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The Greener Gardener
Calendar

When to use Vital Earth Products & other Green Tips

 

PLUS Your monthly green idea entries

 

 

 

We have created a garden calendar to help you understand when to use

different growing media, soil improvers, mulches and feeds.

 

What we haven't done is create a calendar of everything you need to do in the garden throughout the year. To be honest BBC GARDENERS WORLD do an excellent job on what to do each week, so we thought you would appreciate the link.

 

Where this calendar is different is we want your GREEN IDEAS for the month, to help our little community. So why not send your entries and if we put your idea on our calendar we will send you a gift.

Green Idea Entries

We would truly appreciate your ideas to make this page really interesting - so don't forget to click and find out what the great prize is.

 

 


Multi Purpose Compost MPCBark Chips

 

Pine Bark Chips

If you have one - last month for overhauling your compost heap.


This is such a busy month you won't have time for much else! Perhaps make some leek and potato soup and freeze any surplus cauliflowers.

 

 

 

 

March

Soil

Fork soil over and work in Soil Improver, Farmyard Manure or Chicken Poo™. After planting shrubs etc, apply mulch (EcoMulch or Bark Chips) - saves work later in the season, reduces chances of weeds germinating, reduces evaporation and gets worms working for you!

 

Seedlings

Look to pot up any self-sown seedlings. Use No.1 Seed Sowing or Seed & Cutting Compost in seed trays.

 

Vegetables

Pick Brussels sprout tops for Spring greens. Line a runner bean trench with a minimum of 10cm of Soil Improver - this will hold water and boost your crop.

 

Lawn

Spring is the next best time after Autumn to create a new lawn - if the ground is not too wet. Use Soil Improver - provides a long lasting nitrogen source, nutrients, humus and water retention

 

Chicken PooNo.1 Seed Sowing Compost

 

Soil ImproverEco Mulch

 

Seed Sowing CompostRose, Tree and Shrub Compost

Good month for collecting rain water. Use a water trap on your down pipe to collect water from the roof - especially if you are switching to water metering.

 

 

 

 

 

April

Roses, Shrubs, Trees

Feed roses, borders, hedges, trees and shrubs with Chicken Po™o. This ensures they have a good kick start of nutrients - work in with a rake, hoe or fork. Also a good time for planting - use Rose, Tree & Shrub Compost or Ericaceous Compost for lime hating / acid loving plants.

 

Ericaceous Plants

Mulch acid loving plants with Ericaceous Compost then Bark Chips. A great time to mulch those ornamental areas. Pine Bark looks good and helps acidify the soil.

 

Lawn

A good month to apply Lawn Dressing - rich in slow release nutrients - a well fed lawn helps reduce moss and weeds - more grass means less space for them to work their way in.

 

Evergreens Conifers

Plant evergreens and conifers - best planted April or September. They will need constant watering until they are well rooted. Use Rose, Tree & Shrub Compost in the bottom of the planting hole and backfill.

 

Herbs & Vegetables

Clear remnants of winter vegetables to brown bins or compost heap. Lift last leeks and heel them back into a corner of the vegetable patch, where you won't be replanting straight away. Time for vegetable and herb sowing. First prepare the soil using Soil Improver.

 

Use Premium Top Soil and/or Vegetable Compost if you are creating a new raised vegetable bed.

 

Plant tomatoes in Kayak Growbag or Planter under glass.

 

Summer Bulbs

Don't be tempted to plant Summer bedding plants but look to put Summer bulbs in pots. Use Vital Earth Bulb Compost to encourage strong roots and eliminate sourness from pots.


Vegetable CompostBulb Compost

 

Tub and Basket CompostChicken Poo

 

Kayak Growbag

 

Planter

Just finished a Spring clean and have unwanted items - why not consider re-cycling them using FREE CYCLE it means someone else in your area gets the benefit www.uk.freecycle.org

 

 

 

 

 

May

Soil

Prepare the soil for summer. Clear spring bedding plants and fork in Farmyard Manure or Chicken Poo™.

 

Hanging Baskets & Tubs

Time to start planting up those hanging baskets, tubs and windowboxes ready for that blaze of colour.

 

Leave until the middle of the month or June if it is still cold/windy. We recommend Vital Earth's specially formulated Tub & Basket Compost or No.3 Container - both will sustain plants longer before feeding is required.

 

Vegetables

The key message here is keep on top of it all - watering is essential in dry areas, as is feeding. If you are just planting out frost-tender vegetables make sure the soil is prepared. Use plenty of Farmyard Manure, Chicken Poo™ or Soil Improver.

 

Remember to plant vegetables in hoed-out channels to save water and feed, and maximise the benefit.

 

Leeks & Brassicas

Leeks and winter brassicas will be ready for transplanting from now - make sure your new soil is ready for them.

 

Farmyard Manure or Soil Improver will ensure the soil is invigorated and aid water retention.

 

Summer Bedding Plants

Plant out Summer bedding plants and water regularly.

No2 Potting On CompostNo1 Seed Sowing Compost

 

Seed and Cutting CompostFarmyard Manure

 

Chicken Poo

Get off to BBC Gardeners' World so you pick up more green-fingered tips.

 

 

 

 

 

June

Vegetables

Sow more vegetables including, lettuce, rocket, spring onions, carrots, peas, beans, courgettes and sweetcorn. Harvest some of the crops you started to grow earlier. Plant tomatoes etc in Growbags or Vegetable Compost outdoors to get great tasting, bountiful crops.

 

Don't leave the ground empty for long - before sowing the next batch work some Chicken Poo™ or Farmyard Manure into the soil.

 

Hanging Baskets & Tubs

Bring out hanging baskets and other container plants when the weather is kind and make sure they are fed with plant food.

 

Winter Early Spring Bedding Plants

Time to sow winter and early bedding plants in pots and trays under glass. Use No.1 Seed Sowing or Seed & Cutting Compost.

 

Note: during these long days plants grow faster and need more feeding. This is the key time to keep them topped up with nutrients.

 

To deter pigeons push twiggy sticks in to the ground where young brassicas are growing and dangle cast-off CDs overhead.

 

Shade greenhouse if it is open to the South.


Eco MulchBark Chips

 

Pine Bark Chips

Use surplus tomatoes, courgettes, fruit etc. to make chutney, pickles, puree, soups - maybe even courgette cake.

 

 

 

 

 

July

Roses

These will be ready for feeding in July (once the first flush of flowers is over). Bring on the next batch of flowers. Water in.

 

Herbaceous Perennials

Give these (particularly late flowering ones) a feed by working in Chicken Poo™ between plants and watering well.

 

Containers

This is the season where the roots are jam packed and there is loads of great colour. Maintain it with plenty of water.

 

Vegetables

As with June keep sowing those vegetables. Also sow spring cabbages around this time of year.

 

 

 

 

Eco MulchBark Chips

 

Pine Bark Chips

Why not take a look at Our Feeling Bored page for some ideas on what to do this Summer.

 

see Feeling bored here

 

 

 

 

 

August

Lawns

Don't be tempted to feed them. If you plan to create a new lawn in Autumn, - now is a good time to start digging it over and getting rid of weeds.

 

Beds and Borders

Remove weeds before they re-seed and use our Eco-Mulch or Bark Chips to keep them at bay.

 

Self Sewn Seedlings

A time for finding self-sewn seedlings - you can pot them indoors using No.2 Potting Compost to give them the best possible start - ensuring they will make a good size plant for planting out next year.

 

Containers

Still blooming; keep up with the watering.

 

Lawn DressingSoil Improver

 

Rose, Tree and Shrub CompostBulb Compost

 

Houseplant Compost

 

 

 

Mrs Smith, Derby

 

Your green ideas could be published here

 

 

 

 

 

September

Lawns

Once you have raked out moss and removed weeds, you should spike the lawn and topdress with Lawn dressing. Spiking makes sure the lawn doesn't become compacted, leaving you with poor surface drainage, encouraging moss.

 

Vital Earth Soil Improver is enriched with long-lasting nitrogen sources and high in humus to improve soil structure.

 

Lawn Dressing is particularly beneficial for gardens on chalky or sandy soils. Some will fill the spiky holes - the rest will be dragged down by worms.

 

If you plan to start a new lawn in October or November, start preparing the soil now. If the soil is in good condition, grass seed can be sown late September or early October. Again we recommend Soil Improver before seeding or turfing, which can be done up to November, weather permitting.

 

Evergreens & Conifers

Plant evergreens and conifers now or April. They will need watering until they are well rooted.

 

Use Rose, Tree & Shrub Compost to line the planting hole and backfill soil to conserve moisture and aid root growth.

 

Plant Spring Bulbs

Make sure you bury bulbs to the correct depth. Plant winter pansies etc. in beds or containers.

 

Vital Earth's Bulb Compost contains oyster shell and charcoal to eliminate odours and protect young roots.

 

Trim off dying foliage to reduce the risk of disease. Harvest your vegetables and BBQ while you still can.

Rose, Tree and Shrub Compost

Houseplant Compost

 

 

 

Mrs Smith, Derby

 

Your green ideas could be published here

 

 

 

 

 

 

October

Lawns

If the Summer was long and hot - OK maybe we don't get much of that - but if you didn't get around to lawn care - now is the time to quickly use Lawn Dressing. This is also a good month for turfing.

 

Container Grown Trees, Shrubs & Climbers

A perfect time for planting - soil will be moist and warm. The long lasting reserves of plant foods in Rose, Tree and Shrub Compost will ensure future rich green foliage and sustain the plant through the winter months.

 

Trim hedges and lop trees. Shred or take to the re-cycling centre. If you have a hatchback, estate car or van, we recommend getting 1 or 2 "dumpy bags" from a builders merchant.

It's a great way to collect green waste.

 

Sweep up leaves for your compost bin or re-cycling centre.

Houseplant Compost

 

 

 

Take a look at the Wildlife Trusts events for this month

 

Click here

 

 

 

 

 

November

House Plants

A good time of the year to enjoy house plants - using our House Plant Compost should ensure you get greener leaves and vibrant colours even if the garden has lost much of its colour.

 

November 5th - only good excuse for a bonfire (watch out for hedgehogs!) - put bonfire ash on the garden.


Rake up more leaves.

 

 

 

 


Soil Improver

Mrs Smith, Derby

 

Your green ideas could be published here

 

 

 

 

 

 

December

Soil

A good time to fork over - ready for new lawns, beds and borders in the Spring. It will reduce the likelihood of pests.

 

Deciduous Tree & Shrubs

Providing the soil is in a suitable state - moving these plants is best in November & December or early March.

 

 


No1 Seed Sowing CompostSeed and Cutting Compost

 

Vegetable Compost

Mrs Smith, Derby

 

Your green ideas could be published here

 

 

 

 

 

January

Seeds

You should have ordered by now!

 

Re-cycle

Re-cycle your Christmas Tree.

 

Vegetables & Herbs

Sow early crops in greenhouse e.g. onions, herbs, lettuce.

 

 


Chicken PooSoil Improver

Vegetable Compost

 

 

Mrs Smith, Derby

 

Your green ideas could be published here

 

 

 

 

 

 

February

Soil

If you haven't done your winter digging now is the time to work in Soil Improver or Chicken Poo™.

 

Plug Plants

Get your orders in.

 

Year Round Tubs

Even in the wet, tubs can dry out.

 

Vegetables

Plant spuds indoors in Vital Earth Vegetable Compost. If weather and soil permit, sow parsnips with radish.

 

Radish will grow quicker remind you where the parsnips have been sown.