Watch for Pests
As the weather warms up, slugs and snails become very active on warm damp nights and can cause severe damage to new foliage and especially on small new plants. Be vigilant and protect your plants from these pests.
Manage Spring Bulbs
Do not cut away the foliage of spring bulbs, such as daffodils and snowdrops. Allow the leaves to die back naturally to feed the bulb for next year’s flowers. Spring bulbs can be lifted and moved while the green foliage is present.
Plant and Move Perennials
Perennial flowers can be planted from pots, and most will survive being moved at any time if well-watered afterwards. Stake perennial flowers that need it, well in advance, especially in a windy garden.
Sow Seeds for Summer Displays
Sow seeds of cosmos, sweet peas, lavatera, candytuft, calendula, Californian poppy, nemophila, and nasturtiums for showy summer displays in borders.
Planting Tubers and Corms
Tubers of begonias and dahlias can be potted up or planted out towards the end of the month. Corms of gladiolus can be planted out where they are to flower. From the middle of the month, gladiolus and dahlias can be planted directly outdoors.
Start Begonias and Cannas Indoors
There is still time to start off begonias and cannas indoors.
Pricking Out and Feeding
Flower seeds sown earlier will need pricking out and growing on, including liquid feeding, to make good-sized plants for planting out in May. If you are raising your own bedding plants, ensure they are spaced well and receive adequate watering and liquid feeding.
Tidy Up Flower Beds
Tidy up flower beds now before the weeds go too far. The ground is still soft, making it much easier to remove weeds. Remove weeds in borders before they make much new growth.
Too Early for Bedding Plants
It is too early to plant out bedding plants, in all but the mildest gardens close to the south coast.
