RHS Show Calendar

Here in the UK we have some of the best gardening shows in the world. They are great for getting inspiration for your own garden so why not book to see one or two of these great shows this year.

With the 2011 RHS show season an enjoyable memory, the groundwork has begun to ensure the 2012 shows are the best yet. At the forefront of horticulture, RHS shows provide inspiration for gardeners of all levels. Discover show gardens and floral displays featuring the latest trends while soaking up the vibrant atmosphere at a truly unique social occasion.

Abundant with top quality nurseries and gardening products, there is plenty of choice for the discerning gardener and, if you’re still stuck for ideas, the RHS advisory team and gardening experts are on hand.

If you are an RHS member you have priority booking before December 1st 2011 and discounts for Tatton Park and Hampton Court before January 1st 2012. Tickets go on general sale on December 1st.

2012 Show Dates

• RHS Show Cardiff – April 20th to 22nd
• Malvern Spring Gardening Show – May 10th to 13th
• RHS Chelsea Flower Show – May 22nd to 26th
• BBC Gardeners’ World Live – June 13th to 17th
• Hampton Court Palace Flower Show – July 3rd to 8th
• RHS Show Tatton Park – July 18th to 22nd
• Malvern Autumn Show –  September 29th to 30th

Cercidiphyllum Japonicum

Question:

I bought a 5 foot Cercidiphyllum Japonicum this summer and have been giving it plenty of water. It is now shedding its leaves quite quickly and they look fairly dried up. As yet they have not turned that lovely burnt pinkish orange colour. They are mostly green still and some yellow.

Can you tell me if this tree is dying and if so what I can do to restore it please?

Answer:

I have this tree too and the leaves never actually goes red, like yours, the leaves just go yellow before they shed and at the moment they are looking very dry. Fortunately I am getting the burnt sugar fragrance which is great.

I don’t think it is dying and I suspect over the years it will get better as it settles in. I would give it a good thick layer of mulch to help protect it over the winter and hopefully next autumn you will get a better display.

Harvest and Preserve your Garden Produce

Make the most of your gardens soft fruit and tree fruit my turning it into jam, cordials and preserves.

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.

The best time to gather your fruit is on a dry day and choose berries which are just under-ripe.

Lakeland have all you need to harvest, prepare and preserve your produce. Everything from the new Berry Picker through to an electric Jam Maker and the humble Jam Jar.

Harvesting and Preparation made easy

Berry Picker	Berry Sieve	Berry Press	Apple Master

Preserving Products

Electric Jam Maker	Maslin Pan	Silicone Jam Funnel	Muslin Squares

more preserving products from Lakeland …..

Do you have a glut of apples or pears? If so you may want to consider pressing, or juicing, your fruit for either drinking, making cider or for freezing for another day.

Harrold Horticulture have a great range of crushes and attractive traditional fruit presses from just £229.95. They are very easy to use and come with an instruction booklet to get you started.

Take a look at this short video to find out more.

4 Easy Steps to a Great Lawn

Not everyone has the time to spend on a full year-round lawn maintenance routine, if this applies to you then here are a few easy jobs you can carry out which will make a difference to your lawn in a short space of time.

1)  Mowing

The easiest way to make it look as if you are on top of your lawn maintenance is to mow your lawn regularly. A lawn really needs to be cut every time it grows about 1cm longer than you want it. If you leave a lawn to grow too long and then cut it short, it will look unhappy for a while, because you will have cut into the thick, brown or yellow stems at the base of the plants, instead of through lush green leaf blades. Regular mowing produces a greener, denser, harder-wearing lawn.

Start mowing in spring, as soon as the grass is dry enough, with the blades set high just to slice the top off. Lower the blades as the lawn gets used to being cut but if the weather turns dry in summer, raise the blades again to reduce stress to the grass. As the weather turns colder in autumn, raise the blades back up to their spring level, but don’t give up cutting the grass for the winter as it will keep growing unless it’s really cold.

It’s up to you whether you prefer to use a grass-box or not but lawns tend to look better if you do.

2)  Edging

After cutting the grass, trim around the edges with edging shears. However, before you can use edging shears, you need a lawn edge – a shallow, neat-edged gully all around your beds and borders with a vertical drop. Hold the blade of the shears against this flat surface as you cut.

3)  Top Dressing

Top dressing your lawn will enhance its appearance, stimulate new grass grown, level an uneven lawn, improve drainage and wear and tear and reduce thatch. Top dressing can be done at any time but is probably best done in Spring or Autumn when the ground isn’t too dry.

4)  Feeding

An essential part of your regular lawn maintenance is feeding. All lawns need feeding if they are to look good. The most important time to feed is in late spring, as that’s the start of the growing season, but you can keep feeding every six weeks until autumn to keep grass looking lush.

Spring and summer grass feeds are high in nitrogen and so produce a rich green lawn but during autumn use a formula that is low in nitrogen but high in phosphate and potash to toughen up the roots ready for winter.

Alternatively use an organic lawn fertilizer once a month which releases nutrients over a longer period of time than other lawn foods. If you want to improve your lawn without making it grow any faster (so it doesn’t need so much mowing), use an autumn lawn feed during summer instead.

Buy Lawn Care Products from B&Q

To find out more take a look at our Lawn Care articles.

Lawn Care Calendar

January

• Remove fallen leaves
• Don’t walk on frozen turf
• Have the mower over­hauled and to make sure that the other lawn tools are ready for use in the spring
• Laying turf is possible during fine spells

February

• In mild districts worm casts may appear, brush them away when dry
• Do not be tempted to mow your lawn before March
• Finish turfing this month
• Begin soil preparation at the end of the month if you plan to sow seed

March

• As soon as the grass starts to grow and the weather is fine, rake the lawn to remove leaves and surface rubbish. Do not rake too vigorously at this stage or you will damage the grass.
• If there have been heavy frosts during the winter, settle the turf by light rolling
• Choose a dry day for the first cut and merely remove the top of the grass
• Two cuts are sufficient this month
• Apply a moss killer if necessary
• Neaten lawn edges with a half-moon edging iron
• Repair broken edges

Read our article to find out more about looking after your lawn in Spring

April

• Feeding and weeding can begin towards the end of the month, provided that the grass and weeds are actively growing
• Mow often enough to stop the grass growing away, but do not cut too low
• Dig out patches of coarse grass – fill the holes with sifted soil and then re-seed or re-turf

May

• Continue mowing, increase the frequency as necessary and lower the height of cut
• You should be mowing once a week
• This is the best month for weed killing
• Water if the month is particularly dry and before obvious signs of distress

June

• Mow twice a week when the soil is moist. If there is a long dry spell, raise the height of the cut and do not use the grass box.
• This is the time for summer feeding and weeding
• Trim the edges regularly
• Be repared to water if there is a dry spell

Read our article to find out more about looking after your lawn in Summer

July

• Mow regularly at the summer height
• Water if dry weather is prolonged
• Rake occasionally

August

• The same general treatment as for July
• August is the last month of the year for weed killing and for feeding with a nitrogen-rich ferti­lizer
• Seed sowing can begin in late August

Read our article to find out more about looking after your lawn in Autumn

September

• Increasing the interval between mowings and the raise the height of cut
• Worms may become active at this time of year
• Scarify, then spike any compacted areas and finally top dress
• Treat diseased patches
• Tackle moles this month
• Sowing seed

October

• Carry out the last cut or two, raising the cutter height.
• Trim lawn edges
• Apply Autumn Feed
• Carry out lawn repairs
• Complete the scarify-spike-top dress routine
• Brush up fallen leaves
• Dig out tufts of coarse grass, then re-turf or re-seed the bare patches
• Lay turf

Read our article to find out more about looking after your lawn in Winter

November

• Carry out final cut if the if the weather isn’t frosty or wet
• All equipment should now be cleaned and oiled for winter storage
• Keep the lawn clear of fallen leaves and other debris

December

• Brush away leaves
• Keep off the lawn when it is wet or frozen
• Turfing is possible during fine spells

When can I cut back Tulips?

Question:

When can I cut back the leaves of tulips after they have finished blooming or is it better to lift them and replant in autumn?

Answer:

You should cut off the flower stem once the flower has faded then wait at least six weeks before cutting back the leaves; ideally wait until the leaves are yellow and straw-like. During this time you should continue to water and feed.

You don’t have to lift the bulbs but if you need to move them you can lift them once the leaves have died down. Check the bulbs over and discard any which are damaged or diseased. Trim back the roots of each bulb and lay them on a tray to dry off for about a day. Dust lightly with sulphur to help prevent fungal rot. Store in a dry, cool place until the autumn when they can be planted in their new location.

Our Plant of the Month – Euphorbia

Euphorbias are a vast genus of fully hardy perennials with about 2000 varieties.

The like full sun or partial shade in light, well-drained soil. They are fast growing and flower during April and May with insignificant flowers. It is the bracts which give the colour, ranging from limey yellow to bright orange.

Euphorbia require little care, just cut back the faded flower stems in the autumn. Take care when working with euphorbia as the milky sap is poisonous and can cause skin irritations.

The Euphorbia in our garden is Euphorbia polychroma whose dark green, lance-shaped leaves are topped with a froth of bright, acid yellow spring flowers that form a distinctive star shape. In autumn the foliage turns a lovely shade of bronze.

Below is a selection of Euphorbias on sale at Crocus.co.uk, click on the pictures for more information:

Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’	Euphorbia × martini	Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’	Euphorbia characias Silver Swan (‘Wilcott’)

Photinia fraseri dropping it’s leaves

Question:

I recently moved to the Netherlands. In my new yard I found a Photinia fraseri Camilvy. Over the winter it’s leaves where light green with a few brownish spots. The winter was very cold. I don’t think anybody cut the photinia back last year. Now spring has arrived and new red leaves are growing from the top. The old green leaves turned into beautiful red ones still with the dark spots on and start to fall off one after the other. Is that normal?

Answer:

Photinia fraseri is a very hardy plant and can survive quite low temperatures; the fact that you have had some new growth is a good sign but I think we need to establish if the plant is still alive.

Using your thumb nail gently scrape away a little of the outer surface of some of the stems; if the stem is green underneath then the plant is alive, if it is brown underneath then the stem is dead. Scrape away the surface of several stems as some may be dead and some alive.

If the shrub is alive it may just need rejuvenating; here’s how:

• Wait until the weather warms up and all risk of snow and frost has passed
• Cut all the stems down to around 6ins
• Sprinkle some bone meal on the soil around the plant and water in well
• Add a good 2-3ins of mulch to the surface of the soil; this will help keep in moisture and keep weeds away
• Keep the shrub well watered whilst it is re-establishing itself
• The new growth on Photinia is red so as soon as you see this you know your plant will be OK
• The leaves will turn green as they get older but should stay on the plant throughout the year
• Cutting back each spring or summer will keep the shrub under control and will help it produce the lovely red foliage
• Don’t cut back during the autumn as this new growth is susceptible to frost damage

If all the stems are dead you may still be able to revive the shrub by cutting it back to a few inches and following the procedure above. If new growth doesn’t appear after a couple of weeks then you are as well digging it up and buying a new one.

If you only have a few dead stems remove them from the base and cut back the remaining stems and, again, follow the procedure above.

Here’s a link to an article on Photinia at the RHS which may help you in the future.

How do I take cuttings from Peony and Rhododendron?

Question:

My late father has a Peony Rose and a Rhododendron and I want to take cuttings from these to give to other family members before the house is sold. Can you advise.

Answer:

It is extremely difficult to take cuttings of Peony and are best propagating by division. Carefully clear away the soil around a portion of root and cut pieces away with some root and at least one growth bud for each plant needed. Place into a pot with good quality compost and keep well watered until established.

Rhododendrons are also difficult to root successfully so to give it as much help as possible remove a thin slice of bark near the base of the stem when you take the cutting. Dip the wounded end in hormone rooting compound before potting in a good quality potting compost.

Cuttings should really be taken in the Spring or Autumn so if you can leave it a few weeks before taking yours it would be better. If you have to do it soon then ensure the cuttings get some sort of protection from cold, winds and frost.

Our Plant of the Month – Hamamelis (Witch Hazel)

One of the most spectacular plants in January is Hamamelis or Witch Hazel with the added bonus of brightly coloured leaves during the Autumn. The delicious scent from the spidery flowers is lovely at this time of year; bring a few flowering branches indoors to enjoy them all day long. The flower colours vary from bright yellow, through orange to a deep orange red, they appear in clusters along the bare branches during the winter and remain until the leaves arrive in the Spring. The Witch Hazel is a woodland plant and very low maintenance.

Crocus.co.uk are currently offering four varieties of Hamamelis, one of which is their plant of the month, click here for more information.

Mushrooms in the Lawn

Do you have mushrooms in your lawn?

The mushrooms you find in your lawn are actually helping to decay dead and rotting matter beneath the surface of the lawn with most of the activity taking place under the turf.

Underneath many lawns there are dead or dying tree roots, fallen leaves or thatch as they break down they are taken down by earthworms allowing the relase of nutrients into the soil. This activity is essential for the garden but can have unsightly side affects such as mushrooms growing on the surface of the lawn.

A few mushrooms will not to any harm to the grass but they can easily spread by the dispersal of their spores, or seeds. These spores are easily blown around the garden making the problem worse. However, if the mushrooms are growing under shrubs or in corners of the garden it is best to leave them to do their beneficial work.

As the mushrooms are not doing any harm to the lawn you can leave them if you want but if they are spoiling the look of your lawn then just simply brush them away with a brush as soon as they appear before they have a change to spread their spores.

The important thing to remember is that these are not edible mushrooms and can be poisonous if eaten.

Lawn mushrooms normally appear in damp conditions usually in the Autumn and to stop them taking hold ensure that the lawn is regularly scarified to remove any dead thatch or leaves.

Take a look at our Lawn Care pages for more information on how to look after your lawn.

Tritonia Rubrolucens and Hippeastrum (Amaryllis)

Question:

Could you please tell me how best to deal with the foliage of “Tritunia rudrolucens” and “Hipeastrum advenum”now that the flowers have finally died off, leaving climps of foliage 12 to 18 inches high.

Answer:

Do you mean Tritonia rubrolucens and Hippeastrum (Amaryllis)? If so here is how to deal with each of them. If these are not the plants you are enquiring about could you please double check the spellings and get back to me.

Hippeastrum or commonly known as Amaryllis are usually grown as an indoor plant for Christmas; with some care you can get these to re-flower year after year. Here’s how: stop watering and put the plants in their pots into a frost free place for the summer. They will usually die back within a couple of months but if you want to you can cut back the foliage. Keep them dormant until about October at which time you can bring them into a light position indoors and begin feeding and watering. With a bit of luck they will re-flower for Christmas next year.

Tritonia are similar to Crocosmia but are not very hardy so they should only be grown outdoors in mild area. If yours are outdoors and have started to die back cover the top of the plant with a good layer of mulch to allow them to die back and to keep them warm throughout the rest of the winter. If you grew them indoors then I suggest moving the pots into a frost free shed or greenhouse to let them dry out and for the foliage to die down. You can either leave them as they are until next autumn when you can redress the pots, water and bring indoors to flower. Alternatively, once the plants have dried out remove the compost from around the corms and leave the corms to dry out completely; next autumn re-plant the corms in fresh compost, water and bring indoors.

Types of Plants – Biennials

Biennials are herbaceous plants that complete their life-cycle in two years. Growing in the first year and flowering in the next. Some plants grown as biennials are actually short-lived perennials, they tend to be dug up after flowering because they do not perform well in their second year.

Care: Like Hardy Annuals, Biennials can stand the cold so seeds are sown outdoors in Spring to flower the following Summer and it is important that the soil is not too rich or it will encourage leafy growth instead of lots of flowers.

It is possible to buy two year old plants during Spring which flower that Summer. Clear the ground of all weeds and keep them well watered. Add plenty of well-rotted organic matter when planting and stake tall plants. Deadheading regularly throughout the growing season will encourage more flowers although you may want to leave some flowers to allow them self-seed around the garden and save you some work. In autumn, after flowering and once the plants begin to die down pull them up and put on the compost heap.

Biennials in our Garden: Below is a selection of biennials we had in our garden this year; click the image to Buy your Own

Foxglove Alba

Wallflower Orange Bedder

Sweet William Summer Sundae

Types of Plants – Half Hardy Perennials

Half Hardy Perennials are similar to hardy perennials in that they will also die down in autumn and grow again the following spring, however, they cannot withstand frost so they require to be protected over the winter or taken into a greenhouse.

Care: Plant Half Hardy Perennials in autumn or spring. The site should be well prepared and lots of well-rotted organic matter incorporated, remove all weeds and ensure the soil is well drained, water well before planting and a good layer of mulch.

Deadhead regularly to encourage flowering throughout the season but keep a few heads in place to produce seeds for the following year. Once flowering is over and the plant starts to die back cut back the dead growth to ground level to keep the site tidy and cover with horticultural fleece or a cloche to protect them over the winter. Alternatively dig up the plant, place in a pot and keep in a greenhouse until the risk of frost is passed.

Half Hardy Perennials in our Garden: Below is a selection of hardy perennials we have in our garden; click the image to Buy your Own:

Fancy Leaf Pelargonium

Fuchsia Dancing Flame

Penstemon heterophyllus Heavenly Blue Springs

Types of Plants – Hardy Perennials

Hardy Perennials die down each autumn and grow again the following spring so they can stay in the ground all year and only require to be split every three to five years.

Care: Plant Hardy Perennials in autumn or spring. The site should be well prepared and lots of well-rotted organic matter incorporated, remove all weeds and ensure the soil is well drained, water well before planting and a good layer of mulch.

Apply a general fertiliser in the spring and replace the mulch each Autumn. Deadhead regularly to encourage flowering throughout the season but keep a few heads in place to produce seeds for the following year. Once flowering is over and the plant starts to die back cut back the dead growth to ground level to keep the site tidy.

Hardy Perennials in our Garden: Below is a selection of hardy perennials we have in our garden; click the image to Buy your Ow

Peony ‘Bowl of Beauty’*

Geranium Johnson’s Blue

Japanese anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’*

*Photographs owned by Linda Peppin if you wish to use these photographs in your own work please drop her a line using the contact us link below.

Types of Plants – Half Hardy Annuals

Like Hardy Annuals these plants live for just one season and will die after flowering and setting seed. However, they cannot stand the cold so should be planted out after all risk of frost has passed.

Care: Half Hardy Annuals cannot stand the cold so seeds are sown indoors in Spring and planted out once all the risk of frost has passed. Again it is important that the soil is not too rich or it will encourage leafy growth instead of lots of flowers.

If buying plants during late Spring clear the ground of all weeds and keep them well watered. Add plenty of well-rotted organic matter when planting and stake tall plants.

Deadheading regularly throughout the growing season will encourage more flowers although you may want to leave some flowers to allow them self-seed around the garden and save you some work.

In autumn once the plants begin to die down pull them up and put on the compost heap.

Half Hardy Annuals in our Garden: Below is a selection of half hardy annual we had in our garden this year; click the image to Buy your Own

Impatiens walleriana Envoy Peach Butterfly

Cosmos bipinnatus Psyche White

African Marigold Galore Mixed

Types of Plants – Hardy Annuals

Hardy Annuals are herbaceous plants that live for just one year; they will die after flowering and setting seed and should then be composted.

Care: Hardy Annuals can stand the cold so seeds are sown outdoors in Spring to flower during early Summer and it is important that the soil is not too rich or it will encourage leafy growth instead of lots of flowers.

If buying plants during Spring clear the ground of all weeds and keep them well watered. Add plenty of well-rotted organic matter when planting and stake tall plants.

Deadheading regularly throughout the growing season will encourage more flowers although you may want to leave some flowers to allow them self-seed around the garden and save you some work.

In autumn once the plants begin to die down pull them up and put on the compost heap.

Hardy Annuals in our Garden: Below is a selection of hardy annual we had in our garden this year; click the image to Buy your Own

Nigella damascena Moody Blues

Sweet Pea Mutacana

Annual Poppy Lady Bird

When can I plant Rose Bushes?

Question:

When can I plant out my mini rose bushes.Will they be at risk from frost if I plant them now. I live on the Isle of wight so our winters are quite mild.

Answer:

I would say you would be fine to plant out your roses now, in fact autumn is the best time to plant them.

I wouldn’t prune them until the spring just in case they do get caught in a frost. Deadhead them as needed to keep them looking tidy.

I think the important thing is to ensure that they don’t dry out and that they don’t get waterlogged.

When planting dig a hole twice the depth and width of the rootball and add plenty of well rotted organic matter to the hole. If you have heavy, clay soil then add some grit too.

Once planted water in well and water regularly for the first few weeks even if it rains.

When do you sow Phormium Tenax seeds?

Question:

I have acquired some phormium tenax seed pods. When can I sow the seed?

Answer:

Phormium is a hardy perennial so the seed can be sown in late winter/late spring and late summer/autumn.

To help germination put the seed in the fridge for a 6-8 weeks prior to sowing.

Sow in a mixture of well drained compost and keep damp but not too wet as they are prone to damping off.

The seeds will take between 30 and 180 days to germinate and they can be quite difficult so give them some heat either in a greenhouse or a sunny windowsill.

Gardening expert Geoff Hodge discusses the proper way to prune your garden

With the summers days having come to a close and the autumn winds getting evermore brisk, the time has come to get our gardens ready for winter so they don’t get damaged by wind, rain and snow. But on which side of the fence do you find yourself when it comes to trimming around in the garden? Are you a Barber, constantly snipping away at plants, giving them the proverbial short, back and sides? Or are you a Butcher, desperate to get right to the meat of the plant and hack out as much growth as possible?

We all fall into one of these two camps, and knowing which is the right approach will make a big difference this autumn and even through to next summer, when your plants will thank you for doing it right. There are dozens of different ways to cut back foliage, whether it’s getting rid of dead or dying growth, or pruning for flowering, fruiting or stem and leaf colour, and you can save yourself a lot of time with a quick tutorial from the experts.

Knowledge and skill aren’t all it takes to have the greenest garden – the tools and the confidence are also an essential part of proper pruning. Bosch introduces the world’s first secateur with integrated lithium-ion battery. The Ciso is a lightweight and cordless pruning device which can cut through twigs and branches up to 14mm on average at the press of a button. What’s more it can deliver more than 500 cuts through twigs with a diameter of nine millimetres with one battery charge. For those who have arthritis or RSI, this is the perfect solution to ensure you can get your garden looking its best – all the gain without the pain.

To start you off, check out this video with garden journalist Geoff Hodge as he shows you how and when to prune your garden and avoid it looking like a jungle…

To watch video CLICK HERE or take a look to the right.

You will see in the video that Bosch have introduced the world’s first secateur with integrated lithium-ion battery. The Ciso is a lightweight and cordless pruning device which can cut through twigs and branches up to 14mm on average at the press of a button. What’s more it can deliver more than 500 cuts through twigs with a diameter of nine millimetres with one battery charge. For those who have arthritis or RSI, this is the perfect solution to ensure you can get your garden looking its best – all the gain without the pain. Visit DIY Tools to buy this marvellous new tool.

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