What to do this month...
Bring an exotic touch to your patio this summer with potted succulent displays
Succulents are fabulous plants with fleshy leaves in a range of colours and shapes. They’re ideal for planting in pots to brighten a windowsill or patio and can even be grown in a hanging basket.
They thrive in a hot, sunny location and can cope without water for a couple of weeks when you go away on holiday because the fleshy leaves store water.
● How to plant a succulent pot: Make sure the container has plenty of drainage holes then fill with specialist cacti compost or add plenty of grit to a John Innes No 2compost – succulents thrive on well-drained soils so they really don’t need a lot of nutrients. Plant up and backfill with compost, then top with a mulch of grit or small pebbles. Not only does this look good, but also it helps moisture drain away from the plant crowns.
Many succulents come from hot climates and are tender so they won’t survive outdoors over winter, but you can always bring your pots inside to overwinter on a bright windowsill indoors.
Prune spring-flowering shrubs now
Shrubs such as ornamental currants (ribes) and forsythia need to be pruned straight after flowering so there’s plenty of time for new growth to develop and produce flowers next spring.
Use sharp, clean secateurs – or loppers if the stems are thick – and remove any dead or damaged growth to a healthy bud or to the base of the stem. Then prune out any stems growing in the wrong direction and spoiling the silhouette of the plant.
If the shrub is very congested, thin out the stems by removing a couple from the centre of the plant right down to the base. It’s also a good idea to prune out any weak, spindly branches to encourage strong fresh growth. Prune back any remaining stems that have flowered to strong, healthy buds.
CREATE ACONTAINER POND
You don’t need a lot of space to grow aquatic plants and attract wildlife into your garden. Any water-tight container that won’t be damaged by frost or ice can be turned into a water feature.
1 Make it watertight You can seal holes with a pond liner
