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Gardening Tips for September

4/9/2018

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Gardening Tips for September
After the frenzied activity of the summer period, September is the perfect month to take stock of the flower and vegetable garden, whilst starting to make plans for the coming spring. Soils warm from the summer season are perfect for establishing new plantings and the arrival of spring bulbs inspire new ideas for the coming seasons.
Tubs and Baskets
  • Continue to dead-head, water and feed summer planting in tubs and baskets to prolong the display for a couple more weeks.
  • Tired and spent planting can now be replaced with fresh topical ranges to provide colour throughout the autumn and winter season. Pansies, Violas and Wallflowers are traditional favourites that can also be planted with hardy tub and basket plants and spring bulbs for a display to brighten the dullest of winter days.
  • Remember to refresh the compost, now exhausted from the summer season.
Spring Flowering Bulbs
  • Deliveries of new season spring flowering bulb collections are now in store to include inspirational colour mixes as well as tried and trusted traditional favourites.
  • As gaps appear in beds and borders, now is the ideal time to plant bulbs such as Crocuses, Daffodils, Narcissi and Snowdrops.
  • Dwarf Narcissi and Crocus also look great with winter bedding in patio pots and hanging baskets for a cheerful splash of early spring colour.
  • Daffodils benefit from planting in September, while Tulips can wait a little longer, even into November. Be sure to buy early though to get the widest choice.
  • Indoor bulbs such as prepared hyacinths can also be planted now in bowls and wicker baskets, specially treated so that they flower at Christmas time.
Beds and Borders
  • Introduce winter structure to the garden with evergreen shrubs such as Viburnum tinus or Sarcococca, the latter planted near a path or front door to appreciate its winter fragrance.
  • Our widest range of new season Ornamental Trees are available now to add height and structure to your garden, large or small. See our website for details of our British grown trees available in store or for delivery direct from the nursery to your home.
  • Fiery shades of early autumn foliage start to light up late summer borders. Shrubs such as Acers (Japanese Maples), Cotinus (Smoke Bush) or climbers such as Parthenocissus (Virginia creeper) come into their own now. Visit your local store to see all the new ranges freshly delivered and ready for planting now.
  • Give Azaleas, Rhododendrons and particularly Camellias a good drink of water now to ensure they set plenty of buds for spring.
Cottage Garden
  • Dead head Dahlias to encourage further flowering until the first frosts.
  • Remove faded blooms on Cottage Garden Perennials to extend the flowering season.
  • Dead head Roses to encourage a late season flush and tie in whippy growths on rambling roses to bear next years trusses of flowers.
  • As gaps appear in beds and borders, sow hardy annuals such as Nigella (love in the mist) and Centaurea (Cornflowers) to bloom in spring.
  • Plant new perennial plants now while the soil is still warm to enable them to establish a strong root system during the winter months in readiness for spring.
  • Plant biennial Sweet Scented Stocks (Matthiola)  and statuesque Foxgloves now to fill your borders colour and fragrance next Spring.
Grow Your Own Salads & Vegetables
  • Harvest crops of Garlic, onions and shallots as tops start to yellow and topple over. Leave to dry in a cool shed before storing away in breathable drawstring bags for the winter months or have a go at plaiting your garlic and onions together to make a traditional string to hang in your kitchen or larder.
  • Give Tomato plants as much sunshine as possible to ripen trusses of fruit.
  • Keep picking courgettes when they are young and tender to encourage yet more to follow.
  • Continue to water squash and pumpkins as they ripen under the late summer sun.
  • Rocket and winter salad leaves can be sown now if not done so already, as well as a last sowing of quick growing radishes.
  • Coriander grows well from a sowing now that the intense summer heat has passed.
  • Swiss Chard sown now will make strong plants for tasty winter pickings. The striking stem and foliage colours look great in both the garden and on the plate!
  • Winter Spinach can be sown now and is less likely to bolt with the cooler temperatures.
  • Sow Broad Beans and hardy peas for the earliest tender spring pickings.
Fruit Garden
  • Apples should be ripening now. Check that they are by gently cupping the fruit in your hand whilst carefully twisting the stem. If it is ready it will come away with ease. Do the same with Plums to avoid fruits falling and bruising on the ground.
  • Excess Apples can be stored in a cool shed for the winter. Space Apples on a slatted shelf to keep them cool and aerated. Make sure they are not touching to prevent any spread of disease.
  • Cut back spent summer fruiting raspberry canes to the ground, tying in the new whips for next year’s crop as you go.
  • Net late summer / autumn Raspberry canes to prevent bird damage.
  • Pot up Strawberry runners for fruiting next summer.
  • Our widest range of new season Fruit Trees are available for planting now, including Apples and Pears, Plums and Cherries. See our website for details of our British grown trees available in store or for delivery direct from the nursery to your home.
Lawn Care
  • September is the ideal month to give your lawn some attention that will ensure that it goes into the winter strong and healthy ready to look its best next spring.
  • Most lawns benefit from being aerated every year to reduce compaction after the pounding it has taken during the summer months. The easiest way to do this is to use a garden fork, pushed six inches in to the lawn at regular intervals.
  • Apply autumn weed and feed to tackle unwanted weeds and boost your lawn ready for the coming winter.
  • Any bare patches can be repaired with lawn seed or larger areas with rolls of turf.
  • September is the ideal time to establish a new lawn, the rains of autumn helping to settle in the new lawn ready for winter.
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Gardening tips for April

2/4/2018

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As the weather begins to get warmer and our hedges and trees burst into blossom, April is always a busy month in a gardener’s calendar. It’s an exciting time with sowings under way, new pot and border schemes to plant and longer daylight hours in which to enjoy it.

Terrace Garden

April is a great time to refresh your tubs and baskets, pulling up any tired winter bedding plants that have come to an end, replacing with a cheerful display of colourful spring bedding plants such as Pansies, Violas, Bellis and Polyanthus. Alpine troughs are easy to look after & make a lovely feature on the patio, from where you can admire their miniature plant forms close up.
In spring there is a whole host of lovely plants to choose from in a myriad of colours, together with a range of suitable troughs to suit your garden style. Top-dress your chosen planter with alpine grit to show your plants to best effect. Or consider creating your own ‘living wall’. Now available in-store, this new on-trend gardening concept is an easy way to add a stylish new plant feature to your home or garden setting.
One of the most economical ways to fill your tubs and baskets with colour this coming summer, is to grow your own bedding plants from young plants, ordered now for direct delivery to your home. Plant up immediately into small pots, and grow on in a warm frost-free greenhouse or conservatory ready to plant out when all risk of frost is passed. Later in the month plant up hanging baskets with summer flowering tub and basket plants, growing on under protection ready to put out when all risk of frost has passed. During April our stores are stocked with a wide range of British grown quality plants for you to choose from that will put on a fabulous flower display all summer long.
Beds and Borders

Weeds will be starting to appear with the warming temperatures. The easiest way to control them is to hoe them off, applying a thick layer of mulch over the surface to help keep any further weeds at bay. Mulching with organic matter such as garden compost also locks in moisture and over time helps to improve the soil, whilst also giving plants a well-needed boost.

Apply a slow release general-purpose fertiliser, lightly forked into your borders as per the manufacturer’s instructions - great for feeding all your hungry shrubs and roses. Remember to include your trees and hedges too. If there are evergreen trees and shrubs that need relocating to a new home, April is the perfect month to move them, so long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.
Complete any pruning of summer flowering shrubs, such as Buddleia or Lavatera. Early flowering shrubs such as Forsythia can be pruned if needed once flowering has finished. Continue to plant new container grown hedges, trees and shrubs to add key structural elements to your garden. See our comprehensive range of British grown trees available online for direct delivery from the nursery to your home.
Cottage Garden
Lift and divide any herbaceous plants that have out-grown their allotted space. Splitting also helps to re-invigorate tired cottage garden plants where flowering has diminished. Cut back Penstemon now that the worst of the colder weather has passed. Cut just above strong new growth forming at the base. Lavenders too can be trimmed back to prevent them getting leggy and woody. Lightly cut back to just above fresh new shoots. Tie in stems of climbing roses and ramblers, positioning stems near to horizontal to encourage lots of flowers along their length. Give them a good feed and mulch well for the season ahead.
April is a great month for planting new cottage garden plants, growing quickly in the warming soils. See in-store for our extensive range of great value 1 litre British grown plants. Put plant supports in place around herbaceous plants bursting into growth. By doing so early the overall look is more natural and any plant damage avoided. There’s still time to plant summer flowering bulbs, such as Dahlias, Lilies and Gladiolus. Visit your local store for a wide choice of top quality bulbs, including a range of specially selected bulb collections in irresistible colour themes sure to bring fragrance and flower colour to your summer garden.
If you started sowings of hardy annuals, such as Nasturtiums, English Marigolds and Cornflowers under cover earlier in the season, these can be planted out now. Otherwise, there is still time to broadcast sow drifts of seed between existing border plants for a more natural look. Easy to grow Wildflower mixes are also available for a meadow feel.
Pots of sweet pea started into growth last autumn or earlier this spring can be planted out now. Position strong plants around the base of wigwam supports made from bamboo canes or hazel sticks. Tie into position if growths are long enough.
Fruit Garden
Continue to plant Soft Fruit now, such as Rhubarb, Raspberries, Blackcurrants and Blueberries. Visit your local store to see our extensive range or visit our website for on-line delivery direct from the nursery to your home. Protect blossom of Apricots, Peaches and Nectarines from any late frosts.
Plant out strawberry plants into ground enriched with well-rotted manure. Cover with cloches to encourage an early crop.
Vegetable Garden
If not done so already, plant your ‘chitted’ early potatoes in the ground or potato bags. Also, prepare vegetable beds for spring sowings by removing weeds and forking plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure. To help the soil to warm up quicker, consider covering prepared beds with sheets of black plastic until you are ready to plant. This will also help to keep the soil drier, for easier seed sowing. Many vegetable varieties can be direct sown now, from carrots to parsnips, spinach to peas. Visit your local Dobbies to choose from our wide range available in-store. Or if you prefer, we have a wide range of young vegetable plants available for quicker results. If the weather turns chilly protect outdoor sowings with a layer of fleece.
Protect young seedlings from slugs. Apply nematodes to the surrounding soil as an effective organic control that can be repeated later in the growing season. Other vegetables such as cucumbers and courgettes can be sown under glass now ready for planting in May.
Greenhouse
Continue to prick out and pot on seedlings before they get too large. Ideally this should be done when the first pair of true leaves unfurl.
Pot up and grow on young plants of your chosen summer bedding or cottage garden plants, ready to plant out when all risk of frost has past. Growing from the young plug plant stage is an economical way to raise good numbers of plants and is ideal for those who didn’t get around to sowing seed in good time earlier in the season. Pot up Begonias and Dahlias started into growth earlier in the spring.
Sow tender annuals in a heated propagator. Visit your local store for an extensive range to choose from. Consider installing a water butt to harvest the rain water from your roofs, a great investment for the season ahead, and much preferred by your growing plants to tap water where available.
Lawn Care

Now is the perfect time to get the lawnmower out and cut your grass for the first time this year. Cut grass with the lawn mower blades set high for the first few times, then use a good lawn feed and weed killer to help your lawn look its best. Tidy lawn edges using a half-moon edging iron, or alternatively a sharp spade.
Scarify lawns with a spring-tine rake to remove old thatch and debris from the winter, starving the lawn of light and air. Sow new lawns, or repair bare patches from mid-April if weather allows, on ground that has been pre-prepared, levelled and firmed. Alternatively, for quicker results lay new turf, available to order in store, leaving it undisturbed for a few weeks to allow time for new roots to establish.
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Creating A Home To Nourish The Mind & Soul

2/3/2018

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When it comes to our sense of wellbeing, our home is central to how we feel. By creating both welcoming and comfortable surroundings, and using nature to enhance our environment, we can increase our sense of calm and our happiness, according to Redrow’s interior design manager Emma Brindley.We spoke to Emma for her thoughts on how we can make our homes a sanctuary, away from the stresses of everyday life.
“In a world lived increasingly through screens, it’s so important to take the time to connect first-hand with nature,” Emma says. “In the home, this can be as simple as giving greenery and plants more space.”


The outdoors moves indoors

“As the world becomes an increasingly noisy, connected and turbulent place, plants offer a calming and natural antidote and we’re bringing the outside into our show home redesigns more and more.
“From herbs decorating kitchen walls to large-scale foliage growing in the living room and vines used as wall dividers, plants can really take centre stage.”


Naturally inspired

“Foliage inspired prints, irregular patterns and homemade dyes can all help to create a uniquely organic look for soft furnishings.
“Earthy paint tones can also enhance the sense of tranquillity while furniture and artwork should replicate the colours, textures and patterns found in nature.”


Materials laid bare

“Celebrating materials in their natural and unprocessed state is also key. Wood can be left untreated; woven baskets, tassels and fringes can create a tactile and hand-crafted look; while cracked-looking finishes and irregular patterns offer a more weathered finish.
“Terracotta and clay, traditionally used for outdoor planters, look stunning inside the home too and can be introduced through accessories.”


For more interiors and trends advice, follow EmmaForRedrow on Instagram or Redrow Homes on Pinterest. Redrow is creating new homes at more than 120 locations across England and Wales. To find your nearest development visit Redrow.
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Garden tips for March -  once the snow clears !

1/3/2018

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The new season starts in earnest this month. Nature stirs into growth as the weather improves and the soil warms. Drifts of bright yellow Daffodils proclaim that spring is really here. Follow the expert tips below to get your garden into shape for the months ahead.
Terrace Garden
  • Plant pots, hanging baskets and window boxes with a cheerful display of early season bedding plants including Pansies, Violas and potted bulbs.
  • One of the most economical way to fill your tubs and baskets with colour this coming summer, is to grow your own bedding plants from young plants, 
  • ​ Plant up immediately into small pots to grow on in a warm frost-free greenhouse or conservatory.
  • Spring clean the terrace with a jet-wash and take the opportunity to give the fence a fresh coat of stain for the new season.
  • Consider creating your own ‘living wall’ feature. Our living wall will be launching later this month both in-store and online: an easy way to add a stylish new plant feature to your home or garden setting.
Beds and Borders
  • Hoe borders to remove weeds, applying a think layer of mulch over the surface to lock in moisture and help keep weeds at bay. Mulch, such as garden compost or well-rotted manure, also helps to improve the soil and give plants a well-needed spring boost.
  • Feed borders with a general-purpose fertiliser, applied and lightly forked in as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Don’t forget to feed your hedges too.
  • Winter flowering Heathers that have started to fade can be lightly trimmed now with a pair of shears, to help keep them tidy and compact.
  • Prune summer flowering shrubs, such as Buddleia, Lavatera and hardy Fuchsias now to allow for fresh new growth bearing this year’s flowers.
  • Deciduous grasses left uncut for their winter display should be cut back now to make way for striking fresh new foliage.
  • Continue to plant new hedges, trees and shrubs. See our comprehensive range of British grown trees and hedging plants, available online for direct delivery from the nursery to your home.
Cottage Garden
  • Lift and divide congested or over-large cottage garden plants. Splitting every few years also helps to re-invigorate tired or old plants.
  • Plant new cottage garden plants now. Planted now they will establish quickly to put on a good display in the summer. See in-store for our extensive range of British grown 1 litre plants, great value for early spring planting.
  • Position plant supports around any existing clumps already bursting into spring growth. By doing so now the overall look is more natural and any plant damage avoided.
  • Hardy annuals such as Nigella, Centaurea and Calendula can be sown now, in gaps where they are intended to flower. For a natural look, broadcast sow seed in good-sized drifts.
  • Sweet Peas can be sown outside now too, ready for picking later in the summer after earlier sowings have finished flowering, extending the cutting season.
  • Plant summer flowering bulbs, such as Gladiolus and Ranunculus. Visit your local store for a wide choice of top quality bulbs, including a range of specially selected bulb collections in irresistible colour themes sure to bring fragrance and flower colour to your summer garden.
  • Dahlias and Begonias should also be started into growth now under the protection of a frost-free greenhouse. See our extensive range on-line.
  • If you haven't done so already, finish any pruning of roses before any new season leaves start to unfurl. Top dress with mulch and feed for the new season.
  • Cut back stems of autumn flowering Clematis to the lowest pair of strong buds.
  • As daffodils and Narcissi start to fade, remove spent flowers but leave the foliage to die back naturally. This will focus all the energy back into the bulb for the following year.
Fruit Garden
  • Plant Soft Fruit now, such as Raspberries, Blackcurrants and Blueberries. Visit your local store to see our extensive range or visit our website for on-line delivery direct from the nursery to your home.
  • Mulch existing rows of Raspberry canes and fruit bushes.
  • Plant Rhubarb remembering to allow enough room for them to develop to their full size. Add a thick layer of mulch around your new plant to help retain moisture and keep weeds at bay.
  • Protect blossom of Apricots, Peaches and Nectarines from any late frosts.

Vegetable Garden
  • If you haven't done so already, prepare vegetable beds for spring planting by removing weeds and forking plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure. To help the soil to warm up quicker, consider covering prepared beds with sheets of black plastic. These will also help to keep the soil drier, for easier seed sowing.
  • As weather and soil conditions allow, plant shallots, onions and early potatoes. Visit your local store and chose from our extensive range of varieties, including up to 40 varieties of Scottish grown seed potatoes. See our website for details of our in-store range.
  • If space allows, consider planting an Asparagus bed. One of the most prized of all vegetables, once established they reward you with a spring bounty of delicious spears for many years to come.
  • Keep an eye out for slugs. Apply nematodes to the surrounding soil as an effective organic control.
Greenhouse
  • Continue to prick out and pot on seedlings and cuttings.
  • Pot up and grow on young plants of your chosen summer bedding plants ready to plant out when all risk of frost has past. Growing from the young plug plant stage is an economical way to raise good numbers of plants and is ideal for those who didn’t get round to sowing seed in good time earlier in the season.
  • Sow tender annuals in a heated propagator. Visit your local store for an extensive range to choose from.
Lawn Care
  • Depending on soil conditions, prepare new lawn areas for sowing in April. Once cultivated, make sure the area is firmed and level ready for sowing.
  • Alternatively for quicker results lay new turf, leaving it undisturbed for a few weeks to allow the new roots to establish.
  • Straighten lawn edges.
  • Later in the month apply a spring/summer lawn feed high in nitrogen.
  • If mild enough, and the lawn is showing signs of growth, give it the first light cut of the season, keeping blades on their highest setting.
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Gardening tips for December

1/12/2017

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Gardening tips for December
With the approach of winter the garden takes on an air of quietness. There is an absence of urgency and a more leisurely pace can be taken. Leading up to a well deserved Christmas break.
Flowers
  • If not frosty plant new Rose bushes
  • Cut back the herbaceous border and mulch thickly with composted bark
  • Put slug pellets around treasured plants, especially Alpines and Bulbs in mild weather
  • Protect delicate evergreens from cold winds by using Horticultural Fleece
Fruit
  • Still time to plant new fruit bushes if the soil is not frozen
  • Make sure Apples and Pears are pruned by the end of the month
Vegetables
  • Buy seeds now to ensure full availability
  • Net winter vegetables to keep pigeons away
Lawns
  • Avoid walking on lawns in frosty weather
  • If puddles stay on the lawn spike with a garden fork or an aerator to aid drainage and prevent disease
  • Consider having lawn mowers and strimmers serviced
Greenhouse
  • Clear greenhouse gutters of autumn leaves
  • Wash greenhouse glass inside and outside to allow as much light in as possible
  • Line the inside of the greenhouse with bubblewrap to keep plants warmer
  • Do not water plants too much, water when compost is dry
  • Check plants regularly for pests and disease i.e., moulds and fungus
  • Ventilate on warm days
General Tasks
  • Sweep up leaves to make compost
  • Take pumps out of ponds and fountains (drain fountains to prevent splitting)
  • Move patio pots to house wall to give support and protection
  • Cut some stems of viburnum x bodnantense to brighten and perfume the house
  • Ensure outside taps are insulated or drained
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Gardening tips for November

1/11/2017

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Gardening tips for November
Ever darkening days. Wet and stormy weather. Trees shedding their remaining leaves...
But it's not all doom and gloom. Even now there is an array of colour. From the bright foliage of variegated evergreens and stems to a wide range of deciduous trees and shrubs, with our expert gardening tips, you can enjoy a more colourful garden in November.
Flowers
  • Prune back Roses and tidy up deciduous shrubs. Both may need a further prune in February/March
Conditions on mild days are still ideal for planting:
  • Later flowering spring bulbs such as Lilies and Tulips
  • Bare-root or root balled trees, shrubs and Roses
  • New hedges i.e. Beech, Hawthorn, Privet, Laurel
  • Dig up and divide established plants which are now overcrowded and re-plant
  • Pansies, primulas and other winter/ spring bedding plants
Fruit
  • Harvest and store late varieties of Apples and Pears
  • Plant new fruit trees and bushes once the ground has been dug over and manured
  • Prune Apple and Pear trees
  • Once all leaves have dropped apply a "winter wash" to control pests.
  • Raspberry Canes are available for planting now
Vegetables
  • Dig over vacant ground and work in well rotted manure or compost
  • Order seed catalogues
  • Protect cauliflower curds by bending a few leaves over the centre
  • If storing vegetables make sure that they are well spaced and dry, and if any are rotting throw them away
  • Leeks and parsnips may be left in the ground until required for use
Lawns
  • There is still time to apply an autumn lawn food and mosskiller
  • Spike badly drained lawns to improve drainage and if not carried out previously scarify to remove dead grass
  • Depending on the season and location it may still be necessary to give the lawn a final cut. If so do it on a high blade setting
  • If conditions permit (not too wet or too cold) turfing can still be carried out
Greenhouse
  • Water carefully to avoid leaf splash
  • Control pests and diseases encouraged by warm, damp conditions
  • Ventilate when possible to improve air circulation and control humidity
  • Grow plants such as Chrysanthemums, Cyclamen, Azaleas, Poinsettias to provide colour in the house
  • Make sure heating system is working efficiently as it will be required more and more as winter continues
General Tasks
  • Continue to rake up leaves from beds, borders and out of the pond, and stack them to compost
  • Provide food and water for garden birds
  • Protect tender plants which cannot be moved by insulating them with straw, bracken, horticultural fleece, etc.
  • Drain stone fountains etc. so that freezing conditions are less likely to damage them, and service electrical pumps
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Gardening tips for October

1/10/2017

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Gardening tips for October
As autumn draws in on the garden, October brings the last great burst of colour to the beds and borders. As the first frosts etch the garden with a silvery sheen, there are still many things to be done.
Flowers
  • Dig up and store Dahlia tubers and Gladiolus corms
  • Plant trees and shrubs since this is an ideal time for these plants to "settle in"
  • Bare-root Roses also establish well if planted now
  • Winter and spring flowering bulbs such as Daffodils, Narcissi and Crocuses should be planted now in the garden or patio containers.
Fruit
  • Apples and Pears which are ripe should be picked and handled carefully prior to storage in a cool, airy position
  • Blackberry, Raspberry and Loganberry canes that have finished cropping should be cut out and new canes can be tied in to support framework
  • Check that stakes on fruit trees are secure and are not constricting growth
  • Plant Strawberries during the middle of the month for cropping next summer
Vegetables
  • Sow cauliflower, lettuce, broad beans and peas under cloches in a sheltered spot
  • Harvest and store marrows and pumpkins before the first frosts
  • Potatoes, carrots and beetroots can be lifted and stored
  • Provide deterrents to avoid the ravages of pigeons on brassicas
  • Dig over ground as it becomes vacant
Lawns
  • October is an ideal time to make new lawns from turf as the turf is unlikely to dry out and moist, warm soils aid root establishment
  • Scarify established lawns to remove dead grass and spike the surface with fork or lawn aerator to help drainage
  • Apply an autumn lawn food such as 'Westland Autumn Lawn' which contains Mosskiller
  • Reduce mowing frequency and set the blades high. By the end of the month it will be time to stop cutting and the mower should then be serviced in preparation for next year
Greenhouse
  • When frost threatens, heating may be required at night
  • Water in the morning only so that the foliage does not remain wet at night
  • Clean the glass both inside and out to maximise use of the winter sun. At the same time remove any greenhouse shading
  • Wash pots and trays and store for use next spring
  • Sow winter lettuce in the greenhouse border soil
  • Ventilate the greenhouse with care in order to keep up air movement and alleviate dampness
General Tasks
  • Remove fallen leaves on borders and lawn and stack to encourage them to rot down and produce leaf mould
  • Re-position tender plants into a frost free environment
  • Tidy up garden shed and clean and sharpen secateurs in preparation for winter pruning
  • Wash pots and trays and store for use next spring
  • Sow winter lettuce in the greenhouse border soil
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Gardening tips for September

1/9/2017

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Gardening tips for September
A key time for harvesting and preparing for next year, milder September temperatures can be great for gardeners. Let Dobbies share their top tips for getting the most out of your garden during this time.
Flowers
  • Clear away faded summer bedding plants and plant out pansies, wallflowers and other spring bedding plants
  • Sow hardy annuals outside to flower for next spring
  • Deadhead roses regularly
  • Spray roses to control black spot mildew and aphids
  • Water camellias regularly as they are now forming next year's flower buds
  • Dead head annuals, perennials and Roses
  • Continue spraying for mildew and other fungal diseases
  • Towards the end of the month prepare to move evergreens and perennials that are growing in the wrong places
  • Clear up any fallen leaves and other dead plant material to prevent diseases over wintering and remove shelter for vine weevils
Fruit
  • Put fruit nets on late fruiting varieties of Raspberries and Blackberries and remember to check regularly that they are firmly attached
  • Harvest early fruiting varieties of Apple and eat immediately as they do not keep very well
  • Plant out new Strawberry beds and remove runners from any new plants
  • Complete the pruning of Tay berries, Loganberries, Raspberries and Blackberries
  • Check stakes and ties on fruit trees and replace if they are worn or rotten
Vegetables
  • Lift onions and dry them before storing them
  • Harvest plants as soon as they are ready to get maximum flavour from them
  • Cut and dry herbs for use in the winter
  • Continue to take precautions against slugs and snails
  • Regular hoeing will keep weeds down and prevent seeds being dropped on to the soil to create problems for the following year
Lawns
  • Now is a good time to sow new lawns using either seed or turf
  • Use autumn lawn-care products
  • After the summer lawns often need a bit of pampering and September is the traditional month to do this.
  • Start by removing unwanted weeds.
  • Most lawns, depending on the soil type, also benefit from being aerated every year. Do this by making holes in the soil with a garden fork and then rake in a bit of autumn lawn feed. This is not as necessary with sandy free draining soils.
  • Bad muddy patches should be re-turfed.
Greenhouse
  • Start to water dormant cyclamen
  • Daffodils can be planted to ensure a display for Christmas
  • Ensure that all vents are working and close them on cool evenings
  • Be extra vigilant for pest and disease
Ponds
  • Continue to feed pond fish
  • Check filters on pumps to ensure that they are not blocked
  • Remove any plant material that has fallen into the pond to prevent the build up of disease
  • Net the pond to prevent leaves falling in to it
Tidying
  • Now is the month to tidy up the garden, clearing away summer bedding and starting to plant spring bulbs and winter bedding.
  • Consider which annuals worked and which did not, and decide what you would like to grow instead.
  • Weed borders and remove faded flowers from perennials like Rudbeckia and annual plants like Busy Lizzie, this will keep them flowering longer.
  • Roses also need deadheading as their blooms fade - just cut off their flowers above the highest leaf on the stem.
Planting
  • Many gardens can look tired after bright and beautiful summer displays have faded, but a rich riot of autumnal foliage, shrubs, flowers and berries can add striking displays of colour.
  • Why not try Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum), Winged Spindle or Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus). The green variety of Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggyria) is lovely if you have space or Royal Purple if you are restricted.
  • Now is also the time to plant new evergreens and conifers as soils are still warm and moist. Viburnum tinus and Thya ‘Rheingold’ are particularly attractive and easy to grow.
  • To ensure your garden is still colourful in the colder months, why not try planting winter flowering pansies and primulas?
Bulbs
  • It is also the time of year again to plant spring flower bulbs like crocuses, daffodils, narcissi and snowdrops in borders and patio pots.
  • Indoor bulbs such as prepared hyacinths can also be planted now so that they flower at Christmas time.
Grow your own
  • It is also not too late to try your hand at homegrown vegetables.
  • In early September things like lettuce and salad leaves, Chinese cabbages, endive and winter spinach can still be sown directly outside.
  • This is also the right time to sow broad been seeds, plant garlic bulbs and onion sets for spring.
  • If temperatures get a little colder, a cloche cover or frame should be used.
General Tasks
  • Top canes with cane-caps to protect eyes
  • Clean paving or slabs with an algicide
  • Use a Residual Current Device (RCD) when using any electrical equipment in the garden
  • Feed the garden using a granular fertiliser like Growmore or Rose Plus
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Gardening tips for August

16/8/2017

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Gardening tips for August
Transition your garden from summer into autumn with ease by following our insider tips and key themes for August. From growing fruit and veg to cleaning up your garden pond, there's plenty of options to keep your garden in shape.   


Flowers
  • Keep your hanging baskets looking good with daily watering and weekly feeding.
  • Give Camellias some TLC with regular watering as now they'll be forming next year's flower buds. Dead heading sweet peas is also a must to maximise the flowering season.
  • Maintain your roses by picking and spraying frequently. Encourage climbing roses by tying in growth.
Fruit & Vegetables
  • Pick ripe raspberries and remove straw from underneath strawberries. Prune all summer varieties down to ground level and ensure netting on fruit cages hasn't worn.
  • Support brussel sprouts and potatoes by earthing them up, and continue to water onions to get the most out of your crop.
  • Love fresh plants? Sow salad crops into soil now to keep them coming.



 General Housekeeping
  • Maintain a humid greenhouse by dampening the floor each morning and close vents when the temperature drops. 
  • Look after your pond and prevent disease by keeping filters clear and removing any weeds. 
  • Ensure a clear garden path by cleaning the slabs with algicide and satisfy your garden's hunger with a granular fertiliser e.g. Rose Plus or Growmore. 
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Gardening tips for April

1/4/2017

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As the weather begins to get warmer, April is always a busy month in a gardeners calendar, with seeds to sow, lawns to mow, shrubs to trim and vegetable gardens to tend to.
Top Tips
  • Now is the perfect time to get the lawnmower out and cut your grass for the first time this year. Cut grass with the lawn mower blades set high for the first few times, then use a good lawn feed and weed killer to help your lawn look its best. Also re-seed and re-turf any bald patches.
  • Thin out herbaceous plants, prune spring flowering shrubs once flowering has finished and trim evergreen hedges and shrubs.
  • In early April sow garden vegetables like potatoes, peas, broad beans, leeks, cauliflower, summer cabbage, brussel sprouts, onions, spinach, turnips, parsnips and lettuce outdoors or, if you leave it too late, young vegetable plants can be bought from garden centres. Other vegetables like cucumbers, courgettes and outdoor tomatoes can be sown under glass and runner beans can be started individually in 3 inch pots ready for planting in May.
  • It’s also a good time to sow seeds of hardy annuals like nasturtium, calendula, lavatera and cornflowers.
  • Sprinkle rose fertiliser around roses and begin to spray them to control pests and diseases.
  • Feed all other plants in the garden using a slow-release fertiliser to improve plant flowering and growth.
  • It’s also an ideal time to plant strawberry plants in your garden.
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