Toomers Tips for Early Spring Planting 

 

Who better to ask for help and advice on all things garden, pet and horse we thought than the people at John Toomers.

 

They've been running their family business in Swindon since 1850, so they've seen a fair few changes of the seasons.

 

So if you're a little confused as to when you should be pruning, how you should be brushing and what you should be feeding the pets in your home, Toomers Tips are here to point you in the right direction.

 

Garden

 

A Spring Carpet under Trees

 

If we take over lead from nature, many early flowering plants under trees get off to a head start before a leaf canopy fully develops. The classic example is the English Bluebell which can be planted now.

 

Some garden plants with a succession of spring flowers are the Aquilegia (pictured), which is available in a range of heights, & the Pulmonaria (Lungwort). Both of these leave a beautiful leaf carpet when the flowers have finished, & would look lovely under a small cherry tree.

 

A larger plant for nearer the tree trunk is the Peony, which has attractive young emerging foliage. The Peony looks good with spring bulbs & later on provides large colourful flowers & long lasting foliage.

 

We asked James Greenslade from Toomers for his advice on gardening in early spring.

 

   

Pets

 

Feeding wild birds in April

 

Most families will have fed wild birds in their gardens at some time of year, often through the winter. However it is during the spring that that wild birds may be most in need.

 

Throughout April the nights can still be very cold, but it is at this time that birds need to be especially active defending territories, attracting a mate, laying & incubating eggs.

 

Keeping a well stocked feeding station will be much appreciated by the birds. There are various types of food that can be fed at this time of year. Sunflower Hearts are high in oil & loved by greenfinches, whilst Niger Seed is a firm favourite for goldfinches. Peanuts are ideal but must either be crushed or fed from a mesh feeder as baby birds could choke if fed whole peanuts by parents.

 

If you fancy giving a real treat mealworms & waxworms are loved by all birds, particularly robins, wrens & thrushes.

 

Don’t forget to keep feeding areas clean & with a constant supply of fresh water. We stock a wide range of wild bird feed, feeders & accessories. If you need further advice please do not hesitate to contact us or call in.

 

Horses

 

Worming

 

Worming your horse can be a confusing time. With no new products on the horizon we need more than ever to conserve the products we have to keep them efficient for the next few years. Worms need to be treated with different drugs at different times of the year.

 

New research shows us that strategic target worming is the way forward. It also tells us that instead of killing all internal parasites, our horses should be able to tolerate low levels of certain worms that have not been exposed to worming products, making them & their offspring easier to deal with long term.

 

Worm egg counts should be used in your program. They don’t tell us the whole story but give us a snapshot of what your horses worm burden is, aiding us in strategic worming.

 

Please also remember to correctly gain an accurate weight of your horse. Underdosing is a big problem-it can cause resistance to drug groups causing problems for the future.

 

We stock a range of wormers. At the moment Eqvalan Duo comes with a free egg count. If you need further advice please do not hesitate to contact us or call in.

 

For more information, please visit the Toomers website via the link below.