MAY – FULL COLOUR FOR WINTER IS EASY
TIME TO PLANT...
Remember the 3 P's for quick winter colour – primulas. polyanthus and primroses, pansies and violas, and poppies. All of these love the cold, either in pots or in the flowerbeds, full sun, and an occasional feed with dried blood to enhance colour and flower quantity, and available in punnets, Super Six instant colour, or Flora Viva instant single colour.
Sweet Peas planted now will develop good strong root systems over the Winter and then grow like Topsy through Spring and Summer. We have both plants (mixed colours) and seeds (mixed and single colours) available. Sweet Peas love rich soil so add sheep pellets, and some Oceanfert pelletised seaweed granules (great for plant health).
Cyclamen love cooler light shade conditions and thrive in containers, available in either miniature or regular form with good colour options, great in pots, can take light frost. Camellias flower mostly in winter and or early spring. Hurry to get the last of your Spring bulbs planted – our stocks are going down fast and our final delivery of Spring varieties came in this week.
Moving shrubs – this is the perfect time of year to look at what needs moving. Even though we’ve only had a brief spell of cold weather so far most plants will be going into their winter dormancy stage about now. The old technique of ‘wrenching’ before transplanting is not often used now, so just dig around the root ball area keeping as much of it as possible intact, and taking as much soil with it as is practical. If the plant is too heavy to lift into a wheelbarrow, then slide it onto a sheet of strong plastic or a sack and drag it across the lawn. Dig compost into the new site and drop the plant in, adding more soil, then tramp the soil down firmly, and water in well, but don’t overdo the watering and stress the plant!
Looking Good! Smarten up the look of bare soil in shrubberies etc with Intelligro Black Beauty Mulch – fine bark dyed with black vegetable dye. Gives good contrast with green plants, suppresses weeds, and retains moisture. Remember in these challenging times your home is still one of your number one investments so keep up the maintenance and the garden – good outdoor living spaces, good hedges, and well thought out plantings are still regarded as key areas when it comes to valuations and selling.
Re-pot orchids when flowering’s finished if they’re very tight in the pot (they prefer to be on the tighter side to stimulate flowering). I re-potted the Cymbidium at home into a slightly bigger pot using the specifically formulated chunky bark Yates Orchid Mix so it won’t need re-potting again for a couple of years. Tip: Don’t cut the stems of Phalaenopsis back until they’ve gone brown and died right off.
TIME TO FEED...
Every 2 weeks I mix up Thrive Orchid Liquid Plant Food in a jug and stand the plant up to its neck in the solution for 15 minutes, then let it drain in the sink. I do this both while it’s flowering and also in the non-flowering period to encourage new stems. Very important not to let Orchids sit in water in the cover pot as the roots will rot. Mine lives out of the cover pot most of the time to maximise the light getting into the clear plastic pots that the orchids are grown in.
Feeding houseplants in general – this is a good time for a quick feed to encourage lush dark green foliage for the winter, particularly on Peace Lilies, Maidenhair ferns, Lucky Bamboos, and Ficus lyrata. If you need any advice on indoor plant care through the Winter then come in and talk to Tracey who’s our inhouse indoor plant expert.
Now’s a good time to feed the winter-flowering shrubs like daphne & camellias with acid food; despite the colder conditions winter shrubs continue to produce flowers and some help from fertiliser is appreciated.
Use dried blood around winter flowering annuals to enhance colour and strong flowering.
Egmont Dried Blood
Egmont's Dried Blood is ideal for Polyanthus, Primulas. Great source of organic nitrogen and iron which is important for photosynthesis, plant development and cell growth.
Hydrangea Blueing Tonic
Aluminium Sulphate needs to be applied regularly during the winter to increase the acidity which ensures the blue colour next season. Or, if you want the easy option, which I do, then acid fertiliser works really well because it’s maintaining soil acidity that keeps the flowers blue.
Sulphate of Potash
An application of potash at this time of year to roses hardens them up for winter and provides the correct nutrients for the coming season as the roses slowly head back towards flowering and the citrus fruit develops. Remember that roses shouldn’t be picked or cut back at this time of year until you prune them in July – they look like triffids but they need to be left alone to go into their important dormant phase.
Remember that tubs and pots still dry out easily so keep watering - I water thoroughly once a week in winter and that seems to last well. In summer I water twice a week, but I only have large containers which give so many more options for what to plant in them, and they don't dry out as quickly.
TIME TO PROTECT...
Wear warm gloves! Having cold hands is no fun, especially if they’re muddy! Gloves for every type of use with some that are specifically made for winter, check out Lynn River’s ‘451 Thermo’ with a thick rubber palm area and an equally thick knitted cotton back. Or the Showa 306 with aerated latex foam to reduce perspiration, superior wet or dry grip, water repellent, and breathable coating technology. Check out the new colours/patterns in the Gummies garden clog range – be stylish and have dry feet.
Flowering annuals like polyanthus/primroses from slugs & snails.
Cover the compost bin with old carpet/sacking to keep the decomposition process going.
Cover hydrangeas with frost cloth if exposed to severe frost. Put frost cloth over any frost tender plants before the first major frost strikes without warning. If you can use stakes to keep the frost cloth just off the foliage you’ll avoid wet cloth freezing onto the leaves and doing damage. Make the shelter wider than the plant to stop frost creeping in from the sides. We also have the Haxnicks Fleece Jackets which are easy to use.
TIME TO CONTROL...
If any lawn weeds pop up in winter use Lawnpro Turfclean Ultra.
Turfclean Ultra is a fast-acting lawn weed killer that controls the broadest range of lawn weeds. Kills broadleaf weeds including dandelion, clover, Hydrocotyle, Onehunga, selfheal, speedwell, oxalis, daisies, dock, plantain and more…Fast.
Grosafe GroVentive®
Garden Two Way Systemic Insecticide
200ml, 500ml
For the control of sucking and chewing insects on ornamentals, hedging, roses, pot plants and flowers.
TIME TO PRUNE...
Tidy up the last of the perennials as they die down – large salvias, gaura, delphiniums, dahlias – either down to ground level if all foliage has died back, or trim off untidy tops. Lavenders – only take off dead flowers, don’t cut down into foliage until mid-September.
Rose pruning is an essential step to achieve top rose performance next season and while they can be pruned in June, July is much better to avoid stimulating new growth that frost will damage.
ARS 130DX Pruning shears
Length: 185 mm Blade length: 42 mm Max. cut capacity: 19 mm
The 130DX pruning shear is perfect for semi-professional use and ideal for florists. The blade is made from hardened, chrome-plated steel, ensuring extra strength and rust resistance. With an ergonomic design, the shear fits comfortably in the hand and provides optimal control. It has a length of 18.5 cm and is available in multiple colors. Crafted in Japan, it guarantees high quality and durability. An essential tool for every florist!
TIME TO ENJOY...
Take time to enjoy the Autumn colours that are so vibrant at the moment! And make the most of the mild temperatures to get the garden tidied up for Winter.