They aren’t huge secrets, but there’s a few simple tips and tricks can make gardening so much easier… Ignore them at your peril, and pass it on to your friends…
Always use the best compost that you can afford
The medium in which you grow your plants is oh so important, not just for you, but for me too…! I don’t want you to buy the plants I recommend, and then for you to see them fail because of a poor compost.
Every few years, Gardening Which? magazine produce a report on composts, and the results are quite surprisingly. It really is worth investing in a recommended brand, which will include plenty of goodness and trace elements, think of them as the vitamins and minerals for your plants…!
Think about “automatic watering”
When you plant up your pots and baskets, think about adding some water retaining gel crystals to the (quality!) compost. They do a great job of holding onto the water between waterings, and shock horror, you may even find that you don’t need to water your baskets as often!
Don’t assume the rain will water everything
If you’re wise, you’ll add water retaining crystals as mentioned above.. But, many people go wrong in assuming the rain will water everything. Think about it though, a flourishing patio pot of begonias, where the foliage covers the pot, means rainwater does not get to where it needs to be.. It’s the same story with newly planted shrubs, fruit trees and perennials, especially when they’re planted during the summer when it’s warmer. That’s why I’m always recommending that you plant bareroot specimens, better to move a plant when it’s dormant, and the weathers cooler.
Beat the weeds naturally
Be wise with how you plant up your borders. You can avoid a weed invasion in your borders by planting “landscape style” plants. This especially works well with bedding,