Planning the Garden for the Spring & Summer
Now that the New Year has dawned it is time to start thinking ahead to the Spring and Summer.
Whether you want a new garden or simply your old garden rejuvenated, it is worth making some notes and writing them down.
It is one of those pleasant and exciting jobs that can be done at this time of year from the comfort of your armchair. Those of you who wish to be even more experimental could try using one of the many software items available that help you design and landscape your garden using the computer. I have no doubt that many gardeners have received such software as Christmas presents.
Take time to play with this software, I can guarantee it is not as easy as it is made to look!
Personally I prefer the old fashioned method using graph paper for my designs.
Choosing which plants and vegetables you are going to grow is another job that can be done from the comfort of your home.
There are many seed catalogues to choose from , most of these will be sent to you free of charge by the various seed companies. I have chosen to sell Mr. Fothergill’s seed on this site. They are one of the few British firms still in existence and have been selling seed for many years.
A selection of their seed is available in our seed section at reasonable prices. We have chosen categories of seed to suit different styles, for instance those growers who want to revert back to the old fashioned varieties will be interested in our Heritage collection. For those gardeners who suffer from a visual impairment we have selected seeds to form a Sensory section, where scent and touch are a prime consideration.
I like to encourage youngsters to participate in the garden and have included a Children’s section of ‘Fun Seed’
To encourage birds and other wildlife we have a Wildlife and Wildflower Seed section. The plants and flowers produced from the various seed in these collections will attract all sorts of beneficial birds and insects into the garden, as well as providing a brilliant show of colour.
One of the biggest pleasures we gardeners have is growing our own vegetables.
There is nothing nicer than heading to the vegetable plot and harvesting fresh vegetables which after a small amount of cleaning are ready for the pot.
I have included a wide variety of vegetable and herb seed, including varieties suited to both large and small plots. Most are easy to grow varieties suitable for both the beginner and more experienced grower.
Once the planning and seed orders have been placed it is time to sit back, relax and wait for the weather to warm up. Wrong! There is always something to do in readiness for the forthcoming season.
Wooden garden furniture, structures and ornaments can all be checked over to see if they need cleaning up, staining or varnishing. Timber garden benches which are difficult to store inside over winter, tend to be worst hit as they are left open to the elements all year. Similarly we leave wooden bird tables and nesting boxes outdoors and they too will need attention sooner rather than later as the birds will soon be looking for a comfortable residence in which to nest and lay eggs.
Some people manage to gather in the wooden garden ornaments and store them in a shed over winter, it is still worth checking to see if they need cleaning up and weatherproofing.
The pictures below show three such small items which have been left outside all year and are soon to be taken inside and treated.
So what needs to be done with these wooden items?
I suggest the following:
Lightly rub down with sand paper or glass paper to remove dirt, green algae and rough wood, for larger items, garden benches for instance, a pressure washer or power sander can be used. Take care that the timber is structurally sound before using these machines, and not rotten or crumbling.
Remove any old flaking varnish using one of the above methods.
Ensure surfaces are dry before applying stain or preservative.
The smaller items can be treated with an environmentally friendly stain or wood preservative. Read the information on the container to make sure it is safe to use around pets, animals, plants and fish.
Before applying a coloured stain or preservative, test the colour on a separate piece of wood, the colours shown on the containers can sometimes be deceptive and innacurate.
Bear in mind the first coat of stain / preservative will be mostly absorbed into the timber, once dry it will probably be necessary to apply a second coat.
An additional protection or enhancement can be given by varnishing, especially the larger structures, garden benches and wooden patio furniture for instance.
Varnish will flake in the hot sun, I am also told that wasps eat varnish, evidence of this can be seen where ‘lines’ have been scored through the varnish. It is advisable to use a hard, marine or yacht varnish which will last a lot longer. Personally I prefer linseed oil to varnish. Whichever is used will benefit your timber items, ensuring them a longer servicable life.
Nesting Boxes
In the not too distant future birds will be looking for nesting sites. If you have nesting boxes now is a good time to give them a spring clean. Birds are no different to the rest of us, they do not want a messy, dirty site in which to build their nests. Tits will return to the same nest box they used last season providing the old nest is removed and the nest box is cleaned out.
Visit our online shop where the wildlife section has aids for cleaning nesting boxes. A wide range of nesting boxes for different species can also be found for sale in the wildlife section. The nest boxes we sell are built by a specialist firm with specific birds interests at heart. They all have detachable sections to allow for easy cleaning.
Greenhouse, Pots and Planters.
If the weather is fine take the opportunity to clean and tidy the greenhouse and its contents, by contents, include pots, planters and seed trays.
Check greenhouse glazing, panes of glass slip or become dislodged, repair and replace where necessary. The glass will benefit from cleaning on the inside as well as outside, use disinfectant added to the water, Jeyes Fluid being the most common. Clean glass will allow more light through, necessary for germinating and developing young seedlings.
Pots, planters, containers and seed trays all benefit from a disinfected wash to kill off overwintering bugs and bacteria.
If the glasshouse has been severely affected by greenfly, whitefly or other aphids place a smoke bomb in the house. Several smoke bombs may be needed dependant on the size of the greenhouse. These smoke bombs will soon be avaiable to purchase from the garden sundries section of this site.
Mulching
Another fine weather task, normally done in Autumn to protect the dormant plants and bulbs from the ravages of winter.
The months of January and February are usually the harshest months of our winter in the UK so now may be a good time to add a layer of mulch whilst the weather is mild.
Types of Mulch include well rotted compost, horse manure and bark.
If the compost has not been well rotted you will find a carpet of weed seedlings apearing all over the beds and borders, which is why a sturdy well made compost bin is a must. *I will be giving ideas on how to make such a compost bin in the near future.
Similarly if you use horse manure it should also be further composted before use on the garden, in order to kill off any weed seeds that may be present. Apart from race horses, most animals are grazed on ordinary fields containing weed as well as grass, inevitably some weed will get into their system and be passed in the dung, which, if not composted further, will end up on the borders.
Bark is a more decorative mulch which does offer some protection from the elements.
If you live in an area where rabbits are a nuisance, you will soon discover that these mammals like nothing more than to dig through the bark to get at whatever tasty plant lies beneath. A good tip given to me by partner Alison (Gardening Girl) is to make a mix of the following solution and water onto the bark once it has been spread on the site. It helps to deter rabbits and is not harmful to them or the plants.
The mixture consists of a tablespoon of garlic powder with a small drop of washing up liquid added to a watering can.
Hopefully some of the above will have motivated you out of the armchair and into action! The more early jobs that are done now means less rushing about when the Spring arrives in a couple of months time.
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