Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!
I know it's been absolutely AGESSSSS since I last posted and I certainly didn't plan it to be. What with work, course work and rubbish weather I haven't really had the chance to get much done in the Garden recently apart from the occasional dead-heading over the past few weeks.
However I'm back today with my Checklist and a few other photo's for you!

1. Feeding - What with the low temperatures this Summer my Tomatoes haven't really got going until recently. There's still a few weeks left for them to ripen so don't despair too much! Carry on feeding them once a week and remove excess foliage to allow plenty of light at the fruits. If the weather turns and we have yet more cooler days keep an eye on your watering and make sure you don't give them too much.
You can also give your Chilli's a feed to help give them a bit of a boost too.

2. Pests & Foliage -Keep an eye out for Pests and Foliage problems. For example just yesterday I spotted Viburnum Beetle all over my Viburnum Tinus, the little blighters!

In a GH you may come across Aphids which can be dealt with simply by squashing them.

Make sure you remove any yellow / brown or mouldy leaves on plants as this can help spread grey mould. Don't forget to keep an eye out for Caterpillars too which can be found hiding between leaves!

3. Winter Bedding - If like me you ordered some Winter Bedding and planted it up in trays a few weeks ago they will soon be ready for potting on. All you need to do is pot them on into bigger trays to all the plant to grow and develop a good root structure before eventually being planted out.

4. Plan Ahead - You may not want to hear it but now is a good time to take note of what did and what didn't perform well this year. This will help you decide what to have in your garden next year. For example I really liked the Cosmos that I grew this year and although I have decided to cut back on the amount of Annuals next year, if there is only one that I grow it will be this one!

'Cosmos - Double Click Snow Puff'

My 'Agapanthus - Queen Mum' will also be sticking around as after sharing no flowers last year it made up for that with not one but three giant blooms this time around, they haven't stopped flowering for weeks! I have the plant in a pot next to the back door and is at a perfect height to greet me at eye level every time I go past.

5. Cyclamen - If you have been looking after last years Cyclamen then now is the time to start giving them a water after their Summer break.

TIP - With Cyclamen it's always a good idea to water them from below instead of the top as this can cause the corn to rot if it's left wet.

6. Bulbs - Now is the time to start thinking about buying and planting next years Spring bulbs!

As you know I bought 60 - 'Narcissa Thalia' which all need planting in the borders. I'm hoping to do this soon when I give the borders a good mulch!

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget you can find all the previous Checklists on the page tab above.

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Clearing The Greenhouse ...

Good Morning!

Last week I decided it was time to give the GH a good clean after disposing of this year's Tomato Plants. This should hopefully get rid of any pests that were wanting to stay over winter!

I cleaned the outside and inside panels which would also help let more light in on winter days.

As you can see I have started putting my bubble insulation back up, I kept last years but gave it a good hose down before putting into place. I shall be adding the rest of the insulation soon.

At the far end you can see my collection of trays and pots, along with a few plants!

The Orchid on the left has since been moved into my conservatory but the Fuschia 'Black Prince' and White Cyclamen will hopefully be staying put over winter.

I have brought my Agapanthus under cover as it's not the hardiest of plants. You may get away with leaving it outside in a southern, sheltered garden but certainly not in mine!

TIP - When bringing plants in make sure you inspect each leaf and the container for any hitch-hiking pests!

I also brought in my Alstromeria which I re-potted and rid of old growth beforehand.

Over on the other side you can see the Staging which has my Pelargoniums on top as mentioned in my previous post, various cuttings, seedlings and a range of Alpines.

There are still some more plants to come in, such as my Abutilon & Chocolate Cosmos before the temperature drops so I may end up having to have another re-shuffle to fit things in! lol

Thanks for stopping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX

Weekly Garden Checklist ...

Good Morning!

It's Monday so it is time for another Weekly Garden Checklist. 

Incase this is the first time you have seen this particular themed post, it's a quick list of jobs you can be doing in the garden this week.

Let's get started!

1. Plant Spring Bulbs - September / October is a great time to plant your Spring bulbs as the ground is still warm which will help the roots develop well. Although some people dispute it I still prefer to plant my Tulip bulbs however in November.

2. Prune Shrub Roses  - If your Shrub Roses have stopped flowering and have some rather lengthy growth then you can prune your roses back by half now, which also helps against windy weather disrupting their roots.

3. Collect Leaves - Leaves are starting to fall so instead of collecting them to go in the bin why not make your own leaf mould? Simply put the collected leaves in Hessian sacks, place in a corner of the garden in about 2 years you will have your own leaf mould which is great for plants!

4. Tender Plants - If the temperature is dropping a fair bit where you are it's time to start bringing tender plants under cover such as Agapanthus and various tender Perennials. 

5. Sow Vegetables - There's still time to sow some Vegetables including Lettuce & Salad leaves, Winter Radishes, Spinach and Spring Onions! 

Thanks for stopping by,

HAPPY GROWING!

XXX