Bedding Plants

Bedding plants can provide colour in your garden all the year round by replacing Summer flowering plants with selections for Autumn and Winter. They are ideal for planting on their own or with most other plants in a whole range of situations such as hanging baskets, tubs and pots, window boxes, troughs and of course in borders in the garden.

Preparation

For a colourful display thorough preparation is essential. Ensure you have good drainage in containers and good potting compost for plants to grow in. Prepare borders in the garden, first by well forking over to a depth of about 30cm (12in), adding a general fertiliser and some form of planting compost before planting starts.

Selecting your plants

Plants are grown in all sorts of trays and pots from small starter plants to larger plants which offer instant colour. Whatever you choose select sturdy plants which are green and healthy. Check that the leaves have not been eaten and are free from pests and diseases. Never buy plants that are dry or have been allowed to dry out.

Planting

1. Water plants well before planting.
2. Taller plants will give height and trailing or bushy plants will give depth and width.
3. Take care when removing your plants from their tray or pots so as not to damage the roots or shoots. Watering them before removal will help prevent this.
4. Never plant too firmly as roots need to breathe and expand the area they are covering.
5. Plant to just below the depth they were grown in their original container.
6. Plant so that they will just touch each other when fully grown - refer to the plant label but as a general rule plant shorter growing types 10-15cm (4-6ins) apart and taller varieties 23-30cm (9-12ins) apart.

Borders

In borders place tall plants to the rear reducing heights gradually using compact edging plants at the front - do not over crowd - all plants need room to grow.

Colours

It is important to blend colours together - try planting drifts of colour in borders. Use 'hot' colours - reds, yellows, oranges, or 'cool' colours - blues, lavender, silver and white for different effects. The garden is an extension of your home - use colour schemes as you would indoors

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Feeding

Plants are like people and need feeding to give the best results. Use a dry controlled release fertiliser at planting time which should feed for most of the growing and flowering season. Use a liquid feed towards the end of the Summer as a pick-me-up but water well first to ensure good take up.

Watering

Hanging baskets may require watering more than once a day, especially during hot weather. If the compost does dry out, water thoroughly and repeat. Create good drainage to prevent water logging in containers. After planting new plants, water thoroughly.