Jobs to do in January

In the Flower Garden:

• Plant bare-root roses, trees and shrubs
• Prune standard roses
• Take hardwood cuttings from shrubs
• Remove dead stems and leaves from perennials
• Tidy grasses

In the Vegetable Garden:

• Fork over empty beds and mix in compost
• Plant fruit trees
• Prune Gooseberry bushes
• Warm up beds for early crops
• Tie raspberry and blackberry canes to support wires

In the Greenhouse:

• Monitor heaters to ensure they are working efficiently
• Take root cuttings of perennials
• Wash greenhouse glass to let in more light
• Water plants when the compost is dry
• Regularly deadhead over-wintering plants

Lawns:

• Continue to 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

General:

• Recycle your Christmas tree
• Order seed potatoes, onion sets and garlic
• Order early from seed catalogues
• Dig compost into empty areas of soil
• Add shredded winter prunings to your compost heap

Now is an ideal time to prevent damage caused by Chafer Grubs

Chafer grubs are the larvae of the chafer beetle.

They can cause problems on any grassed area including lawns by feeding on the roots of grass plants.

The adults range from 9 to 39 mm in length and have different coloured heads and wings cases. The adults emerge between the end of May and July depending on the weather conditions in spring. They may feed on shrubs and trees before laying the eggs into grassed areas.

Larvae hatch about 2 weeks later and begin to feed on grass roots until late September when they move deeper into the soil where they pass the winter. The larvae have white bodies curved in letter C shape, light brown heads, with 3 pairs of legs.When the larvae are small they do not cause much damage to grass unless they are in very high numbers. As they grow bigger, they cause more damage.

Symptoms may appear as straw-coloured weak areas of grass, where the roots have been damaged. In most cases the larvae are discovered when birds or mammals, such as badgers or foxes, begin to rip up areas of the turf looking for the grubs. They are a protein filled delicacy to birds and mammals, which can destroy large areas when looking for them.

It is very difficult to prevent chafer larvae being laid into the lawn. Females prefer moist conditions and so the lawn should not be watered if adults are seen. However, where larvae are present the lawn should be kept well watered to try and counteract the grass from dying through drought due to a weaker root system. In most cases all that can be done is to employ bird and mammal deterrents and tidy up any damage caused.

The larvae can be controlled by removing them by hand or applying a biological nematode, such as Rolawn Chafer Grub Killer, which can be applied from late July until October. Rolawn Chafer Grub killer is specific to the pest concerned therefore safe for the user, children, pets, wildlife and the environment. Click here for further information and to order online from Rolawn Direct.

Looking after your lawn in Summer

Mowing

As temperatures hot up and we move into summer the growth of your lawn may actually start to slow down, mow as and when necessary never taking more than one third of the length of the plant off in any one cut. As always a sharp mower is essential. If temperatures become very hot your lawn will become stressed and it may be necessary to cut back on the frequency of mowing.

Feeding

It will not be necessary to feed your lawn during summer, however a feed with a spring lawn food in late spring will give it everything it needs to see it through the summer.

Watering

Summer is the time when drought can occur and a lawn can turn brown and straw coloured. Before addressing this problem the first thing to say is that well-maintained lawns will invariably recover once the rains return. Good maintenance at other times of the year, aeration and appropriate feeding will help rooting and the lawn’s ability to withstand and recover from periods of drought. If possible, avoidance is better than cure and the only way to prevent drought is to water the lawn. If you can water it is best to do this at the first signs of drought, when the grass is still green but starting to show signs of stress (little growth and a dulling of the normal bright green coloration). If you can water try to do this evenly. Also irrigate at times when the water is more likely to soak in. The general rule here is early morning or in the evening, which probably suits most homeowners. Remember to follow any local regulations when using water in summer. If your lawn does suffer from drought then mow as little as possible, the lawn won’t be growing rapidly and it will stress the lawn unnecessarily.

Broadleaf Weed Treatment

Broad leaved weeds should be treated using a suitable selective herbicide. Alternatively weed them out by hand or using a knife / mechanical weeder remembering to get the root of the weed out.

Enjoy your Lawn

Looking after and maintaining a beautiful lawn is a rewarding experience and past time. The results speak for themselves and are there for all to see. A grass surface is also one of the safest surfaces for you and your family to enjoy.

There are other benefits to having a beautiful lawn for example it is believed that standing barefoot on grass is a multi-sensory experience. It triggers within us deeply rooted associations with the smell and sound of nature and the vision of dense greenery.

Dealing with Lawn Pests

The most common lawn pests, Chafer Grubs and Leatherjackets, can cause significant damage to lawns. If you notice patches of poorly growing, yellowing grass check for signs of grubs feeding on the grass roots. These pests can be easily and safely controlled by applying a suitable nematode based product. Rolawn Chafer Grub Killer should be applied from mid-July through to late October. The optimum time of year to apply Rolawn Leatherjacket Killer is from August through to late October.

This advice comes courtesy of Rolawn Direct

Frosty/Snowy Weather

It seems the whole country has very low temperatures leading to morning frosts, some areas also have snow!

During this cold spell try not to walk in your lawn as it could damage the grass.

Also, leave out water for the birds but check it every morning, defrosting it if necessary.

Tender plants should be covered with fleece or moved into the greenhouse or conservatory.

What can I do to look after my lawn during dry periods?

The UK doesn’t often have long periods of hot weather but when it does, and when hose pipe bans are iminent, our lawns can soon begin looking dry or even dead.

However, all is not lost as during periods of no or low rainfall the grass will stop growing so the first thing you should do it stop mowing and don’t fertilise or use weedkiller. At the first sign of rain the grass will begin to grow again and will soon green up.

Leave it for a couple of weeks before cutting and when you do, lift the cutting height by about half an inch, then continue your normal cutting regime.

If your lawn is very dry and looking stressed it may be as well to prick over the surface of the soil to help any available water penetrate down to the roots.

Looking after your lawn throughout the year will help in times of drought. Take a look at our Lawn Guides for more information or visit Rolawn the turf and lawn experts.

Horsetail / Mare’s tail (Equisetum arvense)

Question:

I hope you can help, My family and I have just moved into a nice house in Kent and look forward to enjoying our new garden especially with our new daughter who is currently 6 months old. The problem I have is that the garden seems to be infested with a strange mushroom like plant. I dont think it is a mushroom though and am worried that it might be of danger to my daughter or pets. The plant/mushroom whatever is brown in colour and had a hard top/cap to it. The seem to be growing everywhere, in the grass, between the house and patio, in gaps in the patio… everywhere really.

Answer:

When I first saw your photographs I was stumped but with a little research I found that it is indeed Horsetail or Mare’s tail (Equisetum arvense). It changes its appearance throughout the year; by summer the “mushroom” looking tops will be replaced with green fir-like stems which you will probably recognise.

It is not a danger to people or animals but it is very difficult to eradicate as it has creeping rhizomes which can go as deep as 2m below the surface and often spreads underground from neighbouring properties or land.

Removal by hand is difficult but you may be able to remove some of the rhizomes growing near the surface with a fork. However the more deeper roots will take a lot of digging and it is worth remembering that if even a small piece of root remains in the ground it will grow on quite quickly. Over a number of years you can reduce the spread by removing young shoots as soon as they appear above the ground. Any growing in your lawn can be kept down by regular mowing.

It is possible to weaken the infestation using weedkiller but you will need to be careful when using near other plants or the lawn. Try weedkillers containing glyphosate, e.g. Roundup or Tumbleweed; applying in late summer when growth is strong. You can also try Glufosinate ammonium, e.g. FITO Garden Weedkiller and Knockdown Weedkiller which may also weaken the root system. In all cases, before using, bruise the shoots to ensure that the weedkiller penetrates effectively and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.

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Butterflies in your Garden

A well designed and maintained garden is a joy but what make a garden complete is to have it full of bird song and the fluttering of butterflies.

There are 58 butterfly species in Britain and by carefully planning your garden you may be lucky enough to see a good number of these in your own garden. There are some essentials to ensure that butterflies will stop to take nectar from your garden, just follow the guidelines below.

Sunshine

You must position your butterfly plants in a warm, sheltered, sunny spot in your garden. Spend some time observing which parts of your garden get the most sunshine for most of the day. Butterflies will rarely feed in a shady area but part shade may suffice

Shelter

As mention above a sheltered spot is preferable as butterflies do not like to be buffeted by the wind.

Overnight Roosts

Grow some climbers and tall shrubs to enable the butterflies to roost overnight well off the ground. Hanging baskets also work well.

Food for Caterpillars

Most butterflies will only lay their eggs on specific plants in order to provide the right food for their caterpillars. Leave a patch of your garden “wild” with some long grass and nettles. Nettles are very popular with Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Red Admiral and Comma butterflies. If you don’t have room in your garden to leave an area “wild” try planting some nettles in a large pot and hide it away in the shrubs

The Right Plant for your Garden

Although there are quite a number of plants which butterflies love, do remember that the plant must also be suitable for your soil type and the aspect of your garden. See our Soil & Compost page for more information on soil types.

Visit our Plants for Butterflies page for a full list of the plants loved by our British Butterflies and the Butterfly Year to see which butterflies will visit your garden each month of the season.

Removing Turf

Question:

I want to remove a small area of grass and and cover with slate can you advise me on how to do this the area is about 7 foot in a circular shape.

Answer:

The easiest way to do this is by cutting straight through the turf with a sharp spade to a depth of about 2 inches making individual pieces about the size of your spade. Once done slip the spade under the edge of the turf with a sharp motion. This should bring each small piece of turf up in one go without having to go back over the same area.

If you have an edging spade (see left) then this makes the cutting easier, then use a normal garden spade for lifting.

If you have a spare area in the garden you can make really good loam for use on your planting beds. Lay the first few pieces of turf grass-down in your chosen area. Lay the next few pieces soil-down on top of the first layer then lay the third layer grass-down on top of the second. Build it up until all the turf has been used. Leave it for a few months, keeping it damp, and you should end up with a pile of lovely compost!

Preparing your lawn for spring

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.

The timing of the first cut tends to fall in March, however this could be early or late March and should be judged by the lawn itself, not just the time of year. If it actively growing, it is time to start mowing.The frequency of mowing should also be judged by the rates of growth. In March, you may get away with once every two weeks but in April the required frequency is more likely to be weekly.

It is very important in early spring that you set the mowing height quite high taking no more that one quarter of the length of the plant off at a time otherwise the lawn will become stressed. A little and often approach is better in spring. As the grass grows faster as we move further into spring, increase the mowing frequency and gradually reduce the height of cut to give the desired finish. When you lower the cutting height, we recommend mowing the lawn at least three times before changing the height again.

Applying a Spring Lawn Food to encourage adequate, but not excessive growth is one of the more important tasks for spring. Healthy growth in spring will aid recovery from the winter and help the lawn remain in peak condition for the summer.

Apply Rolawn GroRight Spring Lawn Food in early spring, once the grass has started to grow and needs regular cutting, and then again six weeks later. The timing may vary in different parts of the country and from one year to the next.

The ideal conditions for applying a feed are when the soil is moist and the grass leaves are dry.

For further spring lawn care advice click here.

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.

Lawn Weedkiller

Question:

I would like to know a weed killer that kills weeds on lawns but not the grass.

Answer:

There are several products available from garden centres or DIY stores such as B&Q. Here are a couple from Gardening Direct, click the links to find out more or to order online:

Verdone Extra Lawn Weedkiller – Weedkiller to control broad-leaved weeds in lawns without harming the grass. One treatment gives season long control and is effective on difficult to control weeds like White Clover, Lesser Trefoil and Black Medick as well as the more easily controlled Dandelion, Daisy, Plantain and Common Mouse Ear.

EverGreen Feed and Weed – This granular lawn feed includes weedkiller to keep your lawn healthy and looking good. Effective against a wide range of broad-leaved weeds.

Plant your Spring Flowering Bulbs

Now is the time to plant your spring flowering bulbs.

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.

There are bulbous plants for lots of different situations but nearly all require good drainage and many thrive in sunny sites. Many bulbous plants are threatened in the wild so it is important to buy bulbs from cultivated sources such as Crocus.co.uk which has a great range of colourful, healthy Spring Flowering Bulbs.

When planting incorporate well-rotted organic matter and a balanced fertiliser. Bulbs generally need planting quite deep; the general rule is three times their own depth. However, if you get the depth wrong most bulbs will pull themselves down into the ground using special, contractile roots. If you’re planting bulbs in heavy soil, add grit to the bottom of the hole to ensure good drainage.

A few bulbs prefer shallow planting. Plant Madonna lilies (Lilium candidum) with the tip of the bulb just showing above ground. Lay Crown Imperials (Fritillaria imperialis) on their sides so that water can’t collect in their hollow centre and make them rot.

Deadhead regularly and apply a low nitrogen, high potassium fertiliser in subsequent years. Lift and divide if they become overcrowded.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Allium cristophii – Star of Persia
Huge globes of small star-shaped, pinkish-purple flowers appear in summer above narrow, grey-green leaves. In bloom these fabulous globes – up to 20cm (8in) in diameter – have a metallic sheen. The faded flowerheads hold up well in the border and are useful for dried flower arrangements. Perfect for a sunny site, dotted in small groups among ornamental grasses, or as part of a Mediterranean scheme. Alliums look best planted between medium-sized herbaceous plants, which help to mask the strap-like leaves, which fade by the time the flowers appear.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ – Dutch Garlic
Dense, rich-purple globes held high on erect stems above strap-like, mid green leaves appear in early summer. They look spectacular grouped in a pot, or in a sunny border, dotted in groups among ornamental grasses, or as part of a Mediterranean scheme. Alliums look best planted between medium-sized herbaceous plants, which help to mask the strap-like leaves, which fade by the time the flowers appear.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Allium sphaerocephalon – round-headed leek
Small, egg-shaped, claret-coloured flowerheads appear like drumsticks on tall, slender stems above strap-like, mid-green leaves in mid to late summer. Planted en masse in a border in full sun, these diminutive claret flowers look great emerging from a screen of foliage, or against a backdrop of ornamental grasses. They gently fade as summer comes to a close.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Anemone blanda blue-flowered – winter windflower blue-flowered
This is a wonderful plant that produces cheerful, daisy-like flowers in shades of blue and purple in March and April. These are perfect plants for naturalising in a mixed border around the base of deciduous shrubs, or adding spring colour to the edge of a woodland garden. For maximum impact, plant in bold drifts in September or October, and if happy, they should spread quite quickly.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Crocus chrysanthus ‘Cream Beauty’
Rich-cream goblets with brown flushes and deep golden-yellow throats, emerge in February and March amid slender, strap-shaped, mid green leaves. These spring-flowering crocuses are perfect for naturalising in sunny, well-drained areas of the lawn. Relatively vigorous, they soon form large colonies, which can be divided in early autumn for use in other parts of the garden.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Fritillaria meleagris – snake’s head fritillary
Pretty, pendent, white and pinkish-purple bells with distinctive checkerboard markings on slender stems in April and May. These delightful snake’s head fritillaries are perfect for naturalising in a moist woodland edge or wildflower garden. It’s essential to select a site where the soil remains moist in summer.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Galanthus nivalis ‘Viridapice’ – snowdrop
A taller variety with a distinctive, long spathe which looks like the flowers have a hood. This is a good choice for those looking for a slightly more unusual snowdrop, or those wanting to add to their collection as it is still quite rare. Both the inner and outer petals are white, but have green markings which make them look as if they have been painted with a brush.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Woodstock’ – Hyacinth
A fabulous hyacinth with deep magenta-purple blooms that are delicately scented. Plant in mixed beds in the garden or in pots on the patio so you can move them around for best effect. A great colour for mixing with deep purples or plum shades to create a ‘bruised’ border.

Browse the full range of Spring Flowering Bulbs from Crocus.co.uk

Make your own Compost

Composting can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it and the best part is that it can consist of any organic material that we all have access to every single day from the lawn, the garden, and the kitchen.

You can even re-cycle the leaves which fall during Autumn to make wonderful leafmould which is an ideal soil improver.

Compost is what happens when leaves, grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps, woodchips, straw, and small twigs are combined, then allowed to break down into a soil-like texture. Compost introduces and feeds diverse life in the soil, including bacteria, insects, worms, and more which support vigorous plant growth.

Compost is multi-faceted but not intended as a fertilizer. It offers only a relatively low proportion of nutrients, yet what it does is close to magical. In its finished form as mulch, it reduces evaporation, reduces or prevents weed growth, and insulates the soil from extreme temperature changes. Mulch also keeps the upper inches of the soil cooler in daytime and warmer at night.

Regardless of the particular ingredients, making compost is akin to making bread or beer; soil-digesting bacteria like yeasts need warmth, moisture, air and something to feed on to keep them alive and growing. Almost all of the practical problems associated with making compost stem from too much or too little of those basic factors.

Compost is created from layers of grass clippings, leaves, weeds, kitchen scraps and, if available, farm animal manure. If you have meat eaters in your home, don’t use their meat scraps as they will attract rodents. Also, do not use litter from your dog or cat; it doesn’t break down properly and contains too many pathogens.

Over the years, composting has gotten a reputation for being a time-consuming job, but this is not necessarily the case. You don’t need to build a big box or turn the pile every so often. A barrel, a hole in the ground or a pile on top of the ground is satisfactory.

The important requirement is to be sure the waste material is covered with soil, so it doesn’t attract rats, other rodents or flies. You can build your layers directly on the ground, without any frame at all; if you use a container, be sure it is well ventilated.

The trick to successful compost is balancing ingredients high in nitrogen; fresh grass clippings, other fresh, green plant matter, most kitchen scraps – with those high in carbon; leaves, straw, dried grass, washed eggshells, wheat germ or other milled grains that have become too rancid or old to use, and any dried, brown plant matter. Too much nitrogenous matter yields an anaerobic, smelly pile. Too much carbonaceous matter results in a pile that never heats up. The ideal ratio is one part nitrogen to three parts carbon.

Start with a layer of small twigs, no large branches, a couple of inches deep; this will help your pile to breathe. Then, keeping in mind the 1 to 3 ratio of nitrogen to carbon, add a layer of mixed plant material. You may enrich the pile with horse or cow manure. These materials don’t break down; they simply add nutrients to the final product. Then lightly water the pile so it’s evenly moist. Too much water will interfere with aeration; too little water and the pile won’t ferment. If your pile sits in the open, you should cover it if heavy rains are forecast. An 8-inch layer of straw mulch spread over the top of the pile serves the same purpose.

Alternate layers until the pile is 5 feet high by 5 feet wide by whatever length you choose. A properly made pile that is loosely packed and well aerated will reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees within a few days. It should smell like wet hay. If the pile fails to heat up, pull it apart and redo it by adding layers of fresh green matter. If the pile becomes anaerobic (is too wet to aerate), pull it apart, let it dry out, use it as mulch and start a new pile.

After three weeks, the pile will have shrunk in size; this is normal. Dig into the pile with a fork and completely turn it over until the contents are redistributed; the idea is to put unfermented particles in contact with those that are further along. Let the pile rest, so the temperature will rise again. Turn it a second time five weeks later, let it rest a few weeks and, with luck, you’ll have a rich, crumbly pile of “black gold.”

Leylandii Hedge

Question:

I have just moved into a new house and there is a 20 foot high leylandii hedge down one whole side of the garden.  The bottom is a bit sparse, and I really want to plant a border in front of it.  Can you please give me any advice about what plants would survive?

Answer:

Leylandii are a nuisance in the garden as they grow very quick and if not kept in check can soon take over a whole garden!

It is extremely difficult to grow anything under a hedge, particularly leylandii as they remove so much moisture from the soil.

I would not advise trying to plant a border under the hedge as the shade and lack of moisture means that not much is likely to grow there successfully.

I would plant up pots to provide colour and interest, just place them under the hedge and keep them well watered.

Try planting a few pots with spring flowering bulbs layering different types to get a succession of flowering e.g. daffodils in the lower layer, followed by tulips, then crocus or iris; anything that takes your fancy will do. Once flowering is over these pots can be moved into a corner out of the way until next spring. Replace them by pots full of summer bedding plants.

For all year background interest you could have your evergreens and grasses; conifers also do well in pots and their size is kept in check.

A good plant for autumn interest is Skimmia, they don’t mind low light and are great in pots. click here to see a selection from Crocus

Low Maintenance Flower Beds

Question:

Our local council have decided to grass over four of the flower beds along our road due to cost cutting. They have said that they will consider alternative use of the beds i.e. monument or alternate designs. It has to be low maintenance and be appropriate for the seaside setting as the cliffs are about 200yards away. Can you offer any design ideas or websites that I can use to get advice.

Answer:

Hello, thank you for your email. What a shame you council have decided to remove the flower beds. However, I think one solution that would work well in terms of location and minimal maintenance is to produce gravel gardens. Basically they can remove existing planting and check that the soil is sandy and free draining, if not they can mix in a good quantity of gravel. Add sheets of weed suppressing membrane then top off with gravel and some decorative boulders, stones, driftwood etc. For planting they should use grasses as they will look good for most of the year and only need cutting back once a year, usually in the spring.

I suppose if this is thought to be too much maintenance they can just plant one or two (depending on the size of the beds) pampas grasses in each bed. They require little or no maintenance and can be quite impressive when in full flower.

Another idea, although not exactly coastal in design is to use prostrate woody plants such as Cotoneaster horizontalis, Cotoneaster dammeri, Pyracantha (instead of training it against a wall let it spread along the ground). These plants will soon cover a large area and once establish require no maintenance at all. If a weed suppressing membrane is laid before planting then the weeds should be kept away until the plants establish. An added bonus is that the berries in autumn will feed the local garden birds and the flowers in spring attract butterflies and bees. The links are to Crocus.co.uk to show you what the plants look like.

Questions for November 2007

Question:

I live in a very mossy area and found last year that my 30 year old very productive asparagus bed was completely covered in moss. I raked off as much as was possible but this year it has unsurprisingly returned. I have again raked off but clearly shall be left with no soil if I continue in this way. Any suggestions please as to a moss kill product I could now apply (the fern has been cut down to less than an inch above the ground – (might lawn sand be suitable?) and also how I might deal with the bed from now on to minimise moss formation in future? (I do not feel I should just leave the moss on the bed hoping that the asparagus will continue to crop through it. Would this be a sensible option?)

Answer:

This is quite a difficult problem. Firstly I would say not to use any type of moss killer on the bed as the risk to the asparagus is too great. I assume that the soil conditions are ideal for your asparagus otherwise they would not have lasted so long, however, moss loves damp ground. If it is possible to improve the drainage of the bed without disturbing the asparagus you may find this helps in the longer term. In the short term you could try removing the moss by hand then adding mulch, replacing or topping it up every year. The uneven surface of the mulch is less appealing to the moss than the smoothness of bare soil.

Question:

We have 1/2 acre, was a field. Wet and clay, windy site. We tried planting as a wet meadow but got inundated with weeds and thistles. Is there anything we can plant which would take up the wet and cope with wind? Preferably not grass!

Answer:

I would be tempted to build a good sized natural pond and plant the surrounding area with moisture loving and bog plants. You could use the excavated soil to build a mound which could be turned into a wild flower meadow or add some grit and grow non-moisture loving plants. I have found a great article from English Nature which tells you all about ponds and native plants http://www.english-nature.org.uk/pubs/publication/pdf/GardenPonds.pdf. My own article also has some ideas together with selected suppliers of aquatic merchandise which may also help. http://gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/Articles/aquatic_gardening.htm

Questions for August 2007

Question:

I bought a lavender tree lavandula dentata I planted about 6weeks ago it does say its hare had only the odd night of frost but don t expose to prolonged frost we have had only the odd night of frost since I bought it I have noticed today there are one or two brown spikes on it and the rest seem to be drooping I have given it a feed of miracle grow rose and shrub food I am been unduly concerned will it perk up when the weather gets warmer and is there any thing I can specifically do to help it.

Answer:

Unfortunately Lavandula dentate (French Lavender) is not hardy in the UK so should be kept indoors during the winter. You could try bringing it in now, keeping it warm for the next few weeks to see if it perks up. Don’t cut off the brown spikes just yet. If you still have some green growth by the end of April then prune it back before placing outdoors for the summer. Be careful not to prune into any old or brown woody parts of the plant as it will never re-grow from these areas.

Question:

I would like to know if I could put my magnolia in a container as I am moving house and the garden is all slabs, it is around 2 to 3 years old and around 4 foot.

Answer:

My mum has successfully grown her magnolia in a pot for years and it always looks good. I assume it is in the ground at the moment so you will have to carefully lift it ensuring you don’t damage the roots. Make sure it doesn’t dry out before placing it in as large a pot as possible. Put lots of crocks in the bottom to help drainage and add a slow release fertilizer to the soil around the plant. Each year top off the plant with new compost and / or manure to keep the soil well fed. You may find it goes into shock this year but it should be OK by next year’s flowering season. You will find that the plant won’t grow as big as it would if it was in the ground and it may not live as long either.

Question:

I currently live in West Sussex and do hope that you can give me some advice on the Meyers lemon tree that I purchased last year. You see I am new to the way of gardening here in England, as I spent most of my gardening life in the tropical area of South Africa where it never gets really cold. As I have already mentioned I purchased a lemon tree, which I put into a huge pot on my patio, but now I see that during the course of winter it has lost all its leaves and a lot of the tips of the branches have gone brown. I did not place it indoors, as I do not have the strength to be lugging it around – nor did I cover it with anything. My question is do I throw the tree away or do you think it will pick up again in spring.

Answer:

Unfortunately citrus plants will not survive outside during an English winter. However, having said that, if you have not had a hard frost and it’s in a sheltered position then you may get away with it. I wouldn’t give up on it just yet. Buy some horticultural fleece (available from garden centres or the larger DIY stores, cover it for the rest of the winter and make sure it doesn’t get too wet. If it’s survived you should see new leaves appearing when the weather warms up during April/May.

Question:

Can you please tell me any plants besides Aubrietia that you can plant in the top of a walled raised bed to hang over or to plant vertically in the wall?

Answer:

Please find below some suggestions. Most of these are alpines and do require a well drained soil. Cerastium (Snow-in-summer) – colour: white Iberis (Candytuft) – colour: white Linaria (Toadflax) – colour: various – there is an upright version of this too Saponaria (Soapwort) – colour: pink. You could also consider planting a nice coloured, small leaved ivy to trail down and plant some low growing alpines, such as Thrift to add some height. If you don’t mind a bit of work you could consider planting trailing geraniums or other colourful annuals each year.

Question:

Our neighbours have just built an extension, the side wall of which overlooks our back garden. Unfortunately, a variety of bricks have been used and they haven’t been spaced out very well with the result that the wall overlooking our back garden is unsightly and also oppressive. We would like a fast growing plant which would hide the wall. The wall goes up to 310 cm in height. Please could you advise us as to what would be the best plant to hide this wall and which would grow quickly?

Answer:

My ideal would be ivy. There are lots of different varieties giving you a wide selection of leaf sizes and colours which are evergreen. Once established it is extremely fast growing and also has the benefit of being able to climb without support and will grow in any situation. The other is the Montana range of Clematis which again is very fast growing and has the extra benefit of fragrant flowers in the spring. However you will need to erect some sort of support structure such as trellis or wires before planting. A sunny site will give the best results. Which ever plant you choose make sure you don’t plant it too close to the wall as it won’t be able to get as much water as it needs. If you go to my Plant your Garden page http://gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/Articles/planting.htm.  You will see an advert from Crocus. If you click the Climbers box you will be able to enter some information about the location and features required and receive a number of suggestions back.

Question:

I’ve got a question about holly trees that you might be able to answer for me…! As you know – you need male and female holly for the female plant to produce berries, but do the male and female plant need to be the same variety?? I have a silver queen (male) and a golden king (female) – will I get berries from this??

Answer:

I have double checked and you only need to have one male holly, of any variety, to pollinate several female plants of any variety. Therefore the two you have will do fine; the female plant will produce the berries, not the male. If you’d like more berries you could buy another female variety.

Question:

I am the General Manager of a psychiatric unit in London. We have recently built a secure steel balcony to provide additional outdoor space to one of our first floor wards. The construction is a ‘metal cage’ with a very raw look to it and I would appreciate it if you could give me some ideas on the types of plants we would use to brighten up the area. The balcony is south facing and I would preferably like ones that are easy to manage and stay evergreen so there is colour all year round. Have you any suggestions. The main problem is that for safety reasons we can not use climbing plants as patients could use these to climb up and fall, we can not use plants that have poisonous leaves or berries as patients could eat these and we are unable to use plants that have sharp edges as patients may use these to self harm or ones that attract bees in case of allergic reaction to possible bee stings. In addition, we would require the plants to be in pots that are too heavy for a patient to lift in case they throw them. As you can see from a non-gardeners point of view I am struggling to find the appropriate plants and your assistance and advice would be very welcome.

Answer:

I’ve come up with some ideas and attach an outline of a plan which may be of interest. My first thought was to fit a bench across the left-hand 2.4m section. This could be attached to the balcony and would allow seating for a few people. I have also left room for quite a large table and six chairs. Your idea of galvanized containers screwed into the patio seems a good idea and I’ve found a couple of sites which may be able to provide them. and http://shop.theurbangarden.co.uk/product_select.asp?prtID=49&d=planters. The alternative is to have a raised bed built into the corner which is also attached to the balcony as per my plan. You could have it built as one big “box” or if you had six separate boxes they could be tiered so that the outermost ones are lower than the top ones. This would provide more interest and allow for plants to cascade the corners of each “box”. As for plants. My initial thought is to use Herbs. These are usually soft and are, of course, edible. For added interest I thought a few grasses. I have found a few examples of my thoughts on Crocus.co.uk and have attached a link to their page so you can find out a little more about them. Fennel (especially Bronze which is a lovely colour) these grow to about 1.8m but not very wide so you could fit in quite a few. They are light and move with the wind giving a feeling of movement. I find it best to snip off the flowers to avoid them going to seed and ruining the look. Also, they will die down for the winter but this also means it doesn’t take over. To compliment the colour and movement of the Fennel I thought a few soft grasses would be nice. They tend to give great autumn colour and if left over the winter they provide structure and look nice when frosted. They will have to be cut back to allow the new growth through but it’s not a hard job. Here are a couple of examples. For an evergreen look I think Rosemary would be good. They can grown quite big so may need keeping in check but they are very hardy and don’t require much maintenance. They are usually a rich dark green with lavender/blue flowers during the summer. To compliment the rosemary how about Lavender. There are lots of varieties around but you need to have a good hardy one to see you through the winters. To break-up the front of the containers/bed I suggest planting a few “lesser” periwinkles. These come in white, lilac or purple in lots of different shades. The leaf colours also differ so you could find one you like. The “greater” periwinkles have bigger flowers and grow too big and fast for containers. Just tuck them into the corners of each “box” and let them hang down. They do spread so you may need to pull them up to avoid them taking over the whole container. Finally, I thought the little space near the entrance could do with something. Mint is a great herb but extremely invasive so it is ideal in its own container. There are lots available, such as pineapple mint and apple mint so again you should find some you like. They will die down for the winter but will come back each spring. Regardless of the containers you use you will have to ensure that there is adequate drainage in the bottom. Punch some holes in the base of the containers and lift them slightly off the floor. To help the drainage and keep the weight down fill the bottom of the containers with a good layer of polystyrene which you get in packaging. Use good quality compost and add some vermiculite which will also help keep the weight down but will also aid drainage. I would also add a slow release fertilizer and some water-retaining granules. You won’t be able to use hard mulch so I would top off the planting with a good layer of well-rotted manure. This will help retain moisture, keep weeds down and add goodness to the soil. Each autumn you should add another layer.

Plant of the Month for June

Our Plant of the Month Papaver orientale or Oriental Poppy produces delicate flowers from May to July above bristly, grey-green leaves. The flower colours vary from white, through pink to red.

They are a fast-growing plant and easy to grow, the pale papery flowers contrast especially well with purple foliage plants such as Heuchera.

 

Try it alongside grasses or late summer-flowering perennials, such as dahlias, which will provide interest when the plant has died back.

They take little care just cut back to ground level after flowering and lift and divide large clumps in autumn.

They prefer full sun and moist, well-drained soil and are fully hardy. If you don’t want them to take over the whole border, dead head before the plant sets seed.

 

BUY NOW!

 

Here are a selection of Oriental Poppies from Crocus.co.uk

click here to find out more or to go shopping

 

Papaver orientale ‘Karine’	Papaver orientale ‘Beauty of Livermere’	Papaver orientale ‘Patty’s Plum’	Papaver orientale ‘Perry’s White’

Planting under a Leylandii Hedge

Question: I need some advice on a stretch of garden outside my back door. It measures about 3.6m from kitchen step to neighbour’s fence. On the neighbour’s side there is a row of leylandii about 10ft high on our side there is a narrow shaped bed border by a gravel path. There are few plants struggling to grown in the bed with the exception of a rhodedendron. The stretch of garden is east facing. I wanted to know if it would be best to get rid of the narrow shaped bed and extend the gravel path up to the fence and then plant up pots with shrubs and climbers in order to disguise the fence. If I were to keep the bed, what plants would suit that position as it is quite dry and only gets about 2 hours dappled sun a day. Would grasses and evergreens thrive. Answer: Leylandii are a nuisance in the garden as they grow very quick and if not kept in check can soon take over a whole garden! It is extremely difficult to grow anything under a hedge, particularly leylandii as they remove so much moisture from the soil. The fact that your bed only gets a couple of hours sunshine a day is also a problem. I would get rid of the bed and extend the gravel up to the fence and, as you suggest, plant up pots to provide colour and interest. You will still have a problem with low light levels but most do plants are OK in pots for a few years. Try planting a few pots with spring flowering bulbs layering different types to get a succession of flowering e.g. daffodils in the lower layer, followed by tulips, then crocus or iris; anything that takes your fancy will do. Once flowering is over these pots can be moved into a corner out of the way until next spring. Replace them by pots full of summer bedding plants. For all year background interest you could have your evergreens and grasses; conifers also do well in pots and their size is kept in check. A good plant for autumn interest is Skimmia, they don’t mind low light and are great in pots. click here to see a selection from Crocus There aren’t many climbers which will survive against the fence but ivy should be OK and will give your gravel area an evergreen backdrop. There are lots of different ivy available, click here to see a selection from Crocus.

Laying a New Lawn

Question:My garden is in a bad way grass wise and I want to rotavate it and put down new turf, when is the best time to do it. Also the garden is used a lot by children and a golden lab bitch what is the best turf to use? Answer: The best time to lay a new lawn is autumn or early spring so your timing is good. I’d wait until the worst of the frost is over and the weather isn’t too wet. The important thing to remember when laying a lawn is that the soil should be well prepared, level and firm. Firm the soil by treading over the whole area very evenly then just rake over the top to loosen it slightly. Leave like this for a couple of weeks for weeds to germinate then apply a weed killer to get rid of them. This will avoid problems later. http://gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/Articles/Lawns/lawns_home.htm The link above will take you to my lawn page which may help you a bit more. If you are using turf as opposed to sowing seed then you may be best asking your supplier which is the most hardwearing. You can usually buy cultivated turf which is good quality but can be expensive or normal meadow turf which is a lot cheaper. There are several sites on-line which look good – Turfland have a few varieties and tell you about the different qualities. If you go to my homepage http://www.gardeningregister.co.uk/ you will find a Google search box. Enter the word Turf for a selection of suppliers. Don’t buy your turf too soon so that it doesn’t dry out. Leave it standing for no longer than 2-3 days. As for dogs, I’m afraid bitches can make a bit of a mess of lawns. The only way I know around it is to hose off the area if you see her at it.