Horticulture and Gardening 18-14

Horticulture and Gardening how to: 1.Why should I plant a hedge? Hedges are not just for blocking out an unsightly view or making our gardens more private. If used carefully, they can define a garden creating individual spaces or rooms within. Hedges can shield us from something we don’t wish to see, draw the eye to a feature or frame a view. Hedges are also good at providing shelter for our plants, especially in exposed areas. They’re great for attracting wildlife too, particularly in the spring when birds need somewhere to nest. 2. Pot on rooted cuttings When your cuttings are well rooted, it’s time to pot them on. Gently tease them apart without damaging the new roots and pot them on into individual 3in pots filled with compost and a bit of perlite. Place somewhere sheltered and, if possible, in the shade. 3. Nip out the growing tip of tomatoes To help the fruit ripen on indoor cordon tomatoes, it’s worth nipping out the main growing point once the plants have reached a height of 1.8m (6ft). If they’re growing outside, wait until they’ve set four trusses of fruit. This will help divert all the plant’s energy into ripening existing fruit before the end of the summer. 4. Sow salad crops There’s still time to sow rocket and other salad crops, but you need to get on with it. Sowing now means that the plants will have time to get established before the cold weather arrives. Choose a hardy variety and either sow direct outdoors or in a seed tray for planting out later when you have room.