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Bulbs
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Tulips -
Don't plant in the same spot for 2 consecutive years. However,
if you plant African Marigolds where Tulips have flowered, the
balance in the soil will be restored and you can plant bulbs in
the same spot year after year.
Bluebells - English Bluebells are invasive so for a
less rampant variety choose the Spanish type, Hyacinthoides
hispanica.
Lilies/Tulips - Never plant these together as they
suffer from the same diseases.
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Snowdrops - To give bulbs a boost, apply a
light feed of a general fertilizer, eg liquid seaweed
once they have flowered and the leaves have started to
die down.
Snowdrops - Keep track of rare varieties by
planting in aquatic planters and plunging in the ground.
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Tulips - After flowering, pull away leaves as soon as
they are yellow and withered. This helps to prevent disease
entering the bulbs. Then apply a liquid fertiliser to build the
bulbs up ready for next season. Feed once a week for a month or
so.
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Pests,
Diseases and Weeds
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Pellets based on metaldehyde
are less effective in damp conditions as Slugs/Snails can
recover - they lose the chemical through their slime. Better to
use pellets based on methiocarb as it has an anti-sliming
agent.
To stop slugs and
snails nibbling your container plants, place a layer of vaseline
around the edge of the pot. They can't get over it.
Try growing Garlic
close to susceptible plants to help deter vine weevil.
Rosemary and Sage
deter Carrot Fly.
Nettle Spray is great
as a general insect repellent and plant food. Fill a bucket with
fresh nettles and water, cover and leave to ferment for a few
weeks. Strain and spray on your plants.
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Marigolds,
limnanthes, calendula and poppies attract hoverflies
whose larvae eat greenfly and other aphids.
Grow
chives with roses to protect them against aphids.
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Place mothballs in
containers to deter Earwigs and Ants.
Elder and Mint
discourage Caterpillars.
To prevent whitefly
on tomatoes, underplant with basil and marigolds.
Marjoram and Mint help
to repel ants.
When you've boiled
eggs, use the leftover water to pour between the cracks in the
path to prevent weeds growing.
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Containers
and Hanging Baskets
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Rounded pots suit
spiky plants such as Yuccas, Agaves and Phormiums.
Tall chimney pots suit
busy billowing plants like Bidens, Gypsophila or other cascading
plants such as Amaranthus.
Plant succulents such
as sedums and sempervirens in shallow pots.
For an attractive
wooden trough, build a wooden framework and surround it with log
roll. Insert a plastic trough inside the wooden frame and plant
away !!
If you are using
whicker baskets outside, give them 3 coats of yacht varnish to
protect them.
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To
make brand new containers look immediately old, coat
them in natural yogurt and leave in the sun.
If
soil in hanging baskets becomes too dry, add a squirt of
washing up liquid to the water. This helps the water to
enter the compost instead of just running off.
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Perennials
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Aquilegias
- Don't feed too much as
it can make plants flop over after heavy rain.
Delphiniums -
To produce outstanding blooms, plants need a steady supply of
moisture at the roots during the growing season. Mulch to keep
in moisture.
Dianthus - If
plants have pale tips they may be suffering from a shortage of
magnesium. Mix 1 oz of Epsom Salts to 1 gallon of water and
water each plant.
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Hostas
- Plant variegated forms next to terracotta water
features for a fresh look.
Ophiopogon
planiscapus 'Nigrescens' - Plants can disappear
into surrounding soil as it is dark. Plant next to
pale stone or grow amongst silver-leaved sempervivums.
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Shrubs
and Climbers
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Acid Lovers
- Feed with Sequestrene
in June. Water around Rhododendrons, Camellias, Azaleas, Pieris
and all other acid loving plants to prevent yellow leaves and
encourage strong growth.
Camellias -
Flowerbuds are formed in the Summer, so ensure plants are kept
moist during July and August. Drought will cause flower buds to
drop off in Spring.
Garrya - A
handful of pelleted chicken manure in April and a monthly feed
of tomato fertilizer between June and September will help
promote growth and catkins.
Hedges - When
trimming a hedge, the base should be wider than the top.
Ivy - The
secret of getting a new ivy to cling to your walls is to cut it
hard back after planting. New shoots get a grip straight away -
old ones never do.
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General
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Houseplants
- If you have an
aquarium, save the water each time you change it to water your
house plants with. You'll be amazed at the results.
Ponds - When
building a new pond, remember that sitting it in full sun will
encourage the growth of algae, so position it in the shade.
Weeds - When
hoeing the ground, only disturb the top 1/2"
of soil. Going deeper than this will cause more weed seeds to
germinate.
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Greenhouse
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Begonias
- If you have difficulty
in telling which way up a tuber should be planted, place in a
plastic bag with enough moist, peat based compost to cover it,
seal top, put in a warm place such as the airing cupboard and
gently shake bag every day to disturb it. Once you see signs of
growth, take it out and pot up with shoots uppermost.
Cucumbers -
Avoid watering with cold or chlorinated water, leave to stand
for a few hours before use.
Heating - Place
a few dustbins filled with water under greenhouse staging. The
water heats up during the day, releasing its warmth slowly at
night. Concrete floors also provide the same benefit.
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Tomatoes
- Try Epson Salt (1tsp) around tomato plants to green up
the foliage.
Watering
- Use a cork on a cane to see if a plant is in need of
watering. If the plant is thirsty, the pot will ring
like a bell when tapped otherwise it will sound like a
dull thud.
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Watering -
Never use water collected from water butts to water seedlings.
Use tap water, but allow it to stand for a couple of hours
before use to ensure the chlorine disappears.
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