asked to dress up warmly in their favourite nativity character outfits to take part in the telling of the Christmas Story before learning about the significance of Christingles.

Pershore Abbey outdoor Christingle Service

Despite the COVID restrictions which has kept Pershore Duplicate Bridge club closed for Face to Face (F2F) bridge, the club has continued to thrive. It has introduced members (and their friends) to on-line bridge with over 70 players now holding regular team, social and duplicate matches. Especially popular has been playing on the RealBridge (TM) platform every Wednesday evening, where players can see and speak to each other via their computer camera and microphone and which provides as near a F2F experience as possible. Various competitions have also been held and whilst some are yet to complete, two have been recently finalised. The Championship Pairs Cup was won by Alan Boyes and Ross Garratt (pictured) with Steve Betteley and Sally Martin a close second. The Michael Farey Handicap Trophy was won by Yvonne McKeon and Gill Mitchell (pictured) with Marianne Thomas and Ruth Simpson runners up. The club held its annual AGM recently, via Zoom, and the Chairman gave more details about its plans for next year. These included the possible reopening of the club in the Spring for its Wednesday evening F2F bridge and also the revised annual Club membership fee of only £5-00. A club "get together" was held at Croome Court Cafe on the 25th November when members were able to meet up and mingle over a coffee and mince pies. Fortunately the weather was marvellous and it was a really enjoyable morning!

If you are interested in learning more about the club, or would like more information generally about the various opportunities to play on line bridge socially or within a club, please make contact via its web page www.bridgewebs.com/pershore and it will be pleased to help

It has introduced members (and their friends) to on-line bridge with over 70 players now holding regular team, social and duplicate matches.

Busy time at Bridge Club

Airband high speed internet are on track to deliver ultrafast fibre broadband to villages around Pershore. This will provide download speeds of 900Mbps. About 110km of fibre will reach approximately 6,700 homes. This will begin in January and connections should be possible during Spring 2022. Whether you use the internet for browsing, streaming T.V. and films or communicating with family and friends, you will be able to enjoy ultra-reliable, ultrafast broadband from Airband.

Airband high speed internet are on track to deliver ultrafast fibre broadband to villages around Pershore. This will provide download speeds of 900Mbps. About 110km of fibre will reach approximately 6,700 homes.

Ultra fast fibre broadband by airband

One Saturday morning before the last lockdown, nine ladies spent a morning together in a small art studio in Wadborough, creating hand-made books.  Sharing coffee, cake and chatting, we discussed designs for the book covers and decisions of personal themes for the books.  The finished books went home with their owners to be worked into.

A month later, the books were swapped to one another’s homes for the next contribution.  This continued throughout lockdown, with people carrying the books to one another’s houses, leaving them on doorsteps (adhering to government restrictions!).

The final books are now on display at The Masons Arms, Wadborough

The display includes our books showing the dedication and camaraderie amongst the group. 

Experiences are shared about working on the project, along with examples of some of the media and techniques learnt and incorporated in the books.

The project kept us in touch during lockdown, pushed creativity and developed discipline to remain connected.

Thank you to all ladies involved; Lucy, Chris, Deb, Lydia, Marianne, Alison, Lorna, Ali and Carole.

For further information please contact:  

One Saturday morning before the last lockdown, nine ladies spent a morning together in a small art studio in Wadborough, creating hand-made books.

COVID book project

Get involved and support this great local event!

Due to the changes to 2022 bank holidays, Pershore Carnival will be taking place earlier than usual this year.

The Carnival date is: Monday 2nd May (Early May Bank Holiday Monday).

The theme for the Carnival Procession this year is: "1952 - 2022: Inventions of the Last 70 Years". Individuals and local groups are invited to join the procession either on foot or on motorised floats. Winning entrants are presented with cups and certificates are awarded to all who take part. Entry forms can be downloaded from

 As usual there will be a collection during the parade and we would love to hear from local organisations who feel they should benefit from the town’s generosity.

The last date to book a stall on Carnival Day on Abbey Park is 1st April.

For more information and updates, visit 

https://engb.facebook.com/pershorecarnival.co.uk

Get involved and support this great local event! Due to the changes to 2022 bank holidays, Pershore Carnival will be taking place earlier than usual this year.

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