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Many vegetables need to be directly sown in the garden. This is where the seed is planted in shallow trenches known as drills. Drills are made using a hand trowel or the edge of a garden hoe. Once in place, cover the seed with a light sprinkling of soil, pat it down and give it a drink. • Before you start sowing, make sure you clear any weeds from your patch. Break the soil down to a consistency of fine breadcrumbs on the surface and make sure that the bottom of the drill (trench) is moist enough. If not, grab your watering can and give it a quick water. • The seed packet will always advise on the right time to sow your seeds, but your garden and the weather…

When it comes to planting bulbs, space and cost are crucial considerations. With regards to the former, the number of bulbs and the way in which you plant them will be dictated by the land you have available to you. If you have a lawn or garden, then planting your bulbs directly into the ground can make for a beautiful carpet of colour come spring. Alternatively, if you have limited space, such as a balcony or a small patio – or you want the flexibility of changing locations – you can plant bulbs in pots for a movable display that you can protect from the elements.…

1 Prepare your chosen pots, making sure they are clean inside and giving them a brush out if not. Pop some crocks (shards of pottery, old bits of pot or pebbles) at the bottom of the pot to allow for drainage and to prevent the holes from getting clogged up with earth and waterlogged. Pots will need one or more holes in the bottom. Fill your pot with approximately 10cm (4in) of peat-free multi-purpose compost. 2 Now it’s time to add your bulbs. Makingsure they are the pointed end up, begin to put them in the pot, giving them each a few centimetres of space. Planting in pots allows you to plant your bulbs closer together, although they shouldn’t touch the side of the pot or each other. Once everyone…

Sand particles are much larger than clay, and they also have bigger spaces between them that allow water to drain through easily. As a result, sandy soils tend to be dry and relatively infertile, since plant nutrients are suspended in solutions of water and also drain away. Often referred to as ‘light’ because they are easy to dig, sandy soils also warm up quickly in spring, allowing seeds to germinate and plant growth to begin sooner than in other soils. The drier conditions, especially in winter, suit many Mediterranean plants such as lavender, rock roses, and olive trees. Plants: Achillea, agapanthus, spring bulbs, buddleja, rock rose (Cistus), coreopsis, delphinium, dianthus, fuchsia, geranium, bay (Laurus nobilis), lavender, olive tree (Olea europaea), poppy, ornamental grasses. Veg: Onions, tomatoes, most herbs, root vegetables, such…

Trim hard DELPHINIUMS Cutting back the hollow stems to the ground to prevent slugs hiding inside and eating the crowns. Drop an organic slug pellet or two down the remains of each stem. Do the same with perennial lobelias. VERBASCUM Both verbascum and foxgloves should be cut back hard to prevent self-seeding and to encourage the rosettes of foliage to overwinter. It is from these rosettes that next year’s flowering stems will emerge. HELLEBORES Back spot disease overwinters on the leaves of lenten roses, infecting new flowers. To be safe, cut off the foliage in October. Leave any pretty marbled leaves, but if black spot appears, remove them. Partially trim PENSTEMONS If deadheaded, many will flower into October. But eventually it’s wise to cut them back. Reduce by half, leaving…

WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY Plants packed with pollen and nectar help the declining numbers of bees, butterflies and other pollinators Top tip Aim to grow bee-friendly plants all year round CLIMBERS Climbers transform vertical spaces and stand-alone structures. Take care to match a plant’s vigour to its support PERENNIALS Perennials needn’t be labour intensive. Always follow ‘right plant, right place’ principles for best results Top tip Choose perennials that don’t need staking, such as verbascums SUNNY SPRAWLERS For low-maintenance borders, use long-lived ground-cover plants and combine in drifts of the same variety Top tip If soil is poorly drained, add plenty of horticultural grit DAMP DWELLERS If your soil is permanently damp there are numerous interesting perennials that will thrive in these conditions SHADE LOVERS A rich mixture of foliage shapes, colour and…

1 CREATE LAYERS Speed up composting by layering correctly: line the base with straw or twigs, then alternate green and brown (wet and dry) materials. Food scraps (only use non-animal) count as wet; leaves, twigs, and wood ash count as dry. 2 FEED IT Your compost will be more nutrient rich and will mature quicker if you add a sprinkling of nitrogen-rich feed or well-rotted manure. Some of these products can help to make composting more effective. 3 WATER DURING DRY SPELLS Yes, you should water your compost – rain water is fine, or you can lightly hose it. Just make sure that it’s not soaking wet. A lack of moisture will slow down or stop the decomposition, so during very dry spells, at whatever time of year, remember to…

Scarify the grass September is a good time to scarify your lawn. Go over the grass with a spring-tine rake, raking in one direction to remove loose thatch and moss. This helps rainwater seep down where it’s needed most. Repeat again in April. If you have a large lawn, consider buying or hiring an automatic one. Mud coils At this time of year, you might start to notice little coils of soft mud and slime appearing on the surface of your lawn. These are worm casts. Don’t tread on them, as they will spread into the grass and breed weeds and moss. Instead, wait until they dry and then lightly brush them away with an old-fashioned broom or the up-turned head of a rake. What to avoid Don’t walk on…

If you don’t have a garden with a dedicated veg patch, growing vegetables in pots is a great alternative. Those with tiny outside spaces, paved-over gardens, balconies or even just a windowsill in the sun can turn their hopeful green thumbs towards growing edible plants in pots Growing crops in containers is accessible, flexible and as satisfying as growing into soil if you know how to give your plants what they need to grow and thrive. It’s a great option for those who only have little pockets of outside space, rent their homes or aren’t comfortable with kneeling down and would rather garden without bending over. Although it’s true that not everything will grow happily in a pot, there are benefits to container gardening. Your pot-dwelling crops will require more…

What is no-dig gardening? There are three key things to remember: first, the soil is left undisturbed so beneficial organisms can multiply. Second, the soil is fed with organic matter. Third, compost mulches are topped up annually to improve soil structure. Decide on sizing You don’t need a large area for a no-dig plot. One bed of 1-1.2m width and any length is all you need to get growing. And you don’t need raised beds, which attract slugs when they start decaying and can be expensive to install. Prep the chosen area Cover the patch with cardboard as it will biodegrade over a year, killing the weeds underneath. Top with a layer of compost or well-rotted manure, at least 15cm in the first year, then add another 5cm every year.…

Trifolium pratense Bumblebees love these pinkish red clover flowers, which appear from May to September. They’re vigorous, so remove surplus growth to give others a chance. Perennial. H30cm Lotus corniculatus A food source for bees and caterpillars, the pea-like bright yellow blooms are followed by seed pods that resemble bird’s feet (hence the name bird’sfoot trefoil). Perennial. H30cm Centaurea nigra Features thistle-like purple flowerheads on branching stems – the seedheads are loved by birds. Happy in the sun or part shade, plants will self-seed. Perennial. H75cm Daucus carota No good for eating, the wild carrot has lacy white umbels tinged with pink when in bud. After flowering, the dried bracts turn inwards to create a basket-like effect. Biennial. H75cm Knautia arvensis With lilac-blue pincushion-like flowerheads, field scabious is a…

WHAT YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS • A large pot with drainage holes• Multipurpose compost • Crocks for drainage PLANTS • 1 x Salvia ‘Royal Bumble’ AGM• 4 x Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ AGM• 4 x Argyranthemum ‘Grandaisy Deep Red’ or similar daisy-type plant• 4 x trailing plants, such as Anagallis monellii ‘Skylover’ AGM 1 Find a sunny place for your pot. Plant it up in situ so you won’t have to move it. 2 First, place some crocks over the hole in the bottom of the pot, then add the multipurpose compost. 3 Plant the salvia in the centre of the pot. Position the lavender plants at regular intervals around the salvia. 4 Insert the daisy plants in between the lavenders. Tuck the anagallis round the edge so they trail down and water everything in…

There are three main ways of sowing seeds: indoor sowing, outdoor sowing and protected outdoor sowing. Many seeds can be directly sown into your garden soil once your desired spot has been prepared, but others will need to be started off in containers indoors and later transplanted once they are strong and the outdoor weather temperatures are right. Some species are more sensitive than others and will require varying degrees of care. Sowing times will differ greatly between plant types. Weather and development stage will also be a factor when deciding when to move your seedlings outdoors. 1 MAKING YOUR SELECTION Choosing your seeds anddesigning your flower patch is great fun. Deciding on which colours to choose or selecting your favourite vegetables is a reflection of your personality. Seeds that…

This fun method, known as Dutch bulb lasagne, may not produce a delicious Italian pasta dish, but it does make for a beautiful, dense display of flowers that will last through the seasons. The first thing to do is prepare your pot as before with some crocks and a layer of soil. The bulbs need to be layered with the latest-flowering and the largest going in at the bottom. Then add a layer of potting compost. Continue until the earliest-flowering and smaller bulbs are on the top. For your first attempt at this method, you could try a triple layer using tulips, narcissus and crocus, or two layers with tulips and hyacinths. Planting this way is all about spacing. The bulbs will need to be planted slightly further apart than…

Rarely found in gardens in the UK, peaty soils are made up of organic matter, such as decomposed plants. Peat is dark in colour, low in nutrients and water-retentive – it holds on to moisture like a sponge. This type of soil is also very acidic, which means that it will support plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, but will be unsuitable for those that prefer alkaline conditions, including clematis and lavender. Plants: Rhododendron, azalea, camellia, pieris, blue-flowered hydrangea, heathers, witch hazel (Hamamelis). Veg: For peat soils (if it is not too wet): potatoes, celery, onions, carrots, lettuce.…

1 Remove the leaves of your comfrey and soak them in a large container filled with water. The ideal ratio is 1kg cut leaves to 15ltr water. 2 Weigh down the leaves with something heavy – a brick or two would be ideal. 3 After four to six weeks you will be left with a foul-smelling but very useful liquid fertiliser. Strain off the sludge at the bottom of the container and add it to the compost heap, and use the undiluted liquid as a feed. 4 The Amateur Gardening experts advise storing homemade liquid feeds somewhere cool and dry where they should keep for up to a year, after which they may lose potency. ‘They won’t harm plants, but will be less effective – you can always pour them…

SHADE PAINT  This is easy to apply to the exterior of the glass. It lets light through, reduces temperatures and is washed off in the autumn. However, it is unattractive and can’t be removed on cooler or cloudy days. EXTERIOR BLINDS These designs can be pulled down when the heat soars. They are very effective, can look great and double up as winter insulation, but they aren’t always cheap and need to be adjusted according to the weather. MESH NETTING This is fitted to the outside of the greenhouse. It is effective and cheap, but fiddly to put up and can’t be moved regularly. INTERIOR BLINDS AND NETTING  Although these are an option, they are best avoided, as they don’t lower temperatures well and can get in the way of…

Trees are the most dominant and important plants in a garden. The right tree in the right place adds greenery, structure, height, and perhaps flowers, fruit or colourful bark; it lures and encourages wildlife; and – being so big – adds a soulfulness that other plants simply can’t offer. Choosing which tree to buy is a fun task, and time should be taken to get it right. ‘There is a suitable tree for every situation,’ says Tony Kirkham, Head of the Arboretum, Gardens and Horticulture Services at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and author of a new book: The Kew Gardener’s Guide to Growing Trees (£12.99, Frances Lincoln). ‘Having estimated the maximum size that the space can accommodate and the conditions in the potential site, you can then go deeper into…

1 Water generously. Plants in pots will take up all the water fairly quickly– especially in hot weather – so ensure they don’t wither and die. 2 Most multipurpose, peat-free compost contain enough nutrients for 1-2 months’ growth so from that point onwards, your plant will need to be fed. Liquid seaweed offers a wide spectrum of minerals and nutrients that are necessary for healthy plant growth, especially if you’re growing crops that flower and fruit. 3 Certain plants – tall ones in particular – will need additional support. Peas appreciate knobbly twigs or nets to scramble up; tomatoes and peppers may need to be tied into a stake. If a plant becomes top heavy, put bricks or stones in the pot base to stop them toppling over.…

Make your own compost Use grass clippings, vegetable peelings and prunings, then mix with shredded newspaper. Buy a bin or use an out-of-the-way corner. Turn the compost occasionally with a fork. In six months to a year you should have a lovely, crumbly mix. Give wildlife a home Let a section get overgrown. Try leaving a patch of nettles or a pile of prunings in a corner. Put up bird and bat boxes, and design a bug hotel. Make a 15x15cm hole in the base of a fence to welcome hedgehogs. A hedge is far more wildlife friendly than a fence or wall, as it offers nesting sites for birds. Plant for the bees The recent decline in the number of bees and other pollinating insects could have serious consequences…

1 Plant bulbs in the green. Woodland-loving plants including winter aconites, snowdrops and bluebells, grow better when planted in active growth just after flowering. 2 Cut a few winter-flowering shrubs, such as Daphne and honeysuckle, for indoor scent. Bashing out the woody tips of stems allows them to take up more water. 3 Give your house a facelift with a hanging basket. Use a coir based liner and newspaper for insulation. Plant bright cyclamen, which will flower happily from September to March, along with pretty pansies. Finish with ivy. 4 While the garden is dormant, you can relocate plants. Water the plant well and prepare the new hole. Dig out with as much of the surrounding rootball as possible. Place in its new hole and fill in, firming well. 5 Lift and divide…

We all know the benefits of diet and exercise for physical and mental health, but what might come as a surprise is that gardening can in fact burn calories – almost as many as a game of badminton, and it’s far more relaxing than chasing after shuttlecocks! The great outdoors has long been associated with better health, but studies have shown that gardening can help maintain independence, reduce anxiety and depression, and even assist in preventing cognitive decline. Researchers in the Netherlands found that people living near areas of wilderness, urban parks or what has been termed ‘green spaces’ actually had lower cases of illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, depression and heart disease. Research also found hospital patients that had a room with a natural view recovered quicker. Gardening really…

When it comes to gardening, few activities are more grounding and rewarding than planting seeds and watching something grow from almost impossibly small beginnings. It is also a very economical way to grow a greater range of flowers and produce – including some of the more unique and diverse plants like heirloom or heritage varieties. To put it simply, growing from seeds is far cheaper than buying plugs or ready-grown plants, and it’s a much more rewarding way to fill your garden with flowers and produce. With so many different varieties of seeds available you are also guaranteed plenty of choice, allowing you to be creative when deciding what to grow in your space. For example, there are over 10,000 varieties of tomato grown around the world for consumption, all…

1 The first thing to ascertain when planting in the ground is the type of soil you have in your garden. If you have well-drained soil then you are on to a winner, but if your soil is heavy then you will need to plant bulbs that thrive in moist conditions like Galanthus (snowdrops) and Fritillaria meleagris. There are also ways to improve your soil drainage. Adding some sand or grit at the bottom of the hole before planting will help to improve drainage, as will tipping in some well-rotted manure or garden compost. 2 Once you have selected your desired spot, dig a hole using either a bulb planter or a trowel. Check the depth your bulb requires on the back of the packet (see Tip below) and make sure…

Soils not only have different textures, they can also be acidic, alkaline or neutral. This is known as the pH value and it’s important because some plants dislike acidic soils, while others thrive on them. An easy way to identify an acid soil is to look at your neighbours’ gardens to see if they are growing healthy rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, pieris or blue-flowered hydrangeas, which all prefer this type. For a more accurate assessment, buy a soil pH testing kit from a garden centre. Simply take a small sample of soil from about 15cm below the surface and put in a clean container indoors to dry naturally. Once dry, add some of the soil to the empty test tube, as directed in the instruction leaflet, add a scoop of barium…

BINDWEED This troublemaker produces thread-like vines that wrap tightly around other plants, and eventually strangles them. With its trumpet-shaped flowers, bindweed is easy to spot and, soon after the first flush of blooms, it will take over and ruin your flower beds. Start by pulling away the top growth, excavating as much of the roots as you can. Eventually, the roots will exhaust themselves trying to make more shoots. If you’re digging downwards to try and remove the roots, go deeper than you might expect. Getting rid of bindweed takes patience, willpower and several attempts to pull it up, as any root left behind in the soil will sprout again. NETTLES As a valuable food source for the caterpillars of a number of butterflies, including red admiral and tortoiseshell, you…

EPSOM SALTS Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) are good for encouraging roses, houseplants, tomatoes and other greenhouse crops to develop bright green and healthy leaves. Add 10g to 5ltr water and use it to water your plants two or three times throughout the spring. SOLUBLE ASPIRIN Some reports suggest that diluted soluble aspirin aids plants, especially if they are stressed, which in turn may help to increase growth and yields. Diluted aspirin can also help seeds to germinate and cuttings to root. Take care when spraying aspirin solution not to harm bees and other insects. URINE It may sound strange, but human urine makes a good plant fertiliser. Amateur Gardening expert John Negus says, ‘It contains nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. Ideally, store it in a lidded bucket outdoors and dilute a…

It’s so tempting to go to the nursery on a sunny day and buy a variety of plants that you like the look of, without researching what they will work well with or where they will thrive. That’s where garden designers come in. We think of gardens as a whole, creating areas that share a common visual language and planting schemes with different environments in mind. Spring is a great time to be planning your borders for next spring and summer. Not only are the bare root plants and trees available to buy now much less expensive, but you will be giving your new border plenty of time to get its roots in, at the same time as sowing seeds and planting bulbs. Plus, as we head into the darker…

JAPANESE MAPLE The green leaves of Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ blaze scarlet in autumn. Grow in sheltered semi-shade, in moist, well-drained neutral to acid soil. If you have alkaline soil, plant it in a large pot. It reaches 1.8m in 10 years. H: 4.5m MAGNOLIA When this elegant deciduous Magnolia ‘Sayonara’ is in flower, all other trees pale by comparison. The large, scented white goblets bloom on bare branches in May. If you prefer pink magnolias, try ’Heaven Scent’. H: 6m CORKSCREW HAZEL The twisting branches of the slow-growing Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ look bewitched! In March, it is hung with catkins and in winter, the coiled branches are on full show. Remove straight stems that shoot at the base. H: 3m ORNAMENTAL CHERRY Prunus ‘The Bride’ is a beautiful deciduous tree…

SALAD LEAVES Sprinkle a salad seed mix over the soil and cover with 1cm of compost. Water with a fine spray so soil is not splashed up on the leaves. Snip a few leaves regularly. CHILLIES Stake large-fruited varieties and pinch out the main stem at 20-25cm to encourage branching. Dose the plants with general-purpose feed or diluted tomato feed with every third or fourth watering. DWARF BEANS Position sturdy canes or pea sticks in the container for the young plant to scramble upwards. Pick the pods regularly when they are young and tender. POTATOES Cover seed potatoes with 15cm compost, water well. Once foliage emerges, top with more compost; keep earthing up to 60cm. Harvest when foliage turns yellow. COURGETTES Although easy to grow, cucurbits need warmth, so pop…

1 Choose your site – a sunny spot on level ground is ideal. Strip off the turf and put it on your compost heap, or use it to repair gaps in the lawn. 2 Remove weeds as soon as they appear – perennial weeds will soon overwhelm your wildflowers. 3 Rake over the soil to create a crumb-like finish that’s perfect for sowing. 4 Plant any plugs, and then evenly sprinkle over the seed. If seed is very fine, mix it with fine sand for ease of sowing. Water in with a fine spray. 5 Cover your patch of meadow with netting to prevent birds from feasting on the seeds, then watch and wait for the beauty to unfold!…

1 Plant deciduous scented winter shrubs, such as witch hazel and winter honeysuckle (left), in your front garden, or where you’ll see or smell them from the house. 2 Winterproof your garden and move pots away from areas that are susceptible to wind. Put pot feet under containers if you haven’t done so to stop the soil from freezing. Buy covers for outdoor taps, to prevent them from freezing over. 3 Begin to plan next year’s crop rotation. Potato plants can go in your brassica spot, peas and broad beans can replace onions, and swap tomatoes for onion and garlic. This will boost soil fertility and help keep disease at bay. 4 Attach a colourful Christmas wreath to your front door and add some sparkle by popping welcoming solar tea lights on…