Garden notebook

GARDEN NOTEBOOK
Our simple guide tells you all you need to know to get started outside
Scatter these
seeds now and
they will flower next
spring and summer
foxglove
Spanish poppy
forget me nots
honesty
sweet william
wallflowers
Pests
A well-grown plant will
usually shrug off attacks,
but young plants are more
vulnerable. Trap slugs in jam
jars half-filled with beer and
sunk up to the rim in soil, or
use environmentally friendly
slug pellets. Aphids can be
blasted away with a strong
jet of water.
TYPES OF COMPOST
Multi-purpose compost: a generalpurpose
compost for lots of jobs
Mature plant compost: perfect for
containers and adding to the planting hole
of trees and bigger shrubs, it’s often called
‘John Innes No. 3’ compost
Potting-on compost: perfect for potting
small plants into larger containers, it's
often called ‘John Innes No. 2’ compost
Plant up a pot
Use pieces of broken
old pots (crocks) to
cover the hole in the
base of the container
before filling it up with
compost. Use your
hands to make holes
and drop in the plants.
Top with compost, pat it
down gently and drench
the soil with water.
When the compost is
completely saturated, it
will run out of the hole
in the bottom of the pot.
Seed compost: fine compost
ideal for germinating seeds
BULBS TO PLANT
NOW FOR LATE
SUMMER AND EARLY
AUTUMN FLOWERS
✽ dahlias ✽ crocosmia
✽ autumn crocus
✽ cyclamen ✽ nerine
Plug plants
These are small plants with
rootballs less than 10cm high.
Garden-ready ones can go
straight into the soil or a pot.
How much
should I water?
IN THE GROUND
Drench the soil around a flower with
a full can of water immediately after
planting. After this, only water when
the weather warms up and the plant
starts growing.
IN A CONTAINER
Soak a newly planted pot (of any size)
until water runs out of the base hole. As
the plants start to grow, use your fingertip
to check if the compost is damp. If it's
not, water again until you can see liquid
escaping from the base. Smaller pots
need watering more frequently.
Pruning
Pruning is simply a way of keeping
plants looking their best and
removing any dead stems. It also
prevents them from outgrowing
their space. Use sharp secateurs to
make an easy job of cutting back the
stems. In spring, prune back shrubs
and climbers that flowered in winter,
and prune roses.
Holiday proof your garden
Summer holidays often mean a week or two
away from your garden. Make sure container
plants don't flag with these simple tips.
✽ Group containers together in a shady spot
to slow down moisture loss.
✽ Water pots thoroughly just before you
leave with a full can of water each. Sit them
in saucers to create a small reserve of water
for the next few days.
✽ Fill a 2-litre plastic bottle with water, pierce
the lid with a skewer and place it upside down
in a pot to drip feed water into the compost.
OUTDOOR
HERBS
ROSEMARY
OREGANO
SAGE
BAY
THYME
Windowsill
herbs
PARSLEY
BASIL
DILL
CORIANDER
On the information label
Perennial a plant that lives for more than two years
(usually a lot more).
Annual a plant that completes its whole life cycle in
one year, germinating from seed, growing and flowering
within 12 months.
Biennial a plant that lives for two years, growing leaves
in the first year and flowering in the second.
Hardy will survive temperatures below freezing.
Half-hardy needs to be brought into a porch or put on
a windowsill during very cold weather.
Tender won’t survive temperatures below freezing.
How to plant in the soil
Dig a hole twice as wide and the same depth as the
plant’s rootball, and position the plant in the hole so
the top of the compost is level with the garden soil.
Backfill and drench with a full can of water.
DISCLAIMER: It is the sole responsibility of any person(s) using the information/advice contained within Modern Gardens that their level of competence is appropriate
for the task they want to complete. Modern Gardens will not be held responsible for any injury due to the misuse or misunderstanding of any DIY project.