Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips!

21st November 2011

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips.

1. December is the time to select a quality fresh Christmas tree for your home, the best variety is called Nordmanii which has lovely rich green foliage with a pine fresh smell. But more importantly you will have little or no needle drop Click here to see our Christmas Trees!

2. Finish planting spring flowering bulbs in borders and containers – Daffodils, tulips and snowdrops should be planted this week to ensure colour for Spring.

3. Plant Frost hardy Laurel hedging this month to ensure a strong evergreen hedge ideal for all gardens. Laurel is frost hardy, evergreen and easy to trim Click here to see our Hedging!

4. Beech and White thorn whips can be planted now to create a native hedge or hedgerow. Simply plant the whips 3 plants per meter for a strong dense hedge.

5. Add colour to your doorway and containers with winter flowering heathers, Cyclamen, pansies, violas and primulas, you can also add some spring flowering bulbs for added colour in march.

6. Lawn moss is a problem in all lawns this winter – Kill it now by applying a dressing of Sulphate of Iron, through the water can or sprayer to the entire lawn area – this treatment will kill lawn moss over night... Click here to see our Sulpahte of Iron

7. Evergreen climbers can be planted this month – Ivies, evergreen Virginia creeper, evergreen clematis and evergreen prycantha are ideal for covering house and garage walls to add cover and colour all year round Click here to see our Climbers!

8. Plant rhubarb and blackcurrant plants this month in your garden soil – add some organic farm yard manure to the soil before planting. Remember December is also the time to cover existing rhubarb stems with a black dustbin to exclude light and encourage the growth of sweet pink rhubarb stems for picking in February – go on give it a go Click here to see our Fruit plants

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips!

21st November 2011

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips.

1. December is the time to select a quality fresh Christmas tree for your home, the best variety is called Nordmanii which has lovely rich green foliage with a pine fresh smell. But more importantly you will have little or no needle drop Click here to see our Christmas Trees!

2. Finish planting spring flowering bulbs in borders and containers – Daffodils, tulips and snowdrops should be planted this week to ensure colour for Spring.

3. Plant Frost hardy Laurel hedging this month to ensure a strong evergreen hedge ideal for all gardens. Laurel is frost hardy, evergreen and easy to trim Click here to see our Hedging!

4. Beech and White thorn whips can be planted now to create a native hedge or hedgerow. Simply plant the whips 3 plants per meter for a strong dense hedge.

5. Add colour to your doorway and containers with winter flowering heathers, Cyclamen, pansies, violas and primulas, you can also add some spring flowering bulbs for added colour in march.

6. Lawn moss is a problem in all lawns this winter – Kill it now by applying a dressing of Sulphate of Iron, through the water can or sprayer to the entire lawn area – this treatment will kill lawn moss over night... Click here to see our Sulpahte of Iron

7. Evergreen climbers can be planted this month – Ivies, evergreen Virginia creeper, evergreen clematis and evergreen prycantha are ideal for covering house and garage walls to add cover and colour all year round Click here to see our Climbers!

8. Plant rhubarb and blackcurrant plants this month in your garden soil – add some organic farm yard manure to the soil before planting. Remember December is also the time to cover existing rhubarb stems with a black dustbin to exclude light and encourage the growth of sweet pink rhubarb stems for picking in February – go on give it a go Click here to see our Fruit plants

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips!

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips!

11th November 2011

1. REPS and AEO planting schemes for farmers should be completed this month, November is the best time to plant native broadleaved trees and hedging plants. Whitethorn, blackthorn, Beech , Birch, alder and willows can all be planted now to encourage strong rooting over winter Click here to see our Trees!

2. Barerooted ornamental and fruiting plants can be planted this month, November is the traditional planting time for all broadleaved trees and hedging plants, Soil conditions are ideal at the moment Click here to see our Fruiting plants!

3. Give your lawn its final mow this month and treat the entire lawn area with a dressing of Sulphate of Iron to kill moss before it begins to spread this winter. Sulphate of iron should be applied lightly and evenly to the entire lawn area Click here to see our Sulphate of Iron

4. November is the month to plant fruit trees and bushes in your garden or containers. Look for the dwarf apple trees, blueberries, raspberries and gooseberries plants now – They are ready for planting Click here to see our Fruit Trees

5. Colour can be added to Graves this month, plant autumn and winter flowering plants including winter heathers, Outdoor cyclamen, Polyanthus and winter pansies. You can also plant spring flowering bulbs for colour from January to May Click here to see our Bulbs!

6. Plant Bee friendly plants in your garden this Autumn I recommend Choisya ternate, Potentillias, Deutizia, Philadelphus, single roses, winter flowering viburnums and Mahonia. Your garden bees will thank you for it

7. November is a great time to plant both foliage and flowering climbers, Variegated Ivy – Virginia creeper, climbing hydrangeas, honeysuckles and clematis can be planted this month Click here to see our Climbers!. Remember to add some organic compost when planting to ensure a strong start to your new climbers Click here to see our Compost!

8. November is the ideal month to take cuttings from your favourite plants including Hydrangeas, Fuchsia , Potentillias, Geraniums, weigelia, and dogwoods. Remember to use some rooting powder to encourage strong rooting and better plants Click here to see our Rooting powder

Bare root season has started in Horkans – Now is the ideal time to get cheap trees and hedging plants for shelter and privacy in your garden. Bare root plants offer you wonderful value and strong well rooted plants which are ready for planting.


Bare root plants include – Mountain ash, Maples, Beech, Common ash, Birch trees, Laurel hedging, Willows in many varieties and Alders for wet ground.


Call this weekend for our special hedging promotions. Great prices on great plants

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips!

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips!

28th October 2011

1. The Bare root Season has started – Its time to plant Laurel and beech hedging plants as bare rooted plants now for a strong well rooted hedge for next spring. Laurel and beech can be planted two plants per meter for a solid dense hedge Click here to see our Hedging Plants!

2. Early November is the time to plant broadleaved trees for REPS, Whitethorn, willows, mountain ash, blackthorns and maples can all be planted now as young whips. They are cheap and easy to plant during the month of November Click here to see our Trees

3. November is also fruit planting time in the garden, Apples, Pear, plum and cherries can be planted this month. Remember to add organic compost when planting and to stake all newly planted trees to ensure strong rooting during the winter Click here to see our Fruit Plants

4. Rhubarb and strawberries can be planted this month, remember to add plenty of organic farm compost to the planting hole and enrich the soil with blood, fish and bone meal when planting Click here to see our Strawberry and Rhubarb plants

5. Winter flowering shrubs including Mahonia Charity, Viburnum eve price, Christmas roses, sweet box and Witch hazel can be planted this month for some welcome colour during the winter and spring months

6. Snowdrops and crocus bulbs need to be planted in the next two weeks to ensure good rooting and a good show of colour in January and February Click here to see our Bulbs

7. Green moss and lichen on patios, driveways and on house slates can be removed with an application of Patio Magic treatment. Simply Mix the Patio magic with water and apply directly to the effected hard surface area. Moss and lichen will die and wither within days. Patio Magic will also help to clean the area leaving it in tip top condition. Apply in dry weather this month Click here to see Patio Magic

8. Its time to clean out your polytunnel and greenhouse of old tomato, pepper and cucumber plants. Remove and store all fruit and simply remove to the compost heap, any of the summer fruiting glasshouse crops.

9. Green Manure seed can be sown during November on bare patches of soil in your veg and fruit garden. The green manure seed will germinate during the winter months producing a green carpet of organic fertiliser that you simply dig in next spring before planting your summer vegetables. A packed of green manure seed will cover approx 50 sq meters on bare soil. Green manure also helps to prevent weeds from growing Click here to see our Manure

10. Cut back summer flowering roses and cottage garden plants including Lupins, Delphiniums, hostas, Phlox and geraniums. Add some spring flowering bulbs including Narcissus, daffodils, Tulips, bluebells and snowdrops to the gaps in your borders for colour this and every spring. Spring flowering bulbs should be planted in groups for a stronger show of colour Click here to see our flowering bulbs

Bare root season has started in Horkans – Now is the ideal time to get cheap trees and hedging plants for shelter and privacy in your garden. Bare root plants offer you wonderful value and strong well rooted plants which are ready for planting.


Bare root plants include – Mountain ash, Maples, Beech, Common ash, Birch trees, Laurel hedging, Willows in many varieties and Alders for wet ground.


Plant your bare rooted plants this November

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips

20th October 2011

1. Take cuttings of Blackcurrants, red and white currants and gooseberry plants now, remember to dip the base into rooting hormone powder and place in trenches out of doors with sandy compost at the base of the trench Click here to see our Rooting Powder

2. Colder weather signals the time to start feeding song birds in your garden. Simply hang up some wild bird and peanut feeders in sheltered areas in your garden from now until late spring. Place a selection of different types of wild bird feed to give a greater variety of song birds in your garden Click here to see our Wildlife and Birdcare products

3. Prune back summer flowering roses now, trim the long stems to within six inches from ground level. Apply a dressing of Armillatox to the remaining stems to help kill of Algae and over wintering pests

4. Moss on slates, patio slabs and tarmac areas can be cleared now by treating the area with Patio magic. Simply mix with water and apply to the entire Area Click here to see our Patio Magic

5. Its time to plant fruiting trees and bushes in your garden, Apple, pear, plum, black, red and white currants can be planted now. Click here to see our Fruit Trees  Add some organic compost when planting Click here to see our Compost

6. Prune back apple trees now, remove the whippy growth at the top of the trees and shorten back side stems. This will encourage a more open shape and more fruit in the coming years Click here to see our Gardening Tools

7. Give the garden a good tidy up, Prune back summer flowering shrubs now, clear off the stems of lupins, delphiniums, Hostas, lilies and phlox by pruning the stems to soil level Click here to see our Gardening Tools

8. Finish off the planting of spring flowering bulbs in flower borders and shrub beds. Snow drops, bluebells, daffodils and tulips, plant in clusters to create a strong show of welcome colour next spring. Bulbs are easy to grow and will flower this and every summer Click here to see our Flowering Bulbs

9. Plant hardy hedging plants including Beech, Laurel, Green and golden privet, whitethorn and holly now. Plants planted before the winter will continue to produce a good root structure throughout the winter and make for strong vigorous growth during spring and summer Click here to see our Hedging Plants

10. Winter and spring flowering heathers are just coming into flower and will stay in bloom right up until early summer. Plant heathers now in groups of 3 or 5 to help create a carpet of colour in flower and shrub borders. Heathers can be under planted with spring flowering bulbs including snowdrops and dwarf daffodils for additional colour Click here to see our Winter and Spring Flowering Heathers

Jobs in the garden this week..

13th October 2011

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips

1. Rhubarb, Strawberries and blueberry plants can be planted for the next couple of weeks in well prepared soil  Click here to see our Fruit Plants Add Supergrow compost to the planting hole before planting and remember to feed all fruiting plants next spring with Rose fertiliser Click here to see our Compost and Fertiliser

2. Late October is a good time to Kill unwanted lawn moss with an application of Sulphate of Iron, either sprayed or Spread through a lawn spreader. Lawn moss will continue to infest you lawn in left un treated. Follow instructions carefully Click here to see our Sulphate of Iron

3. Sow green manure seed into vacant areas in your vegetable garden now, simply sprinkle the seed over the soil area, the seed will germinate and grow quickly adding much needed organic fertiliser to your soil Click here to see our Green Manure

4. Moss on slates, patio slabs and tarmac areas can be cleared now by treating the area with Patio magic. Simply mix with water and apply to the entire Area Click here to see our Patio Magic

5. Family apple trees offer you two eating apples on the one tree and are ideal for growing in patio pots or directly into the soil. Family apple trees will pollinate one another and reward you with great tasting fruit next summer Click here to see our Family Apple Trees

6. Graves can be brightened up now by planting some winter and spring flowering Cyclamen, Pansies, Violas and spring flowering bulbs. You can also place a planted container with winter and spring colour Click here to see our winter and spring flowering plants

7. Collect the last of your lawn cuttings, fallen leaves, un cooked kitchen waste and shredded newspapers and place in a compost bin in layers. Add some compost accelerator to help break down the organic matter quickly. Compost made now will make super useable compost and fertiliser for next season vegetable garden.

8. Garden and song birds should be fed from now until late spring, Sunflower seeds, wild bird mixes and bird peanuts will offer high levels of protein and energy for your garden birds. October is also a good time to clean out old nesting boxes and to place a couple of new nesting boxes around the garden Click here to see our Wildlife and Birdcare

9. Plant hardy hedging plants including Beech, Laurel, Green and golden privet, whitethorn and holly now. Plants planted before the winter will continue to produce a good root structure throughout the winter and make for strong vigorous growth during spring and summer Click here to see our Hedging Plants

10. October remains one of the best months to plant foliage and flowering climbers to cover bare or unsightly walls. I recommend you plant evergreen Ivies, Prycanthea for its lovely winter berries, Self clinging climbing hydrangeas and the free flowering scented climbing roses.

Horkans Gardening Night classes have started again – If you are interested in learning how to care for your garden then call Mairead on 0874100565 for information on up coming gardening classes at Horkans.

Jobs in the garden this week..

7th October 2011

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips

1. October is the ideal time to replace damaged and dead hedging plants in your garden. Dig out the existing dead plants, remove as much old root as possible and dig in some organic compost before planting your new hardy Hedge Click here to see our Hedging

2. Dwarf apple trees can be planted this week in patio planters or directly out into the fruit garden. Choose a mixture of both eating and cooking varieties to ensure good cross pollination Click here to see our Apple Trees

3. Blackcurrants, red currants and white currants can be planted now in rows Click here to see our Fruit Plants, enrich the soil before planting with Supergrow compost and plant the plants 3feet apart in rows Click here to see our Compost

4. Kill off existing weed growth by applying 360 weedkiller to effected areas, 360 weedkiller will kill all weeds on contact without contaminating the soil. 360 weedkiller can also be used to clear weeds on patio and tarmac driveways Click here to see our Weed Control

5. Plant tulip, daffodils and crocus bulbs now in patio planters and borders for great colour next spring Click here to see our Bulbs

6. Apply Patio Magic to moss on slates, tiles, driveways and footpaths now to kill unwanted moss and lichen growth. Simply mix with water and apply to effected areas in dry weather. Watch your moss disappear Click here to see our Patio Magic

7. Kill lawn moss now with an application of Sulphate of iron applied to the entire lawn area. Apply through a spreader or watering can evenly onto the effected lawn area. Sulphate of Iron can be applied in wet weather Click here to see our Sulphate of Iron

8. October is the ideal time to take cuttings from your favourite plants including Fuchsia, Hydrangeas, Potentillia, buddleia, laurel and willows. Remember to dip the cuttings into rooting powder to help with a stronger root development Click here to see our Rooting Powder

9. Apply an autumn lawn fertiliser to your entire lawn area. Autumn lawn fertiliser greens your grass without forcing growth and helps to kill lawn moss Click here to see our Lawn Fertiliser

10. Its time to plant rhubarb in your garden; choose the early fruiting variety, called Timberely early for strong stems of rich red rhubarb Click here to see our Rhubarb Timperly Early Remember to enrich the soil using organic compost Click here to see our Compost

Visit Horkans lifestyle & Garden centre this weekend and enjoy family lunch in the Bayleaf restaurant which opens every Sunday from 12 to 6pm

 

Jobs in the garden this week..

27th September 2011

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips

1. Sow green manure seed into your vegetable garden now, Green manure will grow during the winter and spring season and can be simply dug into the soil in April where it will add much needed natural nutrition

2. Broad bean seeds can be sown now indoors for planting out into the vegetable garden in mid October. Broad beans sown now will reward you with an early bumper crop of broad beans next summer Click here to see our Vegetable Seeds

3. You still have time to sow vegetable pea seed into the vegetable garden, choose Meteor variety for a quality great tasting pea in early summer Click here to see our Vegetable Seeds

4. Garlic, Hardy spring onions, lettuce and cabbage plants and Japanese onions can still be planted over the next three weeks in your vegetable garden for great fresh pickings in early summer next year

5. Blueberries can be planted any time during September; they are easy to grow, ideal in pots and patio planters and will bear fruit next summer Click here to see our Fruit Plants

6. Plant Fritillaries, Winter aconites, snowdrop and bluebell bulbs now out of doors where you want them to flower next spring. Remember bulbs are easy to grow, very free flowering and will flower this and every spring Click here to see our Flowering Bulbs

7. Kill lawn moss now with an application of Sulphate of iron applied to the entire lawn area. Apply through a spreader or watering can evenly onto the effected lawn area. Sulphate of Iron can be applied in wet weather Click here to see our Sulphate of Iron

8. Start a compost heap in your garden. Add grass clippings, fallen leaves, un cooked household waste, light plant prunings. Remember to add some organic activator to each layer in the compost heap and turn the entire compost heap twice over the winter period.

9. Plant the stunning Virginia creeper now onto house walls and garages. Virginia creeper grows quickly, self clings to concrete and wooded structures and produces amazing colour from autumn to early winter

10. Plant some shallot onions now out of doors for great tasting fresh shallots in April or may next year.

Visit Horkans lifestyle & Garden centre this weekend and enjoy family lunch in the Bayleaf restaurant which opens every Sunday from 12 to 6pm

Horky's Weekly Gardening Tips

Horky’s Weekly Gardening Tips

September 2, 2011

1. Pak Choi or Chinese cabbage can be planted this week for use as a tasty vegetable in October and November. Pak Choi is easy to grow and ideal as a vegetable in stir fry’s or as a green vegetable. Plant it now.
2. Duke of York Christmas potatoes are now ready for planting – Simply plant five potato tubers into a potato planter using Supergrow compost and place in a sunny location out of doors or in a tunnel or greenhouse. By the end of November you potatoes are ready to harvest and store until Christmas.
3. Sweet Pea plants can be sown from seed in early September – Soak the seeds of sweet pea in tepid water over night and sow the following day into Supergrow compost indoors. The plants will be ready to plant out in early November
4. Autumn and winter flowering Cyclamen can be planted now in patio planters and containers for a strong show of colour for the next couple of months.
5. Early September is a good time to tidy up Graves by removing summering bedding that is past its best and replanting with Autumn and winter colour. I recommend you plant Winter flowering pansies and violas, Cyclamen, Winter flowering heathers and the free flowering Polyanthus
6. Savoy cabbage plants can be planted now out of doors in the vegetable garden. Plant a dozen plants to ensure regular cutting from Later winter onwards.
7. Geraniums can be propagated from cuttings taken now from existing plants in your patio planters. Select six inch green stemmed cuttings, remove any flowers and all but two leaves at the tips. Leave to dry for one full day and then insert the cuttings into rooting powder and then into a gritty compost mix. Cover with a polythene bag and place indoors on your window sill until rooted
8. Virginia creeper is the beautiful red foliage climber you see at the moment covering house walls. Early September is the ideal time to plant Virginia creeper to cover bare and unsightly walls. Space the plants 1 metre apart and use Supergrow compost when planting.
9. Dead and damaged hedges should be removed this month and dumped. September is a great time to replant with new hedging plants. Look for the Hardy Laurel hedging to replant with and remember to use Supergrow compost when planting to ensure strong root growth.
10. September is a wonderful time to start a garden compost heap in your garden. Fallen leaves, grass clippings, shredded newspaper, soft weeds and clippings, egg shells, tea bags, coffee granules are just some of the suitable materials to add to your own compost heap. Remember to add a compost activator to help get the helpful bacteria going. Start now and you can look forward to super rich compost in early spring.

Join Paraic Horkan this Saturday morning on the Gardening programme on Midwest radio from 9am to 10am for Ask about autumn gardening.

Horky's Weekly Gardening Tips! 24th August 2011

Jobs in the garden this week..

 

24th August 2011

1. Plant winter and spring flowering bulbs in your garden and planted containers now, Dwarf tulips, dwarf Narcissus and daffodils, crocus and winter aconites can be planted now for strong colour this coming winter and spring Click here to see our Spring flowering Bulbs

2. Autumn and winter flowering Heathers can be planted now, Heathers will flower from early autumn, through winter right up until late spring and are ideal for containers and flower borders. Remember to plant in groups of three or fives Click here to see our Heathers

3. Kill lawn moss now by applying a dressing of Sulphate of Iron lightly but evenly over the grass area. Lawn moss is spreading in your lawn now Click here to see our Sulphate of Iron

4. Plant some autumn and winter cabbage plants now – I recommend you plant some Hispi cabbage and some Savoy cabbage plants for lots of pickings from autumn through winter. Plant a small quantity on a regular basis.

5. Remember to protect your potato crop from late blight. A dressing of Promoxamil applied now will help to protect your potatoes from autumn blight

6. Continue to plant lettuce plants – Look for Butterhead, iceberg and little gem varieties which are ideal for planting now to reward you with great pickings this autumn and winter.

7. Add instant colour to your pots and borders now by planting some free flowering Cyclamen. Cyclamen Mini are now available in a wide selection of colours and are ideal for long – lasting colour in all areas of the garden Click here to see our Cyclamen Mini

8. Late August is the ideal time to plant both flowering and foliage climbers. The beautiful red foliaged Virginia creeper can be planted now to cover shed and house walls. It’s fast growing; self clings and produces a stunning show of red foliage in autumn. Plant clematis, Pyracanthea and climbing hydrangea now Click here to see our Climbing Plants

9. Plant fruit trees and bushes in your garden now, Apple, Pear, cherries, blackcurrants, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries can be planted over the next couple of weeks and will reward you with fruit next summer Click here to see our Fruit

For beautiful autumn foliage colour plant the lovely Cotinus Royal Purple. This stunning plant produces purple foliage from early spring until late autumn at which time the foliage changes to shades of vivid orange and red. Wonderful easy to grow shrub for any garden Click here to see our Cotinus Royal Purple

Horky's Weekly Gardening Tips! 17th August 2011

Jobs in the garden this week..

17th August 2011

1. Control green moss and lichen on patio and driveway areas now by treating the entire area with Patio Magic. Simply Mix the Patio magic treatment in water and apply to the effected areas. Moss and lichen will disappear within days.

2. Spring flowering bulbs including Tulips, Crocus, daffodils, narcissus and snowdrops are now ready for planting in borders and containers. Plant a selection of spring flowering bulbs in clusters of five or seven for the best effect Click here to see our spring flowering bulbs

3. Add instant colour to your pots and borders now by planting some free flowering Cyclamen. Cyclamen are now available in a wide selection of colours and are ideal for long – lasting colour in all areas of the garden Click here to see our Cyclamen

4. When planting Cyclamen I recommend you use Supergrow compost which will add much needed nutrition to the soil ensuring stronger plants and larger blooms Click here to see our compost

5. New Potatoes for Christmas – It’s easy, Plant a selection of the special Christmas seed potatoes into potato pots or tubs in Supergrow compost. Allow the potatoes to grow as normal and harvest a bumper crop of new potatoes just in time for the Christmas dinner. Look for varieties including Maris Piper, red duke of York, and Charlotte Click here to see our Potatoes to harvest for Christmas

6. Treat your lawn to a dressing of autumn lawn fertiliser now. Autumn lawn fertiliser will green your lawn without forcing growth and at the same time kill of lawn moss. Simply apply to the entire lawn now to enjoy a moss free rich green lawn this Autumn Click here to see our Lawncare

7. Winter hardy Japanese onions sets can be planted into the vegetable garden now. Japanese Onion sets are easy to grow, frost hardy and will grow throughout the winter providing you with lots of great pickings next spring.

8. Take cuttings from your favourite plants including Geraniums, Fuchsias, Hydrangeas, dog woods and garden shrubs in general. Remember to dip the base of your cuttings into hormone rooting powder and put into gritty compost Click here to see our Hormone rooting powder

9. Prune back the long shoots on apple and pear trees now, Use a sharp pruning tool and prune the long branches back by two thirds of this year’s growth. This will help to encourage fruiting buds for next year Click here for our pruning tools

     10.Start feeding your garden song birds now, Wild bird food and wild bird peanuts are a welcome source  of protein and energy for your garden birds and help to build up valuable fat reserves in birds before the onslaught of winter Click here to see our Bird Food

Hedging and Tree Promotional Weekend in Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre!

Join us for our Hedging and Tree Promotional Weekend in Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre!

Date:

Friday 9th, Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September

Time:

Normal Trading Hours Click here for trading hours

Locations:

Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre, Turlough-Castlebar,  Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre Westport, Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre Sligo, Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre Galway

Event Details:

We will be offering special discounts and bulk offers for all Hardy hedging plants including Copper and green beech, hardy laurel, Portuguese laurel and conifers.

Our Team of qualified horticulturists will be available to advise customers on the best hedging and trees to select for your Garden!

Fuchsia Bloom!

Fuchsia Bloom!

July is the time for Fuchsia Colour in the garden, Fuchsia planted in hanging baskets and patio planters early in the spring are beginning to flower and add welcome colour to the garden. Fuchsia starts flowering in early July and will remain in flower right up until the hard frosts in early October . Because they flower on new growth regular feeding with one liquid fertiliser will enhance the blooms and help to encourage lots of flowers all summer long Click here to see our One Liquid Plant Food

 

Many of the Wild Fuchsia’s including Fuchsia Magellanica were hammered back during the cold winter weather but in many cases new growth is appearing from the base and where this new growth is present you should cut back the dead and damaged stems to the strong new growth.

Feeding with the granular Super grow fertiliser will encourage the plants to grow strongly over the next two months.

For colour in baskets and containers look for the double flowering varieties which produce larger and more colourful blooms.

Remember now is a great time to plant both the hardy and double flowering Fuchsias in your garden for some instant summer colour

Jobs in the garden this week..

27th June 2011

1. New Potatoes for Christmas, yes it possible, In mid July the Christmas seed potatoes will be available for planting into raised beds or Potato pots for a crop of new potatoes for Christmas. Simply Pot up five or six of these special tubers in Super grow compost in a potato bag and place in a greenhouse or tunnel to grow on for great tasting early potatoes this December. The new Christmas potato tubers will be ready to plant in a couple of weeks.

                                                  

2. Protect existing potato crops from potato blight by treating your plants to a spray of Promoxamil blight treatment. Promoxamil is a systemic blight treatment suitable for both potatoes and tomatoes and protects against blight by working from within the plant. Apply a treatment of promoxamil every two to three weeks Click here to see our Promoxamil blight treatment

3. July is the time to thin Apple and Pear clusters on your fruit trees. Select the smallest fruit lets and remove leaving about three strong fruit lets to develop. This helps to ensure the remaining fruits form to full size tasty fruits. Remember to feed all fruiting plants now with Vitax Q4 for excellent fruit this summer Click here to see our Vitax Q4

4. Plant summer flowering roses now for some instant colour, Roses have just come into flower and will reward you with lots of colour and scent until early Autumn. Many varieties are suitable for planting both into flower borders and also in patio planters.
5. Click here to see our Roses
6. Cut back Lupins and Delphiniums blooms once the flowers are faded, cut back the stems to new growth at the base. Plant a selection of late summer flowering Perennials including Chrysanthemums, Penstemons, Arum lilies and michaelmas daises for colour to early winter

6. Plant a selection of salad and vegetable plants now to help provide plenty of fresh greens from August until early winter. Cabbage, cauliflower, Sprouts, kale and lettuce can still be planted Click here to see our Vegetable plants

7. Trailing petunias are one of the best summer flowering basket and patio plants you can plant this summer. Hot pink and Barney purple are two of the best varieties and will flower from now until early winter. They are ideal for creating a strong vivid display of colour. Take my advice and plant 3 trailing petunias in your baskets or window boxes for a stunning show of colour Click here to see our Petunias

8. Its time to split summer flowering Iris, Simply dig up the clump, split the existing clump of Iris with a sharp spade and replant into new locations in your garden.

9. Potash is important for all fruiting plants – Apply a dressing of Sulphate of potash to all fruiting plantings now, simply apply a handful of potash to the soil around the fruiting plants. Potash is beneficial to apples, pears, Plum, cherries, blackcurrants and gooseberries Click here to see our Sulphate of Potash

10. July is the time to propagate your own plants from cuttings and seed, Geraniums, Hydrangeas, sedums and fuchsia can be propagated now from stem cuttings taken from this year’s young growth, simply dip into rooting powder and place in a gritty compost Click here to see our Rooting Powder

11. July is an excellent month to plant flowering and foliage climbers; I recommend summer flowering clematis, scented honeysuckle, flowering hydrangeas and the lovely free flowering wisteria. Remember to add organic compost to the planting hole when planting Click here to see our Climbing Plants

Join us for Sunday carvery lunch at the bay leaf restaurant, families welcome. Afterwards take a stroll through the Edinburgh woollen mills centre at Horkans lifestyle & Garden centre – we open 7 days – every Sunday from 12 to 6pm.

Play catch up in your garden!

May and June have been two difficult months in the garden this season but now is a good time to take stock and prepare the garden for mid and late summer colour,the trick to keeping the garden looking good and full of colour is too look after the existing plants you have and add in some “colour fillers” to gaps in the existing flower borders and patio planters.

Garden plants will benefit from some liquid feeding with one general purpose liquid feed, one is ideal for flowering and foliage plants and will encourage both vigour and the production of both flowers and fruit on many of your garden plants Click here to see our One Liquid Plant Feed. Regular watering will also be important this and next month in particular on larger flowering plants like Hydrangeas, clematis and roses Click here to see our Flowering Plants

Remember mid summer is also the ideal time to sow new plants from seed, its an easy and very effective method of raising new plants to add colour and interest for autumn, winter and spring. I recommend you sow wallflowers, scented Brompton stock, sweet William and winter flowering pansies, simply sow out of doors in seed trays and transplant the young plants in august to their flowering position Click here to see our Flower Seeds

Jobs in the garden this week..

20th June 2011

1. End of June is a great time to sow a new lawn, I recommend green velvet lawn seed mix for a quality hard wearing lawn that looks great but stands up to some wear and tear. Take my advice and add some Scott’s sportsmaster pre seeding fertiliser to the soil before sowing the green velvet seed. Lawn seed sown now will germinate in less than two weeks Click here to see our Lawncare

2. Blue hydrangeas are now available for planting and will reward you with lots of colour from now until early winter. Click here to see our Hydrangeas Blue hydrangeas are ideal for both shrub borders and patio planters, remember to water them well and feed weekly with one liquid feed Click here to see our One Liquid Plant food

3. If you have sweet peas flowering in your garden, then lucky you, remember to cut the flowers each week, this will help to promote new flowers all summer long. Feed your sweet peas with a dressing of one liquid feed each week Click here to see our One Liquid Plant Feed

4. Early July is the ideal month to sow shamrock seed, its easy to grow and can be sown out of doors in seed trays or directly into the soil. Shamrock seed sown now will provide you with lots of rich green shamrock for March 17^th. Shamrock can also be grown in pots or window boxes Click here to see our Shamrock Seed

5. variegated popular is showing super colour this summer, the large pink, white and green leaves are produced all summer and now is the ideal time to plant a young variegated popular in your garden. Remember to prune the stems hard back in winter for a strong show of colour next summer. V. poplars are easy to grow and suit all soil types.

6. There is still some time to plant tomato and pepper plants for lots of great pickings this summer. Look for strong mature plants and place in a warm sunny sheltered location Click here to see our Tomato and Pepper Plants. Remember to feed weekly with one liquid feed and you can look forward to great tasting home grown fruit this summer Click here to see our One Liquid Plant Food

7. Trailing petunias are one of the best summer flowering basket and patio plants you can plant this summer. Hot pink and Barney purple are two of the best varieties and will flower from now until early winter. They are ideal for creating a strong vivid display of colour. Take my advice and plant 3 trailing petunias in your baskets or window boxes for a stunning show of colour Click here to see our Trailing Petunias

8. There is still plenty of time to sow garden herbs and vegetables from seed, soil tempetures are ideal at present for fast germination and quick growth. Sow herbs like chives, parsley, thyme, rosemary and lavender directly out of doors in seed trays or directly into the garden soil. Veg plants including cauliflower, cabbage, leeks and lettuce can be sown now Click here to see our Herb and Vegetable Seeds

9. Potash is important for all fruiting plants – Apply a dressing of Sulphate of potash to all fruiting plantings now, simply apply a handful of potash to the soil around the fruiting plants. Potash is beneficial to apples, pears, Plum, cherries, blackcurrants and gooseberries Click here to see our Sulphate of Potash

10.  Blight protection is still important on tomatoes and potatoes apply a dressing of Promoximil blight treatment to potato crops and tomato plants every two weeks throughout July for maximum protection Click here to see our Proxanil Potato Blight Treatment

11. July is an excellent month to plant flowering and foliage climbers; I recommend summer flowering clematis, scented honeysuckle, flowering hydrangeas and the lovely free flowering wisteria. Remember to add organic compost to the planting hole when planting Click here to see our Climbers

Join us for Sunday carvery lunch at the bay leaf restaurant, families welcome. Afterwards take a stroll through the Edinburgh woollen mills centre at Horkans lifestyle & Garden centre – we open 7 days – every Sunday from 12 to 6pm.

 

Summer Flavours to Plant Now!

 Summer flavours to plant now

The early dry weather in April ensured the pollination of summer fruiting plants and encouraged that summer fruiting trees and bushes are laden down with ripening fruit. Blackcurrants, Gooseberries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries are producing a bumper crop of delicious fruit. Late June is an ideal time to plant fruiting plants in your garden and many plants ready for planting are carrying fruit even as young plants.

Apple, pear and plum trees are also producing a heavy crop of young fruit let’s and in many cases these will need thinning, removing of some of the smaller fruit lets, to allow the larger fruits to develop to full size and improve flavour

I recommend you feed all fruiting plants with ONE liquid fertiliser each week until harvest Click here to see our One Liquid Plant Food

Remember to also keep a watch out for greenfly and caterpillar attack on all fruiting plants and take action early to remove unwanted pests.

Jobs in the garden this week..

1. Plant Summer flowering scented roses this week, I recommend varieties including Arthur Bell , Korresia , Nostalgia this beautiful scented variety is well worth planting for colour and sweet fragrance Click here to see our Roses
   

2. Kill grass growing up amongst your shrubs, roses and flower borders, use Fusillade treatment to kill grass without killing your valuable plants. Follow instruction carefully on the Fusillade packet Click here to see our Fusillade treatment
   

3. In dry weather apply a dressing of Potato blight treatment to help keep your developing stalks clear from the dreaded potato blight. Late June and July are the most important months to keep your potato stalks protected – remember that potato blight can also affect tomatoes Click here to see our Proxanil Potatoe Blight Treatment
   

4. Caterpillars are now emerging on cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli plants, the warm weather encourages the development of many garden pests. Take action now and treat your garden vegetables to an anti caterpillar treatment before too much damage is caused
   

5. June is an excellent time to take cuttings of your favourite plants including hydrangeas, Fuchsias, Hebes, potentillia, spiraea and hypericiums. Please use some rooting powder on the base of the cutting to encourage quick rooting and stronger plants Click here to see our Rooting Powder
   

6. Feed tomato and cucumber plants from now on weekly with one fertiliser or Tomato Liquid fertiliser. Apply the liquid feed at the base of the tomato plants. Remember to remove the side shoots of tomato plants to ensure a strong clean stem with lots of fruiting clusters Click here to see our Fertilizers and Plant Food
   

7. Karate is the treatment for protecting carrots from Carrot root fly spray; apply the Karate treatment through water on the foliage of the developing carrots to protect your crop of carrots this summer Click here to see our Karate Carrot Root Fly Treatment
   

8. Plant double flowering dwarf marigolds in flower borders and beds for long lasting summer colour this summer. Remember to feed all bedding and patio plants with One liquid fertiliser weekly for larger blooms Click here to see our One Liquid Plant Food
   

9. Clean patio and paving areas with a spray of Patio magic – Patio magic kills algae and moss on paving slabs and concrete areas quickly and helps to clean your patio of unsightly stains and growth. Apply Patio magic in water in dry weather.

10. Continue to plant vegetable and herb plants throughout June, lettuce, cabbage, onions, and cauliflower and broccoli plants can still be planted for several weeks to reward you with additional home grown vegetables for late summer and autumn 
    Click here to see our Vegetable Plants

11. Sowing a new lawn or planting a wild flower meadow patch can be tackled this month, soil conditions are ideal, the seed sown now will germinated and establish quickly and make for a rich green lawn by early autumn. The lawn seed I recommend is called green velvet, its easy to grow and maintain and will with stand the normal family wear and tear – June is a great month to sow a new lawn or wild flower meadow Click here to see our Lawn Seed
    

12. Plant garden lilies now, they have just come into flower and will add both flower colour and scent to borders or patio planters. Garden lilies are available in a wide range of colours and will flower this and every summer

13. June is the ideal time to plant free flowering dahlias in patio planters and flower borders. These easy to grow plants re ideal for adding colour from June to early winter and are now available in a wide choice of colours

Horkans Lifestyle & Garden centre are open 7 days Sunday 12pm to 6pm. Visit our Westport centre on the west road in Westport and also our Castlebar centre in turlough Castlebar.
The bay leaf restaurant located in our turlough centre offers a beautiful Sunday lunch for all the family and also opens seven days per week

Outdoor Gerberas – Plant now for Stunning colour!

Gerbera Garvinea is the first series of hardy Gerberas for the garden and offers a wonderful show of colour from now right up until early winter. This new series of outdoor flowering gerberas are easy to grow, free flowering and ideal for planting in flower or patio containers. Gerberas are now available in a wide choice of colours and because of their compact shape and free flowering ability are suitable for planting in flower beds, shrub borders and in mixed planted containers.

This new selection of outdoor varieties are ideal for picking like normal Gerberas to give you a super fresh bouquet for your home every week!
Plant a selection of outdoor gerberas now for a great show of colour this summer!

Jobs in the garden this week..

1. Baskets, window boxes ad patio planters should be planted this coming week with summer flowering plants. I recommend bush and trailing fuchsias, African daisies, geraniums, busie Lizzies and bonfire begonias as ideal plants to provide you with lots of colour all summer long

2. June is the ideal time to Liquid feed vegetable and fruiting plants, tomatoes, cucumbers, marrows, courgette and aubergines will need weekly feeding with ONE liquid fertiliser. This will help to promote good fruit size and increase flavour Click here to see our ONE liquid plant food

3. If you have sweet peas flowering in your garden, then lucky you, remember to cut the flowers each week, this will help to promote new flowers all summer long. Feed your sweet peas with a dressing of one liquid feed Click here to see our ONE liquid plant food

4. Wallflowers, sweet William, antirrhinums, double daises, winter flowering pansies and polyanthus can be sown from seed now to provide you with lots of colour in winter and spring next year. Simply sow the seeds in seed trays of compost or directly out into ridges of soil. The plants will grow on during the summer and can be planted into flower beds and borders in autumn Click here to see our Flower Seeds

5. Variegated popular is showing super colour this summer, the large pink, white and green leaves are produced all summer and now is the ideal time to plant a young variegated popular in your garden. Remember to prune the stems hard back in winter for a strong show of colour next summer. V. poplars are easy to grow and suit all soil types.

6. There is still some time to plant tomato and pepper plants for lots of great pickings this summer. Look for strong mature plants and place in a warm sunny sheltered location Click here to see our pepper and tomato plants. Remember to feed weekly with one liquid feed and you can look forward to great tasting home grown fruit this summer Click here to see our ONE liquid plant feed

7. Trailing petunias are one of the best summer flowering basket and patio plants you can plant this summer. Hot pink and Barney purple are two of the best varieties and will flower from now until early winter. They are ideal for creating a strong vivid display of colour. Take my advice and plant 3 trailing petunias in your baskets or window boxes for a stunning show of colour Click here to see our Petunias

8. There is still plenty of time to sow garden herbs and vegetables from seed, soil tempetures are ideal at present for fast germination and quick growth. Sow herbs like chives, parsley, thyme, rosemary and lavender directly out of doors in seed trays or directly into the garden soil Click here to see our Herb Seeds. Veg plants including cauliflower, cabbage, leeks and lettuce can be sown now Click here to see our Vegetable Seeds

9. Potash is important for all fruiting plants – Apply a dressing of Sulphate of potash to all fruiting plantings now, simply apply a handful of potash to the soil around the fruiting plants. Potash is beneficial to apples, pears, Plum, cherries, blackcurrants and gooseberries Click here to see our Sulphate of Potash

10.  Blight protection is still important on tomatoes and potatoes apply a dressing of the systemic Proximinal blight treatment to potato crops and tomato plants every two weeks throughout June for maximum protection Click here to see our Proximinal Blight Treatment

11. June is an excellent month to plant flowering and foliage climbers; I recommend summer flowering clematis, scented honeysuckle, flowering hydrangeas and the lovely free flowering wisteria Click here to see our Climbing Plants. Remember to add organic compost to the planting hole when planting Click here to see our Compost

12. Plant flowering Hydrangeas now, Many of the popular varieties re just coming into flower now and will flower right through to early autumn. This year look for the stunning new variety called Hydrangea Selma which produces deep red foliage followed with bright pink and white flowers. Also plant the lace cap hydrangeas now for colour this summer Click here to see our Hydrangeas

Join me for the Gardening programme this Saturday morning on Midwest radio from 9am to 10am for ask about gardening. Text your gardening question to 0879004141 or email to garden@midwestradio.ie

Horkans Lifestyle & Garden Centre turlough Castlebar and west road Westport open seven days Sunday 12 to 6pm

Time for a bonfire of colour!

The scarlet red flowers from Begonia bonfire provide a stunning show of colour in patio planters and flower borders from now right up until early winter.
Begonia bonfire is a very free   flowering border plant that produces a mass of colour irrespective of the weather conditions over the summer months. The colourful blooms are produced on mass and are ideal for filling gaps in shrub borders and flower beds.




Once planted this colourful plant will flower for months and can be lifted in early winter and stored indoors over the winter as a bulb and replanted next summer for another year of colour.


Begonias are now available in a wide variety of colours and are ideal for a stunning show of colour in pots, borders and beds.

Jobs in the garden this week!

1. Early June is an excellent time to plant a Japanese maple plant in your garden or in a large container.  The beautiful purple foliage provides a stunning show of colour from spring right up until early winter. Japanese maples are easy to grow and provide a wonderful show of colour and shape in any garden or container Click here to see our Japanese maple

2. Lawn clover is wide spread in many garden lawns, the rich green foliage and bright white flowers is adapt at growing and thriving in the recent warm dry weather. Lawn clover spreads by under ground stems and from the seeds produced later in the summer. Remove it now from your lawn with a dressing of Scott’s Renovator lawn treatment. Renovator will kill unwanted lawn weeds and also feed your lawn producing a rich green colour without forcing growth Click here to see our Renovator

3. Sow some cabbage from seed now, the variety I recommend is called April, it produces lovely rich green cone shaped heads ideal for using in late winter and early spring, simply sow the seeds out of doors in a ridge or drill. The young plants will be ideal for planting into the ground after you dig your first early potatoes Click here to see our April Cabbage

4. Give the kids something to do this summer, now is the ideal time to sow Shamrock seed to provide you with lots of rich green shamrock plants for next march’s st Patrick’s Day. Shamrock seed is now available for sowing or for posting abroad to relatives and friends of Ireland Click here to see our Shamrock Seed

5. Carrots can be attacked this month by carrot root fly, protect your plants with a dressing of carrot root fly treatment. This treatment can be applied now to young developing carrots and will kill the carrot root fly grubs on contact. Simply mix the carrot root fly with water and drench onto the developing young carrots to kill and control carrot root fly attack Click here to see our Karate Carrot Root fly treatment

6. Grow your own flowering plants from seed, wallflowers, sweet William, winter flowering pansies, polyanthus, antirrhinums and Lupins can all be sown from seed now. You have a wide selection of seed to choose from, I recommend the Thompson and Morgan range of seeds for a super variety of colours and type’s. Seed can be sown directly out of doors now Click here to see our selection of Flower seeds

7. Take cuttings from geraniums now, they are simple to root and grow. Select young new growth, dip in rooting powder, and place into a small pot of compost and cover with a polythene bag. Cuttings will root in a couple of weeks and make nice strong plants before autumn Click here to see our Geraniums

8. Tomato and pepper plants will require weekly feeding from mid June on, I use One liquid feed on all my fruiting plants. One not only feeds your plants but also stimulates the plant into producing new growth and fruit. One liquid feed is easy to use and ideal for a wide range of flower and foliage plants Click here to see our One liquid plant feed

9. Sow a wild flower meadow this month, its any ideal way to add colour and wildlife interest to your garden. A wild flower meadow is ideal for larger areas in your garden and rewards you with a mixture of meadow grass and wild flowers which attract a wide range of wildlife to your garden.

10. Potato crops are growing strongly and now is the time to add some organic chicken manure fertiliser to the young stems to encourage strong growth and bigger tubers – apply a handful of organic chicken manure to each plant now and again in mid July Click here to see our Chicken Manure Pellets

11.  Garden timber furniture will benefit from a dressing of wood treatment to clean the wood and enhance the natural colour. Garden furniture wood treatment is now available for a wide range of outdoor timber furniture and not only restores the wood to its natural colour; it helps to protect the furniture from the weather.

12. Summer flowering roses can be planted now, they have just come into flower, and if planted now will flower from June to early winter. Roses are available in a wide variety of colours and heights. Click here to see our range of Rose's  Remember to feed existing roses with Rose food once a month  and apply a dressing of rose clear to all roses Click here to see our Rose Food

The Bay leaf restaurant in Horkans offers you a wonderful Sunday lunch at its carvery every weekend. Bayleaf restaurant opens 7 days and every Sunday from 12pm – Join us for Lunch this weekend