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We are experiencing a lovely spring and the warm weather probably means you are spending time enjoying your outdoor space. Follow our hints and tips to ensure you really get the most from your garden.
Bedding
As spring bedding plants die down, remove and compost them. Once the display is completely over, dig over and prepare the ground ready for your summer bedding plants. Beware of late frosts and have fleece on stand-by ready to protect any summer bedding and other tender plants that have already been planted out.
Watering systems
Take the strain out of watering with a watering system. They are quick and easy to install, and when used in conjunction with a watering computer, you’ll have a system that will use water wisely and water your plants even when you’re out at work or away on holiday. They are very versatile and there are systems for containers and hanging baskets, for use in the greenhouse or even around beds and borders.
Seed sowing
Hardy annuals such as pot marigolds, clarkia, cornflowers, agrostemma, echium, love-in-a-mist and annual chrysanthemums can be sown outdoors now where you want them to flower. Indoors you can sow annual climbers such as asarina, eccremocarpus, cobaea, ipomoea, tropaeolum and rhodochiton, and there’s now a wide range of herbaceous perennials that will flower in their first year – so start sowing now.
Lawncare
Your lawn should be growing fast this month so you will need to cut it regularly – once or twice a week – to keep it looking good. Now is also a good time to feed the grass for a lush, healthy lawn. Weeds and even moss may also be growing strongly this month, so take action to keep them under control with a lawn feed, weed and mosskiller. Then re-seed any gaps with lawn seed.
Greenhouse activity
As greenhouse plants will be growing quickly now, check them regularly to see whether they'll need re-potting. If they do, re-pot into the next size pot using a good quality compost. Good ventilation, regular watering and maybe even some shading are vital at this time of year to keep plants strong and healthy.
Plant up hanging baskets/containers
Summer containers and hanging baskets can be placed outside at the end of May or early June – after the last frost. But, you can plant them up as soon as you like, as long as you have somewhere protected from frost and with good light. By planting now they’ll look full and ready to burst into colour for the summer.
Pest watch
The late spring weather is perfect for many pests and diseases to get a stronghold in the garden, so make sure you carry out regular health checks on all your plants, but especially roses, bedding plants and herbaceous perennials. Prevention is always better than cure – especially with diseases – so keep looking over your plants and deal with any problems as soon as you see them.
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