Bridge Farm Plants

Shop online with Katie's Garden

29/8/2024

Fresh stocks of Fruit Trees and Ornamental Trees are due to arrive at our supplier nursery, Katie's Garden, next month.

You can reserve yours now and select to either collect from us in Monks Eleigh or have it delivered to your door, if you live in the delivery area, which includes Hadleigh, Needham Market, Sudbury and Ipswich.

Click to open the file below to see varieties, or head to the Katie's Garden online shop.

ornamental_trees_sept_2024.docx
File Size:	28 kb
File Type:	docx

Download File

You can also use the shop to pre-order your winter hanging baskets. Order and pay by 30th September 2024 and save 10% wide code WINTER10 !

Online-exclusive collections of spring-flowering bulbs are also on the webshop along with the full range

Click to shop online

Quality spring-flowering bulbs!

27/8/2024

Spring-flowering bulbs are available from this weekend and we have again held the prices on almost all the range!

Start the year with bee-friendly Crocus and similar rockery varieties, move through to Daffodils, Muscari and Hyacinths, get showier with Tulips and finish with a bang with the Alliums!

We sell our bulbs loose so you can select the best for yourself, and we sell them large.

Our poster explains why bigger is better – don’t accept inferior bulbs!

See the full range in the Katie's Garden Online Shop.

Beautiful colour for late summer and autumn available now!

15/8/2024

Get 3-for-2 on selected summer annuals!

13/7/2024

Offer starts 10am Saturday 13th July!

You can now enjoy 3-for-2 on all patio plants in the lean-to as well as on two of the tables outside. Mix and match, cheapest free.

The range includes slug-proof Pelargoniums (aka Geraniums) and Begonias, exotic looking Coleus, Mimulus and Zinnias, alongside Millet, Cosmos, Osteospermums, Angelonia, Petunias and more. Get them while you can!

Need something to put them in? We have just restocked our ranges of glazed and terracotta pots with many 50% off RRP.

if you are a member of our Flourish rewards club you can save another 10% on top of that!

You can also save 50% on all packets of seeds.

Need help with container gardening? Get top tips on Catherine's advice blog - click here!

Low-effort long-flowering perennials!

12/7/2024

Want plants that will flower month after month?
And year after year?
Want plants that don’t need lots of care and attention?
And perfect for pollinators too?
Our fresh batches of Salvias, Penstemons and Fuchsias tick all the boxes, and are all only £6.99 each!

Most will flower from at least early June to late autumn, and will often do much more than that.

Salvias and Penstemon prefer full sun but still perform well in part-shade too. Fuchsias actually prefer part-shade - they can struggle in too much sunshine!

All will do best in well-drained soils. This is particularly important in the wintertime, when they are otherwise at risk of rotting in damp soils.

The shrubby Salvias simply need two prunes a year, cutting them by half each time. The first is known as the Hampton Hack, as it is usually carried out in July at the same time as the flower show. Get the secateurs out once the first flowers are starting to look a little tired. The second prune is at the end of the year, once the second flowers have run out of steam. The prunes are also an opportunity to tidy up the plants, removing any wonky bits, any clutter and getting them back to a more uniform shape.

Penstemons - which have the added benefits of being evergreen and slug-proof - get similar treatment: cut by half twice a year when flowers are fading. Don't cut back Penstemon too hard in wintertime. The old growth will protect the heart of the plant from frosts and snow so wait till springtime and the frosts have passed if the plant needs a tidy-up.

Fuchsias are sometime known as 'self-cleaning' - the old flowers blow off in the wind which means you don't need to do anything! As top growth usually gets hit by winter frosts they usually want a hard prune in spring to clear the way for fresh healthy regrowth.

Unfortunately we don't have room for the full selections listed below so if you would like a particularly variety call us on 01449 740502 or email [email protected] to put in your request and we will do at best to get them on our next weekly delivery of Katie's Garden plants.

Salvias - new for July!
Grown at Katie's Garden
£6.99 each in 2 litre pots

African Sky
Amethyst Lips
Amistad
Angel Wings
Blue Merced
Blue Note
Californian Sunset
Cerro Potosi
Clotted Cream
Dyson's Maroon
Emperor
Glacier
Harvest Sunset
Jemima’s Gem
Jezebel
La Mancha
Lalarsha
Mulberry Jam
Nachtvlinder
Oriental Dove
Peach Cobbler
Phyllis Fancy
Royal Bumble
Royal Velours
So Cool Pale Blue
Sunshine Dream
Violin Music
Walsingham White

Embers Wish
Kisses and Wishes
Love & Wishes
Wendy’s Wish

Penstemon - new for July!
Grown at Katie's Garden
£6.99 each in 2 litre pots

Amelia Jayne
Apple Blossom
Blackbird
Czar
Dorothy Wilson
Eleanor Young
Firebird
Garnet
Heavenly Blue
Hewell’s Pink
Just Jayne
Laura
Port Wine
Rich Ruby
Snowstorm
Wedding Day

Hardy Fuchsias - new for July!
Grown at Katie's Garden
£6.99 each in 2 litre pots

Alice Hoffman
Delta’s Sarah
Genii
Hawkshead
Mrs Popple
Tom West

Some of the highlights at our Monks Eleigh plant centre this July!

11/7/2024

Click on thumbnails to enlarge

June is here!

3/6/2024

We have so many we have filled several tables with nothing but ....... Salvias! You'll find half-hardy and bedding varieties along with ever-popular perennial ranges. Long-flowering, low-maintenance, bee-friendly, striking colours - what's not to love!

And it's not just Salvias. We've got your traditional favourites including Roses, Lavenders, Shrubs and Cottage Garden Perennials, a wide choice of summer annuals and a few things that can be hard to find!

Sudbury Plant Fair

5/5/2024

The (Katie's Garden) van is fully loaded & we're ready for Sudbury Plant Market this bank holiday Monday with GYO, basket plants, alpines, herbs, perennials and more!

If you are heading to the Market Hill - from 10am - make sure you make a bee-line for Catherine and Bridget's stand: please tell your friends too!

Read more about it here: https://www.sudbury-tc.gov.uk/post/sudbury-plant-fair-a-blooming-may-bank-holiday-tradition

New range of native flowers!

2/5/2024

We have added another new range at our Monks Eleigh nursery!

Get the wildflower look and help local wildlife with our new selection of native plants.

On the whole, they prefer unimproved soils, so if you have any spots where other plants struggle to thrive, such as close to buildings and paving, verges and edges of the garden, these could be ideal!

Welcome in the bees, birds, butterflies and much more besides. Priced at £2.59 each in a 9cm pot.

To maximise the benefits to visiting pollinators they should be planted in clusters, which is why we are offering the discount price of £6 when you buy 3 of the same variety - sorry, no mixing and matching to get this offer!

THE RANGE

Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
Honesty (Lunaria annua - naturalised plant)
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Black Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum)
Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris)

Limited availability:
Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi)
Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis)

The Wildlife Trust has a comprehensive guide detailing best growing conditions and which wildlife can benefit from particular wildflowers. Click here to search it

Grow-Your-Own weekend discounts!

11/4/2024

Want to try grow-your-own but don’t know where to start?

Then start with us at our special event this weekend!

For three days only save 20% on our edibles - including vegetable & salad starter plants, herbs and fruit bushes - and pick up some top tips too!

Discounts run Friday 12th April to Sunday 14th April 2024.

How to grow tomatoes

On the whole, the more heat and sunshine, the tastier the tomato! However, if growing in greenhouses provide shade from scorching midday sun, and be sure to ventilate on the hottest summer days.

Try to be consistent with watering to avoid splitting of the fruit - tomatoes need a lot of water but don’t want to be waterlogged.

Tomatoes are hungry plants. Grow in a good multi-purpose compost and feed weekly with tomato feeds, seaweed extract or homemade comfrey mix once flowers appear.

Most varieties - known as cordons - benefit from a support cane to grow up: loosely tie in as necessary. Nip out any side shoots as soon as they start to form: you want the plant to concentrate its energy on the main stem.

“Trusses” is the term for the clusters of flowers and fruits. Once several have formed you should nip off the top of the plant to stop it wasting energy getting taller: you want the nutrients to go to fruits not leaves.

Bush tomatoes need little staking or nipping out as they grow to a compact size. They have a shorter harvest season than cordons.

Tomato feeds often say to use once the "first trusses are set". This means when you see the first green tomatoes forming!

Examples of cordon tomatoes are:
*Alicante
*Gardener's Delight
*Honeycomb
*Moneymaker
*Shirley
*Sungold
*Supermarmande
*Sweet Million

Examples of bush tomatoes are:
*Roma
*Totem
*Tumbling Tom
*Veranda Red F1

Companion planting advice

Plant herbs and flowers among your vegetable and salad plants to help them grow better!

English Marigolds, Sweet Peas and most herbs will draw in bees which will increase pollination of your plants.

Among the plants that will deter aphids from your crops are Chives, Thymes, Oregano (Marjoram), French Marigolds and Nasturtiums.

Parsley, Dill, Coriander, Fennel, Achillea (yarrow), Verbenas, Monarda and daisy flowers such as Cosmos and Sunflowers can attract predatory insects such as ladybirds that will eat aphid.

Chives and other plants of the onion (Allium) family can be a deterrent to slugs and snails.

How to grow peppers

For best cropping, grow sweet peppers and chilli peppers under cover in greenhouses or similar, as they like it warm and sunny.

Grow in a good multi-purpose compost and feed weekly with tomato feeds, seaweed extract or homemade comfrey mix once flowers appear.

Peppers need very little care, despite needing a long growing period before they are ready for harvesting.

Sweet peppers like a humid atmosphere. Keep well watered and also consider watering the ground around them on warm, sunny days.
If you get a heavy crop be prepared to add support canes to prevent the plant from collapsing!

To get hotter chilli peppers you can try stressing the plant. Methods can include allowing the soil to temporarily dry out, or to stop feeding. Bear in mind this is likely to reduce the overall harvest.

How to grow fruit bushes

Fruit bushes are the great way to enjoy years of homegrown produce with little effort!

Most fruit bushes grow best in fertile, slightly acidic soils. Adding ericaceous compost to the planting hole can help. Blueberries in particular can be grown in pots where you can control what they grow in. It is a good idea to add sequestered iron in springtime. A feed of fish, blood and bone can be given once a year.

Different raspberry varieties ripen at different times of the summer and autumn, so if you are a fan of them make sure you plant a mix of early, late and autumn cropping varieties!

Fruits generally prefer to be in sunny spots, but some will still crop in light shade, including raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants, gooseberries and rhubarb.

Most fruit bushes should be left to grow for the first couple of years, and then pruned in the winters thereafter.

How to grow herbs

Herbs prefer to grow in a light, free-draining soil, and are well suited to growing in large tubs, containers or raised beds. The mints are fast-growing plants and are best grown in tubs on their own as they can quickly overwhelm daintier neighbours.

For best flavour, grow in full sun and pick young leaves in the early morning. Most herbs will benefit from a liquid feed once or twice during the growing season. Bear in mind that after a few years many herbs will become woody and are best replaced.

They can be invaluable for companion planting with grow-your-own plants, as many can deter aphids and other problematic bugs, while others attract beneficial insects and pollinators.

Herbs are, of course, very useful for cooking, and they are also very pretty in the garden. With such a variety of leaf shapes, shades and textures, not to mention the flowers and the aromas, they can create a wonderful display in borders or containers.

How to grow leafy greens: salads and brassicas

Lettuces and salad leaves are a great place to start if you are new to Grow-Your-Own as they are relatively fuss-free and give quick results.

Grow in fertile well-drained soil: improve with composts and manures if necessary. Water regularly and don’t allow the soil to dry out. Mulches such as bark chippings can help keep moisture in.

Although the salads need sunshine, they can struggle in strong midday sun which can also cause the soil to dry out. You can counter this by planting in the moderate shade of taller growing edibles such as runner beans, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Plants of the Allium family such as chives and garlic can deter pests, as can chervil. Harvest leaves early in the day when they are still plump with the morning dew!

Brassicas - such as cabbages, cauliflowers and brussels sprouts - need similar growing conditions, although they take longer to grow.

You can try using old CDs and children’s whirly windmills to keep problematic birds away.

<<Previous

Shop online with Katie's Garden

Quality spring-flowering bulbs!

Beautiful colour for late summer and autumn available now!

Get 3-for-2 on selected summer annuals!

Low-effort long-flowering perennials!

Some of the highlights at our Monks Eleigh plant centre this July!

June is here!

Sudbury Plant Fair

New range of native flowers!

Grow-Your-Own weekend discounts!

How to grow tomatoes

Companion planting advice

How to grow peppers

How to grow fruit bushes

How to grow herbs

How to grow leafy greens: salads and brassicas

Archives

Categories

Keep in touch with Bridge Farm Plants!

Hours

Telephone

Email

Newsletters

Rewards club