Let It Grow

Today we are all continually made aware of the benefits of nature to us, for food and wellbein; yet here in England it is sadly in decline. But whether you live in a flat or one of our more rural properties we can all do our bit to reverse the damage to our planet.

Unless you have moved into a brand new property, you have undoubtedly inherited a garden with unknown plants and shrubs. From October it is often very difficult to tell exactly what plants you have and by March what are still alive. In our keenness to save the planet it is tempting in the warm weather to start digging and planting new plants but it will save time and money to wait until the frosts pass and the weather warms up in April to see what new growth emerges.

Planting for Pollinators

Whether we are veggie, vegan or carnivore we all need pollinators for our food to grow and we are reliably informed they are in sharp decline. Easy to grow dahlias, lavender, sunflowers, marjoram and rosemary are firm favourites with bees and all can be grown in pots. They will need to be well drained and a third full of potting grit before planting and topping up with peat free compost.

At this time you may have been given indoor potted daffodils, snowdrops or hyacinths which have now begun to wilt. Plant these in your garden now and they will last a bit longer and produce flowers for free again next year. If you don’t have any, many supermarkets and garden centres will be discounting them after Easter so grab a bargain and plant them out ready for next year

Grow your own Vegetables

Whilst some veg can be difficult and time consuming to grow some crops are very easy and can be space saving. Seed potatoes are easy to grow and can be bought from most garden centres but at this time of year you may notice that your old supermarket potatoes are starting to chit-small nodules growing from their skin. If you place the potatoes in an egg box, chit up in your airing cupboard or a dark warm place for a week you will notice the chits grow. These can then be planted in your garden or to save space and time in a purpose made potato sack. Water and wait for the best new potatoes. Tomatoes can easily be grown from a grow bag and will just need water and a sunny location. Courgettes, onions and peppers can easily be managed and grown in pots from seed or shop bought small plants.

Planting seeds can be a fun thing to do with children over the Easter holidays, whether it be flowers, herbs or vegetables. If grown in pots made from newspaper or cardboard the young seedling plants can be planted directly into the garden soil once germinated or into a larger pot. If seeds such as salad leaves are grown in a tray and placed on the windowsill to germinate please be mindful that the tray will need newspaper underneath and then a bin bag in between the newspaper and the windowsill to protect the sill from water damage and mould

Hedges, Trees and Shrubs

If you have a hedge in your garden please be mindful that it is against the law to cut this back now until July when the young birds have fledged. However, if you have any shrubs or trees which you feel are becoming invasive please contact us for help and advice.

Lawn ready for Social Gatherings

With the promise of warmer and dryer weather ahead and a four day holiday break its time to get your lawn ready for social gatherings. For the first spring cut we recommend setting your lawn mower to a high setting in case the ground is still wet underneath. If you have a pet, now is the time to scrape off any dead grass and reseed with a mixture of lawn seed, sand and compost to promote regrowth. Please try to garden organically without using chemicals. If you take care of nature, your garden will take care of you:

‘Being in Nature is great for your health’  – Dr. Amir Khan