A lot of cherry blossom will be out by the time this goes to print so bee's will be back in force on sunny days.
Still thinning out small seedlings and transplanting some like Pansy and dianthus which have shallow roots into deeper seed trays and those with longer deeper roots like lupin, hellebore and Oriental poppy into their own individual small root pot as it is best to have a well developed root ball attached before planting out into the garden.
Baskets and pots can be thought about now, use only shallow rooted plants for baskets like pansy, small type petunias, nemesia, and trailers like Virginia stock and dwarf sweet pea until it is warm enough to plant petunias, lobelia and begonia. Pots and baskets benefit from the addition of extra slow release fertiliser and water Chrystal's to keep them going, roots of what you want to plant will determine the size and depth of a pot or basket. Potted roses and hydrangeas need a deep pot which will not heat up and cook roots in summer, tin foil around the inside of a pot before filling ( shinny side facing out) will help keep roots cooler for potted roses, camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas and also small trees and shrubs. All potted plants need a good heavy potting mix and excellent drainage plus a consistent supply of food and water. If a potted plant is left too dry for too long between watering's it will never thrive or look lush and healthy.
Baskets and pots can be thought about now, use only shallow rooted plants for baskets like pansy, small type petunias, nemesia, and trailers like Virginia stock and dwarf sweet pea until it is warm enough to plant petunias, lobelia and begonia. Pots and baskets benefit from the addition of extra slow release fertiliser and water Chrystal's to keep them going, roots of what you want to plant will determine the size and depth of a pot or basket. Potted roses and hydrangeas need a deep pot which will not heat up and cook roots in summer, tin foil around the inside of a pot before filling ( shinny side facing out) will help keep roots cooler for potted roses, camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas and also small trees and shrubs. All potted plants need a good heavy potting mix and excellent drainage plus a consistent supply of food and water. If a potted plant is left too dry for too long between watering's it will never thrive or look lush and healthy.
I looked around the garden for plants to make an edge to take place of where a row of lavender had been, I have new lavender plants now in this spot but they are as yet tiny so felt they needed something in front. I found just the thing, a large clump of lambs ear growing in a rockery which had doubled in size so dug half of it out and broke up into single plants, once they start to spread I will remove for the lavender to take it's place. Silver is a perfect shade to use as a break between strong and soft shades, will grow in sun or semi shade and lambs ear also has the added bonus of being an interesting texture.
Hydrangeas here have now all been pruned, fuchsias can be pruned once they start showing new growth, they flower on new growth that's why growers cut them right back to encourage new fresh growth, so cut back all that straggly old wood.
Dahlias, I am keeping a cover of pea straw on top of mine because I feel nothing will be happening with them until well into next month.
Roses are well on now and we don't have to chase aphids ( green fly) yet but they will be about soon to settle on the top new growth, easily visible for you to dispose of by removing with finger and thumb. I leave spraying (if needed) until leaves are well grown and have hardened up a little.
Hydrangeas here have now all been pruned, fuchsias can be pruned once they start showing new growth, they flower on new growth that's why growers cut them right back to encourage new fresh growth, so cut back all that straggly old wood.
Dahlias, I am keeping a cover of pea straw on top of mine because I feel nothing will be happening with them until well into next month.
Roses are well on now and we don't have to chase aphids ( green fly) yet but they will be about soon to settle on the top new growth, easily visible for you to dispose of by removing with finger and thumb. I leave spraying (if needed) until leaves are well grown and have hardened up a little.
Weeds are off to a flying start as well, spot spraying has been taking place here over the last two weeks and notice the first lot has worked, there are organic weed sprays on the market that work best when weeds are new and small so now is the time, get them before they flower and make seed.
Lawns:
Prepare ground for sowing new lawns, here on the coast ground will soon be warm enough to get a strike, as I have mentioned before seed must be sown thickly in spring to beat the annual weeds. Once spring mowing starts keep the mower blades up to allow grass to thicken up and feed lawns just before or during rain and they will stay lush.
Vegetables:
Here on the coast sow lettuce seed and plant lettuce plants at two week intervals, all green veg on offer, peas, carrots. Corn and all in the pumpkin family will need strong frost protection if sown early. Prepare ground for planting seed potatoes, if soil is too wet fork over adding compost to get air in to aid drying. Potatoes can rot if soil is cold and wet.
green crops can be dug in now, before they flower and get stringy.
Prepare ground for sowing new lawns, here on the coast ground will soon be warm enough to get a strike, as I have mentioned before seed must be sown thickly in spring to beat the annual weeds. Once spring mowing starts keep the mower blades up to allow grass to thicken up and feed lawns just before or during rain and they will stay lush.
Vegetables:
Here on the coast sow lettuce seed and plant lettuce plants at two week intervals, all green veg on offer, peas, carrots. Corn and all in the pumpkin family will need strong frost protection if sown early. Prepare ground for planting seed potatoes, if soil is too wet fork over adding compost to get air in to aid drying. Potatoes can rot if soil is cold and wet.
green crops can be dug in now, before they flower and get stringy.
Fruit: Buds are swelling to blossom burst as sap rises, what's needed now are sunny days and bee's. Work on gooseberry bushes now before leaves arrive, thin out middle branches and cut bottom skirt branches up to raise height from the ground making it so much easier to pick the fruit from underneath.
Strawberries are starting to move towards budding so will be looking for food, they need mulched with compost, old animal manure then straw or pine needles as a cover will do the trick.
Strawberries are starting to move towards budding so will be looking for food, they need mulched with compost, old animal manure then straw or pine needles as a cover will do the trick.
Cheers, Linda.
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