Lift and divide perennials and finally get veg planted as the weather begins to improve
No Mow May is a movement that encourages you to set aside the mower for just a month and let the daisies and other flowers have a chance to flourish. You may only have a small patch, but when you add that to everyone else’s we can create a patchwork quilt across the country of wildflowers that will help our valuable pollinators.
There are also creatures that will complete their life cycle within that period and will flourish before the lawnmower blades start again. Daffodils are beginning to set seed and look messy. Avoid the temptation to cut back or tie in bundles – just nip off their heads and leave the foliage to keep photosynthesising. This will prevent them wasting energy on seed and replenish the bulb for next year’s flowers.
If you have large congested clumps of daffodils or snowdrops, these will do better next year if you lift and divide them now and replant in smaller groups.
If bad weather has prevented you from planting, now’s the time to get going. That applies to perennials in the herbaceous border but also the veg garden. You could get early potatoes planted this weekend and be looking forward to a late-June harvest. French beans can be started indoors, and they will be ready for outdoor planting once the risk of frost has passed.
Some perennials that are starting to put on lush growth, for example peonies, will need staking. Sturdy twigs such as hazel make good supports – you can create a small wigwam or dome shape and this will soon be disguised by further growth.
You can also lift and divide perennials if they are starting to thin at the centre and lose vigour. You do this by lifting the plant and gently dividing into smaller plants and plant immediately. This is a great way to increase your stock of plants that you like.
Seeds are germinating fast. If you are growing them on your windowsill or in the conservatory, once they start to put on their true leaves, they are ready for pricking out and potting on. True leaves are the second pair of leaves that a seed will produce – the first are a simple pair that emerge upon germination.
Hardy annual seeds such as calendula, nigella and cornflowers can be sown directly outdoors into the ground or into pots.
If your soil is still very wet or heavy, you can plant veg seeds in modules or trays and keep in a greenhouse, cold frame or on a windowsill until conditions are better. Sow seeds of broad beans, carrots, beetroot, radish, onions and lettuce. You can sow lettuce seeds every week so you don’t get one harvest but a steady supply throughout summer.
Perennials that are starting to put on lush growth, like peonies, need staking
News in 90 Seconds – Wednesday, April 22
Houseplants are waking up and need a little TLC. Clean off dust with a damp cloth, remove any dead leaves and top-dress with some fresh compost. If you think any need replanting into a bigger pot, now’s the best time to do this job.
You can start watering a bit more now but don’t overdo it as overwatering is one of the quickest ways to kill an indoor plant. If they need humidity, place them on a tray or saucer with some wet grit or gravel.
No matter how small your plot, make it attractive to wildlife as this helps keep a garden healthy and beautiful. A bunch of nettles, for example, will be a breeding ground for butterflies – the stinging leaves of the nettles provide protection for them as animals don’t graze on them. They are also breeding grounds for ladybirds, which will hoover up aphids.
Plant of the week
Ceanothus ‘Puget Blue’
Ceanothus ‘Puget Blue’
One of the most arresting sights in spring is a mature Ceanothus or Californian Lilac in full bloom. Like a blue fluffy cloud, the branches are smothered in blossoms. ‘Puget Blue’ is one of the best, with rich blue flowers. Plant in sunshine in well-drained soil, ideally sheltered from cold winds.
Reader Q&A
Have you any tips for creating good displays in pots?
Spring pots
An easy method is the thriller, filler and spiller approach. This means put one plant in the centre for height or structure, around that add bushier plants, and then trailing plants that spill over the side. So, for example, you might have a small topiary evergreen in the centre, surrounded by colourful salvias, geraniums and cosmos, and then some trailing ivy or verbena spilling over the edges. Good compost and regular feeding and watering are essential to keep displays looking well.
Submit your gardening questions to Diarmuid via his Instagram @diarmuidgavin using the hashtag #weekendgarden