Growing
This Is How To Make A Homemade Hanging Basket As A DIY Low-Cost Option
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Preparing The Basket 2) Choosing The Liner 3) Adding The Soil 4) Place Your Plants 5) The Arrangement 6) Plant Care & Maintenance A homemade hanging basket can brighten up porches, walls and other outdoor areas with a touch of unique charm. There are many reasons why hanging baskets are hugely popular across the UK and beyond. For starters, they’re a quick and easy way to add colour and vibrancy at eye level, transforming porches, balconies and exterior walls with their stunning displays. What’s more, their self-contained nature makes them an ideal solution for when space is at a premium, since they don’t even require their own plot of land. This aspect of hanging baskets also means they can be moved around at will to brighten up drab areas of the garden or to reposition them so that they receive more sun exposure. Finally, their elevated position keeps them safe from the prying paws and the attention of cats, rodents, insects and other unwanted pests. It’s no surprise, then, that homeowners up and down the country have a hanging basket or two outside their property. While ready-made baskets can be obtained for a reasonable price from garden centres everywhere, there are a handful of advantages to fashioning your own. Firstly, doing so gives you the freedom to tailor the design of the basket (and the floral arrangement inside it) to your exact preferences. It also gives you greater flexibility in terms of its size, structure and positioning and, best of all, the sense of achievement and connection with something you’ve created with your own two hands is not to be beaten. 1) Preparing The Basket Before you do anything else, it’s necessary to select the type of frame you want to form the basis of your basket. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to choose the largest one you can find and which will be supported by the structure to which you are going to attach it to, since bigger dimensions accommodate more flowers and retain more water. Next, you’ll want to consider materials. There are a variety of options available here, including wood, vine, wicker, willow, ceramic, terracotta, plastic and wire, among others. Many people prefer a natural aesthetic and so opt for one of the first 4 options, but the choice is entirely yours. Whichever material you do go for, just be sure that it will be strong enough to support all the soil, flowers and moisture within it when full. 2) Choosing The Liner The next step is deciding which type of liner you’d like to use to prevent the soil (and the water) from spilling out of it. Again, this will come down to personal preference, with many people preferring to go au naturale once more. Sphagnum moss, hessian fabric and coir (or coconut fibre) are hugely popular choices since they are made from organic materials and don’t look out of place. Plastic and pressed paperboard are less porous than the options mentioned above, meaning they’re more effective at retaining moisture. You will, however, need to drill drainage holes before putting them into position. Meanwhile, some gardeners swear by the qualities of using an old woolly jumper. Not only does this repurpose an item that would otherwise be discarded, but it’s also stretchy, supportive and permeable, all at the same time. Try not to use a material that is going to leave your plants sat in waterlogged conditions that can cause issues such as root rot. 3) Adding The Soil When it comes to choosing the soil, there are options available that have been specifically engineered for hanging baskets. This targeted compost already contains plant food and water-retaining crystals in its composition, making things easier when it comes to maintaining the basket going forward. However, it’s not necessary to get hold of such a niche product if you find it too difficult or expensive to obtain. Instead, multi-purpose compost is a perfectly acceptable alternative. Again, it’s possible to buy both food and crystals separately and mix them into the soil yourself, but it’s not a deal-breaker. “It’s also worth considering setting up a drip irrigation system in conjunction with a timer so the daily task of watering is removed,” shares Master Horticulturist Roy Nicol. “As well as providing cover for holidays, automated watering systems are inexpensive and relatively easy to set up.” Omitting them simply means you’ll have to water and feed the plants inside on a more regular basis. Fill the basket with your chosen soil up until the first set of holes and tamp it down. 4) Place Your Plants Now comes the fun part – picking your floral selection! Some people prefer to keep things uniform with all plants of the same genus, while others prefer a more contrasting display. If you’re in the latter camp, one useful mantra to keep in mind is “thrill, fill and spill”. This is a popular gardening method for use with hanging baskets. Thrill with architecturally interesting plants, fill with taller specimens that look good and command attention, then spill over the edges of the basket with trailing species. Whichever aesthetic you plan to aim for, you should keep in mind the position of your basket. If it’s in full sun, opt for geraniums, petunias and pansies, but if it’s a shadier part of the garden, think hostas, busy Lizzies and begonias. You should also consider the combination of plants you pick, since some are thirstier than others. For example, geraniums don’t need as much watering as fuchsias, so it’s advisable to keep them separate. See our list of plants for hanging baskets for more inspiration. “If planting a summer basket in the spring, garden centres generally sell plants before the risk of frost has passed,” explains Roy. “So, remember to keep plants protected until the middle or end of May, depending on your location in the UK, when frost risk has passed.” 5) The Arrangement Just like the seating plan at a wedding, it’s absolutely crucial you get your arrangement spot on before you put your plants into the soil, otherwise, you could end up with a sparse, lop-sided or clashing display. One tip is to pop the plants into place while still in their pots, giving you the opportunity to view how they’ll appear once the basket is complete. It’s also a good idea to undertake this stage of the process with the basket on an upturned bucket since you can rotate the bucket and view the basket from all angles without damaging the plants. It should go without saying that taller and more eye-catching plants should be situated in the middle of the basket, while trailers and creepers can provide texture, colour and levels of intrigue at the perimeter. Once you’ve settled upon your chosen arrangement, ease the plants out of their pots, then use the latter to make a hole in the soil. This way, the plants will slide right into position, and then it’s simply a case of filling in the gaps with more compost, leaving at least a half-inch gap below the rim of the basket to prevent water overflow. 6) Plant Care & Maintenance Once planted, you’ll want to give the entire basket a good drink to make sure the soil is nice and moist. Thereafter, it’s a good idea to water it at least once a day for the first few weeks to ensure the plants take root, perhaps even more often in the height of summer. Use a watering can rose to sprinkle the soil rather than soak it, since the latter is more likely to result in the water running right through and leaking out the bottom without offering good coverage of the whole basket. If you do find the basket has become totally dried out (with a crusty layer of soil atop it), don’t be tempted to resort to the hose. Instead, take down your basket and soak it in a basin of water to really allow the soil to become saturated. This course of action is more likely to bring back plants who appear done for. If you aren’t using soil which already contains food, fertilise your baskets regularly according to the packet instructions. Deadhead them frequently to encourage repeat blossoms and bring them into a sheltered space for the winter.
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Fertilisers Can Be A Gardener's Secret Weapon - But When Should You Use Them?
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Plant Fertiliser? Why Use Them? When To Fertilise Plants What Are The Different Types Of Fertilisers? Fertilising Do’s & Don’ts How To Fertilise Plants How To Make Homemade Fertiliser Fertilisers are used frequently in gardening and there are many different types to choose from. In this guide, we’ll take you through the basics of fertilising so you know how and when to feed plants growing in your garden. What Is Plant Fertiliser? Plant fertiliser is an organic or artificial product that contains various elements, particularly nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK) their salts and compounds, and other micro-nutrients that plants need for growth and vitality. These components can be beneficial to their overall health and bring about various desirable outcomes, even if they aren’t needed for growth. Plant fertilisers are available as solids, granules or powder, or liquids. Why Use Them? Though some plants do not need fertilising, a clear majority of plants derive benefits from correct fertilising. These plants include flowering plants, herbs, shrubs, vines, vegetables, fruits and even some trees. These benefits include resistance to pests and diseases, a more robust root system, stronger growth, healthier foliage, better yields, properly-formed fuller flowers and more profuse blooming. When To Fertilise Plants As a general rule, springtime is the fertilising season for most perennials, but depending on the plant and its blooming season, it may be fertilised during other times of the year too. Ornamentals are often fertilised just before the flowering season is due to start, whilst some require additional feeding during the flowering season as well. Many types of plants growing in containers or in greenhouses are fertilised periodically. As to the specifics of this question, we suggest that you look up the fertilising regimen for the particular plants at issue. Savvy gardeners also fertilise plants as and when needed. If they observe that a plant has some nutritional deficiency or is less than healthy, they may decide to feed it. Plants that are stunting, wilting and flowering poorly may prompt gardeners to feed the plant with an appropriate fertiliser. What Are The Different Types Of Fertilisers? Fertilisers are found in an enormous range of kinds and types and it is hardly possible to enumerate them all. Plant fertilisers meant for home gardens are divided into chemical or synthetic fertilisers and natural or organic fertilisers. Quite often a fertiliser product will include content that is chemically or synthetically derived as well as taken from natural or organic sources. Fertilisers are typically produced in granular or powder form which are most often used for plants in open ground. They are also available in liquid form which is primarily used for container plants and also for edibles. Controlled-release and slow-release fertilisers, which are sometimes incorrectly thought to be synonymous, introduce nutrients into the soil over a longer period of time. Controlled-release fertilisers are coated granules of inorganic material with a coating formulated to release the nutrients at a controlled speed proportionate to the soil’s dampness and temperature. Slow-release fertilisers are mostly organic and by virtue of the action of soil microbes, they simply break up slowly and release the nutrients slowly. Liquid fertilisers are available in the form of inorganic elements and compounds as well organic material. Some formulations are ready to apply, others need to be diluted. Fertilising Do’s & Don’ts When using fertilisers: Do not allow undiluted or raw fertiliser of any kind to come into contact with a plant’s roots. Do not exceed the maker’s specifications as to volume per surface area or dilution strength. Do not exceed the frequency of fertilising that is recommended for a particular type of plant. Do not fertilise a very young, injured, or diseased plant in the same way that you would a healthy, mature plant. Be sure to steer clear of the don’ts above and to apply fertiliser as recommended on the label. Fertilisers should be used correctly else your efforts may go for nought and you may even injure your plants. How To Fertilise Plants First, try to evaluate your soil pH. If it is too far out of line from the appropriate range for the plant in question, the roots will not be able to absorb fertiliser nutrients. Before fertilising your plant, you should first have a good understanding of: The type of fertiliser Its dilution requirements or its proportion to the soil The quantity that needs to be applied Where in the soil it should be applied The best seasonal time of application The correct frequency of application Fertilisers are used in three ways: top dressing or sprinkling, soil amendment, and watering over. Sometimes nitrogen-based liquid or powder-fertiliser solution is also sprayed on the underside of leaves. In the top dressing method, the recommended quantity of fertiliser is laid, quite often scattered by hand, on the surface of the soil around the plants. In the soil amendment method, the recommended quantity of fertiliser is mixed into the pile of soil you have set aside, or the ground is cultivated and tilled and fertiliser is mixed into the native soil, amending it. The watering-over method is where the gardener simply pours an appropriate volume of liquid fertiliser, diluted as necessary, around the main stem. How To Make Homemade Fertiliser Understanding how to make homemade compost is a good place to start. Get chicken or rabbit manure and allow it to rot well in the sun. This can make a great base for compost. Rotating compost tumblers and comfrey deserve a special mention. Many rotating compost tumblers make very desirable compost tea as a by-product of the composting process. Comfrey leaves, especially Russian comfrey leaves, are among the best green materials for making compost and fertiliser for flowering plants as the leaves are especially rich in potassium. Composting comfrey leaves, among other materials, in a rotating tumbler will result in very high-quality compost tea. “The simplest way to fertilise plants is to mulch or top-dress the soil with well-composted garden compost or peat-free multipurpose compost,” shares Dan Ori, a Master Horticulturist. “However, plants we refer to as hungry due to flower and fruit development would often need additional slow or controlled release fertiliser and possibly additional liquid feeds to achieve best results. “Light applications of well-rotted manures can be beneficial, but don’t use these with root vegetables as it causes roots to distort, this is called forking in roots like carrots.”
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Here Are 13 Interesting (And Surprising) Gardening Statistics From UK Households
Gardening is undoubtedly a favourite British pastime, with a huge number of people (both young and old) taking to their gardens each year for enjoyment and homegrown fruit and veg. But have you ever wondered what percentage of the population actually have access to a garden – and how many of these are actively growing their own edible produce? We share some headline statistics from UK Census data and surveys which help paint a picture of a nation obsessed with their garden: Headline UK Gardening Statistics 87% of UK households have a garden. (2021) 28% of people in the UK have a vegetable patch in their garden. (2021) The amount spent on gardening products in the UK per year is expected to reach over £6.5 billion by 2025. (2021) Gardening is most popular with those who are aged 55 and over, with 51.42% stating that they enjoy gardening. (2020) 36% of individuals in the UK grow their own herbs, fruit or vegetables in their garden (2022) 87% of those in the UK want to bring more wildlife to their gardens. (2018) There has been a conscious move towards organic and eco-friendly products, with 46% of gardeners using organic fertilisers instead of those filled with chemicals. (2018) Demographically, ages 65 and over spend the most on gardening products, averaging around £5.10 per week. (2023) The average UK garden size is 188m². (2021) The rose is the UK’s favourite garden flower. (2017) 22% of UK gardeners are reducing the size of their lawns and replacing them with other garden features. (2016) The most popular months for UK gardeners to start a project are March and April. (2016) 61% of consumers make their purchase of compost medium based on price. (2012) See more on each of these stats below: 1) 87% of UK households have a garden Data collected in the 2021 census found that 87% of UK households had access to a garden.1 However, this did mean that 1 in 8 individuals had no access to a private outdoor space at this time, which increased to 1 in 5 households in London, which was the area where homeowners were least likely to have a garden. Those in unskilled occupations or who were unemployed were 3 times less likely to have a garden compared to those in professional occupations. Luckily, those without access to a private garden were more likely to live closer to a public park. 2) 28% of people in the UK have a vegetable patch in their garden In a study published by Statista in 2021, it was revealed that 28% of adults in the UK with access to a private garden had a vegetable patch.2 The survey, which had 2,000 participants, found that this was the most popular garden trend in 2021, whilst owning garden gnomes was the second most popular, with 15% of respondents reportedly stating that they owned at least one. 3) The amount spent on gardening products in the UK per year is expected to reach over £6.5 billion by 2025 In data released in 2021 by Statista, the predicted total value of sales of gardening products in the UK is set to reach over £6.5 billion, up from £4.9 billion in 2020.3 This would mean an approximate 32% increase over 5 years in the amount spent on gardening tools, flowers, and other items in the UK, whether these items are purchased online or in shops or garden centres. 4) Gardening is most popular with those who are aged 55 and over, with 51.42% stating that they enjoy gardening 51.42% of individuals aged 55 and older state that they enjoy gardening, with gardening proving to be the most popular among this age group.4 A 2020 UK survey with 2,041 participants found that older people are more likely to enjoy gardening, with less than 30% of those in the youngest age bracket stating that they like to garden. The survey found that as the respondents got older, they were more likely to enjoy gardening and participate in it as a hobby. 5) 36% of individuals in the UK grow their own herbs, fruit or vegetables in their garden In a study carried out by YouGov for the Horticultural Trades Association in October 2022, it found that 36% of adults in the UK use their garden or other outdoor spaces to grow their own vegetables, fruit, or herbs.5 This data highlighted that over one-third of those living in the UK grew their own food in 2022, whether that was in a container or a vegetable patch. The same study also revealed that 62% of respondents use their garden spaces to grow plants, flowers or trees, whilst 49% use them to feed or watch wildlife. 6) 87% of those in the UK want to bring more wildlife to their gardens Wyevale garden centre’s garden trends report in 2018 revealed that 87% of adults in the UK with a garden wanted to attract more wildlife into their outdoor spaces.6 The same study also found that 37% of those surveyed found that wildlife was the best part about owning a garden, rating it ahead of growing their own plants or vegetables. 86% of gardeners try to help wildlife in their gardens by feeding them or providing shelter. 7) There has been a conscious move towards organic and eco-friendly garden products, with 46% of gardeners using organic fertilisers instead of those filled with chemicals A 2018 garden trends report conducted by Wyevale garden centre found that 46% of gardeners now consciously use organic fertilisers rather than those which contain potentially harmful chemicals.7 This research also found that slug pellets (which had previously been the centre’s number one selling slug product) were not even in the top 3, with an organic alternative now clinching the top spot. 8) Ages 65 and over spend the most on gardening products, averaging around £5.10 per week A 2023 study released found that those aged over 65 spent the most on gardening products weekly in 2022, averaging around £5.10.8 50-64 year-olds were not far behind, spending £4.50 per week, whilst the youngest bracket of people spent just under £2 per week on average on gardening products. The data was collected from 5,630 households and also found that those aged above 74 started to spend less on gardening products than those in the age category below them. 9) The average UK garden size is 188m² In data revealed in the 2021 UK census, it was found that the average UK garden is 188m².9 However, those with a garden in London have a much smaller outdoor space, averaging 140m², with those in Scotland getting the best deal, with an average garden size of 226m². The census found that on average, gardens in the London area are up to 26% small than those in the rest of the UK. 10) The rose is the UK’s favourite garden flower 2,000 adults in the UK were asked by Monarch Airlines to name their favourite flower, with the classic garden rose coming out on top.10 Lilies, tulips, daffodils and sunflowers also made the top 5, with daisies, irises and snapdragons amongst others in the top 30. This 2017 survey also found that although it was our favourite flower, 33% of those surveyed were unaware that the rose is the national flower of England. The study also found that 3 in 10 participants viewed giving flowers as the best way to cheer someone up. 11) 22% of UK gardeners are reducing the size of their lawns and replacing them with other garden features In a 2016 landscaping trends survey carried out by Houzz, it was revealed that garden lawns were declining in popularity, with 22% of gardeners admitting to reducing the size of their lawns.11 Of this 22%, 54% revealed that they were replacing their lawn with garden beds, favouring flowers and shrubs over a grassy area. In fact, 12% of those surveyed even said that they were getting rid of their lawn altogether. In this same study, 67% of people said that having a low-maintenance garden was very important and one of the top requirements when it comes to decorating their outdoor space. 12) The most popular months for UK gardeners to start a project are March and April March and April are the months when most UK gardeners start a gardening project.12 Houzz’s landscaping trends survey in 2016 found that in addition to this, planning for these gardening projects usually begins in winter, with 67% of those surveyed stating that they start thinking about what to plant 4 months before they start. 71% of homeowners in the UK prefer growing flowering plants, whilst 58% deliberately grow flowers that are known to be beneficial for pollinators. 13) 61% of consumers make their purchase of compost medium based on price Even though peat is known to be harmful to the environment by most people, in a study carried out by OnePoll, 61% of consumers said they still choose the compost for their garden based on price rather than the content.13 Worryingly, this includes products that contain peat, highlighting the need for more education on the impact of peat and the need to potentially decrease the cost of peat-free growing mediums. In addition to this, 67% of those in the same survey did not understand what a standard bag of compost contained. This suggests that those people are also unlikely to opt for peat-free growing mediums because they don’t even know that peat is part of some composts. References 1. One in eight British households has no garden. (2020, May 14). Office for National Statistics: Census 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/articles/oneineightbritishhouseholdshasnogarden/2020-05-14 2. Statista Research Department. (2021, March 18). Top garden trends in the UK 2021. Statista. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1256234/top-garden-trends-in-the-uk/ 3. Statista Research Department. (2021b, August 18). Total value sales of garden products in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2020, with a forecast for 2025. Statista. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1256689/total-value-sales-of-garden-products-in-the-uk/ 4. Statista Research Department. (2021c, August 20). Share of the public that enjoy gardening in the United Kingdom (UK) as of December 2020, by age. Statista. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1254970/share-of-the-public-that-enjoy-gardening-by-age-uk/ 5. Horticultural Trade Association. (2023a, January). State of the Market Report. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://hta.org.uk/media/2opg11yw/state-of-the-market-report-vf.pdf 6. Wyevale Garden Centres. (2018). Garden Trends Report. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.gardenforum.co.uk/media/articles/WGC%20Garden%20Trends%20Report%202018.pdf 7. Wyevale Garden Centres. (2018). Garden Trends Report. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.gardenforum.co.uk/media/articles/WGC%20Garden%20Trends%20Report%202018.pdf 8. Statista Research Department. (2023, August 21). Average weekly household expenditure on horticultural goods, garden equipment and plants in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2021, by age of household reference person. Statista. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/285700/plants-and-garden-tools-weekly-uk-household-expenditure-by-age/ 9. One in eight British households has no garden. (2020, May 14). Office for National Statistics: Census 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/articles/oneineightbritishhouseholdshasnogarden/2020-05-14 10. Bagot, M. (2017, May 21). Britain’s favourite flower has been revealed. The Mirror. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/britains-favourite-flower-been-revealed-10467227 11. Simmons, J. (2016, August 5). 12 Surprising Facts About UK Gardens and What We Do in Them. Houzz. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.houzz.co.uk/magazine/12-surprising-facts-about-uk-gardens-and-what-we-do-in-them-stsetivw-vs~69605966 12. Simmons, J. (2016, August 5). 12 Surprising Facts About UK Gardens and What We Do in Them. Houzz. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.houzz.co.uk/magazine/12-surprising-facts-about-uk-gardens-and-what-we-do-in-them-stsetivw-vs~69605966 13. The Sustainable Growing Media Task Force. (2012, June). Towards Sustainable Growing Media: Chairman’s Report and Roadmap. GOV: Sustainable Growing Media Task Force. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/221019/pb13867-towards-sustainable-growing-media.pdf
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Is There Actually A Best Time To Water Plants? Here's What The Science Reveals
IN THIS GUIDE Watering By Time Of Day Watering Frequency Tips To Determine When To Water When More Frequent Watering Is Required References Water is one of the most important things in a garden and you may have many questions about how to manage it effectively to water your plants. If you’re wondering when is the best time to water plants – read on. Understanding when and how to water plants is perhaps one of the biggest challenges in gardening. You might also be wondering how long you should wait between waterings or how to tell whether it is time to water a particular plant once more. We have answers to each of those questions below. Watering By Time Of Day Watering in the early morning is generally the best policy. It is best to water as soon as possible after the sun rises as this is when the plants begin to photosynthesise and draw in water and nutrients from the soil through their roots.1 The water travels up through the stems of the plant and into leaves, where it is released in a process known as transpiration from tiny pores, called stomata.2 Over the course of the day, sunlight will also cause evaporation from the soil surface. More water will be lost to evaporation if you water during the warmest and brightest part of the day, so it is best to avoid watering during the late morning and early afternoon if possible. “Exceptions to this would be watering in spring when you are waiting for temperatures to get above 8°C to avoid cold damage,” shares Horticultural Consultant Dan Ori. “This could mean you are watering late morning. Also, winter water will require a different approach due to cold temperatures and you may wish to water during the warmest part of the day.” If you cannot water first thing in the morning, then the next best option is to water in the evening, when cooler conditions mean that less water is lost to evaporation than it would be earlier in the day. However, here in the UK, it is generally better to aim for early morning watering if you can, because when you water early in the morning this gives the foliage and soil surface a chance to dry out during the day which can reduce the chances of issues with pests and fungal diseases. While morning watering is optimal, this does not mean that you cannot get away with watering at other times. During particularly hot and dry periods, certain plants may need to be watered more than once a day – in the morning and in the evening. You may also need to water during the day to increase humidity in an undercover growing area for specific plants. “Never water in full sun, that’s a definite no-go,” says Gerald Stratford, Gardener and Blogger. “You can do a lot of damage to your plants when the sun is out. “If you use a hosepipe and it’s been sunny, run the water into a bucket for about a minute. Water in a hosepipe with the sun on it can get to almost boiling point and you could kill your plants.” As with most general rules in gardening, there are exceptions, but trying to get into the habit of watering first thing is generally a good idea if possible. Watering Frequency One answer to the question of when it is the best time to water plants is simply when they need it, but understanding when plants need to be watered is not always an easy thing. Unfortunately, there is no shortcut or simple answer about how often we need to water our plants to give them sufficient water for their needs. Each plant has different needs depending on its environmental conditions. How frequently you need to water your plants will depend on: The location, its climate and micro-climate conditions. The season, the weather and the temperatures. The species, size and age of the plant in question. Where the plant is growing (in sunshine or shade, in a container or in the ground, etc). The soil or growing medium; its type and characteristics. “If you’re using a big pot, which is a great idea, I would always make sure that the water gets to the top, as the roots of young plants will be at the top of the container,” shares Garden Designer Isabelle Palmer. “Using an irrigating system is a really environmental and economical way to water your plants.” Tips To Determine When To Water Keeping The Soil Moist In general, you should try to think of water in the soil or growing medium as a ‘glass half full’. Ideally, you want to keep the soil moist but avoid waterlogging. Moist yet relatively free-draining conditions are ideal for many of the plants you will grow in your garden, though obviously some like drier or wetter conditions. Plants will usually use water where it is available, but they may not be as strong. Weather Plants typically need more water in hot, summer weather and less water in cool temperatures and over the winter months. Rainfall, sunshine hours, temperatures, wind and humidity all affect how much water will be lost and how much plants will require. Leafy Plants The more leaves a plant has and the larger it is, the more water it is likely to require. Larger, abundantly-leaved plants lose more water, and larger plants need more nutrients (taken up in water through the roots) to flower and set fruit. Roots Plants with wide-ranging roots which can spread out will typically require less additional watering since the roots will be able to range to pick up water in a larger area of soil. Plants growing in restricted spaces or in containers will not be able to spread out their roots in search of water and so will require more watering. The smaller the container, the more quickly it will tend to dry out. Spring-sown annual crops and flowers are likely to need more water than self-sown or autumn-sown plants since they have young and relatively shallow root systems. Young Plants Any newly sown or newly planted areas are more vulnerable to water stress since root systems are not yet fully established. Soil Clay soils will hold more water than light sandy soils, but plants will find it more difficult to extract water from them. Sandy soils need smaller but more frequent waterings than clay ones. Soils with higher levels of organic matter will hold more water for longer. When More Frequent Watering Is Required Some gardeners imagine that plants need watering when the surface of the soil is dry to the touch, but the surface does not always give a good indication of what lies below. Even when surface moisture is low, there may still be plenty of moisture around root tips, where it is required. The touch test can be useful, but you need to insert a finger into the soil, at least to knuckle depth, to see if it is moist. Your plants may also be showing signs that they need more water, such as: Poor foliage growth, or poor flowering or fruit production. Dull and lacklustre stems or leaves which may be darker or paler than usual. Downward tilting or curling leaves. Wilting or browning of the leaves (though note, a lack of water is not the only thing that can cause these symptoms). Plant diseases like powdery mildew taking hold. If growing in pots or containers, lightweight containers which may blow over in the wind can also be a sign that not enough water has been provided. Of course, prevention is always better than cure. Many plants that have been under-watered or which have experienced drought can be brought back into full health, but it is always better to aim to provide sufficient water and prevent symptoms of water shortage from showing up in the first place. References 1. Water Transport and Transpiration. (n.d.). The Science Hive. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.thesciencehive.co.uk/water-transport-and-transpiration-a-level 2. McElrone, A., Choat, B., Gambetta, G., & Brodersen, C. (2013). Water Uptake and Transport in Vascular Plants. The Nature Education Knowledge Project. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/water-uptake-and-transport-in-vascular-plants-103016037/
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What Does ‘Deciduous’ Mean? Why Some Plants Lose Their Leaves For Some Of The Year
IN THIS GUIDE What Does Deciduous Mean? Why Do Deciduous Plants Lose Their Leaves? Key Examples Deciduous Plant Care Pruning References In gardening, we often talk about deciduous plants, but what does deciduous actually mean? If you would like more information on this term, this simple guide should help. Some plants we use in our gardens are deciduous, some are evergreen. These terms are simply used to describe what happens to the plants over the winter months (or during other seasons in subtropical, tropical or arid regions). What Does Deciduous Mean? Deciduous plants are plants which lose their leaves for a certain part of the year. In the UK, and other temperate climate areas, leaf loss usually coincides with winter. Deciduous plants lose their leaves in a process which is known as abscission.1 “I’m a big fan of deciduous plants, as you get a lot more change through the seasons, including structural shape in the winter and budding green leaves in the spring,” shares Garden Designer Peter Reader. Evergreen plants are those which, unlike deciduous plants, keep their foliage all year round. Evergreen plants do lose leaves, but not all at once, so they remain green no matter the season. Some plants are semi-deciduous and may lose old foliage as new growth begins. Some other plants are semi-evergreen, and they retain some leaves during winter, even though they shed some before the beginning of the next growing season. Some deciduous trees, notably oaks and beech, may retain dead leaves for some or all of the winter. This is called marcescence and trees which exhibit this are sometimes called ‘everciduous’.2 Why Do Deciduous Plants Lose Their Leaves? The loss of leaves on deciduous plants is a normal part of their life cycles. This is the natural strategy that these plants have developed as the growing season comes to an end and they enter into a period of dormancy. Through the growing season, a plant’s leaves work hard, turning sunshine and CO2 into food to sustain the plant – but with changing light levels and lowering temperatures, deciduous plants prepare to enter a period of rest.3 They shed their leaves, which drop to the ground and break down to cycle nutrients through the natural system. Deciduous plants have evolved to drop their leaves for a range of reasons. In temperate climes, a key evolutionary advantage of leaf loss is that it helps the plants survive winter weather, and conserves water. Losing leaves may also reduce damage from insects and predation. Key Examples In the UK, there are several key types of deciduous woodland, including many native and naturalised deciduous trees, and also small pockets of ancient woodland with plenty of deciduous trees. We can replicate those natural ecosystems in our gardens. Deciduous plants include: Deciduous Trees Deciduous trees include most native trees in the UK, except box, holly, juniper, Scot’s pine and yew. Most fruit trees that are commonly grown in gardens in the British Isles are also deciduous. Deciduous Shrubs Shrubs that are deciduous include many ornamental garden favourites such as: Buddleia Cornus Hydrangea Spiraea Ribes Roses The list could go on! Deciduous shrubs also include fruiting bushes, such as currants, gooseberries and raspberries. Herbaceous Perennials Herbaceous perennials lose their leaves and die back, often entirely, over the dormant period before springing back into life in the spring. Some popular herbaceous perennials include: Achillea Alchemilla Aquilegia Campanula Penstemon Persicaria Salvias Scabious Symphytum Verbena Deciduous Plant Care Deciduous trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants number among them many of the easiest and lowest-maintenance plants grown in UK gardens. Often, when carefully chosen to suit the growing conditions where you live, they will thrive with remarkably little care and attention from you. When choosing deciduous trees and shrubs, it is important to think about the growing conditions, as things like sunlight and shade, wind, water availability and soil will make a big difference in how well these plants thrive. Planting Hardy deciduous trees and shrubs are often planted bare-root over the dormant season. They should be placed into large planting holes and the soil firmed in well around them. Deciduous herbaceous perennials are also planted bare-root over the dormant period or planted at any time if pot-grown. When To Plant Depending on the species, late autumn or early spring can be good times to plant almost all deciduous plants. Watering & Mulching It can be beneficial to mulch well around their bases, though you should take care not to mound mulch around the trunk or stem/stems. In terms of care, most deciduous plants should be well watered during dry spells until they become established and mulch should be replenished each spring. Pruning Pruning deciduous trees and shrubs is usually something to undertake in the dormant period, before sap rises. Though different species have somewhat different pruning guidelines, generally, the goal is to remove dead, damaged or diseased material, and to create an open framework of branches for healthy growth. Pruning can also be used to shape species and make the most of the space available, like when fruit trees are pruned as espalier, fan or cordon trees. Herbaceous perennials which are deciduous will often die back to the ground in winter, though some may leave behind some standing dead foliage and stems. These can be cut back at the end of the season, though leaving these in place for wildlife before cutting back in spring can often be a good idea. As long as you have chosen the right plants for the right places, you should find it easy to care for the deciduous plants in your garden, as Master Horticulturist Dan Ori shares: “It is always a good idea to double-check when and how to prune any plant. For instance, pruning a Prunus in winter could result in poor flowering and disease.” References 1. Gulfishan, M., Jahan, A., Bhat, T. A., & Sahab, D. (2019). Abscission. Senescence Signalling and Control in Plants, 2019, 255–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-813187-9.00016-0 2. The Essence of Marcescence. (2021, December 13). The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://arboretum.harvard.edu/stories/the-essence-of-marcescence/ 3. Plants In The Food Chain | How do Plants Make Food? (n.d.). The RSPB. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/natures-home-magazine/birds-and-wildlife-articles/food-chains/making-food/
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Expert Growers Share The Secrets To Raised Bed Planting: Build These Types Today
IN THIS GUIDE What Is A Raised Garden Bed? Types Of Beds Benefits Of Raised Beds Crops To Grow How To Build A Raised Bed Commonly-Used Materials Filling The Bed Specialist Ornamental Beds Long used on allotments for growing vegetables, raised beds have enjoyed a steady uptick in popularity, and for good reason. They offer a controlled, self-contained growing environment and allow easier gardening with less strain. They are also fairly easy to build as a DIY project. Also, if a raised bed is made with the right materials it will last for well over a decade. What Is A Raised Garden Bed? A raised garden bed is a rectangular bed that is elevated to a fair degree from the ground and is enclosed on all four sides with short walls. Typically these rise to upper-shin height. Types Of Beds Garden beds are usually one of four types: In-Ground Or Soil-Level Beds Mounded Beds Raised Beds Container Beds A mounded bed is one in which soil is formed and shaped into an oblong mound. As the mounded soil has no supports the soil gradually slides down to ground level. Such a bed sometimes does not survive a heavy downpour. A container bed is one which is not only enclosed on all four sides but also has a base or a floor. “Container-raised beds are difficult to grow in now the climate is so erratic because we are getting very dry springs and summers,” explains Val Bourne, an expert Gardener. “Raised beds really do dry out, but they are also wet in the winter with nowhere for the water to go because they have wooden sides. “I much prefer to use small in-ground beds with planks in between that you can walk on now, which I’m finding is an improvement. I’ve turned my existing container beds into flower beds.” Benefits Of Raised Beds “We broke our allotment plot down into bite-sized chunks and made lots of raised beds, using reclaimed tiles, fence panels and wooden pallets, and created pathways in between each bed,” shares Garden Blogger Joe Harrison. “By doing this we were able to manage the site a lot easier and the paths meant that we weren’t walking on the soil and compacting or damaging it. “Raised beds are a great way to utilise space and work well for those who have very poor growing conditions, as you can fill the beds with nutrient-rich compost and provide the perfect growing environment for almost any fruit or vegetable.” Raised beds offer other various benefits, which include: A self-contained gardening environment. Controlled soil or even a specific soil mix as distinct from that which is on the ground. Ability to bypass ground soil that may be poor or contaminated. Drainage is automatically enhanced. Plants are relatively closer to eye level, resulting in better observation and easy access. No chance of accidentally stepping onto the bed. No bending down or squatting means less strain and an easier gardening setup. Easier to work on after a rainy spell than a ground-level bed. Earlier start to the season because raised beds’ soil warms up quicker and earlier than ground soil. Crops To Grow “You can grow almost anything in raised beds, (depending on their size) including soft fruit bushes, vegetables, perennial & annual flowers, shrubs and alpines,” shares Gardener Hannah Reid. “I grow a range of plants in my raised beds – some of my beds even have fruit trees planted in. “I enjoy companion planting in my raised beds too, such as growing squash with dill and nasturtiums and marigold with beans.” First, any and all types of herbaceous and most shrubby plants can be grown in a raised bed. These include evergreens, ornamentals, vegetables, edible herbs, and smaller fruiting plants such as strawberries and blackberries, as Joe explains: “There really are no limits to what can be grown in a raised bed. We have grown every vegetable thinkable in ours with no issues whatsoever. “The only consideration you perhaps need is the amount of space your mature plants need. This will avoid overcrowding and will ensure a more successful yield when it’s time to harvest your produce.” Raised beds are particularly helpful when your garden has packed or heavy soil and the plants you wish to grow require very good drainage. I personally believe that the best crops to grow in raised beds are almost all kinds of vegetables and herbs excluding those that grow on tallish climbing vines. To grow root vegetables in a raised bed it should have a depth of at least 60cm. I suggest that you try growing leafy greens, carrots, turnips, leeks, beetroot, courgettes, chillies, and tomatoes in your raised bed. How To Build A Raised Bed “Raised beds don’t have to be expensive – using reclaimed materials as we did works perfectly,” shares Joe. If you intend to build more than one raised bed, first survey the available ground and measure the surface area. Visualise the raised beds that you would like to make, then sketch out a plan for your raised bed. It’s important to consider the length and width, the spacing between them (if you’re making multiple beds), and the height. Finally, using a stick, etch out the boundaries of the raised beds on the ground, or mark them out with twine. First, clear the area of the planned raised bed, making sure to remove any weeds or stones, etc. Then level and firm up the ground. You may even remove some of the ground soil and fill it with your preferred soil – though this is an optional step. Smooth down and make level the ground specifically along the borders where the walls’ timbers will be laid. To build a raised bed from timbers you will need four regulation 3x3inch posts of the appropriate height, an even number of appropriately-sized timbers for the long sides, and the same number of appropriately-sized timbers for the ends. The number of timbers you need on each side and each end depends on how high you will make your raised bed and on the width of the timbers. If the length of the raised bed will be 12m or more, you will need battens of the appropriate size or 2-4 additional posts. This is because such a long raised bed will need one or more battens or posts along its length for additional support. “I would advise you to think about the sizing of your raised beds,” says Garden Blogger Emma Bailey. “You should be able to reach the middle of the bed from the side so that you can easily harvest and weed them without stepping onto the soil. Also, be warned that wooden sides will attract slugs and snails! They love to sit along the side of my wooden sides, especially when it’s been raining. “I”’ve started leaving out a couple of planks of wood along the pathways to attract them. Then I can remove them easily before they have a chance to move into one of my raised beds. Keep your enemies close!” The timbers should have holes drilled in at the ends for screws and the posts should have pilot holes. The holes in the timbers and pilot holes in the posts should be drilled according to measurements and must line up. Draw a line around each post so as to mark the depth that it will be sunk into the ground, which should be 20cm as a minimum. Drive in each post at a corner of what is to be the raised bed, and shore it up. First, put one of the shorter timbers at one end. If the walls will be made of more than one timber, as is most likely, start from the bottom. Screw it in fully on the outside of the post, then do the same for the other end. After fastening one timber on each end, screw in one timber on each side, doing the lowest one first. Then, if the walls are to be made of more than one timber, go back to the ends and work your way up. “I love growing in raised beds and set them all up in the same way as I’d set up a growing space directly into the ground,” shares Allotmenteer Shannon Keary. “I lay good thick cardboard down, ensuring no staples or sellotape are on them, then half fill the raised bed with a composted wood chip which is plentiful on our allotments and top it off with compost. “This helps with moisture retention, to suppress the weeds and to let nature do its thing. Each year I top if off with an inch or so of fresh, homemade compost so it’s really low maintenance.” Width Though the maximum length of a raised bed depends on the surface area at your disposal and good design practice, the width is a function of something highly individual and variable: your reach. I feel that the width of a raised bed should be tailored for the person or persons who will grow plants in it. This ‘tailoring’ is quite easy to do. Assuming that you can stand on either side of the raised bed, you need to be able to reach to about the middle of the bed. You may need to reach to the middle to harvest veggies or prop up a plant that has flopped over, and you would certainly like to garden comfortably and confidently. Though you will be leaning forward, most people garden with their arms downwards and not fully outstretched. As such, the width of the raised bed should not be twice the length of your arm. I’d suggest that a width that is 170-180% of the length of your arm will be ideal. If you inherit a raised bed or make one out of prefabricated materials and cannot reach to the middle of your raised bed from the sides, that is not a major problem. You can instead grow vegetables in rows, leaving the middle of the bed as a walkway if you need it. “The old-school approach, particularly to vegetable gardening, has this obsession with spacing and how far apart plants should be from each other,” shares Kate Cotterill, Garden Designer. “Personally, I ignore this. In my raised beds, I interplant, so I’ve got something growing vertically, something horizontally. “I pretty much ignore all the rules about spacing because as long as you’ve got good compost, then actually there’s enough nutrition for all of the plants.” Depth The depth of your raised bed is basically a function of three variables: If you are placing a raised bed on ground that is cemented over. How much and how well you are able to bend, stoop, and crouch. What exactly you intend to grow in the raised bed. Building a raised bed on ground that has been cemented over will pose a special type of challenge because of drainage. “In this case, you could fill the base with stones or rubble, as long as there is not much mortar on it, and drill some drainage holes in the sides at the base,” says Peter. The poorer or more unworkable the soil, the less well you can bend, stoop, and crouch, or the deeper-rooting plants you plan to grow, the deeper your raised bed must be. If you plan on growing bulb plants, strawberries, tomatoes and such, a depth of only 30cm is quite enough. On the other hand, if you intend to grow large root vegetables or deep-rooting plants, a depth of at least 60cm is called for. As a general rule, a depth of 45cm is a good plan. This depth is sufficient for most ornamentals and also many vegetables. “I’ve known large raised beds lose more than 20cm of their depth in a single season as the soil’s structure and air pockets gradually collapse,” shares Peter. “Mixing mineral material, such as soil or loam, with organic material, perhaps garden compost, helps to overcome this, as will consolidating the soil for every few centimetres added. “Don’t squash all the air out of it, but rake level and firmly tamp down with the back of a rake across the surface. “Doing this several times during the filling process, and again at the end, works well.” Commonly-Used Materials “Setting up raised beds can sometimes be expensive, depending on how you decide to go about it,” says Hannah. “Sourcing wood and materials to make the beds and then compost to fill them can be costly. The most commonly-used materials are timbers, often pressure-treated timbers. Pressure-treated wood lasts much longer than untreated wood, especially when it is used to build a raised bed as the wood is in constant contact with water and damp soil. “Old decking boards etc are a good option, however, it is important to bear in mind the longevity of the wood and how long they’re likely to last. “A great tip is to use wood at the bottom of the beds, this will take up space in the beds meaning less compost is needed, but also the wood will decompose over time.” Cedar, redwood, oak, and pine are very commonly used types of wood. Other materials include concrete, stone, bricks, paving slabs, railway sleepers, and sheet metal. Pre-fabricated or readymade raised beds are also available. These are usually made of timbers, metal, fabric, or synthetic material like High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE). However, they do need to be assembled. If you plan on building a raised bed with wood, we suggest that you shop for MCQ-treated timbers. Raised beds made from concrete or stone will last the longest with good-quality pressure-treated wood and HDPE coming right behind. Filling The Bed How you fill the raised bed depends on how deep it is and what you want to grow in it. If the bed is shallow, say only 30cm, then you will fill it with the appropriate soil mix. If the bed is very deep, say 90cm, then you have the liberty to put in a layer of up to 30cm of whatever earth is native to your garden provided that it is not so heavy that it will prevent drainage. Even if the bed is not quite so deep but is 60cm or more, you can still put in a shallower layer of your garden earth. You do not need to try to improve drainage in a raised bed on top of soil, but adding a lower layer of gravel in a deep bed can be a good idea. Indeed, the deeper the raised bed, the more quickly it will dry out, especially in hot weather, so I would recommend introducing vermiculite in the upper layer or topsoil, as Janice Shipp, a Garden Writer, explains: “Growing in raised beds is a bit different from growing in the ground. I find raised beds dry out much faster so, in summer, you need to water them more often. “My allotment is on clay, so a raised bed can be an advantage in the early part of the year if it’s been a wet winter and I want to get planting, but I’ve only got a couple on my allotment as I like to keep the layout flexible and you can’t easily change things if you put in a lot of raised beds.” The soil you fill your raised bed with is really dependent on the plants you intend to grow in it. We suggest you consult our plant-specific growing and care guides for precise guidance on this point. In general, though, a balanced loam comprising sand, chalk, and some clay, amended with 20-30% organic compost and organic manure with a soil pH anywhere in the slightly acidic-neutral range will do very well. You may lay a 4-6cm layer of mulch after your plants start growing. It will protect plants from the cold in the wintertime as well as slow the surface soil from heating up and drying out in hot weather. “I top my raised beds twice a year and sometimes after I’ve harvested a big crop,” says Emma. “Leaf mould, manure, compost and even chopped-up old crops work great at replenishing the soil and mean that new crops benefit from new nutrients.” Specialist Ornamental Beds You do not need special raised beds for growing ornamentals. It is just a question of the depth of the raised bed and the type of soil it should have. A raised bed for growing ornamentals should optimally have a depth of about 45cm. The kind of soil and soil pH that it should have depends on the particular ornamentals you intend to grow in the raised bed.
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Using Comfrey Feed For Tomatoes: The DIY Fertiliser That Can Help Boost Your Yield
IN THIS GUIDE Making Comfrey Tea For Tomatoes Using Comfrey Tea For Tomatoes When To Use Diluting Comfrey Solution References Comfrey is a plant commonly cultivated in organic gardens that provides many benefits, both while in active growth, and when harvested and used in various ways. One common way in which comfrey is used is for plant fertility. It can be very useful as a chop-and-drop material or mulch, for adding to a composting system, and for making a liquid plant feed, known as comfrey tea. Comfrey tea is commonly used to provide a boost of nutrients for crops in a garden. Since comfrey is a good dynamic accumulator of key plant nutrients, especially potassium, it can be especially useful for fruiting plants, like tomatoes.1 Using comfrey tea for tomatoes is a great way to improve your tomato harvest and will help to grow strong and healthy plants which deliver a high yield of fruits. The plants require potassium in particular during the reproductive stages of their lifecycle, while they are flowering and setting fruit. Making Comfrey Tea For Tomatoes Comfrey can be grown in a range of settings, and is a hardy and resilient plant. Plant it once and it will grow year after year. Just make sure that you choose the right location for planting, as you won’t be able to get rid of it easily once it establishes itself in an area. Once you have some comfrey growing in your garden: Chop up the leaves, stems and flowers into small pieces. Pack these tightly into a container with a lid. Cover the material with water, place something on top to hold the leaves down, and put the lid on your container. Wait for the material to break down. After 4-6 weeks, you will have a stinky slurry that you can dilute and use when watering your tomato plants. Using Comfrey Tea For Tomatoes Comfrey is particularly beneficial for tomatoes, as comfrey tea is very similar in nutrient profile to the commercial tomato fertilisers that you can buy. Luckily, you can make it yourself for free and it is a great organic choice. When To Use Usually, you can harvest comfrey and make your first batch of comfrey tea in June, around the same time that you plant out your tomato plants. You can use it to water the tomatoes as soon as it is ready, repeating every two weeks or so. You can also make a second batch towards the end of the summer, once the comfrey has regrown, and use it to give a further boost to the tomatoes during their peak fruiting season. Diluting Comfrey Solution The slurry mix of rotted down comfrey will need to be diluted before it can be used on your tomato plants. Add 1 part of this slurry mix to 10 parts water to make a comfrey tea. Then fill a watering can 1/3 full of this comfrey tea and 2/3 full of water, and pour this around the base of the tomato plant – trying to avoid wetting the foliage, flowers or fruit. This is a relatively weak solution but should be sufficient to give the tomato plants the boost they need to fruit well. If the plants are showing signs of nutrient deficiency you may wish to increase the proportion of comfrey tea you use. “When using for the first time, start with a very weak mix and check plants for any ill effects that may look like burning, as too strong a mix can do more harm than good” shares Dan Ori, a Horticultural Instructor and Consultant. “If all is well after testing a weak mix you can creep up to 1/3 comfrey tea to 2/3 water, just keep checking the plants for burning as it can happen that mixes come out too strong.” References 1. Role of Potassium in Tomato Production. (2018, May 23). Yara United States. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.yara.us/crop-nutrition/tomato/role-of-potassium/
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Harriet Thompson Shares Her Secret To Bottom Watering For Potted Plants
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Bottom Watering? Why Bottom Watering Is A Good Idea Tips For Bottom Watering Is It Always The Right Option? References Bottom watering is a good idea for many potted plants, but if you are unsure about what this means and what it entails, this simple guide should help. Watering is one area where those new to growing potted plants often get things wrong; some experienced gardeners may even over or under water. Bottom watering is one way to avoid over or under-watering. “When watering houseplants in my home, I find bottom watering to be the most successful,” says Harriet Thompson, owner of Harriet’s Plants, an environmentally friendly houseplant nursery based in Lichfield, UK. “It is a great technique, especially if you are a beginner.” It can often help you make sure that your plants get exactly the amount of water they require – no more or no less. What Is Bottom Watering? Bottom watering involves providing water from below, rather than pouring water from above. To provide water from below, you simply place your potted plant in water and let it sit there and soak up the water it needs. The water will be drawn up through the holes in the base of the pot, drawn upwards through the soil by capillary action, and taken up by plant roots.1 The water will wick upwards through the growing medium, eventually reaching just below the surface. The idea is to check with a finger to see whether the soil just below the surface is wet. Once it is, you can simply remove the pot from the water-filled container and place it back into its regular position on a catchment tray or saucer. “Get a watering system, because the easiest way for your flowers to thrive and flourish is if they get regular watering and feeding, otherwise you become a slave to the weather,” says Simon Lycett, an award-winning Florist. “You can fit it yourself and they are not expensive! If you can’t do this, bottom watering is great.” Why Bottom Watering Is A Good Idea When you water from above, it is very easy to find that you overwater or underwater. You may find that water does not fully moisten the growing medium and that there are still dry areas within your pot. It might also be the case that too much water is added and certain areas become waterlogged and compacted, which can cause problems like root rot. “Monitoring water within houseplants is key, so I encourage bottom watering during the growing months to get the most out of your indoor plants,” says Harriet. Another issue that can arise when watering from above is that water can splash on the leaves. Water on the leaves of certain potted plants can also increase the likelihood of certain fungal diseases. “For plants such as succulents, particularly in the winter months, water can gather in the rosettes resulting in a risk of rotting,” explains Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly. “Watering from below overcomes this, allowing moistening of the soil but minimising humidity around the plant.” When you water from below, the soil and roots will have ‘sucked up’ just the amount of water that is required, leaving any excess in the container below. The plant leaves will not be wetted, but their roots should have access to moisture within the medium, and be able to obtain the water and nutrients they need. Another benefit of regular bottom watering is that plant roots will tend to grow healthily and strongly as they grow down towards the water source. Tips For Bottom Watering The key thing to remember when bottom watering is that you should check on the plants sitting in water frequently, and remove them from the water container once the upper layers of the growing medium are sufficiently moist. Leaving the plants standing in water for too long may cause water-logging issues. Though bottom watering does give you more control, it is still possible to overwater when bottom watering if you leave your potted plants in water for too long. Exactly how long you should let your plant sit in the water depends on the size of the plant and the size of the pot, and also on how dry the growing medium is when you place it in the water. Checking the medium by sticking a finger in the top after around 10 minutes is usually a good idea. After that, you can check periodically until you can feel moisture. Over time, you may also begin to be able to gauge how much water has been absorbed by the weight of the pot. “No two houseplants are the same,” states Harriet. “Bear this in mind when watering and treat each plant as an individual. “Don’t water on a regular schedule. Instead, water when your plant actually needs it and check regularly!” As a general rule of thumb, small plants should typically require around 20-30 minutes in water, though larger plants in bigger pots could require an hour or even longer.2 Be sure not to forget about your plants while they are sitting in a container of water. Is It Always The Right Option? Bottom watering will work for all potted plants. The only thing to watch out for is compacted soil; if the growing medium in your pots is too compact, it will not be able to draw up water as effectively. However, some plants respond better to bottom watering than others. The problem is, if you only water from below, this can cause salt and mineral build-up. Some plants can be particularly sensitive to this and may suffer and fail to thrive where this occurs. The good news is that, for most potted plants, you can bottom water most of the time, and flush out by watering from above periodically, perhaps once a month or so. That means that you can gain the benefits of bottom watering without worrying too much about salt and mineral build-up. While bottom watering can be beneficial, for the reasons mentioned above, it is worth noting that it will take more time. This is one downside to this type of watering. However, for most plants, with the exception of certain sensitive plants as mentioned above, regular bottom watering with occasional top watering is the best idea. References 1. Capillary Action and Water. (2019, October 22). USGS. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/capillary-action-and-water 2. Nguyen, K. (2022, January 26). This Simple Trick Keeps You From Overwatering Your Houseplants. Brightly. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://brightly.eco/blog/bottom-watering-plants-tips
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Horticulturists Share 9 Uses For Ashes In The Garden That Might Surprise You
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Add To A Composting System 2) To Amend Acidic Soil 3) Spread On A Vegetable Garden 4) As An Organic Fertiliser 5) To Melt Ice On Paths And Patios 6) To Clean Greenhouse Glass 7) To Keep Garden Tools Clean 8) To Clean A Barbecue 9) To Protect Stored Seeds References If you have a fire or stove, you might be wondering whether you can make use of the ashes in your garden. The answer to whether you can use ashes in your garden very much depends on what has been burned. Ashes from a fire burning coal, coke or other fossil fuels cannot typically be used in the garden. Smokeless fuel ashes are also not suitable for use in a garden. Ashes from a coal or smokeless fuel fire should not be added to your garden as they contain a variety of trace elements and heavy metals that should not be used anywhere near where food is grown, and which may pose a threat to the environment. If, however, you only burn pure, untreated wood in your fireplace, wood burner or stove then the answer is yes, you certainly can use ashes in the garden. In fact, they have a range of interesting uses, but you do have to be careful about how and where you use them. Here are several ways you can use wood ash in your garden: 1) Add To A Composting System Wood ash is a wonderful addition to a composting system – but only in moderation. The key thing to remember is that wood ash is a very alkaline substance and will make the compost more alkaline.1 Sprinkling some wood ash into a composting system can help in adding potassium and other nutrients to the mix, but it is important not to add too much in one go. It is generally best to make sure that wood ash does not make up more than 5% of the compost and, of course, ashes must be cooled first.2 Make sure the wood ash is well mixed with plenty of other brown (carbon-rich) and green (nitrogen-rich) organic materials. 2) To Amend Acidic Soil As mentioned above, wood ash is an alkaline substance, and if you have acidic soil, wood ash can be added to the garden to reduce acidity. Acidic soil is not necessarily a problem, and in fact, very slightly acidic soil is optimal for most plants, but if you have acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower then you may wish to amend it in order to improve nutrient availability and increase the number of plants that can be grown. Wood ash can be used to raise the pH of the soil in much the same way as lime can. It is typically spread directly on the soil in the late winter. The RHS says it should typically be added at a rate of between 50 and 70g per square metre.3 3) Spread On A Vegetable Garden Adding wood ash to a vegetable garden may be particularly beneficial where club root of brassicas is a problem. However, remember that though high acidity in soil can be a problem, high alkalinity can be a problem too. It is important to test soil pH before and regularly after applying wood ash to make sure that the pH does not become too high. Remember, not all plants will benefit from more alkaline conditions. Potatoes, for instance, can be more prone to potato scab in areas with alkaline pH levels, so it is not a good idea to add wood ash to an area where potatoes are to be grown in the following year. 4) As An Organic Fertiliser The nutrients that wood ash will contain will depend on the specific wood that was burned, and its age. As a general rule, older wood contains lower concentrations of nutrients than young sap-filled prunings that might be used as kindling. However, since wood ash will usually contain useful levels of potassium (on average around 3%), and other plant nutrients and minerals, this means that it can be useful in small quantities as an organic fertiliser.4 Small pieces of charcoal that may be present in wood ash can also work like little sponges, absorbing water and nutrients and keeping it around in the soil. Placing charcoal within a nutrient-rich environment makes biochar, which is a useful soil amendment that also helps keep carbon in the soil. Remember, however, that this alkaline substance can change the pH of the soil, so it is important to be careful not to use it excessively, or where the soil is already highly alkaline. Certain plants will benefit more than others from the addition of wood ash. Just remember not to add it around plants like blueberries and cranberries, or other plants which like acidic growing conditions. 5) To Melt Ice On Paths And Patios While it may become a bit messy, wood ash can also be sprinkled on paths and patios to melt ice and eliminate slipping hazards. Many people will use rock salt, but this is not the best thing for the environment. Rock salt has high concentrations of salt which can kill nearby plant life and may have a detrimental effect on wildlife.5 6) To Clean Greenhouse Glass A paste of wood ash can also be a rather effective cleaner. You may already know that smearing wood ash on the glass doors of a stove can get rid of any stubborn build-up, but you might also use the wood ash to get rid of any stubborn dirt on the windows of your greenhouse. 7) To Keep Garden Tools Clean Wood ashes qualities also mean that they can help you to keep your garden tools clean. Scrub to remove any stubborn dirt, then rinse, dry and where necessary, oil tools to keep them in good condition between uses. 8) To Clean A Barbecue Another place where wood ash can come in handy for cleaning is on a barbecue grill or the grill over a fire pit. Scrubbing with the ashes can help you keep the area clean and get rid of any stubborn grease and burnt material. 9) To Protect Stored Seeds Wood ash also has absorbing properties, so it can be useful to gardeners in keeping things dry in humid conditions. In particular, gardeners who save their own seeds may find it useful to sprinkle a little wood ash in with their stored seeds to prevent any problems with moisture and rotting. However, their use in seed storage is not always favoured by some Horticulturists such as Dan Ori: “It’s subjective that ashes would be beneficial for seed storage. “Personally, I advise against it as compounds may inhibit germination, introduce contaminates, and create potential pest habitat.” As you can see from the above, wood ash has a wide range of uses in the garden. One thing to note, however, is that while some people say that wood ash can also be used for pest control, repelling slugs, snails, rodents and a range of other pests, the pest control potential of wood ash is definitely overstated. Slugs happily cross wood ash, in spite of claims, and they certainly lose all efficacy against soft-bodied pests once even the slightest bit wet. While wood ash can be used in the garden, in most locations, it is unlikely that you will be able to use as much as you generate over the course of the winter months. Fortunately, there are plenty of other ways to make use of wood ash inside your home, including soap making, cleaning, polishing silver, deodorising and more. References 1. Jackson, A. C., & Odom, C. (2021). Wood ash and water: Cause of superficial alkaline burns in a toddler. Pediatric Dermatology, 38(4), 973–974. https://doi.org/10.1111/pde.14645 2. Guide to Using Wood Ash as an Agricultural Soil Amendment. (n.d.). Extension Field Specialist. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://extension.unh.edu/sites/default/files/migrated_unmanaged_files/Resource004042_Rep5718.pdf 3. Wood ash: using in the garden. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/soil-composts-mulches/wood-ash-using-in-garden 4. Dampier, J. (n.d.). Using Wood Ash in the Home Garden. Wisconsin Horticulture. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/using-wood-ash-in-the-home-garden/ 5. Queensland, C. O. S. O. (2013, October 1). Impacts of salinity. Queensland Government. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/management/soil/salinity/impacts
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