KEEN to get stuck into gardening this spring?
Horticultural expert, radio and podcast host Ellen Mary shows SIOBHAN O’CONNOR the way to grow with her easy tips to help your garden skills blossom.
MULTIPLY YOUR PLANTS FOR FREE
IF you already have established perennials in your garden, now is a good time to lift and divide the clumps.
By doing this you will help the existing plant to thrive, at the same time as being able to plant the division – giving you free ones.
If you do not have any already in your garden, a neighbour or friend might be happy to share.
Or take cuttings from your own or a family member’s plant.
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Snip off some current season shoots, just below a leaf node and no more than 10cm long.
Remove lower leaves with a knife and cut remaining leaves in half. This reduces water loss.
Plant them into moist compost and cover with a clear plastic bag. Take the bag off a few times a week for ventilation.
When the cuttings have rooted, you can remove the bag and grow on.
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START MOWING YOUR LAWN
8IT might not be everyone’s favourite chore, but now is the perfect time to dust off the lawn mower.
As the grass begins to burst into growth, you can start cutting it on a higher setting, at least to begin with, and decreasing the height of the grass over a few weeks.
If you leave your grass a little longer, it will help to retain moisture, meaning you won’t need to water it as much.
Make sure you leave the clippings on the lawn – they release up to 30 per cent of the grass’s required nutrients.
SAVE ON WATER WITH MULCHING SOIL
PLANTS need good soil to thrive.
For ground beds and borders, use well-rotted organic matter such as leaf mulch or composted wood chip. Try Miracle Gro Fibre Smart mulch, £7.36, from alexsuperstore.com.
Mulching helps to retain moisture, allowing you to save on your water bill, too.
For pots and containers, gently remove the top layer of compost and replace with fresh, peat-free compost.
You could add pebbles on top, which will help lock moisture for later in the summer.
To save in the long term, begin making your own compost.
To do this, utilise the nitrogen from greens such as grass clippings, plant waste, kitchen scraps (no meat, dairy or anything cooked) and carbon from woody items such as stems, leaves and shredded paper.
BEGIN SOWING YOUR SEEDS EARLY
IF you want a garden full of colour for summer, now is the time to get sowing.
For quick blooming, try seeds for salad leaves, carrots, beetroot and squash.
Flowers such as cosmos and zinnia, and edible blooms including nasturtiums and marigolds, will flower well.
If you want to keep up with the dahlia craze, sow them as soon as possible for flowers this year. Wildflowers are an easy-to-grow option too.
Seeds can be sown either directly where you want them to grow, or undercover.
Use clean, recycled food containers, plastic bottles cut in half, juice cartons laid on their side with a space cut out to add soil, the cardboard middle of a toilet roll, or newspaper formed into the shape of a small pot.
Save your own seeds. When plants flower and go to seed, collect them and store in a cool, dry place.
BEDDING PLANTS WILL WITHSTAND FROST
MANY of us get put off planting flowers now due to the occasional frosty mornings.
But putting bedding plants together will protect them until the risk of all frosts has passed.
You can protect them by covering with a half-cut plastic bottle, or with a blanket, before nightfall.
Try petunias, calibrachoa, alyssum, lobelia and nemesia for a mix of fragrance and a colourful display.
KEEP PESTS AWAY AND LOOK FOR BEE SIGN
BIODIVERSITY is an important aspect of gardening.
If you invite pollinators to your garden, you will not only enjoy watching wildlife pollinating your plants but also encourage all the creatures that naturally help to control pest problems.
When you choose your summer bulbs and perennials, look out for the bee sign on the labels, which signifies they are great for pollinators.
Bulbs to plant now include lily, crocosmia, liatris, gladioli and daylilies.
There are many perennials, depending on your garden soil.
But some of my favourites for pollinators include hardy geraniums such as “rozanne”, lavender “munstead” and verbena bonariensis.
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Bulbs to plant now include lily, crocosmia, liatris, gladioli and daylilies.
There are many perennials, depending on your garden soil.
But some of my favourites for pollinators include hardy geraniums such as “rozanne”, lavender “munstead” and verbena bonariensis.
Ellen’s top saving tips
GO TO CAR BOOT SALES: You can find some great plant bargains at car boot sales and community gardens.
BUY PLUG PLANTS ONLINE: Generally, this helps you get a bunch of plants relatively cheaply.
TAKEAWAY TRAYS: The leftover plastic containers from your Chinese or Indian meals are ideal for turning into handy seed starter trays.
USE BIKE WHEELS: Old cycle wheels make a great trellis and the tyre can be used as a planter.
- Ellen Mary’s second book, How To Grow A Garden, is due out in July. Stay in the know through Instagram, @ellenmarygardening or ellenmarygardening.co.uk.
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