Why children should consider gardening as a career?

Do you ever wonder why children these days don’t really consider being a gardener when they grow up? It’s not exactly on the top of youngsters list of dream careers it is? Maybe it’s because they’re not taught anything about it, or because they think it’s boring, or because they think it’s something their parents and grandparents do at the weekends? Whatever the reason, we think it’s a real shame that more school leavers aren’t interested in horticulture.

But how do you persuade school leavers that horticulture is a career worth getting out of bed for? The Horticulture Matters campaign revealed that is 2012, 70 per cent of 18-year-olds regarded horticulture as only for dummies, i.e. those who ‘failed academically’.

So why should youngsters consider gardening as a career? For a start, there are loads of different jobs in gardening! Such as -

• Gardener
• Garden designer
• Florist
• Environmental scientist
• Horticultural journalist
• Greenkeeper
• Aboriculturist
• Vegetable grower
• Garden centre manager
• Landscape contractor
• Landscape architect
• Park ranger
• Plant breeder
• Soil scientist

There is a big demand for skilled gardeners! Horticulture contributes £9 billion to the UK economy every year, and employs around 300,000 people across a variety of disciplines. However, 70% of businesses say that they struggle to find the skilled workers they require and put this down to the poor perception of horticulture in schools!

In our last blog we discussed how gardening is good for your health – so why wouldn’t someone want at make a career out of it!? Gardening can help you keep fit, lower your blood pressure strengthen your immune system, relieve stress and make you happy – how many other jobs can offer these benefits?

There is a reason people take up gardening as a hobby – it’s enjoyable! Children should be encouraged to consider gardening as a career if for no other reason – they will probably enjoy it!

If you love gardening then you have to take a look around our website, and if you have any questions or would like any advice please call us on – 01509 621300

Autumn gardening tips

Sadly for some, summer is almost over, but there is still plenty of jobs that that you can do to keep your garden looking beautiful and your plants flourishing – in fact contrary to popular belief the autumn and winter months should not be wasted and utilised as times to get the most out of your garden ready for next Summer.

The upcoming months of September and October provide the perfect time to get outside while temperatures are moderate and evenings are still light.

Here are some of our top tips to get the most out of your garden before winter sets in.

One last feed

Consider Autumn as preparation for your garden to go into hibernation over the winter months. Just like animals, your gardens will need to store food in order to survive.

Clear the moss and weeds from any areas of the grass to enable moisture and sunlight to get to it so that it doesn’t wilt. Consider purchasing lawn feed to balance out the nutrients of the soil and help your grass stay alive and looking a healthy shade of green throughout winter.

Expand your garden
If you are looking to expand your garden or completely renovate your current plants, shrubs and hedges then believe it or not, autumn is in fact the best time to do this, as new plants can make a strong start and have plenty of time to bed in before the colder weather appears.

The dormant season of late autumn is the best time to plant hedges purchased with bare-rooted whips from specialist nurseries like ours. These younger hedges are much cheaper than buying traditional pot-grown hedges from garden centres, planting them now will mean quicker growth in spring.

If you’re looking for an autumn flowering hedge, consider Fagus Sylvatica (Beech) which can brighten even the dullest of days with leaves that change to a copper colour but don’t fall until winter is over to be replaced by new leaves.

This applies with lawns too; seeds should be given the opportunity to take root before winter.

Take cuttings

Do you want to make new plants from the ones that you already have in your garden? If so, autumn is the time to make plant and create new growths, particularly if you own a greenhouse. Cuttings should be around 10cm tall and any lower leaves should be removed before planting in small pots of premium grade soil.

It is vital to keep them moist and watered, protecting them from strong winds and direct sunlight which can cause them to wilt.

Hardwood herbs such as rosemary or native banksias work particularly well at this time. 

Prepare your soil

Protecting your soil by keeping vital nutrients, which are needed for it to remain fertile, will ensure that your garden has a great head start at the beginning of the year to last all year long. Introducing wood chippings or mulch on top of your soil will protect your soil, particularly between plants and shrubs were nutrients are key for the winter months.

Earthworms cultivate the soil, so you will want to ensure that you have a healthy amount of earthworms in your soil. Adding organic matter like manure and leaves will improve the quality of your soil and attract worms.

For any questions or advice on preparing your garden for autumn, or plans you can grow over the course of the next season please contact Seagrave Nurseries.