May: Warmer days ahead
Hi ,
As we welcome a new month, we can finally say a happy farewell to any risk of frost and we can more comfortably enjoy our gardens in the warmer weather.
I still have some garden centre visits coming up in the next couple of weeks, and I would love to see you there. Please find the list of garden centres I will be visiting here. Check their respective websites, and social media, or get in touch with your closest garden centre to avoid disappointment, as some events are already fully booked.
Chelsea Flower Show will be rounding out the month in a few weeks, so is a wonderful opportunity to be inspired for your garden designs, whether your garden be a large space full of potential, or a simple balcony garden you would like to add some cheer and colour to.
My new daytime TV show on ITV, Alan Titchmarsh’s Gardening Club, is still airing every Monday from 2 pm until the 13th of May, or catch up whenever you please on ITVX.
I look forward to you tuning in to ITV on Monday!
Happy gardening!
David
Gardening tip of the month
Plant up summer hanging baskets
Plant up your summer hanging baskets early in the month to give the, time to establish before placing them in position.
Step One
First, determine which type of basket you have: solid sides, or wire. I have used the latter, lined with moss to keep the soil and moisture inside. Make sure the lining has a few small holes for drainage.
Step Two
Fill your hanging basket about three-quarters full with peat-free compost. If you fill it too much, you won’t have room to place your plants and their roots in the space.
Step Three
Add your plants to your hanging basket. Make sure they are summer-flowering for baskets being planed now, which will produce bright flowers with some showy foliage to soften the edge of your basket. Trailing plants can also create a lovely waterfall effect.
Step Four
Now your hanging basket is planted, water it thoroughly and place it indoors in a porch or greenhouse, to give the plants time to establish whilst there is still a small risk of frost. After a couple of weeks, position it in its final position.
Watch my video
In this latest video, find out the answers to Google’s most asked questions about Hollyhocks.
Get Gardening with Thrive
Thrive is a wonderful charity who have for many years endorsed the benefits of gardening for health and wellbeing.
They have produced a ‘Get Gardening’ information service to help make gardening easier, including inspirational stories, activities and ideas.
Find out more on their website about this wonderful service aiming to make gardening more accessible to all.
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