Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Eastlife
  • Home
  • Counties
    • Beds
    • Cambridgeshire
    • Essex
    • Herts
    • Norfolk
    • Suffolk
  • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Advertise with us
    • Print advertising
    • Website advertising
  • What’s on
  • East of England Guide
  • Awards
No Result
View All Result
Eastlife
  • Home
  • Counties
    • Beds
    • Cambridgeshire
    • Essex
    • Herts
    • Norfolk
    • Suffolk
  • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Advertise with us
    • Print advertising
    • Website advertising
  • What’s on
  • East of England Guide
  • Awards
No Result
View All Result
Eastlife
No Result
View All Result

Tips for summer gardens

Emma Kemsley by Emma Kemsley
June 14, 2021
in All Counties, Health, Lifestyle, Property
0 0
0
Home All Counties

Gardening presenter and content producer, Ade Sellars, shares his top tips for perfecting a summer garden

The skies are blue, the air is warm, and the birds are singing. Summer has arrived! For the past few months, we’ve been working up to this glorious season: sowing seeds, potting on and planting out. And now it’s time to reap the rewards. With flowers blooming and crops ready for the picking, gardens and allotments have never looked so fine. But with pests lurking and diseases only too keen to spoil your prized veg, it’s important to remain vigilant.

Summer won’t last forever, but while it’s here, take the time to relax in the garden with a glass of something cold.

 

If you haven’t done so already, now’s the time to introduce a plant feed. Nutrients in pots, containers and hanging baskets will have quickly depleted, so give them a weekly feed and ensure you maintain a regular watering regime.

With heavy flowerheads and ever-growing stems, plants such as dahlias and gladioli will need staking. This extra support will not only prevent damage, but discourage ground pests from attacking low-lying plants. Also, what’s the point of growing tall flowers if you can’t see their glorious blooms?

Hot temperatures outside will mean even warmer temperatures in your greenhouse. Just a few extra degrees can cause your young plants to shrivel and die. So, introduce shading to your glass roof, keep all vents and doors open to encourage a steady airflow, and water the floor daily to increase humidity and deter red spider mite.

For vegetables such courgettes, beans and peas, the key is to pick them regularly. This will ensure the plant continues to produce. Letting crops grow past their best can encourage pests, or send a signal to the plant to stop growing altogether. Carrots, beetroot and onions will also be ready for harvesting.

By now, you should have five or six trusses on your cordon tomatoes, so, before your plants reach the greenhouse roof, pinch out the growing tips. The energy will transfer into setting your tomatoes. Also, feed regularly, and pinch out all side shoots. Don’t let plants dry-out, or water irregularly, as this can encourage blossom end rot. Finally, remove any leaves beneath the first truss of tomatoes, as this will help circulation and prevent the build-up of pests and diseases.

You mention winter, and people shudder. Yet it’s something we need to keep at the back of our minds. If you’re hoping for a harvest of winter veg, then you should be thinking about planting your winter veg out into their final growing positions. Vegetables to consider are, brassicas, leeks, swede…and do I dare say it? Christmas potatoes. One of my favourites is purple sprouting broccoli, a must-have winter veg.

But for now, let’s make it a summer to remember. So, take stock of your gardens, smell the flowers, and savour those summer harvests.

 

ShareTweetShare
Emma Kemsley

Emma Kemsley

Emma is the editor and chief writer of eastlife

Next Post
Lowestoft: The Perfect Seaside Staycation

Lowestoft: The Perfect Seaside Staycation

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Plugin Install : Widget Tab Post needs JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Top tips for garden lighting

Dog-friendly Attractions in Norfolk

February 16, 2021
A Rural Roadtrip in Essex

10 of the Best Essex Villages to Visit

March 11, 2021
Christmas Markets in Cambridgeshire

Christmas Markets in Cambridgeshire

November 30, 2021
A walk around Saffron Walden and Audley End Park

A walk around Saffron Walden and Audley End Park

April 12, 2021

The best ghost tours in East Anglia

4
A Guide to Punting in Cambridge

A Guide to Punting in Cambridge

4

Beach Huts just got Cool

3
A walk around Saffron Walden and Audley End Park

A walk around Saffron Walden and Audley End Park

3
Image of replacement knee cap

Conformis Personalised Knee Replacement

June 24, 2022
Summer’s Must-Read Thriller

Summer’s Must-Read Thriller

June 13, 2022
Charity golf event takes place at top Suffolk Golf Course

Charity golf event takes place at top Suffolk Golf Course

June 10, 2022
The best podcasts worth listening to right now

The best podcasts worth listening to right now

June 10, 2022
Eastlife

East of England’s essential guide for what’s on around the region! Allowing you to make the most of where you live.
Read more

Categories

  • All Counties
  • All Sections
  • Around the Region
  • Arts
  • Beds
  • Beds, Bucks & Herts
  • Cambridgeshire
  • Competitions
  • Consumer
  • Dog-Friendly
  • Education
  • Essex
  • Fashion
  • Featured news
  • Festivals
  • Food & Drink
  • Health
  • Herts
  • Lifestyle
  • Little East
  • Motoring
  • Norfolk
  • Other
  • Property
  • Publications
  • Seasonal
  • Suffolk
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Weddings

Tags

48 hrs books Cambridge Christmas classical music CPPF Dogs Easter family days out Farm shop Father Christmas Half Term Halloween homeview ice skating Jubilee keep Livelife Magazine Martin Lewis merge New Year platinum jubilee podcast Queen Elizabeth reading shopping summer festival Theatre Tour Guide win Wine winter walks

Recent News

Image of replacement knee cap

Conformis Personalised Knee Replacement

June 24, 2022
Summer’s Must-Read Thriller

Summer’s Must-Read Thriller

June 13, 2022

© 2020 Local Media Publishing - Site managed by Doug Dawson Creative.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Counties
    • Beds
    • Cambridgeshire
    • Essex
    • Herts
    • Norfolk
    • Suffolk
  • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Advertise with us
    • Print advertising
    • Website advertising
  • What’s on
  • East of England Guide
  • Awards

© 2020 Local Media Publishing - Site managed by Doug Dawson Creative.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In