Gardening Column

Wendy Simpson of Craigievar Gardeners offers seasonal tips to help you get the best from your patch, large or small...

Right now most of us are surveying the frost damage to our gardens with dismay. Even comparatively hardy and wellestablished shrubs have suffered gravely from a drawn-out winter. No matter how bad things look, be patient. Resist the urge to prune out damaged areas until all risk of further frost has passed because pruning will encourage new growth, which will make the plant doubly susceptible to cold damage. Wait as long as you can, and remember that even plants pruned close to the ground can recover because the base of the plant and its roots are the areas least susceptible to injury from freezing.

Treat your lawn to a high-nitrogen feed using a combined weed- and moss-killing product and scarify if necessary. Reseed or turf any bare patches.

May is a good month to plant up tubs, hanging baskets and window boxes for colour that will last all summer. Feed containers every couple of weeks with a liquid fertilizer.

Prepare your borders for planting by weeding them thoroughly. Spread a thick layer of mulch over the soil to discourage regrowth and retain moisture.

Give your hedges a light trim but check for nesting birds first. Prune early-flowering shrubs like ribes and forsythia after they have flowered.

Wait until all risk of late frost has passed before you plant out dahlias and bedding plants. Harden off plants raised from seed in a cold frame for at least a week beforehand.

Plant out early sowings of kale, spinach and salad leaves. Earth up potatoes to prevent light reaching the tubers as they 20 grow. Start sowings of vegetables like beetroot, cucumbers and sprouting broccoli in a greenhouse.

Sow late flowerers such as cosmos, poppies, nicotiana, verbena bonariensis, cornflowers and zinnias in a greenhouse for later planting in gaps in borders.

Deadhead daffodils and tulips as they die back, but leave the foliage to wither naturally.

Insert supports for taller herbaceous plants, especially those with heavy blooms, such as peonies. Your supports will work better and will gradually disappear into the foliage if you get them in early.

Dust off your garden furniture and put your feet up!

SG

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