insideKENT Magazine Issue 38 - May 2015 | Page 126

OUTDOORLIVING
YOUR GARDEN: may

cont.

Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of daffodils
after they have flowered. Deadhead tulips and
daffodils.
Propagation
Take softwood cuttings of tender perennials
like argyranthemum, pelargonium and fuchsia;
they will provide new plants for display later this
summer.
Perennials that are showing new shoots from the
crown can be propagated via basal stem cuttings.

Thin out direct sowings of hardy annuals and
vegetables such as radishes. This is best done
in two or three stages at fortnightly intervals. Final
spacing should be between 10-20cm (4-8in),
using the upper limit for tall or spreading plants,
and the lower limit for smaller plants. Prick out
indoor sowings when they are large enough to
handle without damage.
Hoe borders to prevent annual and perennial
weeds from spreading and seeding themselves.
Sweet peas need training and tying in to their
supports to encourage them to climb and make
a good display.

General maintenance
Apply a liquid fertiliser to spring bulbs after they
have flowered to encourage good flowering next
year, and help prevent daffodil blindness. Allow
the foliage of daffodils and other spring-flowering
bulbs to die down naturally.
Lift clumps of forget-me-not once the display
wanes, and before too many seeds are released.
They can become invasive if left unchecked.
Put supports in place for herbaceous plants
before they are too tall, or for those – like peonies
– that produce heavy blooms.
Harden off plants raised from seed and cuttings
by leaving them outside for gradually increasing
periods of time. Start with only the warmest part
of the day and build up to overnight exposure.
Doing this for 10-14 days before planting them
outdoors permanently (whenever the risk of frost
has passed), will reduce any check to their growth
while establishing their final position.

Pinch out the leading shoots on plants such
as chrysanthemum and helianthus to encourage
bushy plants. However, if tall thin sprays are
preferred, they can be left un-pinched, perhaps
removing a few buds (known as ‘disbudding’) to
encourage larger blooms. Liquid feed plants in
containers every two F