I'm not even going to get into talking about the state of the world right now. I am just thankful; for the NHS, the lovely weather and that it is also the start of the growing season, so there are plenty of jobs to do in the garden and a lot to distract myself with. If you're curious, here are some of the jobs I have been up to recently.
1. I'm watering succulents
The sunny weather we’ve been enjoying is warming my greenhouse up nicely, and my cacti and succulents will start to wake from their winter slumber and go into active growth for another year. As the clocks have now gone forward, marking the beginning of British summertime, it’s time to start watering more regularly. I’ll also add an intermittent liquid succulent feed too, to give them a bit of oomph as the new season starts.
2. I'm pruning and cutting back
I cut back a little in the autumn; but when spring arrives, I can prune with more confidence as I see fresh growth start to appear. So I've cut back tired foliage and dried seed heads to the base of the plant, where I see new growth.
I can also use this time to prune trees and shrubs, as long as I feel it is warranted. I might be pruning to keep the plant to a manageable size, or there might be some dead or diseased wood to cut out and keep the plant healthy.
However not all plants should be cut back now. Spring-flowering shrubs (or those that flower on old wood) such as Forsythia, witch hazel, ornamental quince, lilacs and rhododendrons, are better left unpruned until they have finished flowering. If not in bloom already, many of these spring-flowering plants will be in bud. Cutting them back too early means you miss out on their blooms, so it is safer to cut these plants back once they have finished flowering.
If you are unsure when to prune, just look the plant up. You can trust the RHS website to give accurate advice – www.rhs.org.uk
3. I'm sowing seeds
I don't really know what is going on in the world right now - the threat of Covid-19 seems all too real. However my instinct is telling me to sow now, and keep it up throughout the season. I will do a separate post on vegetables I'll be growing this year. For now, I have sown some broad beans, peas, purple sprouting broccoli, radish, parsley, lettuce and beetroot.
4. I'm harvesting and drying mint
Mint is nicest when it's fresh. So as new leaves appear in my mint pots, I'm trying to regularly snip away and and enjoy fresh mint tea, or chopped mint in salads and other dishes. The more mint you cut, the more the plant will keep putting out fresh growth, so it pays to keep harvesting throughout the spring. If you find yourself with a bit more than you need, why not hang stems up to air-dry for dried mint to use in the autumn and winter?
5. I'm hanging up a nesting box
This Christmas just gone, I was given a nesting box from my mother and father-in-law. This one is for small birds, such as sparrows, great tits and nuthatches. I'm really hopeful that some little feathery friends move in. Finding the right place is a challenge though - It needs to be at least two meters from the ground, somewhere relatively sheltered with a clear pathway to it. Easier said than found. I've settled for the back of our shed, high up under the eaves. I just hope I have put it up in time for any passing suitors to notice.
6. I'm trying to stay calm and the garden helps
Like the rest of the world, I get anxious and scared on a fairly regular basis at the moment. I find that restricting my news intake to once a day to keep myself informed but not overwhelmed seems to help, as does spending time outside in the garden, where after a while, covid-19 feels much less threatening. Even if it's just a snatched ten minutes to water some pots while I enjoy a cuppa, I find my anxiety easing. I've even written another blog post about why gardening calms me down. If you don't have a garden, spending time caring for your houseplants may also do the trick - just turn off the news first.
What have you been up to in the garden? Have you been planting and sowing like mad, or taking the time to relax in the sunshine? Or a bit of both? I'd be interested to hear. Feel free to comment below or let me know on Instagram.
Take care everyone! Stay safe!
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