February Favourites!

Good Evening!

Apologies for it being such a long time since I posted, I didn't realise that I hadn't wrote a post since January. Luckily February is one of the quieter months so you didn't miss too much that's been going in my garden! I thought I'd share with you my favourite pictures that I took last month to get you all back up to speed ...

Let's start off with more heavenly Hellebores! I know I shared a few in my last post but you can never have too many Hellebores!

Helleborus x hybridus 'Harvington ... Apricot' 'Picotee' and 'Single Yellow Dark Eye'

Helleborus 'Anna's Red'

Helleborus 'Pink Beauty'

This particular variety always flowers prolifically in my garden each year and is one of my 'forever' plants.

Of course the Snowdrops were displaying their delicate blooms last month, as soon as I see them peeking through the soil I'm seriously impatient for them to flower lol

Galanthus 'Flore Pleno'

Of course another Spring bulb that you can't be without at this time of year is the Crocus. Even though the heavy rain that we've had gave them a little battering the little golden blooms were a pleasure to see.

Meanwhile over in the Greenhouse where the conditions are a bit more bearable the annual routine of sowing the Tomatoes and Sweet Peas is well underway! As you can see from the following photo you can tell what I'l be doing on my next day off ... pricking out Tomato seedlings!

The varieties I've sown this year are ... 'Gardener's Delight', 'Sungold', 'MoneyMaker' 'Tigerella' 'Maskotka' and 'Black Russian'.

 Lathyrus odoratus (Sweet Peas) 'Fragrantissima' and 'Heirloom' Mix

Before I go I'd just like to mention that this year all my seedlings are being sown and potted on into an Organic Peat Free Compost. There really is no excuse not to go Peat Free nowadays due to the impact that Peat farming has on the environment, and so far I can say that the particular compost I've chosen to use is performing just as well as a regular Multi-Purpose! (No connection just a happy Gardener)

Thanks for stopping by, I promise I'l be back soon with more news from my garden!

HAPPY GROWING!

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

1. Seedlings  - If you're sowing plants from scratch, once they have germinated and developed their true leaves it's time to pot them on. When doing so always make sure that you handle the seedlings via their leaves and not the stems. Pot them on into either small pots or plug trays, multi purpose compost is fine. Once pricked out place them somewhere light and warm but out of direct sunlight for the first 3 or 4 days to prevent the seedlings being scorched by the sun.




Marigold 'Vanilla Cream'

2. Protect - New shoots of Delphiniums and Lupins will be pushing through the ground and they need a little bit of protection from slugs as they have a particular fondness for them! A simple way of protecting them is by using copper rings around the young plants as slugs won't climb over them.

3. Spring Bulbs - Spring bulbs such as daffodils will be coming to the end of their flowering. Once the blooms have faded they need dead heading so that the plants energy can go back into the bulb. Dead-head daffodils by snapping the heads off between your fingers on the green part of the flower stem about 1cm below the brown part that you can see below. 

4. Root Prune - If you are growing permanent pots, such as Tree's or large shrubs in containers and haven't checked them for the past couple of years now is the time to do so. 

Once you have removed the plant from it's container, start by scraping away the top layer of compost and ease the plant out gently (this may take 2 people depending on the plant size) and check the root growth. If the roots have completely filled the container and you don't have any pots larger than the one it's in you can prune some of the roots off with secateurs. 

This won't damage the plant. 

Add some fresh compost into the bottom of the container so that the plant has something to grow into and re pot. To avoid air gaps you may need to use a stake to push the compost down the sides and make sure that you plant to the same soil level as before. Finish with a mulch of gravel.

5. Support - Large growing Perennials will be putting on good growth in the coming weeks and some need support to prevent them falling over later in the season. Position your supports now so that the new growth can grow into the the supports giving them a more natural look, Plants with supports placed after heavy rainfall and winds have already done their damage never look as good as those with supports that have been there all along! Once the plants have grown the supports will no longer be visible so if your not a fan of how they look don't worry, you won't have to look at the supports for long.

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 are a few things you can be getting on with over the next week in your garden.

1. Stray Seedlings - If you have spotted any rogue seedlings growing in places that aren't ideal, such as a drive way, you can dig them up and put into a more suitable place or pots until you can find somewhere.
For example I saw that there are some Verbascum seedlings growing on my drive that need relocating.

2. Plant Support  - If you have some supports outside that you are wanting to keep in place over winter it's a good idea to check that they are secure and in good condition before they get damaged by bad weather. We've had some windy days here this last week and these can cause havoc if anything isn't in place properly.

3. Transplant / Plant - I had some Geums growing in Teracotta pots that can't stay outside over winter as they aren't frost proof. This gave me the chance to re-jig my borders and take out some plants that I wasn't overly happy with and replaced them with the Geums.
The soil is still warm enough at the moment for you to do this yourself. 

• Always make sure that you tease the roots out if they have become root bound and that you have given the plant a good water so that the root ball isn't dry before planting.
• Firm in plants once they are in the ground, you can use your boots to ensure this is done properly.
• Make sure you give the plant a really good water when you have finished, even if it's raining! I always give each plant a full watering can of water when I plant them into the ground.

4. Planning - If you've sorted through your seed packets as I suggested recently then you'll probably also be starting to think ahead to next year. Have a think about what you want to grow and start stocking up on the seeds you will need. 

I've started to write a list of the Salad Crops that I want to grow and added them to my wish list!

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 hope you all remembered to set your clock back an hour last night! The nights are drawing in and time in the garden is now going to be reduced, but there are still a few things you can be getting on with!

1. Ponds - Remove any dead or dying foliage on pond plants this coming week. If it is left it will rot down into the pond leading to high nitrogen levels, which can encourage blanketweed and algea next Spring. Cut back all falling stems but make sure you do not cut below the water line.
You will also need to remove any annual surface cover plants along with any fallen leaves and keep checking that the water level is at the correct height for your plants over the Winter months.

2. Planting - There's still time to get any evergreen shrubs, hedges and Spring Bedding planted into the ground.

3. Weed Seedlings- Keep on top of any weed seedlings that you spot in your garden, it's best to catch them when they're small as they are much easier to remove then.

4. Display - If you haven't done so already, make a start on your Winter Pot displays! Some bright pops of colour are most welcome in the coming months.

5. Auriculas - If like me you are growing Auriculas you will have noticed over the past few weeks that the leaves are looking a little tatty. Remove any dead or yellow leaves from the plants, make sure you remove the whole leaf from it's base. If a part is left, it can lead to problems with disease.

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!
Apologies for not posting sooner, the past week or so has been pretty busy.

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

1.Hanging Baskets - Plant up Summer Hanging Baskets indoors to get them established before going outside. I like to add some Slow Release Feed and Water Crystals to help reduce the chance of them drying out in the Summer. As you can see I have planted 4 main basket plants in each 14" Basket. There is a Diascia in centre surrounded by Nepeta, Surfinia Petunia and either a Trailing Fuchsia or Begonia. Make sure you plant your main plants in the gaps between chains. I will also be adding some fillers such as Lobelia in the spaces inbetween ... I just need to get some!

2. Pot On Seedlings - Keep potting on seedlings that you've sown. You can also start to slowly harden them off in the coming weeks by placing them somewhere sheltered outside during the day, then bringing back under cover on a night.

3. Prune - Now is the time to prune Spring Flowering Shrubs such as Ribes once they have finished flowering. This is also the time to go out and buy some! I recently treated myself to a Ribes which I have planted in a large pot.

4. Feed - Once your Spring bulbs have finished flowering and you've dead headed them, they'll benefit from a liquid feed.

5. Tomatoes - Pot up your Tomato plants into their final pots, I like to stand mine on a tray of gravel and water. You can also add their growing supports and tie them in. However as you can see the tomato I sowed myself last month is a little while off it's final pot! lol

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. Rhubarb - If you are growing Rhubarb you will have noticed that it's been putting on some growth recently, for tasty stems cover any long shoots with a bucket or forcer now which will be ready to harvest soon. 

2. Prick Out Seedlings - Seeds that have been sown in the past few weeks should have germinated and be ready to pot on into single cells.

 

3. Cuttings - Cuttings taken last year should also be ready to pot on. If you are unsure tap them out of their pots gently to check the root growth. If they look like they need a couple more weeks then simply pop them back into the pot. However if you are confident that they are ready then pot them on into singular pots with a mix of either potting on compost or simply some multi-purpose.

 

4. Flowering Pots - There's always space for more plants, if like me you have no willpower when wandering around a garden centre, why not buy a few plants that are in flower now, or about to come into flower and plant up a pot.
Here I have used a Hellebore & Euphorbia which I purchased the other week along with a Pink Wallflower sown last year and a pink Primrose which is slowly coming into flower.

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

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Cuttings Catch Up ...

Good Morning!

Today I thought I'd share with you how some of the cuttings I took a few week's ago are getting on. If you remember I took some of my Pelargoniums as it's much easier to over - winter them when they're a smaller size, specially if you only have a little GH like me!

The cuttings had developed a good root growth last week so I decided to pot them on into some Teracatto Pots and give them a top dressing.

I have set them out across the top of my staging, with some space between each which will improve air circulation and fingers crossed help keep grey mould at bay!

As you can see one of the 'Bergpalais' cuttings has even flowered.

The Clematis 'Winter Beauty' cutting has also successfully rooted so I potted that on too and gave it a little support for the new growth it's developed.

I also decided to pot on my Dianthus plants and give them a top dressing too.

Also the seeds I sowed a few days ago have already germinated and seem to be doing well! I should hopefully be able to prick them out into individual pots soon.

Lastly I have also made a start on my Winter Baskets. I decided to have some with just Trailing Viola's in. They're rather dinky now but once they get going they'l spread out.

Thanks for stopping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX