Garden To-Do List April

Welcome to our fourth instalment of twelve monthly blogs, these blogs will cover some of the many key gardening tasks that will need to be undertaken throughout the year.

Job Checklist:

1. Keep weeds under control

2. Sow new lawns or repair bare patches

3. Protect fruit blossom from late frosts - to do

4. Tie in climbing and rambling roses

5. Sow hardy annuals, herbs and wild flower seed outdoors

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Weeds

non-chemical control

It may come as a shock to some people, but it is actually possible & surprisingly simple to control any weed without resorting to weedkillers. Believe it or not, killing & restricting weeds can be as simple as pulling them straight out of the ground! Other interesting methods would include burning them to a crisp or using weed barriers.

Timing: When weeds become troublesome Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Suitable for All weeds can be controlled without the use of weedkillers, but deep rooted weeds can be harder to control.

Annual weeds (which only live for one year) and Ephemeral weeds (which live for less than one year) are easy to control, but often scatter seeds in large quantities and usually reappear, requiring further control.

Deep-rooted weeds (which die down in winter and re-grow each spring) can re-grow from their roots even when the tops are removed or burned off.

They can be difficult to dig up and are able to grow through weed barriers.

When to control weeds

Weeds can be dealt with whenever they become unruly, this tends to be in the spring - summer months.

It is best to place weed barriers down during late winter / early spring, this is because weed barriers work best as a preventative measure.

Manual removal & cutting back:

• Pruning: Running a hoe over your flower bed or between plot rows will kill most weed seedlings. Hoeing on a dry day will dry out the seedling on the surface, preventing them from re-rooting

• Hand-pulling or hand-weeding with a fork: Pull up annual weeds by hand before they set seed. You should dig out Perennial weeds with as much root (or bulb) as possible, using a hand or border fork. Hand weeding is easier on light soil and should only be attempted where it will not disturb the roots of other garden plants. Further pulling will be necessary with persistent weeds such as bindweed or couch grass where small root sections left behind can re-grow into new plants

• Weed knife and other weeding tools: A weed knife has a hooked end and is designed to for hard to reach weeds that live between paving slabs and along path edges. Other hooked, narrow-bladed or spiral-type tools are available for other specific weeding tasks such as digging out dandelions on lawns.

• Repeated cutting: In large weedy areas, repeatedly cutting to ground level over several years will weaken and even kill some weeds. Strimming is the most comfortable and fastest way to accomplish these results.

• Flame gun: Another way to control hard to reach weeds is by scorching them, This method of weed control is perfect between paving slabs and on driveways and saves you bending down or hurting your knees with a small sharp tool. It is preferable only to use this tool when the foliage is dry, be sure to allow sufficient burn-time for deep-rooted weeds, such as dandelions.

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Weed barriers

• Mulching: Use a thick organic mulch such as bark or wood chip to smother weeds around plants. To be effective, keep them topped up to a minimum depth of 10-15cm (4-6in) to suppress established annual weeds. Keep woody stems clear of mulch to prevent rotting.

• Edging boards or strips: These can be used to edge lawns and grass paths to prevent unwanted grass growth into the border. This method of weed control is especially useful where invasive rooted grasses such as 'couch grass' are a problem.

• Root barriers: These can be inserted into the ground to stop the spread of perennial weeds such as ground elder and horsetail into neighbouring areas or gardens. They can also be used to restrict invasive plants such as bamboos, or suckering trees, shrubs and raspberries. A straight barrier can be formed from paving slabs or corrugated iron sheets, but for a flexible solution use a sturdy fabric like Rootbarrier (insert link).....

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Weed-suppressant fabrics

Placing landscaping fabric over recently cleared ground will hinder re- growth of old weeds and prevent new ones from being established.

There are many types of weed suppressant fabrics available to purchase; each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Spun material:

These are made from plastic fibres that are bonded together to form a sheet.

Spun groundsheets are hard wearing and work best when covered with gravel, mulch or bark.

Advantages:

• Lightweight, easy to cut.

• Doesn't fray along cut edges.

• Very porous, allowing water to reach plant roots.

Disadvantages:

• Cheaper versions do not last long.

• Tougher versions can be expensive.

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Woven materials:

These are sheets of woven plastic strands for use as temporary cover, or for the long-term on beds, borders and paths.

Advantages: Available in different grades, varying in toughness, weight and durability Do not need covering with mulch, although mulch may improve their appearance

Disadvantages: Heavier in weight than spun materials Cut edges can fray

Plastic sheeting:

Choose black sheeting to suppress weeds for short periods, or in areas of the garden where appearance doesn’t matter.

Advantages: Cheap Easy to cut with a knife or scissors

Disadvantages: Impermeable to water, so the ground can dry out underneath, and rain will puddle on the surface Pricking holes in the surface will allow water to penetrate, but can provide an opportunity for weeds to grow

Problems

Repeated control measures are likely to be necessary - this is not a one-off garden task.

See our individual weed profiles for more detailed advice on eradication of specific weeds. Some of the most troublesome include; bamboo, bindweed, couch grass, ground elder, horsetail, oxalis and speedwell.

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Lawns: repairing

Patches in lawns can appear for a number of reasons, and when they do, it is always advisable to repair them. Re-seeding, or turfing bare patches will prevent weeds germinating in the patches, and of course, it looks much better.

Quick facts

Repair lawns in spring or autumn Re-seed bare patches or use turf from another part of the lawn If the whole lawn is patchy, it may be advisable to totally re-seed or re-lay the lawn

When to repair lawns

Lawns are best repaired in spring or autumn, when the weather is damp and cool, as the lawn is most likely to recover well in these conditions.

Repairing lawns

Using turf

• Cut out the damaged area of turf in a square, using a half moon edging iron to cut the square and a spade to lift it.

• Lightly fork over the soil in the base of the removed square.

• Cut out an identical-sized square of healthy turf from another area of the garden where it will not be missed, or use new turf if you have it.

• Place the healthy turf over the damaged patch and brush a sandy lawn top-dressing into the crevices between the turves.

• Compress the turf edges with the back of a rake.

• Water in with a watering can fitted with a fine rose.

Using seed

• Cut out the damaged area of turf in a square, using a half moon edging iron to cut the square and a spade to lift it.

• Lightly fork over the soil in the base of the removed square.

• Sprinkle some crumbly top soil or compost over the base of the removed square.

• Scatter the grass seed over the base at a rate of 15-25g per sq m (½–¾oz per sq yard) if no sowing rate is given on the packet or by the supplier.

• Cover the seed with a light sprinkling of top soil or compost to hide it from the birds.

• Water in with a watering can fitted with a fine rose.

Better results may be achieved by pre-germinating the seed before sowing it. Add the seed to some moist compost in a bucket and cover with clingfilm. Place somewhere warm – no higher than 15°C (60°F). After three days, check the seed for signs of germination. If none is seen, check daily thereafter. Once you see small white roots developing, sow the mixture as above.

Repairing lawn edges

• Dig out the damaged area with square cuts on three sides and prepare the base as above.

• Turn the damaged square through 180° and replace it so that the cut edge aligns with the lawn edge and the damaged edge is facing inwards.

• Cut away the damaged area and re-turf or re-seed as above.

Evening out minor bumps and hollows

• Cut through the uneven patch with an H-shaped incision and peel back the turf.

• Fork over the base and either remove excess soil or add new top soil to raise the level.

• Firm down the soil and make sure the patch is level before replacing the turf.

• Check the lawn is level and adjust again if necessary.

• Brush a sandy lawn top-dressing into the crevices between the turves.

• Compress the turf edges with the back of a rake.

• Water in with a watering can fitted with a fine rose.

Problems

Sometimes, repaired patches appear a different colour from the existing turf. Using turf from elsewhere in the garden (rather than new turf) to repair your lawn may avoid this problem. Otherwise, try to buy seed or turf from the same supplier as before, and request the same product as bought previously.

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When to do it

Climbers are routinely pruned in winter, after the flowers have faded, between December and February. Long whippy shoots can be shortened or tied in during autumn, to prevent strong winds from damaging them.

Renovation can be carried out at any time between late autumn and late winter. It is easier to see what you are doing when the rose is not in leaf, plus there is a better response from the rose, which should grow back vigorously the following spring.

How to prune climbing roses

Formative training and pruning of young climbing roses

Climbing roses are not self-clinging and need supports of trellis or horizontal wires to which the shoots can be tied.

• Set the lowest wire 45cm (18in) off the ground and space subsequent wires 30cm (1ft) apart

• If training roses up pillars, arches or pergolas, twist the main shoots gently around the uprights, keeping them as horizontal as possible, to encourage flowering shoots to form low down

• If the main stems are slow to branch, tip-prune them to the first strong bud to encourage side shoots, otherwise leave them to fill the available space

• Remove dead, damaged, diseased or spindly growth, and deadhead during the flowering season to encourage further flowering

Routine pruning of climbing roses

• First remove dead, diseased or dying branches

• Then tie in any new shoots needed to fill supports

• Prune any flowered side shoots back by two thirds of their length

• If the plant is heavily congested, cut out any really old branches from the base to promote new growth

Renovating overgrown climbing roses

• Remove all dead, diseased, dying and weak shoots

• Cut some of the old woody branches to the ground, retaining a maximum of six young, vigorous stems that can be secured to supports

• Saw away any dead stumps at the base of the plant, where rain can collect and encourage rot

• Shorten side shoots on the remaining branches and prune back the tips by one third to one half, to encourage branching

• Give pruned plants a boost in the following spring by spreading a granular rose fertiliser over the soil and mulch them with a 5cm (2in) layer of garden compost or well rotted manure

Problems

Roses can suffer from a range of common rose problems, including replant disease, rose dieback, rose black spot, rose powdery mildew, rose rust. Particular pests include rose aphids, rose leaf rolling sawfly, rose large sawfly

Blindness (lack of flowering) is another common problem with roses.

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Seed: sowing outdoors

Many vegetables, annuals, biennials and herbaceous plants can be grown from seed sown outdoors. The secret to success is to prepare a good seedbed, free of weeds and with a crumble-like soil-surface texture.

Quick facts

Suitable for Many plants Timing Spring until autumn Difficulty Easy to moderate

Suitable for:

Many vegetables, annuals, biennials and herbaceous plants can be grown from seed outdoors. Ornamental examples include Centaurea cyanus (cornflower), Digitalis (foxglove), Eschscholzia (Californian poppies), Helianthus annuus (sunflower), Iberis umbellata (candytuft), Limnanthes douglasii (poached egg flower) and Tropaeolum majus (nasturtiums). Vegetables such as beans, carrots, onions and peas can also be grown outside from seed.

Sowing seed outdoors, directly into final growing places, is ideal for gardeners who do not have much room to raise seed indoors in trays or propagators. You also don’t need to start seed sowing as early in spring as when you sow outdoors. You can scatter seed of ornamentals in free drifts to achieve a natural-looking distribution, or sow vegetables and cutting flowers in clearly defined drills to make weeding and thinning easier to carry out.

When to sow seed

As long as the soil is warm and moist, seed can be sown and it will germinate quickly. In practice, this usually means either mid-spring to early summer (April-June), or late summer (September). If you can provide the crop with protection, such as cloches or fleece, sowing can begin in early spring. Likewise, regular watering will make it possible to raise rows of seedlings in the height of summer.

Always refer to the seed packet for the best time to sow, as it does vary with plant type.

How to sow seed

Sowing seed is very straight forward – just think of how many plants scatter their seeds and they grow where they land as soon as it is moist and warm. However, for the best success, this is the best way to sow:

• Beds should be dug over in advance to allow time for the soil to settle. New beds can benefit from double digging, but turning the soil over to a spade’s depth is usually sufficient

• Cover over the roughly dug bed with plastic or a double layer of fleece to suppress weeds and, in early spring, to help warm up the soil

• When you are ready to sow, uncover the bed. Use a rake to level the surface and create a crumble-like tilth. Then pick off any remaining weeds and debris

• Place a cane or stake across the bed and lightly push it into the surface. This will create a straight drill (shallow depression) whose depth should be as directed on the seed packet. The drills should be spaced according to the instructions on the seed packet

• Alternatively draw out drills with a small hoe or the corner of a rake

• Add water to the row before sowing. This is usually better than watering over the top of sown seeds

• Thinly scatter the seed into the bottom of the drill. Don’t be over enthusiastic, as plants will need thinning to the spacing recommended on the seed packet. A finger width apart is usually right for small seeds

• Use a rake to gently cover the seeds with soil, filling the drill back in again

• Before you forget where the row is and what you’ve sown, place a label in the soil at one end.

• Cover the patch with a single layer of fleece. Use a spade to push the edges of the fleece into the ground to ensure it doesn’t blow away

• Remember to water in dry spells

Problems

Packing down of certain soils under heavy rain can cause a cap of hard compacted soil that dries to a crust thorough which seeds can not emerge. Prevent this by covering seeds with potting media such as peat-free multipurpose compost.

Other problems include:

• Pigeons and other birds can be a pest where seeds are not covered with fleece

• Occasionally, seedlings can fail to emerge, or keel over soon after emergence in wet weather. This is known as damping off

• Likewise, slugs and snails eating young seedlings can be a problem