April is the peak of spring. It is an important time for attending to a number of basic gardening chores ahead of summer. The what-to-do list for April must be flooded with preparation and planting tasks. To enjoy your garden to the fullest this coming season, you must be prepared to do certain garden tasks in April.
The month of March heralds the beginning of spring. It is the month when your garden comes alive with the emergence of colourful spring bulbs.
The winter cold spell is almost broken and as the worst of the weather is now over there is plenty to do in your garden in March. In this post we look at some of the key jobs you have to do on your garden in March as you prepare for the spring planting season.
The month of February is a major turning point in your gardening activities. February is still cold but the good news is that spring is starting to show its early signs.
Wherever you look, you'll notice bulbs reluctantly emerging from the ground and of course, the days are finally getting longer. Mother Nature will also shower you with the blessings of a few blossoms here and there.
Many people have fond memories of their grandparents. Let's face it, they are the best when you’re a little kid. Most grandparents are full of amazing stories about their lives and they create fun memories. Here are some fun ideas for family gardening that we have learned from grandparents.
One of the things gardeners find most appealing about annual plants is their diversity and variety. Annuals allow creative growers to put together eye-popping combinations of colours that will last a whole season. From bright eye-catching flowers such as Mexican sunflowers and zinnias to the pastel hues of lavatera, annual plants give you a great palette to choose from!
Many herbs take well to growing in a sunny kitchen window, although some will bolt, as in send up a flower stalk and try to set seeds, much earlier at room temperature. Constantly harvesting indoor-grown herbs can keep them in a constant state of renewal.
A greenhouse is a perfect place to get herbs started for the season, and also to grow more tender or tropical selections like basil, bay leaf, marjoram, and lemongrass.
Although the question of whether pots grow bags or border growing is best in the greenhouse seems simple, the answer isn't clear-cut. It depends on what you are growing and your circumstances.
We're all tempted to grow the extremes, the biggest or most flavourful and with chilli peppers, the hottest. But do think it through, there's little point in putting a lot of effort into growing a pepper that is so hot you can't actually use it. A milder variety means you can add flavour as well as heat to a dish where even one of the super-hot chillies can be too hot to taste and just makes the dish hot.
To maximise the growing season, start tomato seedlings off indoors on a south facing window sill in February. Because the day length is still short and the light weak, the seedlings can be drawn and leggy. To help avoid this put a piece of cardboard covered with aluminium foil behind the seed tray to reflect light back onto the seedlings.