kate burtonwood -- Lover of Green Things, rhs and botanically trained horticulturist, happy gardener
Review your borders: Particularly if you have newly-planted beds or borders, now is a good time to spot gaps or poor performers. Most borders will be at their peak in late summer, so reviewing now will give you a chance to think about whether you …
Drought is setting in so think carefully about your watering. Watering everything in your garden could be expensive and wasteful. Lawns and long-established planting will survive a long time without water. Concentrate on newly planted trees and shrubs and prized specimens. Cut back evergreens …
Prune shrubs which flower in late spring, such as Ribes and Philadelphus. Pruning after flowering means the plant will have time to develop new flowering stems for next year. See the RHS guidance here. Pinch out side shoots on tomatoes. It may seem like …
Today I planted up an alpine trough. I used a round shallow terracotta pot. I had the plants, compost and pot ready to go. It took me around half an hour to complete. First fill the bottom of the pot with grit, …
A few people have asked me about “Container Gardening” (that’s plants in pots, in case it sounds technical), so I thought I should write an initial piece. It’s a huge topic and there are many experts who can help you along the way, so …
Watch out for Pests and Weeds – Slugs and snails are coming out in force, as are aphids and sawfly larvae. Check your plants regularly and take action when you see pests. A sudden rush of growth in the warm weather has also meant it …
Wet weather work – It’s been a wet month, so line up any inside jobs you have, like greenhouse work, cleaning tools, preparing seeds, trays and pots, and anything you can think of that will save you some time next month. Sowing – Seeds …
So now it’s wet. Very wet. And before it was cold. Very cold. It’s really left me pondering about how the garden will go in the coming months and what I should focus on now. My diaries from recent Aprils are full of sun …
Weather watch – Keep an eye on rising temperatures. After the cold in February everything is a little unpredictable – but you will want to start to think about cutting back more tender herbaceous plants in advance of spring growth and hardening off plants which …
This month I’ve signed up to start studying again. I’m going to do my RHS Level 3 Certificate in Garden Planning, Construction and Planting. I’ve been an unusually long time deciding to take on the course and there are quite a few reasons …