JUNE
It’s officially Summer, which means our gardens are in full bloom, but there are still jobs to do…
GARDENING
GUIDE
June is the first month where the weather can virtually be guaranteed. No more frosts, warmer evenings and, hopefully, hotter days. The Spring flowers have mostly gone and the summer ones are coming through providing an abundance of colour. However, as nice as it is to sit in your garden and enjoy it, there are still plenty of jobs to do…
WEEDING Weeds. The arch-nemesis of our beautiful gardens. However, with some hard work, these can be removed. All weeds can be controlled without weedkillers, and for our environment, it is best to get your hand’s dirty before resorting to chemicals. One of the best manual ways to control weeds is by hoeing. Simply run a hoe over a bed or between rows to kill most weed seedlings. Ideally, choose a dry day with light wind so that the seedlings will dry out on the surface. Pull up annual weeds by hand before they set seed. Perennial weeds should be dug out with as much root or bulb as possible using a hand or border fork. Hand weeding is easiest on lighter soils and should only be attempted when it won’t disturb the roots of garden plants.
HANGING BASKETS Hanging baskets provide valuable colour at eye level in your garden. Choose vibrant bedding plants for a short-term show, or herbs, shrubs and evergreens for a longer-lasting display. The great thing about hanging baskets is that you can plant them in situ straight away. The basic principles for creating a hanging basket are very simple. First of all, if you are using a standard wire basket, it will need to be lined. You can buy readymade cardboard liners and fibrous materials sold for the purpose.
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PROPERTY NEWS