Climbing Plants Hide A Lot of Fence for a Small Footprint In many cosy gardens, the vertical surface area of fence is larger than the soil surface! Putting a hedge in front of a fence has the advantage of keeping the fence itself free for maintenance, and there is no risk of plants getting too… Continue reading Best Plants For Growing Over & Covering Fences
Category: Gardening Tips
How Big is a P9 Pot & What No One Tells You!
A P9 pot is 9cm wide at the top, containing about half a litre of soil It would be clearer if P9s were called “half litre pots”, but the industry standard is to measure pots under 1 litre by their width in centimetres, rather than their volume in litres. P9 is the smallest pot size… Continue reading How Big is a P9 Pot & What No One Tells You!
Monty Don Gives the Green Light for Aerating Lawns
This episode of totally healthy and appropriate fawning over Monty Don is brought to you by the phrase “Monty Don shares”. Disappointed as we were to discover that Monty is not called Mo’ Dough, nor Monty Donty, or even just George at home, and underwhelming as the “news” that hazel trees live for over 34… Continue reading Monty Don Gives the Green Light for Aerating Lawns
3 Steps to Set Up an Amazon grade Polytunnel like a Pro
Polytunnels are amazing if they are yours, somewhat unattractive if they are your neighbour’s (a hedge in between might help), and most gardens have space for a wee one. But if you get a regular old polytunnel from Amazon and set it up like the vanilla instructions say, then I am here to tell you… Continue reading 3 Steps to Set Up an Amazon grade Polytunnel like a Pro
Why Are My Cherry Laurel Leaves Turning Yellow?
It is true that Cherry Laurel, Prunus laurocerasus, is a trooper and will grow almost anywhere, but that is not the same as looking tip top as a hedge in all situations. A few yellow leaves here and there are natural, especially in the early years after transplanting when it’s still catching up on root… Continue reading Why Are My Cherry Laurel Leaves Turning Yellow?
Backseat Driving: Do I Need To Stake A Tree?
Picking on Huw Richards Inspires Us to Make Better Tree Planting Videos At Ashridge, we feel a bit responsible for how well people plant trees. We are not the the Huw Richards police; we would never pick on him because he is YouTube famous and we want some of that. We totally agree with his… Continue reading Backseat Driving: Do I Need To Stake A Tree?
Trim Lavender Around Late February / March
This post is a bit late for getting in a February trim, but since the weather has been fresh and plants slow to wake up, we got away with it. Our school of thought on clipping Lavender is to do it twice a year: The first trim needs to be done by early March. This… Continue reading Trim Lavender Around Late February / March
Can I Slit Plant Bareroot Hedge & Tree Whips into Grass?
Establishing trees & hedges should be kept clear of grass & weeds
RHS Dead Hedge In The City Video
The RHS has produced a dear little video that very sweetly promotes hedges over fences on the basis of their usefullness and environmental value. On a debatably even sweeter premise, I will offer my dear little criticisms in the traditional manner of my people, the backseat driving folk of Somerset: RHS Horticultural Advisor Nick Turrell… Continue reading RHS Dead Hedge In The City Video
How to Say Coppice and Coppicing
The managed woodland is a copse (coppice), the pruning action is to coppice
March Weather: Happy Bareroot Planting Days
March 2025 is looking to be an exceptionally good bareroot planting month
You Won’t Believe This Irish Hedge
Laying mulch fabric before VS after planting.
Do Hedges Block Road Noise & Other Sounds?
Hedges don’t reduce road noise
What Are Bare Root Plants?
Bareroot means delivered dormant in Winter with no soil around the roots.
Are My Plants Dead?
Bareroot plants can be very late coming into leaf & evergreens can drop their leaves
“Heeling In” Bareroot Trees & Plants
The best way to store bareroot plants is also usually too much work
Planting Bareroot Guide
New User’s Guide to Planting Bare Root
Planting in Frosty Weather & Frozen Ground
You can’t plant in frozen soil, and bare roots should not be moved when frozen anyway
What Is Mulch & Why It’s Important for New Plants
What Does Mulch Do? Mulch covers the soil around a plant in order to: If it is going to be hard to frequently water and weed your new plants after planting, mulch is essential for your plants to thrive.Establishing plants must still be watered, but a good mulch allows you to water less often. Homemade… Continue reading What Is Mulch & Why It’s Important for New Plants
Opening Packs of Spiral Guards
Open rabbit spirals quickly like a pro, smoothly separating rolls out into 5 individual guards Hedge spirals, rabbit guards, are manufactured in rolls of 5, coiled up like springs: the harder you try to pull them apart, the more they grip one another. Unwinding them from the outside takes too long. To pull them apart… Continue reading Opening Packs of Spiral Guards
Watering Newly Planted Trees & Hedging
Proper watering is crucial for all new plants while they are establishing. Watering New Plants Water all new plants deeply and regularly during their first growing season. This includes plants that are drought tolerant: they all need you to water them in Year One. Best Time of Day to Water How often to Water New Plants Frequency varies depending… Continue reading Watering Newly Planted Trees & Hedging
Planting A Small Mixed Orchard
Mixed orchards are the future of home growing
Building Wire Supports To Grow Fruit On Walls, Fences & Posts
This post concentrates on fruiting plants, but the same principles apply to an ornamental “wall shrub”. How to start training fruit trees on wires These instructions apply to fixing wires to existing fences or walls for training maiden fruit trees into cordon, espalier, fan, and sometimes “step-over” shapes.Some nurseries sell some of those shapes in a starter… Continue reading Building Wire Supports To Grow Fruit On Walls, Fences & Posts
Best Apple Tree Varieties to Grow in the UK
The British climate makes for ideal apple territory. They like well drained, fertile soil including clay, and with shelter can grow inland at altitudes up to about 900 feet / 275 metres! Apple trees are the largest range of fruit trees we have for sale. Before you buy an apple tree, have a think about which varieties… Continue reading Best Apple Tree Varieties to Grow in the UK
Best fast-growing hedge plants for blocking the neighbour’s view!
Browse these fast growing evergreens for privacy hedges. If your neighbours are seeing too much for comfort, a mature hedge between you is a fine sight! But growing a privacy hedge in order to block the neighbour’s view requires patience. With these fast-growing species, your hedge will be towering tall as quickly as possible. The… Continue reading Best fast-growing hedge plants for blocking the neighbour’s view!
Applying Winter Wash Fruit Tree Insecticide
How to Apply Winter Wash to Fruit Trees It’s good to apply winter wash to your fruit and ornamental trees in the winter when there are no leaves on the trees (the spray will scorch leaves, so it is only suitable for winter use). Our winter wash is an organic pesticide that works by attacking the waxy compounds that make up… Continue reading Applying Winter Wash Fruit Tree Insecticide
Apply Fruit Tree Grease Bands to Protect them against Moths
Grease Bands are Convenient on Young Fruit Trees If you apply grease bands to your young fruit trees, it will help prevent winter moths laying their eggs. When these hatch, the caterpillars eat the leaves and fruit. You only use grease bands on younger fruit trees with smooth bark, older trees need to be painted with grease. VIDEO… Continue reading Apply Fruit Tree Grease Bands to Protect them against Moths
Apply Grease to Fruit Trees to Protect them against Moths
Applying fruit tree grease from November onwards is used to trap a wide variety of winter moths before they can lay their eggs and preventing caterpillars eating the leaves and fruit. In the video below, we show you how to apply the grease to protect your fruit trees. You will need an old paint brush to apply the… Continue reading Apply Grease to Fruit Trees to Protect them against Moths
Preparing Clay Soil
Why Clay Soil is Special Soil compaction tends to be worse on heavy clay, so breaking up the soil to a good fork’s depth at the bottom of the planting hole is often very beneficial, as is working over a larger area than strictly necessary for the planting hole. Improving Clay Soil Options Improving Planting… Continue reading Preparing Clay Soil
Prepare Soil For Planting Trees, Shrubs & Hedges
This article is primarily about preparing soil before planting trees (ornamental or fruiting), hedging, roses, and other shrubs. It won’t consider vegetable beds, where more work might be justified, or perhaps No-Dig methods. Soil preparation is important because it helps strong roots to establish quickly. If the roots struggle to settle in, the whole plant will struggle. Like so many things in gardening,… Continue reading Prepare Soil For Planting Trees, Shrubs & Hedges