The Gardening Year

Related Articles

Flower/Plants Prune rambling roses Cut back perennials once they have finished flowering Collect seed from perennials and store in a cool place Take cuttings of lavender Cut everlasting flowers and seed heads for use in indoor arrangements Fruit/Vegetables Plant out rooted strawberry runners into new beds Sow outdoors: hardy spring onions, lettuces, salads and Chinese [...]

September and October are the best months to lay new turf, seed a lawn or carry out lawn maintenance tasks such as fertilising, topdressing and overseeding. It is important that your new, or repaired, lawn has a few weeks to settle before winter sets in so Autumn is an important season for taking care of [...]

You can eat your produce immediately or keep it to eat throughout the autumn and winter or you can dress them up and hand them to friends for Christmas presents.

Flower/Plants Keep camellias well watered to avoid flower buds dropping off next spring due to drought Prune wisteria; shorten long side shoots back to five or six leaves Deadhead roses; unless they produce hips Trim lavender after flowering to stop it going woody Plant bulbs: nerines, autumn crocuses, and autumn daffodils Fruit/Vegetables Continue to sow [...]

Now in early July the bed is full of colour. Orange, yellow and pink californian poppies and blue and white cornflowers and there are still lots of plants not yet in flower.

Flower/Plants Sow biennials Divide flag irises Feed baskets and patio pots each week with liquid fertiliser Take cuttings from climbers Pinch out the tips of chrysanthemum shoots to encourage flowers Fruit/Vegetables Water early potatoes if the weather is dry Prune cordon gooseberry plants Sow outside: lettuces, radishes, spring cabbages, endives, kohl rabi, French and runner [...]

Flower/Plants Plant out dahlias and gladioli Sow wallflowers for next spring Tie in sweet peas Feed spring bulbs Plant up summer pots Fruit/Vegetables Sow outside: peas, mangetout, French and runner beans, lettuces, carrots, spinach and herbs Plant out tender crops once all threat of frost has passed Thin out plants sown earlier in the year [...]

After a long cold winter many of us will have neglected our patio and decking and chances are it won’t be ready for those many barbeques and summer parties. So how do you turn a sorry state into a paradise which you won’t be embarrassed to invite your guests to?

Flower/Plants Plant out perennials Sow hardy annuals outside Feed established clumps of spring flowering bulbs Plant out hardy annuals raised under cover Trim back winter flowering heathers Fruit/Vegetables Finish planting main crop potatoes Plant new beds of asparagus Sow outside: carrots, lettuces, salad leaves, baby beetroot, spring onions, radishes, kohl rabi, chives, chicory, parsley, Brussels [...]

Flowers/Plants Sprinkle fertiliser around roses Tie in clematis shoots as they grow Plant gladioli corms Cut away the dead stems from hardy shrubs Finish dividing large clumps of perennials Fruit/Vegetables Sow outside: carrots, parsnips, lettuces, broad beans, peas, Swiss chard, leeks, spinach and kohl rabi Harvest early rhubarb Plant out onion sets and shallots Cover [...]

Mowing is the most important maintenance operation for any lawn. Before the first cut in spring, it is important to check the lawn and the mower. Debris, such as twigs and small branches, may have accumulated over the winter. These should be removed prior to making the first cut. Check the mower is in good order with sharp blades.

Flower/Plants Prune rose bushes Trim winter-flowering heathers Lift and divide congested clumps of snowdrops and buy new ones `in the green’ Prune winter jasmine after flowering Fruit/Vegetables Force rhubarb Sow leeks and onions in a heated propagator Start spraying outdoor peach and nectarine leaves to prevent peach-leaf curl Sprinkle fertiliser around fruit trees and bushes [...]

It is always best to plant Snowdrops “in the green”, that is; when they are still in leaf and even flower. In the green is also the best time to divide congested clumps and replant around you garden.

Flower/Plants Take root cuttings from perennials Move shrubs growing in the wrong place Spread a mulch over your borders Pot up containers with bedding displays for spring Fruit/Vegetables Force Rhubarb Check fruits in store, removing any that show signs of rot Prune apples and pears to remove damaged or diseased branches Cover soil with polythene [...]

I have chosen six plants which you should be able to easily find in your local garden centre and that are easy to grow. Most need little attention throughout the year but keep the Dogwoods well pruned to maintain the lovely coloured stems and prune the winter flowering jasmineafter flowering to ensure flowers for the following year.

I recently made marmalade from the fruit on my Calamondine plant; click here for the details, but at this time of the year there are lots of produce in your garden which can be preserved. Here are a few recipes to get you going:

Calamondine is probably the most hardy citrus tree available in the UK and due to it’s small size makes an ideal citrus tree for any home. They also make great Christmas present particularly if they are in fruit.

Autumn is an important season for taking care of your lawn. It is important to use the last months of the growing season to strengthen and prepare the lawn for the rigours of winter. The effort put into a lawn in autumn will improve the quality and health of the lawn right through into the [...]

Spring Flowering Bulbs come in lots of shapes, sizes and colours but the one thing they have in common is the ability to turn a dull late winter, early spring garden into an oasis of light and colour. No garden is complete without the good old daffodil or tulip but there are many other spring flowering bulbs which will add additional interest.