Garden Checklist ...

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

1. Pinching Out  - If you've purchased plants for your Summer Baskets and Containers they'll be putting on good growth but are still too tender too go outside just yet. If you remember a few weeks ago I bought some plug plants and potted them up into 9cm pots. Some of these plants are developing flowers but the best thing for them right now is to pinch them out. It may seem drastic but this will help the plant produce stronger, bushier growth and prolong the flowering season.

2. Salad Seedlings - If your wanting to grow your own salad crops (e.g. lettuce and salad leaves) this year then now is a good time to get started. If the weather is fine you can sow them direct, if not or you don't have the space right now then you can start them off in trays under the cover of a Greenhouse. Start sowing now and continue to do so every 3 or 4 weeks to ensure a steady supply.

3. Potting On - Summer Basket and Container plants not only will be starting to produce flower stems, they will also be putting on good root growth, infact most plants at this time of year will be doing so. If you look at the underside of your plants pot and can see roots peeking through the drainage holes it's time to pot it on to the next size up.  

TIP - A quick and easy method for 'Potting On' 

First up you should only go up the next one or two pot sizes, generally speaking if you can fit your finger in the gap between the new pot and the current plant pot placed inside it is the adequate size. 

- Sprinkle some compost into the base of the new pot, place the plant your potting on still in it's current pot in the centre and fill around the edges with more compost. 

- Once you have firmed the compost in around the edges gently pull out the pot and you will see that your left with the ideal potting hole! 

- Simply take the plant out of it's current pot and place in the gap, firm in and water.

4. Pot Clean - If you haven't done so already it's time to clean any plant pots that have been used previously and left stacked up in a corner! Pests and Diseases can over winter in dirty pots and may affect any new plants planted into them, it's essential to maintain good plant health and hygiene if you want happy, healthy plants! 

All you need to do is give them a good scrub with a brush and some diluted washing up liquid mixed with hot water. It can be a bit overwhelming if you have lot's of things to clean so a good idea is to start with Terracotta Pots then plastic, moving onto your trays and finally items such as saucers.  

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!
It seems this weekend the weather has changed to be a little milder compared to the start of the week! We were in low single figures early on but looking at the forecast we're set to reach double figures over the next few days, the weather can't seem to make it's mind up.
Here's a few things that you can be getting on with over the coming week ...

1. Sedums - Throughout winter I left the stems of my Sedum plants to provide some structure and also allow somewhere for over-wintering insects. However the flower stems are looking a little tired and the new growth has started forming at the base so it was time for me to cut them down to ground level. Other plants that can be cut down now are Willows and Dogwoods to promote strong new canes.

2. Hardwood Cuttings - If you have been planning to take some Hardwood Cuttings then now is the time to get this done. You can take Hardwood Cuttings from Shrubs, Tree's and Roses but the window to do this is closing in a few weeks.

3. Hellebores  - If you love Hellebores as much as I do it's always a good idea to remove any foliage showing signs of Black Spot which helps prevent the disease taking over. It also allows more light to the emerging flower buds! If you haven't removed them already then try to get it done asap.

4. Snowdrops - If you are in a milder area of the UK and your Snowdrops are already flowering, this is the ideal time to start thinking about dividing them if the clumps are congested. Snowdrops are best divided and planted when they are 'in the green', simply dig them up when they coming to the end of flowering, split them up into smaller clumps and re-plant.

5. Sowing - Salad crops can be sown now undercover to provide you with some early lettuce and salad leaves. 

6. Apple & Pear Tree's - If your Apple & Pear Tree's have congested, badly placed, damaged or diseased branches now is your chance to prune them out. 

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.Harvest- If like me you are growing Cucumber plants you will have noticed that they have started producing cucumbers. I was able to harvest my first one yesterday morning and I'd advise you also start doing the same before they get too big so that the plant can focus it's energy on the rest.

2. Salads - Keep up with sowing your seeds for Salads. It's a good idea to sow them every 2 - 3 weeks to make sure that you have a steady supply. I like to start my Lettuce's off in trays in the Greenhouse before planting out into my Raised Bed however Radishes are sown straight where they are grow.

3. Roses - Keep up with the deadheading, the blooms can fade quickly and just like I mentioned earlier the plant can focus all it's energy on the up coming blooms once they've been snipped off. Plus it also looks much nicer!

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

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX