Centre of excellence for gardeners

THE clocks have changed and longer days are on the way, so it is the perfect time to think about what is going on in your garden.

Dobbies Braehead General Manager Brendan Chambers in the popular store Pictures: Mark Mainz

Finding time for preparation to get planting and planning ahead for the months to come are all important just now, according to experts at Dobbies in Braehead.

Weeding, getting the lawn in good shape and planting a vegetable garden are all jobs that can be done now, even if the weather isn't particularly warm.

"Be canny, there can still be a bit of frost around, but lawn care is very relevant at the moment," advises store manager Kelvin Mobbs. "It is all about setting up routines, if you are going to look after it, it isn't something you do once and walk away. You've got to love your lawn and if you're going to feed it, do it frequently.

"Often people chuck their feed down, stand back and expect that to be it. But it needs repetition and it needs care."

Keen gardeners will already have been out to do the first cut of the year. If there is moss, tackle it now with a treatment that feeds the lawn, kills weeds and moss, then scarify the grass.

"You can do all this by hand, using a flexible grass rake that pulls out all the moss," explains horticultural manager Andy Garven. "Or you can use an electric lawn rake. If you're keen and really want the lawn to look good that's something to think about. You'd use it in the spring and then again in the autumn."

The number of people growing their own vegetables has risen and the time is right for planting seed potatoes and preparing tomato plants for the months ahead. They are projects popular with children and this Dobbies works with four local schools.

"Potatoes are easy things to grow, you can grow them in lots of different kinds of containers," says Andy. "Chit them to get them started, then put them in."

Read this article:
Centre of excellence for gardeners