Asparagus really fits the bill, what’s more it is easy to grow, tastes divine, even in small quantities and once established will grow for years and years. Buy Unwins pre-packed asparagus crowns in spring and plant them immediately.

1. Step 1.

   Choose a sunny, well-drained site sheltered from strong winds. Dig over the area thoroughly and incorporate plenty of well-rotted organic matter. If the soil is poor dig in Westland organic Vegetable Growing Compost. If you only want a few plants these can be planted into individual, flat-bottomed holes. If you want a large permanent bed of asparagus then it is best to dig out a planting trench. Dig out a planting area that is 20cm (8inches) deep and at least 30cm (12inches) wide.

2. Step 2.

   Gently spread the roots of each asparagus crown out over the surface of the soil in the trench/hole, so that they lie flat on the surface and make good contact.

3. Step 3.

   Cover over with 5cm (2inches) of sifted soil straight away, it is very important not to let the crowns dry out. As the plants start to grow continually cover them over until there is a mound of good soil over the top of them. Do not harvest the spears of asparagus in the first year at all. Allow them to grow into ferny foliage and establish. Next year, if possible resist the temptation again; it will pay off in the long run. In the third season you can harvest spears when they reach 15cm (6inches tall).

It’s not a good idea to use rainwater collected from the roof of the house or the greenhouse to water seedlings. It can spread a number of pests and diseases.

Keep a full watering can in the greenhouse and allow the water to reach room temperature before using.

Always check the instructions on the seed packet for the right advice about the plants you are growing.

1.  

   Step 1.

   Fill several clean 7.5cm (3 in) flowerpots with John Innes Seed Compost. Lightly firm down. Water the compost using a watering can with a fine rose (nozzle) attachment.

2.  

   Step 2.

   Sow the seed directly onto the compost surface, spacing it as evenly as possible. Sprinkle a thin layer of compost over the top. Label carefully with the plant variety and the date.

3.  

   Step 3.

   Large seeds can be sown individually in small pots. Make a hole with a dibber or pencil and drop the seed into it. Cover over with compost.

4.  

   Step 4.

   Water gently and keep in a frost-free place until the seeds start to sprout and grow.

1. 

   Step 1.

   Clear the area around your rhubarb plants for forcing, making sure the area is free of weeds and that any old leaves or damaged parts are removed from the plant. Cover the crowns with a layer of well rotted, dry compost to feed and insulate.

2. 

   Step 2.

   Using a forcing jar, bin or pot to exclude light place over the rhubarb plant. Ensure that there are no holes letting in the light. In colder areas or for quicker results pack straw around the outside of pot to insulate.

3. 

   Step 3.

   Rhubarb should be ready for harvesting approximately 8 weeks letter

Over the next few months we’ll be running a grow with us feature in our newsletter. We’ve selected some great vegetable and flower varieties from our new Gro-sure range and month by month we’ll be showing you how to sow the seeds, prick out, pot on, plant them out and finally we’ll be enjoying the fruits of our labour, when the summer gets here! Sign up to receive the newsletter here.

In the veg department we have been busy sowing Lettuce Sansula, Pepper Diablo and Ringo and Tomato Pannovy, all of which can be grown in pots on the patio and so are ideal for those of us with limited space. And for those with a veg patch or allotment to fill we will also be growing Cabbage Cilion.

For stunning containers and baskets we’ve selected Busy Lizzie Jambalaya, Lobelia Half Moon, Geranium Bulls Eye Cherry and Petunia Bravo Mix.

If you have space inside, in a greenhouse, porch or a bright windowsill you can start straight away and give your seeds a real head start.

Week 4

A few weeks have passed since we sowed our seed and we’ve had some fantastic results already. All of the seeds sown have germinated and we are now faced with trays full of little seedlings all growing away well.

In the next couple of weeks we’ll have to start pricking out and potting on our little seedlings (those that we didn’t plant in module trays) but in the meantime we need to make sure we continue to give them the best environment possible in which to grow and strengthen;

1. If your seedlings are growing on a windowsill remember to turn the trays or pots regularly as seedlings will also grow towards the light. Regular turning will ensure your seedlings grow nice, straight stems. It’s important also not to let the temperature drop too much at night otherwise they may have problems with a cold shock.

2. Keep the compost nice and moist at all times. Don’t allow it to dry out at this tender stage in your plants development.

3. Ensure there is good airflow between your seedlings and that the compost is not too wet. Cramped seedlings and wet compost can quickly lead to ‘damping off’, a fungal disease that can quickly wipe out whole sowings. Treatments are available to deal with ‘damping off’ but as with many diseases prevention is the key (some of the Gro-sure varieties are coated with a fungicide to help with this).

Look out for our next issue, in early April, when we’ll be pricking out and potting on our seedlings.

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If there is a cold snap in early spring a mulch will protect your plants from the effects of the cold, but also if the summer is hot, a mulch will protect plant roots from the effects of scorching sun.

After heavy winter rain it’s a very good time to mulch your garden borders. In the depths of winter the garden is devoid of excess foliage so it is much easier to see the soil between your plants and to apply a mulch. Clear away any remaining garden debris, root out any perennial garden weeds and apply one of the Westland mulches over the garden soil. Each one helps to suppress garden weeds, improve and retain soil moisture and will also insulate plant roots against extreme cold or heat.

Choose Bed & Border Chipped Bark, Landscape Bark or Golden Pine Bark for large areas or around big established plants, or for smaller borders, containers and ornamental gardens opt for Decorative Mini Bark.

In the fruit and veg garden mulch around cane fruit with Premium Garden Soil to protect developing shoots underground. You can also mulch around fruit trees with Premium Garden Soil and cover this with a generous layer of Decorative Mini Bark to help retain soil moisture.

While many garden borders can be self sufficient, you will get much better results if you are able to attend to their needs at the right time. General care and maintenance of your border plants now will keep them in good health, reduce pest and disease problems and allow the plants to reach their full potential during the summer months.

Now is the time to remove all decayed leaves, twigs etc from beds and borders and feed your plants with a general fertiliser such as Bone Meal Root Builder. Hoe it in carefully, taking care not to disturb emerging bulbs.

When the soil is moist and crumbly and has warmed up from a little spring sunshine you can start sowing annual bedding plants in their flowering positions in the garden. If you are new to gardening it may be better to sow them into pots of John Innes Seed Sowing Compost with Sure Start as it is formulated to give the seeds the very best possible start and everything that they need to start growing.

Don’t be tempted into putting out half-hardy plants into the garden. A warm spell can be very encouraging; especially to beginner gardeners, but at this time of year a cold snap won’t be far away. If your plants are shooting early they may need a little additional protection. Place a layer of horticultural fleece over any plants that are unexpectedly beginning to develop strong spring growth, especially if a frost threatens.

Keep an eye on any new plants in the garden and be sure to water them if the weather is dry, even in early spring, rainfall can tail off and the topsoil can dry out quickly. New plants need plenty time to establish a good root system before they can fend for themselves in a dry spell.

Dead head any early spring flowers and bulbs as they die off. Feed the plants after flowering with Growmore or Slow Release Granular so that the plants can build up the bulb for next years’ flowers.

Divide overcrowded perennial plants and replant the pieces around the garden using John Innes No 3. Mature Plant Compost or for a peat-free alternative try Earth Matters Multi-Purpose Compost.

Plant new Gladioli corms and Lily bulbs around the garden borders from March using Bulb Planting Compost. It contains added grit to keep the soil around the bulbs well drained and so helps to avoid fungal problems caused by waterlogged soils.

Keep an eye out for weeds in the borders. In milder weather new seedlings may start to germinate and get a head start on your border plants. Hoe these off before they become established. Use Resolva 24 Ready to Use weedkiller on persistent weeds such as docks, dandelions and other weeds with deep roots.
Always read the label. Use pesticides safely.

Pots and containers are a great way to ring the changes in the garden each season. If you don’t do anything else that’s new in the garden this year, then make sure you plant a few new planters with seasonal colour. Spring containers are a great way to celebrate the arrival of the warmer weather and can be replanted with summer plants as the season progresses. See our guide on How to Plant a Spring Container.

Your may need to start watering existing containers now. Check the soil and compost first and add water if they feel dry. When the container compost has been thoroughly moistened, mulch over the top with Decorative Mini Bark to conserve soil moisture and keep the containers looking neat and tidy. This ornamental mulch has finer pieces than other mulches and looks more to scale when used to mulch containers.

Start feeding containerised trees and shrubs using a suitable plant food such as Slow Release Plant Food, choose the granular option for flexible feeding.

Plants that have outgrown their pots should be re-potted now before they spring into growth. Use West+ Multi-Purpose Compost as it contains a special ingredient that improves drainage and enhances the water holding capacity of the compost so that it is easier to rewet and encourages healthy roots and stronger plants. It reduces the need for frequent watering and holds the moisture in the compost around the plant roots. Incorporate Slow Release Granular Plant Food into the compost to provide your plants with a constant feed for the rest of the season. Alternatively just push the appropriate number of Feed-all Slow Release Tablets into the surrounding compost, which are designed for use in patio pots and containers.

Check on overwintering patio plants such as geraniums and fuchsias. March is too early to put them outside but they may be sprouting new growth that is perfect for taking cuttings. Pot them up into fresh compost such as John Innes Mature Plant Compost No3. and start to water them gently, ensuring that they are not too wet and not allowed to dry out either.

Keep a look out for early signs of pests and disease that may affect these plants, especially in a greenhouse and use your favourite control method to deal with them. Likely problems are greenfly and botrytis. One or two early greenfly can be picked off manually. If there are lots of them then take control and treat them with the New Plant Rescue.

With the soil more visible early in the season and the ground still moist, March is a great time to be planting container-grown trees and shrubs. While containerised plants can be planted through most of the year, many of them will still be dormant and will establish quickly as the weather starts to warm if you plant them now. Make sure you plant when the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.

Bare rooted trees that have been lifted over the winter need to be planted now while they are still dormant so that they are in position before they start into growth in spring. Check tree ties and loosen any that are too tight. This will prevent the tree tie cutting into the tree as the trunk starts to swell in the spring.

Check your trees for any wind damage and carefully prune out any affected stems and branches taking care to prune them back close to the supporting branch or trunk so that the wound will heal quickly.

Existing trees and shrubs in your garden will also benefit from an early spring feed to support strong and healthy growth. Use Growmore Garden Fertiliser for a general balanced feed, it’s granular so can be sprinkled around the base of your plants. Organic gardeners can opt for Fish, Blood & Bone All Purpose Plant Food or Bone Meal Root Builder; both are ideal for use all around the garden for established and new plants. Follow the instructions on the pack. Then mulch thickly around the base of the plant with Decorative Mini Bark.

Over the next few months we’ll be running a grow with us feature in our newsletter. We’ve selected some great vegetable and flower varieties from our new Gro-sure range and month by month we’ll be showing you how to sow the seeds, prick out, pot on, plant them out and finally we’ll be enjoying the fruits of our labour, when the summer gets here! Sign up to receive the newsletter here.

In the veg department we have been busy sowing Lettuce Sansula, Pepper Diablo and Ringo and Tomato Pannovy, all of which can be grown in pots on the patio and so are ideal for those of us with limited space. And for those with a veg patch or allotment to fill we will also be growing Cabbage Cilion.

For stunning containers and baskets we’ve selected Busy Lizzie Jambalaya, Lobelia Half Moon, Geranium Bulls Eye Cherry and Petunia Bravo Mix.

If you have space inside, in a greenhouse, porch or a bright windowsill you can start straight away and give your seeds a real head start.

Week 1 – 3
Having chosen our varieties we are ready to start sowing;

We are sowing our seeds into cell trays. Fill the trays with a good seed sowing compost such as John Innes Seed Sowing Compost and firm down gently.

Open the pack and tip a few seeds into the palm of your hand. Sow seeds individually. For ease of sowing any difficult to handle seeds in the Gro-sure range have been coated to make them easier to sow.

Cover your seeds with a light layer of compost and water gently using tepid water.

Don’t forget to label tray of seeds so you know which is which – it can be very easy to mix up small seedlings!

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Prune roses by removing any dead and diseased stems. Open up the centre of the bush by removing any overgrown stems and any that are rubbing together. Always prune just above an outward facing bud, as this encourages the plant to grow out rather than in and creates a much better shape overall. An overcrowded bush is much more susceptible to pest and disease problems. Feed after pruning with Rose and Shrub Plant Food.

Many shrubs can be pruned in March. Dogwoods (Cornus) respond particularly well to hard pruning, as this encourages plenty of fresh coloured stems to develop. Spring flowering shrubs such as Forsythia, flowering currants, Weigela, Deutzia and early Clematis should all be pruned after flowering as they all actually flower on stems made last year. If you remove these mature stems before the flowers have opened you will stop the plants from flowering this season.

Plants that flower on this year’s stems should be pruned in early spring to encourage plenty of new growth and flowers this season, these include Roses, the butterfly bush (Buddleia), Hydrangea paniculata, and Caryopteris. Feed after pruning with Rose and Shrub Granular Plant Food.

Climbing plants such as clematis that flower from June onwards, on new shoots that form off last year’s wood and Wisteria may have been whipped around in the winter by the wind. Prune them back lightly now to tidy them up, making sure that you do not remove any shoots that will bear this seasons flowers. Gently work some Slow Release Plant Food into the soil surface above the roots and then mulch with Decorative Mini Bark to retain the soil moisture and insulate the plant roots from frost and sun.