 |
|
|
 |
 
 |
|
|
|
Azaleas and rhododendrons
This cold winter means that flowering of rhododendrons and azaleas will be delayed by at least a fortnight this season, so don't expect a great display much before May in most parts of the country.
Whenever these plants get their act together they will appreciate feeding with a soluble plant food that provides extra energy for leaf growth and some chelated iron to keep those new leaves dark green. When planted in most gardens that are not naturally blessed with an acid soil, this addition of special iron will help to avert any problems of yellow of the leaved between the veins. For best results feed with Miracle-Gro ericaceous Plant Food every fortnight from flowering through until the end of summer.
Lawns
You can keep your lawn a cut above the rest with just a little care and attention. The secret of a thick, green lawn is to cut it often and keep it well fed.
A great looking lawn, the heart of every beautiful garden, is not difficult to create or maintain. Getting the height of cut right is a key factor to success. If in doubt leave it longer than you think. The average utility lawn that has been laid for several years will certainly contain plenty of hard-wearing ryegrasses and should be around 25mm (1 inch) long after it's been cut. On a lawn that has been recently sown with a luxury fine grass seed mixture of Fescue and Bents the length can be shortened to 12mm (half an inch) during the summer without weakening the grass.
With the height of cut set get mowing as often as you are able. A quick whiz over the lawn every week which takes off a small amount of grass clippings is the way to encourage thicker growth. So too is the application of a lawn feed. For the truly dedicated lawn lover the best lawn feed on the market is the new EverGreen Lawn Builder Summer Long Lawn Food. It contains enough grass greening energy in a unique slow release format to keep the lawn lush, green and healthy for up to six months from one application. Your grass plants will think they've been transplanted to heaven - the food is rich and it's released throughout the every summer.
If weeds or moss are problem on your lawn then the more traditional triple-action lawn treatment is best. An application of EverGreen Complete is quick and easy through the hand held spreader it comes in or through a wheeled spreader such as the EverGreen Rotary which treats the larger lawn accurately and efficiently. EverGreen Complete contains two selective weedkillers that will get rid of common broad-leaved weeds such as daisies, dandelions and white clover and a moss killer that turns this problem growth brown in just a few days.
Timely tips
Trimming the edges of the lawn where it meets flower beds and patio will give a clean sharp look to the lawn. Special edging shears make the job quick and easy as you don't have to bend down to cut the grass.
Patio gardening
It is time to plant up hanging baskets and patio pots ready for early displays.
Be generous with your planting and generous with your compost. If you try to buy the biggest bag of Multi-Purpose compost for the cheapest price, you are sure to condemn your expensive plants to a short and mediocre life. Instead, buy the best potting compost you can afford. Premium brands such as Levington Hanging Basket and Container Compost and Miracle-Gro All Purpose Growing Compost are extra rich in nutrients to get roots and stems growing fast.
For hanging baskets that need the maximum water holding capacity and nutrient reserves then Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Compost is ideal. It is formulated with Miracle-Gro Slow Release Plant Food so it feeds plants for up to 6 months and it contains Aquacoir to hold extra water that roots can absorb as needed.
Line hanging baskets with moss or special fibre liners and place your chosen compost in the bottom. Start planting half way up the sides of the basket, pushing holes in the liner and feeding plant roots through into the compost. Top up with compost and then plant around the edges of the basket. Finally add the taller plants in the centre. Make sure there is a generous gap between the final level of the compost and the top of the liner so that watering will be quick and easy.
Timely tips
It's almost time to start eating outside on the patio and things need to look tidy before you start. Check for weeds growing around the edges or between paving slabs and treat them with Pathclear Ultra or the ready-to-use Pathclear Gun!
|
|
|
ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. USE PESTICIDES SAFELY
BugClear ™ and BugClear Gun!™ contain bifenthrin. EverGreen® Complete contains MCPA, mecoprop-P and ferrous sulphate. Pathclear® Ultra contains glyphosate, oxidiazon and diflufenican. Pathclear Gun!™ contains glyphosate and diuron. Roseclear Gun!™ contains bifenthrin and flutriafol. SlugClear™ Advanced Pellets and SlugClear™ contain metaldehyde. Weedol® 2 and Weedol Gun!™ contain diquat
® , ™ , Miracle-Gro, Tomorite and Levington are Trade Marks of The Scotts Company or its affiliates. Roundup is the registered Trade mark of Monsanto Company. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
