{"id":1135,"date":"2026-05-14T15:13:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T14:13:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/?p=1135"},"modified":"2026-05-14T15:20:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T14:20:10","slug":"initial-garden-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardenadvice.co.uk\/lizsgarden\/initial-garden-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Initial Garden Report"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Use Elena to help you wish your gardening questions <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This report follows a garden visit to Liz\u2019s garden. The visit covered all areas including the  front garden, general feeding and maintenance, the back garden lawn and hard areas, plant  care and planting, pruning and training, general maintenance, and propagation tasks. Each  section below details the work identified and recommended next steps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your Gardening Tasks Overview <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following tasks have been identified from the garden visit, organised by area. Links to  further information are included where available; where no specific page exists, Helene our  AI gardening assistant can help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Front Garden <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Re-point the front wall to repair any crumbling mortar joints and improve the appearance and weatherproofing of the boundary. Repaint the front railings and gate with Hammerite paint,  which provides long-lasting rust protection without the need for a primer coat. Re-hang the  gate to ensure it closes properly. Apply weedkiller to the drive and hand-weed the front area  with particular attention to hairy bittercress, which seeds prolifically if left unchecked. Begin  mulching the front beds with cardboard as a base layer to suppress weed growth. For further advice ask Helene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

General Feeding & Maintenance <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feed all areas with Growmore fertiliser at approximately one handful per square metre to  provide a balanced general feed before the main growing season gets underway. Follow up  with a liquid tomato feed every three weeks to maintain steady growth through spring and  summer. It is also worth considering pruning the hydrangeas after flowering and trialling  sulphate of iron applied to the soil, which can encourage blue flower colour in suitable  varieties by lowering the pH. For further advice see <\/p>\n\n\n\n

gardenadvice.co.uk\/gardening-how-to\/garden-plants\/difficult-garden-weeds\/ or ask Helene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back Garden \u2013 Lawn & Hard Areas <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overseed the back lawn with clover to improve resilience, reduce the need for feeding, and  maintain colour through dry periods \u2014 micro-clover varieties are particularly effective and  low-maintenance. Apply Roundup weedkiller to the back drive if persistent weeds are  present, ideally on a dry day with four hours free of rain after application. For advice on lawn  overseeding see gardenadvice.co.uk\/gardening-how-to\/lawns\/benefits-of-a-micro-clover lawn\/. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back Garden \u2013 Plant Care & Planting <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feed and repot the lemon tree using John Innes No. 3 compost, and boost it with Epsom  salts \u2014 dissolve two teaspoonfuls in two gallons of water and apply as a liquid feed to  correct magnesium deficiency and encourage healthy foliage. Pot up the remaining dahlias  into fresh compost ready for the season. Sow patches of calendula and aquilegia directly  into the borders for easy colour; start sweet peas in pots for summer flowering, and sow  night-scented stock in pots for evening fragrance on the patio. For planting advice ask  Helene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back Garden \u2013 Pruning & Training <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prune the roses after flowering, cutting back to an outward-facing bud to encourage an open shape and good air circulation. Install horizontal support wires on the fence for the climbing  rose, spacing wires approximately 30cm apart to allow the stems to be tied in as they grow.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For detailed pruning guidance see gardenadvice.co.uk\/newsandarticles\/supporting-your climbing-plants-its-worth-doing-it-properly-climbing-plants\/. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back Garden \u2013 General Maintenance <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weed the back garden thoroughly in preparation for a mulching programme \u2014 removing  weeds before mulching is essential so they are not trapped beneath and allowed to continue  growing. The Christmas tree in the back garden should be moved to a more open position  where it has room to develop properly; once repositioned, begin feeding it regularly with a  liquid tomato feed to support new growth. For further advice on moving established plants  ask Helene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Propagation & Specialist Tasks <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take skimmia cuttings from semi-ripe shoot tips in summer, inserting them into a free draining compost mix and keeping them in a sheltered, shaded position until rooted. Feed  the lonicera (honeysuckle) growing on the fence with Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food to  encourage strong growth and a good flush of flowers; honeysuckle is a vigorous feeder and  responds well to regular liquid feeding through the growing season. For propagation advice  ask Helene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

General Notes <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeding Your Plants <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For general feeding, we recommend applying Growmore fertiliser once a year, in either  spring or autumn, at approximately one handful per square metre of soil or container  surface. Growmore is a granular fertiliser that can be watered in or left to be absorbed by <\/p>\n\n\n\n

rain. Since it is granular, it will bounce off leaves but be washed through weed sheeting or  mulch layers to reach the soil. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growmore is a low-nitrate fertiliser that promotes flower and fruit production without causing  excessive green growth. For stimulating green growth, especially after pruning overgrown  plants, we recommend an additional spring feed using Miracle-Gro fertiliser, which is high in  nitrates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the initial Growmore feed, continue feeding your plants every 2 to 6 weeks from March  to October using a liquid tomato feed high in potash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeder link: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Plant hose end feeder and sprayer<\/a><\/blockquote>