Late Spring Diary 2008

Well Spring is really here now and if you love gardening you must love spring with all its glorious colours bursting forth. Yes I`m going on again but I just can`t help myself when as I said last month we`ve seen the succession of Daffodils and late narcissus all with their glorious colours and the tulips again the earlies right through to the grand tall hybrids flowering in May. Enough Enough , lets talk shrubs to get you out to the local Garden Centre and to start brightening things up.

Yes we do vary in temperatures across the country but even Scotland is getting less harsh weather than it used to , so if you saw a glorious looking Camellia , in the west country you would plant it straight out, in Scotland and the far north be careful and have a bit of Horticultural fleece ready to protect those flowers. Talking of which be careful never to plant a Camelia with its head in the sun first thing in the morning, it will burn the flowers and they then go brown at the edges and look terrible.

Other shrubs that I think we have started to ignore as we look for more exotic plants are the traditional plants that give us colour every year without fail. Plant those first and then go fancy! So let`s kick off with Forsythia “Lynwood” very erect and was always the most popular with it`s bright yellow flowers but I`d go for “Golden Bells “ as it has an arching habit, then their is that common flowering currant Ribes  “Pulborough Scarlet”deep pinky red flowers and easy. Corylus or Hazels are great and some even produce nuts, but if you want effect for spring with catkins and twisted branches and leaves go for “Contorta” it can also be grown in pots.

Staying on twisted plants , why not grow Robinia Lace Lady branches are wizen but the foliage in spring is fantastic lime green in colour. Osmanthus with their superb perfume and being an evergreen as well. Last in my list is the Rhododendron, it does need a acid soil but if you live in a chalky  or alkaline area , think about preparing a new bed with fresh loam and add peat if you are that way inclined and the use of sulphur and acid feeds keep them happy, It can be done. So get out there and start planting, using I hope a good Bulldog planting spade .

Staying on tools have you seen the new range – ‘Titchmarsh by Bulldog’ - that my friend Alan Titchmarsh has put his name to, they are really nice, he does like those wooden shafts doesn`t he. Well it gives a much nicer feel to the tools when you are working with them. I `ve got a couple myself and have let the teams that work for me try them out  as well.

To make the garden a better place to use, let`s touch on lawns and to think that only about 1 in 8 lawns ever gets more attention than being mowed. Untended lawns may look good from a distance, but they are normally riddled with moss and weeds and any remaining grass is  pale green. Just one lawn care treatment can transform your neglected lawn. It’s not as if it takes a long time or costs a fortune. You can treat the average size lawn in about 10 minutes and it will cost you less than £10.

The secret of success is a simple-to-apply triple-action treatment with something such as EverGreen Complete. Just one application and your grass will quickly become greener, thicker and weed and moss free. Prefarably apply three days after mowing and try and  choose a dry day, and don`t forget to follow the instructions on the packet. Then don`t mow for another 3 or 4 days and try and keep the lawn then regurarly mowed at a height of about an inch , this will give you a good coloured and happy lawn.

Roses have started to take off now and you had that dreadful blackspot last year don`t delay spray your roses with a new systemic fungicide that gives long lasting protection called FungusClear Ultra or stick to RoseClear 3 Gun! And spray every 2/3 weeks.

Now is the time for planting early potatoes. If scab is a problem in your garden soil, line the trench with organic matter then when you`ve planted them put down a good dressing of a general fertilizer, Growmore or a Slow Release All Purpose Plant Food raked into the surface will ensure strong growth. If you are more organic minded try Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Fruit & Vegetable Plant Food, and let me know what you think as I haven`t used it yet

It`s time to sow some short-rooted carrots if the soil is dry and  crumbly enough.I like Fly Away or Early  Nantes, but you could try Amsterdam Sweetheart or Systan if you have fine soil. If the ground is stony, try Rondo, which produces golf-ball shaped carrots of good flavour. Many other root vegetables can be sown about now like parsnip, swede, beetroot and turnip, but depending on which part of the country you live in, see that you  read the Packets carefully before sowing

Something new I saw for protecting plants from slugs that`s new is Slugs Away   an electronic device and therefore totally chemical free from Contech Electronics. It`s like a tiny mesh fence  that emits a mild static sensation, undetectable to pets and humans, and forces slugs and snails to change directions and head next door. The little fence is 24 feet long and works for a whole season  with a 9v battery, Look out for it in your local Garden center costing about £29.95.

Last but not least  I will remind you to not forget we are here to help just e-mail me at:landscapes@gardeningwithken.com