APRIL GARDENER

SPRING GARDENER 2025

APRIL MAY- what a wonderful time of the year with every plant deciding winter is over.  Suddenly we are caught unawares with a spurt in plant growth and warmer weather we hope – but where to start in the garden?

TIDY UP all that winter detritus essential to compost and do essential maintenance of tools - sharpening, cleaning, clearing and airing - sorry to be boring but maintenance should always come first as the garden tools will be very busy and hardworking very soon .

SOIL -  every garden whatever its size requires healthy soil.  Soil is so often taken for granted as everlasting and not requiring maintenance.   It is not - soil needs nurturing and especially mulching is really key to keeping weeds down and retaining moisture in hotter days.Remove as many weeds as possible BEFORE MULCHING or you will simply be FEEDING THE WEEDS.!!

May I strongly recommend an inexpensive pH meter.  Simply stick the probes into moistened soil for an instant guide. or place a small sample in some distilled water in a small container and take a reading .These meters give a pH, fertility and moisture readings at a manual click of the settings.  They work easily with a simple to read clear screen.(The latest cost on line is approx £15 )

Check your soil has not become too compacted with heavy winter rain or muddy boots. Rake or Hoe  Lightly to introduce much needed oxygen  - remember plants breathe (respiration) through their roots and roots require actual movement to access manure mulch that contain the living microbes producing the all important nitrogen.    Add the granular NPK nutrients now after weeding !!

Soil is so often forgotten, not understood, and therefore neglected but it is soil that contains the vital nutrients that plants depend on. ! Nitrogen (N) for green growth proteins, phosphorus (P) for strength and potassium (K) for flowering.  Look for NPK on your inorganic fertiliser and decide from your soil and plants what you require for ornamental flowers or growing vegetables.  Vegetables generally prefer alkaline soil pH 8 +  and additional liming with a calcium product  may be required to avoid dreaded potatoe club root that  can sometimes appear if the pH is below 7.  !

 ERICACEOUS acid preferring  plants ( Azaleas Rhododendrons Photinias Heathers etc) cannot grow in ordinary clay loam, use branded ericaceous soils that do not contain calcium, but require additional iron and manganese mixed in with grit, bark and some organic (compost).  I also favour a generous ericaceous liquid feed this time of the year when flowering  occurs from now onwards over summer.  Sulphur powder from garden centre will help but planting with an ericaceous bag of  soil in containers may be the best easiest quickest option I can assure you .You can't change garden soil pH  i've tried it .!

PLANTING CHOICE May I suggest simply list the plants YOU  would like to see in your garden, but then stop, think, and consider, will they be happy where you intend to plant them.  Sun or shade, dry or moist ; soil pH  these conditions are very important to the planting. What is on your list?  A small tree or shrub, or do you prefer smaller plants for easier management ,think about size when you are gardening in Summer .Bigger plants can be overwhelming in mid summer .

Think about bulbs, perennials, many flowering easy grown annuals , some colourful climbers for containers  eg such as Black Eyed Susie –Thunbergia ,that can easily be grown from seed ,for long-lasting summer colour at an affordable price.

I advise visiting garden centres and quality websites but don’t forget to factor in delivery charges, and that plants are seldom as well advanced as those beautiful on screen specimens are illustrated.!! Take your time to enjoy choosing the glorious selections at this wonderful time of the year .

 Spend many happy hours ‘just looking’, but you must decide what is going to actually grow but  work best and follow your garden plan as I mentioned in earlier editorials in Feb which I hope you retained for helpful reference .

Now April is commencing, take your time to plan what you really want to see  but above all enjoy nature's  wonderful start to spring with clocks springing forward and visit some local gardens open to all. They will be looking superb in April .Contact me if u have   any  questions tony@scienceforthe gardener.com

Tony Arnold MCIHort   www.science for the gardener.com  

Author Science for the Gardener Book 

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