As we move into the full swing of summer and start to make the most of our gardens, it's important to still maintain and look after them, what ever size or state.
The Southport Flower Show's Show Garden Exec. Michele Martin, has compiled a selection of top tips for keeping your gardens tip-top this July:
1. Water your hanging baskets and containers at least once a day, twice a day when it's particularly hot. If they've dried out totally, they can be rescued by floating them in a bucket of water, until the bubbles have stopped and they’ve sunk below the surface of the water.
Once drained off the plants will be right as rain, as long as they’re still alive.
2. Remember to feed your plants. The compost you used in April and May will be running short of nutrients by July, so add some when you water. For flowering and fruiting plants you need a high potash feed, such as tomato fertiliser, mixed in with the water according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Encourage more flowers by removing dead and dying flower heads. If you leave dead
flower heads on the plants they will set seed, meaning that the plants will think they’ve produced the next generation and stop making more flowers. With annual flowers like sweet peas, the more flowers you pick, the more the plant produces.
4. Look out for pests and diseases. Often you can nip a problem in the bud (literally in the case of aphids) if you spot it early enough. This pest patrol gives you a great excuse to wander round your garden on balmy evenings with a glass in hand.
5. This is the perfect time to sow any quick maturing salad crops, like lettuce, rocket or peas, for a late crop before autumn and winter sets in.
6. Visit other gardens for ideas and inspiration – the National Gardens scheme and the
National Trust offer the chance to combine garden visiting with opportunities for tea and cake. A perfect recipe for a summer’s day out.
7. Take photographs of your garden while it's in full bloom, so you have a record of what’s growing where. Then in the autumn and spring you can remind yourself what needs moving, dividing or digging up and recycling.
8. Propagate herbs from cuttings. It’s a great way to save money as most herbs such as sage, rosemary & thyme are not long lived plants.
9. Water your vegetables every day, especially courgettes, marrows and pumpkins, which need a lot of water to grow. Early evening or early morning is best, as you lose less water in evaporation. Water the soil not the plants, to avoid soggy foliage which promotes fungal diseases such as mildew.
10. Order your Southport Flower show tickets in advance and use the savings to treat yourself
to a new plant. Dates are 16-19th August so make sure it’s in your diary.
General tickets prices for the show have been frozen for the third year running, with advance tickets costing just £16 per person. For more up to date information on the show, celebrity announcements, details on how to enter the many competitions, and ticket bookings visit
www.southportflowershow.co
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