Depending on where you live, lawn care professionals can't start working until 7 or 8 in the morning during the week. These times are not a suggestion. There are communal ordinances in place that dictate when work can begin to avoid creating an uproar too early in the morning. And I'm talking about gas patio equipment.
I am sure we can all agree that there is a considered time too soon to start the cutter, blower, etc. Out of respect for people trying to get some extra winks on the weekend. What time do you think everything is ready to fire them?. A gardener's calendar is essential for all types of outdoor spaces.
More especially, if yours is booming with vegetable plots and beautiful plantations. To ensure that your orchard produces the best harvest, to see that wildlife enjoys the best habitat, and to help keep your garden tidy and manageable, it's essential to add a little structure to the routine of every passionate gardener. All gardens, large and small, need maintenance, even if it's just pruning some plants or repainting garden furniture for a brighter summer outdoors. However, with larger, more elaborate gardens, maintenance can turn into a year-round job, and important tasks can often be forgotten if you don't have a schedule to meet.
Your plants will need protection and maintenance during this time of year. Brush snow from evergreens and conifers to prevent branches from arching, breaking, or spreading under weight. If wet weather conditions have caused ornamental grasses and other perennials to crumble, start mowing them down to give them a fresh start. After a lot of rain, cover the beds and borders with mold, manure, compost or crushed bark, a layer of about five to 10 cm is ideal.
Check that protective fleece and straw cover plants that are still tender, such as tree ferns. Feed new plantations in late January with slow-release fertilizers such as blood, fish and bone, and water, but leave the application of faster-acting organic fertilizers such as Growmore until early March. Plant trees and shrubs with bare roots and snowdrops “in the green” (leafy snowdrops). This is also a good month to plant Jerusalem artichokes, shallots, raspberries and blackberry canes, weather permitting.
February is also the time to prune your hedges hard, if you didn't do it in autumn. Deciduous garden hedges can be cut quite hard now. Make sure that frost has not lifted newly planted trees and shrubs; re-affirm them lightly with your hands or heels if necessary. In terms of plant maintenance, now is the time to reduce deciduous grasses, ideally up to 15-20 cm before new shoots emerge.
Dead winter bed plants for bushier displays later in the year, and begin preparing seed beds for spring vegetable planting. This is also your last chance to plant bare root trees, shrubs and roses until November. The most important task in March will probably be to sow. Sow the heads of perennials and place the “growth” supports in position.
Plant lily bulbs that bloom in summer in a hole three to four times their height. Plant hardy annuals to fill voids in immature beds and borders. Replace compost on potted plants and dress with slow-release fertilizer. Plant early potatoes, onions, and asparagus, and when the weather is warmer plant onions, parsnips, and the season's first carrots, turnips, beets, and salad leaves under the bells.
Plant celery, courgettes, tomatoes and cucumbers on the windowsill or in the greenhouse for planting after all danger of frost has passed. As a rule, this is the time to plant, support young plants, and plan ahead for summer. Plant tomatoes, green beans, basil, green pepper, marrow, zucchini, and sweet corn in individual, covert modules for post-frost planting. April is the best time to create new container screens.
If there is room, pot plants in larger pots, cheaper than buying larger pots in a month. Plant summer baskets and cultivate covertly before placing them in late. Plant semi-resistant bedding plants in seed trays or cell trays under cover. We have everything you need to know about indoor plants.
Pay special attention to tender vegetables and soft fruits. The end of the month is the best time to plant tender zucchini and eggplant if you have an orchard, as well as to plant our summer bed plants. May is also the time to transplant potted plants in pots 7 to 10 cm larger than the current ones. Remember to tie the long shoots of climbers to their supports with a soft rope.
Since insects become much more active as temperatures rise, be especially vigilant for pests. Remove the scarlet lily beetle from your irises; its larvae quickly defoliate plants. Watch for grapevine weevil on potted plantings: irregularly shaped notches on leaf edges are telltale signs. The young larvae of the earth eat roots, and fast.
Use natural nematodes to control them. At the end of the month. Don't forget about plants that have just finished blooming; prune bushes that bloom in spring. June is all about regularly and consistently maintaining your plants; in short, remember to weed, water, and feed your plants, and do it often.
Pay special attention to potted plants, bedding plants, and vegetables. Tubs and liquid feeding baskets every two weeks if you haven't already mixed the controlled-release fertilizer. Feed tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants a high-potash food, such as Tomorite, every two weeks (also useful for feeding pelargoniums). To make the most of summer blooms, move any indoor plant with summer flowers to the garden.
Bed plants with dead heads to encourage more flowers; cut delphiniums and geraniums after the first flowers to encourage a second bloom, then feed them blood, fish and bone. Tightly ties vigorous climbers to their supports. July often brings the hottest summer weather, so turn up the water for plants that need it. Bedding plants, leafy vegetables, seedlings and new plantings are the most likely to dry out.
The ideal is to water the plants early in the morning or in the evening; avoid watering during the hottest part of the day. Some pests thrive in hot summer conditions, so check susceptible plants, such as roses, for black spots, mold, and rust, which may be very present at this time. August is the first month of harvest; it's also time to start tidying up your garden as plants that grow in early summer begin to finish blooming and collapse. Move any tender plant, including indoor plants, to a greenhouse or greenhouse; be sure to check that any heaters you have are working properly.
Potted gardeners should remove drip trays and lift terracotta pots with bricks or special potting legs (from garden centers) so they don't stay in the water for the winter and crack when it freezes. This is also the time to stop feeding, as plants are slowing down during the winter. Now is the time to plant spring bulbs, excluding tulips, which should be planted in November. Plant bare rooted trees and shrubs during November.
For a little color during the winter, plant tubs and baskets with evergreen perennials, ornamental grasses, winter pansies, and polyanthos. November is a rainy and windy month, and frosts are not uncommon. Protect roses from wind rock by pruning them and protect any pot in frost-proof pots by wrapping them with bubble wrap. As the year draws to a close and the days get shorter, limit gardening work to protect tender plants and help wildlife in your garden.
Although it makes sense to water plants sparingly this time of year, make sure potted plants don't dry out completely. Protect palm trees and tree ferns. Place a few handfuls of straw in the crown, tie the leaves or fronds, and then wrap the entire plant in horticultural fleece, tying it securely at the bottom. Don't use plastic sheeting or bubble wrap: on hot days, plants will sweat and rot.
Indoors, keep houseplants happy by moving them away from the radiators and taking them to a cool, sunny spot. For gardens with water sources, now is the time to cover ponds with nets to prevent waterlogging during autumn leaf fall. March is the time when your gardening routine will begin to accelerate; this is the time to mulch, sow and transplant. January is also a suitable time to tidy up your garden and maintain and repair your garden furniture and terraces.
Clean slippery garden decks and pavements with hot soapy water; Algon organic pathway and patio cleaner (opens in a new tab) is useful for dirtier surfaces. A lot can be achieved in your garden during February, especially on days when the soil is not frozen or waterlogged. If you have a water source in your garden, now is the time to give it your annual round of post-winter maintenance. January may seem like the death of winter, but there's a lot to do in your garden this month.
April is a transitional month that can often bring unpredictable weather, so what will need to be done in the garden depends largely on weather conditions. . .
