Those of you that grow dogwoods (Cornus) and shrubby willows for their ornamental coloured stems, now is the time to prune them all back. The best colours are produced on one year old stems. Prune the stems low allowing one … Continue reading →

As this month is still wintery, remember the garden birds, not only are they our allies against various insect pests their song reminds us that spring is just around the corner. By placing bird food and fresh water out, it … Continue reading →

Start the new year with a good weed; you’ll be surprised how many weeds will start to germinate during mild spells. Don’t forget to remove annual weeds and compost, however remember to dig up the roots of perennial weeds completely … Continue reading →

Now is the time to prune all your tall bush roses by half, this prevents wind rock. When roses are rocked about a hole can develop causing water to pool around the base. This causes rot, worse still, if this … Continue reading →

Now as the days become shorter, this is a great opportunity to get into your garages and sheds, and have a cleanup. Tidy up your shelves and clean all old pots, stakes and canes with a weak disinfectant, thereby stopping … Continue reading →

Carrying on from last month, we will continue with lawn maintenance: The next job is aeration, which aids drainage and enables air to get to the grass. If you have a small lawn, you can do this by pushing a … Continue reading →

This month is a great time to plant container grown trees and shrubs. Planting them now will give them a great start for next spring. The soil will hopefully be moist and warm, therefore giving the roots chance to settle … Continue reading →

Keep deadheading roses, this stops the rose from putting all its energy into producing seeds and hips. These in turn will, especially in the case of modern roses produce more flower buds. Prune back to one or two leaflets below … Continue reading →

Don’t forget to deadhead your fading roses’ flowers, remembering to prune them just above a leaf. A bud should emerge from the leaf stalk and stem. Also consider feeding the rose with a rose specific fertiliser, this will prolong the … Continue reading →

As the threat of frost has gone it’s now safe to plant out your summer bedding plants, in your beds, borders, containers and hanging baskets. Make sure they are kept well watered, particularly in dry periods. Those spring flowering bulbs … Continue reading →