Browsed by
Category: Gardening

General gardening tips and hints

Lucky Winter Heath and Heather

Lucky Winter Heath and Heather

winter heather

Erica carnea or Winter heath is a grand plant to grow in an ericaceous soil. The numerous, small, bell shaped flowers give the impression of lots of blossom from autumn through winter particularly if you choose appropriate varieties.

Heather Tips

  • My personal favourite is the old Myertown Ruby but you may want to try the Springwood White or Pink. Buy plants in bloom to see the colour and vigour of the plants you are getting.
  • Cuttings 2 inches long will eventually root in a mix of sharp sand and peaty compost. Alternatively plants can be formed by layering ( scrape the lower part of a stem then bury that part to root from where it touches soil)
  • Prune when they have finished flowering to form neat hummocks and encourage more flowers next season.
  • Little or no fertiliser is required but if flowering is poor try an ericaceous feed.
  • Plant with the root ball level with the top of the soil. Do not bury plants too deep or cover with mulch.

…

Read More Read More

Types of Apple Rootstock

Types of Apple Rootstock

Big apple trees may give you the pip but smaller trees can be a delight.

Modern apple trees are grafted on to a root stock that will govern the vigour and eventual size of the tree. These are the vital statistics of some common rootstocks.

Name

Nature

Height ft.

Spread ft.

M 27

Very Dwarf

4-6

5

M 9

Dwarfing

6-8

9

M 26

Semi-dwarf

8-10

12

M 106

Semi-vigorous

10-13

12

M 111

Vigorous

13-15

15

The larger the tree the more fruit it should bear up to 300 pounds on a mature orchard tree on M111. The smaller trees bear fruit after 3 years, larger trees need 3-4 years

  • Apples are potentially long lived trees and the small trees are often pruned into pyramids and central leaders. For an espalier tree get a root stock that is M26 or M106.
  • Semi dwarf and semi-vigorous can be grown in containers but need care with water and feeding
  • Smaller trees need staking all their life

There are many professional fruit tree firms like Ashridge, Ken Muir and Blackmoor but Amazon also offer a range using their supplier base.

Watering Using Capillary Matting

Watering Using Capillary Matting

Capillary action or ‘wicking’ is the upward movement of a liquid via a surface such as from one bit of compost to another.

These Poinsettias have been placed on a micro perforated matting that allows water to be taken up by the plants in a capilliary action. From the mat the water is slowly drawn up to the pot and soil in the pot to water your plant.

It is a simple process to water the matting, set up a dripfeed system or syphon and the plant will then take up what it needs.

Benefits and Tips on Capillary Mats

  • Water is taken up at the temperature of the matting so you avoid the shock of cold water.
  • Plants shouldn’t become water logged as the capillary process slows as soil become wet.
  • A bed of wet sand can be used as your own home made capillary watering system
  • Advantages of capillary action include plants with delicate leaves not being damaged by the overhead watering and an even supply of water being consistently available.

Tips for ‘Wicking’

…

Read More Read More

Autumn Lawn Care and Artificial Grass

Autumn Lawn Care and Artificial Grass

I have attempted to kill off the moss before autumn and must now rake out the dead brash and give the grass a tonic. The gin I will keep for myself.
Lawn Leaves

Lawns can be one of the most neglected parts of your garden. Everytime we mow the lawn and remove clippings we are cropping the ground. Goodness needs to be replaced by top dressing and fertilizer.

Lawn Care

  • Keep mowing established lawns once a fortnight until it stops growing. The blades should be raised for the final few cuts.
  • Collect fallen leaves and brush away worm casts.
  • Scarify by raking out the old dead grass and moss then spike to improve drainage.
  • Feed with autumn weed and moss killer. This low-nitrogen preparation strengthens grass roots for winter.
  • Repair bumps, hollows, bald patches and broken edges.
  • Top dressing of soil, sand and compost mixed and brushed over your lawn is a good improver.

    • …

    Read More Read More

Ecology of Water in the Garden

Ecology of Water in the Garden

Watering

Why is Water Important in the Garden

  • About 90% of active plants cells are water.
  • Water is the means of a plant obtaining dissolved nutrients to feed the plant
  • Water moves chemicals and hormones from the roots of plants to the growing parts of the plant
  • Water maintains a plants health
  • The presence of water can be necessary to germinate seeds or stimulate natural growth.

Water for Plants and Trees

  • Precipitation in the form of rain, drizzle, dew, and fog all have a place in providing water
  • Hail, snow, sleet and hoar frost also provide limited amounts of water.
  • Ground water from springs underground streams and the natural water table can contribute to the soils water content.
  • Gardener introduced water augments the natural systems.
  • Irrigation is a form of transporting water through channels or pipes.
  • Foliar feeding can provide limited amounts of water via a plants leaves.
  • Watering devices, sprinklers, hosepipes and watering cans are the gardeners best friends in dry or drought conditions.

Problems Caused by Lack of Water

  • Deprived of water to transport food a plant may starve
  • Biological malfunction caused by lack of water can cause irreparable damage to a plant cells leading to loss of turgidity and death.
  • Lack of water may cause structural instability in the plant.
  • Water shortage can make a plant more susceptible to heat.

Rain Zones in the UK

  • High ground in the west of Scotland, Wales and Cumbria has the most rainfall. .
  • Cyclonic or convection rain can occur over low ground such as East Anglia but this is low in frequency and volume so flat areas have low or very low average rainfall.
  • 30″-45″ are annual average levels of rain but there are many surprises within averages. London with 25″ pa is drier than Rome or New York. Colchester can be drier than Beirut or Jerusalem
  • Thunderstorm rain can be damaging by flattening crops or causing excess splashing back off the soil. This is not zone specific.
  • In addition to volumes of rainfall the frequency or consecutive number of days without rain can be crucial. Apart form the south east most zones seldom exceed 30 days without rain and in Scotland and Ireland it rains even more regularly.

Water Retentiveness

  • Water retentiveness is crucial for a healthy trouble free garden.
  • Improved soil structure by the addition of compost and manures increases the water in the soil.
  • The addition of a top layer or mulch holds water in the soil reducing evaporation
  • Alginates like seaweed increase water retention and improve the crumb structure of the soil.
  • Retentiveness is damaged by compacted soil that water is unable to penetrate.

Gardeners Water Tips

  • Understand your plants and select them based on their need for water. How much and when are valid questions
  • Too much water can be as bad as too little so ensure you have the right drainage in your soil not a sticky mess.
  • When augmenting natural supply of water do a thorough job of watering then leave for a few days. Little and often can bring roots to the surface and not penetrate to the deeper drinking roots
  • Do not plant water hungry plants in heavy rain shadows caused by walls hedges or other plants.
  • Be aware of the prevailing wind that brings the most rain from the west.

What is in my Water

  • Oxygen and hydrogen are the elements that have combined to form water. They are not available separately except for an amount of oxygen that may have been dissolved in the H2O. Pond fish and algae need this dissolved oxygen.
  • Hard water contains dissolved mineral salts (this is what makes up the fur or limescale on a kettle). Hard water may be drawn straight from the tap in many districts of the UK where calcium and magnesium are present. This water is often detrimental to young plants.
  • Soft water has little or no dissolved mineral salts and like rain water is better for seedlings and young plants. Distilled water and ionised treated water is rendered soft by the process.
  • Sea water and brackish water contains dissolved salt (sodium chloride)that will kill most plants. It is no use in gardens.
  • Stagnant water and old water from butts will contain algae or microscopic life. I have found that this often results in moss or growth on the top of seed pots before the seeds germinate. Clean water is best for seeds and greenhouses.

 

Top ten green garden habits
See our report on ‘Organic pond habitats for green gardeners’.

The Best Time To Water Your Garden

The Best Time To Water Your Garden

Do not water your plants! Water the soil your plants have to live in.
water
Readers Question: I would like to ask if there are specific times of the day that you can only water the plants to maximize their growth. Thanks for being open for questions about gardening because I really want to grow more of our own plants in the next few months. from: Gardeners Questions

The best time of the day to water plants is in evening or early morning. This is mainly because the watering will be more efficient. Away from glare of sun, the water has time to seep into soil before evaporating.
The main thing is getting the right amount of water to the plant, the time of watering won’t really affect growth. Though in greenhouses, watering during the day, can help keep temperature down (dampening effect)

Other Tips for Watering Plants

  • The most critical time for watering is:
  1. When plants are in flower or leaves are limp early in the morning.
  2. When soft fruits have started to form
  3. When plants are newly planted or transplanted.
  4. When plants start to show signs of distress.
  • When you water make sure it seeps down to roots and soaks the soil and not just first inch otherwise roots will grow upwards or stay on the dry surface.
  • It is better to water thoroughly but less often than frequently and often.
  • Try mulching after a good watering. Mulch is anything that preserves moisture of soil.
  • Different Plants have much different needs for watering.

water is unfit for human consumption

Best Time To Water Your Garden

  • The Best Time To Water Your Garden is when the plants are just beginning to suffer from a lack of water.
  • If you get new drought controls in parts of the UK, the Best Time To Water Your Garden may be when no one is looking. (Only joking you will be watering with grey water and water collected from a rain butt won’t you.
  • Thinking about watering restrictions just a reminder the your garden does not need watering! Save your energy and water for those ‘at risk’ plants that really need water and be focused on your watering programme.

Related


Credit
water is unfit for human consumption by woodleywonderworks CC BY 2.0

Miniature Daffodils and Narcissi Tips

Miniature Daffodils and Narcissi Tips

Good things come in small packages and that applies to Daffodils for house and rockery.
canaliculatus

Miniature daffodils grow from 4 inches to just short of a foot. Varieties Minnow, Toto and Canaliculatus have several flowers on the one stem and are particular favourites of mine. Try growing some in pots in the cold greenhouse as welcome additions to your alpine plants.

Tips on Minature Daffoldils

  • Look in spring for successful varieties that you may want to buy for planting this Autumn.
  • Buy pots in bloom this spring so you know what you are getting. Deadhead before the seedheads start to develop and feed the bulbs with a high phosphate feed.
  • One of the smaller varieties is Bulbocodium Conspicuous, yellow hooped petticoat at 4 inches tall with golden yellow flowers.

    • …

    Read More Read More

Pinch these Pinching Out Tips

Pinch these Pinching Out Tips

Annuals, shrubs, fruit and flowers can all benefit from a bit of pinching out.
may12-049

Pinch out for Shape

I am still nervous about pinching out the growing tips of plants but I am getting better. You want your plants too look good and perform well and sometimes nature benefits from a bit of help. Your aim is to channel energy where and when you want it. So try it by using your fingers to pinch out the growing tip(s) or stalks and branches you don’t need.
One idea behind pinching out is to get the shape of a plant right – we are happy to prune a shrub to get the right shape . In extreme cases we pollard or pleach trees to control unwanted growth and encourage growth where we want it. So why not shape a soft plant like a Pelargonium (Geranium) or wallflower that you want to be bushy.

Pinch out for Flowers or Fruit

Roots and Root Care

Roots and Root Care

Get to he root of the problems of growing great plants.

Root bound

Basic Roots  Knowhow

  • Roots grow below the soil to anchor and feed your plants.
  • The root only grows longer at the tip. This is where root hairs develop.
  • Root hairs take in water and nutrients through a permeable membrane.
  • Root hairs are usually fragile and short lived but as one dies one or more grows in its place.
  • Generally the root system thickens with age and anchors the plant as well as conveying nutrients to the stems and leaves.
  • Active growth tissue called pholem and xylem carry nutients up the plant and sugars back to the roots after photosynthesis.

Water Logging the Roots