mulch – Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society

Pat’s 10 jobs for August 2026

1. To be honest we know at the moment with the drought and the heat this column will be about the few things you can do to keep things alive. I am sure we will all have losses along the way, but remember all is not lost and will mean new planting opportunities for next year.

Fallen leaves can make an immediate mulch over damp ground, August 2026 — Impromptu mulch after watering

2. If you have weeds growing (even they are struggling at the moment!), pull out and place around plants to help hold the moisture in the soil. Make sure the weeds haven’t gone to seed and, if they have, pull the seedheads off and dispose of them.

3. Mulch the soil with anything you have to hand: your own compost, fallen leaves (as there seem to be so many) but make sure the soil is damp first so you can help lock in the moisture.

Pat’s 10 jobs for July 2026

1. Maybe in this challenging weather the best thing you can do is mulch the soil (after watering, so that the soil is moist and the mulch will retain that moisture). If you pull out weeds leave them on the surface to keep roots cool, use grass clippings if you have them but making sure to keep away from stems of plants.

2. To save water just water around the roots of plants by removing roses on watering cans and spray attachments on hoses.

Salvia 'Peach Parfait' — Salvias (‘Peach Parfait’, ‘Nachtvlinder’ and ‘Amistad’)

Salvia 'Nachtvlinder' — Salvias (‘Peach Parfait’, ‘Nachtvlinder’ and ‘Amistad’)

June 2026: Gardeners’ Question Time

Our version of Gardeners’ Question Time was back for the June meeting and proved once again to be an informative and enjoyable event.

Members look around the Old Pond Garden before the CABAHS GQT, June 2026 — Lots to learn from and admire in Charlton House Old Pond Garden

The evening started with a pleasant stroll around the Old Pond Garden, admiring the plants and taking in the evening sun.

Back in the Old Library, we set about tackling questions that had been submitted by members before the meeting. In a change to previous years, there was no formal panel or guest expert. Instead, questions were answered by our very own experts with lots of discussion and contributions from CABAHS members, compered by Kathy and illustrated with slides.

Resolutions for 2026

At our January meeting, members were asked to share – anonymously – their garden-related resolutions for the coming year. In addition, the CABAHS Committee put forward a suggestion for a CABAHS-wide resolution for 2026 (more on this in a separate post).

A fine, wise, and hopefully achievable range of planned actions were submitted, with members resolving to complete practical tasks that are easily put off or forgotten, right through to adjusting their attitudes / approaches to their gardens.

Some of the CABAHS members' resolutions for 2026

CABAHS Committee Members Resolution 2026: Seed Collection and Cuttings

Always a good start:

“I am going to actually go into my garden.”

10 Things for December 2025

December is a month when the garden often takes a back seat, and when Pat deserves a break from helping you all with your garden jobs, so the CABAHS Committee have come up with a list of 10 Things that they are doing this month in, from, or for their gardens.

Kathy's decorated greenhouse, December 2025 — December in the festive greenhouse