Gardening tips for June . Now that the sun is back with us 🙏

[Gardenman]

Apologies for the absence. I?ve not been too well with diabetes! But fit enough to give you some helpful tips for this time of year after all that rain !!!! I thought it was never going to stop . But one good thing is everything is very lush now & the frosts have gone . Your lawns may be up round your neck, but I?ve got some ideas about that:))))

One of the benefits of this covid is that many people are at home & loads of you doing improvements & working hard discovering the delights of nature in your back yard. I cannot encourage you enough to get out there & amaze your selves with what you can do & the pleasure you get from your efforts

So let?s get to it & I?ll try & keep it interesting:)))

1. Time to plant out bedding plants . You can put these in your borders, planters, pots & baskets. The borders may be still wet, but water them in & give them a good feed of manure or liquid feed. Keep well watered at the beginning & let?s see how the summer turns out this year.

Plenty of bedding plants in good nurseries & places like Homebase. But try to support your local ones

2. Should have said this first, but you can do it before or while your putting in the bedding plants. As the soil is still pretty moist, use a Dutch hoe to clear the weeds, this saves you bending down too much & clears them easily . Please don?t use the liquid weed killers, they?re killing so much more than your weeds, like birds, insects & your soil

Time to do our part to save our planet

3. As said our lawns could be quite high after all that rain,BUT, if you want to encourage more wildlife into your garden you can leave cutting it for a while & let the daisies & wildflowers grow for a while. Can?t do this with the numerous lawns we?ve been putting in lately. However, if you want your lawns like a Buckingham Palace tea party, now them once a week & in the method I?ve told you; mow once just cutting the top of the grass in a straight line , reduce the level of the mower & cut at a diagonal. This really strengthens the roots & you get a beautiful lush lawn :)))

4. Very good time to buy & plant new shrubs & trees. Making sure you dig a hole bigger than the roots , adding a peat free compost mixed with some manure . Fill in completely & heal in the compost tightly so there are no holes to fill with water & rot the roots. Happy to supply you with fabulous plants & trees from the main nursery I use; Provender down in Swanley Kent

5. If you are going to prune your hedges now, Please Please check for nesting birds, as it is now an offence to disturb them. We are losing them at an alarming rate & need to encourage them & wait until late autumn to tend our hedges

6. Not far to go now!!! As our timber structures, decks, pergolas, arches are starting to dry out now, it?s a opportunity to clean them using wire brushes or a power washer, let them dry out & then give them a treatment to keep them sound for a few more years

7. Plant up ponds with aerating plants & Lillies. After around 3 weeks, you can introduce new fish taking advice as to which fish to choose to avoid imbalance.

That?s it. Wasn?t too bad was it. Hope it helps . As always , if you?re too busy or not able to do the work , use one of the WELL recommended gardeners on the forum including ourselves

We have some space coming up after a huge two tier patio garden with tiered planting is finally coming to an end.

We build decks, seating, pergolas, ponds, patios , re lay new lawns including AstroTurf if appropriate , install new fencing and plants trees & shrubs

Get in touch if you need any quotes or advice.

Have fun & let?s hope the sun stays around . If not, you can always come on one of my Beautiful retreats in sunny Kefalonia:)))

Nigel

Exterior Design Gardens

07759862191

[Asteroidneenee]

Hi nigel thanks for the advice!

For the pond better not add fishes if you want to attract amphibian and help with slug regulation!

[Gardenman]

Forgot to mention, you should have your vegetables in the ground now. Get the kids to give a hand. Loads to choose from

Runner beans, French beans, peas, tomatoes , chillies , peppers, Cucumbers , Corgettes. What?s your favourite?

[ladyblue]

Hi have you got a land line number as cannot get hold of you on the mobile thanks

[Gardenman]

Sadly no Lady blue. But you can call my son Oli on 07549 418219

My phone is working now

Nigel