Tackling vine weevils
Tackle vine weevils now, before they take a hold, as early action can make all the difference. Swing into action while the damage is limited to just a few notches in the leaves – the first tell-tale signs that these nasty little bugs are about – and you’ll head off potential disaster: vine weevil grubs can kill a plant outright [...]
Prune summer raspberries
Prune summer raspberries as soon as you pick the last of the fruits, to encourage lots of lush, strong new growth ready for next year’s harvest. Summer raspberries are fantastic value for money. Plant them in autumn and by the following year you’ll have baskets of luscious red fruits to pick. It just gets better, too: raspberries crop year after year, [...]
It’s time to trim!
Now is the time to trim evergreen hedges,while they’re at their peak yet while there’s also still time for any new growth which follows to ripen and harden up before the winter frosts set in. A good trim now also makes sure your hedge goes into the end of the season looking in tip-top condition, with crisp, neat edges and [...]
Preparing new lawns
Prepare soil for a new lawn ready to sow or turf next month. Autumn is ideal for preparing new lawns as the grass has plenty of time to put down strong roots before it starts to grow in earnest next spring – so it’ll be well established by the time you come to enjoy it in summer. Preparing new lawns As [...]
It’s time to plant…
Now is the time to summer prune fruit– especially stone fruits like cherries and plums, as they can be prone to a fungal disease called silverleaf if pruned in winter, but also apples and pears. Prune fruit Summer pruning is a much lighter affair than the kind of pruning you do in winter, and is mostly about shaping your trees [...]
Plant of the week: Jasmine
Swags of sweetly-scented, delicately flowered jasmine dripping with purest white starry flowers bring out the romantic in everyone. This seductively beautiful plant is a must-have for any cottage garden, filling the air with perfume from July to October. Jasmine can grow into a big plant if you let it, but it’s easily kept in check with regular pruning at the [...]