How a £4 Ikea utensil is the key to repairing your damaged flower beds after recent storms & it’s a job for this weekend
THE UK has been blasted with stormy weather recently leaving gardens in a state.
But avid gardeners has revealed how to get your flower beds back in order with a simple £4 hack.
Many gardeners have shared the bizarre hack which can save you so much time when in the garden this weekend – and that’s using a salad spinner to sift soil.
This time of year is perfect for enthusiastic gardeners to get out and take advantage of the soft soil due to the rain.
But as we’ve had strong winds and storms recently – it may have caused damage by flying debris into flower beds and vegetable patches.
According to thespruce.com, the common kitchen utensil can be used to “prep a garden bed before you can plant.”
They suggest that the tiny holes in the kitchen can sift through soil to remove debris and foreign objects instead of doing it manually.
It also suggests that a “wire basket comes in handy to sift soil and get rid of large rocks.”
The simple method is believed to increase the chances of a successful yield as the soil is better prepared to help whatever is planted thrive.
Having large objects in the soil can stop plants and their roots from growing straight and can damage vegetables that grow underground.
While the job isn’t entirely necessary to do, gardeners say it ensures soil is fine and increases growth success.
You can purchase a salad spinner for just £4 from Ikea and keep it in your shed for gardening whenever you need it.
Gardeners World also recently revealed the best plants you can plant this weekend that won’t die in the winter.
Peas will withstand the cold weather and if you plant them over the weekend you’ll get an early crop to enjoy next spring.
Salad mixes are also worth planting and you may even get a small crop ready before winter comes.
You can sow direct in well-prepared soil or in pots. Cover with a cloche to protect from the worst of the weather.
October gardening jobs
The Sun’s Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the jobs you need to tackle in October.
“It’s a good time to trim deciduous hedges – like box, yew, hawthorn, hornbean and beech – plus hedge trimmers are a great upper body workout!
Make leafmould – gather up all the fallen leaves and fill either bin bags or plastic carrier bags. Seal the top, stick a few small holes in the bag – and then store for a year or more. Free compost!
It’s unlikely you’ll get any more red tomatoes so have one final harvest and chuck the plants on the compost. See if you can get the green ones to ripen by putting in a drawer (some say with a banana). Also keep the seeds from a couple – and plant again next year if they went well.
Finish getting in your spring bulbs. Ideally you’d have done daffs and alliums, but tulips are better in the ground when the soil temperature gets a bit colder.
It’s good to leave some plant litter in the ground – it adds to the nutrients as it rots down, and provides shelter and food for insects. But remove the manky brown bits collapsing all over the lawn/winter structure.
Mulch – it not only suppresses weeds, but keeps the soil warm, improves water retention and adds a little winter duvet to your outside space.
October’s a good month for carrots, peas, asparagus, broad beans, and rhubarb.”
There’s also many varieties of onions that can be planted now.
Autumn-planting varieties like ‘Radar’ can be planted in sets into well-prepared, fertile soil.
Onions need a lot of moisture – you shouldn’t need to water in winter but check moisture levels in spring and summer and provide extra moisture if necessary.
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