Gardener’s Notes

Spring is finally arriving and gardens are beginning to look full of colour, especially with the appearance of sunny yellow daffodils. Call me sad but with the clock going forward at the end of March it really is an exciting time of year. Longer days equals longer hours I can be outside. For me it is a really good incentive to get outside and start on some gardening tasks. Whether its mulching, pruning, taking cuttings or preparing the seeds beds, I am always looking for a new job in the garden and I hope some of these useful tips get you started. This month is the ideal time for making seedbeds for sowing. Once you have broken down any lumps in the soil, you could apply an organic fertiliser about two weeks before sowing. Rake this in and even out any hollows and bumps and the seedbed is ready for seeds. Start your tomatoes, aubergines and peppers this month. You can also succession sow lettuce, cabbage and cauliflower in March. You could even experiment with mixing some vegetables in with your herbaceous borders. While I do love sowing seeds and looking forward to some fresh herbs and vegetables you really cannot forget about the other more beautiful aspects of your garden. Give your roses the perfect start, hybrid tea, floribunda and climbing roses benefit from pruning during early March. After pruning, spray with an insecticide and fungicide to protect against future problems. Then feed with a granular rose fertiliser to ensure a mass of perfect blooms this summer and mulch with composter bark or well-rotted manure. Some of your daffodils may be going over towards the end of March. Deadhead as many as you can so that all the plants energy goes back into the bulb, ready to produce more flowers for next year. However, do leave the foliage intact. Now is also a good time to trim perennials such as lavender to avoid overgrowth, while making sure you keep them compact to encourage a healthy growth & additional fragrant flowers. If you are anything like me then then you can feel a little exhausted after the winter months. Plants that have been in your greenhouse are no different and you will notice their compost will be looking a little bit tired, do remember to feed or repot them. With longer warmer days (hopefully) in April we start to see stronger sunshine and our gardens start to come alive. With the views from your window ever changing you will start to see plants unfurl and push along the soil, adding colour and vibrancy to your garden. Doug, Outdoor Plants Manager at Chessington Garden Centre writes;