Gardeners Diary for the week of March 5d 2007
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- Plant summer fruiting raspberry canes.
- Plant
lily and gladioli bulbs in 4in (10cm) deep holes. Cover with soil or
compost and gently firm down the soil to ensure that there are no air
pockets as this may cause the bulbs to rot. - Remove algae and moss from patios and paths with a proprietary patio and path cleaner or tar-oil winter wash.
- Put
out feeders for birds, not forgetting fresh water. Encouraging birds
into the garden will help reduce the number of insects and slugs. - If you have had a fall of snow, gently shake shrub branches, a build up of snow and ice can cause branches to snap.
- After a frost try to stay off the grass. Treading on the lawn in frosty conditions can damage the grass.
- Refirm the roots of any shrubs that may have been lifted by frost.
- Switch outside water taps off at the mains and leave the outside tap open, draining any water, so the pipes don’t freeze.
- Take
blackcurrant cuttings. Cutting should be 10′ long – the size of a
pencil. Plant upright in a ‘V’ shaped trench with sharp sand in the
bottom, then back fill with soil. - Keep an eye on the weather forecast. Cover shrubs that are likely to be damaged by frost with garden fleece, sacking or an old light blanket.
- On
a dry still day rake up fallen leaves. Left on the lawn they’ll rot
down encouraging the spread of moss. Pile them into black bin liners,
add some water and after tying the tops of the bags, poke some holes in
the side with a garden fork and store them in a secluded part of your
garden. By next summer you should have some nice leaf mould. - Listen to the weather forecasts, if frost is due cover sensitive plants with sacking or netting.
- Plant or move roses. They like plenty
of sun and a clay soil. Leave 60cm (24in) between plants to allow air
circulation, which will reduce the chance of infection. - As
the nights draw in houseplants will require less feeding and watering.
However as the temperature drops outside the central heating goes on
and the temperature in the house tends to go up. Ensure your
houseplants don’t dry out.
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