Planting Advice - Fairweathers Garden Centre

Annual Plant Timeline

Whether you want to know the best time to plant fruit trees and bluebells or just want a general overview, our plant timeline has everything you need to get green fingered this year! Many plants can be planted outside these months but may require extra care and attention. Please ask our team for advice.

Annual Vegetable Planting Timeline

Whether you want to know the best time to plant broccoli and turnips or just want a general overview, our vegetable planting timeline has everything you need to grow your own this year!

Cut Xmas Tree Care

It is essential that cut trees should be fresh when purchased. The needles should not be dull and dried up. The branches should not be brittle. The outer needles should not fall off if the tree is gently shaken, there will be a few needles fall from transportation. After you have bought your tree it…

Cyclamen

Cyclamen is the ideal houseplant for a cool location. The ideal temperature for growing a cyclamen indoors is 13-16°c, so is ideally suited to the cooler rooms in the house such as hallways and dining rooms. They ideally need to grow in bright light away from direct sunshine, north facing windowsill is ideal. Water only…

Dahlias

Easy to Grow Dahlias Dahlias are easy to grow and in a good year produce flowers from late June to early December They come in all shapes and sizes, and are available in most of the best flower colours. They are wonderful for filling gaps in borders and make excellent cut flowers. Planting Soil…

Feeding the Garden

To keep plants growing healthy they need to be fed. Plants absorb through their roots about 30 different nutrients and minerals all dissolved in water. Fertilizers are basically divided into two groups, Organic and Inorganic. Plants do not care where their nutrients come from but from a gardeners point of view organic fertilizers have the…

Gladioli

Summer Flowering Gladioli Summer flowering Gladiolus are easy to grow. They make wonderful flamboyant cut flowers and once established will flower year after year. Planting Soil and Site On rich but well-drained soils, you can plant them straight out in the garden. On heavy clay – particularly in a wet spring – its wise…

Growing Amaryllis

The Hippeastrum, commonly called Amaryllis, produces large colourful showy flowers on tall stems during winter and is popular around Christmas and New Year. It needs to be grown where there is plenty of light, so that the stems do not become too leggy. To grow a bulb, select the size of pot to allow a…

Growing Heuchera

Heuchera When your mail order plants arrive – unpack and water if necessary, leaving them to settle for a couple of days. We recommend 9cm pots are potted up before planting outside. We do not recommend planting if the weather is frosty. Planting in the garden – Heucheras are happy in most soils, provided that…

Growing Standard Roses

Other than the fact that standard roses have a long stem, they can be treated, to all intents and purposes, the same way as ordinary hybrid tea or floribunda rose bushes. This includes pruning and care and prevention of normal rose pests and diseases. It is important to prune the standard rose properly and regularly,…

Hardy Palms

Some palms are some suitable for planting outdoors in the British Isles. Hardy palms are invaluable as structural plants in tropical-style gardens and look effective when planted with bamboos and New Zealand flax. In pots they can form striking architectural features on the terrace. Position and planting Hardy palms will survive winters to -10C in…

How To Grow Agapanthus Plants

These tips will describe how to grow Agapanthus successfully and help keep your Agapanthus plants looking great. Planting in the Garden – Agapanthus thrive in well-drained soil, in a sunny site that receives sun for most of the day. In heavy soils, mix in grit when planting to improve drainage, otherwise follow the instructions on…

How to Grow Lavenders

This advice sheet will tell you how to grow lavenders and help keep them looking their best throughout the year. Soil and Site We are always asked how to grow lavenders. Lavenders like well-drained soil in a sunny site that receives sun for most of the day. Lavandula angustifolia prefers alkaline soil which will help…

Hydrangea Colour

To enhance the flower colour on hydrangea’s and other flowering shrubs – Growing Success’s Hydrangea colorant turns pink Hydrangea’s blue, and dark pink flowers mauve, it works best in acid soil. In alkaline soil ericaceous compost should be added plus a double dose of colorant. How to Use:- Hoe in one capful of colorant into…

Indoor Azalea Care

These are one of the best winter-flowering houseplants and can, with care provide a mass of colour throughout the holiday season with their red, pink or white blooms. They require a temperature of 10-15°C/50-60°F ideally, avoid hot airless situations i.e. those near to a radiator. Choose a brightly lit spot, away from direct sunlight. Keep…

Lavender Hedges

In general Lavenders require well-drained neutral to alkaline soil, although some of the stoechas forms can grow happily on an acid soil. The soil that most lavender hates is a wet soil especially in the winter. It is more usual for lavender to die from being too wet in the winter than from frost damage.…

Layering Bulbs (Bulb Lasagne)

If you want pots full of dense and colourful bulbs in spring, planting layers of different bulbs, also known as a bulb lasagne with plants planted above will produce a long lasting mass of colour. The largest and latest flowering bulbs need to be planted deep at the bottom, with the earliest and smallest on…

Mulches

The simplest way of locking in soil moisture and suppressing weeds, is to apply a mulch – a thick layer of material or plants that covers the surface of the soil between the plants. A thick layer of chipped bark (7.5 cm or 3″) will do the job but, as it can be fairly expensive,…

Orchid Care

You don’t need a green house to successfully grow Orchids, and they aren’t delicate. Like other houseplants orchids only have a few basic needs, after all orchids have adapted to survive in most areas as “wild” plants. Light is the important factor to successfully raise and bloom orchids. If the leaves become very yellow, move…

Planting a Hedge

Planting a hedge is a very easy, do it yourself, job. Whether it’s pot grown, bare root or rootballed, it’s the same principles: – good ground preparation, plenty of space for each root, elimination of air pockets and plenty of water not just when the plants are going into the ground but in the weeks…

Planting Containers

Choose a suitable container with drainage. Line where appropriate with, coco fibre liner, moss and polythene or Juna liners. Use a compost with water retaining gel or use a multi-purpose compost and add water retaining gel to it. Select the appropriate plants, shade loving plants for a shady location, sun loving plants for a bright…

Poinsettia

Poinsettias originate from Mexico and Central America. In the wild these plants are bare-branched small trees. Most people know traditional red poinsettias at Christmas, but these plants also come in peach, pink, cream, and with white- and gold-splashed leaves. Care: Protect poinsettias from cold and draughts at all times – wrap them up carefully to…

Propagation

Firstly get the soil right. You need a loosely structured medium that is porous and well ventilated and low in nutrients. Ideally John Innes seed and cutting compost or a mixture of peat (or coir) and grit (or Perlite). A propagator is required and these can be as elaborate as you wish, Stewarts do an…

Rose Care

Roses are easy to grow and remarkably tolerant. It is only necessary to get a few basic points right and you will have good results. However, they can respond well to some extra care and attention by being more floriferous and healthy. The following is intended to help you to make the right selection and…

Winter Pruning Roses

Climbers on obelisks, arches and poles:- after planting, simply tie the stems up as they develop to create an attractive climbing rose. Allow the rose to reach the height you want. During this stage, just tidy the plant, trimming out any damaged growth. Continue to tie in the stems where necessary to support them and…