Garden Checklist ...

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

1. Spring Bulbs  -If you had any leftover bulbs from last Autumn that you potted up into small pots then now is the time to find a spot for them. You could simply put them together into a decorative pot as a focal point or use them to plug any gaps in your borders!

2. Herbs - Fresh herbs are important in the garden if you like to cook or simply love the scent. Right now Garden centres have small pots of herbs at an extremely low price so now is the time to get stocked up! I recently purchased some Apple & Chocolate Mint, Hot & Spicy Oregano, Marjoram and my favourite of them all ... Lemon Thyme. 

Pot them up into pots the next size up and finish with a layer of grit.

3. Soil - If your hoping to get started on sowing direct soon then it's worth helping your soil to warm up. You can use Cloches or if you don't have any a layer of fleece, I have kept mine in place with plant stakes.

4. Pests - This may be something I mention a lot but it really is worth checking daily for pests in a Greenhouse. As you can see here some Aphids have taken a liking to one of my Fuchsia's! The easiest way to deal with this is to squish them with your fingers!

5. Re Potting - If you have permanent containers featuring Shrubs / Evergreen it's worthwhile re potting them every 2 or 3 years into fresh compost. The easiest way to do this is to scrape away the top layer of compost and ease the plant out of the container. Pot them on into a pot slightly larger if the roots have filled the previous container, not forgetting a layer of crocks at the bottom. Use John Innes no.3 or Ericaceous compost if the plant prefers acidic conditions (such as Hydrangeas, Rhododendrons). 

I also like to add a little Fish, Blood and Bone into the mix to give the plants a bit of a boost! Water well and cover the surface with a layer of Horticultural Grit to prevent weed seedlings .... plus it's a nice finishing touch!

4. Borders - This time of year is also a good time to get any borders mulched that you didn't get the chance to do in Autumn. You can use good quality garden compost or composted bark. I always like to mix in a little Blood, Fish and Bone in too to give the plants a Spring feed. 

This also gives you a chance to see if there are any gaps that could be filled with Spring flowering bulbs instead of just having bare spaces of soil next Spring! You can also remove any plants that you're not overly happy with any more which is something I will be doing after looking at the below photo lol

NOTE - Always mulch when the soil is moist, never dry.

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!
Here's a few things you can be doing in your garden over the coming days.

1. Lawns - Autumn is the time to give your lawn a little bit of maintenance! One of the things you can do after mowing is give it a good rake through to remove any moss that has built up, trust me there will be soon! This will improve the health of the lawn. You can also aerate it with a fork and remove any weeds you see growing through.

2. Planting - Autumn is a good time to get plants in the ground before winter. The ground is still warm over the next couple of weeks so if you have any evergreens, hedging or shrubs sitting around waiting to be planted, now is the time to do it.

On the flip side of this now is the time to dig up and move any tender perennials that need protection of winter before the frosts come! We've already had a couple of light frosts this week.
You can also lift and divide any congested Perennials and re-plant in various areas of the garden!

3. Healthy Plants - To keep your plants healthy keep checking them over for anything that can prevent them happening. For example as you can see below there are some faded flower stems that need pulling out and a sneaky snail that has climbed into one of the flowers!

Alstroemeria - Inca Ice 'Koice'

4. Harvest - Plants such as Chilli's are still ripening and ready to harvest, snip them all off once they are ready and store in a freezer if you won't be using them right away.

5. Over Wintering - If like me you are over wintering various plants, I like to reduce them in size around about now, such as with my Pelargoniums. In my personal experience I find by reducing the amount of foliage it helps prevent the chances of grey mould, which in a bubble-wrapped greenhouse can occur quickly. It also reduces the amount of water the plant needs to take in and the energy it uses. You can also re - pot into smaller pots if you are tight on space.

6. Roses - Keep collecting fallen rose leaves from around the plants base, especially if they are affected with blackspot. If they are left the spores can lay in the ground and raise the chances of the plant getting blackspot next year. 

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!
Here's a few things you can be doing in your garden over the coming days.

1. Leaves - Leaves are starting to fall so it's a good time to start raking them up and using them to create your own Leaf Mould.

2. Tender Plants - With the lower temperature's it's a good time to walk around your garden and look out your tender plants that won't survive the winter outside, it's time to bring them under cover.

3. Winter Pots & Baskets - If you haven't already it's time to get cracking with your Winter Pots & Baskets. I've decided to cut down on the baskets this year but I have made up a couple of pots with a mix of Heuchera's, Grasses, Euonymous and Viola's.

 If you are planning on planting bedding out in your borders too then now is also a good time to do that.

Viola - Amber Kiss

4. Equipment - If you have glazed or non - frost proof pots outside these will also need to be brought under cover or protected with bubblewrap. In cooler temperatures these pots can crack and break. You will also need to put any hosepipes back into storage and wrap the taps with insulation. It's best to get on with these jobs before any casualties occur!

5. Pests - If you have any plants that your are over - wintering in the Greenhouse keep checking them for any signs of pests. These can easily get in on the days you have the door open for ventilation or could have been carried in on any of the plants you have moved in from outside. No matter how thoroughly you think you've checked them something always seems to sneak in!

6. Sweet Peas - If you are planning on Autumn sowing some Sweet Pea's, then now is the time to get cracking!

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

Weekly Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

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

1. Weeds - Weeds such as Dandelions are popping up all over the place, especially in lawns, dig the weeds out and if you want to, reseed the patches with grass seed.

2. Pot On Seedlings - Seedlings such as the Antirrhinums I pricked out a few weeks ago should be about ready to pot on, a few of them are still in the trays needing a little longer, but as you can see quite a few of them were ready to go into 9cm pots. They will also need pinching out to help promote bushier growth.

3. Roses - April is usually the time to start spraying roses with a product such as Rose Clear to help prevent Pests and Disease. When using the spray do so either around 8am or 8pm to help prevent any harm to bees when spraying as this is the time they are least about, also avoid spraying in full sun. Repeat this process around every 6 weeks.

4. Pots & Containers - Permanent Pot Plants that live outside could do with a bit of a spruce up at this time of year, as you can see here by Hardy Fuchsia had developed moss on the surface of the compost. Simply scrape back the surface and revitalise with a fresh layer of compost. Not only does it help the plant but it's also much nicer to look at!

5. Support - Plants such as Clematis have leapt into growth over the past week which requires support. Why not place a few stakes together, tied at the top with string for them to clamber up. Once the plant has outgrown this support I will be replacing it with something larger, but for the time being it does the job and adds interest for the eyes!

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!

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

1. Aphids - I know it's not the nicest topic to start off with, but now is the time to keep an eye out for Aphids! I've had a few instances recently where I've found quite a few clustering on my plants, especially my Dianthus and Fuchsia cuttings! As soon as you spot any squash them with your fingers or blast with some soapy water.

2. Feed - Plants such as Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camelia's would all benefit now from a feed right now with Ericaecous plant food. You can get this is both a granular or liquid form.

3. Hellebores - If you haven't done so already, cut away old leaf stems to prevent the spread of black spot.

4. Alpines & Succulents - Tidy and re - pot if needed any Alpines and Succulents, you can also give them a fresh top dressing to keep them looking their best.

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

Weekly Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

I know it's a little late this week ,so i'l get on with the Weekly Garden Checklist. 

Incase this is the first time you have seen this particular themed post, it's a quick list of jobs you can be doing in the garden this week.

Let's get started!

1. Remove Yellow Leaves - If like me you are over - wintering some Pelargoniums, make sure you remove any leaves that are starting to turn yellow or have fallen off.

2. Ventilation  -Even though the days are cooler it's always good to keep your Greenhouse door open throughout the day to provide good ventilation for your plants. Failure to do so can cause grey mould which will spread very quickly. Just don't forget to close it back up again on a night!

3. Leaves - Keep collecting fallen leaves for Leaf Mould. Even if it is just once a week you'll be glad you did it come next year.

4. Slugs - With all the wet weather recently it seems the slugs are starting to make more of an appearance! Keep checking your Outdoor Pots and Greenhouse's, I've had a few sneaky slugs finding there way into my GH recently! 

5. Enjoy - Even though there aren't our usual summer displays at this time of year it does give you the ability to look at your garden and enjoy the Evergreen Plants & Grasses, along with seeing which areas could benefit from even more permanent planting structures.

Thanks for stopping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Weekly Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

It's Monday so it is time for another Weekly Garden Checklist. 

Incase this is the first time you have seen this particular themed post, it's a quick list of jobs you can be doing in the garden this week.

Let's get started!

1. Botrytis - Check for Botyrytis or Grey Mould as you may know it by on your plants. With the warm yet damp weather this will spread easily amongst plants if not checked. Simply remove affected leaves as soon as you spot them.

2. Divide  - Now is the time to divide your perennials, not only does it help stop the plant become congested but you also get free extra plants! Tease the roots apart with two garden forks (pushed in the opposite direction) for large clusters.

3. Rose Cuttings - Take cuttings of your favourite roses now. You need a healthy shoot about 20-25cm long and cut it on a diagonal just above a bud. Place the cutting into the ground and leave for about 18 months, which by then the cutting should have developed a root system.

4. Clean the GH - If your GH is looking a bit empty and your ready to start bringing tender plants back in, make sure you give the GH a good wash, inside and out. This will help rid of any pests that have made themselves comfy during the summer months. Also don't forget to check the plants when bringing under cover so that you don't bring anything in!

5. Onions & Garlic - Now is the time to get Autumn planting Garlic & Onions planted! Just make sure you don't plant your Garlic in the same place as Leeks if you have grown them recently. 

Thanks for stopping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Weekly Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

It's Monday so it is time for another Weekly Garden Checklist. 

Incase this is the first time you have seen this particular themed post, it's a quick list of jobs you can be doing in the garden this week.

Let's get started!

1. Plant Shrubs, Conifers & Hedging - Now that we are almost in September now is a good time to plant new shrubs giving them time to get established before winter. It's also a good idea to give the ground a good turning over and incorporating some organic matter before planting.

2. Tie in Chrysanthemums  - Chrysanthemums should be putting on some good tall growth now so it's always a good idea to tie them into their stakes for support, especially with all this windy weather we've been having recently!

3. Remove Weed from Ponds - Pond weed can increase quickly so it's a good idea to keep an eye on it and pull it out if you spot any, such as blanket weed which can soon take over.

4. Catch Earwigs - Earwigs can soon make an appearance at this time of year and seem to love Dahlia's. To catch them place small upturned plant pots on-top of the plant stakes to catch them, check each morning and dispose as you wish.

5. Dig Up Hardy Annuals - As much as we love them we don't always want them to multiply around the garden, so now is a good time to dig them up before they set seed.

Thanks for stopping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX