Pennells Garden Centres

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Summer time is the best time to enjoy the lawn but it can also have the biggest toll on your grass. It doesn't take a lot of effort to keep your lawn looking good throughout the summer season and with the right tools and treatments at your fingertips you simply can't go wrong. Persistent hot and dry weather can quickly affect the appearance and overall health of the grass plants.

Mowing

You will now probably need to increase the regularity with which you mow your lawn, if the conditions are ideal for growth you may need to cut twice a week to keep it looking good. However in very hot weather the grass may stop growing so reduce the number of times you mow it accordingly.  Don't mow the lawn too short when it is very hot as this can cause damage to occur. Use an edging iron to keep lawn edges neat and tidy.

If you are going away on holiday, cut the lawn before you go. Don't be tempted to cut it very short, as this will cause it stress. Weak grass cannot compete well with invading weeds and moss and will suffer. Cut it as normal as near to your leaving date as possible.

Feeding

Apply a feed to keep you lawn looking green and healthy. Aftercut Lawn Feed and Conditioner can be applied directly after mowing and can be used every 3 to 4 weeks until October. If the ground is compacted then aerate it with a hollow tine aerator or use a garden fork. Make regular holes all over the grass surface and then brush Lawn & Turf Dressing into the holes. This will help to create a thicker, healthier lawn and also improve drainage.

Weeds

Small patches of weeds can be treated effectively using a selective weed killer such as Resolva Lawn WeedKiller. For larger areas of weeds or if moss is also present, apply Feed, Weed & Moss Killer. Lawns treated in the spring may need a second application if the moss or weeds are persistent.

Pests

Keep a watch out for chewed lawn roots and patchy lawns that may indicate a problem with leather jackets and chafer grubs. These are underground larvae that feed on grass roots and can be controlled using naturally occurring nematodes.

New Lawns

Keep newly sown lawns and freshly turfed areas well watered in dry spells. Ensure you water thoroughly, light watering can cause further damage by encouraging roots to the surface. Water at dusk and really soak the area so that the water filters through to the soil around the roots.

Enjoy the Lawn!

Don't forget to enjoy the lawn during the summer months, it is the perfect place to host garden parties or garden games while the weather is warm and the rest of the garden is looking good.

With the hot weather we have been having recently you will need to be watering your hanging baskets and containers, as well as any new plants that you have planted this spring. Don't be tempted to water your plants in the heat of the day as you will find most of the water soon evaporates. The ideal time is in the evening just as its getting dusk.

In order to keep your tubs and baskets growing well its necessary to keep feeding them as the initial nutrients in the compost will soon get used up at this time of year.  Use Miracle Gro or All Purpose Soluble Plant Food.
Another beneficial action is to spread a mulch layer of organic matter such as decorative bark chips or soil conditioner over the soil surface. For best results use Westland Decorative Mini Bark. These long-lasting chips will help soil to retain moisture six times longer than ordinary garden soil.

Sweet peas will be producing new flowers every day and will need to be cut regularly to fill your home with delicious scents of summer. If you leave plants for a few days to set seed then they usually stop producing new buds and flowers. So keep those scissors handy and feed these plants over the foliage and around the roots with Miracle-Gro Liquafeed.

Watch for pests attacking new plant growth and treat them as soon as the first culprits are noticed. Red lily beetle adults and their grubs will be a summer nuisance. As soon as you see the first adult spray with BugClear Ultra Gun! - just one treatment will protect your lilies for up to three weeks. You can use the same spray on all your decorative flowers including roses, philadelphus, lupins and other plants that are susceptible to aphid (greenfly and blackfly) attack.
Roses may be showing the first signs of powdery mildew on new buds and leaves. If that's the case spray them with a systemic fungicide such as FungusClear Ultra or FungusClear 2 Gun!

If you allow weeds to take over the gaps between flowers, shrubs and annual bedding you will be encouraging competition that will rob these wanted plants of soil moisture, soil nutrients, space and light. To see off the weeds without back-breaking hard work spray them with Weedol Max Gun! or Weedol Rootkill Plus. Weedol Rootkill Plus is best for weeds that have deep or wandering roots such as bindweed, couch grass, dandelions and nettles. But if you've only got small annual weeds such as chickweed, groundsel and meadow grass then Weedol Max Gun! will give a fast-acting kill. In fact on a warm day you will see the weeds begin to wilt and die in just one hour.