As I considered what garden product to cover this time I realised that garden plants do not get the full coverage on Garden Products. What would a garden be without plants? (Easy to maintain I hear someone say.)

Some of our costs are defrayed by the affiliate income we get if readers buy there plants from Thompson & Morgan or Jersey plants so I do not apologise for giving them a plug.
Plugging away on that theme, click on the top right and peruse the seeds and plants that you want to buy this year. The prices and deals are the same as you would pay even if you were not helping us!

Garden Plants for Free

• OK our commercial is over and you do not need to buy garden plants if you are a bit crafty
• Cuttings will root and take at this time of year. I have several Ceanothus and Dog Woods I have grown for nothing. Even some annuals can be increased by cuttings including Petunias or Verbena and healthy Fucshia, Dahlia or Delphinium can be raised from cuttings
• Saving seed or collecting it as you walk around can produce some interesting plants. I like to collect wild rose hips and grow on the seed.
• Beg plants from friends and neighbors, they are often generous if given a little praise about their garden.
• Split clumps of hardy perennials to increase the number of plants. Some just need the roots pulling apart like the primroses shown above.
• Bulbs and self sown seedlings will multiply for free but you may need patience and be willing to move the wayward seedlings

Choysia grown from cutting

It shows how the professionals sow, germinate, fog, and dibb out along with all the other seed sowing tasks.

Have a look at all the pictures that demonstrate seed sowing and growing in a busy supplier of plug and jumbo plants.

My preferred heater however is warming away under a layer of sand and gravel in a large Sankey tray. It is basically a plastic coated element that you lay in a tray in a series of loops, cover with sand then place your seed trays on top. I improvise humidity covers in plastic as needed.

I still have a one tray propagator that currently contains some seeds and Pelargonium cuttings on my study windowsill. I put 15 square pots inside a seed tray which I then put in the heated propagator.

Thompson & Morgan have a range of heares and cool propagator aids as you would expect from a quality seed merchant.

Amazon sell a Sankey Heated   Propagator for £22.99 and a range of others

Read ‘Best Mail Order Seeds’

Mail Order Seeds are Best

• Seeds bought mail order have not been stood in a warm or even hot shop.  Heat can kill off the seeds ability to germination .
• Seeds should be fresh and have been stored in the right conditions. Seed companies do it better than retailers.
• Delivery is usually in protective bubble wrap to avoid crushing damage.
• The choice is fantastic, far wider than most shops can stock.

Mail Order Companies I Use

• Thompson & Morgan are a premier UK supplier.
  • They also sponsor our web efforts through an affiliation and it is much appreciated.
  • Their catalogues are a good read and very visual.
  • Many special offers are available once you become a customer.
  • ‘Which magazine’ rate the germination percentages of Thompson & Morgan highly.
  • Clubs and horticultural societies can get discounts for bulk buying.
  • Thompson & Morganweb site is searchable for many plant and seed varieties and you can order online.

• Wallis Seeds are a good value range.
  • They are packed in plain packets to save costs.
  • I find they supply greater quantities of seed than other suppliers usually for less money.
  • I do not use them for vegetables.

• Chiltern Seeds are mid range of prices with plain seed packets.
  • Their elongated seed catalogues are a wonder and worth acquiring for the knowledge and language about the many seed varieties they sell.
  • This year they have 220 pages with an average of 15 varieties on each -
  • I make that over 3000 seed packets to chose from and believe it or not vegetables are in another catalogue..

Read gardeners tips for many more links to Seed companies

Read Seed Propagators

Children are often environmentally wise, eco-friendly and concerned about the environment.
Seeds can be used to explain about food miles and geography in a fun manner.
Kids also enjoy growing plants in their own patch or plant pot.

Kids Fun Seeds

• Chose seeds that are large enough to handle like peas, nasturtiums, beans or sunflowers.
• Marrows grow large and quickly to hold the attention.
• Mustard and cress and sprouting Mung Beans can be grown indoors and eaten within days.
• Thompson & Morgan sell a range of kids seeds shown above

_{photo by Wilip Von Ree}

Birds are struggling through our cold winters in the USA and the UK. Soon they will be hatching and fledging so they need access to water and the gardeners answer is a bird bath.

Where to Locate a bird Bath

• Birds will use a bird bath if they feel safe and have an escape route into cover.
• Locate the bath near suitable hedges or trees
• Make it hard for cats to lurk near the bath using vegetation as cover
• Place the birdbath where the birds can see the area around it and where there are no hiding places for predators
• Place away from direct sun as this prevents algae growth in the bath.

What Features are Needed

• A shallow bath is adequate and a deep bath dangerous.
• The birds need a place to stand and a perch or twig may help.
• Bird baths on a pedestal are most popular.
• A small diameter bath allows birds to see over the edge and be prepared for danger.

Other Tips for Bird Baths

• Ensure good hygiene by cleaning out every week.
• Ensure water during frosty times – this is when birds need it most.
• Nature provides bird baths in ponds and puddles. They are not accessible in freezing weather but like your fish pond it is worth keeping a space ice free. see picture

• Garden with a bird bath on Gardeners tips

Related

• Bird Baths from Amazon
• RSPB advice on Bird Baths
• Bird Barn

A Butterfly Garden Kit can help children appreciate the beauty of butterflies in the garden. In addition to the kit comes a certificate to get 5 live caterpillars sent to you to grow on until they metamorphise into butterflies. Then they can then be released into your garden.

Butterflies then will look for nectar and pollen from your garden flowers. Buddleja, Pinks, Achillea and wild flowers are ideal plants to grow. You can buy seeds or plants in a range of varieties and clours. Butterfly seed mixture from Thompson & Morgan

Only the Cabbage White butterfly caterpillars have ever done any damage in my garden. That was to the brassicas and who needs too much cabbage anyway. So as an environmentally sound wildlife garden project give butterflies a treat this summer.

Butterflies like a drop of water and a bird bath can be of some use.

Related Links

Get Butterflies in your garden
How to attract butterflies in your garden

It is not too late to try growing some sunflowers from seed. At this time of the year they can be sown directly into the soil. However, for best results, we suggest sowing 2 or 3 seeds in a 3 inch pot and then later planting out.

For early sunflowers, try sowing under glass in March. Provide a gentle heat for best results.

After a few weeks thin out the weakest seedlings to leave one plant. When the seedling has outgrown its pots, dig a hole into the ground and plant the young sunflower into the soil.

Before planting, try digging some organic matter into the soil to give the sunflowers a good source of food.

Keep well watered, especially during the planting time.

Staking Sunflowers.

As soon as a sunflower is over 1 foot, you will need to think about staking. Try to know the likely size of the sunflower and plant a cane firmly into the ground. Make sure, it is put firmly into the ground to protect against late summer winds. Also, the sunflower will become heavy when it starts to flower.

Sunflower Seeds – Great Value

Various sunflowers from Thompson & Morgan

More Tips on Growing sunflowers

• Tips for growing sunflowers