Garden Tips Archive

October Garden Tips & Advice

October is a good time for planting while there is still some warmth in the soil to help things get established before the winter. Lawn scarifying, aerating and top dressing can all be done now, use a low nitrogen fertilizer to keep the grass looking good without encouraging lush growth that could be damaged in…

September Garden Tips & Advice

Tough perennial weeds are often easier to kill this time of year, use a glyphosate based weed killer to kill the roots as well as the top growth. Cuttings of tender perennials such as Fuchsias, pelargoniums and Argyranthemum should be taken now so rooting takes place before the autumn. Remove greenhouse shading now to allow…

August Garden Tips & Advice

Cordon Tomato plants should have their tops removed this month this will give the remaining fruit time to develop and ripen before the cold weather and frosts in late autumn. If your garden is looking a little tired in the height of summer plant some sun lovers such as Agapanthus, Salvia, Verbena or Penstemon for…

February Gardening Tips & Advice

If you have Virginia creeper and Boston ivy growing on house walls they can be cut back now to help keep them clear of gutters and windows. Early potatoes can be chitted now, stand them in a tray or egg box on end in a cool light frost free place. Check tree ties to make…

July Gardening Tips & Advice

Trim herbs regularly to keep them bushy with lots of new growth, any trimmings not required immediately can be dried or frozen for future us. Use pots of straw to trap and remove earwigs and prevent damage to Dahlias and Chrysanthemums. On hot days damp down the paths of greenhouses to help keep them cool…

June Gardening Tips & Advice

As soon as they start to flower early potatoes should be ready to harvest, usually around 10 weeks after planting. Early summer flowering shrubs such as Weigela, Kolkwitzia and Philadelphus can be pruned after their flowers fade; older plants can be rejuvenated by cutting some of the old stems back to near ground level. If…

May Gardening Tips & Advice

Hang pheromone traps in fruit trees now to catch plum and codling moths to prevent them damaging fruit. Early flowering perennials such as Iberis. Alyssum and Aubrieta should be trimmed back after flowering to promote new growth and maintain a compact plant. Runner and low beans can be planted out at the end of the…

April Gardening Tips & Advice

April is a good time to apply a spring fertilizer t the lawn, this can be combined with a weed and moss killer if required. If a moss killer is used leave 2 weeks raking out the dead moss. Hardy annuals can now be sown in prepared beds outside. Cut away the flowering heads on…

March Gardening Tips & Advice

When cutting the lawn for the first time of the year keep the mower blades high usually cutting off around one third of the length. Alternatively just mow a path through and plant some bulbs and wildflowers and watch your lawn come alive with colour and insects. If you have a propagator, heated greenhouse or…