April/May Diary 2009

This can be one of the most exciting gardening months of the year. There are seeds to sow, patio pots and hanging baskets to be planted up and the garden itself made most beautiful for a summer of flowers. Vegetables such as carrot and beetroot can be sown amongst your bedding plants. In the garden Tulips should still be blooming and decorative shrubs such as Ceanothus, Cherry blossom and Rhododendrons will be making a striking show.

Prepare the soil where you are going to plant out your summer bedding plants, digging in plenty of organic matter. Well rotted compost from your garden heap will work wonders, or you could buy bags of Farmyard Manure or Miracle-Gro Eco-Sense Soil Improver. These elements will improve the structure and water-holding capacity of your soil and encourage the roots to spread deep and wide to find nourishment. You can quickly boost the nutrient reserves of your soil with a general purpose feed. If you are trying to encourage flowers look for one that is rich in potash and magnesium, especially if you have flowering shrubs or climbers that are shy to bloom. Last but not least dig, with a British made spade or fork so use a Bulldog Tool.

While you are thinking of feeding your garden, remember that ericaceous plants such as Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias need to be able to absorb iron or the leaves gradually turn yellow and the plant looks really poorly. The easiest way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to feed them with Miracle-Gro Slow Release Azalea, Camellia and Rhododendron Plant Food. Just one application will feed your shrubs for the rest of the year and this can help to encourage good flowering for next year.

Roses will be subject as always to mildew and blackspot diseases. Spray the plants thoroughly with a rose care treatment that contains a systemic fungicide such as RoseClear at the first signs of pest or disease. If the plants were infected with blackspot last year regular fortnightly treatments should help to avoid the early leaf fall caused by this disfiguring disease. RoseClear products will also see off the first of this year's greenfly that may be hiding on the leaves or stems of roses.

Topical Tip

Pinch out the growing tips of Fuchsias to create bushy plants that will produce many more flowers.

Lawn Care

Mow the grass as often as you are able and start to reduce the cutting height of the mower to get to the ideal height for summer. If you cut the grass in summer to a minimum of 20 mm (3/4 of inch) and it is well fed, then the lawn will become thick and strong so that new weed seedlings don't get a chance to thrive.

At this time when the grass is growing at its maximum rate, it will soon use up any energy reserves in the soil. The problem if this happens is that the grass will lose its vigour and turn pale and unloved in the process. On the other hand if you use a standard lawn fertilizer that is high in nitrogen you will also have to mow the lawn more often. Most of us want the greener lawn, but prefer not to have to suffer with the extra work of more mowing. If you feel the same, then look no further than a unique new product from the EverGreen family of lawn care that will answer your needs. It’s called EverGreen Mow It Less Lawn Food. As the name implies it will feed and green-up your grass, but doesn’t create a surge of extra grass growth that needs any more mowing than you would have done normally. In fact when compared to a lawn fed with standard lawn foods you will be mowing the grass 50% less often. Miraculous, I hear you cry! Well try it and see. It comes in a handy free spreader that means you just walk up and down the lawn to sprinkle the granules evenly and in just 3 days your lawn will start to turn a richer greener colour. It guarantees to give you a thicker greener lawn and you won’t have to do any more mowing than necessary.

If weeds are already a problem use a selective weedkiller to kill them off. Verdone Extra is Britain's favourite selective lawn weedkiller – you only need one application a year and it gives excellent control of all manner of lawn weeds. It does a great job on white clover, daisy, dandelion and plantain, plus it gives good control of the smaller-leaved weeds such as black meddick, lesser trefoil and common mouse-ear. You can buy it as a concentrate to dilute in a watering can or garden pressure sprayer, or you can buy it ready prepared as Verdone Extra Spot Weeder for Lawns in a hand sprayer or 3 litre big bottle with built-in sprayer.

Strawberries and Raspberries will need feeding before they start to produce luscious fruits. Watch out for caterpillars on gooseberries (Gooseberry Sawfly) and spray with a suitable insecticide as soon as the first of these pests are seen. If left unsprayed they will strip the plant bare of leaves and reduce cropping substantially. Then if you’re like me you won`t get the chance to enjoy a crumble and custard.

Last but not Least

Ken loves Lilies growing in pots but they do need to be staked so the stems don’t break and you need to watch for the bright red lily beetles that make such a mess of the plants. If you see these insect pests immediately spray the plant with BugClear or Provado. These contain an insecticide that gets inside the sap stream to control the emerging larvae.

For more tips and hints check on Ken`s Blog at www.gardeningwithken.com