October Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

I've decided to change the weekly checklists into a monthly version,
that way you can spread out what needs doing over the month!

1. Spring Bulb  - During September - November is the time to get your Spring bulbs sown.
Whether it's direct into the ground or into pots it's time to get sowing! If you have some bulbs left over and you don't think you have any space for them simply plant them up into 9cm pots which can then be used to fill any gaps or containers next spring if a space comes up! If not you can simply give them away to friends and family as gifts.
The general rule of thumb is to plant bulbs at a depth of two times their size.

Iris reticulata 'Alida'

2. Indoor Bulbs - Carrying on with the theme of bulbs why not try some indoor bulbs this year? Bulbs such as Amaryllis and Indoor Narcissus are perfect for this! When planting Amaryllis use either John Innes no.2 or Multi-Purpose Compost in a container only just slightly larger than the bulb, keeping 2 thirds of the bulb above the surface. Keep in a well - lit warm place and water sparingly until the leaves appear, turning regularly to allow even light levels.

When planting Narcissus bulbs plant them just below the soil surface.

Amaryllis 'Apricot Parfait' & Narcissus 'Erlicheer'

3. Greenhouse - With the cooler weather approaching it's time to give the Greenhouse a good clean! Many tender plants won't survive the winter months so the greenhouse is the perfect place to keep them ticking over! To prevent any Pests and Diseases from Summer sticking around you need to remove all the plants and equipment from the inside and give everything, including the glass and good clean with a scrubbing brush and warm soapy water. Make sure that you get rid of any old compost and clean pots and trays as these can harbour any pests and diseases too. 

When bring plants under cover make sure that you check them over for signs of any Pests and Diseases too so that you don't end up bringing them back in! With most problems you can simply remove affected parts and squish any nasties.

Once clean you can put up specialised bubble insulation to help keep the greenhouse that couple of degrees warmer which is important if you have plants that are at risk if exposed to certain low temperatures. Once you've finished don't forget to wash the outside of the greenhouse to allow for maximum light levels over winter! 

I know it may seem like a lot to do but if you have certain plants that you really don't want to lose then trust me it's worth doing.

4. Autumn / Winter Displays - If you haven't thought about them yet then why not plant up some Autumn / Winter displays into pots and baskets? It's a great way of adding a pop of colour over the coming months. I've planted up some baskets with a mix of Perennials and Annuals and a couple with just one permanent plant as I felt the foliage deserved all the attention!

Coprosma 'Pina Colada' 

5. Leaf Mould - Leaf mould is one of those things that you can't get enough of! It's perfect for digging into borders a soil conditioner or as a mulch and is extremely beneficial! The only things is that you can't buy it ... you have to make it yourself. 

All you have to do is gather up the fallen leaves in your garden and designate a corner somewhere for it to break down. This can be done simply by creating a bin out of plastic / windbreak netting held into place by 4 bamboo canes, or you can bag it up into specifically designed sacks or at the very least a black binbag pierced with a few holes!

Simply add the fallen leaves to whatever you'd prefer to use, water each layer in then leave to break down, this can take up to 1 - 2 years but once you start doing it each year you'll have some ready to use all year round.

5. Lawn Care - If your lawn is looking a little worse for wear after summer then now is the time treat it with an Autumn feed.

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

I can't believe September has reached us already, this year has flown by!
As for the Summer ... well the thing that we called Summer past us in a blink!
There are however a few things that you can still be getting on with in the garden right now ...

1. Hedges  - Now that fledglings will have left their nests it's time to trim any hedges that need doing! It's not perfect but the one in our garden has been neatened up and at long last it no longer resembles a spiky hairdo from the early 2000's!

2. Raspberries - If you have Raspberries in your garden then now is the time to do a little bit of pruning! 

If you are growing Summer fruiting varieties then prune out the canes which bore fruit this year as they fruit on the previous years growth. 

One way of telling which is what is that if you prune at this time of year the canes you need to get rid of will be a brown colour, this years growth will still be green.
Cut out all the old canes and try to leave each plant with 4 - 5 of the healthiest, strongest looking canes.

Autumn fruiting varieties however fruit on the current years growth which means you can cut them all down later on towards the end the year.

3. Hanging Baskets - If like me you have some Hanging Baskets looking past their best, why not give them a spruce up for the coming months! 

Below I have kept the conifers in my driveway baskets but replaced everything else with ...

- Heuchera 'Obsidian'

- Brachyglottis 'Greyi' for the silver foliage 

- Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'

 along with some Winter Pansies for some little pops of colour.

(I will also add some Spring bulbs to the basket once I have purchased them)

4. Spring Bulbs - Now is the time to get ordering those Spring bulbs and the sooner you do it the better! The first reason being that the bulbs will be of a better quality compared to those left sitting around for a few months ... the second reason being that you have more choice before the favourite's are snapped up and end up going out of stock.

Here's a little look of some that are on my list to buy so far ... it soon adds up but it's worth it!

5. Deadheading - I know I mention this in every checklist but please make sure that you keep up with the deadheading to prolong the flowering of your favourite plants! 

As you can see below in the photograph the bloom on the left needs to be removed (simply cut back the flower stalk to where it reaches the stem) and it won't be just you enjoying more blooms ...

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

June's Floral Favourite's ...

Good Morning!

It's been a little while since I've had the chance to post on here so today I thought I'd share with you my favourite's from around the garden this month. 

Right back at the start of the month the Hebe 'Pearl of Paradise' of which i'd grown from a cutting came into flower. Even though they only flower for a few weeks of the year the blooms on this variety are well worth the wait.

Geum 'Tangerine' has also been flowering prolifically throughout the month ...

slowly followed by Geum 'Cosmopolitan'

My David Austin Rose 'Princess Alexandra of Kent' has produced some lovely blooms with a perfume to match.

The new variety of Cosmos called 'Xanthos' has recently come into bloom the past fortnight, so far the flowers are sparing but they are lovely to look at.

One of my favourite plants that I like to grow as an Annual each year are Nemesia's. Along with the Vanilla White variety dotted around the garden in Pots and Baskets I have a pot of the variety 'Easter Bonnet' of which you can smell straight away when walking past. 

The Hanging Baskets are slowly starting to fill out and establish themselves ...

Astrantias 'Rubra' and 'Buckland' have started coming into flower this past week ...

along with the Alstroemeria Inca Ice 'Koice' sitting outside the Greenhouse door ...

Finally followed by the first blooms from the Sweat Peas in the past 2 days.

Thanks for popping by, I hope you all get the chance to spend some time in your gardens this weekend!

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!
I hope you have all had a lovely Easter weekend, typically we have torrential rain today so it doesn't look like I'l be able to do anything in the garden!
However if the weather is fine where you are here's a few things that you can be getting on with today and over the rest of the week ...

1. Transplanting  -If you have plants in the wrong place or they've simply grown too big for the space that they are in now is a good time to dig them up and relocate them. Avoid doing this however if the ground is frozen or water logged. If your wanting to move a plant but don't have anywhere for it to go then pop it in a pot until you have found the right place.
Below you can see that I have taken out the Hardy Fuchsia which was in the middle to the right and moved the Salvia to the centre as it has put on some good growth since I first planted it. I finished the spot off by under-planting with some Snowdrops and the Fuchsia has been relocated elsewhere in the garden!

2. Sowings - Now is a good time to get on with some more seed sowing! For example yesterday I sowed some Cosmos 'Xanthos' and 'Double Click Snow Puff' along with some French Marigolds in 'Vanilla Cream' and 'Spanish Brocade'. 

There's also still time for you to sow Greenhouse crops such as Peppers, Cucumbers and Tomatoes.

Cosmos 'Xanthos'

3. Strawberries- If you are growing Strawberries outside you can encourage early fruits by covering the rows with Cloches. Alternatively you can grow them undercover in a Greenhouse which will also encourage early fruits! This year I am growing 'Mara des Bois' which is a perpetual strawberry so hopefully I shall have more strawberries for longer throughout the year!

4. Potatoes - If you are growing Potatoes this year then the Easter weekend is traditionally the time to get them planted. If you are limited on space but want to grow this crop then large bags with drainage holes and containers can also be used. Ensure when planting that each seed potato has healthy shoots and give the soil a water after planting.

5. Dahlia Tubers - Dahlia Tubers can also be started off now. Plant them in pots of multi purpose compost and place in a cold frame or Greenhouse. Once you spot them green shoots emerging from the soil give them a water.

6. Basket Plants - Garden Centres will be getting in plug plants of Basket plants now, if they haven't already! If your only wanting a couple for your Summer Bedding this year then it's a great way of getting just a couple for a cheap price. Of course it's still too cold for them to go outside so it's best to keep them in a Greenhouse right now. Pot them up into 9cm pots of multi - purpose compost as soon as you get them home. Once they have filled these pots you can plant your baskets / containers up and keep them undercover until it's time to go outside.

One of our nearby Garden Centres has them on offer for 6 for £5 so of course I had to pick up a few!

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!
I hope you all remembered to set your clock back an hour last night! The nights are drawing in and time in the garden is now going to be reduced, but there are still a few things you can be getting on with!

1. Ponds - Remove any dead or dying foliage on pond plants this coming week. If it is left it will rot down into the pond leading to high nitrogen levels, which can encourage blanketweed and algea next Spring. Cut back all falling stems but make sure you do not cut below the water line.
You will also need to remove any annual surface cover plants along with any fallen leaves and keep checking that the water level is at the correct height for your plants over the Winter months.

2. Planting - There's still time to get any evergreen shrubs, hedges and Spring Bedding planted into the ground.

3. Weed Seedlings- Keep on top of any weed seedlings that you spot in your garden, it's best to catch them when they're small as they are much easier to remove then.

4. Display - If you haven't done so already, make a start on your Winter Pot displays! Some bright pops of colour are most welcome in the coming months.

5. Auriculas - If like me you are growing Auriculas you will have noticed over the past few weeks that the leaves are looking a little tatty. Remove any dead or yellow leaves from the plants, make sure you remove the whole leaf from it's base. If a part is left, it can lead to problems with disease.

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Weekly Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!
It's time again for my Weekly Garden Checklist, let's get started!

1.Poppies- Once Poppies have finished flowering, if you don't like how they look and would rather not have the seed spread around the garden, then you can cut them back to the ground. This will encourage fresh foliage so that you will still have ground cover. However I like to keep the seed heads intact as it's adds some interest to my garden.

2. Delphiniums - Along with Poppies you can also dead head Delphiniums and Foxgloves once they have finished flowering. For example with the white Delphinium below the middle spike will finish fist, so I will cut that out to allow the plant to focus it's energy on the two smaller spikes either side. Once these are over I will cut the who plant back down to the ground, this will encourage another flush of flowers later in the year.

3. Acid Loving Plants- Plants such as Rhodoendrons, Azaleas and Camelia's would benefit from a feed and a good soak right now, specially with all this warm weather we've been having. All I do is mix some Liquid Feed specially for these plants in a watering can with Rainwater, then give the plants a water. 

4. Apples- If you have Apple Trees, Pears or Plums and they are starting to set fruit then it's a good idea to decrease the number of fruit in each crop to two or three to increase the size and quality of the fruit. Unfortunately my Apple Trees did not flower & fruit this year but this can happen if they are only young plants. 

5. Baskets & Pots - Lastly don't forget to keep up with the Weekly feeds for Hanging Baskets and Pots. A solution of Liquid Seaweed or Tomato Feed encourages more blooms and tops up the soil with nutrients which can be lost when watering.

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Weekly Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!
Apologies for not managing to stick to posting this weekly, along with work I haven't been feeling too well but I made sure I had something to share with you today.
Okay, let's get started!

1.Hanging Baskets - Hopefully everyone will now be making a start on their Hanging Baskets, as I mentioned last time it's a good idea to plant them a few weeks before going outside to help them become established. I did this myself a fortnight ago and I have just given them a liquid feed to help them along.

2. Earth Up Potatoes - Potatoes will be putting on good growth and will now need keeping an eye on. When you see fresh foliage poking out you need to cover them with soil. This helps them spread and produce more potatoes along with protecting them from any late frosts we may get. 

At the start of the year I mentioned I purchased a Growing Kit from T&M as I do not have the space to grow them in the ground. I have to admit that when the kit arrived the 'bags' were smaller and different to what was advertised. Nevertheless I'm still giving them a go and it'l be interesting to see what the harvest is like.

3. Dahlia's - If like me you are growing Dahlia's from Tubers this year they will have sprung into action over the last few weeks. It's time to plant them into their final pot's or if you are planting them into the ground it's a good idea to start the process of hardening them off.

4. De-Budding - It may seem cruel but if you want your Summer plants such as Dahlia's, Basket Plants etc to focus more on producing good foliage and a fuller shape then it's time to pinch off any emerging flower heads to help focus the plants energy elsewhere.

5. Tomatoes - If like me your Tomatoes are in their final pots and growing strongly you will have also noticed that they are producing side shoots on Cordon varieties. These need pinching out as soon as you spot them.

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Weekly Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!
Apologies for not posting sooner, the past week or so has been pretty busy.

Here are just a few suggestions that you could be getting on with this week ...

1.Hanging Baskets - Plant up Summer Hanging Baskets indoors to get them established before going outside. I like to add some Slow Release Feed and Water Crystals to help reduce the chance of them drying out in the Summer. As you can see I have planted 4 main basket plants in each 14" Basket. There is a Diascia in centre surrounded by Nepeta, Surfinia Petunia and either a Trailing Fuchsia or Begonia. Make sure you plant your main plants in the gaps between chains. I will also be adding some fillers such as Lobelia in the spaces inbetween ... I just need to get some!

2. Pot On Seedlings - Keep potting on seedlings that you've sown. You can also start to slowly harden them off in the coming weeks by placing them somewhere sheltered outside during the day, then bringing back under cover on a night.

3. Prune - Now is the time to prune Spring Flowering Shrubs such as Ribes once they have finished flowering. This is also the time to go out and buy some! I recently treated myself to a Ribes which I have planted in a large pot.

4. Feed - Once your Spring bulbs have finished flowering and you've dead headed them, they'll benefit from a liquid feed.

5. Tomatoes - Pot up your Tomato plants into their final pots, I like to stand mine on a tray of gravel and water. You can also add their growing supports and tie them in. However as you can see the tomato I sowed myself last month is a little while off it's final pot! lol

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Weekly Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

It's been a while since I have had a Checklist to share, but hopefully now that we are nearing the end of February, weather depending, there will be a few things to do in the Garden!
Here are just a few suggestions that you could be getting on with this week ...

1. Divide Snowdrops - We all love Snowdrops so what better way of increasing your stock by creating some more! All you need to do is dig them up now whilst they are still in the grown, split them up into little groups or 'divide' then replant in various area's of the garden, spreading them out.

I have done this myself in the past few days.

2. Mulch - If you have a few borders in your garden which could do with a spruce up, one instant and quick way to do this is to give them a mulch. You can use Bark, Garden Compost or failing that just some regular Garden Compost. Not only will it make the area look much nicer but it will help improve the soil and suppress the weeds!
You can also give container plants a mulch too with either the same stuff or some Grit!

(If you are wondering why I have a brick in my 'Pond' it is because it will be used as a ledge for some Pond Plants when I have purchased some, hopefully soon)

3. Spring Baskets - As suggested yesterday why not make up some Spring Hanging Baskets for some extra colour! Also why not plug any gaps in existing displays where Winter Bedding has failed or just simply isn't looking as good as it could do.

4. Seed Sowing - If you have a Propagator or a Sunny Windowsill there are some seeds that you could get on with sowing now. These could have been started a couple of weeks ago but due to light levels where I live I decided to wait a few weeks.
Here I have some some Antirrhinum & Aquilegia Seeds. These needed to be sowed on the top of some pre watered seed compost which I then placed in a Propagator. I also sowed some more Sweet Pea seeds. 

5. Pests - Keep an eye out for Pests in the Greenhouse, you may think it's too early but when checking my Fuchsia cuttings a few days ago I discovered some pesky Aphids on the underside of the leaves!

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX