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Pruning you can now safely prune stone fruit trees including plums and cherries pruning earlier than this runs the risk of attack by silver leaf disease ..... |
Feeding
blackcurrants, blackberries and other hybrid berries would befefit from a high nitrogen feed such as suphate of amonia now |
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Weeds lots of weeds will have started popping up now hoe around your plants and trees carefully making sure you dont nick stems and tender shoots ..... |
Gladioli
plant gladioli bulbs in succession from now until the end of april, the long colourful stems make excellent cut flowers and flower spring to late summer |
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Lillies garden centres are selling lillies now for immediate planting, set them in well dug soil two and a half times deeper than the bulb height ..... |
Hellebores
now there blooms are over it is a good time to divide over grown or congested plants also cut back flowered stems |
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Alpines remove weeds from around alpines and top dress with new grit or gravel to show off the plants and help prevent stem rot ..... |
Planting
it is not to late to plant new fruit trees and bushes as long as the soil is not to wet put a handful of bone meal in the bottom of the hole |
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Watering Can just before the growing season starts proper it is a good idea to thoroughly wash out your can to help prevent fungal disease ..... |
Natural
Fertilisers
soot not as readily available now but chimney soot contains low levels of nitrogen which is slowly released into the soil, leave it to weather a few weeks |
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Wood Fire Ash lots of people have wood burning stoves the ash contains small amounts of of potash and phosphates good for stimulating flower growth ..... |
Comfrey
comfry is a natural fertiliser it grows in the poorest of soil it draws nutrients from deep in the soil dig the leaves back into the soil in autumn |
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Daffodils dead head the flowers as they fade but allow the foliage to die down naturally removing the flowers prevents the bulb for making seed .......... |
Hedgehogs
hedgehogs are now coming out of hibernation and they will be hungry, food is now available to buy dont give them milk or bread, dog food is better |
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Run Rabbit Run 1 try some of these plants if your bothered by rabbits bears breeches, monkshood, african lilly, colchicums lilly of the valley, pampas grass, dahlias, snowdrops ..... |
Run
Rabbit Run 2
more rabbit proof plants, sunflowers, forget me nots mint, peonies, new zealand flax, potatoes, primroses tulips, african and french marigolds |
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Green Houses ventilation on warm days open vents and doors of your green house or conservatory to help reduce humidity and prevent disease occurring ..... |
Cut
Back Plants
cut back leggy salvias, pelergoniums, argyranthemums and lantanas to encourage new growth from low down and to keep the plant in good shape |
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Planting you can still plant herbacious perennials such as geraniums and ornamental poppies dig the choosen area and remove weeds first ..... |
Winter
Bedding
remove any tired winter bedding from the borders and any permanent plants that didnt survive the winter these can be a real eye sore in the garden |
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Water Conservation mulch round plants and borders to hold in moisture use bark or any organic material buy a water butt to catch the rain from roofs ..... |
Frogs
at this time of year if you have a pond it is time to give it a spring clean and lift and divide pond plants but look out for frog spawn when in the pond |
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