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!
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

Garden Checklist & Merry Christmas!

Good Morning!
Even though it's the Festive season there are still little things you can be doing in the garden.
Oh and I know this post is a day late ... let's blame it on the festivities lol

1. Planting - The ground is still warm due to the unseasonal weather so you still have chance to plant or relocate any shrubs, roses, trees and hedges. This is also a good chance to check any plants that are currently needing support if you are experiencing windy weather too!

2. Winter Pruning - If your looking for a few jobs to do this side of Christmas then giving your Acers, Birches and Vines a prune is a good thing to do! Pruning will allow you to to create shape and get rid of any dead bits.

3. Summer Flowering Bulbs  - I know that Summer is the last thing on everyone's minds with Christmas in just a few days, but why not start deciding which Summer flowering bulbs
(such as Dahlia's and Gladioli) that you'd like next year whilst the widest choice is available. 

Also if you haven't done so already, order next years seeds!
The sowing season will soon be upon us!

Dahlia 'Cafe Au Lait' from my garden in 2014

4. Lawns - Keep off your lawns in frost and wet weather as walking over the grass can damage the grass and result in unsightly patches.

5. Greenhouse - With the extremely mild weather, Botrytis (Grey Mould) can be more of a problem undercover in GH's that have insulation as ventilation isn't as good as when your GH isn't insulated. Make sure you check your plants daily, I have been finding newly affected plant material each time I take a look and remove any of the diseased material straight away. When watering make sure you do it sparingly and try not to catch any of the plants foliage to limit infection.

6. Climbing Plants - Plants such as Ivy, Virginia Creeper and other climbers that are growing on houses can have a little trim if they are approaching windows and guttering. Also check that Climbers elsewhere in the garden are tied into their supports.

7. Autumn / Winter Bedding - Check over any bedding that you have for signs that it is past it's best. Most of my Viola's were looking tired and had caught Black Spot this week so it was time to transfer them to the compost bin! Replace any tired plants with fresh bedding or winter flowering shrubs ... a perfect excuse for a trip to the garden centre! 

As mentioned in my last checklist Primroses can be instantly cheered up by removing fading / discoloured leaves and dead - heading. 

8. Clean Up - Finally if you don't have any of these jobs above to do, keep up with clearing any fallen leaves on lawns and ponds to reduce the spread of disease and give any dirty pots and trays a good clean, it's not the most exciting job but when it comes to sowing seeds and potting on next year good plant hygiene is a must for successful growing!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!
For as long as you keep reading I shall be back with the Checklist & Problem Area posts next year along with some more snaps of my Garden, Plants and other Gardening topics next year ... 

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

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. Aerate Lawns - Lawns may not be looking at their best at the moment, well mine certainly isn't due to the recent rainfall. To help aid drainage aerate the lawn with a Garden Fork.

2. Old Bedding  - The majority of Summer Bedding will be looking rather tired by now, why not spruce up your pots with some fresh Autumn / Winter Bedding.

3. Plant - October (I know it's not technically until tomorrow but hey ho) is a good time to plant new Fruit as it gives it time to get established in the warmer soil before Winter.

4. Top Dress - If your plants have developed a lean and the visable soil doesn't look too appealing, simply top dress with some Horticultural Grit. I also like to add a fresh layer of compost before adding the grit just to give the plant some fresh nutrients. It only takes a minute and the finished look is a lot nicer.

5. Leaves - Keep on top of collecting Autumn Leaves, try to do this at least once a week. If the leaves are left they can smother young plants and cause lawns to turn yellow underneath.

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. Pot up Tender Perennials - Now the nights are getting cooler it's a good idea to start potting up your tender Perennials so that you can bring them undercover when cold temperatures are forecast.

2. Start planting out Winter Bedding  - I know I have mentioned this before, but if you haven't started to do so yet then now is a good time to start. I replaced what I had in these tubs yesterday with Forget - me not's.

3. Rambling Roses - Once your rambling roses have finished flowering it's a good idea to give them a prune. However I wouldn't recommend doing this on other roses yet.

4. Aerate Lawns - To help aid drainage in your lawns now that the weather is changing, go over it with a garden fork spiking holes.

5. Sow Sweat Pea's - For early flowers next year, sowing Sweat Pea's in the Autumn is ideal and now is a good time to start.

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. Pull Out Tired Annuals - Now that were reaching the end of Summer and experiencing rough weather some Summer Annuals will be looking past their best. Pull out tired bedding to give your garden and pots a tidier look. You can replace them with Wallflowers that are ready for planting out.

2. Prick Out Winter Bedding - You will have seen from my last post the Mail Order Winter Bedding is starting to arrive. If yours does make sure you prick it out straight away to give it the best chance.

3. Sow Herbs - Sow herbs such as Parsley now to keep you going through Winter.

4. Close the Greenhouse - Temperatures are starting to drop on a night now so keep an eye on the temperature where you are, and remember to close Vents / Windows on a night if it gets cold.

5. Apply Lawn Feed - Prepare the grass for Winter with a feed which will also help promote strong root growth.

Thanks for stopping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX