Well, another busy week in the garden. I have:

1) planted the rest of the potatoes into the raised beds (previously only into potato bags)

2) cut the lawn for the first time (set the blade higher than usual), then scarified and fed it. Soon be time to sow grass seed into any bare patches.

3) as my tomatoes and cucumbers are growing well (some over 6 ins tall), I have repotted those into larger pots, tied them up and also sown a few more seeds.

4) I have my fingers crossed that we wont have any more really hard frosts – defined as more than 36 hours at below zero constantly, or below minus 5deg C at any stage. So I have taken a small chance, and pruned my hydrangeas and salvias. Photo 1 shows my salvia before hard pruning, and photo 2 shows it afterwards. Photo 3 shows my (lacecap) hydrangea before pruning, and photo 4 after pruning. Note for mophead or lacecap hydrangeas (ie macrophylla), prune lightly down to just above the first pair of new buds. For paniculata or aborescens (ie ‘Annabelle’), prune harder now, as flowers come from new wood. For any climbing hydrangea, prune lightly after flowering.

Kevin