Posted: 9 April 2024
Author: Luke
Prick out Seedlings
Once the first set of true leaves show, it is important to plant on your seedlings. This will give them more space to grow on. Have a small pot or tray filled with multi-purpose compost ready to move these into, this will reduce the amount of time needed to handle the seedling. When transplanting, make sure to hold by the leaves and never by the stem. New leaves will shoot, but a seedling will struggle to recover a damaged stem.
Protect Tender Vegetables & Summer Bedding
We’re all keen to begin planting in Spring, but it’s important to remember to protect any tender vegetables and bedding plants from frost in these early days. Without the protection of a greenhouse, some plants will experience frost damage on cold nights.
Plant out Tomatoes
It’s best to plant tomatoes in a greenhouse or under a polytunnel at this time of year. Grow these up a cane or string to offer support. With tomatoes, you are able to plant these fairly deep – a good rule of thumb is to go up to the first set of leaves, this will help to anchor the plant in.
Plant Strawberries
Strawberries can be planted now, both undercover and outdoors. They are great for baskets or pots. We recommend putting straw around the base of the plant to keep any fruit off the soil, which in turn should keep them clean and prevent rotting. You can protect other fruit bush bases with straw, too.
Bulb Foliage
Leave any bulb foliage to die back naturally. This will help put energy back into the bulb, encouraging flowers for the following year.
Plant Second Early & Main Crop Potatoes
As main crop potatoes are much bigger varieties, they stay in the ground for a longer period of time. Second Earlies are smaller varieties that are much quicker to grow, and are great for smaller spaces and containers. Despite being planted around the same time as one another, second earlies are usually lifted Mid-Summer, and main crops are lifted late Summer. We recommend planting in a mix of multi-purpose compost and farmyard manure.
Adding Nutrients
Spring is a great time to add nutrients to your soil, and there are a few different ways you can do this. Here are two ways that we recommend: One is using Farmyard Manure, which is rich in organic matter, and can improve soil condition. You can also add a balanced slow release feed. This will add nutrients into your soil each time it rains or is watered, ensuring your plants are fed continually over the coming months. We recommend using Q4 All Purpose Plant Food to give your shrubs and plants a balanced feed in spring.
Spring Clean Your Garden Furniture
Rattan weave garden furniture can be easily cleaned using warm soapy water and a damp kitchen cloth. Once you have cleaned your furniture, allow it to dry out before placing it back under a furniture cover.