Gardening
planting. If carried out too early when the soil is too wet and cold, then we risk damaging its structure, leaving it compacted and very difficult to work; too late and it can become hard and baked. I’d suggest caution. Wait until there is a prolonged warmer spell
rather than the odd freak weekend heatwave which won’t have had a chance to really warm the soil sufficiently. A second task, if you’re planning early
vegetables, would be to give them the best start by planting the seeds either in trays of seed compost in the greenhouse or in pots on a windowsill out of reach of both slugs and frost, and then gradually introducing the young plants through a process of potting- on and acclimatisation to the outside vegetable beds. A third category of job I would call ‘plant
review’. Spring is an important time for renewal, assessing the toll of winter and thinking about changes that need to be made. Last year, I took some cuttings from a number of shrubs and perennials and over-wintered them in the greenhouse. As a novice at cuttings, it has been a learning process for me and I’m delighted to have found most of them showing signs of new growth, even those I thought had given up the ghost. Although not quite yet counting my
chickens, I’m remaining positive and looking forward to having some new plants to put in either later in the year or perhaps next spring. I’m also pleased to say that a slightly tender Hebe has performed much better this winter, meaning I’m inclined to leave it in the
A succulent meal for snails
“If slugs and snails are ‘rehomed’ early, they won’t have chance to multiply”
bed and further encourage it to become the evergreen focus I was intending it to be. My list is indeed fairly extensive, but at least
I have a better handle on the tasks ahead, leaving less to fret about and more time to daydream of freshly-cut lawns and sweet- smelling spring blossom. EL
Frost damage to early camellia flowers
The silvery film left by a leaf miner on the Firethorn
Freshgreen Garden Design 169 Pennsylvania Road Exeter EX4 5BG tel: 01392 422769
www.freshgreen-gd.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk Exeter Living 75
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