Gardening: Weekend Work
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Bulbs: split clumps of snowdrops and aconites as they finish flowering and replant the bulbs with a handful of bonemeal to encourage them. Snowdrops look particularly good in ivy. Aconites flourish in the sort of starved grass you get under deciduous trees. Summer-flowering bulbs should be planted as soon as possible. Peter Nyssen, of Railway Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 0WX (0161-748 6666) is offering 10 nerines for pounds 2 (plus VAT) and 100 acidanthera for pounds 4 (plus VAT). J Walkers Bulbs of Washway House Farm, Holbeach, Spalding, Lincs PE12 7PP (01406 426216) has a new lily catalogue, five `Citronella' for pounds 5.75 and five top-size `Regale' for pounds 6.
Roses: many roses have not lost their foliage at all this winter, which makes pruning seem more daunting, but if you have not already tackled them, do it immediately. Start by cutting out dead wood, then all spindly stems and suckers. That will be enough for old-fashioned roses. Hybrid teas need sterner treatment: follow each stem up from the bottom until you come to a likely looking outward-facing bud and cut the stem off above the bud. That is the tidy way. The quick way is to shear over the top of HT roses with a hedge-clipper.
Box: tired box hedges can be boosted with a dressing of general fertiliser, such as Growmore or Vitax Q4. Use roughly two ounces for every yard of hedge. If box hedges have got hideously leggy, try cutting them back hard, leaving no more than 4-5ins of stem. Feed when they show signs of resprouting. They may not. Box is not so forgiving as yew.
Shrubs: cut to the ground shrubs such as rubus. Shear off the old foliage of periwinkle to make way for new shoots now springing up through the dross.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments