Garden And Gardener

Everything for the Gardener and their Garden

Price reductions at Crocus

by Sarah - April 11th, 2014.
Filed under: Crocus, Price Reductions.

Crocus has cut the price of these items

Ranunculus 'Aviv Red' (ranunculus bulbs)

Ranunculus ‘Aviv Red’ (ranunculus bulbs) was £2.49 now £1.99
Position: full sun Soil: fertile, moist but freely draining Rate of growth: average to fast Flowering period: May to June Hardiness: fully hardy Fab when planted with rich purples, oranges and yellows, the ‘Aviv’ ranunculus were originally bred for the cut flower market and have larger than average flowers. Garden care: Plant the tallon-like corms in autumn or spring 8cm deep and a similar distance apart with their ‘fingers’ facing downwards.

potato 'Sarpo Axona' (late maincrop potato)

potato ‘Sarpo Axona’ (late maincrop potato) was £4.99 now £2.49
Position: sun-partial shade Soil: fertile, well drained Rate of growth: fast-growing Harvesting period: July onwards Hardiness: protect tubers from frost Another recently introduced late maincrop potato, which like its close relative ‘Sarpo Mira’, has an outstanding resistance to blight. The pink-skinned tubers have a uniform shape and their creamy flesh has an excellent flavour that lends itself well to all methods of cooking. A tasty all-rounder that has good disease resistance – what more could you want? Garden care: As soon as the potato tubers have been delivered you should unpack them and start the chitting (sprouting) process. Place them in single layer in a seed tray without compost and leave in a light, cool area protected from frost. This can be started about six weeks before you intend to plant them. Early varieties can be planted out under frost fleece protection, but the later varieties should be planted after the worst frosts have passed in your area – this is generally mid March to mid April. Dig a trench 8 – 13cm (3 – 5in) deep adding a general purpose fertiliser to the bottom of the trench. Plant the potato tubers in the trenches about 30cm (12in) apart, being careful not to knock the shoots off the tubers, and keeping the shoots facing upwards. Then lightly cover with soil. As the plants get to around 20cm (8in) tall you need to bank up the soil around the plant, so the soil covers the bottom two thirds of the plant. Watering your plants well will help improve crop yield and discourage potato scab. Photography of potato ‘Sarpo Axona’ courtesy Alan Romans

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'Emily Mckenzie' (montbretia bulbs)

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora ‘Emily Mckenzie’ (montbretia bulbs) was £3.99 now £2.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moderately fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average to fast-growing Flowering period: August and October Hardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection in cold areas) Wiry, arching stems carry large, pendulous or horizontal, bright orange flowers that have reddish-purple blotches at their base in late summer. Beautiful in bold drifts and excellent cut flowers. Garden care: Plant the corms (bulbs) in spring approximately 8-10cm deep and 10-15cm apart. Resist removing the faded foliage in autumn and cover the crown of the plant with bracken or bark chips to protect the plant against frost damage. Lift and divide congested colonies in spring, planting the divided sections 8-10cm (3-4in) deep.

Zantedeschia 'Odessa' (PBR) (calla lily)

Zantedeschia ‘Odessa’ (PBR) (calla lily) was £3.49 now £2.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: humus-rich, reliably moist soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May to June Flower colour: deep plum (near-black) Other features: all parts may cause stomach ache if eaten and the sap can irritate the skin Hardiness: borderline hardy (may need winter protection) Deep plum coloured flowers, which look almost black in low light, are held on rich green stems above the clumps of lightly spotted, mid-green foliage. Its compact habit makes it a handsome specimen for pots and containers on a sunny patio. Garden care: Plant the tubers 7-10cm deep and 30cm apart into rich soil or good quality potting compost. Water sparingly until new shoots start to emerge and then start to water more regularly. Apply a deep mulch in autumn or if grown in pots, move to a sheltered spot during the winter.

Bletilla striata (half hardy hyacinth orchid)

Bletilla striata (half hardy hyacinth orchid) was £3.49 now £2.99
Position: partial shade in summer Soil: moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil Flowering period: June to July Flower colour: magenta pink Hardiness: half hardy Up to 12 pink blooms, each with ruffled lips that are usually infused with a darker shade, open in succession on the slender, upright stem in spring. An easy to grow plant, which if left undisturbed, will spread to form good-sized clumps. Garden care: Plant bulbs 2cm deep and 15 – 20cm apart in a partially shaded position. In mild areas apply a generous layer of dry mulch in autumn to provide insulation. Alternatively, lift the bulb in autumn and store it in a dry, frost-free place. Bletillas grown in pots should be moved to a conservatory or unheated greenhouse during winter. They should be kept dry during their winter dormancy.

Lathyrus odoratus 'Midnight' (spencer sweet pea Midnight)

Lathyrus odoratus ‘Midnight’ (spencer sweet pea Midnight) was £6.99 now £4.99
These sweet peas are autumn sown and grown in root trainers to promote longer deep roots. They have been grown under a cold polythene tunnel and we will despatch them as soon as they are ready to be planted outside. (See the dates above for the estimated despatch date) Position: full sun Soil: fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average to fast-growing Flowering period: June to September Flower colour: deep wine red Other features: well scented flowers Hardiness: hardy annual Larger than average, dark maroon flowers, which look almost black in certain lights, appear in clusters early in the season. Their long stems and sweet perfume make them ideal for cutting and adding to fresh arrangements. All the sweet-peas in our trial produced significantly better plants when the seeds were sown in autumn rather than spring. Garden care: Incorporate lots of well-rotted organic matter in the planting hole. To make sure you keep the plants in top condition spray regularly with a fungicide as all sweet peas are prone to mildew, and feed with a high potash fertiliser, such as Tomorite for plenty of flowers. Don’t forget to keep cutting the flowers so that you get plenty more!

Lathyrus odoratus 'Restormel' (spencer sweet pea Restormel)

Lathyrus odoratus ‘Restormel’ (spencer sweet pea Restormel) was £6.99 now £4.99
These sweet peas are autumn sown and grown in root trainers to promote longer deep roots. They have been grown under a cold polythene tunnel and we will despatch them as soon as they are ready to be planted outside. (See the dates above for the estimated despatch date) Position: full sun Soil: fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average to fast-growing Flowering period: June to September Flower colour: orange-red Other features: well scented flowers Hardiness: hardy annual Vibrant orange-red petals, each with a faint picotee edge, form slightly ruffled, well-scented flowers that will create a dazzling display in the mixed border or cutting garden. Reputedly one of the best red cultivars. All the sweet-peas in our trial produced significantly better plants when the seeds were sown in autumn rather than spring. Garden care: Incorporate lots of well-rotted organic matter in the planting hole. To make sure you keep the plants in top condition spray regularly with a fungicide as all sweet peas are prone to mildew, and feed with a high potash fertiliser, such as Tomorite for plenty of flowers. Don’t forget to keep cutting the flowers so that you get plenty more!

Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' (sevenbark)

Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ (sevenbark) was £9.99 now £8.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, well-drained, moderately fertile, humus-rich soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: July to September Hardiness: fully hardy One of the loveliest hydrangeas, this has huge globes of tightly packed, creamy white bracts that look like giant snowballs in late summer. As autumn progress es, the blowsy flowerheads fade to pale lime and the dark green, pointed leaves turn soft yellow. It has an upright habit and makes a breathtaking feature in a wide, partly shady border, particularly when planted in groups or with other hydrangeas. The flowerheads are a popular choice for dried flower arrangements . Contact with the foliage may aggrevate skin allergies. Garden care: Hydrangeas do not like to dry out. In dry weather, soak the roots with a hose and the plant will usually recover. Remove faded flowerh eads in spring after the danger of frosts, cutting back the flowered stems to a strong pair of buds. Take out misplaced or diseased shoots. Mulch young plant s with a well-rotted manure or compost in spring. Once established, remove a quarter to a third of the shoots to the base of the plant.