News - Page 56
September's plant of the month is the aster, also known as the Michaelmas daisy and a stalwart of the late-summer border with its cheery, daisy-like flowers in shades of mauve, pink and violet.
All asters flower for a satisfyingly long time, starting in late August and continuing often until the first frosts. They're much-loved by bees and butterflies, so perfect for the wildlife garden, and make wonderful cut flowers. What's more, they go wi...
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Give wisteria its summer prune to keep it within bounds, prevent winter damage and encourage lots of those sumptuous long perfumed flower racemes next spring.
Your plant will by now be sprouting a jungle of long, whippy shoots in all directions: this not only looks messy, but all that green growth is diverting the plant's energy into producing lots of extra shoots rather than ripening wood to make fat flower buds for next...
Read more...The shop is filling up with wonderful , exciting Spring bulbs. Daffodils, crocus and anemones all waiting to be planted out in the garden. Plant them through your Autumn/ Winter bedding. Plant them in pots and in between shrubs and perennials. Plant them inside in bowls. Plant them in pots to be brought into the glasshouse or conservatory for an early burst of colour when their sh...
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Tackle your pond weed before it takes over and swamps fish, plants and wildlife. Blanketweed, duckweed and 'pea soup' algae turn your pond green and cover the surface until your pond is completely obscured. It can really get going as the weather turns warm, but fight back now and you'll keep it under control.
Blanketweed: This clings to the sides of the pond and to the plants themselves, quickly clogging up your...
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Keep chillies growing strongly by giving them the best possible conditions to form flowers and then fruit to set your tastebuds on fire this autumn.
Give them plenty of heat and light: a minimum of 15°C and as bright a spot as possible are essentials for success. Keep your chillies in the greenhouse to maximise your chances.
Sow early in February, in a heated propagator set...
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Get water wise this summer for savings on your water bills and to beat the drought conditions which have afflicted many gardeners in recent months.
These days it's hard to tell whether we'll be facing flooding or hosepipe bans: so it makes sense to hope for the best and prepare for the worst, saving rainwater when there's plenty of it so you've got good reserves for when there isn't. Here are just a few of the ways you can droug...
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August's plant of the month is the phlox, one of those plants no cottage garden border should be without. Quintessentially romantic, its fragrant clusters of pink, white or purple flowers release their perfume in the evenings: they're also a big favourite with bees and other pollinating insects making them ideal for the wildlife garden, too.
Modern-day varieties are bred to grow sturdy and healthy, so you don't need to do the st...
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The garden is nothing if not colourful this month, what with the day-glo colours of late summer dazzling beneath brilliantly-coloured butterflies. Keep it looking gorgeous with our list of jobs to be getting on with this month:
General tasks:
Keep up with the harvest, whether it's fruit, vegetables or cutting flowers, as regular picking keeps the produce coming
Clear away earl...
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Count your butterflies for this year's Big Butterfly Count, the initiative run by Butterfly Conservation which draws on ordinary gardeners to help monitor populations of this much-loved but endangered garden regular.
All you have to do is find a quiet spot somewhere in your garden any time between now and the end of August, sit down for 15 minutes and record any butterflies you see. You'll find an ID chart and full instructions on the website...
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Give your garden a late-summer makeover to spruce up your borders and encourage a second flush of flowers and foliage to take you into the autumn refreshed and raring to go.
Giving a haircut to perennials which flowered earlier in the season often encourages a late burst of flowers. Hardy geraniums respond really well to this: snip back all the top growth from early summer favourites like 'Rozanne', 'Philippe Vapelle' and 'Ann Folkard' to abo...
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