Gardening Jobs for This Week

The weather is looking a bit unsettled this week, therefore it might be a bit tricky trying to get anything done in the garden. There is one job that can be carried out indoors when the rain is on and this is to make a bug box. A bug box will encourage a range of insects into the garden including bees, ladybirds and lacewings. The bug box will give the insects somewhere to hibernate and provide some shelter. These boxes are very easy to build and will only take up to about two hours to construct. These are a great idea for people who want to look after wildlife in their own garden area and make the most of the balance between beneficial insects and the garden pests.

In a flower garden this week the jobs which should be on the to-do list include to give support to young delphinium by tying them and this will help with the growth. Sow hardy annual flower seeds directly into the beds where you would like them to grow. Roses should be starting to get watered on a regular basis especially if they are vulnerable to disease. Life and divide the clumps of hemerocallis.  Take time to secure clematis shoots that are emerging so that they have a bit of support and take care not to snap the fragile stems.

In the fruit and vegetable garden this week the jobs which you should be tackling is to plant the herbs into decorative plants whilst keeping them close to the house so that they can easily be reached. If you are growing early potatoes pull up soil around the shoots that are developing. Start sowing salad crops and this should be a regular job with about three weeks in between the sowings so that they can regularly be picked. If you have leggy rosemary bushes them take some time to trim them as this will promote new bush growth. Take time to sow seeds for lettuce, salad leaves, spinach, rocket, radish, watercress, cauliflower, mizuna, cabbage and Brussel sprouts.

The jobs that should be on the to-do list for the greenhouse this week are to prick out petunia seedling after they have developed two true leaves. Sow runner beans and French beans into pots. Take time to put up shade netting if the sun is hot and the conditions are warm. Plant up patio pots and hanging baskets with summer bedding. Purchase young plants of nerines, agapanthus and tulbaghia for growing in pots to give some summer colour. Take some time to regularly check plants for any signs of pests and hang up yellow sticky traps amongst plants to catch flying pests and whitefly.    

There is some other jobs that could be tackled around the garden this week and take time to mow the lawn on a regular basis and gradually lower the height of the cut as the spring progresses. Use weedkiller to treat any problems weeds such as brambles and nettles.  Tidy up hedges in the garden however before cutting them, take time to ensure that there is no birds nesting in it. Have some large sheets of fleece nearby which you can use to protect the plants from frost (this is certainly advisable with the current unpredictable weather). Build log piles at the back of borders so that garden wildlife have somewhere to shelter. Rake up any dead leaves that are in the garden.  

This Week In The Garden

One of the main jobs that need to be done in the garden this week is to pinch out the fuchsias. One of the best ways to get a good amount of bushy growth and a lot of flowers is to regularly pinch out the tips. This will encourage the side shoots and strengthen the growth in order to support the weight of the summer flowers. The pinching out should be done about three or four times between spring and early summer as this will give the best results. This job should take about five minutes per plant.

In the flower garden this week the jobs that you should be looking at doing are to plant out perennials in groups of either three, five or seven to maximise the effect. Sprinkle some fertiliser around tulips in order to boost the amount of flowering. This week you should be trying to get hardy annual plants sown directly into the beds where you would like them to flower. Take time to prune Himalayan honeysuckle and remove dead flower hears from the spring bulbs. Take some time to also protect emerging shoots of lupins and delphiniums from pests such as slugs and this can be done by using a barrier such as copper tape or garlic granules around the pots.

In the fruit and vegetable garden this week the jobs that should be tackled are to sow sweetcorn into deep seed trays and keep them under cover ready to plant in June. Give some feed to bushes and fruit trees. Plant out onions and grow them in pots underneath glass. Potatoes and asparagus crowns should also be planted out. Use polythene sheets or cloches to cover the soil to get it warm for sowing early crops. The other crops that should be sown this week if the conditions are suitable include beetroot, turnips, parsnips, peas, onions, mangetout, lettuce, broad beans, salad leaves, radish, spinach, mizuna, rocket, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussel sprouts.    

In the greenhouse this week you should be looking at getting young bedding plants and plug plants for growing on for pots, baskets and bedding displays. Thin out heavy out fruit sets on nectarine and peaches leaving about ten centimetres between each one.  Sow annual climbing plants such as morning glory, nasturtium and cup and saucer vine. Use a large pot to grow an early crop of dwarf French beans. Repot any houseplants and repot anything that is top heavy. Give some feed to young plants after they have been potted up in fresh compost for about three to four weeks. Take time to pot up seedlings and rooted cuttings.

The other jobs that could be tackled in the garden this week is to use a pressure washer to remove any winter grime from terraces and patios. Sow any new lawns using a grass mix that is suitable to the type of lawn that you want.  Cut plain green shoots off variegated shrubs. Cut the lawn on dry days if the grass is showing a strong growth. Dig out bindweed, couch grass, ground elder and other problem weeds. Take time to place plant supports over clumps of perennials that are tall growing such as delphiniums and lupins

What To Do In The Garden This Week

Well the weather this week has been rather damp but I am hoping that it is going to get better towards the end of the week.

The jobs that people should be aiming to do this week (4^th April – 10^th April) include turf laying, flower planting, fruit and vegetable planting.

If you have a lawn that is rather patchy and untidy then it may be a good idea to lay some turf. Laying turf can help to get instant results and it can really bring a dull area back to life. It is actually very easy to lay some turf. If take the time and do the hard work now you will be able to sit back and enjoy the garden when the nicer weather appears.

The jobs that you will need to be doing in your flower garden is to fill in the gaps in the flower bed with polyanthus and primulas. Flowering currants and forsythia will need to be pruned as soon as the flowers have faded. Leave the foliage from daffodils intact for about six weeks after they have finished flowering as this will regenerate the bulbs so that they bloom again next years. Take time to plant our groups of gladioli in borders and sow sweet peas directly outside the base of supports or obelisks.

The checklist for the fruit and vegetable garden includes sowing seeds of climbing beans and dwarf beans in deep pots or inside toilet roll tubes which have been filled with compost. Plant some new asparagus beds. Continue the work on planting shallots, potatoes and onions. Take some time to feed spring cabbage with some high nitrogen fertiliser. Remove the forcing jars that have been used on rhubarb plants and allow them to grow uncovered. This week should be a busy week with sowing seeds both under cloches and outside. The seeds that should be getting sown include carrots, broad beans, beetroot, salad onions, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, spinach, lettuce, leeks, rocket, coriander, mixed salad, stir fry leaves, turnip, radish, peas, Swiss chard lettuce and mangetout.

The tasks that need to be done within the greenhouse this week includes protecting seedling pots from the cold by using empty plastic bottles to make mini cloches. Prick out seedlings after they have grown their first proper leaves. Open the greenhouse doors and vents in order to ventilate on warm days. Sow herbs such as chives, fennel, basil, coriander and parsley into trays and pots. Plant out pots with the bulbs that will flower in the summer such as eucomis, gloriosa and Tigridia (tiger flower). Start using liquid feed to feed any houseplants.

The other jobs that people should be trying to get done in the garden this week is to spread mulch compost around the border plants in order to keep the weeds under control. If you have a garden pond thoroughly clean the filters and put fountains and pumps back in. Lay new turf and sow new lawn using seeds. Clean out any bird baths that you have in the garden and top them up with fresh water. Check that tree ties are not too tight or digging into the bark and loosen if necessary. Cut back any ivy that is overgrown. 

Time to Get Out Into the Garden

The weather over the past week has been nice and sunny, which has got me thinking probably like many others that the time is right to get out into the garden. It is at this time of year that there is a lot of work to do in the garden to sort out after the long winter months.

Although this week (28^th March – 3^rd April) is nearly over there is still time to get some work done in the garden if the weather stays fair. The jobs that you should be focusing on at the moment are to start adding homemade compost to the soil as this will encourage the garden to flourish and thrive. Making your own compost will also mean that you are able to make the most of your kitchen waste whilst being more economical. There is five easy steps that you can follow in order to make your own compost which are:

1.       Clear the area where you want to make the compost bin and level the ground if this is required. The easiest way to level the ground is to use a rake or a spade.

2.       Use a pallet and stand it long edge in order to form the back of the compost bin. Put a stake through the two layers of the pallet at either end and drive them firmly into the ground, which can be done using a sledgehammer. They should be driven into the group to a depth of 20cm – 30 cm.

3.       Use another two pallets at right angles to make the sides of the compost bin. Close the corners tightly together so prevent the compost from spoiling out.

4.       In order to keep the structure stable use wire to tie the pallets at the corners. Trim the top of the stakes with a saw.

5.       Wire the last pallet to the front of the right side of the pallet so that it can be opened to allow entry to the bin when required.

If you are growing plants in your garden then the jobs that you should be trying to get done this week is to:

·         Take cuttings from delphiniums

·         Wash off any signs of greenfly from shoot tips using soapy water

·         Feed rhododendrons. Pieris and Camellias with acidic plant food

·         Several shrubs with low growing stems can be propagated by layering such as mock orange, honeysuckle, magnolia and forsythia.

·         Plant new shrubs and perennials that are hardy.

·        Cut away old foliage

·       Sprinkle fertiliser around shrubs and flower beds.

If you are growing fruit and vegetables in the garden then the jobs that you should be looking at doing include:

·         Cover strawberry rows with cloches to encourage early fruit

·         Plant early potatoes outside in large pots or rows

·         Spray fruit bushes and trees with fungicide in order to prevent any mildew disease attacking them.

·         Pick of any yellowing and fading leaves from Brussels fruit in order to prevent disease spreading.

·         Sow seeds outside or underneath cloches for carrots, broad beans, beetroot, cauliflowers, salad onions, cabbage, spinach, Brussels sprouts, leeks, lettuce, coriander, rocket and mixed salad.

Greenhouse gardeners this week should be focusing on:

·         Planting up bulbs, tubers and corms

·         Sow coleus and other houseplants

·         Watching out for pests

Other jobs that should be getting done around the garden this week are:

·         Move plants from the greenhouse into the cold frame in order to get them used to the climate.

·         Do the digging for any new ponds or water features that you want to create in the garden.

·         Clean and sharpen any garden knives

·         Purchase summer flowering bulbs so that you have a good range of colour.

This is also a very good time of year for seeing wildlife in your garden and this week would be a good time to make sure that the bird feeders are topped up. The nesting season is now getting underway and there will be an increase in the amount of birds that you may see in the garden. Try not to cut any bushes and hedges back until after nesting season to avoid disturbing any nests.