Top Tips

September Top Tips..!

• Herbaceous plants can be tidied up, cut back and divided if need be.
• Deadhead your roses as the flowers wilt and cut off any dead wood.
• Try netting your pond to stop the autumn leaves clogging it up.

August Top Tips..!

Hedges will benefit from a trim this month to tidy them up, clipping can be composted

Wter and feed hanging baskets and pation containers regularly

Don’t cut you grass to short and keep it well irrigated

July Top Tips..!

• It is important not to cut your lawn too short; as it will handle the hot dry weather much better if it is a wee-bit longer.
• Feed and dead head bedding plants to sustain the flowering period
• Keep and eye out for pests and diseases especially on your roses and take appropriate control action.

June top tips..!

• Tomato plants should have there side shoots pinched out and tied in as required.
• Bedding plants will benefit form being dead-headed when flowers fade as this helps to encourage new buds.
• In the dry weather try not to cut your lawn too short as this can damage the grass and affect growth for the rest of the season.

May top tips..!

• Tall Herbaceous plant will benefit from being given some support with canes, stakes or a frame as this will stop them from getting damaged and ensure they will show their full potential. • Forsythia and Ribes (Flowering currant) can be pruned once flowering has ended. Removing one-third of the oldest flowering stems will be ideal to prepare them for a good show again next year. • Hanging baskets can be planted now and kept in the green house for a couple of weeks to grow on before staying outside.

April Top Tips..!

Finish planting summer flowering bulbs such as; Lilies, Gladioli and Dahlias this month. Finish your preparation for vegetable planting buy adding planting of organic matter into your soil. If not already done so finish pruning and top dressing your roses.

March Top Tips..!

Apple and Pear trees may require a spray, an appropriate fungicide from bud break to help prevent scab later in this season, prevention is always better than cure. Tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, aubergines can all begin to be sown under glass or in heated propagator. Continue to mulch borders and beds missed in the autumn.

Top Tips..!

Crowns such as Rhubarb, horseradish, artichoke and asparagus can be planted out this month. Now is the time to sow Beans and Peas but in colder area they may require protection from hard frost Onion, Shallots and garlic can all be planted this month

Tips for January 2010

Frost hardened soil can be mulched with manure and other dressings to beds and borders throughout the garden. Spring flowering bulbs can begin to be fertilized as soon as they push through the soil. Ornamental plants can be planted during any mild dry and snow/frost free periods.

Tips for December..!

Tender bulberous plants such as Nerine and Agapanthus should be given some winter protection. Any final prunning of fruit trees such as Apple and Plum should be finished this month. Avoid working in wet or frozen soil as this will cause compaction and structure damage and can affect any planting in the new year.

November Tips..!

Garlic sets can be planted this month. Fallen leaves can be raked up and turned leaf mould or compost. Submersible pond pumps should be turned off, lifted out of the pond and cleaned and stored for winter.

Tips for October..!

Ø       Grease bands can be applied to apple, pear, plum and cherry trees to prevent winter moths and March moths crawling up the tree and laying their eggs in cracks and crevices of the branches.

Ø       Lift and store tender bulbs such as gladioli, dahlias and cannas.

Ø       Rhubarb sets can now start to get planted this month.

Ø       The pond will benefit from a clear out, cut back excess plant and remove the pump for over winter.

 

Top Tips..!

Tall perennials will benefit from support with bamboo canes and other alternative to stop them falling over or collapsing. Keep the lawn at a reasonable height as it will survive dry spells better. An ideal height is over a 1inch. Cuttings can be taken from Fuchsias, Argyranthemums, Salvias, Pelargonium’s and Verbenas this month.

Tips for May

Ø       Ribes (flowering current) and Forsythia is best pruned once they have finished flowering this month. For best results one-third of the stems should be removed.

Ø       Newly planted fruit trees, shrubs, perennials and roses should be given regular water to help aid establishment in the early stages.

Ø       Phlox, Saxifrage, Aubrietia and various other spring flowering alpines will benefit from lightly trimming off the faded flowers. Also any excessive growth can also be trimmed at this time.

 

Top Tips for February

• It's a good time to cut down any faded foliage on herbaceous perennials before new growth starts to push through.
• Once Winter Jasmine has finished flowering, pruning should be done immediately.
• Herbaceous perennials can be divided and healthy young outer portions replanted.

Top Tips for January!

• Roses can have weak or crossing growth removed, and any long stems likley to cause wind rock cabn be shortened, but do not cut hard back until early spring.
• When planting any new plants dig in a generous holes and incorporate plenty of well rotted compost or manure before planting, provided the ground is not frozen.
• Wall shrubs and climbers should be tied onto supports to protect them from wind damage.

Top Tips For December

• Plants should be watered more sparingly over the winter months, to prevent water logging and plants rotting. Check your plants regularly and only water if the compost has almost dried out.
• Hardwood cuttings can be taken from many shrubs including; Deutzia, Wisteria, Cornus, Salix and many more.
• Pond pumps and filters should be removed from your Pond and water features to help prevent them from being damaged by the frosty conditions over winter.

Tips for October

It is a good idea to purchase some protective fleece this month, as some of the more tender plants may require a bit of protection.

October is a good time to re-turf or re-seed over worn areas of lawn.

This Month the hedges should be receiving thier final cut of the season.

The greenhouse will start to require extra insulation for the winter, bubble wrap does sufficiently.

The lawn mowers blades should be raised this month as you do the final few cuts of the year. Thsi allows the lawn to cope better over the cold winter months.

Tips for September

During this month, it is important to make sure that your Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias which are in containers are receiving adequate water. This is important as it can help prevent flower buds dropping in the spring before they open.

Try to support tall, late flowering perennials to stop them being damaged by strong autumn winds.

Why not make the most of all the free seeds produced by your perennials and other garden plants buy collecting them when fully ripe.

Why not try naturalising (Planting) Daffodil bulbs in your lawn or under trees for a natural look.

 

Tips for August

Take soft-wood cuttings of fuchsias, pelargonium's and other tender perennials. At this time of years as they form roots quickly, forming robust young plants that will successfully overwinter on the windowsil.

Wisteria benefit from a summer pune this month, shortening any wispy side-shots back to about five or six leaves from the main framework.

Deadhead roses as the flowers fade; best practice is to cut the flowers just above the uppermost leaf on the stem.

Look out for powdery mildew at this time of the year as it can be prevalent. Treatment with an approved fungicide at the manufacturer's rates should help to control the spread.

Routine Maintenance

Removing passed over flowers, (deadhead), from your bedding plants and repeat-flowering perennials to help ensure a continuous flowering throughout summer.
The lawn may benefit from a quick liquid summer feed, to help replenish some of the nutrients removed from constant mowing.
Stubborn perennial weeds are best dealt with in the summer when the weeds are actively growing. Digging out is an option, but applying a systemic weedkiller such as Roundup can be more practical for large areas.
Regular checking of containerised plants for water is essential during this month to prevent drying out.
Certain grafted or standard trees and shrubs may produce suckers or unwanted shoots from the base. These are best cut right back to the soil or removed.

Marvellous May!

We're now into the busiest month of the gardening year and its plants, plants plants! We have summer bedding plants in abundance and now have a full range vegetables and herbs - be quick though as it 's hard to keep up with demand thanks to the "Oliver" effect!

Get growing!

I'ts time to pot up bedding plant plugs in preparation for the summer - don't forget that it is still too cold for these plants, so they will all need protection.

Some vegetable and salad plants are ready to plant now, including lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower and Broccoli. Again, protect them from the worst of the cold.

Tattie time

It's time now to plant early seed potatoes as well as onions, shallots and garlic.

In the ornamental garden it's time to plant summer-flowering bulbs and tubers such as Dahlias and Begonias.

Slugs are also becoming active and they love the fresh new growth of your plants at this time of year - make sure you don't give them a chance by protecting them with bird-friendly slug pellets.

Winter Tidy

Give the garden a "winter tidy". Collect any leaves and prune deciduous plants such as roses.

Water Features

Empty water features likely to freeze over winter or at least remove the water pump to prevent damage.

Shelter from frost

Protect tender plants from frost by either moving them to a sheltered spot or wrapping them with frost fleece.

Winter Plants for Birds

Make sure you have evergreen shrubs in the garden to provide shelter for birds over winter.