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 Did you know?...
Compost is the best organic fertiliser you can give to help your plants and flowers thrive in your garden. Making your own compost not only saves money but can bring your garden to life over time. |
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 How To Care for your Garden
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After care is essential to keep your garden in tip top condition. |
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| Your garden is a living paradise, and as with anything that is alive, it needs feeding and watering. Borders need weeding and pests need to be kept under control. Keep an eye on your foliage as diseases can often appear out of nowhere. |
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| Watering is the number one priority to keep your garden alive, especially during the hot summer months. It is better to give the ground a good flooding once a month than to tease it with a short sprinkle every other day. When you flood the ground, and by this we mean that a puddle of at least 3cm should stay on the topsoil, less water is lost by evaporation, the water will then sink slowly down to the roots of the plant. When we tease the garden with a short sprinkle of water, most of it stays within the top 2cm of the soil, and the sun will evaporate this in the blink of an eye. |
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| Feeding your garden is essential as it replenishes most of the lost nutrients that have been used up by the plants, or washed away by heavy downpours. Feeds come in many guises; from dried pellets, fresh manure to liquid feeds. Follow the manufacturers instructions carefully, as over feeding can cause considerable problems. |
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Weeding your garden is another priority task. Borders and vegetable plots both need looking after, because if they are left unattended, rest assured, the weeds will take over. Weeds strangle plants and deprive them of the vital nutrients found in the soil. Roots will fight for space, and more times than not, weeds will win the fight. Most weeds are easy to pull up, just a slight tug and the roots come out of the soil, but be warned, other weeds are a little bit tougher. Dandelions and dock leaves, for example, need to be dug out, especially if they have been left to establish themselves. Their roots are big and tough, and every bit of root has to come out, or else they will just grow again. Propriety weed killers can be bought, but use with caution. |
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Pests need to be kept under control, or you may find that these hungry little critters eat half of your garden. Caterpillars should be picked off and placed in a designated area. We plant extra cauliflowers and dedicate these to the caterpillars. Moles are annoying; even the best gardens can become host to these little creatures. The best way to get rid of moles is by using a sonar device, which creates underground sounds. These devices emit sonic pulses into the ground, which drives moles mad.Upon hearing the racket, moles simply pack their bags and move on. These devices need to be moved around the garden though. Ants, slugs and millipedes are also classed as pests, even though they all have a vital job to do in their own right. These are natures scavengers, but when we get too many of them, they become a gardeners nightmare. |
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Plants are prone to all sorts of diseases, some more than others. Microscopic bacteria, viruses and fungi, which float in the air, all cause diseases. Plant diseases must be treated as soon as they are spotted to prevent them from spreading. Common diseases such as grey mould, powdery mildew and rust all cause problems. Caring for your plants as they grow helps to keep them in a healthy condition, which in turn, can eradicate diseases. |
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