July 2023
Summer’s here!
Now that we’re officially celebrating summer, there’s no shortage of plants to choose from. As the risk of frosts and any dodgy weather should be well and truly behind us, we can make full use of our outside space ..… even houseplants will benefit from a good dose of fresh air.
We’re here with a few tips to ensure your space is full of colour and flower for as long as possible.
What plant food do I use?
Most plants (and particularly those with an intense growing season such as annuals, herbaceous perennials and many vegetables) will require regular feeding.
Plant food generally comes in liquid or solid form (powders, pellets or granules).
Liquid feeds (either ready mixed or concentrate forms that you dilute with water according to manufacturer’s instructions) deliver an instant nutrient boost which is easily absorbed. Liquid foods should be used every few weeks during the growing season as any surplus nutrients can easily leach out through the soil with regular watering or rainfall. For this reason, liquid feeds are usually used for container grown plants for a more targeted approach.
Solid plant food hangs around for longer as it breaks down and releases nutrients at a slower rate over time (so you don’t have to apply it as regularly). This is more beneficial to longer lasting plants with a longer growing season such as shrubs or perennials, either in containers or in the ground.
It is particularly important to use a plant feed if your compost is peat free, as these composts don’t tend to retain nutrients so well.
There are lots of plant foods available and it is essential that you read the manufacturer’s instructions for application doses.
Deadheading
In addition to regular watering and feeding, don’t forget to keep on top of deadheading plants, otherwise they'll stop flowering earlier.
By removing spent flowers, it forces plants to flower again and again.
A plants ultimate aim is to set seed and spread itself around. Once a plant has set seed, it thinks that it has done its job and stops flowering.
Your job as a canny gardener is to delay this for as long as possible!