Archive for year: 2016

Have we seen the back on winter now or is it still hanging on in there? The daffodils have been out for weeks now and other bulbs popping up all over the place. April is always such an exciting month for gardeners, with rising temperatures, blossoms and many of the most colourful plants flowering, things are really starting to take shape.

Although April can traditionally be a showery month it is often quite dry so keep an eye on the garden and water when necessary. Frosts are still common so be prepared to protect those vulnerable plants and shrubs.

If you need more or specific advice please post a question on our Facebook wall or pop into the garden centre and talk to a member of our experienced garden team.

General

• April is a month for sowing and planting so start off by removing weeds and tidying up borders, flower beds and areas around shrubs.
• Feed roses, borders, shrubs & spring bulbs with general purpose fertilizer.
• Spray roses against black spot
• Finish soil preparation ready for planting
• Watch out for signs of slugs and snail and protect young growth as necessary
• Buy a water butt to conserve water
• Move plants from greenhouse to cold frame
• Put pond pumps and fountains back into pools
• Clean out bird baths and top up with fresh water

Vegetables

• Prepare seedbeds by covering them with clear polythene or fleece to warm up the soil before sowing
• Plant out early potatoes, onion sets and shallots
• Sow pots of herbs; parsley, coriander and basil
• Plant perennial vegetables such as asparagus, artichokes and Jerusalem artichokes. They like a sunny well drained bed.
• If you have already prepared the soil you can sow seed outdoors this month. Try Beetroot, Carrots, Lettuce, Leeks, Spring Onions, Peas and Spinach.
• Sow Courgettes, Sweet Peppers, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Salad indoors for now. You will be able to plant them outdoors towards the end of the month.

Lawns

• Mow regularly, aim  to keep a constant length now for the rest of the year
• Prevent grass creeping into your borders by creating a 3″ gutter along the edge
• Reseed any bare patches and keep watered. Don’t mow until the new grass has reached 2″ to 3″, then mow on highest setting at first.
• Use a high nitrogen spring fertiliser and if moss killer if needed.
• Now is a good time to apply weed killer.
• To repair bumps and hollows peel back the turf, remove or add soil, and then replacing the turf.

Greenhouse

• Make sure guttering is free from leaves and twigs
• Plants will need watering at least every few days, seedlings will need watering on a daily basis.
• Open vents on warmer days to prevent the greenhouse getting too humid.
• Don’t put your heater away just yet as there can still be a few frosts this month.
• Prick out seedlings once they have developed their leaves
• Pinch out shoot tips on fuchsias to encourage bushier plants
• Sow seeds of marrows, courgettes, squashes, cucumbers and melons

Herbaceous borders

• You can sow sweet peas outside this month. Prepare your wigwam supports for them to climb up, and use a light twine to tie the plants in.
• Plant summer flowering bulbs if you haven’t done so already – Alliums and Agapanthus in borders (also ideal for patio containers). Prepare the soil first, to ensure sufficient drainage, this should prevent the bulbs rotting.
• You can still plant herbaceous perennials month, such as Geranium & Aubretia.
• If you want a continuous crop of cut flowers this summer plant perennials such as delphiniums and annuals.

Shrubs, trees, hedges

• Evergreen trees and shrubs can be moved now. Make sure the soil is not waterlogged or frozen , keep them well watered for the next few months until they are established in their new position.
• Plant roses and feed with a granular rose fertiliser as they come into growth
• Prune established bush and standard roses as they start growing but before any leaves unfurl
• Tie in climbing and rambling roses
• Protect fruit blossom from late frosts

Need more advice? Post a question on our Facebook wall or pop into the garden centre and talk to a member of our experienced garden team.

Spring into action this March with our What to do guide.

Where do you begin? March is a busy time in the garden, the weather is getting warmer, things are starting to grow and all those jobs you put off through the cold damp winter months need to be tackled. Follow our guide to March and your garden will be well set up for the coming season.

Now is also a good time to decide whether you need to plan any larger garden landscape projects.  If so, get in touch with us sooner rather than later to ensure we can fit you in before the summer months when you want to be out in the garden enjoying the fruits of your labour.

When the weather is good make the most of it and get on with the following tasks:

General

1. Frosts can still be a danger in March so keep vulnerable plants protected at night if frost is forecast.
2. Spring clean! That means weed and dig over your borders incorporating as much compost / organic matter as you can.
3. Remove moss and weeds from paths and driveways.
4. Treat garden furniture, sheds, fences and trellis with wood preservative.

Vegetables

1. Plant asparagus crowns, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, onion sets, shallots and strawberry plants.
2. Plant out your early potatoes at the end of the month. If you haven’t already done so already, start chitting your seed potatoes.
3. Prepare the ground for French and runner beans and courgette plants, dig a trench and add a generous layer of well-rotted manure or compost.
4. When the weather turns warmer – broad beans, early peas, carrots, lettuces, spinach, salad leaves, leeks and chard can all go in now (check the instructions on the seed packets).

Birds

1. Keep on feeding the birds – they will have become used to you feeding them regularly.
2. At Garden Style we stock a great range of bird houses and feeding stations as well as bird food. These also make a nice Mother’s Day gift.

Lawns

1. Give your lawn a first cut with the blades on the highest setting.
2. Reseed bare patches and neaten the edges with a half moon cutter or spade.
3. Apply moss kill such as Evergreen when the weather is mild and preferably dry.
4. Try not to walk on it too much of it is still very damp.

Trees, Shrubs and Climbers

1. Feed woody plants such as roses, trees, climbers, hedges and shrubs with general purpose fertiliser.
2. Prune roses and spray them with fungicide to prevent black spot and mildew.
3. Prune hydrangeas
4. Plant and move evergreen shrubs, conifers and trees – remember to water them well if the weather is dry until they are firmly rooted in.
5. Prune fruit trees before they comes into growth,  including apples, pears, gooseberry and currants.

Herbaceous Border

1. As soon as the flowers fade Snowdrops can be lifted and divided – you should do this every few years.
2. Apply slug killer around hostas, even if they aren’t showing yet.
3. Plant pot-grown bulbs – they will look great when combined with primroses, pansies and violas and keep the spring colours going longer.
4. Plant gladioli, lilies and dahlias from mid March. If you plant them at fortnightly intervals you’ll get  a succession of blooms throughout the summer. They like a well drained, sunny position.
5. Before you begin planting you should always plan your borders  and plant in groups.This gives you maximum colour effect. Think about plant heights as well – taller at the back, smaller towards the front
6. We have a large selection of young herbaceous plants available in our garden centre – pop in and take a look.

Greenhouse

1. Plant strawberry runners in hanging baskets
2. Buy seedlings and bedding plants and start them off in the green house until the last frost has gone.
3. Sow dwarf French beans in a large pot – this will give an early crop in June
4. Sow sweet peas so they will be ready to plant outside in April / May

Need more advice? Talk to a member of our experienced garden team on your next visit to Rhinegold.

 

Ok so it’s still a bit wintery out there with snow, frost and cold weather, but Spring is just around the corner.

Daffodils are pushing up and snowdrops can be seen in the hedgerows.

Here’s our quick rundown of the things you can be doing this month to get yourself and your garden ready for the coming year:

1. Prepare vegetable seed beds, and sow some vegetables under cover
2. Chit potato tubers
3. Protect blossom on apricots, nectarines and peaches
4. Net fruit and vegetable crops to keep the birds off
5. Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering
6. Divide bulbs such as snowdrops, and plant those that need planting ‘in the green’
7. Prune Wisteria
8. Prune hardy evergreen hedges and renovate overgrown deciduous hedges
9. Prune conservatory climbers
10. Cut back deciduous grasses left uncut over the winter

It’s the start of a brand new year and a great time for planning and preparing your garden. You might even get nature to give a helping hand this month by digging plots roughly and allowing frost to break down larger lumps of soil. If you’re looking for other handy tips for January here’s our suggestions.

Repair and preserve
At this time of year when many garden plants have died back for the winter, fencing is often more accessible so why not repair existing fencing or erect new? To preserve the life of your fencing use a quality treatment such as Ronseal Fence Life Preservative.

As you won’t be using your lawnmower at the moment, now is also a good time to give it an annual service ready for spring.

Protect
We’ve often mentioned protecting plants from frost at this time of year but please pay special attention to plants in pots. If the pot freezes (which may happen if we have a prolonged spell of freezing temperatures) it can crush the roots and kill the plant. This may not be apparent until spring when the plant wakes up, requires water and can’t take it up because the roots are dead. Protect your pot plants by protecting with fleece.

Preparing for the year ahead
Do you have any new year resolutions for your garden? Perhaps you plan to create or extend a vegetable patch? Try a new planting scheme or invest in some new hard landscaping or garden furniture. Whatever your plans, your time can be used wisely now to gather gardening information for the seasons ahead. If you need inspiration pop along to Rhinegold Garden Centre and have a chat with a member of our team.

Looking good now
When there isn’t a blanket of snow covering our plots, some plants can look really at their best this month namely: Sarcococca, Hamamelis and Gaultheria

Here is our top tips list for things to do in January…

GENERAL

• Ensure wild birds have food and water.
• Buy new compost for seed sowing. Allow to come to room temperature before using.
• Sow seeds directly into seed tray inserts to save time.
• Sow herbs indoors according to instructions on the packet.

TREES AND SHRUBS

• Prune apple and pear trees.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

• Plant new fruit bushes when ground is not frozen.
• Prune soft fruit removing old stems.
• Spray fruit trees with Growing Success Winter Wash.
• Chit early seed potatoes by placing somewhere light and frost-free to sprout.
• Sew broad beans in pots but protect from frost.
• Apply manure to vegetable plots.

LAWNS AND PATHS

• Keep off the lawn when frosty.
• Apply weed killer to paths.

GREENHOUSE

• Thoroughly disinfect the greenhouse Jeyes Fluid Multi-Purpose Disinfectant before use.

FLOWERS

• Prune Wisteria side shoots to encourage flowering.
• Sow sweet peas in pots of John Innes Seed and Cutting Compost for early cutting in June.