Get organised for a busy gardening Easter Weekend

Before the growing season gets into full swing get organised, make plans and prepare for a busy Easter Weekend and a productive year ahead in your garden.  

Tools   Check, clean, oil and replace any that are damaged or worn, make sure that you have the right tools for all your jobs this year.

Propagators   These will soon be in full use, test yours early to check it is working properly and give it a good clean, hygiene is very important when sowing seeds. Now is an ideal time to buy one, it will be invaluable throughout the year and in years to come.

Pots, Trays and Compost   Organise your Greenhouse/Potting Shed sort through your pots and trays throw away any broken ones, give the rest a good clean as well as your potting tray, order new Seed Compost and Vegetable Compost, last year’s opened bags may not be suitable for starting off your new seeds and plants.

Watering Cans & Water Butts   Drain and clean out, check the rose on your watering can and replace if necessary, don’t be caught out by the weather invest in a Water Butt, remember the drought we had in Spring 2012.

Store your seeds in a Seed Tin

Seeds   Take stock of your seeds, discard any that are opened and out of date and order more while stocks are still available, store in a suitable Seed Tin to protect them from Mice, Pests and moisture.

Plan   Sit down with a nice cup of tea and draw a plan of your garden/vegetable patch make notes on crops that did/did not do well and where your crops where grown last year, make a new planting plan for this year rotating your crops to get the best results and to avoid problems.

 

Read   Gardening books are invaluable for reference, ideals, hints and tips for your garden/vegetable plots.

Order Early   If you need any gardening products order early whilst products are available to make sure that you have everything you need.

Make your plans and preparations now, Easter is early and it’s the busiest gardening weekend of the year, let’s hope it’s warm and dry.

Gill

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Give your birds a new home for Valentines Day

Open Birch Log Nest Box

Birds come in all shapes, sizes and colours and each one is as particular about where they live as we are. Every bird finds or builds a nest that is as unique as they are, but sometimes it is not always that simple, due to redevelopment and intensive farming many birds are losing their natural habits, making it harder for them to breed and leading to a decline in many species.

Robin & Wren Nest Box

To mark National Nest Box Week 14^th – 21^st February 2013 the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) are inviting individuals, families, schools, and community groups to put up Nest Boxes in their gardens or in their local area and provide a home for our birds.

Pembroke Nest Box

If you haven’t got a Nest Box in your garden now is the ideal time to put one up although you can put up a nest box at any time of the year.

Open Fronted Ceramic Teapot Bird Nester

Nest boxes come in all shapes, sizes and colours too to cater for the needs of different birds, they can be bought ready built or why not build your own with a ‘Build your own Nest Box Kit’ this is a lovely thing to do with children and a great half term activity, Nest Boxes also make an unusual and wildlife friendly gift for any occasion so why not treat the birds in your garden this Valentines Day and show them that you care.

Build Your Own Nest Box Kit

Why not put up a House Martin Nest Box ready for the arrival of these delightful Summer Visitors.

House Martin Nest Box

Gill

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Gardening on a Budget?

We have got just the thing…

hot out of our warehouse this Spring is our new range of

Thrifty Raised Beds

At the Recycleworks we have been thinking about how to Grow your Own vegetables and fruit as easily and economically as possible whilst still getting the maximum yield from a wide range of crops, so we have developed a range of budget Raised Beds which will appeal to everyone:

• Families – the family budget is being pinched, now is the time to Grow your Own and reap the benefits
• The first time gardener – perfect starter beds and entry into Grow Your Own
• The accomplished gardener – a great product to extend your growing area
• Schools – affordable and well within the budget
• Community Groups – great for getting people involved in gardening, socialising and working together.

The beds are available in 3 sizes:

1. The Thrifty Classic – 80cm x 80cm
2. The Thrifty Long – 80cm x 105cm
3. The Thrifty Big Square – 105cm x 105cm

with a choice of three heights for each size: 14cm, 28cm, and 42cm and a choice of two colours : Chestnut or Green.

Assembly instructions are supplied with each Raised Bed.

To help you grow the maximum yield and to remove the guesswork if you are new to Grow Your Own each raised bed also comes with a growing/planting guide including ideas and tips on suggested crops, planting, positioning, watering and feeding.

To warm up the soil before planting why not add a Compost Duvet or a Raised Bed Watering Kit to make watering easier and more economical in the long summer months.

Prices start from £15.55 making them very affordable to everyone.

You will surprised at how much you can grow in such a small space – you can’t beat the taste, texture and smell of freshly picked produce.

Gill

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Look after our feathered friends during the cold weather

Winter is finally here with sub-zero temperatures and a covering of snow in many parts with yet more forecast. The fall in temperatures will come as quite a shock to our wildlife they have endured a relatively mild winter up to now, but we as a nation of wildlife lovers can really help. The birds in our garden are struggling to find any food as their natural food sources are depleted or frozen in the ground, fresh unfrozen water too will be hard to find, High Calorie/Energy foods with a High Fat Content are the most beneficial to put out for the birds :

Seed Mixes are prepared using top quality high calorie ingredients and have been developed to appeal to, and benefit a wide variety of bird species all year round and include High Energy Bird Mix, Bird Feeder Seed, Table Seed Mix, Gourmet Robin Food as well as Nyjer Seed and Sunflower Heart Seeds.

Table Seed Mix

High Fat content Bird Foods are also high in calories and include Peanut Cakes, Fat Balls, Fat filled Coconuts, Peanut Cake Bells and Suet Pellets with Insects and are excellent winter food.

High calorie Peanut Cakes

Live Mealworms are a natural food and relished by Robins, Blue Tits and other insect eating birds and should be provided when fresh.

Live Mealworms are loved by Blue Tits

Clean water is important for the birds both for drinking and also bathing this is essential to keep their feathers in good condition. To prevent the water from freezing add a lightweight ball which will move in the breeze or pour on hot water to melt the ice.

Ceramic Hanging Bird Bath / Water Dish

Have a look at our range of Bird Food, Bird Feeders, Bird Tables, Bird Baths and treat the birds in your garden.

Gill

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Congratulations to our November/December Competition winners

Thank you to everyone who sent in an entry to our November / December 2012 competitions, they were all amazing and just shows how much creative talent there is, but it made choosing the winners all the more difficult.

Winning Entry by Isobel Stevens

The winner for the Family Competition was Isobel Stevens from Barry, South Glamorgan, ‘Well Done Isobel!’  Isobel has drawn a wonderful winter scene showing a Robin perched in a tree in a snowy garden complete with spade (which Robins often sit on) and a welcome bird feeder, she will receive as her prize:

• a Discovery Seed Feeder
• a Discovery Window Seed Feeder
• a bag of Table Seed Mix (6 litre)
• a whole fat filled Coconut Feeder
• a Peanut Cake Bell 

Winning Entry by Ineasa, Newton Regis School

The winner of the School Competition is Newton Regis School with the winning entry by Ineasa, ‘Well Done Ineasa’ we loved her Robin collage, it looks fabulous and would make a lovely Christmas card, it must have taken quite a long time to find, cut out and stick on all the pictures of the Robins, they will receive as their prize:

• a Square Ground Bird Table
• a Discovery Seed Feeder
• a Discovery Window Seed Feeder
• a bag of Table Seed Mix (6 litre)
• a bag of Bird feeder Seed (6 litre)

We hope that our winners enjoy these fantastic prizes and that they attract lots of birds into their gardens.

Gill

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Congratulations to our September/October Competition winners

The September/October School Zone Competition was to find 10 Hedgehog related words in our Hedgehog Wordsearch, the first correct winning entry pulled out of the hat was by Alex Courtman from Dane Ghyll County Primary School, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and their fabulous prize is a Hogitat Hedgehog House, a Hedgehog Guide, a Hedgehog Snack Feeding Bowl and some Hedgehog Food – well done to them.

The September/October Family/Kids Zone Competition was a ‘Who am I? Wildlife Quiz’ the correct answers were  Q1 Ladybird,  Q2 Dragonfly,  Q3 Butterfly,  Q4 Toad,  Q5 Moth,  Q6 Hedgehog,  Q7 Bee,  Q8 Spider,  Q9 Bat,  Q10 Frog.

The first correct entry to be pulled out of the hat was from Taylor and Holly Rees from Gosport, Hampshire and they will receive a Mini Bug Bug Box, a Mini Bug Ladybird Tower and a Minibeast Guide – well done to them.

Thank you to everyone who entered these competitions, why not have a go at our

New Christmas Competitions

To enter our School Zone Competition all you need to do is to design a Christmas Card featuring a ‘Christmas’ Robin, it can be painted, crayoned, drawn in pencil/coloured pencil or could even be a collage. Our favourite card will win

• a Square Ground Bird Table
• a Discovery Seed Feeder
• a Discovery Window Seed Feeder
• a bag of Table Seed Mix (6 litre)
• a bag of Bird feeder Seed (6 litre)

To enter our Family/ Kids Zone Competition all you need to do is to send in a picture of a Christmas Robin that you have drawn, it can be painted, crayoned, drawn in pencil/coloured pencil or could even be a collage and our favourite picture will win

• a Discovery Seed Feeder
• a Discovery Window Seed Feeder
• a bag of Table Seed Mix (6 litre)
• a whole fat filled Coconut Feeder
• a Peanut Cake Bell

Have a look at the competitions pages for full details and an entry form, the closing date for both competitions is 31^st December 2012.

Good Luck

Gill

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Make your own Halloween Decorations

Halloween is nearly here and the shops are full of scarey and wonderful Halloween costumes, masks and decorations, I am sure that there are lots of excited children all over the country, Thomas is very excited and so am I!

Every Halloween we trim up the front of our house, each year adding new decorations; these are either home-made or bought in the post Halloween sales the previous year. Making your own decorations is great fun and a great way to spend a cold afternoon, here is a crafty idea for this year.

Egg Box Spiders and Bats

You will need:

• Egg Boxes
• String
• Pipe Cleaners
• Paper
• Felt tips/Crayons
• Glue
• Paint
• Glitter
• Scissors

1. To make the Spiders cut up the egg box into its six cups, paint or decorate the outside as you wish and allow to dry.
2. Ask a grown up to make 8 small holes around the bottom edges of the cups and one at the top.
3. Carefully thread each pipe cleaner (4 per spider) through a hole at one side and out of the hole at the other side.
4. Thread a piece of string through the top hole and tie a knot.
5. Draw some eyes onto a piece of paper, cut them out and stick them on.

1. To make the Bats cut your egg box into 2 strips of three cups.
2. Cut out the front of the left and right cups slightly, and on their backs cut them out to leave a ‘V’ shape (as shown above).
3. Paint or decorate the outside as you wish and allow to dry.
4. Make a hole in the top of the middle cup and thread a piece of string through and tie a knot.
5. Draw some eyes and teeth onto a piece of paper, cut them out and stick them on.

Have fun.

Gill

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Join The Recycleworks Wildflower Seed Project 2012/2013

We have had a great response to our Wildflower Seed Project 2012/2013 from schools, and community associations that support children, if you want to get involved, start collecting your seeds now before the plants have dropped them all and register your group before 31st October 2012.

Seed storage tins

What you need to do 

If you are not already a member join our FREE Gardening with Children Club, which gives schools and community associations supporting children of all ages access to lots of information to encourage children to learn about gardening, grow their own fruit and vegetables and to care for their environment as well as member’s special offers and discounts.

 

Once you have received your welcome email with your exclusive Membership Number register your school/group FREE for our ‘Wildflower Seed Project 2012/2013’ before 31st October 2012 via email to sylvia@recycleworks.co.uk quoting your Membership Number, School/Group Name, Address, Contact Name, Telephone Number and email address.

 

We will then send you 5 FREE seed collecting tins to store your valuable seed in until the spring, when we will then contact you via email with details of our ‘Wildflower Seed Propagating Kit’ perfect for schools and groups and containing everything you need to sow and grow your wildflower seeds as well as sowing and cultivation instructions.

 

Collecting Seed

Collecting seeds is a wonderful thing to do with children and they will learn where seeds come from. Not only will they be rewarded with free seeds but also lots of free plants too in spring and with the satisfaction that they have grown them themselves from ‘their’ seed.

 

Some of the most rewarding and valuable seeds to collect are from Wildflowers and Nectar Rich plants which provide food for our bees, butterflies and pollinating insects, by growing these you will be giving back to nature and enriching your environment.

 

Here are some of the many plants that are beneficial to insects: Buddleia, Ox Eye Daisy, Borage, Verbena Bonariensis, Evening Primrose, Calendula, French Marigold, Teasel, Thistles, Foxglove, Cornflower.

Ox Eye Daisy

Where to look for seeds

The best places to find wildflowers are in uncultivated areas such as on grass verges, under hedges, on the edges of parks/playing fields (where the grass cutters can’t reach), church yards and farmland that is grazed. Nectar rich flowers can usually be found in gardens. You may need to ask the landowners permission before entering their land to collect seed.

 

How to collect seed

You will need paper bags or envelopes, scissors and a pencil.

Some seed heads will shed their seeds very easily, simply empty their contents into your bag, or cut off the ripe seed head/pod and place in your bag then write the plant name on the bag and also where it was growing in sun/shade or in dry/wet soil this will help you when you grow your new plants next year. If some of the seed heads/pods are damp, lay them out on paper to dry before removing the seeds. If you are not sure of the name of the plant cut off the seed head/pods and a leaf or take a photograph so that you can identify it later.

Evening Primrose

Storing your seed

Some of the seeds will need to be cleaned by removing the husk and extracting the seeds from their pods/seed heads as these may contain small insects too. Place your dry seeds in a cold, dry and dark place until February/March. This can be in a container in the fridge so that they go through the natural cold winter conditions. It can be in a sealed tin (which will protect them from insects and animals) in the shed, but dry, cold and dark is important. If they get wet or warm they may start germinating and if it is too early for spring they will not survive.

 

Some seeds can be toxic, take care when collecting seed and always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

 

So make the most of this lovely weather and collect some wildflower seeds.

 

Gill

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Collect Wildflower Seed this Autumn to sow and grow next Spring

Collecting seeds is a wonderful thing to do with children and they will learn where seeds come from. Not only will they be rewarded with free seeds but also lots of free plants too in spring and with the satisfaction that they have grown them themselves from ‘their’ seed.

Some of the most rewarding and valuable seeds to collect are from Wildflowers and Nectar Rich plants which provide food for our bees, butterflies and pollinating insects, by growing these you will be giving back to nature and enriching your environment.

 

Here are some of the many plants that are beneficial to insects: Buddleia, Ox Eye Daisy, Borage, Verbena Bonariensis, Evening Primrose, Calendula, French Marigold, Teasel, Thistles, Foxglove, Cornflower.

Ox Eye Daisy

Where to look for seeds

The best places to find wildflowers are in uncultivated areas such as on grass verges, under hedges, on the edges of parks/playing fields (where the grass cutters can’t reach), church yards and farmland that is grazed. Nectar rich flowers can usually be found in gardens. You may need to ask the landowners permission before entering their land to collect seed.

 

How to collect seed

You will need paper bags or envelopes, scissors and a pencil.

Some seed heads will shed their seeds very easily, simply empty their contents into your bag, or cut off the ripe seed head/pod and place in your bag then write the plant name on the bag and also where it was growing in sun/shade or in dry/wet soil this will help you when you grow your new plants next year. If some of the seed heads/pods are damp, lay them out on paper to dry before removing the seeds. If you are not sure of the name of the plant cut off the seed head/pods and a leaf or take a photograph so that you can identify it later.

Evening Primrose

Storing your seed

Some of the seeds will need to be cleaned by removing the husk and extracting the seeds from their pods/seed heads as these may contain small insects too. Place your dry seeds in a cold, dry and dark place until February/March. This can be in a container in the fridge so that they go through the natural cold winter conditions. It can be in a sealed tin (which will protect them from insects and animals) in the shed, but dry, cold and dark is important. If they get wet or warm they may start germinating and if it is too early for spring they will not survive.

Some seeds can be toxic, take care when collecting seed and always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

 

Seed storage tins

 

Join The Recycleworks Wildflower Seed Project 2012/2013

Schools or Community Associations that support children can register FREE to The Recycleworks Wildflower Seed Project 2012/2013 and they will receive 5 FREE Seed Collecting Tins to store their valuable seed until the spring, when they will receive details of a ‘Wildflower Seed Propagating Kit’ containing everything needed to sow and grow their wildflower seeds as well as sowing and cultivation instructions. Click here for more information.

 

So make the most of this lovely weather and collect some wildflower seeds

 

Gill

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Grow Carnivorous Plants on your windowsill

Bank Holiday Monday was a washout (again) and there was no possibility of getting out in the garden so we decided on some retail therapy – a visit to a garden centre. When we got there Thomas disappeared into one of the heated greenhouses and found some Carnivorous plants; he was fascinated by them as were some of the other children. We bought a Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea) and a Sundew (Drosera), to add to the Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia) that we already have in the greenhouse at home. 

Venus Fly Trap

The Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea) is perhaps the most well known carnivorous plant, its traps are made from special leaves that are folded in two with spines along the edges. Inside each trap there are three trigger hairs, two of these must be touched in succession for the trap to close catching its insect prey inside. The plant absorbs the nutrients from the insect and after about ten days the trap re-opens. It is not recommended that you make the traps close without an insect inside as this can weaken the plant.

Sundew

The Sundew (Drosera) captures its prey in a totally different way, each of its leaves have lots of little hairs that look like they are covered in dew but this is actually glue, when an insect lands on them it gets stuck and is then absorbed by the plant.

Pitcher Plant

The Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia) has another method of catching its prey. The leaves of the pitcher plant are shaped like a funnel with a hood over the top, the lip of the funnel is slippery, the insect lands on this and falls in, it is trapped inside by backward pointing hairs and cannot get out, then it is absorbed by the plant.

Place Carnivorous Plants in a light position, and keep them well watered with rainwater.

The next day Thomas took his plants to show his grandma and grandad and for them to ‘feed in their conservatory’ as there are a lot of flies in there!

I remember having a Venus Fly Trap when I was about Thomas’s age.

Gill

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