大象传媒

The borders are now crying out for some colourful bedding plants and , quite rightly you want to get as much colour from your summer bedding as you can. And I for one don't blame you, but be warned, it will only take a slight drop in nightime temperatures to wipe the lot out and when you see them next morning the sight will be a depressing one. My advise is to get cracking now and clear the borders of any weeds and other debries and head to the garden centre where you will find some great summer colour on display. The tried and tested types like Geraniums, Fushias and Chrysanthermums are still the best choices but try some of the newer species which have been developed over the years which are now becoming popular. Make sure newly purchsed plants are giver a little cover for at least the next couple of weeks or so, or as I have said, any overnight frosts could well finnish them off. Better still, wait until we are nearer the end of April to plant then.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: Yucca Filamentosa can be a bit spitefull with it's sharp leaf ends but boy is it tough. It will survive the worst of the winter frosts and will be get even tougher as the years go on and the plant reaches a good height. Grown mainly as a focal plant and for it's sweetly scented creamy white flowers in winter this dramatic plant will grace any border or large container. I think they look fantastic just growing from the lawn, though be carefull don't get spiked when you get close. I love them and if you have enough room, then get one. It may look like the one indoors but it's a different character all together.

TOPICAL TIPS:

1: Sow Peas and Beans in shallow drills directy into the open ground and water well in making sure each the seed is firmed well in and water from time to time untill the seedlings emerge. Once the seeds reach the six leaf stage then push canes or pea sticks next to them so that they climb and find their way early in the growing stage. Feed with a solution of feed high in nitrogen for green fleshy growth.

2: Tomatoes can be sown into pots if they are to be kept for the next few weeks in the greenhouse or at least somewhere were they are protected from frosts. Tomatoes for the outside will not need planting into the open ground untill late May, however, plants for greenhouse groiwing can be planted into larger pots or growbags as soon as they are ,mature enough to handle.

3: Garden ponds will be full of life now and it might be a good idea to replenish water plants. You can lift out and clean up any you wish to keep by removing old growth but be carefull not to disturb any pond creatures which may be beneficil. New plants can be purchased now and planted into the pond using the special open containers avaliable at the garden centre and by doing this job now you are cutting the risk of distubing the life of the pond before the real activity starts.

Happy Gardening