Category Archives: Hedging & Tree Jobs

A few gardening jobs for mid-March

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February gardening jobs

Has your garden got that feeling of pent-up energy,
ready to burst into action?

Winter projects are being completed, most planting has probably been done, and gardens across the land are slowly waking up.

Gardeners are rubbing their eyes too, not just at the lighter mornings, but also in disbelief at the moody swings our weather is bringing… again!

The theme for our April photo competition is ‘Spring wildlife’ and there’s over £100 in vouchers to be won.

So, as you return to your garden, keep your camera handy for any animal activity – birds, mammals, insects, spiders, amphibians… they all count!

 
Here are a few ideas for things to do around the garden over the next couple of weeks:
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A few garden jobs for February

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February gardening jobs

Work in a dressing of fertiliser ready for spring – all
that rain we’ve had may have washed away nutrients

We’re already heading towards the end of the planting season, and blooms are already appearing. Where does the time go?

Plants are on the move, evenings are getting lighter – it feels like winter might be behind us, but we should never tempt fate!

(oh, speaking of plants on the move, don’t forget our March photo competition – the theme is ‘First flowers’ and there’s over £100 in vouchers to be had!)

Here are a few ideas for things to do around the garden over the next couple of weeks:
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How to get more fruit… faster!

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Bountiful damsons

Careful and judicious pruning creates room to grow,
and will deliver fuller, healthier fruits more quickly

One of the joys of gardening is that patience is usually rewarded.

Plants increase in size and impact as time passes and fruit trees are no exception.

Understandably, however, an oft repeated question runs along the lines of “how do I get more fruit, more quickly?”

There are a number of golden rules in gardening but the most important of them all is summed up in “as ye sow so shall ye reap.”
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How to choose the right hedge

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Choose the right hedge

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to hedging
plants – but by focusing on what you really need, you
can make it all a bit easier…

The winter planting season is well under way, and one of the oldest forms of planting is hedging.

We give a few pointers below on what to consider when choosing a hedge for your garden, allotment, orchard, farmland – pretty much anywhere in fact.

And our friends at Hedgelink give 10 top tips for managing your hedgerow once it’s established.

Hedgelink is a partnership initiative from Natural England that brings together people and organisations with an interest in developing and conserving British hedges – and we certainly like the sound of that.
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Caring for bareroot plants in cold weather

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Frozen ground

When the ground is frozen, please don’t plant your
bareroot trees, shrubs or hedges! They’ll be much
happier staying bare and dormant…

Most of the damage caused to bareroot plants in cold, freezing conditions is to the delicate roots themselves.

The roots are fine, fibrous structures with a high water content: moving them, or even the slightest touch whilst frozen, can cause damage.

Almost all of a shrub or a tree’s energy reserves are stored in the roots during winter. So broken roots mean that stored energy is lost, and this reduces the plant’s ability to establish. And poor establishment means poor growth in spring.

Worse still, if root damage is serious, the plant may not grow at all.
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