   | July Hints & Tips
Wisteria PruningTo get the most from wisteria it's important to build up a good framework of permanent branches to cover the support, so make sure you tie in stems as they grow. And now's the time to give your wisteria its summer prune. Cut back all this year's leafy sideshoots to five to seven leaflets. After pruning feed with a potash-rich granular feed such as a rose fertiliser. And if you were jealous of everyone else's wisterias earlier this year then get buying and planting today. Remember they need a spot in full sun and a sturdy trellis or similar for support. Garden GamesIf your family is already getting bored of the summer holidays entertain them in the safety of your own garden. We stock an excellent range of garden games and other equipment to turn parts of your garden into a fun playground. Outdoor LivingGardens are for enjoying - and the summer is the best time to do it. So make sure you sit back, relax and enjoy your garden this year from the comfort of your own garden furniture. Or entertain friends and family with a slap-up barbecue. And if you plan to stay out late add some easy to install garden lighting. We have everything you need and plenty of ideas to ensure you get the most enjoyment from your garden this summer - just ask, we're here to help. PondsDuring periods of hot dry weather the water in ponds can be very short of oxygen, which will affect the fish and plants; if your fish are gulping at the surface it's a sure sign they need more oxygen. Make sure your pond contains plenty of oxygenating plants and add a pump and waterfall or fountain as the constant movement of water is one of the best ways of aerating it. Fish will be very active now, so feed them little and often with a high protein fish food. Just ask one of our friendly staff to show you what we stock to ensure a perfect pond. BooksIf you're off on holiday soon or want to make the most of long days in the garden, use your time wisely and read a good gardening book or two. You can gen up on your favourite plants, plan next year's garden, a new area in the garden or a new feature - or just brush up on your gardening techniques. Take a quick stroll around our book department for some inspirational reading. Pest WatchDuring the warm, dry days of summer pests like red spider mite, aphids and whitefly and diseases like mildew can really take hold and get out of control. Check plants regularly - daily if possible - for signs of trouble and deal with it quickly. One or two pests can soon become a major outbreak during warm weather. Ready-to-use sprayers are the quick and easy answer to your problems. Slugs and snails will also become busy after a cooling summer shower, so make sure you have controls ready to hand. GreenhousesIf you haven't already done so, make sure you shade your greenhouse to prevent plants inside getting scorched. Use a shading wash or hang up fleece or shade netting. Keep vents open during warm weather; installing automatic vent openers will do the work for you. Water plants daily - or as and when they need it - and feed every seven to 10 days or so to ensure healthy growth and plenty of flowers and fruit. Damp down paths daily with a few gallons of water to help improve humidity. HerbsIf you love cooking indoors or are spending the long, sunny days and evenings barbecuing, then you'll appreciate having plenty of herbs. If you don't have room in the rest of the garden, then plant up a herb pot with all your culinary favourites so they're easily to hand when you need them. From Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme to Basil and Mint we have all the herbs you'll need for a potpourri of scents and tastes. Plant Buying TipsIf you have colour gaps in your beds, borders and containers now is a good time to plug them. Treat you and your garden to an eye-catching tree or specimen plant like a Tree Fern, Fatsia Japonica, Phormium or Grasses. If your garden is looking a bit flat put up an arch, pergola or trellis and cover it with colourful climbers. Look out for our instant colour from our wide range of shrubs, herbaceous plants and seasonal bedding. And if your patio is looking tired or colourless pop in some large container plants for instant impact. BordersGet the most from all your plants growing in beds and borders by giving them a little care and attention. Plants that have finished flowering should be dead-headed or cut back, and fed with a high potash fertiliser - many will reward you with further flushes of flowers. Questions & AnswersTomatoes Q&AIt seems like everyone is growing tomatoes these days. What help can we give to ensure bumper crops? Tomatoes can be grown in a greenhouse, in the vegetable garden, in pots on the patio or even in hanging baskets! A little care and attention now will ensure bumper crops throughout the summer. First you need to make sure they are kept well and evenly watered - if the soil or compost dries out then the crop is reduced, the fruit may split and even suffer from blossom end rot (that's when the bottom of the fruit turns black). Crops growing in growing-bags are always the worst affected as the compost dries out so quickly. A drip watering system will help get over this. Tomatoes are also hungry feeders, and need a weekly diet of liquid tomato fertiliser, this not only improves the crop, but it improves the flavour too! Make sure your plants are well supported, tie them in regularly to their supports, which should be strong and sturdy. Finally, always remove side-shoots from upright cordon varieties, this isn't necessary with the smaller bush varieties - then remove yellowing or dying leaves and watch out for pests and diseases and treat accordingly. Lawns Q&ALawns can look tired at this time of the year. What do we recommend to get them into tip-top condition again? The quickest and easiest way of bringing lawns back into perfect condition is to feed them. At this time of year use a liquid feed. This will act quickly giving an immediate greening-up effect and being a liquid it's less likely to scorch the grass. If the lawn is plagued with weeds or moss then a liquid feed and weed, or feed, weed and mosskiller will help get these under control too. Tricky, persistent weeds are best sprayed with a selective liquid lawn weedkiller. You should also continue to mow regularly, whenever the grass is growing and needs a short, back and sides. Don't forget to edge the lawn, it's amazing how much this little job improves the overall appearance. Providing you mow regularly you can leave the small clippings on the lawn as they will help mulch the soil and so conserve soil moisture. When the soil becomes really dry you may want to give the lawn a good watering. If you don't there's a good chance it will turn brown, but more likely than not it will green up again in the autumn. Drought Tolerant PlantsLots of our customers are interested in growing drough-tolerant plants. There are numerous plants that can tolerate dry conditions and make excellent colourful garden features. These plants have developed ways of coping with drought conditions, including fleshy, hairy or waxy leaves, silvery or grey leaves and even reduced thin grass-like leaves or thorns. Good plants include Ceanothus, Ceratostigma, Cistus, Cytisus, Euonymus, Hebe, Lavender, Rosemary, Red Hot Poker, Catmint and Sea Holly among many, many others. What you need to bear in mind though, is that nearly all of them only become drought tolerant once they are established. It's important to water them in well after planting, giving one good soaking every week or so rather than little and often, to ensure they become established as soon as possible. Applying a thick mulch of bark, cocoa shell or gravel after planting will help insulate the roots from hot, sunny conditions and maintain soil moisture levels. It's important to ensure the mulch is only put down when the soil is already moist. Planting membranes can also be used to help keep moisture in, too. You could even add water-retaining gels to the soil. Propagation Q&ASome customers have been asking if there are any plants they can propagate at this time of year? Well now's the perfect time to take semi-ripe cuttings from a wide range of shrubs such as Hebes, Rosemary, Lavender, Weigela, Ceanothus and Hydrangeas. You need to remove 4-5 inch long cuttings from this year's growth, pop them in a plastic bag to help prevent them drying out. Then prepare the cuttings by trimming them just below a leaf. Carefully remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting and dip the end in hormone rooting powder or liquid, then insert the cuttings up to the lower leaf in pots of a gritty, cuttings compost. Beds & Borders Q&AWe've been asked what maintenance beds and borders need at this time of year? Many plants that have produced their first flush of summer flowers, especially the bedding plants and the roses, will produce even more flowers if you regularly remove the faded flowers and seed heads or pods. Many herbaceous perennials will also produce a second flush of flowers if the flowering stems are cut right back to ground level. Those with faded or damaged leaves can also be tidied up by removing this foliage. After cutting back, feed them with a high potash liquid fertiliser to help encourage strong growth and further flushes of flowers. |
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