Landscape Juice

Pigs can clean your vegetable plot

Do you have got a heavy clay soil and do not relish the thought of clearing the bind weed, couch grass and ground elder before double digging in preparation for sowing your vegetable seeds in the spring? In short, if you have an infestation of the weeds then chances are you will not succeed without the use of Roundup or another Glyphosate based chemical. However, if you are a committed organic gardener and you aspire to the Soil Associations certificate then this is a big no no. Here is the best bit. If you would like to live the good... Read more →

Garden blog contributors required

I am looking for a guest author to contribute to Landscape Juice. If you have a favourite passion and you would like to write about it then drop me a line at [email protected] Do not worry if you have never written before as I will tidy anything up if needed before it goes live. The important thing is lots of detail about what you do and some pictures if possible The topics can be absolutely anything based on horticulture related subjects. Read more →

Nurseryman Melvyn Green retires

I am disappointed that I missed this item at the time of release. Plantsman Melvyn Green (left in picture) has retired from Notcutts after 44 years of service. I always thought I gave great service to my business in the 20 years I owned it but this puts 'service' into perspective. There are not many jobs for life in this day and age so it obviously proves that if you truly love what you are doing then anything is possible. Melvyn will be able to spend more time playing bowls and taking photography and of course gardening. Melvyn we wish... Read more →

Christmas blues for garden retailers

Christmas sales at garden centres have been flat with growth coming in at only 1% average. The news comes on top of recent figures that show the boom in the garden sector as slowing or receding. There was little cheer for centre managers but many knew it was coming and did not overstock which has meant very little in the way of after a Christmas sell off. Some did buck the trend though and Sanders Gardenworld reported sales up around 10% with Garden Pride of Ditchling, Sussex also excited by double digit gains. It was positive for Christmas trees though... Read more →

You can become a six figure blogger

It is true! You, yes you! can become a professional Blogger writing about your passion and still earn a living from your day job. When I first attended Merrist Wood Horticultural College nr Guildford I was on a mission. First and foremost to be a good landscape gardener and secondly, but equally, be a good businessman. I worked long long hours on sites and gardens building knowledge and experience which in turn led to skills. I started as an odd jobber but passion and energy took me to the top of the game in over twenty years of business -... Read more →

Aquiring spare parts for old machinery

One of the great things about the landscaping and gardening industry is the huge diversity in interests. On the one hand you get plant enthusiasts who will sometimes only cultivate or have an interest in one particular plant and that interest might even border on an obsession. Then you might get a collector of old tools dating back to when mechanization was not commonplace and the good old 'back' was put into some serious grafting. Machinery is another thing that is widely collected. Maybe the collector has a genuine use for the machine and maybe uses it on their allotment... Read more →

The show must go on

Dave Roberts, the head groundsman at Southampton FC's St Mary's certainly earned his crust over the festive season and it is a testament to him and his staff that the game on the 30th December against Leicester City went ahead. Dave used his head and some clever PC software to get a very difficult decision right which allowed the game to go ahead and ease a backlog in what was already a heavy 4 game schedule. Heavy rained had battered the UK overnight of the 29th and left the pitch waterlogged and it looked as though the referee Phil Crossley... Read more →

Cheap Garden Furniture

I have just received an email from the Garden Factory telling me of some great deals. In fact some of the prices are a giveaway so if you are looking for a new Teak patio set this summer then this is the place to shop. For example, take a look at this stylish teak chair. Previously priced at £225.00 it has been reduced to £75.00. Or this water feature reduced from £99.95 to £50.00 Always one for a bargain it looks like there might be some good deals to be had and you can visit The Garden Factory clearance pages... Read more →

Making the most of Cyclamen

Did you buy a potted Cyclamen to adorn the Christmas table? Chances are it is still flowering profusely and will give you days if not weeks of pleasure. The Cyclamen should not be restricted to a just having as a table decoration though and you will find, even though it is a native of Turkey and the Mediterranean regions it will live happily in most gardens and will be one of only a few brightly coloured ground cover plants to make a show during the cold winter days. image courtesy of Broadleigh Gardens The flowers range ranging from white and... Read more →

Copper gardening tools - a luxury or a genuine help?

I saw an advert for copper tools and it immediately sprang to mind that the Hooray Henry set had infiltrated gardening and started another fashion statement! Where would it all stop? I was aware that slugs and snails found copper unattractive but what I was not aware of is the its ability to assist in plant growth. Iron apparently draws energy from the soil but when the conductive copper is used it reverses the process and assists in maximizing plant health. You might remember from horticultural college that Pig Manure is used to dress around fruit such as peach trees... Read more →