Alan Titchmarsh shares tip for growing vegetables
April is the perfect time to add plants, flowers and crops to the garden in preparation for the summer months. The warmer weather means more Britons will be looking to spend time outdoors enjoying their plants and tending to their crops.
The reason spring is perfect for planting is there are better soil conditions which are ideal for cultivating and sowing new plants, flowers and crops.
With this in mind, Lucy Rhead, a gardening enthusiast from Gtech has shared which jobs gardeners should be looking to tackle now and which crops and flowers can be planted this month.
Garden jobs to do now
As the weather warms up, gardeners will notice their gardening routine will begin to shift from basic maintenance to general plant care and tidying.
Some of the jobs gardeners need to do now include tidying up and removing weeds from flowerbeds and underneath hedges to allow new plants to flourish.
Tidying jobs include raking up dead leaves, gathering up any fallen branches or sticks and removing plants that have died during the winter months.
Gardeners can begin a regular lawn mowing routine in early spring too. Lucy explained: “You can now start a regular mowing routine to keep your lawn trimmed; it is also recommended to apply spring feed to nourish your lawn.
“But remember, if you have daffodils growing in your lawn, wait until they have died naturally, dried and gone brown before, you mow the area otherwise they will not bloom again next spring.
“Although the April showers should help in keeping your garden green and lush, don’t forget to water your garden during drier intervals.”
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Vegetables to plant now
April and early May are great opportunities to plant crops that could have been planted in March.
These are the vegetables that can be planted directly into the soil in April:
- Beetroot
- Leeks
- Radishes
- Parsnips
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
Gardeners should plant the seeds in straight rows so there’s enough room for the plants to grow.
Lucy recommended “succession sowing” at this time of year. This is when gardeners plant regularly in small batches which allows people to harvest their crops throughout the spring and summer.
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Succession planting is perfect for vegetables that mature quickly like salad leaves and carrots.
Carrot seeds can be planted directly into the ground from April. Gardeners can sow small carrots every three to four weeks and then harvest them from June onwards.
Planting flowers now
Gardeners can start to plant hardy annuals this month as the risk of frost and extreme weather is diminished.
When planting, choose a day with little wind so seeds don’t end up being transported to other parts of the garden.
Lucy added: “It is also vital to remain vigilant and protect any vulnerable plants if the weather takes a turn for the worst. This month is also a good time to re-pot any plants that may have grown over the last few months and require a larger space. Use fresh compost and set them in the shade for the first few days to settle into the soil.”
Flowers that can be planted now:
- Alyssum
- Calendula
- Marigolds
- Nasturtiums
- Cosmos
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