The Winter to Spring transition is a key time to prep your garden for the year ahead. To avoid any mistakes, here are a few top do’s and dont’s to get started! Best bit of advice, if you’re not sure, don’t!
Do/ Sow or plant out lettuce, tomatoes, Swiss chard, basil, rocket, borage, celery, melon, beetroot, radishes and beans now.
Don’t/ Plant sweet peppers, sweet corn or chillies until all danger of frost is over.
Do/ Plant seed potatoes in a prepared bed or deep container containing compost.
Do/ Fertilise and feed the soil with an organic fertiliser including any fruit trees in the garden. Also add a good layer of organic compost which will greatly improve the soil condition and help to produce strong, healthy plants.
Do/ Make sure you have plenty of water barrels installed around the house and any garden buildings that have guttering. Consider a rain-water fed irrigation system which, once installed, is a very effective way of getting water directly to the roots of plants.
Do/ Lift and divide any perennial plants and ornamental grasses that have finished flowering and transplant. Keep watered until established.
Do/ Keep checking for aphids that will invade the new growth on roses. Spray with a homemade deterrent made with a splash of washing up liquid in some water. Very effective!
Do/ Move any shrubs to a more suitable position if you need to as now is the best time.
Don’t/ Overwater seedlings – If you already have seedlings growing in seed trays be careful not to lavish too much water on them as this can rot the stems. Check the compost below the surface and if it’s damp, don’t water. Only add a little water if the soil is dry.
Do/ Tackle the weeds, that will be steadily increasing as the soil warms up.
Do/ Choose wildlife friendly plants, shrubs and trees to plant in the garden!
