Roy’s April Planting Tips
with Roy White from Northern Aspects Landscaping
Now that mid spring is here, you can make use of the warmer weather by clearing out any old soil beds, borders and raised beds/planters ready to begin again.
Flowers like Hardy Geraniums, Nasturtiums and Alchemilla for example, which can withstand any late frosty mornings. Don’t be fooled into sticking all your newly purchased Bedding plants in just yet, in case there is one or two more cold nights to come!
You may have a large area in your garden that is not practical for proper use. Why not turn it into a Vegetable garden, or even have a section for Salad crops as well!
Preparing the soil well and making sure you have a good water source, you can plant straight into the ground, Beetroot, Carrots, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Leeks, Turnip and Onions. You may prefer to buy small veg plants already part grown, cultivating from seed is always cheaper and you have put the work in yourself, to achieve the goal of raising Seedlings.
For other Salad crops like Tomato and Cucumber, you will need a small Greenhouse or Polytunnel to get the best results. If you don’t have the space, a good size window in your home that lets in plenty of light would suffice.
Growing in a Raised Bed
A good use for a raised bed is for crops that need a good depth of nice soil and manure mixed together to aid good growth and crop yield.
Another use can be for an ornamental garden that gives you the ability to work at an easier height when maintaining what you have planted in it. You could have the bed as an exclusive wild flower haven for Insects and Bees without having to worry about them being cut down or trampled on by accident.
Raised beds can be built from a variety of materials in order to achieve the height you want, which can be a good way of re-using any rubbish you have earmarked for the tip! Big planters in stone, wood, metal or plastic would do, even if you can only plant a few things in each. Try to grow enough in your raised beds to feed you and your family if space is an issue.
As I have mentioned above, you can grow all sorts outside in the soil of your raised beds and that includes fruit as well! Raspberries, blackcurrants, strawberries or gooseberries for example.
Whatever you decide to do, enjoy the Physical and Mental benefits that gardening and growing your own brings!