BBC HomeExplore the BBC
Just to let you know, we're no longer updating this site. More information here

15 July 2009
Accessibility help
Text only
suffolksuffolk
PLANET SUFFOLK

BBC Homepage
England
»Suffolk
News
Sport
Weather
Travel News

Entertainment
Features
In Pictures
Faith
Video Nation
Nature

Saving Planet Earth
How We Built Britain

Radio Suffolk

Site Contents 

Contact Us

Like this page?
Send it to a friend!

 

March 2004
Tokely’s Topical Tips 

Andrew Tokely.Andrew Tokely joins Lesley Dolphin for Tokely's tips between 8.30 and 9.00 on Sunday mornings on her Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Suffolk.

Take a look at his Topical Tips for 28th March.

SEE ALSO

Tokely's Topical Tips - 2004

Tokely's Topical Tips - 2003

Tokely's Topical Tips - 2002


Planet Suffolk

Today in Your Garden

WEB LINKS
Thompson & Morgan

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.
PRINT THIS PAGE
View a printable version of this page.
get in contact
Topical Tips: Week commencing 28/03/04

Nicotiana Domino Salmon
Nicotiana Domino Salmon

1. If your heated propagator is like mine it is probably bursting at the seams, but there are still plenty of summer bedding plants that need sowing. This week I like to sow lobelia, nicotiana, ageratum, dahlia, cleome, bidens, brachycome and petunias. Sow the seeds into pots or trays of moist multipurpose compost and place in the propagator or on a warm windowsill at a minimum temperature of 20C (70F).

Parsnip
Parsnip

2. Soil you warmed up a few weeks ago on the vegetable plot should now be dry and warm enough to sow a few early carrots and parsnips. Parsnips can take up to eight weeks to germinate, so as a handy tip when sowing parsnips I always drop a few radish seeds along the row as well. Radish germinate quickly and they will help you identify where the row is and keep it clean from weeds, Plus give you an early feed of radish. If your soil is not warm or dry enough wait.

Dahlia Cactus Mixed
Dahlia Cactus Mixed

3. If the grass dries on your lawn and it needs cutting, give it a cut but not too short. If you didn't get around to scarify or aerating your lawn last autumn, this can still be done now. Simply rake over the lawn with a spring rake, pulling out any old dead grass (thatch) and moss. Then aerate the lawn by going over it and inserting a fork as deep as you can, this will let help air into the lawn and improve your grass. If you have any bare patches these can be re-seeded next month when the soil is a little warmer.

Begonia Royal Picotee
Begonia Royal Picotee

4. If like me you started your begonia corms back into growth earlier in the year, they should be shooting nicely and some of mine are big enough to pot on into 13cm(5in) pots. I like to use a 50/50 mix of John Innes No3 and a peat based compost, for potting my begonias. Those that are not yet big enough leave and repot in a few weeks time when they are larger. I prefer to use clay pots rather than plastic ones for begonias because they are more stable as the plants become top heavy, and in clay pots the plants are less likely to topple over.

5. Young cuttings taken last month from last years over wintered stock plants of fuchsias and the various basket plants, should be well rooted by now. These can be potted on into 9cm (3 ½ in) pots to grow on. Continue taking more cuttings as they are produced on your old stock plants, or you could even take the tops from your new rooted cuttings, and use these as cuttings. Only take as many cuttings, to fill the free space you may have in the propagator.

Onion Set Red Baron
Onion Set Red Baron

6. If you are lucky enough to have some dry soil on the vegetable plot you can plant your onion sets now. If however most of it is too wet and cold like mine all is not lost. I have had very successful results over the last few years by planting onion sets into small pots filled with multipurpose compost and grown on underglass or in the cold frame. This way they get a start and can be planted outside once the sets have green shoots on them and a good root system, at a time when the soil is in a better condition. This method helps you get started without you losing any growing time. Why not try some red onions this year like Red Baron as well as the traditional yellow ones like Setton as they add colour and flavour to salads.

Petunia Candy Mixed
Petunia Candy Mixed

7. Your greenhouses and cold frames are getting fuller at this time of year, and the days are getting longer, and a little sun soon warms up the temperature under glass. So it is important to remember to give your greenhouses and cold frames plenty of ventilation on warm days. If you are going out for the day or are at work, ask your partner, or a neighbour to open up the vents when it is warm. Or better still fit automatic vent openers like I have on my greenhouses, so the job is done automatically, and you will have peace of mind that your seedlings and young plants will be ok on warm days and are not being cooked.

8. The best stem colour in winter is produced on new one-year-old shoots of Cornus (dogwood). So these plants need pruning hard now, down to about 1 or 2 buds from the base of the plant. This may look harsh but plants will soon re-shoot, and bust into green leaf all summer followed by a marvellous display of coloured stems again next autumn.

Top | Nature Index | Home
 
comments
 

e.g. Tom, Ipswich
hi can anyone tell me when should i plant my lilys i brought from the gfs

e.g. Tom, Ipswich
Please can you let me know what mimulus looks likeThanksJulie

Annette Kent
Should I dead head my anemone de caen? If so where do I cut the stem and how do I care for them?

david nottingham
how do i split begonia corms that have large growth

Beryl Kent
when should I plant my impatiens in the ground

gina burnley
please can you advise best way to hang flower pouches

chris, spain
whats the best way for growing corinander

PW Clacton
I want to put two small hardy plants,shrubs, on my parents Grave. What should I buy please?

leni norfolk
is it too late to plant grass seed

dawn george sevenoaks
do i need to protect my dipladenia plants from frost

Vimi Spain
Can you give me tips on how to care for Dipladenias, some say pinch out new shoots and some say don't.

tony sunbury
do i have to nip out the tops of my dianthus cuttings ?

Colleen Reading
Have grown yellow Verbascom from seed. When's the best time to plant out in the shubbery?

pete west mids
do i remove all stems & leaves on my newly planted rhubarb

Meryl Nottingham
what is the best compost to use when repotting hostas and when best time to repot

Diana O'Donnell, Hythe
I am disabled and unable to get to a garden centre. Where can I get a grease band on line please?

creina Spain
My arum lillies are not lasting very long before wilting and the foliage is going yellow. Am I watering too much. It has`been quite warm and they are on the irrigation line at 3 minutes per day. We have a very heavy clay soil which holds the moisture

Shaun, Oswestry
I have strawberry plants which have started to develop bblack patches and drying out leaves. Can you tell me what this is, and am I ok to use dithane fungicide on the plants?

karen Lincolnshire
how large do seedlings have to be to repot to a larger pot prior to going into the greenhouse and potting out after frosts? Very new to this, any advice would help! Have various seeds carnations, daisys etc just not sure how tall the seedlings should be?

diana chester
whn can i plant my nastertiums outside

Liz somerset
Can I put moss on my compost heap after I have scarified my lawn

graham, chester
our rubber plant is about 8 feet tall, we need to cut it back.Can we,if so when, by how much should we cut it down. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Regards Graham Futcher

Allan Derby
i am having trouble finding onion Beacon F1 seed?

Jenny, Peterborough
I am only a beginner gardener. I had some geraniums and begonias outside in pots, and on the advice of my garden centre brought them indoors when we started to get some frost. They are in the house as I don't have a greenhouse. They seemed to be OK until we turned the central heating on. I think I may have over-watered them to compensate. Very few flowers are left,just on one begonia, a lot of the geranium leaves have dries up, and several of the stalks have gone "mushy". Advice please - I was hoping they would look nice in the house through the winter, and I could put them out again in the Spring.

caroline ipswich
i have got a yellow zantedeschia in my back lounge at the moment and i have noticed just recently that a couple of the leaves are gone yellow please tell what to do,have i over watered it.

Mike N Wales
My rubber plant has grown long air roots, can I cut them off?

e.g. Tom, Ipswich
How do I look after banana plants

bethany leicester
is it possible to get seeds from trailing geranium plants if so, how?

Kate, Solihull
I have strawberry plants in pots, the leaves are growing too big, do I need to cut the old leaves off to make way for the new ones and do I need to do anything special to them over the winter. It is now autumn. Thanks.

Stan ,Manchester
My Hydrangea has very large blooms , but they are hidden inside masses of leaves

Helen, Surrey.
I planted two dwarf banana plants back in may and now need to move them. whats the best wat yo do it and at what time of the year?Thanks H

M Shaw Dorset
Arum lillies -should the dead flowers and seed heads be cut off

e.g. denise hampshire
do i have to trim the leaves from my courgettte plant there seems to be more leaf than fruit

Dianne - Co Durham
Most of my fuschias have leaves which have turned yellow and dropped, but a new set of buds are now ready to open. what could be the problem please?

Gordon----Plymouth
I have some pots 10"dia and 16" tall,i want to grow individual celery plants in each one, have you any advice please.

John - Antrim
When the flower heads on Arum lillies die back what should I do?

kirkbyken
any answers to these questions

Stewart /Wiltshire
Leaf Curl on Asters how do I treat

chrissie South Yorkshire
Im trying to save some overgrown shrubs either by cutting back or taking cuttings have found your site brilliant thanks!!!!

e.g. Tom, Ipswich
Can I cut the leaves off courgette plants

jack london
how do I get rid of japanese anemones?

connie london
i planted arum lily this year but so far nothing is showing. have i done the correct method

Nora, Cairneyhill
Should I dead head my anemone de caen? If so where do I cut the stem and how do I care for them?

e.g. Tom, Ipswich
Blackcurrant bush with red blistering on leaves nnd stunted growth. I. D. and treatment, please.

jo leicester
how do i get rid of black fly on nasturtiums? please help

Angie Cheshire
I have trasplanted a rhubarb crown (sept 2006) can I harvest the fruit this year?

sammy worcester
How do you get a wisteria tree ?

e.g. gabby, cheshire
can I use moss from the lawn in my compost bin? will it make good compost?

terry hull
i need to paint wooden garden furniture i have tried the shed and fence paint but was no good advise please

LAKOOKARACHA
Tell me if birds are affected by music.

george cambridge
Were can I get icarus sprout seeds?

Jane, Shropshire
I Googled for advice on how to treat chrysanthemum stools over the winter and found your advice most helpful, thanks :O)

  line
 
  we want to hear from you

name and location:
 
comments:
 
 
Disclaimer: The BBC will post as many of your comments as possible but we cannot guarantee that all messages received will be published. The BBC reserves the right to edit those comments that are published.
 
 
More from this section


nature
Tokely's gardening tips

RSPB Events


Diary Antarctica


win! win! win!

Contact Us

BBC Suffolk Website
Broadcasting House
St Matthew's Street
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1 3EP

(+44) 01473 250000
suffolk@bbc.co.uk




About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy