Add the frosty nights of late February to soil that’s still sodden after the winter rain and it may not be until the middle of the month that the soil in your vegetable garden is warm enough to sow early crops. However, this should not stop you from preparing the seedbed, by raking the ground […]
I have to confess that it’s great to see the back of January, with its long dark days, now it’s February there is that wonderful feeling that spring is on its way. Peppers, chillies and aubergines need a long growing season – it takes up to five months from sowing until the fruits mature. Most […]
Recent weather has turned the seasons so far around; I just wonder what the new year will bring. Here in Hertfordshire banks of daffodils were flowering just before the New Year, Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ burst suddenly into full bloom and in the garden I lifted tender Canna’s for storage in the greenhouse between Christmas […]
Open the vents in your greenhouse on sunny December days, shutting them before temperatures drop early in the afternoon to retain the heat. Good air circulation is essential but chilling draughts should be avoided, so don’t leave the door open or open the vents too far. It is a matter of getting it just right! […]
Don’t be deceived by a mild October, the weather is so unpredictable these days that chilly days may be just around the corner; it’s time to get set for winter. Remember, remember that the fifth of November is an ideal opportunity to burn woody material that doesn’t compost readily or anything that is badly diseased. […]
Now’s the time to capitalise on the current warm spell before the onset of autumn, and a chance to get into the garden and enjoy the sunshine. Wherever a plant goes, the label goes too, so check that tender plants in borders like Cannas and Dahlia’s still have their labels, so you know what to […]
September is traditionally the month of lawn maintenance, helping the grass to recover from summer and prepare for winter. Rake out the dead grass and moss (collectively known as ‘thatch’) that has accumulated over the mowing season with a wire rake. On larger lawns, hire a scarifier sharing the cost and use with friends or […]
I have been gradually thinning out fruit on my apple cordons and as always, it is all a matter of judgement. Cooking apples should be around 15-22.5cm (6-9”) apart as the fruit is generally larger: dessert apples should be 10-15cm (4-6”) apart, removing the ‘king fruit’, the one in the centre, which is usually malformed. The […]
Unless you’re growing plants for their ornamental seed heads or saving the seed for next year, ‘deadheading’ by removing spent flower heads goes a long way to extending the flowering season and stops those that self seed freely, like ‘Lady’s Mantle’ or ‘Love in a mist’ from becoming a weed. Hybrid Tea Roses were traditionally […]
June is an ideal time to sow fast maturing vegetables if your sowing season has been disrupted by late frosts and cold weather this spring. Spring onions, early carrots and salads can be sown regularly until August, making the next sowing when the previous seedlings have germinated, so there is still plenty of time for […]
Sowing times on seed packets can largely be ignored in spring. One example is the instruction ‘direct sow from February onwards’ on parsnip seed packets. The key to successful germination are constant soil temperatures – that’s when a soil thermometer becomes invaluable. Sow when it is too cold and the seed simply sits in the […]
Remember, remember the fifth of November is an ideal opportunity to burn woody material that doesn’t compost readily. Build your bonfire as late as possible so hedgehogs and amphibians don’t take up residence beforehand, then save the wood ash. It is a good source of potash for fruiting trees, though younger wood contains more than […]
