Longacres Blog

We are well into the Spring season and before we know it Summer will be upon us, so make sure that you are well prepared to introduce lots of splashes of colours, scents, butterflies and bees into your garden by buying your bedding from Longacres, where we have hundreds of different varieties to suit every type of gardener and garden! Antirrhinums, Petunias, Geraniums, Fuchsias, Impatiens, Lobelias, Marigolds and Nicotianas are just a small example of the bedding plants available to buy both in store or online from as little as £1.39 in a 9cm pot, £1.99 as a 6 pack of boxed bedding, or just £2.99 as a 12 pack of boxed bedding. Our grower of bedding plants, Perfect Choice, have invested in a stylish, bright and bold new delivery van to transport all of our bedding plants to us ready to offer to you! Perfect Choice is a small family run nursery just 8 miles down the road from us in Locally grown plants have lots of advantages; it means less of a carbon footprint, plants are as fresh and perfect as they come, we save on distribution costs (which means a better price for you, our customer!), and finally we are supporting the local economy and of course another family run business - just like ours. Visit us in store to view the full bedding range, or click here to view the online range. Please note when buying online that you can mix and match all boxed bedding but the total number of boxes must be a minimum of 6.

Are you the type who enjoys hosting parties at home or laid-back alfresco dinners? Then these simple projects are perfect for you. Make the most out of spring by lining up one outdoor party after another. From a grill night to a low-key ladies’ night, you’re sure to have the most fun outside and under the stars. Hang Outdoor Lights Outdoor lights are easy to install. Set up the perfect mood by putting up charming handmade lighting for your next outdoor party. Just screw in some hooks, drape the lights between them and make sure the end plug is near an electrical source. You will have the perfect lighters in no time, and all your guests are sure to gush over it. Build a Mini-Bar Whether it is for keeping your friends hydrated or encouraging them to have fun and have a laugh, an outdoor bar is your easiest bet. Shop around for an inexpensive tiered rolling cart to serve as the foundation for this outdoor mini-bar. Stock the heaviest mixers on the bottom, the plastic glasses or paper cups in the middle, and reserve the top for mixing. Extra points if you get to paint the cart to match your outdoor décor scheme. Create a Cooking Nook The mood is set and the drinks are mixed. All that is missing is the scrumptious meal you will all be sharing. Appoint a cooking and eating nook in a certain corner. If you and your family are into grilling, set up a barbecue grill to satisfy all your cravings. Find one that blends nicely with the rest of the space and secure the area with a simple fence around it. Here at Longacres Garden Centre, we only want to provide your best outdoor entertaining needs. We have a wide selection of barbecue grills that range from charcoal to electric. Rest assured you will find something that fits your needs and suits your party needs. Complete your outdoor party set-up with garden furniture and you are ready to call some friends over. Contact us today so we can help you with all your outdoor entertainment needs.

Peas are one of the more hardier vegetable plants that you can get hold of or grow. You can sow pea seeds in Autumn - overwintering them in a greenhouse till spring, or sow them now (March / April) ready for planting out in a few weeks time. The other alternative is to buy a 6 pack or pot of pre-grown pea seedlings ready to plant out! (available in store) Peas are a great starter crop as they are easy to grow and require little care after initial establishment to grow well. The first thing to make sure you have done is to prepare your site and improve your soil - if you haven't done this already then you can view my previous video and blog post on how to do this. Once you've improved your soil and you know where you want your pea plants to grow you'll need to assemble, create or purchase a frame for them to grow up. Peas climb naturally so this is vital for supporting good healthy growth. You can get great, simple to use kits like we have here at Longacres, or you can assemble your own with just simple string and some bamboo canes. Once the frame is in place you plant out your peas! Dig a small hole about the same size of the current pot they are in. Gently push the root ball up from the bottom of the pot or 6 pack and place gently into the hole you have just dug. Carefully backfill (move back around the plant) the soil that you dug out to create the hole. And that's your peas planted! The next step is to pinch out your pea plant growth tips if you want them to be more busy and compact. Do this by cutting or ‘pinching’ about a third of the growth of the pea away from the plant down to above a node - see my video on peas to find out more about this! You may also need to tie your peas to the canes or supports using jute twine if they are already tall. The final step is to water them in (unless its raining of course!) I added the new Baby Bio Top Defence feed to my water which helps plants with stressful situations such as transplanting, drought and cold. It will be interesting to see how this product works over the season. And that is all you need to know about planting peas! I will have a blog and video update later in the season to show you tips on harvesting and show you how things are getting along during the main growing season! Have any questions about growing your own, plants or houseplants? Send them to us in an email to: plantsonline@longacres.co.uk

You can watch the accompanying video here: http://youtu.be/gDM9uYFZWN4 Arguably one of the most important parts of gardening and horticulture is looking after your soil. It contains all the vital nutrients that plants need to sustain healthy growth and produce a good crop, if the soil becomes worn down or isn't nurtured you will start to run into problems with your plants and crops! The first task you'll need to do to start improving your soil is to clear it of weeds, heavy clay blocks, debris, stones & anything else which shouldn't be there. It's best to try and tackle weeds at the roots and remove as much of them as possible. Rake the soil over to remove any last obstructions. Next is to begin to till or ‘turn over’ your soil whilst adding organic matter. Using a fork or soil tiller begin to lift & turn over the soil and break up any large clumps that may occur from doing this. As you are undertaking this begin to add your organic matter - this could be compost, manure, leaf litter etc… and continue to work the area until you've added a decent amount of organic matter and the whole site has been turned over. Its always advised to read the label on the product you are using and care should be taken not to over-fertilise the site as this could lead to plant growth problems. Make sure any manure is well rotted before applying to your site! I'm using Westland Organic Vegetable Growing Compost for this new vegetable plot - which is good for improving soil drainage, soil fertility and the texture of the soil. I'm also adding well rotted farmyard manure from Westland which contains a whole host of excellent nutrients required for plant growth and will again help with soil drainage and texture. Thats all there really is to it! Now is the time to work the soil and your new vegetable plot, or existing patch ready for the season. Depending on the crops you are hoping to grow will determine what else you may need to add to the soil or what you may need to fertilise your plants with later on in the season. This simple soil nurturing process can be carried out on a yearly basis and you'll start to see the results of your improved soil in your flowers, vegetables or fruit - almost straight away! Have any questions about growing your own, plants or houseplants? Send them to us here: plantsonline@longacres.co.uk

The population of bees across England is declining, and the government is pushing homeowners, gardeners, and landscapers to help save them by encouraging the buzzing insects into their gardens. Helping the Pollinators In a pronouncement by the government through Environment Secretary Liz Truss, gardeners and other concerned individuals are encouraged to help the struggling bee population by making their gardens more bee-friendly. As part of a National Pollinator Strategy (NPS), the 10-year-plan aims to stop or reduce the decline in bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects by ensuring gardens have more nectar and pollen available all year round. Truss explains this involves more than just planting flowers. This also means letting wild flowers and plants, such as dandelions and nettles, grow on your lawn. Not mowing the lawn is something most people have no problem following, she jokingly adds. In the Home For homeowners who want to be a part of this initiative, it’s about growing your garden in a certain way. This means getting the right plants, decorations, and garden ornaments. The ideal approach is to have as many flowers for as long as possible, which may mean planting so you have blossoms throughout the year. If your garden space permits, group the plants to make it easier for the bees to collect nectar and pollen more efficiently. We have a range of plants and other ornaments perfect for this. We also carry a selection of bug biomes ideal for bees, birds, and insects. De-Bugging the Pollinator Decline Another way to help the pollinators, which the NPS failed to mention, is to stay away from pesticides. You may not know it, but the plants you buy from other garden centres may inadvertently be pesticide-laden, which then harms bees and insects. Neonicotinoids are present in many store-bought plants. This chemical is highly toxic to insects. Even when these do not kill bees outright, it can impair the insect’s sense of navigation and their immune systems. When it comes to nurturing the garden, it’s still best to choose only organic composts and fertilisers, which we have in store. Bees and other pollinating insects are essential for your garden’s success. A little quid pro quo by helping them survive will, in turn, help your garden thrive. Browse through our store to find the right products, tools, and plants for a more bee-friendly garden and yard.

Give your home a stylish new appearance with the addition of some stunning interior oak furniture! From bedside tables to full table and chair sets, we've got it all, and better yet - we are now offering 10% off the entire interior oak range! Come and visit us at our Bagshot and Shepperton branches to view the range on our shop floors (full range at Bagshot). Alternatively you can click here to view the online range - just don't forget to enter the following discount code* at checkout when buying online: oak10   Offer runs whilst stocks last. Make sure that you hurry though, because once they're gone - they really are gone! For any questions or enquiries regarding the range, please don't hesitate to contact our friendly seasonal team at seasonal@longacres.co.uk. *In the event of error discount code may be withdrawn at any time.

Many of the roses that are presently fashionable are quite small, standing between 45cm and 80cm in height. They can easily be lost in a garden unless carefully placed, or grown as part of a group of like-coloured flowers so they can make an impact. It is often better to grow these roses in containers, which means the flowers are raised to a higher position, and the containers can be moved into prominent positions when the plant is at its best, either on the patio or positioned between other plants in a border. Roses and other plants can start their life with you in a container, but can be planted out in the garden at a later time. Stachys byzantina 'Silver Carpet' Small, rather fragile roses that haven’t developed good root systems may best be grown on their own in a container. When a number of plants are grown in the same pot there is competition for the available resources – both water and nutrients - and the rose needs to have a good, established root system to effectively hold its own. In these cases it can be really attractive to have a group of several containers, preferably matching. The plants that you grow in them can complement or contrast with the flowers of the centrepiece – the rose. Good effects can be achieved by having a whole container filled with plants of a single colour. For example purple Petunias, red Verbena, bold golden Marigolds or the deep blue of delicate Nigella. You can also use companion plants that are grown for their foliage such as the woolly silvered, non-flowering Stachys byzantina 'Silver Carpet' or the trailing silvered round leaves of a plant such as Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls'. These colours combine well with pink roses. Other foliage plants can be utilised such as the intriguing rose and mahogany tints of Heuchera 'Midnight Bayou'. Diascia (Flying Colours Series) 'Flying Colours Deep Salmon' Alternately a rose can be grown in the same container as other plants. For this option the container needs to be of a substantial size so that all the plants can thrive. It is usually more effective to choose small, dainty flowers to contrast with the often large and solid blooms of the rose. Suggestions include Nemesia that will flower all summer through and have alluring colours that will combine well with roses. The showy Nemesia 'Sundrops' with its clear orange flowers would go with yellow or peach shades. Or the small flowers of Felicia such as the blue, trailing Felicia amelloides 'Santa Anita' that can complement blue or contrast with other light tints. The solid, trailing Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' with its yellow foliage and flowers makes a bold contrast to red roses. Finally, try the white Angelonia 'Angelface 'White' with white roses, or the jolly salmon tints of Diascia such as Diascia (Flying Colours Series) 'Flying Colours Deep Salmon', for a lively interaction with yellow, purple, or peach roses. Notes on rose care: Put a slow release fertiliser in the container when planting and give the plants an additional feed in mid to late summer. Water very regularly, and when it is hot, be prepared to water twice daily. Encourage gifts of good-sized matching containers - three make a good group! This Longacres Blog post was contributed by Susan A. Tindall

Lawn Fertilisation: Are You Doing It Right? Your lawn plays a key role in the overall appearance of your property, which is why regular maintenance is essential. Make your lawn live up to its full potential by watering, mowing, and more importantly, fertilising it frequently. Fertilisers effectively keep the grass green but weeds can still grow. This is one of the most irritating problems that can occur with your lawn. With proper nourishment, you can naturally reduce the growth of weed by thickening the grass. In addition it strengthens the grass roots to absorb more water and lessen soggy puddles. Use the correct equipment when applying For large areas of lawn, use a rotary spreader for better results. Make sure the hopper is closed before you fill it. To avoid spilling and wasting fertilisers, place a tarp beneath the machine to easily gather anything that falls. Apply the fertiliser in a methodical manner to make sure that you cover all the areas. If the lawn area is much smaller, it may be easier to use a handheld spreader. You have to walk slowly and pour equally, being careful not to overlap distribution. This is also a practical way of application if your lawn experiences sunny on one side and shady on the other, applying more where needed. Time your watering Application of the fertiliser should be planned properly. At least a day or two before application, water the lawn thoroughly. You can spread it once the grass dries. After application, water the lawn lightly - this will wash off fertiliser caught in grass blades into the soil. Avoid applying during drought or heavy rain. Utilise the Grass Clippings as an extra feed! Manufactured fertilisers work well alone, but you can complement it with natural ones. When you mow the grass, leave the clippings on the soil. Your lawn can still gain about 25% of the fertiliser it needs, as it still contains nitrogen. A healthy-looking and well-maintained lawn proves to be a vital boost in the look of your home’s exterior. Keep your garden as sharp and beautiful as ever with fertilisers. At Longacres, we offer a selection of quality lawn fertiliser products that provide effective growth and care for your lawn. Contact us and enjoy the benefits of a well-suited grass fertiliser.

Gardens are a homeowner’s paradise. It is, however, rather unfortunate that they often end up looking like blank canvasses during the winter—with snow or leaves covering the ground. As soon as the first signs of spring come along, it is time to liven up the garden with colours—and flower beds are a great way to achieve this. Despite usually lasting only a single season, they can provide your garden with vibrant colours and energise exterior spaces. They can fill the gaps between plants shrubs that have yet to grow fully. You can also plant a whole bed for an immediate effect. Let’s take a look at what you can do to make great bedding plants in your garden: Choosing Flower Colours It is all about the colour. Once you pick a colour scheme for your bedding, you can choose the right seeds to plant afterwards. You can be as creative as you want to be with combinations or you can choose to fill the space with a single, solid colour. Giving Seeds a Good Start After planting the seeds for your choice of flowers, you may want to give them a head start by watering them with a water-soluble fertiliser. This way, you can ensure that they have all the nutrients needed to sprout up and beautify your garden as quickly as possible. Keeping Beds Pest-Free There will always be the issue of pests in the garden. It is important to use just the right pesticides for the job. When buying, make certain to ask for the least toxic products. Also, buy only the smallest containers. Large ones can take years to consume and will lose effectiveness by then. Flower beds are often the star attraction of gardens. With them, you get a chance to brighten up your garden with beautiful colour combinations. Longacres is your prime source for garden supplies, bird feeders, and more. Check out our online range for all the seeds you will need to add a dash of colour to your garden!

Practice leads to familiarity, and familiarity can lead to carelessness. It doesn’t matter how long you have been grilling — no one can let their guard down when cooking on a barbecue. The one time you get careless is always the time when something unfortunate happens, and you end up in A&E. There are some things we should never take lightly; playing with fire is right at the top of the list. Most people understand that, but also have a tendency to be forgetful at the barbecue. We always stress safety when customers use our products; here is a quick refresher on barbecue safety. Throwing Petrol on Grills Never throw or pour petrol on a flame, open or otherwise. This is extremely dangerous and should never be used at any time, even smouldering coals can ignite when doused with an accelerant, making petrol off limits at any time even during the prep stage. Keep Your Distance It may be more convenient to keep the grill closer to the house during a barbecue because of the many trips to the kitchen, but this is a bad idea. Always ensure the barbecue is as far away from anything in the home or garden furniture as much as possible. Maintenance and Grease Checks Regular cleaning is essential, especially for owners who regularly use their barbecues. This is because every time meat cooks, it produces grease that is highly flammable in large amounts. A barbecue grill covered in grease is an accident waiting to happen, when you least expect it. Proper maintenance ensures that the grill lasts longer and serves more barbecue parties. Barbecues are fun to have and become the centrepiece of any outdoor party, but only if owners use them responsibly. For more information regarding how to use grills or BBQ accessories, contact us today.

The high of Christmas and New Year has come to an end, and all that remains are a few bounty chocolates and some leftover ham in the fridge, not forgetting those tree needles that seem to keep re-emerging despite the 5 times you've hoovered the lounge. And let's be honest, we're all feeling a little bit sorry for ourselves. Why not try to beat those January blues by cleaning up your home and giving it a fresher and newer appearance to start 2015; we like to call it: "Refresh, Renew" We at Longacres are stocking a large supply of stunning oak furniture, lanterns, lighting, mirrors, topiary, clocks, wall art, candles, houseplants and more to give you the products and inspiration you need to transform your home into a place of peace and relaxation - vital during the colder months that are keeping you cooped up indoors. On our shop floor you will find a range of furniture including dining tables and chairs, coffee tables, bookcases, corner cabinets, nest of tables, wine bars, bedside tables, TV units, console tables and more in warm oak and cornish cream colours at competitive prices. Let us tempt you over to take a look at our fantastic display at our Bagshot store, or take a look at our online range! "Refresh, Renew" display at Longacres Garden Centre, Bagshot Introduce houseplants into your home Placing a potted plant in the corner of the room can have a drastic effect, and not just to the appearance of the room! Research has shown that keeping plants inside your home brings us a lot of both physical and mental health benefits; so long as you keep them watered and healthy. Plants such as Orchids, Chrysanthemums, Gerberas, Azaleas, Ivy, Spider Plants, and Ficus are just a few that have been found to have the best benefits; particularly for cleaning the air in your home. Below are just a handful of reasons as to why you should consider buying some for your home (or office): Still suffering with a lingering cold that you picked up from that Christmas office party?Indoor plants can speed up your recovery and can reduce cold-related illnesses by over 30%! Plants make us happy; many of us find them calming and therapeutic, but scientific research has shown that they can also reduce your blood pressure - thus making you less stressed! Getting back into the swing of things at work at the start of the New Year can be an uphill struggle at first, but having a plant in the room can increase productivity, improve concentration and boost the speed of work (a great way to impress your boss!) They fight pollution in our homes - a study by NASA showed that some houseplants can remove up to 87% of air toxins in just 24 hours, and of course they're great for releasing oxygen! Tips for keeping healthy houseplants Keep your plants in a draught-free place that has a substantial amount of light. An even temperature is also beneficial. To decide whether your plant needs more water, simply dip your thumb into the soil. If no soil clings to your finger or if it feels very dry, then your plant wants to be watered (tap water is perfectly fine). Plants generally need more water during Summer and Spring when they are actively growing. During the colder months you are more likely to be using your central heating, but this can dry out the air quickly. Make sure to keep moisture in the air around your plant with a water spray or a humidifier. If dust is building up on your plant it can stunt its growth. Dabbing cotton wool into water or milk and wiping the plant gently is the best way to clear it off. Remove any dying flowers or yellowing leaves very gently by pinching them between your thumb and forefinger and tugging gently.

Think juicy steaks, smoked seafood, pumpkin fondue, stuffed mushrooms, homemade pizza, freshly baked loaves of bread, slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, parties, picnics, pulled pork and more. Combine all of these delicious foods together and what do they have in common? They can all be cooked to succulent perfection in the Big Green Egg all year round! We at Longacres are 'eggstatic' to announce the arrival of the Big Green Egg ceramic barbecue and eggcessories at our store in Bagshot. And better yet, the eggcessories are available to order through our website! You can click here to view and buy the online range. What makes the Big Green Egg different to other barbecues? Once lit, the EGG is ready to start cooking in as little as 15 minutes (as opposed to conventional barbecues which can take up to 45 minutes!) You control the EGG. The inbuilt vents give you the power to reduce or increase the air-flow, thus changing the temperature inside the EGG.  The vents allow air to flow through; when they are wide open the oxygen levels for the hot coals are at their highest. Partially closing the vents decreases air-flow and reduces the available oxygen, therefore the temperature lowers. You can keep an eye on the thermometer to decide how much you should open and close the vents. The ceramic technology of the EGG is the same as that developed by NASA for their heat shields. This means that the EGG is resistant to virtually all damage as a result of extreme high or extreme cold temperatures. It also means that it has improved insulation, thermal shock tolerance, durability and strength and will keep the outside surface much cooler than any gas grill. You don't need to buy lighter fluid or charcoal briquettes which contain chemical additives and can affect the taste of your food. Big Green Egg Natural lump charcoal ensures that the food is cooked to tasty perfection, allows for easier cleaning and won't damage your egg. You can even cook your food straight onto the charcoal! Do NOT use lighter fluid or charcoal briquettes in your EGG. It's a much safer choice. The flames are contained within the EGG, meaning you can leave the egg to cook your food for hours on end. It also won't instantly burn you like a metal grill could - but the EGG will still be very hot to touch so do take care! These are just a handful of advantages to purchasing an EGG. To find out more about the Big Green Egg and its eggcessories, please come for a friendly chat in store or contact our experts by emailing thebiggreenegg@longacres.co.uk Here's another festive recipe that uses The Big Green Egg to really get those taste-buds going: Bacon Lattice Butter Infused Turkey This savoury turkey recipe uses the Flavour Injector to give additional moisture to the turkey in the form of a buttery/herbed stock. Any extra buttery juices that escape during cooking will collect in the Drip Pan with the roasted vegetables to create a delicious base for gravy. Ingredients 16-20lb free-range turkey (bought to room temperature) 10-15 strips of streaky bacon. (Smoked or un-smoked according to preference) Optional selection of vegetables to roast inside and underneath the turkey; peeled potatoes, parsnips, red onions, carrots, garlic Injection Ingredients 300ml chicken stock or broth 250g unsalted butter (melted) 1 tablespoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon garlic powder Salt & Pepper Instructions Bring the turkey to room temperature. Add the butter, chicken stock, lemon juice & garlic powder to a small pan and warm until melted and combined./li> Suck the mixture into the Flavour Injector and inject the turkey about a depth of approx. 1 inch into the turkey meat. Inject as you remove. (Some liquid will escape as you withdraw the syringe but the majority will stay in during the cook). Inject the meat approx. 18 -20 times across the whole turkey, including the legs. You’ll see the turkey meat swell instantly. Add a few of the vegetables inside the turkey cavity. We used red onions, garlic, & carrots. These will roast and give additional flavour to the turkey during cooking. Tie legs together with string if necessary. Place the turkey into the V Rack. Place the V Rack into the drip pan. To create a bacon lattice, lay the bacon in vertical strips on the breast of the turkey, followed by horizontal strips using the "under over under" plaiting method. Alternatively just lay strips of bacon on top! Finish with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the Drip Pan and V Rack straight onto the Plate Setter. No need for the stainless steel grid. Close the lid. Note: the temperature will appear to drop for about 15-20 minutes because you have added a large amount of meat, as well as the Plate Setter which will be blocking and absorbing the direct heat. No need to constantly fiddle with the vents. Let everything settle. Cook for approximately 3.5 -4 hours or until the internal temperature between the thigh and cavity registers 165F or 74C on a digital thermometer. Approx. 1 hour 15 mins before the end of cooking time, place the remaining potatoes and parsnips in to the rectangular drip pan with a drizzle of rapeseed oil, salt & pepper. Pour any butter or turkey juices inside the cavity into the drip pan with other juices to create gravy with. Tent turkey in tin foil and cover with a towel for insulation. Rest for half an hour before serving.