Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!
Here's a few things that you can be getting on with this weekend in the garden ...

1. Hardening Off  - Summer Bedding plants will be putting on good growth now and no doubt you'll be itching to get them in their final positions outside! However they need to go through a process of 'Hardening Off' first before going outside permanently. This is to acclimatise them to the outdoor temperatures and conditions as they will have been protected under cover whether you've kept them in a Greenhouse or just bought them from a Garden Centre.
Pop them somewhere sunny & sheltered during the day time for 7 - 10 days, bringing them back undercover on a night when the temps drop for the first 7 days then leaving outside still in their containers for the remaining days.
Of course if cooler temperatures and frosts are forecast (this is still possible until the first week of June) protect with a layer of fleece, I always hold off planting out in final positions until the risk of frost has passed.

2. Primulas - If you have Primulas and Primroses growing in your garden the clumps can become congested over time. Now is the chance to lift and divide them, removing offests which can be used to provide new plants for yourself, replanting elsewhere around in the garden or in pots until a later date.

3. Lawns - It's time to give the edges of lawns a good tidy up.

Over the recent months lawns edges may have lost their neatness and slowly crept into the neighbouring soil. All you need to do is get a spade or edging tool and cut in around the edges. 

Even if it's the only thing you do in the garden this weekend it instantly makes your garden look ten times neater!

4. Protect - Protect young salad and veg crops from Pests and being snacked on by Birds. 

All I have done in regards to my Raised Bed is covered the surface with some Butterfly Netting held above the plants tightly (allowing space within for them to grow) with wooden stakes.

5. Winter Bedding - I know it may seem wrong to even starting thinking about Winter, but now is the time to start deciding about what Bedding plants you would like to have later this year. If you are wanting to grow from seed plants such as Pansies the time to start doing this is over the coming weeks.

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,
Okay, let's get started!

1.Plant Up Summer Pots - Just like the Hanging Baskets it's also time to make a start on your Summer Pots. This year I'm keeping mine simpler with just one plant in some of them. I am using a mix of Multi Purpose, John Innes No.2, Water Retaining Gel  (2 scoops) and some Slow Release Food. If your plants have been growing in a Greenhouse or somewhere sheltered then its a good idea to start hardening them off before putting them permanently outside. To do this simply put them outside during the day then back under cover for the night, also there's still a chance of frost! Do this for all new plants and Bedding Plants :)

TIP - If you are creating permanent pots where you won't be changing them at the end of the season then use John Innes no.3 instead with some added drainage.

2. Vegetables - Keep an eye on weeds around your Vegetables and if you spot any, pull them up right away. It will give your plants a better chance and stop them competing for nutrients.

3. Pests - Keep an eye out for pests such as Aphids, Slugs and Lily Beetle shown below. 

If you spot one of these it's best to squish it right away.

4. Protect -Another way to prevent young plants from being attacked is to place Copper Rings around those that are vulnerable. I like to use them against Slugs and Snails instead of pellets. You can also use Nemetodes which is a friendlier alternative that you just water onto the soil.

5. Grey Mould - With the warmer wetter weather Grey Mould can still be a problem in the GH, keep checking your plants and hanging baskets and remove any affected areas right away, if left you could end up losing a whole plant.

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

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX