The Ultimate Gardening Guide

When we are gardening it is important to understand the best methods of preventing slug damage, what flowers last the longest and what to do with unripe vegetables in the autumn.

Therefore, here is a compiled list of hints and tricks to help you make the most of your garden.

Flowering plants

Autumn is the perfect time of year for gathering seeds.

However, it is important that all seeds gathered and stored are completely dry; damp ones will simply rot. All seeds should be kept in a cool, dry place to prevent any damage being caused to them. Annuals are recommended to plant this time of year as they are the easiest plants to grow, within 12 weeks of sowing it will be flowered and ready to look great!

Annual seeds are best planted in rows as this helps you to differentiate the seedlings from the weedlings; which can grow randomly.

Plant potting

For many of us, space is always a problem when it comes to flowers.

A quick answer to this problem is to plant bulbs in plant pots to get an immediate effect. Whilst any plant or flower can grow in a pot, it will not survive as it is totally dependent upon you for water and food. It is best to plant flowers or bulbs in a plastic or ceramic pot as terracotta pots absorb water and will cause the plant to dry out quickly.

Designing your garden

It is a good idea to have a focal point in any garden, a simple way to execute this is by having a bench or seat around a tree: but make sure you leave enough room for the tree roots to grow!

In order to achieve the best look with your plants, try to plant them in clumps of five, seven or nine as this gives a great visual. Also, if you are looking to attract wildlife into your garden, it is worth remembering that bees and wasps love lavender and daisies.

When looking at the colour or theme of your garden try to remember that ‘less colour is more’. Try to choose a few different colours rather than the whole rainbow, these colours can be chosen at Serenata Flowers.

Fruit and vegetables

Digging should only be done when the soil is extremely soft and dry and not when it is wet. Also, when planting very small seeds, it is a good idea to mix them with sand as this is both economical and prevents them from being sown too thickly.

If you are looking to grow your own parsley, it is worth remembering that it is extremely slow to germinate. In order to speed this process up, soak the seeds in warm water overnight before sowing.

Pear trees also blossom early, so be careful to plant them against a warm wall or in a sheltered spot to prevent it being damaged during winter.

Pest control

The best way to stop slugs and snails from ruining your masterpiece is by scattering coffee granules around the area as slugs hate caffeine.

Ants will never kill your plants, they may restrict the roots from growing if they decide to create a nest, but they will not cause any further damage.