/brochure

Perennials

Summer Flowering Bulbs

Garden Delivery

Potters crouch

Landscaping & Building

Landscape Materials & Fencing

Tradesman

The Hertfordshire - Header

About Us

Garden Centre

Hertfordshire Garden Centre

*Please note, between 7am-8:30am midweek, takeaway food and drink only is available. All the team at Rose Garden Café look forward to welcoming you!

The Hertfordshire Garden Centre

The Rose Garden Café & Coffee shop

Welcome!

Here is how to harvest tomatoes and how to ensure you can keep harvesting for as long as possible.

The time to start harvesting tomatoes is upon us, and in fact, some people will already be enjoying the first tomatoes of the season. It is perhaps one of the most exciting harvests synonymous with the kitchen garden. Growing and harvesting tomatoes is satisfying and rewarding for adults and children alike, so here is how to harvest and how to ensure you can keep harvesting for as long as possible.
<h2>What to look out for when harvesting tomatoes&nbsp;</h2>
As you are harvesting, it is an excellent time to check over the plant to ensure no pests or diseases are present.
<ul>
<li>Check for browning leaves which could be a sign of blight,</li>
<li>Check for aphids such as white fly and red spider mite,</li>
<li>Check the tomatoes for blossom end rot or any signs of stress due to inconsistent watering.</li>
<li>Don’t forget to snip off the side shoots as well to promote more vigorous growth. If you want more tomato plants, pot up the side shoots for a smaller but still productive plant.</li>
</ul>
<h2>How to harvest tomatoes&nbsp;</h2>
This might seem like an easy one, but you have a few options. Harvest the ripe fruits first. Take some which are ripening but can finish off on a sunny windowsill (this is often a good idea if the plant is diseased), or if you are growing a vine variety, pick the best moment to harvest when all of the vine is ripe and snip off the whole vine. The choice is yours, but whichever way you harvest, you are bound to eat one or two on the spot!&nbsp;
<h2>Storing tomatoes</h2>
Popping your harvest into a trug, a recycled food container or whatever you can get your hands on is an easy way to get them home to the fridge. We recommend giving them a rinse before storing them in the fridge or somewhere cool if you will be using them straight away. If you have harvested them but not going home for a few hours, store them in a cool bag to keep them fresh.&nbsp;
<h2>Ensure a long season of harvesting tomatoes&nbsp;</h2>
Firstly, know what variety you are growing as some will produce more fruits over a more extended period and others may be a little less. Full sun, free-draining soil, consistent water, a feeding schedule and plenty of space are what tomatoes need. Many varieties will be self-fertile, but if you are lacking pollinators (which could be the case if growing under cover), just tickle the flowers when they open to help spread the pollen.&nbsp;
For tomato feed, grow pots and compost plus feed, visit us in store.&nbsp;

Harvesting tomatoes

Now’s the time to really enjoy your garden, and to keep it looking great, here are our top 15 gardening tips for July.

It’s summertime, and in the garden, everything is growing like crazy! Now’s the time to really enjoy your garden, and to keep it looking great, here are our top 15 gardening tips for July.
<h2>15 summer gardening tips for July</h2>
<ol>
<li>
Sow biennials like wallflowers, honesty and foxgloves now for flowers next spring and early summer.
</li>
<li>
Roses, cosmos, sweet peas, daylilies and dahlias all make excellent cut flowers, and cutting them for the house or simply deadheading them will keep more flowers coming all through summer.
</li>
<li>
Cut back faded perennials such as hardy geraniums and delphiniums to encourage fresh new leaves and a second flush of flowers.
</li>
<li>
Lift and divide bearded irises once they have finished flowering. Replant them with the rhizomes partially exposed so that they can be baked by the summer sun.&nbsp;&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
July is the time to summer prune your wisteria, cutting all this year’s long whippy shoots back to 5-6 leaves from the woody main stems.
</li>
<li>
Keep sowing lettuce to give you a regular supply of fresh-picked leaves for salads. Lettuce and other salad leaves are prone to bolt in hot weather, so plant them where they will get some shade from the hot afternoon sun.
</li>
<li>
Water container plants regularly in hot periods. It’s especially important to water tomatoes consistently, as sudden downpours are likely to result in split tomatoes after a dry period.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Plants that flower and fruit, including tomatoes, beans, peppers, courgettes, blueberries and gooseberries, will all benefit from fortnightly feeding with a liquid high-potash feed such as tomato fertiliser.
</li>
<li>
Pinch out (remove) side-shoots on cordon tomatoes. These are the small leafy shoots that appear in the fork between the main stem and the side stems. Pinch them out by hand to concentrate the plant’s energy.
</li>
<li>
Pinch out the tips of broad bean plants once the first pods appear to encourage bushy growth and lots of beans. This will also reduce the risk of blackfly infestations.
</li>
<li>
Earth up maincrop potatoes to prevent the sunlight from reaching them and turning them green (green potatoes are toxic). Early potatoes should be ready to harvest this month, but dig up one or two first to check that they are big enough.
</li>
<li>
Once beans and courgettes are big enough to pick, harvest regularly to encourage the plants to keep producing fruits.
</li>
<li>
Prune stone fruit like peaches, cherries, plums and apricots now while they are in leaf. This reduces the risk of silver leaf infection.
</li>
<li>
Plant autumn-flowering bulbs like nerines and colchicums this month for a burst of stunning colour just as other plants are starting to fade.
</li>
<li>
Lawns grow fast in summer, so to keep yours looking neat, mow it weekly. In hot, dry periods, mow less frequently and raise the lawnmower blades onto a higher setting to avoid stressing the grass.&nbsp;
</li>
</ol>
With our great range of plants, tools and gardening equipment, you’re sure to find everything you need in our centre, so pay us a visit soon!

15 garden tips for July

This list of some of the best indoor plants for dark rooms will help you find the perfect plant for any shady space.

Even the shadiest room in the house deserves a houseplant to add a touch of style. This list of some of the best indoor plants for dark rooms will help you find the perfect plant for any shady space.
<h2>8 Houseplants that don’t need much light</h2>
<ol>
<li>
The cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) gets its name because it’s very hard to kill! It can cope with drought, low light and general neglect; in return, it’s excellent at cleaning the air. Don’t over-water it – let the compost dry out before watering to avoid root rot. Wipe the leaves occasionally with a damp cloth to remove dust.
</li>
<li>
Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) has long bamboo-like stems topped with narrow green leaves. It’s said to bring good luck, especially when received as a gift. Although it does best in bright indirect light, it will cope with moderate shade. Water regularly.
</li>
<li>
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is also known as Devil’s Ivy, thanks to its ability to grow in various conditions. Its heart-shaped variegated leaves will show stronger colour in bright indirect light, but it will also grow happily in low light. The long stems can be trained to climb upwards on supports or allowed to trail elegantly. Allow the compost to dry out between waterings and mist occasionally to increase the humidity around the plant.&nbsp;&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
The Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) is one of the classic plants for shady rooms, with large glossy green leaves and occasional elegant white hooded flowers. It grows well in indirect light and likes to be watered regularly, preferably with rainwater or filtered water. Peace lilies are good at removing toxins from the air.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
The snake plant (Sansevieria) is excellent for anyone struggling to keep a houseplant alive. With long, upwards-pointing variegated leaves, this tough, reliable plant looks extraordinary and contemporary and copes well with shade and neglect. Let the compost dry out between waterings to avoid root rot.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum) forms a compact clump of glossy green leaves. It grows well in low light levels, although the variegated varieties will have better colour in bright indirect light. Water regularly and mist occasionally.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) will grow in most positions out of direct light. They will tolerate some neglect, but remember to water them regularly. Spider plants are very easy to propagate and make great gifts for family and friends. Cut off the baby spider plants that occasionally appear on long stems, pot them up in individual pots and grow on.&nbsp;&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
The Money tree (Pachira Aquatica) probably won’t make you rich, but its five-fingered leaves and braided stems make it a beautiful houseplant! It prefers bright indirect light but can grow under fluorescent light and is ideal for an office. Money trees need regular watering, but don’t let them sit in wet compost for long periods as this could cause root rot.&nbsp;
</li>
</ol>
Come in and see the wide range of beautiful houseplants in our centre today. You’re sure to find one that’s just right for you!&nbsp;

8 great indoor plants for dark rooms

Here are some of the top plant care products you might need in the summer.&nbsp;

There are many plant care products to use in summer​since it is the time of year when the garden is in full flower and crops are abundant. Not only will you be immersed in the joy of gardening, but you will also bring home crops of homegrown fruit and vegetables, cut flowers for the vase and herbs for a healthy herbal tea. We hope you get some relaxing time in the garden to enjoy everything you have grown, but there will also be plenty to do as your plants will need to be taken care of to keep them thriving. These are some of the top plant care products you might need in the summer.&nbsp;
<h2>Plant care products you need in the summer</h2>
<ol>
<li>
Crop netting: many plants will soon be devoured by garden pests. Brassicas, for example, can appear fine one day and then be munched by caterpillars the next day. Ideally, some butterfly netting will keep them at bay. Other nets might be needed to cover over your fruit to stop birds from pinching the fruit before you get to them, and the same for peas and even some fruit trees.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Carrot root fly protection: if you are growing carrots in the ground, you will most likely need some root fly protection. They can't fly above 60cm, so the protection won't be required if you are growing in a higher raised bed. You can also companion plants with chives and spring onions in the ground. For example, carrot root flies won't like the smell of those, but the best method is to cover&nbsp;your carrots with a fine mesh that they can't get through.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Cabbage collars: if you are growing your own cabbages, cauliflowers, sprouts and broccoli, place a cabbage collar around the base to protect them from cabbage root flies and deter slugs and snails. They just sit around the bottom of the plant and help to protect them as they grow throughout the summer.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Plant feed: many plants will need extra feed during summer, especially crops such as tomatoes and bedding plants in hanging baskets or containers. Many organic fertilisers are available, which will give your plants the boost they need.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Secateurs: both to harvest and deadhead, secateurs are a must! Keep on top of deadheading, and many plants will continue to bloom for an extended period. Clean, sharp secateurs will make this job much more manageable.&nbsp;
</li>
</ol>
Please find all of your plant care products in store when you visit us. We ensure your garden looks at its best this summer.&nbsp;

Plant care products to use in summer

On the Blog

Most plants will grow quite happily in containers and you can make just as fabulous a display using plants in&nbsp;containers as you can in the garden - great news if you&#39;re short on outdoor space. In our garden centre in %locations%&nbsp;you&#39;ll&nbsp;find a container for every plant: just match your plants to the pot that suits it best for instant success.

Pots come in a huge range of styles and materials from ceramic to terracotta, stainless steel and stone. Let&nbsp;your imagination run riot creating mixed displays of perennials and shrubs in larger pots for instant impact.

Troughs and grow spaces work brilliantly for growing vegetables on the patio. Place troughs against a wall&nbsp;to grow climbing beans, or divide a grow space as small as 1m x 1m into squares for planting a surprisingly&nbsp;wide variety of fruit and veg.

Hanging baskets brighten up the dingiest of entrance ways with brilliant scarlet pelargoniums or, for&nbsp;something different, tumbling tomatoes or chillies. In our garden centre you&#39;ll find not only the baskets but&nbsp;also liners and water-retaining gel to mix into the compost to hold on to moisture for longer.

Please ask the staff in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre for more information and advice about choosing containers.

*please be advised a variety of our products are seasonal. And can only be found at certain points of the year.

Containers

Growing your plants in containers opens up a whole new world in which you can experiment with different&nbsp;combinations, ring the changes or totally overhaul your planting at the drop of a hat. A huge variety of plants&nbsp;from our garden centre grow happily in containers, giving you potted colour from January to December.

Spring: Tulips arrive in our garden centre from autumn: pack shoulder-to-shoulder into large containers for a&nbsp;cracking display. Other spring bulbs to try in pots include crocuses, daffodils and snowdrops.

Summer: Fill your containers to overflowing with dazzling bedding plants - in our garden centre from spring&nbsp;onwards. Container-grown veg are a great option when space is limited: we stock plug plants to make&nbsp;planting even more straightforward.

Autumn: Many shrubs look beautiful framed in a large container and many have spectacular autumn&nbsp;displays. In our garden centre look out for graceful deep purple acers, brilliantly berried skimmia and pretty&nbsp;variegated hollies.

Winter: Combine heathers chosen from the range in our garden centre with white-berried gaultherias or red-twigged dogwood and the large, leathery evergreen leaves of bergenia for winter cheer just outside your&nbsp;door.

Please ask the staff in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre for more information and advice about plants for containers.

*please be advised a variety of our products are seasonal. And can only be found at certain points of the year.

Container plants

Combining plants in containers to make a display that looks good all year round is something of an art. It's fairly easy to create a fabulous display in summer: simply choose from the vibrantly colourful bedding plants available in our garden centre from late spring and have the best garden in %l

Year-round containers

 Cut back delphiniums and hardy geraniums with a pair of secateurs, after they have finished flowering, to encourage a second flush of blooms in late summer.