9 Tips for National Gardening Week 2020

Yes, National Gardening Week 2020 is still happening, even though we’re in lockdown. There may not be any events at gardens, public parks, allotments and community gardens, but we can still garden in our homes, on balconies, gardens and allotments.

The Royal Horticultural Society, who co-ordinate this gardening celebration have, not surprisingly, made this year’s theme “Grow at Home”.

“In these unsettling and challenging times, it’s more important than ever before to find simple and positive ways for us all to relax and feel happy.”

On a weekly basis, they give a daily tip . And for each day of National Gardening Week, I’ll be using these to inspire our tips and ideas to you. For example:-

Day – planting a dark corner; fernery
Day – looking at a particular plant
Day – show weeds who’s boss
Day – which veg to grow
Day – growing plants in pots

I’ll be covering the Plews version of these suggestions each day on our social media – Instagram, Facebook Twitter – that way you get even more ideas ?

But I know that not all of my readers have a pond, or greenhouse – or even a ‘proper’ garden! – so what I’d like to share with you here, are a different set of tips for National Gardening Week 2020.

Number 1 – I’ve got it on the list

Firstly one for everyone. Find yourself a nice notebook – you know one of those sitting in your cupboard that you bought but have never used. In it write down 3 – 5 things that you’d like to achieve relating to gardening this year.

Be specific. These can be as varied as, for example:

find out the name of my mystery houseplant
buy a decent pair of gloves for pruning roses and prickly bushes
visit Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
successfully grow tomatoes

How are you going to achieve your aims? Be realistic, for example, it may need to be a virtual tour of the garden or enjoying a blog with lots of photos (see below for a few suggestions)

Why not keep a record of your garden? At the very least whilst we’re in lock-down. At this time of year, plants bud one day and bloom the next, so there’s a lot going on. Taking regular photos may help remind you. You may even discover a new hobby – plant photography or garden bird watching.

Tips for National Gardening Week 2020 – Number 2

Bird watching leads me onto number 2. If you remember the Big Garden Bird Watch organised by the RSPB back in January, we all watched to see how many birds came into our garden within the space of an hour. Why not do this again? It’s a different time of year, and it would be interesting to see if any of the summer visitors have arrived yet. Or which birds are looking for nesting materials

Put the kettle on, download a garden bird recognition sheet, have your dslr camera to hand on zoom setting and enjoy.

If you don’t have a garden but can sit on a balcony or by a window and watch birds in nearby trees, do this as a variation. Or try specifically noticing birds in other people’s gardens if your daily walk is urban / suburban or your local park. Although you could do this as well, for a comparison with your garden birds.

Tip Number 3 – Seeds and Seedlings

You may already have sown seeds and have seedlings large or small and be wondering what to do next. Pricking out seedlings means moving them into larger pots, or into a prepared bed outside. Check out Plews video on YouTube. And if your seeds have suddenly flattened overnight this blog may have answers.

Or you may still be waiting for your seeds to arrive / they’ve just arrived and you’re wondering if its too late to sow them. I’ll let you into a secret: the instructions on the packet may not apply to you. The dates they give are an average. If you live in Aberdeen, the sowing time is going to be possibly a month later than for someone who lives in Truro.

This isn’t all. Much also depends on the weather, as in warm spring, wet, cold snap and so on. Sometimes an autumn sowing is an option.

If you’re not sure whether its worth sowing those seeds now or waiting till next year, take a pic of the seed packet and ask the question by tagging me / Plews on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, letting me know where you live. Happy to help!

Shady spots for cats, dogs and tortoises – Tip 4

Firstly have a good look at the shrubs in your garden. Consider: –

where might offer a cool retreat for your pets?
think about where you’ve seen them lying in the shade – is it the same place?
do they squash prized plants when they’re cooling off?

It may be that all is happy in the garden. But if your German Shepherd is trying to squeeze under a small Lavender bush, you have a problem.

You may need to get out your secateurs for this one. It’s always easier to work with the place you pet has chosen where possible. Removing a few of the lower branches will give your pet room to get under whilst still feeling safe. Which is another aspect of the safe sleeping place of course.

You might also like our blogs on pet friendly gardens. And those squashed plants? Read on to the next tip…

Tips for National Gardening Week 2020 – Number 5

Digging up and dividing herbaceous perennials is both a spring and an autumn task as both times of year offer their benefits to the divided plant. For autumn division, check out the blog here.

Your herbaceous perennials may be those that are early / spring flowering, mid summer or late summer /autumn flowering. The first group are best divided after flowering, so not just yet.

The latter two are currently all foliage and these you can safely divide now. The plant is eager to put on growth and the 3 new plants you have from one old one will romp away, giving you lots of summer flowers.

This is an opportunity to move the plants to different positions within the garden if you want.

Tips for National Gardening Week 2020 – #6 Find Your Inner Child

Yep, I’m talking about Cress heads

Growing cress, mustard and cress or indeed any plant you can eat as micro greens in used, cleaned egg shells, and / or the egg box is a fun thing to do. And we could do with a bit of fun. The beauty of this is they grow indoors, very quickly and all you need to give them is light and water. I don’t want to hear excuses about ‘no windowsills’ use a kitchen worktop let them share the table with your houseplants.

Cress germinates very quickly, so if you want to grow microgreens (spinach, lettuce etc) as well, keep them separate.

And if you feel eggshells are too juvenile, use a pretty bowl lined with blotting paper or kitchen towel

Do share your successes and failures with me / Plews on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter ?

Tip 7 – Bedding Plants, Hanging Baskets and Net Curtains

Another tip for National Gardening Week 2020 that should suit a majority of you, my Readers. Possibly this is even more relevant than normal, as quite a few plant nurseries are offering ‘mixed batch’ bedding plant parcels just to make sure they’re enjoyed by you and not thrown on the compost. (click here for a list of Nurseries selling plants online)

Hanging baskets work really well on balconies, in porches, hanging off a hook on a fence, and even indoors. Bay windows in particular offer a great space for an array of plants in hanging baskets. We have had a selection hanging from a piece of timber stretched across the bay rather than individual ceiling hooks. Shelves across any window that does not open inwards also makes a perfect spot for many plants – better than net curtains!

Depending on whether the window is in full sun, partial or shade will affect the plants you can grow. Think beyond house plants to bedding for a colourful display and culinary herbs for cooking.

Number 8 A Cat Friendly Garden Tale

As well as this being National Gardening Week 2020, the whole of April is National Pet month. I know you enjoy a story, so I thought this tip and the tale (tail?) that goes with it might amuse you as well as being helpful.

The last time I re-designed my own garden I had two mature cats who avoided the leap onto the fence and down again unless it was via the waterbutt or bird feeder (don’t ask!) Since then we’ve rescued two kittens, now grown into young cats. One of whom delighted in leaping off the fence onto the patio – quite an impact! His sister preferred the alternative routes of waterbutt, flowerbeds or convenient backs when you’re bent over weeding.

Having tried alternatives, we decided a shelf part way up the fence was going to be the enticing option. So the honeysuckle was pruned hard back and a cat friendly landing shelf fitted at the point where he stretched down to when feeling less keen on leaping from the top. Getting the correct height for him meant he found it comfortable to use.

It has the additional value of being another perch from which to sit and survey the garden. And the honeysuckle is starting to grow and will encouraged to twine through the rather green brackets. That’s the downside of using the ‘stuff’ that you keep in the back of the garage ? Our only issue now is the way the border collie is eyeing up the shelf…

Final Tip for National Gardening Week 2020

Compost.

Now depending on the space you have and how enthusiastic you want to be, it is possible to compost all the organic waste matter created in your house and garden. But you may prefer to start with something less extreme. Check out last week’s blog on Bokashi and indulge in some retail therapy by downloading our “Compost and Composting” ebook via Amazon.

And if your local council doesn’t even collect your food waste, nag them. There will be life after lock-down and the issues with landfill aren’t going away.

I hope that’s given you some ideas for National Gardening Week 2020. Do check out our topical daily tips on social media during this event.

And if you’re wondering about Gardening Lessons and Garden Design check out the links. We are offering a service using video which is still personal to you.

National Children’s Gardening Week 2020 is happening May 23rd – 31st, so we’ll have a blog on focused on them nearer the time.

Keep gardening, keep in touch and keep well.