Gardener's World with Paraic Horkan NDH

Spring Gardening.

Lawn Care.

Moss needs to be controlled now by applying a dressing of lawn moss killer to the entire lawn area. The very mild weather throughout the autumn and winter period has encouraged an explosion of moss growth and with up to two months of cool wet weather ahead moss will continue to grow and flourish causing more problems in early summer.
After treating the lawn area with moss control an application of levingtons lawn fertiliser applied in early march will encourage the grass to fill and re establish a second dressing of levington lawn feed needs to be applied in mid April.

Horkys tip: Apply moss control now to eliminate all moss and make a note to apply moss control in early autumn and again mid winter to keep moss under control during the winter months.

Alpines in the garden.

If you are fond of good flower colour in borders, slopes and containers but want to avoid replanting with new bedding plants each season consider alpine plants.
Alpines like free draining soil and a sunny aspect to grow well and is ideal for shallow poor soils on banks raised areas or slopes.

The choice and flowering periods extends from early spring right through to early winter.
Many alpines are ideal for mixing with other border plants including shrubs and dwarf conifers.

Look for plants like’ aubretia’ available in different colours, ‘ saxifrage’ with their evergreen foliage and dainty flowers, ‘ yellow alyssum ‘ is good in any flower border or raised area.
The beautiful light and dark blue ‘campanulas ‘ are excellent for covering the ground whilst providing an abundance of colour throughout summer.

Dwarf shrubs and conifers can be added to create some interesting textures and shapes and to add a little height to the existing bed.
Consider under planting your alpine’s with summer flowering dwarf bulbs including colourful ‘anemones’, ‘iris’ and ‘ixis’, which if planted now will give additional colour in mid summer.

Alpines look good-planted in-groups of the same variety where they will spread and cover ground giving some weed control.

Horkys tip: After planting alpines cover the entire bed with plantex weed material and apply a dressing of colourful pea gravel. This will control weeds and provide the perfect environment for alpines to flourish.

Remember alpines are frost hardy and can be planted now to give instant and welcomed colour.

Horky’s Gardening Tips For February.

Plant summer flowering bulbs in gentle heat in doors to get an early start. Dahlias, lilies, anemones, and begonias are all suitable for planting now.

Sprout early seed potatoes in a bright frost-free location and plant out in late February.
Look for the new varieties of certified seed potatoes now.

Sow seeds of summer flowering bedding plants including petunias, begonias, geraniums, lobelia and sweet peas.

Start your vegetable season with early sowings of cabbage, lettuce, onions, leeks, parsley and sprouts.
Sow in gentle heat indoors and replant the seedlings in late February. Try ‘Chinese cabbage’ this season.

Treat all lawn moss now to a dressing of lawn moss control, lawn moss is a problem in most lawns this spring after our wet and mild winter.

Plant some hedging plants now, which will allow good root formation before growth starts in March.

Prune back summer flowering roses and apply ‘armillatox’ which kills off moss and lichen growth and removes pest and disease problems.

Prune summer flowering shrubs including ‘fuchsia’, ‘spiraea’, ‘hypericum’, and ‘potentillia’.

Plant spring flowering camellias now, this is the month to see them in flower and select the variety, which you like.
Remember camellias are ideal for container planting.

Sow your early herbs now in gentle heat indoors.

Remember Horkans Garden Centres in Sligo and Castlebar are open seven days Sunday 2 to 6pm. horky@iol.ie

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