​With January firmly behind us now we are on our way to spring 2018, the mornings and evenings are slightly longer and all things living in the garden are feeling a change in season. It’s been a particularly mild winter, so some plants especially bulbs have emerged a little earlier this year. Hellebores began flowering at Christmas and ornamental grasses are still one of the main feature of the garden, with strong elegant plumes reaching up over the seed heads and dead foliage of herbaceous perennials.
In my experience of gardening outdoors, February brings a fresh start to the new growing year, but it also means colder weather. On a mild February day it can be very tempting to start cutting back dead foliage on herbaceous perennials whos fresh growth has appeared at soil level, but beware for those tender delicate plants, it can be detrimental, and a severe frost or snow might kill off your favourite flowers altogether . If in doubt, don’t cut out, I say.   The tall seed heads and dead foliage can act as an insulator and filter heavy snowfall or prolonged frost.  However, if you wish to cut back and tidy up beds cover delicate new shoots with fleece. 

​Start your garden tidy up carefully removing annual weeds. In a mild winter they remain actively growing, flowering and then producing seed, seed that multiples and prepares itself for an invasion of your garden when the temperature increases. Annuals will also steal vital nutrients and space in the flower bed. Annual weeds can become a persistent pest in the garden through summer if not controlled early in spring. Using a folk remove all perennial weeds, making sure to get all the root system and shake off excess soil from roots. Now when all weeds are removed you are left with your beloved plants. Clean out leaf build up and die back foliage, ideally leave seed heads for birds to feed on but if not cut 3 inches above the new emerging growth. If there are any Hydrangea mop heads or macrophylla varieties, dead heading can be carried out now.
I find the jobs to start off with should be pathways, particularly in small gardens, make them safe for walking by removing moss and algae, the low winter sun can give rise to these increases of moss and algae causing slippery and unsightly paths. If you have stone or pebble close to flower beds where clearing and digging, it is best to cover these paths to avoid soil transfer onto paths or stone into beds.it may be advisable to power wash paths with an algae remover wash if excessive algae has built up

​On dry sunny winter days take time to examine the garden.  See what changes have come about since you last enjoyed time there, what spaces can be filled or redeveloped to add interest and value to your garden
Rotting leaves from deciduous trees and plants are protecting pests and harbouring diseases. Give time to clearing out those flower beds giving centre stage to winter flowering plants such as Hellebores, Ericas and winter flowering bulbs. It is time to give consideration to what you desire or would like to achieve in your garden this year. There are plenty of jobs to do in the garden in shape for early spring.

New trees, shrubs and roses can be planted this month, especially bare root and root ball specimens. This time of year is ideal, as there is plenty of moisture in the soil and reduces time on watering. When planting, choose a dry day to prevent compaction of soil around the plants. Apply a generous amount of organic fertiliser to the soil to help new root systems establish rapidly. Attach new stakes and check all existing trees with stakes are not too tight or are unsteady, particularly after the stormy weather of the last weeks.  This is also a good time to examine deciduous trees for damaged, diseased or dead branches and remove low hanging branches that reduce light to understory planting. This can open up a dry shady area and help promote lush vigorous growth

​Plant fruit trees and bushes this month if not done already and keep grass and weeds free at base of plant. Fruiting will be of higher yield and quality without competition from weeds and grasses.
Protect the lawn by not walking on it while wet or frozen.  Improve your lawn by removing all leaves and debris, if moss is persistent, coming into early spring, temperatures are rising, it is a good time to top dress the lawn if not too damp or waterlogged.   A good product is Mo Bactor, this is an organic fertiliser which slowly releases its nutrients and evenly over the next   12 weeks and also destroys moss in 3 weeks. 

In early spring when the first signs of new growth start, liquid feed your flowering containers and baskets with a good quality organic fertiliser to give them a boost and encourage further flowering throughout the spring months.
Colder weather and storm force winds are forecast for this week, so protect any delicate sensitive plants by wrapping with a fleece around the flowers and foliage to prevent frost damage. it is wise to move all pots into protected areas of the garden to avoid loss or damage of plants and pots.
 

After a very busy enjoyable 6 weeks working on various  projects from Planting private gardens to designing  St. Michael College new interactive classroom garden,  working on Foxrock Tidy Towns planting upgrades,  installing the new planters in Foxrock Village and finishing  the upgraded planting schemes with a blast of 400 pink Geraniums, I am back in the office again!

The sun has been splitting the stones outside and everyone is delighted that maybe the sun is here for the long haul. Temperatures are set to rise for the next few days so bear in mind that your plant pots, newly planted flowers and vegetables and not to forget  your tomato plants will need watering and feeding in the evening when the sun goes down.  Watering in the evening will avoid scorching the plants. There will be a surge in growth over the next few days due to the moist soil and the rise in temperature so gardeners beware!

Here are a few jobs that you could be getting on with while pottering around on these warm hazy summer evenings to keep your garden looking good:-

1.    Using a hand fork dig out stubborn perennial   weeds like dandelion and Bindweed, removing all roots, Use a hoe to remove annual weeds like Speedwell, Bittercress and Chickweed shallow rooting plants. Remember these weeds are competing with  your beautiful flowering plants, they steal their light, water and nutrients so regular weeding will reduce their growth in the garden

 

2.       Water and feed plant pots well in the evening to prevent scorching of leaves.  Dead head flowering bedding to encourage new blooms


3.     If you find it hard to keep your baskets well watered, Take hanging baskets down and sit them in a deep bucket full of water to give them a good soak overnight, keeping all foliage out of the water, dead head any flowers that have finished encouraging new blooms

 4.     Continue mowing the lawn regularly, lawns are  actively growing due to moist soil levels and increased temperatures

5.       Help climbers along by attaching them to new section of trellis and encouraging growth in new directions

 6.       Finish pruning any spring flowering shrubs .Prune deciduous Magnolia once tree is in full leaf.

 7.       Clip Box hedging  or other hedging that has had a growth surge

8.       Stake tall perennials that have fallen over in the wind last week or have become top heavy with blooms

9.       Harvest summer greens such as Lettuce, Rocket , Spinach and Radishes

10.       Keep tomatoes well feed and watered, pinching outside shoots as they appear, tie up        and  stake as required.

11.       Check Roses for signs of black spot, mildew and aphid infection and treat.

Enjoy the good weather and the long evenings.  Happy gardening!

After the wet, cold and gloomy week last week that brought the month of March to an end, we finally have a spell of good weather. The country has been basking in beautiful sunshine over the Easter week and there were lots of activities outdoors with the promise of good weather to continue for another few days. It is a perfect opportunity to get out and walking around the neighbourhood and admires the trees and hedgerows that run along our roadside. Everything is starting to come to life, buds are swelling and are bursting open,  the sweet smell of spring flowering trees will be filling the air very soon.

The constant rain last week hampered efforts to get jobs done in the garden but on the other hand it gave the soil a good soaking. This week we have the optimal temperatures for growth. Soil temperatures will be warming up, longer hours of daylight and the warmth of prolonged sunshine will cause a big spurt in growth in our trees, shrubs and especially our lawns.

The month of April is the time to get our garden lawns in shape, to have them looking presentable and to set the scene for the rest of the garden and for all the family to enjoy.

The 3 key elements to tackle when you want a green healthy lawn is killing the weeds and moss and fertilising the lawn. For convenience I would recommend using a granular feed/weed and moss killer all in one, available at all good garden centres. Always remember to follow instructions! The trick to having a green healthy lawn is to apply the right amounts, at the right time, to the right areas. The grass should be dry, the soil should be moist and ideally rain should be forecast in the next 3-5 days.  If there is no rain watering with a hose or sprinkler system is best to avoid scorching. The heavy morning dew may help but might not be sufficient.

 Over dosing does not make the product work better or quicker, it will cause scorching and possibly kill off the grass so use a lawn spreader to get even distribution. 

In a week or two the grass will be greening up and at the same time the moss will be blackening and weeds will be dying back. If there are excessive amounts of moss it is a good idea to rake it out using a wire rake. If it is a large area, hire a scarifying machine from your local hire shop and go over the lawn a couple of times, each time collecting the moss. Aerate using a folk every foot or two and top-dress with lawn sand. These are signs of bad drainage and compaction in the soil so further works may need to be carried out on a yearly basis depending on the severity of the problem. Seed any bare patches and water well. Within a few weeks you will have a weed free, moss free, velvety green healthy lawn you can be very proud of.

Mowing can take place a couple of days after treatment and always after it rains. Remove all debris and leaves first. I always strim and edge the lawn before mowing, it gives the lawn an better finish and  this gives me an opportunity to get a good look at the quality of the lawn and to see what future work if any needs to be done. For the first few cuts in spring raise the blades on your lawn mower. As I said before, it’s so tempting to cut it really short to get it nice and tidy but it’s the worst action you can take. Blades can be lowered as the season goes on while regular cutting is taking place. During hot or dry periods when growth slows down raise the blades higher again as it keeps the grass looking greener and reduces stress on the lawn.

All the landscape maintenance teams at Doyle landscapes are currently working on garden lawn care treatments. We can offer your tailored made garden and lawn care solutions to improve the structure, health and vitality of your lawn.

 If you require a lawn care consultation give us a call for a friendly chat or call out, we can offer you a range of services that will suit your garden and lawn care requirements.

COMPETITION TIME!

To celebrate the opening of our new Office & Design studio at The Village Craft Centre in Cornelscourt Village, Dublin 18, we are giving away a super gardening hamper worth over €170 to one lucky person.
We want your garden bursting with colour and flowers this year so we have put together a fantastic range of *Organic products and seeds to help with your Garden Care.
All you have to do is 'Like' our page, Comment and Sharing in Caring!

Here list is of our Hamper Products and Seeds:
Darby True Temper large By-Pass Pruner
Harmony stainless steel Hand & Fork trowel
Garden Kneeler
Adults gardening gloves
Dylan the Dinosaurs children's gardening gloves
Westland Organic Chicken Pellet Manure (5.5kg)
Organic Irish Weed killer (1ltr)
Maxicrop Organic Seaweed Plant Growth Stimulant (1ltr)
Nuedorff Organic Rose Feed
Bayer Garden Organic Bug Spray
Westland Earth Matters Organic Slug blocker Granules
Little Growers Propagation Kit
Window still seed propagators (*2)
Potting on pots for your seedlings
Westland potting compost (75ltr bag)
Tenax PH soil tester
Goulding Wild Bird Fat Balls
Westland Nature Haven Easy Wild-flower Mix
Easy to Grow Seeds:
Giant Sunflowers, Cosmos, Nicotiana, Cornflowers, Marigolds, Cut & Come again Salads, Rocket salad, Carrots, Courgettes, Cabbage and Cherry Tomatoes.
The winner will be contacted on Thursday 16th of April
*only products labelled organic
T&C Apply

Trees can also be planted in the summer months but require a lot of watering, care and are more susceptible to damage and take longer to establish so avoid planting until late autumn if possible. This includes both deciduous and evergreen trees, but there is always an exception to this rule.  Each trees timing varies but generally most trees come into leaf or flower from March to mid-April onwards. This is why I am writing this blog now because there is still a small window of opportunity to plant new trees and transplant existing garden trees while you still can. It is also more cost effective to buy bear root or root ball trees than container trees, but once the dormancy periods ends only containerised trees can be purchased until the following winter.

 The Easter bank holiday weekend offers  gardeners a few warmer days (hopefully) and with the longer stretch in the evenings it is a welcome opportunity to get out and enjoy the garden and prepare it for the summer months ahead.

Sometimes we plant trees in places we think are suitable but then later realise after a year or two that it’s not quite the right spot. It could be over crowding other plants and requires pruning and a new position in the garden so it has the potential to show off its true form, shape, texture and colour.

Its a good idea to take 10 minutes over the weekend to sit in your garden with a cup of tea and carefully examine the structure of your space, taking into account the position and height of your trees.  Are they blocking light, a view, a concealed area of the garden you would like to see again and are they providing  privacy? Is there a tree that birds can perch on offering shade and shelter on a hot summer’s day? 
 If you feel your garden is being over looked or you require more privacy or height, form and some more structure is needed for your garden design, it is really worth considering and investing in new trees that will give more privacy and shape for those long lazy summer days whilst adding seasonal interest  and increasing biodiversity in your garden. Tree selection is very important particularly for small to medium size gardens where space is limited and you don’t want them taking over the entire garden!

Here are a list of trees that are suitable for small gardens and medium gardens and can give you some added privacy and seasonal interest if positioned correctly.

1.       Acer campestre (field maple) 8m, good autumn colour
2.       Acer griseum (paper bark peeling maple) 5m
3.       Amelanchier x grandiflora “Ballerina” 5m
4.       Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree) 8m
5.       Crataegus persimilis ‘prunifolia’ (broad leaf cockspur thorn) 5m
6.       Prunus ‘Amanogawa’ 5m
7.       Prunus spinosa (blackthorn) 5m
8.       Malus sylvestris (crab apple)9m
9.       Sorbus ‘joseph Rock’ and ‘Autumn Spire’ 6m
10.   Salix cinerea (grey willow) 6m 

It is important to buy these trees semi-mature, as it will take them longer to grow and reach the optimal height required for increased privacy because they are slower growing.  They will all provide structure, seasonal interest with most bearing flowers, fruits, catkins or berries and beautiful autumn foliage not to mention the peeling bark of the Acer Griseum.

If transplanting existing trees there are some key points to take into consideration before you start the task of moving them around the garden. It can be a difficult task and sometimes trees don’t transplant well especially if there is not enough root ball. Death can be a common problem in transplanted trees.  I would recommend only transplanting trees if they are under 5 years old. Less than 3 years would be ideal and a lot easier to move but it all depends on the growth of the tree and how established it has become since it was originally planted. The trick is to get as much root ball as possible both in width and depth.

1. Water the soil a day or two before to soften the ground, reduce stress to tree roots and help keep the root ball intact.

2. Dig the new planting hole and have it ready before  transplanting , twice the size and depth and add a good organic fertiliser to give the aerial roots lots of food to build a new root system faster.

3. Tie the lower branches of the tree up to protect them and keep them out of your way while digging.

4. It all depends on the size of the tree and the size of the crown but the more of a root ball you can dig out the better it is for the trees long term health. Using a long sharp spade, slice into the soil approx. 1/3 the width of the crown of the tree or at least 2ft from the base if the truck in a circular motion around the tree so that you can develop a big thick root ball with lots of soil attached to it. Remove the soil around the new root ball so it is easy to dig out.( width and depth varies depending on the size of the tree)  If you encounter any large roots use a secateurs to give clean cuts as this will reduce infection and  the roots will regenerate better.

5. Transfer to its new position and double stake on the windward side and attached a new strap to tree and stake in the figure 8.

6. Water, water, water especially through dry periods, if there is a lot of branches prune 1/3 to reduce stress on the tree.

Trees are wonderful, there are so many health benefits and advantages associated with planting trees.  They give us oxygen, clean our air and give shelter and food, reduce stress and give privacy, so get out and get planting!

 There are many factors that influence the success of transplanting trees. The actual size of their root ball and some crown reduction will give the tree the best possible chance to rejuvenate in its new position in the garden. If you have any further queries on this topic or would like to send me a photo of a tree you want to transplant forward  it through our garden care help desk page,  or if you would like one of our trained and experienced horticultural teams to do it for you contact us on (01) 2048020

Happy Easter and Happy Gardening!

The sun is out and the days are warming up! There is a sure feeling that spring is in the air and the taste of summer and dining Al Fresco is not far from our thoughts.  St. Patrick’s Day is a key date in a gardener’s calendar to have certain jobs completed or to get out the door and dust off the winter cobwebs.  This is a good day to start making real plans for the garden, to get stuck in and tackle the long list of jobs, that’s if you haven’t already started.

Today would be a really good day to give your lawn its first cut of the year if you haven’t already tackled that job. It is very important that you don’t cut it too short. For the first grass cut of the year, raise the blades high as all you want to do is tidy up the grass and reduce the size of those woolly clumps that have grown faster than the rest of the lawn. I know it’s hard to resist cutting it short but if you cut the lawn too short this early in the year it will weaken the grass, encouraging moss growth and gives weeds a better chance at establishing themselves, eventually overtaking your lovely green lawn making more work further down the season. After the lawn is cut, take a little time to give the lawn a proper finish by framing it. Using an edging shears and half-moon remove any lawn growing over patios or edging bricks. To give the lawn a fresh edge along flower beds use the half-moon tool to cut out a small amount of lawn and soil to the same depth of the half moon, defining the lawn from the flower beds. Depending on the condition of your lawn it may be time to think about aeration, scarifying or adding lawn sand if there is a strong presence of moss and creeping buttercup. If the grass is looking very brown and struggling to compete with weeds, then it is time to give it a good feed with a slow release fertiliser/moss and weed killer granular or liquid fertiliser. If this all sounds like far too much work call us for a free no obligation quotation and you can enjoy the fruits of our labour!

Here are some other important jobs to do in the garden this March

·         Lift and divide clumps of overgrown perennials

·         Remove all weeds as they are actively growing again, dig flower beds using a folk for deep rooted perennials like                   dandelions and docks

·        Dig over soil to aerate the soil and give your flowerbeds a fresh new well-kept look and work in an organic fertiliser              like Chicken pellet manure or Fish blood and bone fertiliser

·        Power wash or clean patios, decking and pathways removing mosses, lichens and algae built up over the winter.

·        Plant summer flowering bulbs

·        Cut back spring flowering shrubs that have finished flowering

·        Finish planting bare root trees and hedging

·        Prepare seed pots and trays by disinfecting them, good hygiene is key to germination rates and prevent diseases                 and fungal infections.  Use fresh new seed and potting compost and follow instructions for each plant you wish to               sow. All plant seeds have different sowing requirements and to ensure optimum germination rates follow                               instructions! Sow tomatoes, summer salads and greens in containers on window still. Tomatoes can be slow to                     germinate but once they germinate they are very fast to get growing and well worth the effort

·       Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes

        Any questions, our help desk is open for answers at www.doylelandscapes.ie

                                                                              Happy Gardening!

There is an outstanding selection of ornamental grasses available to gardeners these days and with their graceful growing habit, long flowering and seasonal interest its easy to see why more and more gardeners are falling in love with ornamental grasses and the prairie style of planting

Ornamental grasses have increased in popularity over the last number of years due to their graceful beauty and easy maintenance playing an important role in design of landscape commercial projects and residential gardens. The size, colour, texture of foliage and flowers of a particular variety will determine its best use in a garden.

Ornamental grasses can provide good structure and calmness to the bold strong colours of perennial flowerbeds. Ornamental grasses fill spaces in flowerbeds with something that looks good and easy to care for and is low maintenance.  Grasses can extend the flowering day and season of the garden creating different tones of light at different times of the day and year. If planted in a sunny aspect when the sun light is reflected on their leaves and flowering panicles and plumes they become the highlight of the garden. In winter ornamental grass can become the sole focal point in a garden when all perennials have died back and deciduous plants have lost their leaves.  Morning time when frost sits on the panicles sunlight dances away and feather foliage sways in the breeze. The flowering panicles can also provide food for birds over winter.

There are many different ornamental grasses that tolerate a wide range of conditions, but most prefer a sunny position, moist, well-drained fertile soil. Grasses would be considered low maintenance, requiring very little fertiliser, one application of fertiliser in spring and cutting back and tidying up dead leaves. There are cool season grasses and warm season grasses. Here are a few to try:

Cool season grasses start growing in early spring and can sometimes remain evergreen over the winter. They have better foliage quality and require more watering during drought periods. Frequent division is required to keep the plant healthy and prevent die back and rot in the centre of the plant

Cool season grasses include Fescues, Autumn Moor Grass (Sesleria) and Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon), Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia) 

Whatever grasses you decide to plant this spring, remember that preparation of the site is key to establishing a good healthy plant.  Add quality organic granular fertiliser like Fish/blood/bone or farmyard manure when preparing the soil and water the plant well so it can establish itself in its new home.

If you require any further information or assistance please contact us on 012048020

Spring is well and truly here, the days are getting a little longer, milder and brighter and if you’re looking out the window wondering where to start in the garden here are some important jobs to do. 

Top ten tips for February gardening:-

1.      Remove all fallen leaves and debris from flower beds, lawn, patio and driveways

2.      Remove any  weeds that have germinated over winter in flower beds

3.      Dig over beds to aerate the soil and reduce compaction

4.      Remove any wild ivy from the base of shrubs and trees

5.      Prune winter flowering shrubs that have finished flowering

6.      Lift, divide, replant herbaceous plants and ornamental grasses

7.      Prepare a  seed list of vegetables and flowers  that you would like to grow in the garden this year

8.      Dig over vegetable plot and add well-rotted farmyard manure to improve soil structure, cover until ready to sow 

9.      Chit first early potatoes in empty egg trays on the windowsill, sow spring planted garlic bulbs for the vegetable plot

10.   Cut back all autumn raspberry canes to ground level

If you would like further information and assistance on any off the above please contact Doyle Landscapes on
 (01) 2048020