By Victoria Plum 
By Victoria Plum
Reepham & District Gardening Club’s meeting last night was packed: more chairs and then more chairs had to be set out as about 50 keen members and visitors poured through the Reepham Town Hall doors for the February meeting and talk by Bob Coutts on pruning. We almost ran out of homemade cake!
Such sensible and common sense advice, gleaned from many years as a head gardener, was absorbed by all.
For instance, always use secateurs or a knife big enough for the task. Perhaps you, like me, are too lazy to go to the shed for the loppers and struggle with everyday secateurs on something that is too big.
This will do your tools no good, but more importantly if you make a ragged, tatty cut you could allow disease to take hold and hamper hasty healing. Keep your secateurs sharp, use a fine file or stone – and use it frequently.
Invest in long-reach pruners or loppers because those of a “certain age” are safer on ground level with a pole than risking toppling off a ladder or teetering on steps.
Keep the label on your clematis as the different varieties require different pruning to ensure best flowering (who can remember what they planted last year, let alone the year before?). What gardener can disagree with any of this advice?
There was even a queue to help with the washing up (well almost); many thanks to those who braved the kitchen.
The next meeting on 20 March is Andy Brazil on butterflies; check the website for further information.
Two Gardening Club trips are planned. One to the local and wonderful East Ruston Old Vicarage gardens on 19 April, and the main trip to Green Island Gardens in Ardleigh, Essex, on 21 June. Look out for details and contact Celia Else (01603 308101) to enquire or book. All welcome.
If it ever stops raining and you can get out in your garden, please remember to pot up any “extras” so they are growing happily for the club’s plant sale on Saturday 12 May.
Geoff Fisher