Probably the busiest month of the gardening calendar, when most of us plant out tender bedding plants, summer seeds and vegetable plants such as beans and tomatoes. Established roses, shrubs and herbaceous plants will soon be in bloom and weeds will be running riot in any bare patch of soil. It’s difficult to keep on top of everything, so here are a few guidelines for the most important jobs.

This year so far it’s certainly been on the wet side and as a result the soil is moist which will certainly help newly planted shrubs to establish well. Given the restrictions on using hosepipes now is a good time to apply a mulch of bark to borders to help retain that moisture into the summer.  Where you do water plants use a watering can and always apply the water in the evening when its cooler so that it doesn’t evaporate away.

Even in May there can still be frosts so keep an eye on the weather forecast and if need be protect tender bedding plants with fleece. 

Other things to do in the garden in May

• Continue sowing veg, particularly salad crops, little and often.
• Protect young plants and veg from slugs.
• Trim back the side shoots of gooseberry plants.
• Protect fruit bushes, especially currants and gooseberries from bird damage.
• Feed fruit with Growmore Garden Fertiliser or Feed-all Slow Release Plant Food.
• Earth up potatoes.
• Harvest overwintering onions, early varieties of beetroot and radishes.
• Once your greenhouse tomatoes have flowers don't forget to tap them occasionally to help pollination
• Plant out sweet pea plants.
• Trim and feed hedges.
• Clear out and compost spring bedding.
• Finish planting shrubs.
• Mow lawns regularly and feed with Aftercut.
• Spray susceptible roses and other plants with Plant Rescue Fungus Killerto prevent blackspot, mildew and rust from developing.
• Support tall perennials to prevent damage
• Look out for the first greenfly on roses and whitefly in the greenhouse and treat with Bug Attack.
• Protect young plants from slugs with Slug Attack.

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Winter is over and the garden is starting to blossom and grow. You will find there is plenty to do in the garden but milder weather and longer days give you the chance to start to enjoy the garden.

It’s a good idea to make sure that the garden is as free of weed as possible. If you do this now it will save a lot of work later in the summer and give you more time for other aspects of the garden.  Perennial weeds such as thistle and nettles are best controlled using Weedol Rootkill Plus or Fast Action Roundup RTU, this will kill the roots and prevent them re-growing.  Apply carefully, on a still day.

Feed established roses, shrubs and perennials with a fertiliser that is high in Potash such as Rose Plus or Miracle-Gro slow release. Sprinkle one or two handfuls around each plant and work into the top of the soil with a trowel.

If your lawn is infected by moss and broadleaved weeds then you wait until the end of the month before applying a triple action treatment such as EverGreen Complete that kills moss and weeds and feeds the lawn in one simple application.

Other things to do in the garden in April

• Sow greenhouse crops such as tomatoes.
• Sow frost-tender vegetables, such as courgettes, runner beans and French beans on warm windowsills.
• Plant asparagus, second early and maincrop potatoes.
• Sow outdoor vegetables including swiss chard, broccoli and cabbage.
• Sow cottage garden favourite biennials foxgloves, hollyhocks as well as annuals.
• Leave spring bulbs for at least 6 weeks after flowering before removing foliage.
• Feed spring bulbs with Nutri All Purpose Plant Food to encourage greater blooms next year.
• Tie in new shoots of climbers.
• Trees and shrubs will benefit from an early spring feed to support strong and healthy growth.
• Apply mulch around the base of trees after heavy rainfall try Bed & Border Chipped Bark.
• Sow or turf new lawns.
• Recut the lawn edges with a half moon edging iron.

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I always associate November in the garden with the faint smell of wood smoke, but often with clear sunny days. In the garden there’s still plenty to do.  Clear fallen leaves of grass areas or the turf underneath will soon show signs of damage.  Tidy up borders and remove any weeds so that come the spring your garden will stay clean.  Perennial weeds can be treated with Roundup to ensure that the roots are killed as well.

Give a final prune to any hedges around your garden. To make the clear up job easier after you have finished pruning lay a plastic sheet as close underneath the hedge so the clippings fall on it. Then all you have to do is gather up the sheet!

As the days get colder don’t forget to look after the birds in your garden. The range of different feeds available for birds has increased enormously over the last few year, your local garden centre will be able to give advise on what’s best.

November is an excellent time to plant shrubs and trees as the soil will be warm and moist which aids good root growth so the plants become well established before the spring.  If however the ground is frosty (or even snowy as it was last year) then its best to wait till the frosts have gone.

If you haven’t already done so there’s still time to plant up your tubs and containers to give lots of colour to your patio through the winter. Winter flowering heathers mixed with pansies make an ideal combination, or why not try planting a Skimmia rubella with its dark red plume of flower in the centre of the container and surround it with trailing ivies.  In order to prevent containers becoming water logged during the winter always stand on decorative feet.

There is still time to plant a wide range of bulbs to fill your garden with colour next spring. In fact almost every bulb planted now will give a reasonable display although traditional planting times are always best for long-term well-being of the plants. 

After last winter when so many plants were lost to frost now’s the time to protect tender plants from wind and frost with fleece or if in a container move into a glasshouse or conservatory. If that’s not possible wrap the container in bubble plastic. If they are in a more prominent place then disguise the plastic with an outer layer of decorative hessian. Tie the leaves of cordylines up vertically. This will prevent water accumulating at the point where the leaves join the stem and then freezing which will result in the stem rotting off in the winter.

Here are some more things to do in November:

·                Apply grease bands to fruit trees to protect them from winter moths.

·                Clear and prepare the ground to make new fruit or veg patch.

·                Clear the crops that are over and dig in organic Farmyard Manure.

·                Sow windowsill crops including herbs and salad leaves.

·                Grow sprouting seeds for the kitchen.

·                Start a mushroom kit

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We have been asked on twitter to give advice on native plants suitable for the small garden. Here are a few suggestions of native plants that could be planted in the garden.

Bell Heather - erica cinerea. Needs an acid or peaty soil - there are some areas around Lincoln which do have acid soils where this will do well. However its not suitable for the chalky soils up on the cliff edge. If in doubt we can advise on how to test your soil

Heather - Calluna vulgaris. Again needs an acid soil. There are very many cultivars to choose from as well.

Burnet rose - Rosa pimpinellifolia - White flowers creating charming patches of colour in the garden, but can be invasive.

Dyers Greenwood - Genista tinctoria - A deciduous shrub with yellow flowers in the summer. Does best on poor or dry soils.

Broad Buckler Fearn - Dryopteris dilata - Perennial fearn - does best under shade and damp positions

Golden Rod - Solidago virgaurea - bright yellow flowers. There is a compact alpine form variety cambrica that is ideal on rockeries, and taller forms for the herbacous border.

There are very many more wildflowers that can be grown in the garden. Many of course have modern hybrid forms as well, with larger flowers or different colours to the original natives.

For much more information on native plants suitable for the garden there is a very good database of native plants suitable for the garden. Follow this link http://tinyurl.com/8yrr5

Not all these plants will be found on garden centres but you will be able to find modern hybrids as well as wild flower seed. However there are many nurseries that will be able to supply wild flowers either as small plants (plugs) or as larger plants.

With acknowledgements to the Natural History Museum

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Leaves of trees and shrubs are turning russet colour and berries are bright orange and scarlet. As we prepare for the first frosts of the winter it’s time to protect tender plant material and tidy up beds and borders as we replace summer bedding with spring bulbs, winter pansies and wallflowers.

Beds and Borders

Although its not been the warmest of summers Lincolnshire has had quite a dry summer compared with the north of England and Scotland. Some plants have come through the dry period better than others – Cone flowers (Echinacea) and rudbeckia have done well.  They now have a recently increased colour range that with fresh breeding includes oranges and yellow shades as well as the more usual pinks. If you are replanting a hot, dry border look out for yellow ‘Sunrise’ and orange ‘Sunset’. Helenium, sedum and asters (often called michaelmas daisies) will also be giving a last display. Many of these autumn flowering plants are susceptible to powdery mildew attack, especially when the soil is dry, and should be sprayed with a fungicide at the first signs of the white deposit.

Perennial autumn anemones often called Japanese anemones make a great display at this time of the year in white or magenta pink blooms. They too are tolerant of dryish soils and can tolerate a fair amount of shade.

It’s time to clear out summer bedding plants as they finish flowering or when the first frosts turn leaves black. Place all annual flower plants onto the compost heap and dig out as many weeds as possible.

As most people found last winter dahlia tubers do not survive harsh winters and if they are to survive from year to year need to be lifted now and stored in a frost free shed or garage. Dig up the tubers and knock off as much soil as possible with a blunt stick. Cut back the stem to leave just 15cm (6”) and turn this upside down so that all moisture drains from the hollow stem. Leave in an airy place for a fortnight to allow the tubers to dry off completely before dusting with sulphur powder and wrapping individually in newspaper. Place in a cardboard box in a frost-free position.

Gladioli corms and begonia corms should be treated in the same way, as these too are subject to frost damage and storage rots.

If you have a sheltered conservatory or a well-lit porch you could pot up tender fuchsias to extend their useful life in a protected frost-free position. Before planting the roots in pots of fresh Miracle-Gro All Purpose Potting Compost check over the roots to ensure they are free of vine weevil grubs. These crescent-shaped white bugs with brown heads can be left on the lawn for the birds to feed on.

When the beds are clear take the opportunity to dig in well-rotted organic matter from your compost heap or similar material bought in bags such as Levington Soil Conditioner or Miracle-Gro Soil Improver.

In the cleared flower borders plant daffodils, narcissi, hyacinths and crocus early in October so they can develop a good, strong root system while your soil is relatively warm. To prevent these glorious spring bulbs from getting weaker and weaker each year feed the soil now so these new roots can absorb balanced nutrients throughout the winter. For maximum growth add a slow release plant food so that the plant can draw nutrients during autumn and again in the spring when growth is strong and the bulb is creating the flower buds that will form the blooms for the subsequent year’s display. If your soil is short of organic matter then digging in Bulb Booster Compost will provide a reservoir of moisture and nutrients.

Autumn is the best time of year for planting trees and shrubs. The cooler temperatures above ground mean that shoots, stems and leaves are only growing slowly - whereas below ground the soil temperature stays warm enough to encourage the growth and spread of roots.

Patio

Hyacinths and late-flowering tulips are not best displayed in the flower border, but are perfect for pots. The waxy petals of highly perfumed hyacinths need to be proudly displayed close to the house so that you get full benefit from their beauty and heady scent. Likewise tulips that bloom in May are just a nuisance in flower borders as you may be itching to clear the bed ready for summer flowers just when they are at the peak of their show.

Because different varieties of tulips bloom at different times mixing them up is not the way to achieve the optimum display. Why not plant up one variety per container and then move the pots around so that those showing flowers are moved to the front of your patio display. Variety names of tulips seem to develop year after year so recommending varieties become more and more difficult.

Early flowering starts in March or April with dwarf Greigii and Kaufmanniana tulips such as Red Riding Hood, Cape Cod (red with yellow flushed edges) and Pinocchio (red with white edges). Depending on the number of containers you have to fill you could continue with the May blooming Darwin Hybrids such as Apeldoorn (red) Apeldoorn Delight (yellow flushed with red or Olympic Flame (bright yellow streaked with red). Latest of all are the lily-flowered tulips that have reflexed and pointed petals that form urn-shaped flowers on tall wiry stems. Queen of Sheba is red with white highlights, while Maytime is lilac mauve with the same white edges. Perhaps most attractive of all is the soft pink blooms of China Pink.

After planting your spring bulbs it is well worth topping off the container with spring bedding such as wallflowers, winter pansies or double daisies (bellis). These will not only provide a contrasting flower form but will also give some physical support to the tall stems of some of these tulips.

Lawn

Keep the lawn and surrounding flower borders free of fallen leaves as much as possible. This will reduce the possibility of bare patches developing on the grass and reduce the hiding places for harmful slugs and snails.

Now that grass growth has slowed down you can improve the drainage on the lawn by spiking the whole area with a garden fork driven into the soil at least 10cm (4”). Autumn rains will penetrate deep down and lawns that have been parched during the hot, dry summer will quickly recover from drought conditions.

If your soil is heavy clay it’s a good idea to fill these holes with sharp sand to keep the new drainage holes open and aerate compacted areas. Not only does this allow more air into the root area but it allows more water to easily penetrate to root level. Improving drainage will also help to reduce the spread of mosses on damp soil surfaces and increase the effectiveness of moss killers.

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September is often blessed with warm days, even an Indian summers but can be accompanied with cold clear nights. Autumn is just around the corner and rain can be very much a feature of this time of year.

If there are gaps in the garden there is still plenty of colour available in your local garden centre, including the reds and yellows of rudbeckias, Echinacea and helenium as well as a wide range of Michaelmas daisies (Aster Nova Belgii). However do be aware that these late bloomers can be susceptible to powdery mildew. If so there are several remedies for this including Fungus Clear Ultra.

Now’s the time to think about planting trees and shrubs. The soil is both moist and warm which is ideal to help establish plants. They will make lots of root now so that by the time next spring comes they will grow away well. They also won’t suffer as much if the following year turns out to be dry either.

Bulbs will now also be in the garden centres. The range is huge so don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Some bulbs such as daffodils, chionodoxa, snowdrop, winter aconite, crocus and anemone blanda appreciate being planted in September. Don’t forget that bulbs such as daffodils and crocus can be planted in grassed areas to give you dull lawn areas a splash of colour in the spring.

Winter flowering pansies will be on sale too – if they are planted early they will tend to flower through the autumn and into the winter. Later plantings tend not to flower until late winter early spring. However watch that if the weather does turn hot that they don’t get too drawn, to stop this happening reduce the amount of water you give them as this will help to keep the pansy plants compact.

Here are some more tips on what to do in the garden this month

·         Lift onions and dry on rack.

·         Continue to harvest vegetables such as peas and runner beans.

·         Harvest first apples and pears if ready.

·         Propagate new strawberry plants by selecting runners.

·         Continue to tie in and support tomato plants, peppers, cucumbers, aubergines and melons as they develop, especially as fruit starts to swell or they will quickly topple over and be damaged

·         Water and feed tomatoes.

·         Protect salad plants from slugs and snails.

·         Keep feeding your container plants,

·         Prune late summer flowering shrubs after flowering.

·         Prune Wisteria now to encourage the development of new flowering spurs for next year's display of flowers.

·         Keep an eye on any new plants in the garden and be sure to water them if the weather is dry.

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Here's some notes on some of the herbs we sell, but always ask if you need more help.

Basil

• This distinctive herb has a sweet clove like smell and has a natural affinity with tomato.
• Add to tomato salads, soups and ratatouille
• Its a main ingredient of pesto alla Geneveise - basil and pine nut pasta sauce

Chives

• With a flavour faintly redolant of onions, but finer and more delicate, chives are best chopped and added to egg, tomato and potato dishes
• Sprinkle over tomato soup, lettuce and potato salads to give a fresh appetising appearance

Sage

• Useful for lessening the impact of fat in meats. Add to roast pork, duck, pheasant, goose, pork pies and sausage rolls
• Use sparingly with liver and fish
• Try spinkling on cheese dips along with chives

Rosemary

• Traditionally used with lamb, this aromatic herb will lend its distinctive flavour to any meat
• Tuck springs into a roasting joint or barbequed veal, pork or rabbit
• Add to olive oil prior to frying onion or potatoes

Spearmint

• One of the most versatile of culinary herbs
• Add to vegatable soup, shellfish and meat dishes
• For a fresh tangy taste, mix with ice creams and sorbets. Try serving a refreshing mint tea after dinner accompanied by chocolate mints.

Coriander

• This classic ingredient is included in nearly all Asian, Chinese and Mexican dishes
• Add whole leaves to prawn and mutton curries. Chopped leaves give an essential flavour to pork kebabs, meatballs and lamb casseroles.

Oregano

• The warm spicy aroma of this herb adds a unique flavour to pizzas and pasta sauces.
• Add to soups, casseroles and mexican chilli con carne.
• Blended with olive oil and lemon it makes a perfect sauce for grilled red mullet.

Thyme

• A classic constituent of bouquet garni.
• The warm, clove like aroma enhances all the red wine dishes.
• Add to sweet peppers, courgettes, aubergines, carrots and mushrooms.
• Lemon thyme is superb in stuffings for pork and veal

Parsley

• A popular herb which will enhance any dish
• Sprinkle over vegetables and salads for a tasty and attractive garnish.
• Try parsley butter, spiked with garlic, grilled over fish or steak.
• Rich in vitamin C it makes a nutritous sandwich 

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August sees a slight ease up of jobs to do in the garden which is great timing and gives you a chance to sit back and enjoy the results of your efforts over the last few month.  In your beds and borders flowers that should be in prolific bloom in August include blue agapanthus, pink and purplemonarda, pink echinacea, fiery red crocosmia and yellow heliopsis. Some form of stakingmay be necessary if the plants are not propping each other up.

Continue feeding and watering pots, containers and vegetable and harvesting your crops as and when they are ready.

Plant up colchicum and autumn flowering crocus to give you a fantastic flower display in September and October. When planted in clumps under trees in an otherwise bare bed, Colchicum ‘Innocence’ will provide a dazzling white contrast to dark soil.

During drought periods (if we get any!), spike the lawn surface with a garden fork to ensure that all available moisture whether from rain or sprinkler gets down evenly to the roots rather than running off to the edges of the lawn.  

Strawberries are the easiest fruits to propagate as they produce tiny plantlets at the end of runners at this time of the year. To encourage them to root tidily, peg down the new plantlets into individual pots of Multi-Purpose Compost using wire or a straightened-out paper clip. After a month or so the runners to these new plants can be cut and the rooted plants moved to a new row that has been enriched with Miracle-Gro Fruit & Vegetable Compost. Tidy up parent plants that you wish to keep with a pair of shears, cutting off all this year's foliage. 

Here are some more tips on what to do in the garden this month:

• Lift onions and dry on rack.
• Continue to harvest veg such as peas and runner beans.
• Harvest first apples and pears if ready.
• Continue to tie in and support tomato plants, peppers, cucumbers, aubergines and melons as they develop, especially as fruit starts to swell or they will quickly topple over and be damaged
• Water and feed tomatoes.
• Protect salad plants from slugs and snails.
• Keep feeding your container plants
• Use water wisely, consider setting up a waterbutt.
• Prepare your pots and containers well in advance if you are planning a holiday.
• Prune late summer flowering shrubs after flowering.
• Prune Wisteria now to encourage the development of new flowering spurs for next year's display of flowers.
• Keep an eye on any new plants in the garden and be sure to water them if the weather is dry.

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June has the promise of hot summer days, and a time to enjoy the garden, with the first spring crops coming to fruition and summer bedding plants coming into flower.
 
There’s still plenty to do of course with fruit, vegetables, containers and baskets needing regular feeding and watering. At this time of year rain soon evaporates as the ground is relatively warm so it’s essential to ensure that your crops are well watered.  In the vegetable garden you need to continue sowing vegetables to ensure a season long supply.
 
The lawn too will require mowing and feeding too if we have rain. However if the weather is very dry stop mowing and do not feed at all. It will lose its colour, but will soon green up again once it rains again.
 
Here are some tips on what to do in the garden this month:
 
    •    Earth up potatoes to ensure a bumper crop.
    •    Liquid feed container and greenhouse crops try Nutri Fruit & Veg Feed.
    •    Continue to sow salads, runner beans, peas, lettuces.
    •    Now’s the time to sow winter Flowering Pansies, Wallflowers and Sweet William in trays of John Innes Seed Sowing Compost.
    •    Lift and divide overgrown bulbs like daffodils.
    •    Feed clumps of spring flowering bulbs with a liquid feed such as Nutri Plant Feed to help them prepare for next years show.
    •    Plant out summer bedding plants once all risk of frost has passed.
    •    Plant up containers using a Multi-Purpose Compost.
    •    Plant up hanging baskets, mixing in Water Saving Gel and slow release fertilisers with compost.
    •    Keep slugs and snails at bay, especially around Hosta try Slug Attack or Slug Buster.
    •    When you have cut the lawn apply the Liquid Aftercut Lawn Feed and Conditioner to the lawn as a tonic.
    •    Make a check on the condition of the lawn, in particular for weeds and moss that may have invaded the lawn

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Evidence that "growing your own" has become increasingly popular for many in the UK! Click the image for the full infographic.

Grow your own infographic from LoveTheGarden.com

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Check your weekly shopping receipt and chances are you'll feel a little uncomfortable about the ever-increasing price of fresh fruit and vegetables. We're always told to eat healthily and enjoy a wide range of colourful foods - i.e. yellow peppers, green beans, red tomatoes, pink radishes...but how can the average family afford to enjoy the 'healthy rainbow' of nutrients when food prices just keep on creeping up?

One solution (aside from resigning yourself to a life of bread and butter!) is to try growing your own fruit and veg. This doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming either - growing your own plants to produce food is simply a matter of exercising good care whilst creating the right growing conditions.

Over the coming weeks we'll be telling you more about how to get started with growing your own - from setting up a few pots of tomato plants outside the back door, to digging up your own harvest of potatoes.

However and whatever you choose to grow, chances are it will taste much better than the packaged veg you picked up from the supermarket - and you'll feel extra satisfied by the thought you grew it all yourself!

This fun little film demonstrates how even someone with a small back yard can cultivate all manner of wonderful foods to tuck into:

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This time of year is ideal for planting one of our most colourful flowering plants the Fuchsia. It can be used either in indoor as a houseplant or outdoor in the border, in baskets and in containers. They come in a range of shapes, sizes and flower colours.
 
The first fuchsia to be discovered was Fuchsia triphylla on the island of Hispaniola, which we know today as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It was found by a French monk who named it after the German botanist Leonart Fuchs. There are currently 110 known species which are mainly native of South America, with a few from Central America and also from New Zealand where they occur naturally in the interior of forests or in damp and shady mountainous situations.
 
From the species there are now many thousand hybrids which range in hardiness and use. Here are some suggestions of varieties suitable for use in the gardens of Lincolnshire.

Hardy Fuchsias 
These varieties will normally survive most winters, but they may well suffer in extremely cold weather. They are ideal for planting in shrub borders and will give colour through the summer right through until the autumn.
 
F Beacon                              Dark Pink and mauve flowers
F Display                              Central tube of the flower is a deep pink with rose pink outer
F Dollar Princess              Double flowers with cerise crimson outer and purple centr
F Tom Thumb                    Red and mauve flowers, compact growth. RHS Award of Garden Merit
F Hanna                                Red outer and white centre

Trailing and Bush Varieties

These varieties are ideal for use when planting up tubs, container and hanging baskets. Use the trailing varieties in baskets so they hang down over the basket, while the bush varieties go well in planted containers and tubs.
 Some suggested varieties include:

F Annabel                           Pink and white double flowers. Trailing to semi bush variety
F La Campanella               White and pink semi double flowers. Trailing
F Marinka                            Bright red flowers.  Trailing
F Swingtime                       Red and White flowers. Trailing
F Carmel Blue                    White outer and purple centre. Bush
F Mieke Meursing           White and pink flowers. Bush

 How to Get the Best from Your Fuchsia
Dead heading fuchsias regularly will provide continuous flowering rather than flushes of flower.

All Fuchsias but especially those grown in tubs and baskets will respond well to a high nitrogen feed initially and then a feed of high potash when in flower. Do ask in you local garden centre for advice on what feed to give. In the garden fuchsias do best in a sheltered shaded position with a fertile, moist but well drained soil.

 Things to be Doing In the Garden In May and June

·         When planting bedding or shrubs make sure you water  the plants well before planting
·         Lawns will be growing quickly now and will require regular cutting
·         Set up your own compost bin. Grass mowing’s, mixed with vegetable peelings will produce a rich compost which will add nutrient to your garden. Don’t just give it free to the council!
·         Treat weeds in lawns with a selective week killer such as Verdone Extra Ready to Use
·         Plant up patio containers – put a feature plant in the centre such as a cordyline and surround it with bedding plants of your choice, such as Impatiens or Petunias. There are now several specialist composts such as Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Compost which is less likely to dry out in the summer.
·         Sweet corn, runner beans, French beans, squash, courgettes and outdoor cucumbers are best sown in pots and kept under glass till the end of month when the danger of frost has passed. They can then be planted out in the garden.
·         The seeds of hardier vegetables can be sown directly into shallow drills out in the garden include carrots, lettuce, broccoli, spinach, radish and peas.
·         Earth up potatoes in May to protect the tender shoots from frost.
·         Check roses for signs of aphid and ask at your local garden centre for the best method of treatment.

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With the clocks changing at the end of last month the longer days and lighter evenings gives us more time to enjoy the garden as well as to get the garden in shape for the spring and summer.

Lawns will now be growing well and you will need to start to cut them fortnightly or even weekly if the weather is fine. Now’s a good time to feed the lawn to keep them looking at their best. Its also an ideal time to sow or turn new lawns

The early spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils will be starting to go over but the tulips should be at their best this month. Don’t be in a hurry to take the foliage off the bulbs – leave them for at least six weeks so that the bulbs can store sufficient food to take them through into next year.

Hardy perennials will be starting to grow and it’s a very good time to lift and divide large clumps. Using a spade simply dig up the whole of the clump and then using the spade carefully divide the clump. You should get several new plants that you can replant in the border.

In the glasshouse now is the time to be sowing greenhouse vegetables such as tomatoes. You can also start frost tender vegetables such as courgettes and runner beans in pots either in the glasshouse or on a warm windowsill.

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As spring breaks and the garden comes alive, the state of your lawn is a critical factor in the appearance of the whole garden. Bring your lawn up to scratch now to realise its full potential. The grass will start to grow and now is the time to start to give it its first cuts. Start off with the mower set so that it cuts just the top third of growth.  Don’t cut the lawn if it is frosty or very wet.

If your lawn has moss in it March is the ideal time to treat it. Ask at the centre for advice on what to use. 

Now is the time to start sowing vegetables such as carrots, radishes and lettuces outdoors. Plant out onions from sets as well as your first early potato’s. Weed the fruit and vegetable beds so that they have a good start.

Sweet peas should be sown now so that they establish well. Sow in John Innes Seed and Sowing compost in small pots under cover. 

Other things to do:

Prune bushes and shrubs to encourage new growth

Plant Gladioli and Lily bulbs around the borders for summer growth

Divide and replant congested herbaceous plants

Sow hardy outdoor flowers such as Love-in-a-mist, cornflowers and calendula

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Gardening in January and February does rather depend on what the weather is doing. Hopefully after all the cold and snowy weather we had before Christmas it will be a mild start to the year.

If the ground isn't frozen outside then it's a good time to start your winter digging on the vegetable patch, taking care to remove any perennial weeds such as couch grass you may find. Before you start to dig spread a layer of compost such as farmyard over the surface. As you dig the area the manure will get worked into the soil enhancing its nutrition.

Indoors prepare seed potato for planting later in the spring. Place the seed potato's in old egg cartons with the rose end (where you can see tiny buds) upwards. The trays should be kept in a cool but light place for four to six weeks prior to planting. This will encourage the buds to start to grow but they should remain short and dark green. If they turn white and become elongated they aren't  getting enough light. 

Other things to do:

• Prune Apple and Pear trees
• Keep an eye out for weeds in the vegetable garden
• Start to sow seeds under frost protection such as a greenhouse.
• Check that the snow and frost hasn't loosened newly planted shrubs.
• Prune back overgrown shrubs
• Plant summer flowering bulbs
• Plan for the spring
• Winter pruning of Wisteria - for more advice see below

Plants to add colour to you garden in January and February:

• Dogwoods
• Gaultheria
• Snowdrops (these can be divided soon after flowering)
• Helleborus varieties
• Hardy Cyclamens

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House Plants

Poinsettia's. You can't beat poinsettia's to provide plenty of colour and festive cheer to your home over winter. They are available in a range of colours, just look at what's on offer in our houseplant section. All of our plants have been grown locally to give you the best quality plant. When you get them home place them in a light warm position, well away from draughts and extreme heat. Keep the soil moist and feed every two weeks with poinsettia feed.

Chemicals and Fertilisers

Remember to spray your fruit trees with a winter wash for the control of insects and place a grease band around fruit trees to catch the creepy crawlies that will damage your fruit. Don't forget to mulch your crops with farmyard manure or bark to ensure bumper crops next summer.

Cleaning

Remember to spray your paths and drives with a suitable algicide to clean areas and stop the surface from being too slippery. Patio Magic is only £9.99 and this great product is applied by watering can, no brushing required. Also use Jeyes Fluid to clean in your greenhouse and potting shed.

Gifts

If you're struggling with gift ideas we have a great range to tempt you. We have a great range of artificial plants and flowers, jewellery, collectables, art, pictures, vases, gift boxes ect. In fact, Pennells has Christmas all wrapped up.

Autumn Shrubs

Now's the time to plant! Plants establish far better when planted in the autumn. Try Skimmia Rubella, this evergreen shrub has pink flower buds through the winter which open to give white flowers in the spring. Ideal for tubs or pots. Or try Mahonia Winter Sun with fragrant yellow flowers in late summer and early winter.

Feed the Birds

Remember to feed the birds this autumn and winter! We have 50 Fat Snax for only £8.99. We have an excellent range of bird tables and feeders - everything to keep the birds flocking to your garden this autumn and winter.

Autumn Bedding

Don't miss out on our autumn bedding plants from our own nurseries. Mini cyclamen in a range of colours for only £1.99 each, Pansy or Viola's in a pack of 6 plants - buy 5 packs for £11.00 - that's only £2.20 a pack.

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As we approach the colder autumn days the leaves on the trees change colour and soon start to fall. Collect the fallen leaves to make compost for next season. Its important to remove them from lawns as they will soon damage the grass, but in the borders unless they are unsightly they can be left as the worm population will soon pull them below the surface.

There is still time to be planting bulbs for next spring, and we continue to have a good range for sales.

This is an excellent time of year to be planting shrubs and perennials as the soil is still warm. This will encourage the plants to make new roots which will get them firmly established so that come next spring they will grow away well.

In the vegetable garden nows a good time to be lifting and dividing rhubarb. Try sowing herbs such as parsley, dill and coriander into small pots to harvest from the windowsill during the winter.

Nows the time to change over the summer bedding in your pots and containers to autumn and winter bedding. We have a large range of pansies and other winter flowering bedding plants which will keep your patio looking beautiful through the winter.

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Buy your bulbs from the garden centre early in the season so you have the pick of the bunch when it comes to variety and colour. Some bulbs such as daffodils, chionodoxa, snowdrop, winter aconite, crocus and anemone blanda appreciate being planted in September. Early planting in pots of Bulb Planting Compost is a great way to encourage these bulbs to develop a huge root system before the onset of winter.  This ensures the plant can take up plenty of energy next spring so the bulb and its offsets produce flowers for many years to come.

When planting in pots or in soil borders try to get the spacing right allowing at least the width of a bulb between each one. Cover the bulbs to the recommended depth and enrich the surface with a slow release fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro Slow Release Feriliser. This will release nutrients while the soil is warm enough and plants are growing yet will stop completely during cold weather so nutrients are not wasted. Best of all, a slow release plant food like this will hold on to enough nutrients so that it is able to feed emerging bulbs in the spring when they need all the energy to form new flower buds for the subsequent year's blooms.

For winter display you can't rely on flowering plants to produce colour or interest throughout the year. That's why you need to introduce evergreen plants and variegated leaf forms to mix with your chosen flowers. There are several very useful herbs that are evergreen for most of the year, including Thyme and Sage. The common thyme is a hardy perennial with small yellowish leaves and small purple flowers whilst the variegated sage has cream and green splashed leaves with new foliage carrying attractive pink edges. Both herbs can be pinched out regularly to provide useful fresh flavourings to soups and casseroles.

The introduction of a silver leafed perennial such as Cineraria maritima ‘Silverdust' will supply attractive intricate leaves that will decorate your pot during all but the harshest winters.

Top off your pot with violas in an interesting colour. The small pansy-like plants are generally self-coloured although varieties with ‘faces' and ‘whiskers' are available. These will flower on and off throughout the year depending on temperature and sunshine. To break the sharp edges of the pot place a couple of variegated ivies or other trailing bedding plants so that the leaves trail over the pot. When put together the collection will provide interest and colour year round. Just remember to water when it is dry, even in winter.

Do visit your garden centre to see the wide variety of plants that they have available for winter containers. If you need ideas look for shrubs such as euonymus, viburnum, senecio and hebe. For winter flowers think about Universal pansies, polyanthus and Daisies (Bellis). Small bulbs such as crocus, anemone and dwarf narcissi such as ‘Minnow' and ‘Tete a Tete' can also be pushed below the surface of the compost to provide interesting flowers in spring.

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There is nothing like seeing a splash of colour from flowering bulbs to herald the start of spring. Planting bulbs is one of the fastest and easiest ways of creating a bright array. September is the time to be planting bulbs that will flower between January and May next year, such as daffodils, snowdrops, bluebells, tulips, hyacinths and crocus.

Before buying and planting your bulbs it's a good idea to draw up a planting plan. Choose a mixture of colours and varieties, and plants of different heights and flowering times to create real interest. You could plant tulips in your flowerbed and then plant crocus in the front of them. Alternatively add a clump of bulbs to provide a natural touch under shrubbery or on the lawn.  It's always best to group colours and sorts so that one part of your garden is in full bloom, rather than a few bulbs dotted around.

Flowering bulbs are ideal for mixing with other flowering bulbs or bedding plants in containers, or for planting amid other plants that bloom at other times of year.

Choosing the bulb for your garden

Planting

• Do not plant when the soil is very dry, waterlogged or frozen
• Plant several bulbs in one large hole or trench. Make sure they aren't touching
• Dig the soil over well before planting - working the soil to a depth which is at least twice the height of the bulb
• In wet soils place a 2.5cm layer of sharp sand or grit at the bottom of the hole
• Plant bulbs twice as deep as the height of the bulb, (check the packet for detailed instructions)
• Large bulbs should be spaced at 12cm intervals, smaller at 10cm.
• Cover the bulbs with loosened soil and then water in. Remember to mark where you have planted bulbs so you do not disturb them in the future

Care

Once planted spring flowering bulbs require very little after care. The bulbs can be left in the ground for subsequent years. If you wish you can feed the plants just as the flowers are going over which will build the bulbs for the next spring.

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Its important that you continue to feeding your container plants - as the plants get bigger they soon use up any nutrients in the compost. We recommend Miracle Gro Pour and Feed.

Use water wisely, consider setting up a waterbutt to collect the rain fall from your roof. If the tap water in your area is hard then using rain water will be of great benefit to acid loving plants.

Prune late summer flowering shrubs after flowering.

Prune Wisteria now to encourage the development of new flowering spurs for next year's display of flowers. For more information on how to do this see the article below.

Keep an eye on any new plants in the garden and be sure to water them. At this time of year any rain we do get soon dries up - so remember to give at least two or three litres a plant until they become established.

In the vegetable garden nows the time to be lifting onions and drying them on rack. Continue to harvest veg such as peas and runner beans. Keep an eye on your apples and pears as they will soon be ripening. Nows the time to start to propagate new strawberry plants by selecting runners.

Continue to tie in and support tomato plants, peppers, cucumbers, aubergines and melons as they develop, especially as fruit starts to swell or they will quickly topple over and be damaged

Water and feed tomatoes - Tomorite is designed to ensure that your plants continue to thrive

Protect salad plants from slugs and snails. Now the weather has turned wetter then the slugs will be out looking for a meal. We recommend Eraza as one of the best methods for control. This new product is five times more effective than conventional pellets.

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