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RICHARD'S REMINDERS This page is packed full of seasonal and topical tips from Derbyshire's leading Horticulturist. MARCH & APRIL IN THE GARDEN BEDS AND BORDERS Your herbacous borders should be coming back to life soon after a nice covering of snow this year and a long winters rest. Any splitting or dividing can be completed in March, lift any clumps carefully and divide into 2 or 4 by gently prizing apart the clump with 2 garden forks, then replant where required. Any digging and forking over of the beds should be completed encorporating well rotted manure or good garden compost after splitting and dividing. Be prepared and ready to start staking any tall varieties in late April as they grow. ROSES Early March is the best time to prune your Roses ready for the new growing season. Newly planted bushes and hybrid teas grown for large blooms should be hard pruned down to 3 or 4 buds, leaving stems 12-15cm high. With older established bushes and standards you can prune by about half, remember to remove the three D's, Dead, Diseased and Dying and also any crossing, weak or spindly branches to form a nice open goblet shape. In early April apply arose fertilizer such as "Top Rose" around the base of the plants and lightly fork in. As soon as leaves start to appear cosider spraying with "Systhane" to protect againt blackspot and other fungal diseases. IN THE GREENHOUSE After winter washing your green house down in autumn and insulating with bubble wrap, it is now time to start sowing all your seeds into propagators, or seed trays if you have agood heater! Make sure you check regularly that the temparature is not to hot or cold. The ideal is between 18-24 C (68-86 F) and don't get the compost too wet or dry. Use a good seed compost like J I Seed & Cutting or Westland Surestart compost. SHRUBS & TREES Complete any winter tree pruning by early March before the sap starts to rise, also finshih any winter prunuing or shaping of deciduous shrubs. (leave spring flowerers until after flowering). A light careful fork around the base of your tres and shrubs would not go amiss, it will loosen the ground and help air get to the roots, then apply a good mulch which will spress weeds and retain moisture during the summer! March is also a good time to transplant trees and shrubs you wis to move. try to keep a good rootball with plenty of soil and do not let the plants dry out. Stake larger plants you have moved to ensure they are stable and keep evergreen well watered. In early April give a good top dressing of pelleted chicken manure or other quality fertilizer.
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FRUIT AND VEG If you have not done so already single (double dig in very heavy soils) dig plenty of well rotted manure or garden compost into your veg patch and leave to settle. Now is a good time to plan ahead for what yoyu want to grow. SEED potatoes are now in stock, get them now before they all go. You can start chitting 1st earlies in March, for planting out in early April in this part of the country. All your winter pruning should be finished by now on fruit trees and bushes and the ground around them should be forked over again incorporating well rotted manure around each plant. As the leaves start to form around April be ready to start your pest and disease spraying program for the season ahead. For further details why not down load our Fruit guide available on the home page or here.
ORNAMENTAL TREES Again we have one of the best ranges of ornamental trees in the area right from 6ft up to 16ft plus! All you can imagine from A-Z, just pop in and see you won't believe your eyes!!! Now is the perfect tree planting time and we have masses to choose from . Check that stakes and ties are secure and adjust accordingly, perhaps add a rabbit guard just in case. Consider additional trees for screening or adding a much needed focal point in your garden, our New range is just available. Our trees are personally selected by myself to ensure the best quality, size and shape. We carry out periodic pruning and maintenance of the trees to guarantee that you have the best start with your tree to grow into the finest specimen. Ask our outdoor staff for some expert advise on any aspect of tree care. LAWN CARE As soon as the weather permitts the lawn should be ready for its first cut. Firstly, gently rake any debris and leaves of the lawn, then set your mower blades fairly high so it just tips the grass 1st time. As the season progresses gradually lower the blades, this will prevent your grass yellowing. A quality Weed, Feed and Mosskiller can be applied to sort out your weed and moss problems. This may produce blackened patches on the lawn, no worries, simply rake off, fluff up the soil and re-seed. Repair kits are readily avaible. This will ensure a tip top lawn fit for Wembley!!!
GENERAL March is a good Month to get back in the garden, it's warming up and the nights are drawing out with the promise of the clocks springing forward with British Summer Time. Lets hope we have a good one this year!. It's a great month to have a good old tidy up after the winter before you get to busy mowing the lawn, weeding and watering. Have a good sort out, do moving, splitting etc, basically get all the donkey work and preperation work done now so you can sit back in the spring and admire all your hard work! Well after you have cut the lawn that is !!!!!!! Why not download some of our brilliant Garden Guides to give you all the help and confidence you need. GOOD LUCK
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