Mike's Garden Notes

Blog

  • How to Prune Roses in Late Winter

    How to Prune Roses in Late Winter

    How to Prune Roses in Late Winter sounds like a big job, but it comes down to a few habits you can start this week. This guide walks through the basics in the order you will actually need them, from preparation to the small checks that keep things on track.

    Why it matters

    Getting this right early saves effort later in the season. Small adjustments made at the right time tend to work better than large corrections made late, and they are easier to fit into a busy week.

    What you need before you start

    Gather the tools and materials first so the work goes in one session. Clean, sharp tools make cleaner work, and having everything at hand means you are less likely to cut corners halfway through.

    Many experienced growers report better results when they follow this routine every year [source needed: a horticultural extension guide that supports this routine].

    Step by step

    Start with the parts that are clearly damaged or in the way, then work toward the finer decisions. Step back often and look at the whole picture before the next change, because every change affects the ones after it.

    • Work on a dry, mild day.
    • Wipe your tools between plants.
    • Write down what you did.

    Common mistakes to avoid

    The most frequent problem is doing too much at once. Another is skipping the follow-up: what you do in the weeks after matters as much as the main job. Keep notes so next year starts from what you learned.

    Why it matters (continued)

    Getting this right early saves effort later in the season. Small adjustments made at the right time tend to work better than large corrections made late, and they are easier to fit into a busy week.

    What you need before you start (continued)

    Gather the tools and materials first so the work goes in one session. Clean, sharp tools make cleaner work, and having everything at hand means you are less likely to cut corners halfway through.

    Step by step (continued)

    Start with the parts that are clearly damaged or in the way, then work toward the finer decisions. Step back often and look at the whole picture before the next change, because every change affects the ones after it.

    Common mistakes to avoid (continued)

    The most frequent problem is doing too much at once. Another is skipping the follow-up: what you do in the weeks after matters as much as the main job. Keep notes so next year starts from what you learned.

    Why it matters (continued)

    Getting this right early saves effort later in the season. Small adjustments made at the right time tend to work better than large corrections made late, and they are easier to fit into a busy week.

    What you need before you start (continued)

    Gather the tools and materials first so the work goes in one session. Clean, sharp tools make cleaner work, and having everything at hand means you are less likely to cut corners halfway through.

    Step by step (continued)

    Start with the parts that are clearly damaged or in the way, then work toward the finer decisions. Step back often and look at the whole picture before the next change, because every change affects the ones after it.

    Common mistakes to avoid (continued)

    The most frequent problem is doing too much at once. Another is skipping the follow-up: what you do in the weeks after matters as much as the main job. Keep notes so next year starts from what you learned.

    Take it one step at a time, watch how your plants respond, and adjust next season. A little attention at the right moment goes a long way.

  • Companion Plants for Tomatoes

    Companion Plants for Tomatoes

    Companion Plants for Tomatoes sounds like a big job, but it comes down to a few habits you can start this week. This guide walks through the basics in the order you will actually need them, from preparation to the small checks that keep things on track.

    Why it matters

    Getting this right early saves effort later in the season. Small adjustments made at the right time tend to work better than large corrections made late, and they are easier to fit into a busy week.

    What you need before you start

    Gather the tools and materials first so the work goes in one session. Clean, sharp tools make cleaner work, and having everything at hand means you are less likely to cut corners halfway through.

    Many experienced growers report better results when they follow this routine every year [source needed: a horticultural extension guide that supports this routine].

    Step by step

    Start with the parts that are clearly damaged or in the way, then work toward the finer decisions. Step back often and look at the whole picture before the next change, because every change affects the ones after it.

    • Work on a dry, mild day.
    • Wipe your tools between plants.
    • Write down what you did.

    Common mistakes to avoid

    The most frequent problem is doing too much at once. Another is skipping the follow-up: what you do in the weeks after matters as much as the main job. Keep notes so next year starts from what you learned.

    Why it matters (continued)

    Getting this right early saves effort later in the season. Small adjustments made at the right time tend to work better than large corrections made late, and they are easier to fit into a busy week.

    What you need before you start (continued)

    Gather the tools and materials first so the work goes in one session. Clean, sharp tools make cleaner work, and having everything at hand means you are less likely to cut corners halfway through.

    Step by step (continued)

    Start with the parts that are clearly damaged or in the way, then work toward the finer decisions. Step back often and look at the whole picture before the next change, because every change affects the ones after it.

    Common mistakes to avoid (continued)

    The most frequent problem is doing too much at once. Another is skipping the follow-up: what you do in the weeks after matters as much as the main job. Keep notes so next year starts from what you learned.

    Why it matters (continued)

    Getting this right early saves effort later in the season. Small adjustments made at the right time tend to work better than large corrections made late, and they are easier to fit into a busy week.

    What you need before you start (continued)

    Gather the tools and materials first so the work goes in one session. Clean, sharp tools make cleaner work, and having everything at hand means you are less likely to cut corners halfway through.

    Step by step (continued)

    Start with the parts that are clearly damaged or in the way, then work toward the finer decisions. Step back often and look at the whole picture before the next change, because every change affects the ones after it.

    Common mistakes to avoid (continued)

    The most frequent problem is doing too much at once. Another is skipping the follow-up: what you do in the weeks after matters as much as the main job. Keep notes so next year starts from what you learned.

    Take it one step at a time, watch how your plants respond, and adjust next season. A little attention at the right moment goes a long way.

  • My Late Summer Tomato Harvest

    The cherry tomatoes on the back fence kept going into September. I picked them every other day and froze the extras for sauce.

  • What I Learned From a Year of Raised Beds

    Two raised beds gave me more salad than the whole old vegetable patch. The soil warms sooner in spring and I never walk on it.

    Next year I will put the beds closer to the water butt.

  • Choosing a Rose for a Small Garden

    Not every rose fits a small garden. Patio roses and compact shrub roses give flowers without taking over.

    I look at the full size on the label, not the size of the pot.

  • Protecting Roses Over Winter

    In my garden the wind does more damage than the cold. I shorten long canes by a third so they do not rock in the wind.

    A mound of compost over the base protects the graft. I take it away again in spring.

  • Planting Bare-Root Roses in Autumn

    Bare-root roses are cheaper and settle in quickly when planted in autumn. I soak the roots in a bucket for an hour first.

    The hole is wide enough for the roots to spread out, and the graft union sits at soil level. I firm the soil with my boot and water it in.

  • Overseeding a Tired Lawn

    Here is an updated, clearer version of this guide.

    In short

    Early autumn is when I overseed the thin patches. I rake out the dead grass, scatter seed and keep it damp for two weeks. Planning this step at the start of the season makes it easier.

    Common mistakes to avoid

    The most frequent problem is doing too much at once. Another is skipping the follow-up: what you do in the weeks after matters as much as the main job. Keep notes so next year starts from what you learned.

    Many experienced growers report better results when they follow this routine every year [source needed: a horticultural extension guide that supports this routine].

    Take it one step at a time, watch how your plants respond, and adjust next season. A little attention at the right moment goes a long way.

  • Deadheading Roses for a Second Flush

    Cutting off spent flowers keeps repeat-flowering roses busy. I cut back to the first full leaf below the old flower.

    By late summer I stop deadheading the last flowers so the plant can form hips and slow down before winter.

  • Black Spot on Roses: What I Do

    Black spot shows up every wet June in my garden. I pick off the spotted leaves, clear fallen ones from the ground and water at the base, not over the leaves.

    Some varieties barely get it. When I replace a rose now, I pick one sold as disease resistant.