Potash Nursery : plants, bulbs, tools, gardening advice - Drayton Parslow, Buckinghamshire

Top Tips for Spring

Gill — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:10:51 +0000

Now that the snowdrops have appeared and crocuses start to show their heads, it is a clear sign that Spring is on its way. The mornings may still have a chill in the air and we cannot be certain that the frosts are a thing of the past, but the sight of those little flowers appearing through the frozen earth makes us smile.

The Flower Garden

Winter and spring bedding plants need to be dead-headed to encourage a longer flowering period. Cut down faded foliage on herbaceous perennials before new growth starts and take out any weeds before they really take off in spring. Now is the time to divide and replant snowdrops and to plant lilies and lily of the valley crowns, as well as getting in gladioli, dahlias and other autumn flowering bulbs.

Preparation of the ground for spring planting can be carried out whenever the weather permits. Place a protective covering over soil in areas where you are going to plant or sow seeds. This will stop it from getting overly wet and warm the soil so that when you do plant they will get away quicker.

Trees, Shrubs and Roses

There is still time to plant bare root roses, trees and shrubs while they are still dormant. Don’t prune roses just yet as frosts can burn the new growth that will appear. Deadhead and prune grapevines, wisteria, buddleia and summer flowering clematis. Cut all previous seasons shoots back to within 2 or 3 buds of old wood. This hard pruning will encourage the development of strong growth that will bare good size flowers from June onwards. This is also good month for a dressing of bonemeal to shrub borders and beds. It takes a few weeks before it starts to break down in the soil, so it will be a ready source of plant food when the plants need it in a few weeks.

Kitchen Garden

Onion sets and seed potatoes should also be ordered now. Seed potatoes need to be kept in a cool, light environment while they are being “chitted”. If you encourage growth too early, energy will be wasted, and it is at least a month before the earliest potatoes can be put in the ground. Sow vegetable seed under cloches for early crops.

Cut back autumn fruiting raspberries to about 15cm of the ground and trim the tops of canes of summer fruiting raspberries.

We’re freshening up for 2012

Gill — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:57:19 +0000

During January and February, we have a bit of a break – a time to refresh both us and the Nursery after a hectic Christmas and before the start of a busy Spring season.

But we are still here and happy to welcome you to the Nursery so give us a call and we will arrange a mutually convenient time for you to come over.

Christmas at Potash

Gill — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:00:08 +0000

We have a wonderful range of Christmas Trees, holly wreaths and other Christmas fayre.

Come and choose your tree any day from 1st December from 9.00 to 5.00

Monday to Saturday, 10.30 to 4.00 Sunday (but if it is very cold and dark, we might close slightly earlier).

Gardeners Club

Gill — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:47:24 +0000

Join us on Tuesday 29th November for our last Gardeners Club of the year. Meet from 10.30 with a cup of tea (or coffee) and mince pies for a chat about all things gardening.

Tea & Cakes

Gill — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:52:16 +0000

Sunday 11th September

10.30 – 4.30

Come along and enjoy our delicious home-made cakes.

Bucks County Show

Gill — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:40:33 +0000

Thursday 1st September 2011 at the usual site of Weedon Park, Nr Aylesbury. The Show starts at 8.00am all the way through until 6.00pm and is still considered one of the best One Day Agricultural Shows in the Country.

Swanbourne Sheep Race

Gill — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:39:48 +0000

Back again for it’s 4th year with more races, more fun and new events!

Sunday 28th August

Events start at 2.00pm

To be held at the rear of The Betsey Wynne Pub, Swanbourne

Potash out and about

admin — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:54:52 +0000

Throughout the year we like to attend all sorts of events, mainly locally. Below is a list of events that we will be attending during 2012, but be sure to check back here as we update this list in the next few months:

Milton Keynes Gardening Show, Middleton Hall, Centre MK – Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th March 2012
Great Brickhill Plant Fair – Saturday 14th April 2012
Mentmore Plant Sale – Sunday 21st April 2012
Slapton Plant Fair – Saturday 28 April 2012
Milton Keynes Garden Show, MK Bowl – Friday 5th May – Sunday 7th May 2012
Milton Keynes Gardening Show, Middleton Hall, Centre MK – Friday 18th to Sunday 20th May 2012
Bucks County Show – Thursday 30th August 2012

Date still to be confirmed

Leighton Buzzard Summer Festival – Sunday 26th June
Wing Carnival – Saturday 16th July 2011
Strawberry Tea Party, Mursley, in aid of Breast Cancer – Sunday 31st July
Swanbourne Sheep Race – Sunday 28th August
VPA Show, Drayton Parslow – Saturday 20th August 2011

Tea and cakes at the Nursery

Gill — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:48:24 +0000

One of ours and our customer’s favourite events is our ‘Tea & Cakes’ day. Take time to look around the Nursery and enjoy some great homemade cakes too. We usually have fruit cake, Victoria sponge, Cheesecake and scones but why not try something different like Mincemeat Cake (delicious), Cherry and Marzipan Cake (yummy), or Sticky Gingerbread cake (mouth-watering). The choice of cakes vary every time so come along to find out what we’ve got for you to savour. We look forward to seeing you there, the dates are listed below:

Sunday 13th May 2012
Sunday 22nd July 2012
Sunday, 9th September 2012

Sorry, our June date has been cancelled – instead visit the Open Gardens in Drayton Parslow 25th and 26th June - they are also serving tea and cakes.

Workshops at Potash

Gill — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:54:23 +0000

We like to help every kind of gardener, beginner or advanced, that is why we have carefully put together several informal workshops that tackle different gardening topics tailored to the seasons. Below are some of our upcoming workshops:

Sowing and growing vegetables – March
Planting hanging baskets – May
Basic garden maintenance – September
Bulbs for all seasons – September
Winter in your garden – October