Gardening Diary

You could be getting more from your garden and we are going to show you how.

This is the Bayleaf Garden Services garden diary which will take you on a journey through the gardening year, month by month, offering tips and all sorts of useful information that will help you get your garden up to scratch, whatever the weather.

SPRING

March

  • Deadhead any bulbs as soon as they fade.
  • Weed and dig-over the garden where needed.
  • In mild weather plant evergreen shrubs and herbaceous plants.
  • Drain and replace around three-quarters of your pond water before any spawn hatches.
  • Start cutting lawn when it begins to look untidy, preferably with a roller mower to flatten out small high spots.
  • Lightly rake lawns and apply Lawn Sand to combat moss and give lawn a boost. Re-seed patchy areas where necessary and seed new lawns as days warm up.
  • Lightly cut back hedges if necessary as they will not be cut before the autumn due to nesting birds.

April

  • Deadhead larger bulbs such as tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, without cutting the foliage.
  • Divide perennials, make sure you water well. Dig up the clump and separate using two spades. Slice through the roots cleanly with a knife, making sure each division has at least one crown. Now, replant at the same depth.
  • Add plenty of fertiliser and water to plants in containers as the weather gets warmer.
  • Check for aphids and spider mites as leaves emerge on trees and shrubs.
  • Fertilise bulbs again as they bloom. They are heavy feeders and another application will ensure nice blooms for next year.
  • Plants shrubs such as Lavender, Plumbago and Cistus which enjoy drier conditions.

May

  • Prune and fertilise early flowering shrubs after blooming.
  • After the last frost (around start of May), start planting hardier annuals.
  • Fertilise and spray roses for insects and diseases and continue rose maintenance throughout the summer.
  • Hoe over borders to keep annual weeds at bay and spot spray perennial weeds.
  • Plant summer bulbs, such as lilies, as well as perennials for an interesting floral contrast.
  • Use slug bait to stop slugs munching on your hosta leaves.
  • At the end of the month, when the soil has warmed, plant summer blooming bulbs such as gladiolus and dahlias.
  • Plant out pots and baskets, watering well. Plant out bedding plants.
Spring 1

Spring 2

Spring 3

Spring 4