Fact Sheet Twenty Seven
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THE GARDENERS DIARY
WEEK 27
3rd April 2005
THE DIARY
THE FLOWER GARDEN: Time to plant out Sweet Pea's.
Sweet Peas which have been grown inside should now be harden off and planted into their blooming positions.
Knock them out of the pots and plant into the ground firmly. Plant them in clumps 15cm apart in rows. For support against a wall, wooden trellis can be used but to save some money why not create a frame work using some wooden stakes then connect some Pea & Bean netting. So in winter the frame and netting can be taken down. If your after a more natural feel to your Sweet Peas and especially if they are being planted into your borders and beds then use some twiggy sticks and train the plants up these. Some people will create wigwams with bamboo canes. The wigwams can be easily be done by using special plastic clips which can be purchased from any garden centre or hardware shop. Plant the Sweet Peas the same distance as against the wall but plant them in a circle around the wigwam. If you have no room in the borders or any spare space against any of your walls then why not grow some Sweet Peas in a container and train them up an obelisk which is designed for patio culture. Or why not grow a dwarf variety in a hanging basket to give you a scented delight to hang outside on the patio. Don't worry if you haven't sown any seed as yet. Sweet Pea's are hardy annuals and can be sown directly into the ground up until the end of next month.
LAWN CARE: Start sowing new areas of lawn
With the mad month of March at an end. It is a usual sign to start sowing new areas of lawn. Start first by levelling the area out and compact it down using a roller to ensure a flat and even surface. Once this is done, rake the soil into a fine tilth. When doing this, add some general purpose fertiliser. Place down about a handful per square metre. Then apply your seed. Following the instructions on the packet. Once sown lightly rake in and water. Keep irrigated if the weather is dry. Prick out weed seedlings as they germinate and once the grass has germinated allow it to get to 7.5cm in height before giving the lawn its first high cut. PEST PROBLEM OF THE WEEK: Start a spray program on Apples & Pears. Start your spray program on your apples & pears. This will hopefully deter the damaging effects of pest and disease. You need to start spraying from bud burst at bi-weekly intervals. Do not spray when you have the mouse ears and also when the blossom is fully open. Use a chemical you are familiar with and always read the instructions carefully. To mix the chemicals correctly fill your sprayer half full with water then pour your chemicals into this. Only place the amount of chemical needed for the job. Never, I repeat NEVER put more than the manufacturer suggests. Once the chemicals have been placed into the sprayer fill up with some more water. This will mix the chemical completely with the water and will stop any problems of sediment at the bottom of the container.
For gardeners who care about the environment Naturen is a great insecticide which is made from oil seed rape. This natural insecticide does not harm bees or ladybirds if they are in the vicinity when spraying. Listen to The Gardener's Diary with Luke Ashmead on BBC Three Counties Radio every Sunday afternoon at 2.00pm Contact The Gardener's Diary Here BBC Three Counties Radio 94.7, 98, 103.8, 95.5 and 104.5FM | 
