Table of Contents

Plants

Herbs

Oregano (//Golden; Origanum vulgare Aureum//)

Height & Spread: Up to 30cm. Will not survive frosts, so must be grown indoors between mid-October and early May.

Mint (//Peppermint; Mentha x piperita//)

Height & Spread: Up to 40cm.

Basil (//Bush; Ocimum minimum//)

Height & Spread: Up to 25cm. Will not survive frosts, so must be grown indoors between mid-October and early May.

Fruit Trees

Lemon (//Citrus limon//)

House or patio plant, suitable for outdoor use from May until mid-October, but must be kept frost free at all times. They prefer a light and sunny position, fertilise regularly during blossoming and fruit bearing. Over winter provide a cool (4-12°C), light spot. To stimulate budding remove or trip shoots with fruitless buds, repot each spring.

Water freely in summer and mist leaves daily to increase humidity and discourage pests. Feed with citrus plant fertiliser every 2 weeks. Move plants indoors from October to a bright, frost free position (4-12°C) away from cold draughts and radiators. Reduce watering in winter but do not let the plant dry out completely. Too much or too little water may cause the fruits to drop.

Orange (//Citrofortunella mitis, Panama orange//)

House or patio plant, suitable for outdoor use from May until mid-October, but must be kept frost free at all times. They prefer a light and sunny position, fertilise regularly during blossoming and fruit bearing. Over winter provide a cool (4-12°C), light spot. To stimulate budding remove or trip shoots with fruitless buds, repot each spring.

Water freely in summer and mist leaves daily to increase humidity and discourage pests. Feed with citrus plant fertiliser every 2 weeks. Move plants indoors from October to a bright, frost free position (4-12°C) away from cold draughts and radiators. Reduce watering in winter but do not let the plant dry out completely. Too much or too little water may cause the fruits to drop.

Fruit Bushes

Strawberry (//Albion Everbearer//)

Strong growing late season fruiting variety with bright glossy medium sized fruits. Harvest: June to October Aftercare: Water regularly and feed with B&Q Organic Living Fruit and Vegetable Food. Protect ripening fruit from birds with fine mesh netting.

Blackcurrant (//Ben Alder//)

Very high yielding mid-season variety. Medium sized fruit, high level of disease resistance. Height & Spread: Up to 1.2m after 5 years.

  1. PRUNING: After planting, prune all stems back to 5cm above the ground. In later years, remove about 25% of the stems to encourage new growth from the base. From the first years grown select 8-10 main stems (leaders) evenly spaced round the bush as in a wine glass. These will remain for the whole life of the bush - about 20 years. Remove any remaining shoots and cut back the 8-10 leaders selected to half their length. In future winters cut back the top-most shoot from each of the leaders, remaining 25% of the previous season's growth. All other side-growths should now be cut right back to within 1cm of the main stems and on these spurs will come the next year's fruit.
  2. MULCH: Yearly with well-rotted compost or manure to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
  3. WATER: In dry periods.
  4. FEEDING: Apply a growmore type fertiliser in the Spring.

Redcurrant (//Redstart//)

Delicious later fruiting variety, fantastic in Summer puddings, fruit salads, jams and wine-making and excellent for freezing.

  1. Pruning: After planting, prune all stems back to 5cm above the ground. In later years remove about 25% of the stems to encourage new growth from the base. From the first years growth select 8-10 main stems (leaders) evenly spaced round the bush as in a wine glass. These will remain for the whole life of the bush - about 20 years. Remove any remaining shoots and cut back the 8-10 leaders selected to half their length. In future winters cut back the top-most shoot from each of the leaders, remaining 25% of the previous season's growth. All other side-growths should now be cut right back to within 1cm of the main stems and on these spurs will come the next years fruit.
  2. Support: The canes on posts and wire.
  3. Mulch: Yearly with well rotted compost or manure to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
  4. Water: In dry periods.
  5. Feeding: Apply a growmore type fertiliser in the Spring.

Raspberry

After planting, cut back the canes if necessary, to 30cm to encourage basal shoots. Raspberries have a shallow root system so carefully spread out the roots into a 7-10cm wide and deep trench. Create a framework of posts about 1.8m in height and strain wires horizontally between the posts at 60cm intervals, starting 45cm above the soil, to support and train summer fruiting varieties. Plant 38cm apart in rows leaving 1.8m between the rows for access to cultivate and pick your fruits. Summer fruiting varieties carry fruit on canes produced the previous year. Cut out the fruited canes to soil level during late autumn and carefully tie in the new shooting canes to the wires, allowing 10cm spacing and aim to have 6-8 fruiting canes per plant. Autumn fruiting varieties are best planted 60cm apart in a row. These bear fruit on the current seasons new cane growth. They do not need supports or wires. Cut back the canes to soil level in February each year to encourage new cane development.

Blackberry

Plant in a sunny or partially shaded position where the plant can be trained against a wall, fence or along horizontal wires. Prune in the autumn each year by cutting out old wood, and training new growth for next years production.

Flowering Plants

Pinks (//Dianthus//)

Flowering June-July and September-October. Plant in a sunny position in any well-worked soil. Rake general fertiliser into the soil surface just prior to planting. Plant firmly but not too deeply. The varieties we supply sometimes flower up to Christmas in a mild season. After Christmas remove all bud-bearing stems or they will produce poor blooms in spring and retard summer flowering.

Petunia Climbing

(Nothing special; just train the stems up the netting)

Heuchera

A semi evergreen perennial, which flowers in early summer. Best in a fertile, moist, but well drained soil in sun or shade. Will tolerate full shade on a moist site. Mulch annually to cover the rootstock.

Lavender

Flowers in July and August. Height 30-35cm and spread 30cm. Plant in sun or partial shade.

Lupins

Flowers May-July. Height 90cm and spread 60cm. Plant in sun or partial shade.

Roses

Roses grow well in any fertile soil but they require an open position with good drainage. Soak the roots for 2-3 hours prior to planting. Dig the soil to a depth of 45cm, mixing in a good supply of decomposing manure, compost or general fertiliser. Roses grow quickly once established so leave at least 60cm between the bushes. Plant so that the union of the scion and stock (i.e. the point at which the rose has been budded), is slightly above the soil surface and make sure the roots are well spread out, tread firmly around the bush to ensure good contact with the soil. When planting is complete water well and continue to water.

Bulbs

(None yet)

Sources

Most of this page was copied from plant labels from B&Q and Wyvale, and information leaflets from Van Meuwen, so they retain the copyrights. This page has been created for convenient personal reference only.