Commercial Garden Maintenance

How to get the best from Bedding-Plant Seedlings

How to Get the Best From Bedding-Plant Seedlings Knowing how to plant seedlings and how to get the best from the bedding plants is important for a gardener. Blue Iris Landscapes hope this little article will help with any queries you may have. If you require any more information or have further questions then please … Continue reading “How to get the best from Bedding-Plant Seedlings”

Hydrangea

Smoke-Treating Seeds

Smoke-Treating Seeds   Smoke-treating seeds can mean that you are able to have plants in your garden that are commonly found in South Africa and Australia. As you may be aware many plants native to regions prone to frequent wildfires, such as the fynobos in South Africa and kwongan in Australia produce seeds that may … Continue reading “Smoke-Treating Seeds”

Gardener Cheshire

RHS Advice on Winter Flowering Clematis

RHS Advice on Winter Flowering Clematis Pruning of Clematis A number of clematis species and cultivars flower in winter. The key to pruning all clematis types is knowing when to prune them at the correct time, to do this it is important that we understand the flowering habit and pattern of the clematis. Those that … Continue reading “RHS Advice on Winter Flowering Clematis”

RHS advice on Crown Lifting

RHS Advice Crown lifting trees, shrubs, and bamboos Crown lifting is basically the technique used to remove the lower branches of a plant to produce trunks or stems that are taller and clearer. This allows better access and allows light and air through the canopy. As well as accentuating the colour and stem structure, it … Continue reading “RHS advice on Crown Lifting”

establishing snowdrops

Establishing Snowdrops

Snowdrops Establishing snowdrops: Traditionally it has been recommended that snowdrops are best moved, planted or propagated by division after flowering.  Experimentation current thinking is variables which can produce change. As the leaves yellow towards the end of spring and later when fully dormant. This helps avoid root damage.   Starting Out: When introducing Galanthus to … Continue reading “Establishing Snowdrops”

Sparrow in London

Are Birds Causing Disruption in your Garden?

 Are Birds Causing Disruption in your Garden? Most wild birds are welcome in gardens but some, including bullfinches, sparrows, and pigeons cause much disruption to gardens and plants. In winter, these birds will eat flower buds, fruit, grass seeds and will damage vegetable seedlings along with flowers such as crocus and can also strip peas … Continue reading “Are Birds Causing Disruption in your Garden?”

Catkins

Catkins – wind-pollinated harbingers of Spring Although less flamboyant than flowers that attract insects, Catkins are ultimately designed for wind pollination and signify the end of winter when they appear in early spring. Salix caprea Garrya elliptica Corylus avanllana ‘Cortorta’ Alnus cordata The stubby, fury, male catkins of goat willow have yellow stamens. Its pendulous … Continue reading “Catkins”

Pruning Fruit Trees

Treating Waterlogged Lawns and Split or Cracked Bark

Treating Waterlogged Lawns High rainfall during winter and impeded drainage mean that lawns can struggle to cope with excess water, which leaves them prone to moss and algae. Waterlogging tends to be a problem on compacted and heavy clay soils, although poor preparation before turfing or seeding new lawns can be a cause also. Roots … Continue reading “Treating Waterlogged Lawns and Split or Cracked Bark”

Feed and Weed

Root Health

Root Health When the tops of plants wilt or die, there may be problems with the root health and system. Other symptoms such as a thin crown, small, pale leaves or needles, dead branches or twigs, leaves falling earlier than usual, and plants flushing later or weaker than usual may also indicate root problems. A … Continue reading “Root Health”

Gardener Cheshire

Gardening Jobs for January

Gardening Jobs for January Six important seasonal Gardening jobs for January Prune wisterias by reducing last year’s growth to spurs of two or three buds. On winter pansies and violas, remove leaves with downy mildew and black spots. Order vegetable seeds: as new popular cultivars sell out quickly. Cutaway old hellebore foliage to reveal new … Continue reading “Gardening Jobs for January”