Just in time. Your gardening tips for March :)))

[Gardenman]

We are just starting to get a few sunny days to tell us Spring is on the way & we don?t need any excuses to get out in the garden & create an amazing environment to enjoy by just sitting, or working on or for the whole family to enjoy what you create in your garden.

With many of us having to stay at home, we are discovering the benefits of our gardens & how they help us enjoy the delight of being in nature in our own space. As city dwellers , especially at this time, we need this connection more than ever. We all know how uplifting a sunny day can be after a winter such as none of us has known before. Use your gardens, they are a resource very much needed at this time.

So, to the point if we are to create what we shall enjoy this year:

1. Lawns, a problem for most of us in this clay bound area! You can begin to cut them now, preferably with a mower with a roller on it. Cut the lawn at a high setting in straight lines & lower the setting one notch & cut it at a 45 degree angle . This will strengthen the roots & give you the basis of a good lawn. It is time to give your lawn a good feed ; before this it will need to be aerated either with a fork every 6 inches or an aerator . Use a combination of weed feed & mosskiller , topsoil, seed & a little sand to help drainage.

Shortly after any moss will need to be raked out making your lawn look dreadful! Don?t worry, it will come back looking really good soon after. A note: do NOT overfeed with too much , the chemicals will burn your lawn if you do!!!

2. Prune your shrub & climbing Roses, taking out any dead wood . Don?t be afraid to prune them back hard, give them a good feed of manure bonemeal & blood & they will reward you with a beautiful display .

Time to cut back grasses before you have to cut back too much growth. Again, give them a good feed afterwards. Prune summer & Autumn flowering Clematis to about 15centimetres from the ground. Protect the roots from the sun with a crock

3. Plant summer flowering bulbs being mindful of the colour patterns you are creating . There are plenty to choose from in the shops & nurseries now

4. Clear weeds before they get a hold & start their rotation of self seeding . Please don?t use the chemicals offered , they are known to affect our bees, our birds , our soil & our eco systems that connect everything. The best tool is a Dutch hoe or your fork & your back!!

5. Clear ponds & start up fountains & pumps , give the water a treatment & maybe add a few plants to aerate the water

6. Lift & divide overgrown herbaceous perennials to give you free plants & position them to add to your plant collection

7. Give your Camelias an ericaceous feed to help them produce their beautiful colours as they are working really hard at this time to give you as many blooms as possible. Be prepared to wrap them up if you hear of a frost coming in the weather forecast. Nobody wants a bunch of brown flowers instead of the beautiful ones you should be enjoying

8. Too dress your pots & containers with a compost that will replenish the plants & feed them through spring

9. Dig in a good mulch of your compost & manure into all your borders. This will pick up all your plants & give you a display that you will enjoy this spring

10. Give your decks, patios & features a good power wash & time to take a look at them to see if they need any repairs or they have become dangerous & need replacing. If you are needing a new deck , it maybe worth looking at composite decking. More expensive, but ecological & most of them with 20/30 year warranties! Also, there are some very beautiful new stones that can be used for patios & paths

That?s it, until I realise I?ve forgotten something, but please enjoy your gardens, look after them & if you can?t then as I always say, use some of the wonderful well recommended gardeners on the Forum to make your gardens what you want them to be & get the most out of them :)))

As a company we have had an amazing winter, designing , building beautiful gardens for our customers. We have done many front gardens which I love as we get to speak to so many people & it makes people happy to come home to.

We are busy, but we have space for more projects & I am still very happy doing what we do & happy to try & answer any questions you may have .

We are opening up an Estate management service for Estates in the area. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any enquiries.

Nigel

Exterior Design Gardens

07759862191

[Gardenman]

I thought I would forget something)). A really good time to plant up fruit trees. Make sure you choose a type & size suitable for your garden . Many types come as miniatures & depending on what you select , you get fabulous blossom from them, my favourite being Japanese cherry trees . Take a look at the one we planted 5 years ago in Barry road. Makes me smile every time I drive past :)))(

[Gardenman]

A further issue as I am seeing many damaged fences is to check them & repair or replace them. Especially before the prices go up anymore!!! Timber has gone up by one third since the end of last summer!!! Although I buy all my timber from outside East Dulwich!!! So much cheaper.

Also, start a compost heap if you haven?t already, helps recycle resources & feed t your garden for free next year