<![CDATA[Katie's Garden Plant Centre

<![CDATA[Katie's Garden Plant Centre - Garden tips]]>Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:51:13 +0100Weebly<![CDATA[Gardening in the Golden Years]]>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:26:52 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/gardening-in-the-golden-yearsAdvice from Susie Davis, owner of Katie's Garden Plant Centre
A version of this article appeared in the East Anglian Daily Times, 29th April 2026

"The love of gardening often increases in later life, and it’s natural to look forward to retirement and extra time to spend tending your plot. But for many gardeners, it is also time to be realistic about the physical effort required – at the nursery, we are often asked to advise on achieving a low-maintenance, future-proofed garden. If you need to make your current garden easier to manage, make sure you focus on
what’s important to you, and consider both structure and planting.

If you hate mowing the lawn, could you invest in more hard landscaping, or a cobbled garden with Mediterranean shrubs such as Cistus, Phlomis and Lavender? Or try raising the cutting height just one notch – this will reduce the workload AND allow the grasses more resilience against drought.

Raised beds can be a game-changer for bad backs and sore knees. Think carefully about where these are positioned – ideally somewhere you will regularly potter about, close to a water source and some seating, in sunshine or good light. Height is important – don’t skimp: you really want to be standing up with your trowel! Then fill with a good quality topsoil and plenty of organic matter.

High-maintenance hedges could be replaced with slower-growing varieties such as Ilex crenata or Euonymus ‘Jean Hughes’.

A cottagey herbaceous border can be very labour-intensive – could you transform that to a border of low-maintenance shrubs? We’re not talking car-park evergreens here – there’s a whole A-Z of well-known and less common species to collect, with something in flower all year round.

Add a carpet of ground-cover perennials to reduce weeds, and a thick mulch of organic matter to conserve moisture, then sit back and enjoy – after switching on the water-conserving Porous Pipe system. Bring the countryside into your garden with naturalistic, wild-life focussed planting –and resist the urge to ‘tidy it up’! Even a small garden can host a well-chosen bird-friendly tree, potentially with coloured foliage, spring blossom and autumn fruit on one plant – consider Malus, Prunus and Sorbus varieties.

For some, change will mean a move to a smaller garden, perhaps even just a small courtyard or patio. This can initially feel very limiting, but you will be surprised how many plants you can shoehorn in!

If you are moving to container gardening rather than generous borders, upgrade to the biggest pots you can afford with proper pot feet or individual wheeled bases. You will be able to create interesting mixed displays for a more natural look, and watering will be much easier – plus the larger rootzone gives better protection from frost.

Make every plant earn its keep. Spring and winter-flowering shrubs often have delicious scent (Sarcococca, Edgeworthia); herbs offer contrasted foliage, bee-friendly flowers and garnish for the kitchen; among the annuals, Cosmos and Dahlias are prolific enough to provide a few blooms for a posy. Grow-your-own is usually considered very labour-intensive, but there are satisfying shortcuts – try ‘Tumbling Tom’ tomatoes in a pot; red-flowered everbearer strawberry ‘Ruby Ann’; ‘Super Snack’ peppers adding red and yellow to your raised beds; cut-and-come-again salad leaf in a slightly shaded corner.

Some of the best hardy perennials will bloom continuously from June to October –try Erysimum, Gauras, Salvias and Erigeron in pots as well as borders. For early spring colour, you can divert the focus to ‘lasagne’-planted bulbs – one pot filled with layers of different species for longer flowering (I like early Crocus, mid-season Muscari, and tulips to finish).

"Some of the loveliest gardens I know seem to be achieved with remarkably low effort. The key must be to retain the elements YOU love, so that you are encouraged and inspired to get out there, little and often, before a task becomes a chore. In that way, you’ll get all the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening without physical strain.

And remember, gardening can be a social activity too – share the deadheading, share the picnic on the patio, share the love of plants!"

]]><![CDATA[How to Grow-Your-Own: Tomatoes]]>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/how-to-grow-your-own-tomatoes

On the whole, the more heat and sunshine, the tastier the tomato! However, if growing in greenhouses provide shade from scorching midday sun, and be sure to ventilate on the hottest summer days.

Try to be consistent with watering to avoid splitting of the fruit - tomatoes need a lot of water but don’t want to be waterlogged.

Tomatoes are hungry plants. Grow in a good multi-purpose compost and feed weekly with tomato feeds, seaweed extract or homemade comfrey mix once flowers appear.

Most varieties - known as cordons - benefit from a support cane to grow up: loosely tie in as necessary. Nip out any side shoots as soon as they start to form: you want the plant to concentrate its energy on the main stem.

“Trusses” is the term for the clusters of flowers and fruits. Once several have formed you should nip off the top of the plant to stop it wasting energy getting taller: you want the nutrients to go to fruits not leaves.

Bush tomatoes need little staking or nipping out as they grow to a compact size. They have a shorter harvest season than cordons.

Tomato feeds often say to use once the "first trusses are set". This means when you see the first green tomatoes forming!

Examples of cordon (interdeminate) tomatoes are:
*Alicante
*Gardener's Delight
*Honeycomb
*Moneymaker
*Shirley
*Sungold
*Supermarmande
*Sweet Million

Examples of bush (determinate) tomatoes are:
*Roma
*Totem
*Tumbling Tom
*Veranda Red F1

]]><![CDATA[How to Grow-Your-Own: Companion planting]]>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/how-to-grow-your-own-companion-plantingPlant herbs and flowers among your vegetable and salad plants to help them grow better!

English Marigolds, Sweet Peas and most herbs will draw in bees which will increase pollination of your plants.

Among the plants that will deter aphids from your crops are Chives, Thymes, Oregano (Marjoram), French Marigolds and Nasturtiums.

Parsley, Dill, Coriander, Fennel, Achillea (yarrow), Verbenas, Monarda and daisy flowers such as Cosmos and Sunflowers can attract predatory insects such as ladybirds that will eat aphid.

See our list by clicking here

Chives and other plants of the onion (Allium) family can be a deterrent to slugs and snails.
]]><![CDATA[How to Grow-Your-Own: Herbs]]>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/how-to-grow-your-own-herbs

Herbs prefer to grow in a light, free-draining soil, and are well suited to growing in large tubs, containers or raised beds.

The mints are fast-growing plants and are best grown in tubs on their own as they can quickly overwhelm daintier neighbours.

For best flavour, grow in full sun and pick young leaves in the early morning. Most herbs will benefit from a liquid feed once or twice during the growing season. Bear in mind that after a few years many herbs will become woody and are best replaced.

They can be invaluable for companion planting with grow-your-own plants, as many can deter aphids and other problematic bugs, while others attract beneficial insects and pollinators.

Herbs are, of course, very useful for cooking, and they are also very pretty in the garden. With such a variety of leaf shapes, shades and textures, not to mention the flowers and the aromas, they can create a wonderful display in borders or containers.

]]><![CDATA[How to Grow-Your-Own: Salads and Brassicas]]>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/how-to-grow-your-own-salads-and-brassicas

Lettuces and salad leaves are a great place to start if you are new to grow-your-own as they are relatively fuss-free and give quick results.

Grow in fertile well-drained soil: improve with composts and manures if necessary. Water regularly and don’t allow the soil to dry out. Mulches such as bark chippings can help keep moisture in.

Although the salads need sunshine, they can struggle in strong midday sun which can also cause the soil to dry out. You can counter this by planting in the moderate shade of taller growing edibles such as runner beans, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Plants of the Allium family such as chives and garlic can deter pests, as can chervil. Harvest leaves early in the day when they are still plump with the morning dew!

Brassicas - such as cabbages, cauliflowers and brussels sprouts - need similar growing conditions, although they take longer to grow.

You can try using old CDs and children’s whirly windmills to keep problematic birds such as pigeons away.

]]><![CDATA[How to Grow-Your-Own: Peppers]]>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/how-to-grow-your-own-peppers

For best cropping, grow sweet peppers and chilli peppers under cover in greenhouses or similar, as they like it warm and sunny.

Grow in a good multi-purpose compost and feed weekly with tomato feeds, seaweed extract or homemade comfrey mix once flowers appear.

Peppers need very little care, despite needing a long growing period before they are ready for harvesting.

Sweet peppers like a humid atmosphere. Keep well watered and also consider watering the ground around them on warm, sunny days.
If you get a heavy crop be prepared to add support canes to prevent the plant from collapsing!

To get hotter chilli peppers you can try stressing the plant. Methods can include allowing the soil to temporarily dry out, or to stop feeding. Bear in mind this is likely to reduce the overall harvest.

]]><![CDATA[How to Grow-Your-Own: Fruit bushes]]>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/how-to-grow-your-own-fruit-bushes

Fruit bushes are the great way to enjoy years of homegrown produce with little effort!

Most fruit bushes grow best in fertile, slightly acidic soils. Adding ericaceous compost to the planting hole can help. Blueberries in particular can be grown in pots where you can control what they grow in. It is a good idea to add sequestered iron in springtime. A feed of fish, blood and bone can be given once a year.

Different raspberry varieties ripen at different times of the summer and autumn, so if you are a fan of them make sure you plant a mix of early, late and autumn cropping varieties!

Fruits generally prefer to be in sunny spots, but some will still crop in light shade, including raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants, gooseberries and rhubarb.

Most fruit bushes should be left to grow for the first couple of years, and then pruned in the winters thereafter.

]]><![CDATA[Tree terminology: what you might need to know!]]>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/tree-terminology-what-you-might-need-to-knowTrees can completely transform a garden, their size and longevity giving the garden a sense of permanence and timelessness.

Most need little maintenance once established but it is important to get off on the right foot.

Although trees can be pruned, it is easier to pick one that will fit the space you have. It is easy to get caught up in ultimate heights but it is often the spread that will be more of an issue, so consider the shapes. Some have relatively columnar habits, some arch, and some have the classic 'lollipop' shaped crown. Bear in mind too that if you stick your hand up in the air you can probably reach to about 7ft, so a 10ft tall tree really isn't that big, so don't take fright at some of the ultimate heights!

With ornamental trees it is a case of checking the labels; with fruit trees it is all about the 'rootstock'.

Most modern fruit trees have been grafted on to the root systems of less vigorous trees to limit their ultimate size (ie the top of one tree is cut off and almost literally glued onto the bottom of another).

For example, a cherry tree on the 'Pixy' rootstock will only grow to 10ft, whereas the same variety of cherry on the 'Colt' rootstock will do double that, so it is definitely worth checking before you buy.

Anything producing fruits or berries will first need its blossom to be pollinated.

Some fruit trees are 'self-fertile' meaning a bee can transfer pollen from one of the tree's flowers to another, and fruit will result.

But for many they need pollen to come from a different tree. Apple trees are coded A, B, C or D, but what it really comes down to is that you need the two (or more) trees to be in flower at the same time for the pollinators to be able to travel from one to the other.

Unless you live in a very remote area it is likely there will be other trees in the neighbourhood close enough, but if you have the room it can be worth having your own extra trees: this can also increase yields in self-fertile trees.

What's the difference between a potted tree and a 'bareroot' tree?

At Katie's Garden we have a mix of 'container grown' and 'containerised' trees all year round. For our Tree Fortnight we also have a range of 'bareroot' trees. These are plants that have spent their lives growing in fields and are then dug up and offered for immediate sale without being potted, hence the roots are 'bare' of pots and compost.

As they have required less care than a plant in a pot they offer better value for money, but must go back into ground as quickly as possible. We store our plants in bags of compost to increase the amount of time they can be on sale, but recommend that you prepare the ground before you buy. They can only be offered in winter when the plants are dormant - not in leaf, bud or flower - as it is too stressful for them to be moved the rest of the year.

After the event ends we will be potting up the rest of the trees as containerised field-grown trees.

Finally our 'container grown' trees are just that: plants that have spent their lives in pots. As they require more care, from time spent potting them, the compost and fertiliser, and the more frequent waterings, they cost more than bareroot, but offer more flexibility when it comes to planting, although the dormant period of November to March is always the best time to get them in the garden.

It is very important that trees are well watered for the first few weeks after planting, and they should continue to get weekly, then fortnightly, drenchings for the first year they are in. Light waterings encourage roots to grow towards the surface, making the tree less stable and more vulnerable to drought conditions, so make sure you use at least a watering can's worth every time for a more resilient, well-anchored plant. It is also a good idea to water about a foot away from the trunk - going all the way round - to encourage the roots to spread outwards as well as down.

The area immediately around new trees should be kept clear for at least the first year: don't make them compete for nutrients with lawns or flowers by rushing into planting up around them.

Finally, very hard advice to follow, but fruit trees should not be allowed to fruit for the first couple of years - knock off the young fruits as soon as you seem them forming so the tree puts its energy into making a sturdy root system instead!

For more advice on planting, staking, watering and aftercare take a look at our YouTube tutorial: click here

]]><![CDATA[The autumn garden cut-back]]>Wed, 23 Oct 2024 09:16:35 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/the-autumn-garden-cut-backTo prune or not to prune? That is the question for autumn.

When it comes to perennials – the flowering border plants that come back year after year – there is no “right” answer.

Those that finish flowering in spring and summer are best cut back straight away as it often encourages regrowth and fresh blooms, and you don’t want grotty brown plants detracting from autumn displays!

But if they are running out of steam in autumn then they are very unlikely to do anything appealing again until next year.

So the best thing is to cut them right back? Well, it’s six of one and half-a-dozen of the other as to whether you cut in late autumn or early spring.

If you leave the old growth in place till spring then you are leaving habitat for wildlife to shelter in through the winter, anything from hedgehogs to beneficial insects. On the downside … you are leaving habitat for wildlife, anything from rodents to troublesome bugs and slugs.

(Consensus these days is to help all wildlife for a balanced ecosystem in the garden and the hopes the ‘good’ creatures eat the ‘bad’ ones!)

If you leave the old growth it can protect the plant’s root system from the worst of the snows and frosts, helping it to survive the winter. But if the plant had any sort of fungal disease, leaving the old growth will increase the chance of reinfection. And if the plant is turning to mush from winter wet, leaving the old growth will increase the chance of the rot reaching the roots.

Tall plants can get snapped, broken or even blown over in winter winds, which can harm the root system, and looks messy too. However, there are a number that have seedheads that birds can feed on through the lean winter months.

Verbena bonariensis is a good example of a plant that feeds the birds if you leave it, gives you free plants from self-seeding, but can suffer in the wind if not cut. So when it comes to taller plants, what you decide to do comes down to personal preference, the size/shape/sturdiness of the plant and to how sheltered a position it is growing in.

For other plants with bird-friendly seedheads click here.

Most perennials can get cut back hard to just a few inches, whether you decide to do it in autumn or spring.

Exceptions are the evergreen perennials – click here – and those that have a woody framework, which should usually only get a tidy-up.

The main cause of gardeners losing their (evergreen) Penstemon over winter is from over-enthusiastic pruning: taller plants will want the old flowering stems trimmed off to reduce problems in the wind, but the bulk of the plant should be left throughout the frosty season to protect the heart and root system of the plant.

Woody-stemmed Salvias such as ‘Hot Lips’ should get similar treatment, with only around the top half of growth cut down.

But if it’s a plant that regrows from the ground and doesn’t keep its leaves year-round you are likely safe to cut back hard.

If you decide to wait till spring it is a good idea to check up on your plants through the winter to make sure there isn't anything damaged, diseased or rotting that needs clearing away.

With Lavenders there are also arguments for and against trimming in either autumn or spring. But if left uncut they soon go straggly and bare at the base so they should definitely be done one time or the other each year! Cut about 1-2 inches below flowering stems.

Evergreen herbs such as sage, thyme and rosemary should also just get light trims to prevent them going 'leggy', preferably several times a year. Most other herbs, including mints, tarragon, parsley and marjoram can be cut hard in either autumn or spring, subject to the same considerations as perennials.

Most alpines are evergreen which means they should get no more than a trim. The majority are also spring flowerers and are best cut after flowering time. If you wait till spring you run the risk of new flowers being 'lost' amongst scruffy old growth.

Ornamental grasses often have seedheads for the birds, and can also look attractive in the winter frosts, and this old growth should be left to protect the heart of the plant until spring.

The main pruning time for Roses is February/March when new shoots start to appear on the stems - click here for tips. If it’s not a variety that produces rosehips for winter there is no harm in giving it a tidy-up trim now if it is bothering you in some way.

Almost all shrubs are best pruned immediately after flowering time, if they need pruning at all. The main exceptions are those that will form fruits or berries after flowering – click here and here for examples.

So if you haven’t done your summer-flowering shrubs already, get out there!

For all plants, but particularly shrubs, which will generally have thicker stems, avoid any pruning when frost is forecast as it can cause damage to open wounds which can then spread into the rest of the plant.

]]><![CDATA[Choosing plants for pots]]>Thu, 11 Jul 2024 20:49:37 GMThttps://www.katiesgarden.co.uk/garden-tips/choosing-plants-for-potsIn theory, you can grow any plant in a pot. You can even grow an oak tree, if you are willing to go to the effort to bonsai it.

But if you are looking to keep things simple, it is better to choose plants that don't mind the container life.

Some plants will grow okay, but don't have the necessary top-to-bottom good looks and are better mixed into borders where their neighbours can hide up unslightly lower growth. This applies to a lot of the taller and more upright perennials that can often be pretty bare lower down. Look for plants with good overall appearance instead.

Some plants can be very fussy with watering or just very thirsty so you should weigh up how much time you want to devote to care.

Lavenders get fed-up with tapwater, whereas Rosemary will more-or-less survive on whatever falls from the sky, without much intervention from you. Sages will be unforgiving whether you over- or under-water. Lupins could need twice-daily waterings if they don't have a deep enough pot. Acers will virtually get on with it themselves.

Scroll down to a previous post for more watering tips.

Other plants are simply too vigorous for growing in containers. The roots use up all the moisture too quickly, use up all the nutrients in the compost too quickly, and they fill up all available room too quickly.

We recently dug out the planting from our Deer-Proof Garden. The Nepeta (catmints) and Monardas (bee balm/bergamot) all came out of 2 litre pots in March. Although they had grown considerably on top, the Nepetas' rootballs had barely changed in this period, showing why they are well suited to container growing. On the other hand, the Monardas had formed massive rootballs in just these few months, showing why they always look fed-up when in pots: they want room, lots of room!

The right-sized pot will make a huge difference. The ideal is to put it into something about two to three times the size you buy it in (by volume not diameter), and move up again if necessary after six months or a year (this could be a case of planting into a cheap plastic pot that is sunken into the nice glazed pot you want it to end up in if you don't want to keep paying out for proper pots).

Cram the plant into something too small and the roots will stunt the growth, the nutrients will run out quickly and you'll be constantly watering.

Go too big and the plant could struggle to access the nutrients and water it needs. You could also end up with a lot of soggy compost that will then rot the roots.

The compost is all important. Use good quality; if it's a big container make sure it has some roughage to the structure to stop it going claggy. We don't sell it, but we use long-release fertiliser in virtually everything we grow at Katie's Garden (with the exception of seedlings and spring bulbs) and this makes a world of difference.

Wondered why our plants look so much healthier than at some other places? A lot of it is down to the compost and fertiliser.

So what exactly is good in a pot?? Click here for our Plants for Pots list for some of our top recommendations. You can also pick these lists up by the till at the nursery.

And if you would like to have a go at mixed pots with summer annuals, you can watch our video tutorial here.

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