What to do in Frebruary and March

The first signs of spring are starting to add colour in our gardens and parks. Crocus, snow drops and daffodils among others are emerging from earth. Slightly longer days allow us to spend a bit more time in the garden when is not too cold.

Now, we should start looking after our tools before the big season starts. They must be in need of some cleaning and lubricating.

Spring flowering srubs as Wisteria should have its new shoots cut back to two buds length from the main stem to encourage blossoming. Now that there are not leaves around this task is achieved more comfortably.

The same applies to Hydragea paniculata. It is the right moment to cut them back to two or three buds length stems from ground level and eliminate any weak growth that could shade its beauty.

Prune also summer flowering srubs. And, prune heathers and winter flowering srubs lightly.

Eliminate any dead growth from your perennials. Some you might have to cut back to ground level.

Autumn colours

Heathers, red berry bushes such as Pyracantha coccinea and shades of yellow and orange Acers and Oaks announce that the autumn has arrived.

Now it is time to plant some autumn and winter bedding such as Cyclamen,  Viola, Pansy and Primrose.

Spring flowering bulbs should be available in your nursery to make a splash of colour next spring.

Autumn is also the time to add new favourites or renovate plants in your garden or border.

It is important to remove dead material in order to avoid diseases and future plagues.

Getting ready for summer

It is time to hang out your flower baskets and window boxes. Go to your favourite nursery and buy some lovely summer flowers.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast just in case but we should be safe from frost. For those reading from warmer places, it could be a good moment to install an irrigation system if you haven't got one yet or checking it (especially for limescale deposits that can cause blockages) for good performance.

Tomorrow is going to be a nice warm day in London. Take advantage of it and make your garden shine - or sunbathe and have a barbecue! ;).

Spring boxes

As the days get longer and snow drops, tulips and crocus announce the spring it is time to get your window boxes ready. Summer plants will start to be available at the end of May. Until then we can enjoy other plants and blossoms.

 

You are still on time to get some bulbs to make your window boxes or planter displays more interesting. Mixing them with seasonal and perennial plants will give your containers dynamism. Just when you start to get used to the sight of your pot some new blossoms will show.

There is a variety of evergreen perennial plants to combine with seasonal flowers to allow for different colours and textures ex: Aucubas, Euonymus, aromatic plants, etc.

Aucuba leaves

Winter Tips

If you are lacking colour in the garden, then why not get some of that colour with a winter flowering container to keep you smiling until spring.

Make sure to feed your flowering plants with potassium rich fertiliser to guarantee a long colourful display over winter.

You can also rely for some colour in your interior plants. And if you have a good spot for your geraniums at home they will keep blossoming!

Remember to avoid sources of heat ex. Radiators underneath or next of your plants. Freshness is usually good.

 

If you haven’t done it yet, is time to mulch your half hardy perennials using straw or bark. Remember that the mulching should be around 10 cm deep to be effective. 

Alternatively, you could use a thick layer of leaves from other shrubs in your garden. It is also important to give some protection to foliage against frost covering those plants with a frost resistant material ex. Fleece. You could ask in your garden centre about the options that they have available.

Don’t just drop the material on top. It should have some kind of structure to allow space for the plant and air circulation.

Autumn and Winter Window Box and Planter Ideas

As our hopes for an Indian Summer fall and the unavoidable change of season threatens with killing our seasonal Summer displays and non-hardy perennials, it is time to think about the future and our new window box or container displays.

Red Lonicera's berries

If you have the space or the intention to keep some of your non-hardy perennials this is the moment to get organised with the space and materials that you are going to need to provide over winter shelter to you lovely plants.

It also time to think about what colours and plants you would like to use for your autumn and/or winter display. And, of course, also time of choosing those lovely bulbs for an early spring display. Autumn is the planting period for ornamental onions, crocus, hyacinths, narcissus, tulips and trumpet daffodils that will flower in Spring.

Blue bells

 

Window boxes are versatile and the colours will light up your home with a welcoming feeling. They can be filled with plants (real or artificial), branches (dogwood, viburnum, holly, etc) and other decorative materials or even fruits ex: Pumpkins, pine cones, etc.

Red Phyracantha berries in autumn/fall

 

So tidy up your garden and get ready for the new season!

Slug and Snail Control

As the Summer is coming to a end we have less work in our ornamental gardens. Snails and slugs have had wonderful meals during the wet summer months.

There are few things that we can do to protect our plants from them while looking after the environment:

1. When choosing seasonal plants try to get those les sensitive to their attacks. Ex: those that have thicker leaves and velvety leaves as they don’t enjoy them in the same way. I know this can limit our choices a lot but you could always mix them with other plants taking the risk for half of the display and not all of it.

 

2. There is available in gardening shops and also on line snail copper tape. In this case, one needs to measure the perimeter of the pot just before its ridge. Then, cut one of the sides of the tape in zig-zag shape like if you were trying to make a crown. Finally, stick it on the pot at the same high that you had measured before with the lineal side facing upwards.

3. Try to attract them to a beer can, although you will kill them using this option.

 

4. Some people advise to put the pots on top of gravel or broken shells. As far as I am concern this option doesn’t stop them from success.

5. There are also pellets that would kill them but please consider any other option before this one as it could harm beneficial wildlife ex: Hedgehogs.

 In my opinion, it is a matter of trying to keep the big weapons for extreme situations and avoid chemical products as much as we can. This is part of something called Integrated Control of Pests or Integrated Pests Management.