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Wellie

Wellie’s Gardening Tips for July 2025

July 7, 2025 By Wellie Leave a Comment

This month focus on maintaining your garden, encouraging further blooms and preparing for harvesting. Divide congested clumps of bearded iris after flowering. Dead head bedding plants, sweet peas, roses and herbaceous plants to encourage more flowers. Trim evergreen hedges, including conifers, (but still just check for nesting birds first). Feed dahlias and cannas every two weeks with a high potassium fertilizer, such as tomato feed.

Prune early-summer flowering shrubs, such as Philadelphus, once they have finished flowering. Cut back flowered growth to a strong lower shoot and thin out up to a fifth of old, woody stems.

Cut back hardy geraniums to ground level after they have had their first flush of flowers to encourage new foliage and more flowers later in the year. Fruit trees and bushes need a lot of extra water to support developing fruit. Pinch out climbing beans when they reach the top of their supports. Water courgettes consistently so they continue to crop well. Keep tomatoes well watered to prevent blossom end rot.

 

geranium PollyDot image Pixabay

Regularly check for pests like aphids, spider mites and caterpillars. Consider using eco-friendly methods, and introducing beneficial insects like ladybirds. Keep bird baths topped up.

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for June 2025

June 8, 2025 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Now is the time to divide bearded irises, replant sections that have two or more fans on them. Keep watering plants, especially newly planted ones, young vegetables, containers and hanging baskets. Protect plants from slugs and snails.

Cut down oriental poppies to ground level after they have flowered, and they will send up new foliage. Check roses for signs of blackspot, aphids and leaf rolling sawfly damage. Cut down daffodil bulbs now as it has been at least 6 weeks since they flowered. Thin out or trim back Clematis Montana if it needs controlling. Trim evergreen hedges, but check for nesting birds first and wait until they have fledged. Keep dead heading summer bedding, early flowering perennials and repeat flowering roses to encourage more flowers.

[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for June 2025

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for May 2025

May 2, 2025 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Mow lawns regularly now, but think about leaving some areas long for wildlife and to encourage flowers to bloom. Reseed bare patches or lay turf. Tie in climbing and rambling roses, sweet peas and clematis as they climb. Summer bedding can be planted out towards the end of the month.

Park photos May 2025. Photos taken in Southampton park.

[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for May 2025

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for April 2025

April 2, 2025 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Image by Ralph from Pixabay

Check roses for blackspot, remove any infected leaves and treat with a fungicide. Sow hardy annuals and wildflowers in gaps in the garden. Feed borders with a general purpose fertiliser such as Growmore and mulch with compost or well rotted manure.

Image by Ralph from Pixabay

Plant summer bulbs such as alliums, eucomis and lillies. Cut back Penstemons now. Take a close look before pruning, some produce a mass of new shoots at the base of the plant, so old stems should be cut back close to the soil.

When new growth is visible only along the stems, trim them to 15-20cm from the ground, just above a shoot.

Image by Christiane from Pixabay

To encourage bushy growth on Marguerites, Pelargoniums and Fuchsias in the greenhouse, pinch out the tips. Spray weeds on driveways and paths this month when they are actively growing. Use a spring/summer feed on the lawn (it should be high in nitrogen to encourage strong leafy green swards) Carry on sowing vegetables directly into prepared soil including carrots, turnip, peas, broadbeans, spinach and lettuce. Sow tender courgettes, cucumbers and pumpkins in a heated propagator or sunny window sill.

Plant out autumn sown sweet peas.

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for March 2025

March 4, 2025 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Image by Ralph from Pixabay

Cut back herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses that have been left over winter. Prune Buddleja to a low framework of stems to encourage new flowering growth. Split over crowded herbaceous perennials to keep them flowering well. Feed ericaceous shrubs such as rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and pieris with an ericaceous fertilizer.

Image by Ralph from Pixabay [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for March 2025

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for February 2025

February 1, 2025 By Wellie Leave a Comment

This is the last opportunity to carry out winter pruning on apple and pear trees. Cut autumn raspberry canes to ground level ensuring you leave no stumps that could harbour disease.

Image by Couleur from Pixabay

Prune out a quarter of blackcurrant older growth at ground level. Apply a general purpose fertiliser to tree, bush and cane fruit and mulch with well-rotted manure or garden compost.

[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for February 2025

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for January 2025

January 3, 2025 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Time to plan what you want to do to your garden over the coming year. Look at seed catalogues and order which seeds. Wash pots and seed trays so they are clean and ready for using in the coming year. Clean your greenhouse to let in more light over the winter months.

ecology photo via rawpixel at Pixabay

Cut back deciduous grasses to allow new shoots to emerge freely. Plant bare-rooted trees and shrubs now. Cut back foliage of helleborus to show off their beautiful flowers. Sow early peas such as ‘Feltham First’ for harvesting in May/June. Broad beans can be sown inside now, to plant out in February. [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for January 2025

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for December 2024

December 1, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

I was sitting down to write my garden piece for December and for whatever reason it came into my head to try and find 12 plants that represent the song Twelve days of Christmas…..So hear goes.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me……

First Day – a partridge in a pear tree – Pyrus communis (pear tree) I know an easy first one!

Hillier Gardens Christmas 2024
Hillier Gardens Christmas 2024

[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for December 2024

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for November 2024

November 3, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Hillier Gardens November 2024 04

Prune roses to prevent wind-rock and this is also the time to prune most deciduous trees, but a lot of deciduous ornamental grasses can be left until the spring. Prune grapevines after leaf fall, but before the end of December to avoid ‘bleeding’ of sap. Prune Acer (maple) species now as well to avoid them bleeding from the cut stems once the sap rises in the spring.

Now is the ideal time to plant bare rooted plants.

Hillier Gardens November 2024 04
[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for November 2024

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for October 2024

October 4, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

The temperatures are now dropping and the nights are drawing in, so it is important to get as many jobs done in the garden before it gets too cold. Wallflowers can be planted now. Continue planting spring flowering bulbs. Cut back herbaceous perennials that have died down.

Another link with autumn - Pixabay

Split and divide older clumps of overgrown perennials. Prune [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for October 2024

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for September 2024

September 7, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Lawns: sow new lawns or repair damaged patches. If sowing small areas, net to protect the seed from birds. Apply an Autumn weed and feed.

Fruit and Vegetables: Harvest apples now when they easily come off the tree when gently twisted. Sow winter salads such as lamb’s lettuce. Plant hardy onions eg Senshyu Yellow. Double your strawberry patch by pegging runners from the plants into pots filled with compost and keep them watered until they are rooted then cut them away from parent plant.

Image by JillWellington from Pixabay
Image by JillWellington from Pixabay
[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for September 2024

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for August

August 5, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Dead head faded blooms, but leave some to turn into seedheads for the birds. Trim lavender plants by removing flower stalks and about 2.5cm of the current year’s growth. Hoe to keep on top of any weeds. Prune the wispy growth on wisterias, back to 5-7 leaves.

Prune climbing and rambling roses after they have flowered, unless they are repeat flowering. Prune summer flowering shrubs after they have flowered. Cut down wildflower meadows. Ensure Camellias and Rhododendrons are well-watered to encourage good flower bud formation next spring.

roses GLady Pixabay [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for August

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for July

July 7, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Prune early-summer flowering shrubs, such as Philadelphus, once they have finished flowering. Cut back flowered growth to a strong lower shoot and thin out up to a fifth of old, woody stems. Cut back hardy geraniums to ground level after they have had their first flush of flowers to encourage new foliage and more flowers later in the year.

Divide congested clumps of bearded iris after flowering. Dead head bedding plants, roses and herbaceous plants to encourage more flowers. Make sure fruit trees and bushes are well watered to support the developing fruits. Stone fruit trees such as plums and cherries can be pruned this month.

primrose image by congerdesign

[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for July

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for June

June 2, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Pinch out tips of new growth on figs at the end of month, when the shoots have 5 leaves. Stop cutting asparagus now and topdress with a general purpose fertilizer. Regularly pinch out side shoots of cordon tomatoes. Summer prune gooseberries.

Sow salad crops at 2 week intervals. Plant out pumpkins and squashes, put straw around strawberries. [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for June

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for May

May 3, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Hoe borders to remove weed seedlings. Mow lawns regularly now, apply a weed, feed and moss treatment if not already done. Sow lawns or lay turf. Spray paths for weeds. Prune spring-flowering shrubs such as Choisya and Ribes after flowering. Check for nesting birds before trimming any hedges. Tie in climbing and rambling roses as near to horizontal as possible. Tie in shoots of clematis and sweet peas as they climb.

Hostas
Hostas

Trim back Alyssum, winter flowering heathers and Aubrieta after flowering to encourage fresh growth. Plant out summer bedding towards the end of the month, after all risk of frost have gone. Watch out for slug and snail damage. [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for May

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for April

April 1, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Sow hardy annuals and wild flower seeds in pots to provide colour in the garden. Sweet peas can be sown outside now. Prune penstemons and other slightly tender plants, divide herbaceous perennials. Put supports in place for perennials before they get too big. Protect fruit blossom from late frosts, tie in climbing and rambling roses. Feed shrubs and roses. Keep weeds under control.


[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for April

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for March

March 7, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Dead head daffodil bulbs, but leave the foliage to die back naturally. Plant lilies and other summer bulbs in pots or borders. Feed ericaceous shrubs such as rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and pieris with an ericaceous fertiliser.

daffodil image by Ralphs_Fotos via Pixabay

Finish pruning roses early in the month. Cut dogwoods, willows and cotinus to promote vigorous new growth. Sow tomatoes, chillies, sweet peppers and aubergines indoors. Plant onions and shallot sets. Plant first early potatoes, sow parsnips when the soil starts to warm up. [Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for March

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for February

February 1, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Cut autumn raspberry canes to ground level ensuring you leave no stumps that could harbour disease. Prune out a quarter of blackcurrant older growth at ground level. Apply a general purpose fertiliser to tree, bush and cane fruit and mulch with well rotted manure or garden compost.

raspberries by JerzyGorecki via Pixabay

Force rhubarb for early pickings. Start chitting your potatoes. Start sowing some of your
chosen veg seeds indoors, such as broad beans,tomatoes, basil, kale and chilies.
[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for February

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Wellie’s Gardening Tips for January

January 6, 2024 By Wellie Leave a Comment

The start of a new year, time to plan what you want to do in your garden over the coming year. Look at seed catalogues and order which seeds you would like to sow. Wash pots and seed trays and clean the glass on your greenhouse. Plant bare-rooted trees and shrubs now. Cut back foliage of hellebores to show off their beautiful flowers.

[Read more…] about Wellie’s Gardening Tips for January

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December Gardening Tips by Wellie

December 2, 2023 By Wellie Leave a Comment

Keep raking up those leaves from the lawn and borders. From now until the end of March is the time to plant any bare rooted trees, shrubs and roses. For fresh herbs, pot up mint and chives to ‘force’ on the kitchen windowsill.

Squirrel image by Oldiefan via Pixabay
Squirrel image by Oldiefan via Pixabay

[Read more…] about December Gardening Tips by Wellie

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