Blooming marvellous

20th August 2010, by John Clowes

Midsummer can be a tricky time in the garden. Many plants flower wonderfully early on but are now starting to fade – right at the time when you want to spend more time outside enjoying them.

Plants that set seed tend to stop flowering as soon as the seed pods are mature – the way we gardeners fool them into producing more flower is to take off all faded blooms and seed heads. This should ensure plenty of colour right through the summer months.

The ornamental gardeners is always looking ahead, and it’s time to think about growing plants on to provide colour in pots and hanging baskets during autumn and winter. It’s worth planting up hanging baskets early so the plants can get well established and fill out before they go on display.

For long-lasting interest use a mixture of flowering and foliage plants – Dwarf Michaelmas daisies, winter pansies and polyanthus will supply the flowering colour and ornamental cabbage, grey-leaved helichrysum or variegated ivy will provide interesting leaves.

Planting up patio containers with spring bulbs such as daffodils, snowdrops and crocus and topped off with hardy flowering plants such as pansies, forget-me-nots, and polyanthus will provide colour for the next six months. If the container is large enough then some trailing foliage plants will add some interesting texture between flowerings. Gold-edged ivy, silver-leaved cineraria or purple Heuchera will add coloured foliage for year-round interest.

2 comments | Filed under: Flower Gardening | Freshness: 14 days ago

Millions Of UK Gardeners Prepare To Face Hose Pipe Bans

23rd July 2010, by Dan Walford

With many areas of the country announcing hosepipe bans, and the threat of more to come, millions of gardeners are facing tough times ahead. But don’t throw in your trowel and let your garden go to ruin!

Even if your area isn’t facing a ban, there’s plenty you can be doing to save precious water resources and keep your garden looking lush and healthy through the hottest of summers. Here are 15 top water smart hints and tips that will help keep your garden greener and healthier even in the driest of summer months:

1. Raise your mower blades to mow your lawn slightly higher and less frequently – this’ll help trap in moisture and stop your lawn turning brown.
2. Mulch, mulch, mulch… After watering your flowerbeds and borders, apply a layer of mulch, not only does this trap in water around plant roots it also encourages root growth. Miracle-Gro Soil Improver will also feed for up to 6 weeks.
3. Use a contact weedkiller such as Weedol MAX regularly to stop weeds competing with the plants your want – don’t hoe or weed by hand as this can release soil moisture below the surface.
4. Collect rainwater in water butts – these are essential during prolonged dry spells with sizes available to suit most gardens. Ensure it is fitted with a cover to stop debris falling in.
5. Use your household water – low levels of soaps and detergents are harmless to plants, so rather than pouring it down the drain use it on your garden.
6. Check your soil before you start to water – it may just be the surface that is dry, thus preserve you precious water for when you really need it.
7. Prioritise your watering – young plants and seedlings should come first and then plants such as sweet peas, which stop flowering in dry soil.
8. Water your plants at the best possible time – when it’s cool in either mornings or evenings, this will reduce the amount that evaporates straight form the surface.
9. The best defense against drought is healthy plants – regularly feed your plants and they’ll develop a healthy root system that will cope better during a drought.
10. Concentrate watering in newly planted areas, established plants usually have an adequate root system even in the driest conditions.
11. Use decorative wood chips that not only look great but prevent surface evaporation and trap moisture in the soil.
12. Incorporate organic matter into beds and borders to help retain moisture – soil conditioners enable your soil to retain nutrients and moisture whatever your soil type.
13. Feed your lawns well – a healthy lawn, with a good root system, will make the most of any water that’s there and help it stay greener longer.
14. Cultivate your soil less in the driest season – hoeing, forking and digging will allow valuable moisture to escape so only do it if it’s really needed.
15. Choose your plants carefully – grey-leaved plants, such as lavenders, santolina and stachys, are all suitable for dry soil. Drought-resistant plants, such as cistus, are especially a good idea for sandy soils.

5 comments | Filed under: Miscellaneous | Freshness: 42 days ago

Keep Summer Flowers Looking Their Best - For Longer

5th July 2010, by John Clowes

Cottage garden favourites such as roses, rudbeckia, hollyhocks and snapdragons are blooming well and providing colour throughout the garden.

Summer flowering shrubs such as philadelphus, jasmine and weigela will benefit if you cut back flowering shoots to strong new growth immediately after all the flowers have faded. Encouraging new growth like this will ensure the plant carries flowers all over the plant instead of just at the top. To give these shrubs the energy to produce plenty of flower bearing stems, I dress around the roots with a plant food that’s controlled release – this will supply all the major nutrients over the next six months to ensure good sturdy growth.

As the Summer progresses I ensure regular watering of my flowering bedding plants, the ideal is a thorough water once a week, rather than dribbles little and often. To do the feeding job quickly use a Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed Feeder, by feeding you’ll encourage deeper roots that need less watering.

Give extra water and plant food to ever-hungry dahlias. My gardening tip is to alternate weekly feeds between Miracle-Gro and Tomorite – you’ll see they bloom with extra vigour!

Dead-heading roses grown for flowers and not for hips will encourage a further flush of blooms later in the year. I simply snap off the dead head without removing any leaves – the traditional way of using secateurs to cut back the stem at the same time has been proven to reduce the number of blooms.

No comments | Filed under: Flower Gardening | Freshness: 60 days ago

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