Gardening Tools, Equipment & BBQ's

One of the most interesting features that you can have in your home is a garden. However, there are a lot of things that you need to take into consideration when growing one. For example, how are you supposed to create the garden layout? What are the features that you need to incorporate in the garden? How about outdoor furniture pieces? And which garden plants should you grow – herbal, ornamental, vegetables or flowering shrubs? Finally, what are you supposed to use to feed the soil and get rid of the possible pests to harm your plants? It’s the last part that we will try to discover here.

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It is achievable to create colour all year round in your garden with a little careful planning.

At the start of spring, colour can be injected into your garden with the use of planters, bulbs and spring flowering shrubs, all of which are a welcome addition and add vibrancy after the long winter months.

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With the long drawn out winter showing little signs of subsiding, it is essential to protect your garden form the harsh drop in overnight temperatures.

Through out the winter plants such as soft woods, actively growing bloomers and potted plants are the most likely to be affected by the frost. Low overnight temperatures freeze the moisture on plants, leaves and buds, resulting in a blackened or mushy appearance.

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Children are never too young to enjoy the outdoors, so experience the joy of gardening with the whole family.

There are many fun projects and activities to help get those little green-fingers twitching.

Why not try your hand at making your own compost. Children will love to see the gradual change in its composition and the benefits of the end result. This is a fun way of introducing children to the natural cycle of plant decay in a way they will understand.

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There is nothing quite like the feeling you get when walking past a sweetly scented plant.

HOW SCENTED
Scented plants can vary from those with strong scents you can smell from ten metres away, through to delicately scented flowers that can only be enjoyed when you put your nose right up close.

Make sure you choose a suitable place when planting a scented plant. A strongly scented Wisteria or Jasminum can be overpowering if planted too close to the house, whereas the delicate perfume from a Daphne or Bouvardia can be delightful to have just next to the front door.

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You can either buy advanced plants or grow fast growing plants.

In a temperate climate most trees and shrubs will take at least a few years from planting to fill out and make a garden look established.

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Hydroponics is the technique of growing plants without soil. The roots grow either in air, which is kept very humid; in water, which is well aerated; or in some solid, non-soil medium, which is kept moist. The water around the roots contains a carefully balanced mixture of nutrients that provides food for the plant.

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Serves: 3
Prep: 20 Mins
BBQ: 120 mins
Roasting Method/Gas Medium

Ingredients
3 tortillas
1 duck (giblets removed)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp chinese five spice powder
1 garlic clove
1/2 cucumber
small piece of ginger
1 bunch of spring onions
Runny honey
1 cup of plum or hoisin sauce

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Heating your greenhouse is a necessary but often money-consuming task. However, for smaller areas requiring frost protection, paraffin could be the solution you’ve been looking for. As an alternative to both electric and gas, paraffin is a more traditional option. The Bio Green Warmax range of paraffin greenhouse heaters will protect your plants and help your seeds to grow. Ideal for smaller greenhouses and one of the simplest of greenhouse heaters, the Warmax is inexpensive to buy can be used for small spaces or as a backup for a main heater.

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During winter, the harsh weather can have adverse effects on your lawn, but with some simple maintenance, this will be easy to overcome and you will soon be enjoying a beautiful lawn when spring comes around.

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Burrowing activity is at a peak in the spring while the parents find food for the new litter of baby moles. And of course, spring is an important season when it comes to lawn care, so the tell-tale sight of mole hills across your lawn can be the bane of our lives. Now is a good time to consider preventative measures or to take stock of a solution in preparation for an infestation.

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Making your own compost is very simple and has many benefits, it’s good for the environment, good for your garden and it will save you money! Compost is essential for any keengardener it increases the nutrients in the ground and it improves the texture and strength of the soil as well as helping with the soils water retention. Making your own compost is very easy to do and once you’ve got the hang of the basics you won’t look back!

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Rabbits can cause serious damage to the vegetables in your garden and ideally you want to keep them as far away from your plants as possible. There are a couple of options for the keengardener to keep rabbits away. One method is to spread something that rabbits dislike on or around your plants is a simple and safe way to protect your vegetable garden. Rabbits will dislike various things and 3 that work well are lavender, blood meal and chili powder all you do is spread them round or on your plants and this should keep the rabbits away. However you must reapply them every time it rains.

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To mark National Science and Engineering week’s ‘What on Earth’ campaign which is raising awareness of UK plants and animals facing habitat destruction and homelessness, free wildflower seeds are on offer on www.whatonearth.org.uk (subject to availability).

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When gardening like anything else having the right tools will make jobs more fun and means less work. You don’t need many tools to create a great garden a few basics will be enough to get you going and here are a few of any gardeners must have.
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