This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
You know what they say; every day is a school day and this is definitely the case when it comes to gardening. We may have been able to ignore our gardens a little during the winter however, there are still plenty of jobs to be done. I was pruning roses in January! Here are some clever gardening tricks and ideas for you…
Perhaps you have spent many years pottering around your garden and have the greenest of fingers but that doesn’t mean you know everything there is to know about it and I have to admit that I know very little. There is so much to learn and you will be constantly picking up new skills – perhaps from reading articles and watching tutorials – which you can then practice on your own outdoor space.
So, with that in mind, here are some clever gardening tricks that every seasoned gardener should know.
PLANNING
The seasoned gardener will spend nearly as much time planning their space as they do working on it. A novice might start sprinkling seeds or planting flowers without thinking about it and hoping for the best. The more experienced gardener will know that they need to sit down and measure out exactly where they want their plants to be and consider the type of soil certain plants need or whether they require shade or sun and so on.
ORDER YOUR SEEDS FOR SPRING
It’s still too early to dig, but it’s not too early to dream. Get your seeds ordered now for any veg and fruit you’re planning to grow. Ordering from seed catalogues guarantees more interesting varieties than can be bought at large commercial garden centres.
PRUNING
February is also a great time to grab your secateurs, loppers and saws and get pruning.
I love my wisteria, due to their long colourful cascades of flowers. If you don’t have one in your garden yet, the best time to plant wisteria is in autumn or spring. If you already have one and didn’t prune it in January, make sure to do it before the end of February.
Pruning your beautiful wisteria is necessary twice a year (July/August and January/February) to promote flowering and to keep it in the desired size and space. Cut back laterals and side shoots to within 2-3 buds of the main stem.
BRINGING BORDERS TO BLOOM
Borders are the ultimate demonstration of a gardening skill according to the cheat’s guide to herbaceous borders from The Guardian. You want your borders to bloom at the same time, which isn’t actually as difficult as it might sound but does take some know-how. Not sure what to plant? Take a look at bakker.com which sell ready-to-use border packs which come with a clear planting plan, enabling you to create a bright and colourful display more easily.
DIVIDE SNOWDROPS
Snowdrops spread by seed and will expand about 3cm in all directions per year. To help them spread more quickly, dig and divide them immediately after they’ve flowered and replant about 30cm apart. If you’re planting them fresh, planting in the green in February is usually the best route to success.
QUIRKY HACKS
Did you know that you can do more to help your plants both survive and thrive, than simply water and feed them? Check out these 30 insanely clever gardening tricks. The more seasoned gardener will know that coffee, eggshells, tea and beer all fend off snails and slugs or that rotten cider will help wisteria grow.
They will also know that baking soda can make tomatoes sweeter and that coffee grounds and mushrooms can change the colour of your hydrangeas. They might also be aware that nappies will help to keep flower pots moist for days and that you should soak your seeds in warm water for 24 hours before sowing. They will use vodka to help keep their flowers fresher for longer and they will make their own compost as well as using cuttings to grow new plants.