December, there's not so much to do outside now as all the leaves should have fallen and plants should have died back but there is still some planting and pruning possible.
Lawns Any late leaves should be cleared up. If you still have any bare patches or damaged edges then now is a good time to repair them. You can also recut any damaged edges if they are really damaged. Still avoid walking on the lawns in the morning if it is frosty. Now is the time to get your garden machinery serviced whilst they are not being used.
Greenhouse Keep dead or yellow foliage picked off and clear up any fallen leaves as this will help prevent grey mould. Also keep an eye on green and white fly as they can still be a problem. If you get a mild day then open the door or a vent for an hour or two, as this will ventilate the greenhouse and help with reducing diseases. Don't forget to keep an eye on Sweet Peas in the cold frame if you have grown any.
Vegetable Garden Now the seed catalogues are about it is a good job, on a wet days when you can't do much outside, to sit indoors and order your seeds for this Spring. You can still dig over your vegetable garden this month and don't forget to add compost or well rotted manure. Continue to pick sprouts and dig up parsnips. Watch out for mice as they can continue to eat any crops which are still in the ground. Pigeons can also be a problem too. Keep checking any stored vegetables to make sure that none have started to rot and remove as required.
Borders Continue to cut back any Perenials which have faded and clear up any leaves from the borders, these with the dead plant tops can be added to the compost heap. If the ground is too wet try not to walk on the borders too much as you will compact the soil. I f you do have to walk on it make sure that you fork it over afterwards.
Pruning If you didn't prune your fruit trees last month then you can still do it this month. If you have young trees with stakes check that the stakes are still in a good condition and check that any tree ties are not too loose/tight around the tree, loosen or tighten as required if necessary.
Birds Continue to ensure that you keep your bird feeders and water baths clean, especially with bird flu still around - even though the risk is minimal it still helps reduce any risk by maintaining good hygiene with your feeders and water baths. There are special detergents available on the market. Make sure you keep all feeders stocked up with different feeds - I have definitely seen an increase in the amount the birds are eating now that the weather has turned colder - you can also supplement the regular feeders with scraps such as cheese crumbs, pieces of bacon and windfallen orchard fruit. Regularly change and top up the water in the bird bath, keeping it ice free after a hard frost. Another good tip if possible is to hang your feeders over a hard surface area as this will provide easier housekeeping therefore reducing the prospects of rats.
Take a look at http://www.gardencentreonline.co.uk/ for some great bird products. Specifically the Bird Care section. http://gardencentreonline.co.uk/index.php?shop=1&cPath=&cPath=518
Tuesday 4 December 2007
Sunday 4 November 2007
November 2007 - Slowing down for winter
November, Winter's here so things have slowed down now, it's mainly a case of keeping things tidy this month. Don't forget if you're going to have a bonfire this month, especially on the 5th, and you've been making it for a while, make sure that there are no hedgehogs in it before you ignite it.
Lawns if it's dry and your lawn still needs a cut then you're still OK to do so, just make sure that you do not cut it short (leave it about 1.5 inches/3.5cm long). If it hasn't grown that much though it's best to leave it alone. Keep leaves cleared up, this will stop the grass going yellow underneath. Hopefuly we'll see that most of the leaves have fallen by the end of the month. If you have any bare patches on your lawn it is now too late to sow grass seed but you can still lay turf, but don't do this either if the weather is too cold.Try to stay off your lawn first thing in the morning, until any frost has gone because if you do walk on it when frosty you are likely to leave brown marks on your lawn and damage it.
Greenhouse If you did plant Sweet Peas last month they should be up by now. Once they are 4-5 leaves high, pinch the tip out to encourage bushy growth.Once this is done then they can go into a cold frame if your greenhouse is heated or stay in the greenhouse if it is unheated, as heat will make them grow too much. Just keep an eye on them to make sure that they do not dry out. Keep an eye on the greenhouse to make sure it stays at the temperature that you want it to if you are heating it and keep an eye on any plants to make sure that they also do not dry out.Any Pelargoniums you have kept can now be cut back, don't water them too much though and do not feed them either.Any other plants you have, make sure that any dead leaves and flowers are removed.
Vegetable Garden Leeks, parsnips and brussel sprouts can all start to be harvested now.If you have any root crops like carrots, swede or beetroot then lift them out and store them in dry sand in a frost free dark place, to use as required.Depending on what variety of garlic you are growing, most can be planted out now, some though are best left until Spring.This month you can continue digging over your soil if you didn't get round to it last month, making sure that you incorporate any compost. You can still leave this chore for another month if you wish to do so.Any frost now will help to break up the soil and any insects in the soil will then be eaten by the birds.
Borders Continue to cut down any herbacious plants that may be left. Don't cut down any Penstemons you may have though, just dead head them and leave cutting them back until Spring, doing this will ensure that the old tops help protect the crown over Winter.You can plant Tulips if you want them to bloom in Spring.Basically November is the last chance to plant any Winter bedding.
Pruning Prune apple and pear trees now. If you haven't pruned your roses back a bit then do it now as it will stop them from being rocked by the Winter winds
Birds Continue to ensure that you keep your bird feeders and water baths clean and stocked up with different feeds. The temperature is now colder and the nights have drawn in so the birds that you have been feeding all through this year need as much help as you can give now as they try to fatten up over the Winter periods.
gardencentreonline.com has some great garden pruners at http://gardencentreonline.co.uk/index.php?shop=1&cPath=26_91_119 take a look. Might be of interest.
Lawns if it's dry and your lawn still needs a cut then you're still OK to do so, just make sure that you do not cut it short (leave it about 1.5 inches/3.5cm long). If it hasn't grown that much though it's best to leave it alone. Keep leaves cleared up, this will stop the grass going yellow underneath. Hopefuly we'll see that most of the leaves have fallen by the end of the month. If you have any bare patches on your lawn it is now too late to sow grass seed but you can still lay turf, but don't do this either if the weather is too cold.Try to stay off your lawn first thing in the morning, until any frost has gone because if you do walk on it when frosty you are likely to leave brown marks on your lawn and damage it.
Greenhouse If you did plant Sweet Peas last month they should be up by now. Once they are 4-5 leaves high, pinch the tip out to encourage bushy growth.Once this is done then they can go into a cold frame if your greenhouse is heated or stay in the greenhouse if it is unheated, as heat will make them grow too much. Just keep an eye on them to make sure that they do not dry out. Keep an eye on the greenhouse to make sure it stays at the temperature that you want it to if you are heating it and keep an eye on any plants to make sure that they also do not dry out.Any Pelargoniums you have kept can now be cut back, don't water them too much though and do not feed them either.Any other plants you have, make sure that any dead leaves and flowers are removed.
Vegetable Garden Leeks, parsnips and brussel sprouts can all start to be harvested now.If you have any root crops like carrots, swede or beetroot then lift them out and store them in dry sand in a frost free dark place, to use as required.Depending on what variety of garlic you are growing, most can be planted out now, some though are best left until Spring.This month you can continue digging over your soil if you didn't get round to it last month, making sure that you incorporate any compost. You can still leave this chore for another month if you wish to do so.Any frost now will help to break up the soil and any insects in the soil will then be eaten by the birds.
Borders Continue to cut down any herbacious plants that may be left. Don't cut down any Penstemons you may have though, just dead head them and leave cutting them back until Spring, doing this will ensure that the old tops help protect the crown over Winter.You can plant Tulips if you want them to bloom in Spring.Basically November is the last chance to plant any Winter bedding.
Pruning Prune apple and pear trees now. If you haven't pruned your roses back a bit then do it now as it will stop them from being rocked by the Winter winds
Birds Continue to ensure that you keep your bird feeders and water baths clean and stocked up with different feeds. The temperature is now colder and the nights have drawn in so the birds that you have been feeding all through this year need as much help as you can give now as they try to fatten up over the Winter periods.
gardencentreonline.com has some great garden pruners at http://gardencentreonline.co.uk/index.php?shop=1&cPath=26_91_119 take a look. Might be of interest.
Tuesday 30 October 2007
October 2007 - Autumn is in the air
October, now's the time to start getting ready for Winter even though Autumn has only just 'officially' started - this month's jobs involve tidying and harvesting any fruit
Lawns
Your lawn's growth should now be starting to slow down or stop growing soon so you'll only need to cut the lawn for the last few times. Raise the cutting height so that the roots have more protection throught the coming winter months.
If you live in a colder part of the country now is the last chance you may have to do any work to your lawn.
If you want to get rid of any dead thatch or moss you can use a spring-tine rake or a powered scarifier for the larger lawns. Once you have done this you can use an autumn lawn feed.
Clear fallen leaves before they get too thick because this will block out the light from the grass and turn it yellow if left too long.
Greenhouse
If you've not had a chance to clean your greenhouse all year then now is the time to do it . I personally find it easier to empty the greenhouse too before I clean ours so if it is possible for you to do this it will definitely make it easier for you. I personally use a bit of Jeyes fluid in water and give it a good clean inside. Once the greenhouse is clean you can then put the plants back in.
If you want to insulate the greenhouse the best thing to use is bubblewrap - this will also help to reduce your heating bills if you also heat your greenhouse.
Remember not to get your greenhouse too wet now as this could lead to mould and your plants then rotting off.
Sweet peas can be grown in the greenhouse or cold frame, over this period, ready for next Spring when they can then be planted out again mid to late March.
Vegetable Garden
If you didn't cut back your asparagus last month then it should definitely be done this month.
Finishing planting onion sets for a Spring to early Summer crop.
Now your beans and peas are finished just cut the tops off and chop them up a bit and add this to you compost, then when you dig the bed over just dig the roots in as they will then act as a fertiliser.
If you want to, you can start digging your beds over so that any frost will break the lumps down. I usually leave mine until Christmas time though as my soil is very fine and ends up solid and water logged if I do it too soon.
If you have any apple or pear trees they should be harvested now.
If you want Spring cabbages these can be planted out now but you may need to cover them to provide protection from the pigeons.
Borders
You can still divide any herbacious plants which are too big or not flowering very well.
Any Summer bedding you have planted will need to come out this month as any frost will kill them.
Dahlias will need lifting once a frost has blackened the tops, store them in a shed or cold greenhouse - somewhere frostproof.
Plant Spring flowering bulbs now. Winter Pansies and wall flowers can also be planted.
It is also a good time to plant trees this month.
Pruning
This month is the last chance for cutting any hedges which were not cut last month.
Plants like Budlia and Lavatera can be pruned back by about half - this will tidy them up and help stop the wind from rocking them and damaging the roots, this also applies to the pruning down of any roses that have long straggily shoots. Any shoots on climbing roses should also be tied in to help them over the next few months.
Birds
Continue to ensure that you keep your bird feeders and water baths clean and stocked up with different feeds. As the temperature starts to get colder and the nights are drawing in then the birds that you have been feeding all through this year will need as much help over the next few changing months.
We have also found that we have had other visitors to the garden too as a result of the spilled bird seed underneath the feeder - hedgehogs! If you want to feed these delightful little creatures then there are plenty of hedgehog foods in some shops and on the internet (which also has lots of information too - like making sure you don't feed hedgehogs milk & bread because it's dangerous for their digestive system!) - best of all though is that one of their favourite food is......slugs!!!
Lawns
Your lawn's growth should now be starting to slow down or stop growing soon so you'll only need to cut the lawn for the last few times. Raise the cutting height so that the roots have more protection throught the coming winter months.
If you live in a colder part of the country now is the last chance you may have to do any work to your lawn.
If you want to get rid of any dead thatch or moss you can use a spring-tine rake or a powered scarifier for the larger lawns. Once you have done this you can use an autumn lawn feed.
Clear fallen leaves before they get too thick because this will block out the light from the grass and turn it yellow if left too long.
Greenhouse
If you've not had a chance to clean your greenhouse all year then now is the time to do it . I personally find it easier to empty the greenhouse too before I clean ours so if it is possible for you to do this it will definitely make it easier for you. I personally use a bit of Jeyes fluid in water and give it a good clean inside. Once the greenhouse is clean you can then put the plants back in.
If you want to insulate the greenhouse the best thing to use is bubblewrap - this will also help to reduce your heating bills if you also heat your greenhouse.
Remember not to get your greenhouse too wet now as this could lead to mould and your plants then rotting off.
Sweet peas can be grown in the greenhouse or cold frame, over this period, ready for next Spring when they can then be planted out again mid to late March.
Vegetable Garden
If you didn't cut back your asparagus last month then it should definitely be done this month.
Finishing planting onion sets for a Spring to early Summer crop.
Now your beans and peas are finished just cut the tops off and chop them up a bit and add this to you compost, then when you dig the bed over just dig the roots in as they will then act as a fertiliser.
If you want to, you can start digging your beds over so that any frost will break the lumps down. I usually leave mine until Christmas time though as my soil is very fine and ends up solid and water logged if I do it too soon.
If you have any apple or pear trees they should be harvested now.
If you want Spring cabbages these can be planted out now but you may need to cover them to provide protection from the pigeons.
Borders
You can still divide any herbacious plants which are too big or not flowering very well.
Any Summer bedding you have planted will need to come out this month as any frost will kill them.
Dahlias will need lifting once a frost has blackened the tops, store them in a shed or cold greenhouse - somewhere frostproof.
Plant Spring flowering bulbs now. Winter Pansies and wall flowers can also be planted.
It is also a good time to plant trees this month.
Pruning
This month is the last chance for cutting any hedges which were not cut last month.
Plants like Budlia and Lavatera can be pruned back by about half - this will tidy them up and help stop the wind from rocking them and damaging the roots, this also applies to the pruning down of any roses that have long straggily shoots. Any shoots on climbing roses should also be tied in to help them over the next few months.
Birds
Continue to ensure that you keep your bird feeders and water baths clean and stocked up with different feeds. As the temperature starts to get colder and the nights are drawing in then the birds that you have been feeding all through this year will need as much help over the next few changing months.
We have also found that we have had other visitors to the garden too as a result of the spilled bird seed underneath the feeder - hedgehogs! If you want to feed these delightful little creatures then there are plenty of hedgehog foods in some shops and on the internet (which also has lots of information too - like making sure you don't feed hedgehogs milk & bread because it's dangerous for their digestive system!) - best of all though is that one of their favourite food is......slugs!!!
Saturday 8 September 2007
September 2007 - Fingers Crossed Indian Summer
September, and it's already coming to the end of the summer lets hope that we get an Indian summer to make up for the lack of true Summer recently.
Lawns Carry on cutting as normal, once a week if possible. If there are any areas that are showing signs of wear then now is the time to repair them so that they look good for next summer. You can either rake over any dead areas and reseed or if you want an instant repair then replace with some new turf. If you are going to do this then you need to make sure that these areas are maintained with suffiicient water - either from rain or hose.
Greenhouse Continue to pick your tomatoes and peppers as they will soon finish producing and if there any tomaotoes left at the end of the month then you can either ripen them on a window sill indoors or use them as they are (green) to make chutney. If you want to take cuttings from fuchsias, pelegoniums or geraniums then now is a good time to do so.
Vegetable Garden If you want an early crop of onions next year you can plant overwintering sets towards the end of the month. Dig out the last of your potatoes, sorting out and rejecting the damaged ones from the undamaged ones and leave them out to dry for a few hours in dry weather and then store them in paper sacks once they are dry. Lift any onions you have grown and allow them to dry on the soil surface, again if the weather is dry. If it is not dry outside the alternative is to dry them in a well ventilated room and then once they are dry ensure they are stored in somewhere which isn't damp. For any asparagus you may have, when the foliage turns brown, and before any berries on it fall off, cut them down. Once this is done give the asparagus bed a good layer of mulch.Continue picking runner and french beans over this month.
Borders Any large clumps of perenials that you may have in your borders, if you want to divide them, then this month is a good time to start. If the tops of the plants have not died back and they are in the way whilst you're dividing then just cut them down a bit as this will make the task a lot easier. Anything that does not need dividing then just remove any tops as they die. This will keep your borders looking tidy.
Pruning Cut any hedges that you have not already cut, as they should not grow that much more this year. Keep any new shoots on climbing roses tied in and dead head all roses as required.
Birds Continue to ensure that you keep your bird feeders and water baths clean and stocked up with different feeds. The more variety you have the more different types of bird you'll get. Hanging feeders attract birds like tits, finches and sparrows. Bird tables attract robins, sparrows, doves, pigeons, finches and bramblings. Food on the floor attracts blackbirds, thrushes, dunnocks and wrens but be aware of any neighbouring cats!September sees the start of many summer migratory birds going home leaving our native British birds more evident, especially the young birds who are still out exploring their new environments and your gardens
Lawns Carry on cutting as normal, once a week if possible. If there are any areas that are showing signs of wear then now is the time to repair them so that they look good for next summer. You can either rake over any dead areas and reseed or if you want an instant repair then replace with some new turf. If you are going to do this then you need to make sure that these areas are maintained with suffiicient water - either from rain or hose.
Greenhouse Continue to pick your tomatoes and peppers as they will soon finish producing and if there any tomaotoes left at the end of the month then you can either ripen them on a window sill indoors or use them as they are (green) to make chutney. If you want to take cuttings from fuchsias, pelegoniums or geraniums then now is a good time to do so.
Vegetable Garden If you want an early crop of onions next year you can plant overwintering sets towards the end of the month. Dig out the last of your potatoes, sorting out and rejecting the damaged ones from the undamaged ones and leave them out to dry for a few hours in dry weather and then store them in paper sacks once they are dry. Lift any onions you have grown and allow them to dry on the soil surface, again if the weather is dry. If it is not dry outside the alternative is to dry them in a well ventilated room and then once they are dry ensure they are stored in somewhere which isn't damp. For any asparagus you may have, when the foliage turns brown, and before any berries on it fall off, cut them down. Once this is done give the asparagus bed a good layer of mulch.Continue picking runner and french beans over this month.
Borders Any large clumps of perenials that you may have in your borders, if you want to divide them, then this month is a good time to start. If the tops of the plants have not died back and they are in the way whilst you're dividing then just cut them down a bit as this will make the task a lot easier. Anything that does not need dividing then just remove any tops as they die. This will keep your borders looking tidy.
Pruning Cut any hedges that you have not already cut, as they should not grow that much more this year. Keep any new shoots on climbing roses tied in and dead head all roses as required.
Birds Continue to ensure that you keep your bird feeders and water baths clean and stocked up with different feeds. The more variety you have the more different types of bird you'll get. Hanging feeders attract birds like tits, finches and sparrows. Bird tables attract robins, sparrows, doves, pigeons, finches and bramblings. Food on the floor attracts blackbirds, thrushes, dunnocks and wrens but be aware of any neighbouring cats!September sees the start of many summer migratory birds going home leaving our native British birds more evident, especially the young birds who are still out exploring their new environments and your gardens
Thursday 16 August 2007
August 2007 - August going on October!
August 2007 - August going on October!
by Bob Johnson
Wednesday 01 August, 2007
August already, or should that be October! It seems more like that with all this wet weather we've been having. So, if your garden isn't underwater, these are the jobs that you can do this month
Lawns Cut once a week, if you can, as it is still growing rather fast. If it is water logged though, it is better to keep off of it until it dries out a bit.
Greenhouse Once your tomatoes have five trusses of tomatoes setting/forming and still some flowers, pinch out the tops to stop the plants getting any bigger. This will ensure that all the growing is transferred to the tomatoes instead of the plant. Still feed them every week, but be careful not to let them get waterlogged as they may rot. Due to the bad weather they are not needing so much water. If you have peppers plants then keep them tied to their supports. They should be producing peppers around now but due to the weather most things seem to be behind at the moment. Pests don't seem to be a problem at the moment except for slugs and snails still and if these have got into your greenhouse you'll need to get rid of them (refer to last months suggestions)
Vegetable Garden Slugs, slugs and more slugs!!! Keep doing what you can to keep them down because they thrive in this weather at the moment. Still keep an eye out for caterpillars on cabbages and greens, and remove them if there are any. Sweetcorn should be ready this month, but mine is late. I think it will be more like September until they are ready. Courgettes should be ready and if you want some marrows you can always leave 2 or 3 courgettes towards the end of the month and they will grow into marrows. You should still be getting the last few weeks of raspberries in so make sure you continue to pick them. Currants (black and red) and gooseberries are also in season now too. Keep beans picked. Runner beans need to be picked whilst still young, as they are more tender, instead of leaving them to get big.
Borders You really only need to keep these dead headed and tidy this month. Also remove any supports from plants which no longer need them. If you have dahlias still continue to keep them well supported, this will stop them breaking as they get taller and heavy with flowers.
Pruning Yew hedges can be cut now, as too can be holly and beech hedges. If your lavender has finished flowering you can cut it back with shears. Remove the finished flowering lavender stems and just take the tips off the new growth. This will encourage more shoots to be produced which then results in a more bushier plant next year.
Birds Continue to ensure that you keep your bird feeders and water baths clean and stocked up with different feeds. We had long tailed tits in our garden last month - first time I've seen those delightful little birds!
by Bob Johnson
Wednesday 01 August, 2007
August already, or should that be October! It seems more like that with all this wet weather we've been having. So, if your garden isn't underwater, these are the jobs that you can do this month
Lawns Cut once a week, if you can, as it is still growing rather fast. If it is water logged though, it is better to keep off of it until it dries out a bit.
Greenhouse Once your tomatoes have five trusses of tomatoes setting/forming and still some flowers, pinch out the tops to stop the plants getting any bigger. This will ensure that all the growing is transferred to the tomatoes instead of the plant. Still feed them every week, but be careful not to let them get waterlogged as they may rot. Due to the bad weather they are not needing so much water. If you have peppers plants then keep them tied to their supports. They should be producing peppers around now but due to the weather most things seem to be behind at the moment. Pests don't seem to be a problem at the moment except for slugs and snails still and if these have got into your greenhouse you'll need to get rid of them (refer to last months suggestions)
Vegetable Garden Slugs, slugs and more slugs!!! Keep doing what you can to keep them down because they thrive in this weather at the moment. Still keep an eye out for caterpillars on cabbages and greens, and remove them if there are any. Sweetcorn should be ready this month, but mine is late. I think it will be more like September until they are ready. Courgettes should be ready and if you want some marrows you can always leave 2 or 3 courgettes towards the end of the month and they will grow into marrows. You should still be getting the last few weeks of raspberries in so make sure you continue to pick them. Currants (black and red) and gooseberries are also in season now too. Keep beans picked. Runner beans need to be picked whilst still young, as they are more tender, instead of leaving them to get big.
Borders You really only need to keep these dead headed and tidy this month. Also remove any supports from plants which no longer need them. If you have dahlias still continue to keep them well supported, this will stop them breaking as they get taller and heavy with flowers.
Pruning Yew hedges can be cut now, as too can be holly and beech hedges. If your lavender has finished flowering you can cut it back with shears. Remove the finished flowering lavender stems and just take the tips off the new growth. This will encourage more shoots to be produced which then results in a more bushier plant next year.
Birds Continue to ensure that you keep your bird feeders and water baths clean and stocked up with different feeds. We had long tailed tits in our garden last month - first time I've seen those delightful little birds!
Tuesday 10 July 2007
July 2007 - A True English Summer
July 2007 - A True English Summer
July - It should be Summer by now but with June being so wet it doesn’t seem like it! Hopefully July will have better weather.
Lawns With all June’s rain and the warmer temperatures your lawn should be growing like mad so you should be cutting your lawn at least once a week and if it’s anything like mine maybe even twice a week! If the weather does improve hopefully it will start to slow down and not look untidy so fast.
Greenhouse Tomatoes should now be producing fruit on the first few trusses, so the first few may be ready to pick. You should feed your tomatoes every 7 to 10 days and keep them well watered. Don’t let them dry out, otherwise when you do water them and give them lots of water, the skins will split because they have swelled too fast. Hopefully you’ve all got gutter fed water butts too which should now be brimming with all this rain, so you can use this recycled water on your garden. Keep your tomatoes tied to their supports and remove any side shoots. I usually only let them have 5 trusses per plant.If you have grown peppers you may need to stake them as they grow, especially as the peppers form.Keep an eye on pests in the greenhouse. I plant marigolds with the tomatoes, which seems to work keeping white flies off, alternatively you can use hanging white fly traps.Also keep any dead or dying plants or leaves cleared up as they can cause disease if left to rot.
Vegetable Garden Slugs are still a real problem this summer and they really love the wet weather we’ve just had, so still keep an eye on them as they will soon eat any young plants.Keep sowing lettuce about every 10 days, in short rows, as this will ensure a continuous supply through summer, with hopefully no waste. Keep sowing rocket or a similar rotation.Pick the broad beans and French beans when ready, if planted.Keep an eye out for caterpillars on any cabbages or other greens planted, as they will soon destroy your crop. You can spray the plants to prevent this or alternatively do it more environmentally friendly by picking them off by hand.If we do get hot dry weather this month your vegetable garden will need regular watering - preferably in the evening or early in the morning.
Borders This month is just about keeping your borders tidy. Dead head delphiniums as they finish. This also may encourage them to produce a few later spikes. Cut off any other flowers that have finished. If you have perennial geraniums and they are starting to look messy you’ll need to cut them right down after flowering and then they should reshoot. Remove old Euphorbia and helleborus flower stems to produce stronger plants for next season.
Pruning Keep climbing roses dead headed and tie in new growth. Any new shoots on honeysuckle should also be tied in.
Birds Remember to maintain any feeders you have put out. Keep them topped up and also keep them clean, as the recent rain can make the seed within all soggy and also help germinate it into shoots. Discourage any local cats from loitering in your garden, as the young birds are especially vulnerable as they take their first few days of flight.
July - It should be Summer by now but with June being so wet it doesn’t seem like it! Hopefully July will have better weather.
Lawns With all June’s rain and the warmer temperatures your lawn should be growing like mad so you should be cutting your lawn at least once a week and if it’s anything like mine maybe even twice a week! If the weather does improve hopefully it will start to slow down and not look untidy so fast.
Greenhouse Tomatoes should now be producing fruit on the first few trusses, so the first few may be ready to pick. You should feed your tomatoes every 7 to 10 days and keep them well watered. Don’t let them dry out, otherwise when you do water them and give them lots of water, the skins will split because they have swelled too fast. Hopefully you’ve all got gutter fed water butts too which should now be brimming with all this rain, so you can use this recycled water on your garden. Keep your tomatoes tied to their supports and remove any side shoots. I usually only let them have 5 trusses per plant.If you have grown peppers you may need to stake them as they grow, especially as the peppers form.Keep an eye on pests in the greenhouse. I plant marigolds with the tomatoes, which seems to work keeping white flies off, alternatively you can use hanging white fly traps.Also keep any dead or dying plants or leaves cleared up as they can cause disease if left to rot.
Vegetable Garden Slugs are still a real problem this summer and they really love the wet weather we’ve just had, so still keep an eye on them as they will soon eat any young plants.Keep sowing lettuce about every 10 days, in short rows, as this will ensure a continuous supply through summer, with hopefully no waste. Keep sowing rocket or a similar rotation.Pick the broad beans and French beans when ready, if planted.Keep an eye out for caterpillars on any cabbages or other greens planted, as they will soon destroy your crop. You can spray the plants to prevent this or alternatively do it more environmentally friendly by picking them off by hand.If we do get hot dry weather this month your vegetable garden will need regular watering - preferably in the evening or early in the morning.
Borders This month is just about keeping your borders tidy. Dead head delphiniums as they finish. This also may encourage them to produce a few later spikes. Cut off any other flowers that have finished. If you have perennial geraniums and they are starting to look messy you’ll need to cut them right down after flowering and then they should reshoot. Remove old Euphorbia and helleborus flower stems to produce stronger plants for next season.
Pruning Keep climbing roses dead headed and tie in new growth. Any new shoots on honeysuckle should also be tied in.
Birds Remember to maintain any feeders you have put out. Keep them topped up and also keep them clean, as the recent rain can make the seed within all soggy and also help germinate it into shoots. Discourage any local cats from loitering in your garden, as the young birds are especially vulnerable as they take their first few days of flight.
Monday 18 June 2007
June 2007 - Coming to Life
June 2007 - Coming to Life
by Bob Johnson
Sunday 10 June, 2007
June - the garden should be growing well now with all the rain we've been having.
Lawns If you fed and weeded it as I suggested in previous months they should now look nice and green and weed free, but if you didn't get a chance to do it you still have time, as long as there's rain forecast for the time after you've done it - so pick the day carefully! You'll now need to keep cutting your lawn every week now, so try and get into a routine. If June unexpectedly has long hot spells forecast with no rain then it's best not to cut your lawns too short.If your daffodils are only just dying, like mine still are, then you can cut them back once the leaves have gone brown.
Greenhouse All bedding plants, fuchsias and geraniums should now be planted out into the pots you want or the garden. This means that your greenhouse should now have a lot more room, to give your tomatoes the much needed space they require to grow, keep any side shoots removed from tomatoes and keep them tied to the support.If you have grown peppers then these can also be spaced out on the bench and if needed add a small cane to the pot to provide much needed support for the plant.You can still grow salad rocket in the greenhouse or just plant it in the vegetable garden.
Vegetable Garden Do not harvest any Asparagus for the first two years. In the third year, pick the spears from mid-April for six weeks, and in subsequent years for eight weeks.Courgettes and marrows can now be planted out into the garden. Don't plant too many as they soon get large and you will end up with too many. For a family of 4 I recommend 2 plants maximum.With all the wet weather we have had, keep an eye on the slug population, as there are a lot around. You can get natural predators (nemitodes) which you can get in garden centres or mail order companies. There are also slug pellets available - If you are worried about having these kind of chemicals in your garden there are ones on the market that are wildlife and pet friendly which contain natural ingredients, thus making them good for the environment.
Borders Just keep removing any dead flowers and keep weeds down, because with all the wet weather the weeds are really taking off! Any slug problems see suggestions in vegetable garden section.
Pots Keep an eye on any pots or hanging baskets that you have planted up because they soon dry up if (and hopefully when!) the sun comes out. If you did plant up any hanging baskets, as I suggested in May, then these will need a feed this month, to keep them looking good and flowering well. If you have pots with perenials or shrubs in then these should be fed too. A good natural feed is liquid seaweed, which you can buy concentrated and then dilute to feed.
Pruning Dead head any roses and tie in the new shoots. Keep them sprayed for greenfly and also any diseases.
Birds If you're having problems with leatherjackets then hopefully you've attracted some starlings to your garden by now, with all the tips from previous months. These starling are a natural predator to these pests so should help alleviate the problem. I'll be giving you some other tips in the autumn to help try irradicate them for next years lawn. Keep your feeders topped up - there seem to be many young birds around at the moment and try and vary what you give them. We recently added a feeder with nyger seeds in and the goldfinchs love it! We've also recently had yellowhammers come to our garden too. If you have a bird bath keep it topped up also (although the rain seems to be doing a good job with this recently!)
by Bob Johnson
Sunday 10 June, 2007
June - the garden should be growing well now with all the rain we've been having.
Lawns If you fed and weeded it as I suggested in previous months they should now look nice and green and weed free, but if you didn't get a chance to do it you still have time, as long as there's rain forecast for the time after you've done it - so pick the day carefully! You'll now need to keep cutting your lawn every week now, so try and get into a routine. If June unexpectedly has long hot spells forecast with no rain then it's best not to cut your lawns too short.If your daffodils are only just dying, like mine still are, then you can cut them back once the leaves have gone brown.
Greenhouse All bedding plants, fuchsias and geraniums should now be planted out into the pots you want or the garden. This means that your greenhouse should now have a lot more room, to give your tomatoes the much needed space they require to grow, keep any side shoots removed from tomatoes and keep them tied to the support.If you have grown peppers then these can also be spaced out on the bench and if needed add a small cane to the pot to provide much needed support for the plant.You can still grow salad rocket in the greenhouse or just plant it in the vegetable garden.
Vegetable Garden Do not harvest any Asparagus for the first two years. In the third year, pick the spears from mid-April for six weeks, and in subsequent years for eight weeks.Courgettes and marrows can now be planted out into the garden. Don't plant too many as they soon get large and you will end up with too many. For a family of 4 I recommend 2 plants maximum.With all the wet weather we have had, keep an eye on the slug population, as there are a lot around. You can get natural predators (nemitodes) which you can get in garden centres or mail order companies. There are also slug pellets available - If you are worried about having these kind of chemicals in your garden there are ones on the market that are wildlife and pet friendly which contain natural ingredients, thus making them good for the environment.
Borders Just keep removing any dead flowers and keep weeds down, because with all the wet weather the weeds are really taking off! Any slug problems see suggestions in vegetable garden section.
Pots Keep an eye on any pots or hanging baskets that you have planted up because they soon dry up if (and hopefully when!) the sun comes out. If you did plant up any hanging baskets, as I suggested in May, then these will need a feed this month, to keep them looking good and flowering well. If you have pots with perenials or shrubs in then these should be fed too. A good natural feed is liquid seaweed, which you can buy concentrated and then dilute to feed.
Pruning Dead head any roses and tie in the new shoots. Keep them sprayed for greenfly and also any diseases.
Birds If you're having problems with leatherjackets then hopefully you've attracted some starlings to your garden by now, with all the tips from previous months. These starling are a natural predator to these pests so should help alleviate the problem. I'll be giving you some other tips in the autumn to help try irradicate them for next years lawn. Keep your feeders topped up - there seem to be many young birds around at the moment and try and vary what you give them. We recently added a feeder with nyger seeds in and the goldfinchs love it! We've also recently had yellowhammers come to our garden too. If you have a bird bath keep it topped up also (although the rain seems to be doing a good job with this recently!)
Tuesday 1 May 2007
May 2007 - Mild Weather Magic
May 2007 - Mild Weather Magic
by Bob Johnson
May - and things in the garden are really growing now, especially with the mild weather we have been having. gardencentreonline.com monthly gardening article by professional gardener, Bob Johnson. Gardening in the Cotswolds for the rich and famous for the last 15 years.
Lawns If you applied a weed and fed last month then you should really notice a difference by now. The grass should look greener and the weeds should be dying. If you used one with a moss killer in it then the moss should also be dying. Don't worry if you didn't get a chance to do it last month as you can still do it, just make sure that it is done when rain is forecast so that it gets washed in. If you have things like snowdrops or crocuses in your lawn they can be mown off now as they will have died back, Daffodils can be cut off later in the month once they have also died back.
Greenhouse As bush Fuchsias grow pinch out the growing tips after 3 sets of leaves have formed. When each of these new shoots have developed 3 sets of leaves, pinch out again as this will produce a nice bushy plant. With trailing types pinch out the leading shoot when it has reached it's desired length, then pinch out the tips of the side shoots when they have 3 sets of leaves.Geraniums can have the tips pinched out occassionally to increase the bushiness of the plant. Tomatoes should be potted up now, into their final pots or grow bags.If you want hanging baskets or pots for your garden now is the time to plant them up, so that when they go out at the end of the month they will have already made some growth and therefore look fuller when they are put in their garden position.
Vegetable Garden Continue to plant your salad crops so that you get a continuous supply. I find that planting short rows of lettuce about 10 days apart will ensure that you have a continuous supply of lettuce all season, with sufficient crop readily on hand which in turn also minimises the chances of wasted crop.Sow french and Runner Beans directly into the seed bed, but if there are late frost then the beans must be covered with horticultural fleece.Sweetcorn is best sown in blocks, with 2 seeds per hole. This ensures that the weakest seedling can be pulled out, leaving the stronger healthier plant in its place.Brussels Sprouts can now be transpalnted into their final place, and you can plant radishes or gem lettuce in between them as they will take time to grow.Earth up potatoes (which is pulling up the soil round the shoots, along the rows of potatoes) when the shoots are 9 inches high to stop the potatoes going green.Harvest spears from established asparagus plants for 6-8 weeks. Do not harvest spears from crowns which are less than 2 years old.
Borders This month is just a case of keeping them tidy really. Continue staking any plants as needed and keep them weeded.If the weather is dry, keep any plants that were put in last month or recently, well watered - preferably in the evening when the sun has gone off them.Remove any suckers from lilac trees.Ensure that you keep an eye on slugs and if needed put down slug pellets, or if you don't like using this chemical option there are now different types of slug traps on the market.Keep Roses sprayed against greenfly - using a commercial greenfly pesticide.
Pruning There isn't much pruning to do this month - it's more to do with maintenance of climber growth and tying inKeep encouraging clematis shoots to grow up their support (trellis or wire) as the continue to grow and climb.Tie in any long shoots on climbing Roses
Birds As there isn't much pruning this month or cutting of hedges this helps the birds because they have built or are inthe process of building their nests now so the least disruption caused by these activities the better. If you are going to cut hedges look and see if you can see any nests inside and if there are any delaying the cutting until the nest is vacated.If you have a bird water bath ensure that it is continually topped up so that the birds can have a wash and a drink - the sun evaporates a lot of it but also the birds have a great time in it - I had 2 starlings in mine the other morning and they were having a wonderful bath and the blue tit perched on the side was getting a free shower!
by Bob Johnson
May - and things in the garden are really growing now, especially with the mild weather we have been having. gardencentreonline.com monthly gardening article by professional gardener, Bob Johnson. Gardening in the Cotswolds for the rich and famous for the last 15 years.
Lawns If you applied a weed and fed last month then you should really notice a difference by now. The grass should look greener and the weeds should be dying. If you used one with a moss killer in it then the moss should also be dying. Don't worry if you didn't get a chance to do it last month as you can still do it, just make sure that it is done when rain is forecast so that it gets washed in. If you have things like snowdrops or crocuses in your lawn they can be mown off now as they will have died back, Daffodils can be cut off later in the month once they have also died back.
Greenhouse As bush Fuchsias grow pinch out the growing tips after 3 sets of leaves have formed. When each of these new shoots have developed 3 sets of leaves, pinch out again as this will produce a nice bushy plant. With trailing types pinch out the leading shoot when it has reached it's desired length, then pinch out the tips of the side shoots when they have 3 sets of leaves.Geraniums can have the tips pinched out occassionally to increase the bushiness of the plant. Tomatoes should be potted up now, into their final pots or grow bags.If you want hanging baskets or pots for your garden now is the time to plant them up, so that when they go out at the end of the month they will have already made some growth and therefore look fuller when they are put in their garden position.
Vegetable Garden Continue to plant your salad crops so that you get a continuous supply. I find that planting short rows of lettuce about 10 days apart will ensure that you have a continuous supply of lettuce all season, with sufficient crop readily on hand which in turn also minimises the chances of wasted crop.Sow french and Runner Beans directly into the seed bed, but if there are late frost then the beans must be covered with horticultural fleece.Sweetcorn is best sown in blocks, with 2 seeds per hole. This ensures that the weakest seedling can be pulled out, leaving the stronger healthier plant in its place.Brussels Sprouts can now be transpalnted into their final place, and you can plant radishes or gem lettuce in between them as they will take time to grow.Earth up potatoes (which is pulling up the soil round the shoots, along the rows of potatoes) when the shoots are 9 inches high to stop the potatoes going green.Harvest spears from established asparagus plants for 6-8 weeks. Do not harvest spears from crowns which are less than 2 years old.
Borders This month is just a case of keeping them tidy really. Continue staking any plants as needed and keep them weeded.If the weather is dry, keep any plants that were put in last month or recently, well watered - preferably in the evening when the sun has gone off them.Remove any suckers from lilac trees.Ensure that you keep an eye on slugs and if needed put down slug pellets, or if you don't like using this chemical option there are now different types of slug traps on the market.Keep Roses sprayed against greenfly - using a commercial greenfly pesticide.
Pruning There isn't much pruning to do this month - it's more to do with maintenance of climber growth and tying inKeep encouraging clematis shoots to grow up their support (trellis or wire) as the continue to grow and climb.Tie in any long shoots on climbing Roses
Birds As there isn't much pruning this month or cutting of hedges this helps the birds because they have built or are inthe process of building their nests now so the least disruption caused by these activities the better. If you are going to cut hedges look and see if you can see any nests inside and if there are any delaying the cutting until the nest is vacated.If you have a bird water bath ensure that it is continually topped up so that the birds can have a wash and a drink - the sun evaporates a lot of it but also the birds have a great time in it - I had 2 starlings in mine the other morning and they were having a wonderful bath and the blue tit perched on the side was getting a free shower!
Thursday 12 April 2007
April 2007 - The garden comes to life
April 2007 - The garden comes to life
by Bob Johnson
April - already and things are really growing now, the weather is warming up again.
gardencentreonline.com monthly gardening article by professional gardener, Bob Johnson. Gardening in the Cotswolds for the rich and famous for the last 15 years.
Lawns If you want to get rid of any moss or weeds from your lawn, it’s a good time to apply a weed and feed that includes a moss killer. You do have to make sure that rain is forcast in a day or two if using a dry feed . If you want to repair any areas of lawn you will have to either avoid these areas or you will not be able to make your repairs for six months.
Greenhouse Your Geraniums and Fuchias should be growing now so start to give them a feed once a week to give them a good boost. If you like Dahalias you can either start them of in the greenhouse in boxes or deep trays covering them with compost and watering, or plant them directly into the ground at the end of the month. The green house ones can be planted out after hardening off about mid May. Plant any summer bedding seeds you want to grow , also pepper and cucumber seeds can be sown. Keep an eye on the heat and ventilate if needed.
Vegetable Garden Now is the time to start sowing your carrots, summer cababages, cauliflower, celery (yuk).You can also start sowing your salad crop - any variety of lettuce - cos, little gem etc - be adventurous!Plant out your onion sets and your second early potatoes, then your main crop potatoes in mid April. You can also sow the next lot of Broad Beans. Brocolli and Beetroot can be sown mid-April.
Borders Start putting plant supports around tall growing perennials like Delphiniums and
Paeonies - you can use canes or purposely manufactured metal plant supports.If you didn't get a chance last month to get new plants in, don't worry because there is still time to get them in this month - always paying attention to the information on the plant labels as to the suitability of the plant to your soil type plus the best position for them - shady, direct sunlight etc.Also hoe between plants to control weeds.Deadhead any daffodils once they have finished flowering
Pruning Lightly prune shrubs which have finished flowering.On old Forsythia bushes cut back after flowering to within 2 buds of old growth or if it is a young Forsythia just reduce the shoots to promote a bushy plant.Finish pruning roses and feed with rose fertiliser which should be hoe'd in to the soil surfaceClip summer-flowering heathers at the point, just below last seasons flower - this will promote a nice bushy heather as the new side shoots will make the plant thicker.
Birds If you are fortunate to have larger trees in your garden give some thought to putting up a bird nesting box, whilst still maintaining the feeding regime started in March.
by Bob Johnson
April - already and things are really growing now, the weather is warming up again.
gardencentreonline.com monthly gardening article by professional gardener, Bob Johnson. Gardening in the Cotswolds for the rich and famous for the last 15 years.
Lawns If you want to get rid of any moss or weeds from your lawn, it’s a good time to apply a weed and feed that includes a moss killer. You do have to make sure that rain is forcast in a day or two if using a dry feed . If you want to repair any areas of lawn you will have to either avoid these areas or you will not be able to make your repairs for six months.
Greenhouse Your Geraniums and Fuchias should be growing now so start to give them a feed once a week to give them a good boost. If you like Dahalias you can either start them of in the greenhouse in boxes or deep trays covering them with compost and watering, or plant them directly into the ground at the end of the month. The green house ones can be planted out after hardening off about mid May. Plant any summer bedding seeds you want to grow , also pepper and cucumber seeds can be sown. Keep an eye on the heat and ventilate if needed.
Vegetable Garden Now is the time to start sowing your carrots, summer cababages, cauliflower, celery (yuk).You can also start sowing your salad crop - any variety of lettuce - cos, little gem etc - be adventurous!Plant out your onion sets and your second early potatoes, then your main crop potatoes in mid April. You can also sow the next lot of Broad Beans. Brocolli and Beetroot can be sown mid-April.
Borders Start putting plant supports around tall growing perennials like Delphiniums and
Paeonies - you can use canes or purposely manufactured metal plant supports.If you didn't get a chance last month to get new plants in, don't worry because there is still time to get them in this month - always paying attention to the information on the plant labels as to the suitability of the plant to your soil type plus the best position for them - shady, direct sunlight etc.Also hoe between plants to control weeds.Deadhead any daffodils once they have finished flowering
Pruning Lightly prune shrubs which have finished flowering.On old Forsythia bushes cut back after flowering to within 2 buds of old growth or if it is a young Forsythia just reduce the shoots to promote a bushy plant.Finish pruning roses and feed with rose fertiliser which should be hoe'd in to the soil surfaceClip summer-flowering heathers at the point, just below last seasons flower - this will promote a nice bushy heather as the new side shoots will make the plant thicker.
Birds If you are fortunate to have larger trees in your garden give some thought to putting up a bird nesting box, whilst still maintaining the feeding regime started in March.
Sunday 4 March 2007
March 2007 - Getting to work on the garden
March 2007 - Getting to work on the garden
by Bob Johnson
March is the month when you can really start to get work done in the garden, although this year some jobs have never really stopped!
gardencentreonline.com monthly gardening article by professional gardener, Bob Johnson. Gardening in the Cotswolds for the rich and famous for the last 15 years.
Lawns This month rake your lawn over with a sturdy metal lawn rake to get rid of any dead thatch and moss. Also now’s a good time to re-cut any damaged edges of your lawn with a half moon. If you’ve got any bare patches on the lawn it's a good time now to reseed them. With the coming of Spring comes milder weather so if the ground is not too wet then you can give your lawn a cut with a high setting on your lawnmower to tidy it up.
Greenhouse If you haven’t planted any sweet peas yet then now is the time to get them in. Any geraniums or fuchsias that have over wintered can also now be pruned with pair of secateurs to remove any dead or damaged growth and generally reduce height to give them a good bushy growth, Give them a little water now until they start to shoot and then water them normally. If you want to feed them it’s best to do this once the new growth has started.Plant tomatoes and cucumber seeds for growing in the greenhouse. Also try some lettuce and rocket in trays for an early crop. On sunny days make sure your greenhouse doesn’t get too hot by opening vents or the door to stop it overheating
Vegetable Garden March is the time to prepare your seed beds by going over them with a hoe or a rake. Brussel sprouts can be sown under cloches or open ground from the end of the month to mid April and now’s the time also to get the first sowing of broad beans in.Sow leeks towards the end of the month, onions sets and shallots can also be planted towards the end of the month. Parsnips and first early potatoes can also go in towards the end of the month. Mulch strawberries and raspberries and feed them.
Borders Plant out herbaceous plants and if needed lift and divide large plants and replace any old plants. Finish planting any trees so that they are in before the weather gets too dry, also any shrubs and fruit bushes should also be planted.
Pruning Prune roses, cutting out dead diseased or weak branches to a nice fat outward facing bud using good quality secateurs. Clematis can also be pruned, a good rule of thumb is to prune all varieties that bloom after June right down to 6 - 12 inches above soil level. If they flower before June leave them alone but if they are out of control prune lightly.
Birds Not really part of gardening but if you put feeders or a bird table out and offer a variety of food (sunflower seeds, mixed bird seed, nuts, soft bill mix, fat balls and dried meal worms to name but a few) the birds that come will benefit the garden and in the winter months our feathered friends need all the help they can get. A bird bath is also a pleasant feature to any garden and gives the birds the essential water that they need, Birds can be fed all year round and our personal feeders attract robins, finches (chaff, gold and green) tits (blue and coal) ring collared doves, blackbirds and wrens - they are a joy to watch and would be an added bonus to any garden as they will help keep the bugs down. If you can attract starlings these would help minimise the population of leatherjackets as this is one of their favourites and leatherjackets can be really destructive to your garden plants and lawns.
by Bob Johnson
March is the month when you can really start to get work done in the garden, although this year some jobs have never really stopped!
gardencentreonline.com monthly gardening article by professional gardener, Bob Johnson. Gardening in the Cotswolds for the rich and famous for the last 15 years.
Lawns This month rake your lawn over with a sturdy metal lawn rake to get rid of any dead thatch and moss. Also now’s a good time to re-cut any damaged edges of your lawn with a half moon. If you’ve got any bare patches on the lawn it's a good time now to reseed them. With the coming of Spring comes milder weather so if the ground is not too wet then you can give your lawn a cut with a high setting on your lawnmower to tidy it up.
Greenhouse If you haven’t planted any sweet peas yet then now is the time to get them in. Any geraniums or fuchsias that have over wintered can also now be pruned with pair of secateurs to remove any dead or damaged growth and generally reduce height to give them a good bushy growth, Give them a little water now until they start to shoot and then water them normally. If you want to feed them it’s best to do this once the new growth has started.Plant tomatoes and cucumber seeds for growing in the greenhouse. Also try some lettuce and rocket in trays for an early crop. On sunny days make sure your greenhouse doesn’t get too hot by opening vents or the door to stop it overheating
Vegetable Garden March is the time to prepare your seed beds by going over them with a hoe or a rake. Brussel sprouts can be sown under cloches or open ground from the end of the month to mid April and now’s the time also to get the first sowing of broad beans in.Sow leeks towards the end of the month, onions sets and shallots can also be planted towards the end of the month. Parsnips and first early potatoes can also go in towards the end of the month. Mulch strawberries and raspberries and feed them.
Borders Plant out herbaceous plants and if needed lift and divide large plants and replace any old plants. Finish planting any trees so that they are in before the weather gets too dry, also any shrubs and fruit bushes should also be planted.
Pruning Prune roses, cutting out dead diseased or weak branches to a nice fat outward facing bud using good quality secateurs. Clematis can also be pruned, a good rule of thumb is to prune all varieties that bloom after June right down to 6 - 12 inches above soil level. If they flower before June leave them alone but if they are out of control prune lightly.
Birds Not really part of gardening but if you put feeders or a bird table out and offer a variety of food (sunflower seeds, mixed bird seed, nuts, soft bill mix, fat balls and dried meal worms to name but a few) the birds that come will benefit the garden and in the winter months our feathered friends need all the help they can get. A bird bath is also a pleasant feature to any garden and gives the birds the essential water that they need, Birds can be fed all year round and our personal feeders attract robins, finches (chaff, gold and green) tits (blue and coal) ring collared doves, blackbirds and wrens - they are a joy to watch and would be an added bonus to any garden as they will help keep the bugs down. If you can attract starlings these would help minimise the population of leatherjackets as this is one of their favourites and leatherjackets can be really destructive to your garden plants and lawns.
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