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Your Garden In July

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:21:52 GMT

Your Garden In July

July is the height of summer and while it’s a beautiful month to enjoy your outdoor space, there’s still plenty to be getting on with to keep things looking their best.

Here are some of the essential jobs to focus on this month:

Deadheading & Cutting Back

Keep your borders looking fresh by regularly deadheading flowering plants like roses, cosmos, and delphiniums. This not only tidies up the display but encourages more blooms well into August.

Cut back early-flowering perennials like hardy geraniums and alchemilla to promote fresh foliage and even a second flush of flowers.

Water Wisely

With longer, warmer days, watering becomes key. Focus your efforts on newly planted trees, shrubs, and anything in pots or containers. Water early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation and ensure the water reaches the roots where it's needed most.

Consider mulching borders to help lock in moisture and suppress weeds.

Time To Trim

Now’s a great time to give your hedges a light trim to keep them in shape. It’s also the perfect moment to prune wisteria, cutting back whippy green shoots to five or six leaves encourages flower bud formation for next year.

Lavender can be harvested for drying. Cut the stems when the flowers have just opened and hang them upside down in a cool, dark, well-ventilated space to preserve their scent.

Harvest & Enjoy

Make the most of your edible garden - July is a generous month! Pick strawberries, raspberries, courgettes, salad leaves, and herbs regularly to keep them cropping.

Keep an eye on tomatoes, pinching outside shoots and making sure they stay well-fed and watered to avoid blossom end rot.

Support Pollinators

Choose nectar-rich plants like echinacea, verbena bonariensis, and lavender to support bees and butterflies through the warmer months. Allow a few herbs like mint and oregano to flower. Your local pollinators will thank you!

Looking around your July garden and unsure where to start? Whether it’s planting, pruning, or long-term planning, Olly Forster Horticulture & Design can help. From tailored planting plans to full garden redesigns, Olly offers expert advice and creative solutions to help you make the most of your outdoor space. Get in touch today to book a consultation .

Common Garden Mistakes

Tue, 13 May 2025 15:32:08 GMT

Common Garden Mistakes

Even the most seasoned gardeners can slip into habits that hinder a garden's potential. If you’re planning a refresh or simply want to get more from your outdoor space, avoiding these common pitfalls can make all the difference.

Neglecting the Soil

Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving garden. One of the biggest mistakes is focusing solely on plants without understanding what they’re growing in. Poor soil structure, compaction, or a lack of organic matter will limit plant health.

Tip: Invest time in improving your soil with compost or mulch and consider a simple pH test to guide your plant choices.

Right Plant, Wrong Place

It’s tempting to choose plants based on looks alone, but their needs matter most. Placing sun-loving plants in shade (or vice versa) leads to weak growth and poor flowering.

Tip: Always match a plant’s needs with the conditions of its intended spot.

Overcrowding

In an eagerness to fill space, gardeners often plant too densely. This restricts airflow, encourages disease, and leads to competition for nutrients.

Tip: Pay attention to mature plant sizes and give everything enough room to grow naturally.

Ignoring Seasonal Structure

A common oversight is designing a garden that only shines in spring or summer. Without winter structure, your garden may look bleak and bare for several months.

Tip: Include evergreen shrubs, interesting bark, or architectural grasses for year-round interest.

Skipping Maintenance

Weeding, pruning, and deadheading isn’t just cosmetic. They’re vital for plant health. Waiting too long often means more work in the long run.

Tip: Set a regular rhythm for garden care so it stays manageable and enjoyable.

Overwatering (or Underwatering)

Not all plants like the same moisture levels. Many people overwater in cool seasons or underwater during dry spells.

Tip: Learn your plants’ watering needs, and adjust according to the weather and soil drainage.

If you need help avoiding these mistakes then Olly offers expert garden design and planting consultancy to help you create a garden that’s not only beautiful, but resilient and low-maintenance too. Whether you're planning from scratch or troubleshooting existing spaces, he can guide you every step of the way.

Get in touch to start planning!

Plan Your Garden Makeover

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 13:13:15 GMT

Plan Your Garden Makeover This Winter

While many people associate gardening with the warmer months, the most successful and visually stunning gardens are those that have been carefully designed well in advance.

Whether you’re thinking about reworking your borders, improving structural elements, or introducing new planting schemes, winter offers a valuable window to put plans in place before the growing season begins.

See Your Garden With Fresh Eyes

With much of the foliage gone and the garden stripped back to its framework, winter allows you to assess its true bones. This is the time to ask yourself:

• Does the structure work year-round, or does it feel empty in winter?

• Are there areas lacking interest, height, or texture?

• Do pathways, seating areas, or focal points still make sense?

• Is there an opportunity to introduce evergreen plants or winter-flowering varieties?

By evaluating your space now, you can make informed decisions about what to enhance, remove, or introduce.

Choose Plants With Year-Round Interest

A well-planned garden is one that remains attractive throughout the seasons. Winter is the perfect time to research and select plants that will add colour, texture, and structure all year round. Consider:

• Evergreens to provide structure and depth

• Winter-flowering plants like hellebores, witch hazel, and snowdrops for seasonal interest

• Grasses and seed heads to create movement and texture even in the colder months

• Bulbs to ensure a spectacular display from early spring onwards

Planning now means you’ll also beat the spring rush! Garden centres and nurseries get incredibly busy as the growing season begins, with popular plants selling out quickly. By deciding what you want to plant ahead of time, you can place orders early and secure the best varieties before they disappear. Many specialist nurseries allow pre-ordering, ensuring everything is ready to go when planting conditions improve.

Looking out at your winter garden and already envisioning the blooms, colours, and structure you’d love to see in spring? Olly is here to help!

From expert garden design to tailored plant consultancy, he can work with you to bring your ideas to life and create a garden that thrives all year round.

December Gardening Jobs

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 17:17:13 GMT

December Gardening Jobs

While winter may seem like a time to hibernate indoors, there are plenty of tasks to tackle in the

garden during December. This is an excellent time to prepare your garden for the next growing

season.

1. Prep for Spring Planting

Certain hardy vegetables like broad beans and onions can be sown now to get a head start

for spring. Broad beans germinate quickly and then pause growth until temperatures warm

up. With the help of a heated propagator, sow crops like lettuce, lamb's lettuce, and even

microgreens to enjoy fresh produce through the season.

2. Prune and Protect

Tackle shrubs and trees that require dormant-season pruning, such as apples and pears.

Remove dead or diseased branches to promote healthier growth in spring. Protect tender

plants from frost by using cloches or fleece, and relocate potted plants to sheltered areas to

prevent winter damage.

3. Soil Health

Keep your compost heap active by turning it regularly. Covering with old carpet or tarp can

help maintain warmth and speed up decomposition. To prepare your beds for spring, apply a

layer of mulch. This will protect soil structure, suppress weeds, and enrich the soil with

organic matter.

December gardening can also bring festive cheer to your home. Incorporate sustainable, natural

decorations from your garden into your seasonal celebrations. Use sprigs of holly, ivy, pinecones, or

berries for décor. Arrange evergreen foliage in baskets for table centrepieces, or craft beautiful

wreaths to adorn doorways.

Finally, make the most of the quieter days by planning ahead. Sketch out planting layouts, research

new plants you’d like to grow, and identify any repairs or painting tasks needed to refresh your

garden for spring.

Have questions about your next year’s plans? Feel free to reach out to Olly – he’s happy to help!

October Gardening Jobs

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 07:19:17 GMT

October Gardening Jobs

October is a beautiful yet crucial month in the gardening calendar. With the changing colours of autumn and the cooling temperatures, it’s time to begin preparing your garden for the winter ahead.

Here are the key tasks you should focus on:

1. Rake and Collect Fallen Leaves

As the trees shed their leaves, it’s important to keep your garden clear of large build-ups of foliage. Instead of discarding them, store them in a leaf mould bin to break down over the coming months. Leaf mould is a fantastic, free soil conditioner that improves the structure of your soil and boosts its nutrient content.

2. Empty Summer Pots and Hanging Baskets

Summer bedding plants are now past their best and, as colder weather sets in, they won’t survive much longer. Compost the spent plants and the tired potting soil.

Ceramic and glazed pots that aren’t frost-proof can crack or shatter when temperatures drop. Empty these vulnerable pots and store them in a shed or garage over the winter months. If you don’t have space to store larger pots, consider wrapping them in hessian to provide some insulation and protect them from frost damage.

3. Clean Out and Disinfect Bird Boxes

October is the perfect time to clean bird boxes, ensuring they’re ready for next season’s feathered visitors. Dirty bird boxes can harbour parasites, mould, and harmful bacteria, which could pose a risk to the birds when they return in spring. Remove any old nesting material and clean the box thoroughly with boiling water. Let it dry completely before rehanging it in a sheltered position, ready for the birds to use next year.

4. Gather and Store Plant Supports

As the growing season winds down, many of your canes and plant supports will no longer be needed. Leaving canes and supports outdoors through winter can cause them to rot or weaken, making them unusable for next year’s growing season. Therefore, gather all supports, stakes, canes etc, clean then and then store them indoors in a shed or garage.

Our Top Tip for October

Raise Pumpkins and Squash: A s autumn progresses, pumpkins and squash are nearing the final stages of growth, but they need a bit of help to fully ripen. Wet ground can cause your pumpkins and squash to rot before they’re ready to harvest. By raising them off the ground onto bricks or wooden boards, you keep them dry and expose them to more sunlight, helping to toughen up the skins and prevent decay. Place a brick, stone, or a piece of wood under each fruit to lift them from the damp soil. This will also improve air circulation around them, speeding up the ripening process. Keep an eye on the weather, and if frost is expected, consider covering them with fleece at night for extra protection.

September Gardening Jobs

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 10:37:36 GMT

September Gardening Jobs

September marks the beginning of autumn, bringing cooler temperatures and shorter days. It's a time of transition in the garden, where the focus shifts from the vibrant blooms of summer to preparing for the colder months ahead.

This month is perfect for tidying up, harvesting the last of summer's bounty, and planning for a beautiful spring display.

Here’s a guide to the essential gardening tasks for September:

1. Harvesting Late Crops

September is a busy time for harvesting the last of summer vegetables and fruits. Continue picking regularly to encourage any remaining fruits to ripen. Harvestable crops this month include:

Vegetables: Tomatoes, peppers, beans, courgettes.

Fruits: Apples, pears, plums.

Make sure to store fruits in a cool, dry place, and consider making jams or preserves with any excess to enjoy them throughout the colder months.

2. Planting Spring Bulbs

Now is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, crocuses, and hyacinths. Plant them at the right depth (usually two to three times the height of the bulb) and in well-draining soil. By planting bulbs now, you'll ensure a beautiful and vibrant display when spring arrives.

3. Divide Perennials

September is an excellent month to divide overcrowded perennials like asters, hostas, and daylilies. Dividing these plants helps rejuvenate them, encourages healthier growth, and increases your plant stock. Make sure to water well after replanting to help them establish before winter.

4. Lawn Care

September is a key month for lawn maintenance. Scarify (rake) the lawn to remove moss and thatch, aerate it to improve drainage, and apply an autumn lawn feed high in potassium to strengthen roots. If your lawn has bare patches, this is also a good time to reseed or lay new turf.

5. Composting

Clear away any spent annuals, fallen leaves, and plant debris to add to your compost heap. September is a great time to turn over compost heaps to aerate them and ensure even decomposition. Make sure to balance green materials (like grass clippings) with brown materials (like dried leaves) for a healthy compost mix.

6. Pest and Disease Control

As summer ends, pests like slugs, snails, and vine weevils can become problematic. Use eco-friendly methods such as beer traps for slugs, or encourage natural predators like birds and hedgehogs to keep pest numbers down. Remove any diseased plant material to prevent diseases from spreading and overwintering in your garden.

7. Sowing for Winter and Next Spring

You can still sow hardy vegetables such as spinach, winter lettuce, and spring onions in September. These crops can provide fresh produce over the winter months. Additionally, consider sowing green manures like clover or mustard to cover bare soil, suppress weeds, and improve soil fertility for next spring.

Our Top Tips for September

Save Seeds for Next Year: As you clear out summer plants, consider saving seeds from your best-performing flowers and vegetables. Choose seeds from healthy, robust plants, and make sure they are fully ripe before collecting. Dry them thoroughly and store them in labelled envelopes in a cool, dry place. Seed saving is a cost-effective way to prepare for next year’s garden and helps preserve plant varieties that thrive in your local conditions. This sustainable practice also ensures a more personal and rewarding gardening experience next season!

Prepare Your Garden for Winter Wildlife: As you tidy up your garden, think about how you can support local wildlife through the colder months. Leave some seed heads on plants like echinacea and sunflowers for birds to feed on, create a leaf pile or log heap as a shelter for hedgehogs, and consider putting up bird feeders. Providing food, water, and shelter can make a big difference for garden wildlife as winter approaches.

By focusing on these essential gardening tasks, you’ll keep your garden looking its best and prepare it for the colder months ahead.

September is a perfect time to plan and plant for the future, ensuring a healthy, productive garden next spring. Make the most of this transitional month to tidy up, harvest, and lay the groundwork for the seasons to come.

August Gardening Jobs

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 08:11:00 GMT

August Gardening Jobs

August is a month of transition in the garden, where the lush growth of summer meets the early whispers of autumn. The days are still long and warm, making it a key time to maintain the momentum of your garden’s growth while also preparing for the seasonal changes ahead. Whether you’re tending to your lawn, harvesting your summer crops, or planning for autumn plantings, there’s plenty to keep you busy this month.
Here’s a guide to the essential gardening tasks for August:

1. Watering

Early morning or late evening is the best time to water your garden, ensuring the moisture reaches deep into the soil. Avoid overhead watering, as wet foliage can invite diseases.

For pots and containers, daily checks are crucial - consider mulching them to reduce evaporation.

What is mulching? Mulching is the process of covering the soil around plants with a protective layer of material. This layer can be organic, like compost, straw, bark, or leaves, or inorganic, like stones or plastic sheeting. The primary purposes of mulching are to retain moisture in the soil, regulate soil temperature, suppress weed growth, and improve soil fertility as the organic mulch decomposes. Mulching also helps prevent soil erosion and can enhance the visual appeal of your garden by providing a neat, finished look.

2. Deadheading and Pruning

Regular deadheading of flowers like roses, dahlias, and geraniums will encourage continued blooming throughout August.

For shrubs like lavender and rosemary, a light prune after flowering can help maintain their shape and vigour, setting them up for a healthy season next year.

3. Harvesting

This is the height of the harvesting season for many fruits and vegetables. Keep on top of picking crops such as tomatoes, courgettes, beans, and cucumbers. Regular harvesting not only encourages more production but also ensures the best flavour.

Consider freezing, drying, or making preserves to store your bounty. Additionally, pick herbs like basil, parsley, and mint before they go to seed.

4. Sowing for Autumn

August is the perfect time to start sowing seeds for autumn crops. Here are some ideas:

• Leafy Greens: Sow hardy varieties like spinach, kale, and chard. These greens thrive in cooler temperatures and can provide a fresh harvest into the autumn months.

• Root Vegetables: Consider sowing turnips, beets, and radishes. These quick-growing root crops can mature before the first frost and add variety to your autumn table.

• Brassicas: Plant cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli for a late autumn or early winter harvest. These crops can tolerate cooler temperatures and will thrive as the weather begins to cool.

• Herbs: Perennial herbs like chives and parsley can be sown now, providing a fresh supply through the autumn and even into winter with some protection.

• Spring Bulbs: Although not an autumn crop, now is the time to plant bulbs like daffodils, tulips, and crocuses to ensure a colourful display next spring.

5. Lawn Care

During the hot weather, raise the cutting height of your mower to leave the grass slightly longer, which helps retain moisture. Water deeply once a week, if there has been no rainfall. You can also give your lawn a light feed with a summer lawn fertilizer to strengthen it against the stress of the heat.

6. Pest Control

Warm weather can bring a surge in pests. Here are some eco-friendly options to protect your plants:

• Handpicking: For pests like caterpillars and slugs, simply removing them by hand is effective. Do this early in the morning or late in the evening when they are most active.

• Neem Oil: An organic pesticide, neem oil is effective against a wide range of pests including aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites. It disrupts their feeding and breeding, reducing infestations without harming beneficial insects.

• Soap Spray: A simple solution of water and mild soap can help control soft-bodied insects like aphids. Spray it directly on the pests but avoid using it during the hottest part of the day to prevent leaf burn.

• Companion Planting: Use plants that naturally repel pests, such as marigolds, which deter nematodes, and basil, which repels mosquitoes and flies. Companion planting can help protect your crops without the need for chemical treatments.

7. General Maintenance

August is an ideal time for a garden tidy-up. Remove any dead or diseased plant material to prevent pests and diseases from spreading. Clear out weeds before they set seed, and top up mulch around plants to conserve moisture and suppress new weeds.

Check garden structures like trellises and stakes to ensure they are still secure, especially after strong winds or heavy rains!

Olly’s Top Tip for August

Plan for Next Year’s Garden: As you work in your garden this month, take notes on what has thrived and what has struggled. This is the perfect time to plan for next year - consider which plants you want to grow again, and which ones might need a different spot or more attention.

You can even start thinking about new additions to your garden, whether it’s expanding a flower bed, adding a vegetable plot, or incorporating more wildlife-friendly plants. Planning ahead will help you create an even more beautiful and productive garden next year.

By focusing on these essential tasks, you’ll keep your garden flourishing throughout August and set the stage for a beautiful and productive autumn.

With a little attention to watering, harvesting, and planning for the coming months, your garden will reward you with continued beauty and abundance.

Here’s to making the most of the last weeks of summer and preparing for the vibrant changes ahead!

July Gardening Jobs

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:29:17 GMT

July Gardening Jobs

July is a crucial month for gardeners. It is time to start thinking about setting up your garden for autumn as well as ensuring you keep on top of summer maintenance. Here are some essential tasks you should focus on:

1. Plant Autumn Bulbs

July is the perfect time to plant autumn-flowering bulbs. These bulbs will add vibrant colours to your garden as summer blooms start to fade.

• Nerines: These stunning bulbs are known for their clusters of bright, spider-like flowers that appear in late autumn. They prefer being slightly crowded, so plant them in groups for the best display.

• Colchicum (Autumn Crocus): Colchicums bring a burst of color to the garden when many other plants are winding down. Ensure they are planted deep enough, around 4-6 inches, to protect them from late summer heat.

• Sternbergia: Known as winter daffodils, Sternbergia bulbs produce bright yellow flowers that can light up a garden in autumn. These bulbs thrive in sunny, well-drained locations.

2. Support Tall Plants and Climbers

Summer doesn’t necessarily always mean sunshine! Rainfall and wind can wreak havoc on tall plants and climbers. Ensure they are well-supported to prevent damage.

• Tall Perennials: Plants like delphiniums, hollyhocks, and sunflowers can be particularly vulnerable to wind and rain. Use sturdy stakes and ties to support these plants. Place the stakes early in the season and tie the plants loosely to avoid constricting growth. Bamboo canes are an ideal choice for supporting tall perennials.

• Climbing Plants: Climbers such as clematis, wisteria, and climbing roses need secure supports to withstand bad weather. Check trellises, arbours, and other supports to make sure they are in good condition. Use soft ties to secure the stems to their supports without damaging them.

3. Keep an Eye Out for Pests

Summer gardens can attract a variety of pests that can cause significant damage if not managed promptly. Vigilance and early intervention are key to maintaining a healthy garden.

• Common Pests: Look out for pests such as lily beetles, snails, aphids, and vine weevils. Regularly inspect your plants, especially the undersides of leaves, where pests often hide.

• Natural Remedies: Encourage beneficial insects like ladybirds and lacewings, which are natural predators of many garden pests. You can also use homemade sprays, such as a mix of water and mild soap, to deter aphids.

4. Watering

Proper watering is crucial in July as the summer heat can quickly dry out the soil. Different plants have varying water needs, so it’s important to keep this in mind.

• Thirsty Plants: Water plants such as celery, beans, peas, courgettes, pumpkins, and tomatoes regularly. These plants need consistent moisture to produce healthy fruits and vegetables.

• Fruit Trees and Bushes: Water fruit trees and bushes deeply. After watering, lay a thick mulch of garden compost around their base to hold in moisture and prevent weeds from competing for water.

• Watering Tips: Water early in the morning or late in the evening to minimize evaporation. Use a soaker hose or drip irrigation system to deliver water directly to the root zone, reducing water waste and promoting deep root growth.

5. Deadhead Plants

Deadheading is an essential task to keep your garden looking vibrant and to encourage more blooms throughout the summer.

• Bedding Plants: Remove spent flowers from bedding plants regularly. This not only keeps the plants looking neat but also prevents them from setting seed, which encourages them to produce more flowers.

• Repeat-Flowering Perennials: Deadhead repeat-flowering perennials such as roses and geraniums to stimulate the production of new blooms. Use sharp pruners to make a clean cut just above a healthy leaf or bud.

• Containers and Hanging Baskets: Don’t forget to deadhead plants in containers and hanging baskets .

By focusing on these tasks in July, you'll not only ensure your garden thrives through the summer but also sets the stage for a beautiful autumn. Happy gardening!