Gardening

Its time to tidy up the garden

Posted on October 14, 2022 at 8:46 pm

For the majority of people who have a garden, autumn is the time when it can start to look untidy as summer plants become faded and past their best and shrubs need a good pruning. If the weather is still dry then it is a good idea to get the jobs done in the garden before the winter arrives when it is harder to motivate ourselves to move outdoors.

The first task is to remove any plants that have died or have become overgrown. It can be tempting to think that perhaps they will come back next year but apart from hardy geraniums the majority of bedding plants will not survive the winter and if they do they will take a long time to flower so be ruthless and clear the pots and beds of any plants that are past their best.

If you want to have some spring flowers now is the time to plant bulbs. Add some new compost to the pots or dig it into the flower beds then plant your selection of bulbs to give a welcome colourful display in spring.

Pruning back shrubs that are looking overgrown can also be a task for this time of the year but if done correctly will result in new healthy growth next spring.

Posted in Gardening

Doing a gardening course

Posted on September 29, 2021 at 1:47 pm

Do you struggle with your garden? Are you one of those people that just hack back everything come the autumn as you are. It sure what should be left and what should be removed? If the answer is yes then it may be worth you investing in a gardening course. You don’t have to be an avid gardening to go on such a course as there are a number of different ones out there. Try and find a course that is aimed at beginners who are looking with help to maintain their gardens not ones that want to create a garden to enter in to the Chelsea flower show!

If you cannot find any courses local to you then why not ask around on social media or in your local area to see if there are any gardeners that may be able to give you a bit of training. They may come and show you what is what whilst also doing some of the upkeep for you. Gardeners do not normally charge a huge amount so a few hours a month is unlikely to break the bank but might just give you that little bit of confidence that you need.

Posted in Gardening

Working as a gardener

Posted on April 29, 2021 at 9:30 pm

If you enjoy a bit of gardening an like being outdoors then you may decide to take your hobby a bit further and start to do gardening as a job. If you can combine your hobby and your job then you are on to a winner as it is very important if you can find a job that you love to do. There are a number of different types of gardening jobs that you can apply for. If you are happy to go self employed then you may decide to set up your own gardening business. You can then start to advertise your business in local papers, on social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter or often through word of mouth. It may not take long for you to build up a number of repeat customers. If you prove that you are good at what you do and reliable then you will often find you get weekly, fortnightly, or monthly work off the same people. This is great as it will allow you to have a steady income.

You may need to spend a bit of money when first setting up your business investing in gardening equipment. Some people may not have any gardening equipment or even if they do, they may not want you to use it. It looks more professional if you can go to someone’s house with your own equipment. You will also need to have your own transport, unless you are only going to be working very locally.

If you do not want to be self-employed then you will need to find a company that is looking to take on gardeners. You may decide to work for a company that subcontracts out gardeners to the council for example or sometimes local councils employ their own. You may choose to work in a garden centre where you can interact with customers whilst looking after the plants and shrubs. This is idea if you want to find out more about the different sorts of plants and plant care.

Some schools employ gardeners to maintain the school grounds. The job may also be listed as a ground’s keeper. You may be required to do other tasks that fall under maintenance as well. This job can often be very rewarding and quite enjoyable. Often you are left to your own devices to get the work done.

Posted in Gardening

Can you do much with your garden in winter

Posted on December 23, 2020 at 8:40 pm

Gardens can look messy in the winter months as you are not able to get out as often to give it a once over. If you have children or dogs that go out on the grass, it may get very muddy quickly. Ideally, before the bad weather hits you need to go out and spend a few hours tidying it up. Put away any kids toys or equipment that can be put away and try and store your deck chairs and parasol out of the elements.

You will not be able to mow the grass if it is wet so you need to keep on top of it during the autumn and into the winter. If we have a dry day, then make the most of it and go out and give it a quick mow. During the winter months the grass won’t grow very much so it you can keep on top of it until the really cold weather sets in you should be ok. Any potted plants that are temperamental to the cold should be bought inside for the winter or put into a green house to avoid it getting damaged by the frost.

Posted in Gardening

Gardening can be therapeutic

Posted on September 14, 2020 at 8:06 am

Gardening is often one of those things that you either love or hate. For some, gardening is just another chore that has to be done but for others it is more of a hobby and they look forward to it. Gardening is said to be therapeutic. It can be very calming and relaxing and because you can often see results quite quickly, it can be very rewarding.

If you have never been big on gardening then you may want to give it a try. Start off with something small and that you can accomplish quickly. Simply weeding an area or mowing the lawn can have a huge instant impact and can allow you to see what can be accomplished in a short period of time.

You will need to invest in some gardening equipment but to start off with you can probably get by with a cheaper set that you can pick up from many supermarkets.

If you find that you like gardening then you may decide to invest more and buy better tools. Always read reviews before buying the tools or ask for recommendations from people who you know are avid gardeners.

Posted in Gardening

Should Gardeners be Qualified?

Posted on March 25, 2018 at 5:35 pm

When you are employing a gardener, you need to know they will do a good job on your garden. One of the things potential employers might ask is what qualifications the gardener has. However, gardeners don’t necessarily need to be qualified. How important is a formal qualification for a gardening professional?

If a gardener is working on a large and complex landscape, such as formal gardens or a stately home garden, then it may serve them well to have a qualification. There are qualifications offered by many bodies, such as the Royal Horticultural Society, that are very well regarded. These teach a range of practical and academic skills, so the gardener will know how to adapt their approach.

For a domestic gardener, qualifications may help but they are less essential. Many gardeners are incredibly good at what they do, and they have lots of experience in their field. It is this experience that is ultimately going to make someone a great gardener.

Posted in Gardening

Choosing the Right Type of Lawn

Posted on December 24, 2017 at 7:21 pm

Lawns are a big part of a garden – they usually form the largest surface area within the garden. If you are looking for a new lawn, replacing an area of lawn, or you are moving into a new property and creating a new garden, you should ensure you choose the correct type of turf for your new garden.

A standard type of turf will suffice in most domestic properties. The turf sold in the UK is generally quite hardy and will withstand some harsh weather conditions.

However, if your garden is used for sport, you have pets or it is a high traffic area, you might need to have a tougher kind of turf. Choose one that is specifically made to last in a high traffic spot.

If your garden is shady, a shade-resistant turf might be your best option. This will help the turf to stay healthy and to grow well.

Posted in Gardening

Can you Grow Cucumbers in the UK?

Posted on October 31, 2017 at 10:47 pm

It is perfectly possible to grow cucumbers at home in the UK. You do need to be careful though, because these vegetable need some special growing conditions and if you do not provide these, it would be very easy to kill them.

The first thing to do is to decide between a bush or a vine. A vine will need to be able to climb so make sure you have trellises or similar frames for them to grow up onto.

You also need to make sure cucumbers are planted in warm earth. Don’t think about planting them until a good few weeks after the last frosts of winter. You can warm the earth up a little with plastic or start off a cucumber plant’s life in a greenhouse.

Make sure you use the right soil, or you cucumbers will not be happy. Make sure it has a pH level of 6-6.8.

Posted in Gardening

How to Grow Herbs Indoors

Posted on September 2, 2017 at 4:57 pm

Herbs can be very easy to grow indoors. Grow things like basil, parsley, mint, oregano and thyme easily inside your own home and have access to delicious fresh herbs whenever you want them. You should consider the herbs you want to grow carefully and choose ones that will grow well indoors. Usually, a window sill will be the best place to keep them as herbs tend to need a lot of warmth and sunlight.

Buy herbs from somewhere like a garden centre or grow them from seed and purchase the seeds online. You can buy herb plants from places like supermarkets but they are probably not going to be in the best of health after sitting on a shelf with no sunlight. Supermarket herb plants tend to wilt and die after a few weeks so make sure the herbs you start off with are healthy. Re-pot and water them as needed.

Posted in Gardening

Planting Garden Bulbs

Posted on February 22, 2017 at 5:09 pm

Summer Bulbs are a great addition to any garden as they will provide colour year after year and can even provide additional flowers to be divided and planted in another part of the garden. Unlike normal flowers these flowers do not need to be planted each year, they are hardy in nature, and there is a colour, size or shape that should suit any gardening need.

Summer Bulbs are one of the easiest types of flowers or plants to nurture and cultivate. For the next season, the best types of bulbs to grow to include true bulbs such as Asiatic and Oriental lilies, corms like gladiolus and crocosmia, tubers, examples of which are begonia, caladium or dahlia, and rhizome crops such as agapanthus and canna. (more…)

Posted in Flowers, Gardening, Gardens

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