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.