Two hours to spare? Six easy jobs that will transform your garden
People say things are “like a roller coaster” too often, but nothing could be more appropriate when talking about conditions in our gardens during April. As gardeners we have to work with snow, frosts, drying winds – and then the scattered sunny days when we’re in T-shirts.
As the garden begins to grow, we can cautiously prepare our outdoor spaces for the full-on thrust of late spring and summer. It’s all about putting yourself in the best position for the season ahead – so preparation is key – but remember to have fun with it too.
The job list
Protect fruit blossom
One of the joys of this time of year is the eruption of fruit blossom. But wherever you garden, you’ll have been lucky if you managed to avoid a cold spell recently. Fruit blossom can be damaged by hard or late frosts and this affects the amount of fruit we can pick.
If possible, when your fruit tree is in bloom and a frost is forecast, throw an old net curtain or piece of horticultural fleece over the tree at night. This will protect the flowers and your fruit crop later in the year. Plum blossom is particularly vulnerable.
Grow cut flowers
If you’ve ever considered growing your own cut flowers, then very few plants are as straightforward and as rewarding to grow as sweet peas and sunflowers. These can be sown in small pots now. Pop a couple of the large seeds in a pot and put them on a sunny windowsill. As the seedlings start to grow, they need a lot of sunshine.
If they’re kept inside too long, the seedlings become stretched as they search for better light. So, when the seedlings are a few centimetres tall, move them outside during the day and bring them in at night to avoid the cold.
Plant out sweet peas when they’re around 10cm tall; sunflowers can go out at the end of May.
I recommend trying sweet pea ‘Gwendoline’ and the multiheaded sunflower ‘Vanilla Ice’.
Save water
March and early April have been unseasonably dry in West Sussex, but with bright, sunny days.
This has meant that I’m watering plants a lot more than I’d normally expect at this time of year. It raises the issue of water conservation and the need to conserve any rain that we get in the next few weeks.
Look at your garden and the buildings within it and see if you are harvesting all the rain water you can. If not, look to invest in water butts and gutter systems to become more self-sufficient. Lots are available online and you can pick up a drainpipe converter kit for £6 at wickes.co.uk.
Lawn logic
If your lawn is wet, don’t cut it – you’ll do more harm than good. If your grass is dry enough, start mowing but raise the blades, leaving the grass a little longer than normal. The idea is to gradually lower the cutting blades as the grass grows and thickens.
Cutting the lawn too tight or too early can cause bald spots. If you fancy trying something different, introduce some unmown areas. You’ll be astonished by the number of flowers and grasses that appear. Cut winding paths through your new meadows – it can look beautiful.
Slug patrol
I’m very lucky to share my garden with a few Indian runner ducks who act as “slug patrol” and keep numbers down. If you don’t have any ducks (or chickens) to help, then it’s a good idea to get on top of your slug population now.
Place empty grapefruit skins upside down on the soil where the slugs can feed at night and shelter during the day. Check in the morning and dispose of any hiding inside. Catch ’em early.
Scrub up
It’s not the most glamorous of jobs in the garden, but it can be one of the most rewarding: clean your patios and hard surfaces. Leaves and soil can build up in corners, weeds start to grow in any cracks, and some surfaces can get slippery and unsafe. To get your garden ship-shape for the summer, get on top of those hard surfaces.
Sweep away any soil or leaves that have collected, remove weeds and check under pots for slugs. Once all the debris is cleared away, a stiff brush and a drop of washing-up liquid in a bucket of water will help to remove any grime. If you like playing with gadgets, then try hiring a pressure washer (visit hss.com).
Book tickets now
On Sunday April 18, join Sarah Raven and Arthur Parkinson online live for How to Create the Ultimate Edible Garden. Visit Gardening Made Easy at telegraph.co.uk/events.
