From The Potting Shed - Gardening Tips For April

[David Cheetham]

As the days grow longer and hopefully hotter, gardening conditions are improving so it?s time for getting out and about in the garden and tackling those ever persistent weeds that just love this rapid growing period.

But, it?s not all back breaking repetition for this month. Spring has sprung, the lambs are gambolling and we should be ablaze with a sea of daffodils and narcissus.

Top jobs for this month

PERENNIALS, ANNUALS and BULBS

Now is an ideal time for planting summer flowering blubs. There is a vast range available online, from mail order catalogues and down the local garden centre. Just remember to give your bulbs a boost with some good bulb fertilizer when you plant them out. But, remember you get what you pay for when buying bulbs ? so don?t sting!

Deadhead your spring flowering bulbs but leave the green foliage as this will continue to grow for a few weeks and provide food for next year. I have also read that once the green foliage has gone over, it?s good to give the bulbs some soluble plant food which will help to boost flowering next season.

If you?re a keen rose lover then April is the month to plant new varieties before new growth starts and buds swell.

FRUITS and VEGGIES

Why not experiment with some fruit trees or berry plants this year? This is month to select them and don?t forget they will do best when planted in full sun.

If you have been nurturing ?sow your own seeds? over the last few months either in the greenhouse or in the warm under the stairs, then check them for potting-up and pricking out to encourage growth and to avoid overcrowding.

Remember to protect any fruit blossom from late frosts.

THE LAWN

If you didn?t apply a fertilizer last month an application now should help to perk it up and improve its overall appearance and colour.

Aerating the lawn at this time of year will allow the water to penetrate deeper, help with compaction and reduce the need to water during the dryer months ahead. You can use a garden fork or even invest in a set of lawn aerator shoes

Before you start mowing just check your lawn mower to ensure that blades are sharp. Blades on most modern lawn mowers are easy to remove and replace if needed. Keep the cut relatively high at this time of the year to avoid scalping.

And finally, the gardener?s companion says??.. Anyone who considers gnomes tacky and cheap should take note. In 1997, a garden gnome, know as Lampy and believed to be one of the oldest in the world, was insured for one million pounds.

Happy Gardening!

David Cheetham MSGD

[*Bob*]

Nice try, David - but I'm not falling for it.

[David Cheetham]

Would really appreciate feedback on the style of this posting - too much potting shed or not enough garden advise?

Many thanks

David Cheetham MSGD

[Huguenot]

I think it's brilliant mate - I almost wish I was back in Blighty to make the most of it!

Your website looks great too.

[*Bob*]

I'm all for it.

You can watch as, under your tutelage, I unwittingly bring death to every corner of our garden.

But I'm trying, godammit, I'm trying.

[David Cheetham]

Well that's good to hear.

Let's all get out in the garden this month and put the green back into those lawns and boarders!

And in the tradition of Percy Thrower's Garden Notebook "More cut flowers, make room for strawberries and in every garden large or small there should be a plot or pot set aside for herbs".

Happy Gardening

David Cheetham MSGD

[ryedalema]

David - is there somewhere you can dump/give away compost? We've been composting at the back of our postage stamp back garden for nearly five years and have masses too much for what we need? If there a service that will collect it and put it to good use?

[David Cheetham]

Hi All,

Many thanks for the questions.

With regards the flower beds and double digging it really depends on how much of a sweat you want to build up and also how much clay is in the soil. If the beds have been left for a long time then digging them over will help with aeration, weed control and give you the opportunity to remove stones and rocks.

However, after such a long time I would be more inclined to focus on the quality and nutrition of the soil. So, dig in plenty of manure, fertilizer or compost.

Leading on to compost, sorry I don't know of any recycling schemes in place locally. May a EDF reader (Swagger)would like to take it off your hands.

Happy Gardening!

David Cheetham MSGD

[woofmarkthedog]

Davy...

Stay calm, it's early season on the forum & you are doing fine

Remember "plant" your "posts" in the full sunshine of your knowledge

Though I'm glad you recognised MY TALENT early on & took my advice ( well done, I'm working on the logo )

A couple of pointers "From the potting shed " may read better as "From the Potting Shed" it lends a certain authority to your "Gravitas"

Hold your course & remember if you need a hand, I'm here ( & how reassuring is THAT ?)

Indeede....

W**F

( please though stop PM'ing me with your "other troubles" as I said, I don't have all the answers to those kind of questions )

[Mick Mac]

Its very good David - I like the lawn bits as my wife does the plants etc. But I'd like to know how to make a perfect surface like the professionals do - so don't worry about overloading us with lawn tips.

Did the aerating last week and then overseeding with sand and soil and seed combo. Is it possible to put too much seed on a lawn as this is my latest tactic as the grass I see on golf courses is very dense and although cut short has no visible soil, almost carpet like.

Also I have a lawn that looks flat generally but has lots of unevenness underfoot - I have never rolled the lawn - is rolling a good idea and does it make it flat or just compact it?

Thanks,

[????]

Your lawn is like a putting green Mick.....My lawn is only two years old and completley fecked. Moss, uneven, light green grass full of weeds and mud patches. I think that it wasn't prepred properly for turfing. Should I start again or is it redeemable?

[Mick Mac]

Swagger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What are you trying to achieve, Mick Mac? A

> putting green or a garden?

A putting green.

[Mick Mac]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Your lawn is like a putting green Mick.....My lawn

> is only two years old and completley fecked. Moss,

> uneven, light green grass full of weeds and mud

> patches. I think that it wasn't prepred properly

> for turfing. Should I start again or is it

> redeemable?

Mine is better than a lot of lawns but definatley not a golf green.

As for your lawn Quids - I'm sure its recoverable and I'm sure David would say that.

There must be a recovery process that David would suggest but I think it might take more than one year.

I did my own and dug up the old - created a new level base and turfed. It looked fantastic for the first summer but after that my experience is that a new lawn needs more looking after than an established lawn. That's my experience so far anyway.

I was warned by a friend - he had gardeners in to lay a lawn just after they bought the house and it looked great but he told me that it would need lots of upkeep or a new lawn deterioriates more quickly.

It might be easier to try recover the old lawn first?

But if you fancy a couple month project, dig up the old and start again - then it feels good as its all your own work.

Keeps you off the Stella too.

Mick.

[of course this is David's thread - just thought I'd let you know my experience :)]

[????]

Mick what's your hourly rate?

[Mick Mac]

A can of Stella

[David Cheetham]

Hi everyone,

Not sure the weather has really been up to much in the way of gardening this Easter and also let's face it we could all do with a break now and again.

But, Mick Mac has been filling in for me whilst I've been away and has been doing a sterling job on my behalf and the many lawns of East Dulwich.

My advice with regards lawns is you get back what you put in. A new lawn needs loads of loving care not only when it's been put down but also the years ahead. The only real benefit is that you get an instant and consistent look from the off.

Established lawns are going to be hardier but as nature takes over, seeds start floating in from all over the place and the birds keep dropping things it wont take long until the problems start.

But, I could write pages for you on lawn pests, diseases and problems or just redirect you to the website.

Happy gardening!

David Cheetham MSGD

[apenn]

Hi David,

You mentioned fruit trees and berry plants this year. Any suggestions on where to source them?

Thanks,

-A

[David Cheetham]

There are a number of local garden centres including;

Alleyn Park Garden Centre

Dulwich Garden Centre

East Dulwich Garden

Alternatively if you can wait try ordering online form the major plant companies. I have bought plants this way and was surprised at how well they were packaged and also the fact that they replaced some when they did not take. Here are a few sites worth looking at.

www.Thompson-Morgan.com

www.VanMeuwen.com

www.jparkers.co.uk

Happy Gardening

David Cheetham MSGD

[womanofdulwich]

David can I ask about pruning? we planted new plum and apple tree last year and grapevine. Are we meant to be pruning them back a bit now? ( did nothing in the autumn)- and should we give them some fertiliser about now?

Thanks

[David Cheetham]

Hi,

I would leave any pruning now until the autumn when the trees are going into their dormant phase and there is no hard cold spell.

As they are relatively new addtions to your garden let them 'settle in' and then focus on shaping and thinning them out later in the year.

With regards fertilising, it really depends on how well the trees performed last year. But if you want to feed them leave it till after they finish blooming.

Happy Gardening.

David Cheetham MSGD

[ImpetuousVrouw]

Lidl, Poundstretcher and the 99p shop in Peckham all have fruit bushes and trees. They are cheap and I have managed to make them grow without any problems.

[womanofdulwich]

Thanks David- I hope you put pruning tips in your gardening tips in the autumn as I think I will rely on you now!!

[David Cheetham]

Ok I hope it helps.

You can also find an A - Z listing of gardening topics including pruning on my website.

Happy Gardening

David Cheetham MSGD

[David Cheetham]

Lawn Enthusiasts,

If you have a fair sized lawn and want to take the hard graft our of aerating and scarifying then have a look at the;

AL-KO Comfort 32VLE Combi 1000w Scarifier

I recently bought one and it's truly amazing.

Happy Gardening

David Cheetham MSGD

[daizie]

David should i trim my hedge right back or leave a bit of bush ?