The yr 2022 received’t be remembered as a golden one. Other than wars, illness and terrible politics, document temperatures fried our summer season gardens.
Then, after saturating rains got here the pre-Christmas freeze. However that’s all behind us. To make 2023 a fantastic gardening yr, listed here are some ideas.
MONTHLY PLANT COUNT
A backyard wants one thing fairly to see on daily basis. So on the primary of every month, make a remark of something in flower or wanting particular. In case you draw a clean, plant one thing particular for that month.
My January star is winter candy, Chimonanthus praecox, flowering right this moment. For smaller areas, strive an extra-early snowdrop akin to Galanthus Three Ships.
Vibrant: Wintersweet blooms in December. After saturating rains in November and December got here a pre-Christmas freeze
PREP FOR SUMMER
Be extra adventurous with this yr’s summer season planting. Select varieties you’ve by no means grown. Strive mixing tomatoes or peppers with ornamentals. You would mix annual climbers with runner beans, too.
LIVELY LAWNS
Shut-mown, weed-free grass is crucial for cricket pitches or tennis courts. However over-groomed backyard lawns are retro. In addition to polluting floor water, they give the impression of being boring. By all means, maintain a tidy inexperienced garden, however let it’s fairly with daises and different small ‘weeds’. All the time mow with out the grass field so your garden is self-nourished, shops carbon and makes your backyard wildlife-friendly.
Youngsters who begin gardening earlier than they’re ten might be specialists of their teenagers. They’re fast to study the fundamentals akin to seed sowing or taking cuttings
BUILD COMPOST BAY
Home made compost is a backyard’s lifeblood. You’ll be able to assemble a small, double compost bay with boards (simple) or bricks and mortar (longer lasting.) One bay takes this yr’s inexperienced waste. Whereas that rots, the second bay takes subsequent yr’s. When darkish and crumbly, the compost might be unfold in your backyard. Earthworms then take over, working the compost into the soil.
BEAT THE PEAT BAN
Peat will probably be banned for newbie gardeners in 2024. We should, subsequently, depend on peat-free potting compost.
In case you favor to make your personal, crumbly backyard compost is an effective peat substitute.
Combine it with sand, good soil, plus a little bit slow-release fertiliser and voila!
PRUNE AWAY
Pruning isn’t tough however it’s a craft which must be learnt. Purchase a e-book such because the RHS Pruning Plant by Plant. Good pruning ensures a positive present and a contented plant. Fruit crops from pruned bushes are heavier, with higher high quality fruit.
LET CHILDREN JOIN IN
Youngsters who begin gardening earlier than they’re ten might be specialists of their teenagers. They’re fast to study the fundamentals akin to seed sowing or taking cuttings.
- There are many books for kids together with the RHS Let’s Get Gardening, Dorling Kindersley, £9.99.
PAVING AND PARKING
Paving or gravel with out vegetation seems tidy however boring. Fairly up your exhausting areas with rugged crops like stonecrops, aubrietas or Arabis.
Tall purple toadflax, purple valerian or mulleins can develop spherical the perimeters of the areas, even when soil is minimal.
ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE
With all that work, always remember to take pleasure in your backyard. Most vital of all — have an exquisite 2023.
