Time for gardening
Time for….hedge planting
28 February
Why?
Wildlife habitat
Wind filtration
For privacy, do you need privacy in the winter? If you do then evergreen species like Yew Taxis baccata will do the job. (Be careful, some plants like Yew and Laurel Prunus laurocerasus are poisonous to livestock).
If you don’t need total privacy in their winter then a mixed native hedge including hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, Blackthorn Prunus spinosa, Hazel Corylus avellana etc. are both good for wildlife and cost effective.
How to plant. As a general guide plant a double row approx. 200mm apart with 6 plants per meter (fewer the larger the plants).
Planting is best between October and March, bareroot plants are cheaper and easier to handle but need to be planted soon after arriving. Use a spade to make a slit moving it back and fore to make it bigger if necessary. Push the roots into the ground and then use your heel to push the slit closed. With potted and rootball plants dig a hole the same size as the pot or rootball (I find this helps prevent wind rock) and plant so the top of the soil is the same as it was in the pot or rootball. Heel in with the earth you dug out or with compost.
It is good practice to use tree guards and canes / stakes to protect from animals and wind rock.
Time for..Planting raspberries
2 March
Why?
For more fruit than you can possibly (want to) eat and an excellent way to get children interested in gardening.
Dig a trench approx. 500mm wide, dig in plenty of compost or well rotted manure. For summer fruiting dig in posts with 2m above ground level at the end of the row with 3 horizontal wires equally spaced pulled tight between them (add more posts every 3meters if the trench is longer). For autumn fruiting two posts at each end 500mm tall either side of the row with one wire on top of each post each pulled tight between them (again add more between if the rows are more the 3 meters long).
Plant approx. 1.5 meters apart. Most cost effective are bare root which can be planted between October and February. Cut any canes to 20cm above the ground. Tie the canes to the wires as they grow with summer fruiting, with autumn just allow the wires to support the canes.
Time for..the first cut
9 March
Why?
Dry days are few and far between at this time of year so make the most of them and get a first cut in. After a long winter sat in the shed your mower might need some maintenance (especially if its petrol). This is another reason to try and start your mower now because it’s better to find out now then when the grass is growing proper.
Once you know your mower is working properly, clear the lawn of any debris that has accumulated over the winter. Sticks, children’s toys etc. and rake over any molehills. All this will help to keep the blades sharp.
Set the cut height one or two clicks higher than normal for the first cut.
There’s no need to go straight into the weekly or fortnightly routine, the grass is still growing slowly so only cut as necessary.
If this all sounds like hard work maybe a robot mower is the answer. If you have one lawn (they can’t travel between lawns yet! ) they can save a lot of work and the grass should always be neatly trimmed.
Time for..cutting back
16 March
Why?
As spring arrives it’s time to remove any old flower stems you left over winter for insects to shelter in and to add interest. This will make room for new growth There should be plenty of room between the plants making it easier to move around without squashing any. Some plants can be cut back hard now, Cornus alba (Dogwood) can be cut back to 50cm from the ground. The new stems will be brighter in colour next winter.
It’s a good idea to know what plants you have in order to know when and how to prune them. There are plenty of apps that can help in identifying plants, or do it the old fashioned way with a book. It’s easy to miss pruning times so keep checking regularly or make a month by month plan for your garden.
Time for...Layering shrubs
22/3/24
Why? More plants for free.
Many shrubs can be layered and some even do it naturally. Where a branch bends down and touches the ground it can grow roots making a new plant. To layer a shrub find a suitably flexible branch and bend it so that it is touches the ground with the tip sticking out beyond. Wound the stem where it will touch the ground, (remove some bark with a knife) option to add rooting powder. Use a forked branch, or strong half hoop of wire to hold the branch in position. In one year you can cut the branch from the parent plant. If you layer directly into a pot you can then move your new shrub anywhere (within reason).
Time for...sowing hardy annuals
30 March
Why? Easy to grow and often extremely resilient
Great for filling gaps or creating a colourful and easy to maintain planting that can be changed each year. Annuals live fast and die young (they die before winter). Some will produce seed which will grow the following year. They're fast growing and have a long flowering period. Try Calendula officinalis Pot marigold, almost impossible to kill with drought or Cosmos bipinatus with tall daisy like flowers. To sow either make a hole with something like a screwdriver approx. 50mm deep, push a seed in and cover. If the seeds are very small or you want to cover a larger area, rake the soil and spread the seed over the surface.
Time for...cutting back lavender
5 April
Why? To prevent the centre of the plants becoming bare and untidy.
Lavandula (Lavender) Don’t grow back from the old wood so it’s important to keep up with yearly pruning. Prune them every Spring to keep them looking good. Use sharp shears and cut off around 50mm of growth over the whole plant.
Time for...contortionism 13 April
Why?
An attempt to relieve some back, leg, neck, general pain caused by gardening
fig. a The ‘my precious’ pose. Great if you don’t want to be disturbed, no one will come near you in this position.
fig. b The ‘spread eagle’. Can be difficult to explain and almost as difficult to get out of.
fig. c The ‘kneeling hunchback’. It’s a two for one, bad back and knees at the same time.
fig. d The ‘ sit and lean’. This one really concentrates on giving that lower back pain and as a bonus you get a wet and muddy bum.
fig. e The ‘crawl’. Looks like you’ve lost something (maybe your mind?).
Take your pick or mix it up for complete all over pain and suffering.
Time for...visiting gardens 26 April
Why?
For inspiration and maybe a little relaxation. With access to the internet finding gardens to visit is easy. But don’t forget to ask friends and family, you might find some hidden gems right on your doorstep.
If your travelling then seek out gardens in different climates and see how that has led to different ideas.