Spring Patio Gardening
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 Nutri 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 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 Nutri Slow Release 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 Nutri 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 No3 Mature Plant Compost 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 Plant Rescue Ready to Use for Ornamentals.
