Some thoughts to make your gardening easier and save money! Lift and store garden canes in a dry shed or garage to prolong their useful life. Remove fruit netting, dry off and store for the winter. Leaves – fallen leaves are a great source both for making leaf mould or adding to the compost heap….
When the winter weather is wet and cold, think about your seed/plant requirements for next year. New breeding in begonias, marigolds, and petunias means plants do not set seed, meaning that they flower through to autumn frosts with no ‘dead heading’ necessary. A great advantage! As the leaves fall in autumn, its good policy to…
Spring moves on into May, so let’s hope for a more settled, warmer month following April’s sun, rain and even snow! Generally, it was a cold yet relatively dry month. So, we have some catching up to do in the various areas of the garden. Let’s take a look! Lawns There is still time to…
As temperatures rise, so do the numbers of slugs and snails, so keep a close watch. As darkness comes, you can make a trip around the garden with a torch and remove the offenders. Alternatively, you can spread some metaldehyde free pellets or try copper bands or ‘beer traps’. Perhaps the best choice is to…
Spring is here and with it comes an increased sense of optimism! Suddenly the hedges and trees are turning green as new growth begins. So now is the time for gardening beginners and experienced gardeners alike to get busy! There is so much to do in your plot right now, so let’s take a look…
There’s an old saying that ‘Cleanliness is close to Godliness’ and the same applies to the garden. Wash and clean all growing containers, clean water butts, greenhouses, watering cans etc. Pick up twigs, dead leaves and other debris and of course endeavour to keep your garden weed-free! You will be surprised how you reduce the…
As the days start to lengthen, temperatures begin to rise and the light intensity improves, your garden will awaken from its slumbers! Many of us spent a lot of time on our plot last year, either through choice or necessity! Whatever the reason, folks returned to their plot and new gardeners were born! Let’s take…
Indoor gardening – gardening doesn’t have to be outside; here are a few suggestions for windowsill growing: Leaf salads or microgreens – All you need is a small empty seed tray or used margarine tub, some good growing compost and a packet of suitable seed. You can be enjoying tasty salads in just 3-4 weeks!…
It’s been a difficult start to the year for everyone, compounded by the winter weather, but gardeners are made of ‘stern stuff’, so its time to look forward to another successful gardening year! Many of us have had to spend more time at home and hopefully that has meant that everything is clean and tidy…
Firstly, just a reminder, seed and plant suppliers were swamped with orders last spring with the increased interest in gardening, lockdowns etc. so get those orders in early! Dig and turn the compost heap to aerate the contents and water if necessary, to aid compost production. Lay black polythene on the soil surface to warm it…
