November's Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

We're halfway through November already so here are some jobs that you can be getting on with in the garden over the next few weeks ...

1. Tulips  - November is the ideal time to plant Tulips!
It's recommended that you plant them no earlier than this month due to the risk of the bulbs developing a particular disease called 'Tulip Fire'.
For those unaware this is a fungal disease which results in the plants developing twisted and distorted leaves with brown spots.

When planting Tulips first check that the ones you buy don't have any signs of mould / damage and aren't too small as this can affect flowering ability in the first year.
Plant them atleast twice the size of the bulb apart and two to three times it's own depth. If planting in pots the bulbs can be closer together but make sure that they aren't touching and are three times their own depth.
Also if there are any other Spring Bulbs that you haven't had the chance to plant yet then why not get them in the ground at the same time!

2. Buddleja - Over the Summer months Buddleja's can put on lots of growth and Autumn & Spring is the ideal time to give them a cut back. 

I like to reduce my plant by a third in November and then by another third in the Spring. It may seem drastic but by reducing it's height it helps keep it in control and you can remove any dead or diseased branches. Flowers also are only usually produced on the end of current seasons growth so if your plant is left to it's own devices all the flowers will be at the top! 

Pruning Buddleja's also reduces it's chances of self seeding for those of you that don't want any more plants popping in around the garden!

3. Dahlia's - By now most of us in the UK will have been hit by our first hard frost, ours was last week! If you still have Dahlia's in the ground a sure sign that they've been hit by a frost is that the foliage will have been blackened. If you live in an area of the UK with a slightly warmer climate and well - drained soil then you might be able to get away with leaving the tubers where they are with just a covering of mulch once cut down. 

However if you live further North like myself now is the time to get them lifted! 

If you are wanting to save some for next year cut the stems to 2inches from the base and trim away any thin roots. Lift the tubers from the soil using a fork being careful not to cause any damage. Remove soil from the tuber by hand and store them somewhere cool and dry upside down for a couple of weeks, this allows excess moisture to drain away. Once dry make sure you label your tubers with the variety names and store in a tray or wooden box covered with dry sand or compost leaving only the old flower stalks above the surface. keep them in a cool but frost free space until next year.

Dahlia 'Cafe Au Lait'

4. Plan - Plant companies are sending out their catalogues for next year which is the perfect oppertunity to start planning what you'd like to grow! It's also a good way of still being involved with the garden if you can't actually get outside to be in it due to the weather. It's always a good idea to make a list of what you'd like to grow such as old favourites and new varieties to try for the first time.

5. Leaf Mould - You can find a fuller description of Leaf Mould in the October Checklist but you can still carry on collecting leaves for it throughout this month. It really is worth doing!

6. Bare Root - Whilst the soil is still warm November is a great chance to get bare root plants in the ground and established over the winter. Bareroot plants are often cheaper to buy than containerised plants which is another advantage! Roses, Hedging, Fruit and Trees can all be bought in this form.

Rose 'Champagne Moment'

7.Hardwood Cuttings - This time of year is perfect for taking Hardwood Cuttings of plants such as Climbers, Fruit and Shrubs. You can take this particular form of cuttings between now and late winter aslong as it isn't during a severe frost. For a detailed explanation of how to take these cuttings simply click this link HERE to go to the RHS website.

8. Weeds - It's one of the least enjoyable jobs but it really is a good idea to get on top of weeds before they become established. 

9. Soil - Soil needs a little help at this time of year to keep your plants performing to their best. After you've done some weeding dig in some Leaf Mould or well rotted Garden Compost into your garden borders. You can also apply a 'Mulch' of the above or Composted Bark to the surface of the soil which is atleast 2 to 3 inches thick, be careful not to pile the mulch up against the stems of plants.

10. Displays - Finally why not brighten up a corner with a colourful planting display? 

Here I have made a quick and simple display using two different coloured Cyclamen which will sit next at my front door.

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 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 that you can be getting on with in the garden over the coming week ...

1. Deep Clean  -It's not the most enjoyable of jobs but it really is one of the most worthwhile!
Give the outside of your Greenhouse a good clean to remove any green algae that has built up over the winter months, this will improve the light levels inside which is especially important for the growing season!
Along with this give all of your plant pots, seed trays and plug trays a clean. If left unclean any overwintering pests and diseases could transfer to new plants and seedlings, reducing their quality. Don't forget about the green growth  on the outside of Teracotta pots too!
All you need is some hot soapy water and a stiff brush! This is also a good chance to take stock of what you have / need and also get rid of any pots that you know will never get used!

2. Buddleja  - If you have a Buddleja davidii or B. lindleyana (I have a Buddleja davidii 'White Profusion') growing in your garden it's time to give it a prune! 

It's recommended that you first prune your Buddleja's down in Autumn by a third and then again at this time of year to low growing emerging shoots. Don't worry if you didn't do this is Autumn, you can still prune it down the low height now. The main aim of pruning is Autumn is to reduce the chances of wind rock damage. 

Cutting the shrub down to a low framework allows the shrub to put on a show of fast growing shoots bearing flowers in Summer! If you don't prune the shrub the shoots will soon become out of control with untidy and sub standard branches. 

Don't worry if you don't have time to do this now, you have until the end of April to get this job done but bear in mind the longer you leave it the longer you will have to wait for the flowers. However this tactic can work to your advantage if you have more than one plant, pruning them a few weeks apart will prolong the flowering season of your plants throughout the year.

NOTE - If your plant is from the Buddleja Globosa family DON'T prune it now. 

This particular plant flowers earlier than those mentioned above and on the previous year's wood, it is best to prune these after flowering.

3. February Sowings - There are a few seeds that can be sown over the coming month. I will be waiting another week or so before I start due to light levels but to make sure I can get them going as soon as I am ready I will be doing the following ...

Make a list of the seeds that you have & want that can be sown this month and record the temperatures / conditions that they will need. You will find that some have similar needs to others and will make it easier for you to decide when they should get going and can be started at the same time! 

For example Celery, Tomatoes, Aubergines and Peppers can be started this month but all need a certain amount of heat. Sweet Peas can also be started this month but they prefer cooler conditions to germinate.

4. Wind Rock - I mentioned this particular subject briefly in the Buddleja post but due to the recent windy weather over the past week I thought it best to cover it quickly again. 

If you have done any planting recently they could have been affected, all you need to do is go round and check your newly planted areas and firm them back in to the ground.

5. Soil Warming - If you are planning on sowing direct over the coming weeks it's a good idea to start warming the soil now for it to be ready. Certain crops such as Carrots prefer to be sown direct but they need the soil to be at a certain temperature to germinate. Cover the soil you are planning to use with Cloches or a sheet of black polythene (weighed down at the corners) to begin the process.

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!
Along with the few things I mentioned over the past couple of weeks, there are a couple of other bits and bobs you can be getting on with in the garden too.

1. Hedges - If you have hedges surrounding your garden / property this time of year is ideal to give them a good weed. This particular job easily be forgotten as once hedges are established, we do tend to take them for granted!
You will need a kneeling pad and some gloves and simply all you need to do is reach underneath the hedges and pull out any weeds that you come across along with any debris, be careful of any pieces of glass. Weeding hedges is especially important for those that are newly planted for the first three years to help prevent them having to compete with weeds for nutrients and establish properly.

2. Winter Bedding - Keeping up with dead heading is important to help prolong their flowering time and of course maintain a good plant health. Dead heading is especially important in wet weather as faded / rotting blooms can fall on up coming flower buds resulting in Botrytis and restricting flowering.

3. Soil  - If your soil isn't frozen you can get on with the job of improving your soil. Digging in good quality garden compost / manure will improve the soil by adding nutrients, improve drainage and the ability to conserve moisture. 

4. Blackcurrants - If you are growing Blackcurrants you can prune out the oldest stems from your plants to encourage new shoots.

5. Greenhouse - Due to the Winter Weather if your Greenhouse is looking a bit dirty, give the windows a clean to help improve the light quality for the plants inside. Light levels are low at this time of year so the more they can have the better.

You can also dispose of any old compost and rubbish that is past it's best within the GH as it may be providing a home for unwelcome visitors!

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'm back today with another Checklist, I have decided to now post these on a Monday and the Problem Area posts on a Friday, just incase you thought I'd forgotten about the Checklist yesterday!
Here are a few things you can be getting on with over the next week.

1. Dead Heading - Keep dead heading Winter Bedding such as Viola's, Pansies and Primroses to prolong flowering and to prevent plants setting seed.

2. Tulips  - Tulips need to be planted by the end of this month so if you have any bulbs waiting to be planted, now is the time to do it!

3. Dahlia's- You can choose to lift Dahlia's now or wait until they have been blackened by frost first. You can lift and store the tubers for next year by cutting down the stems to about 2-4inches then carefully digging the tubers up without damaging them. Wipe off excess soil and lower the stems to 1-2 inches then leave the tubers to dry out upside down, for a few days to rid of excess liquid in a frost free location our of direct sunlight. Over winter they can be stored in a ventilated basket or box in moistened sand in a cool, dry frost free place. 

I decided not to store my Dahlia's this year and added them to the Compost bin.

4. Variegated Shrubs - Keep checking that your variegated shrubs do not have plain coloured shoots coming through, cut them out once if you find any to keep the correct foliage.

5. Soil - Dig over vacant areas soils and rid them of any unwanted weeds and moss.

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 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. Collect Leaves - Leaf mould is great for adding to composts and mulching, to make your own simply collect any fallen leaves and store in a bin bag (with holes created with a pencil / pen). You can keep it somewhere such as down the side of a shed and within a year or two you will have your own fantastic leaf mould, for free!

2. Begonia Tubers  -Along with storing Dahlia tubers it is also time to store Begonia tubers. They can be pretty much treated the same way or you can pot them up into small pots once cutting the foliage back.

3. Over - Wintering - Make sure that you have moved all the plants you want to over winter under protection within the next few days. With November only just around the corner lower temps & frosts are on their way!

4. Plant Fruit Trees & Hedging - Autumn is a great time to plant these as it will help them become established quickly.

5. Soil - Now is also a good time to give your soil a boost by digging in some well rotted manure or by adding a mulch of compost as you saw I did last week.

Thanks for stopping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX