Action plan: CIAR BYRNE'S essential jobs for your garden this week
- As soon as the risk of frost has passed it's essential to get seedlings outside
- READ MORE: CIAR BYRNE'S essential jobs for your garden this week
Harden off tender plants
Tender plants need to be out in the garden by the end of this month once the risk of overnight frosts has passed.
But they need to be toughened up first, so the transition is not too much of a shock. This process is called 'hardening off'.
If you have been growing young plants in a heated propagator or greenhouse, the first step is to move them to an unheated greenhouse or cold frame.
It is best to do this when the weather is overcast. Cold frame lids should be propped open during the day, and then closed again at night.
Keep them under cover in this way for a couple of weeks, before moving them to a sheltered spot outdoors.
Plants will grow more slowly in this period, but subjecting them to colder temperatures changes their structure and makes them more resilient – although they will not be able to survive frosts.
If you don't have a cold frame or a suitable place under cover, place pots in a sheltered corner and cover with horticultural fleece at night.
Tender plants need to be out in the garden by the end of this month once the risk of overnight frosts has passed
After a few weeks, your plants will be ready to go into the ground.
Grow a bumper crop
Put seedlings in a nutrient-rich compost and water consistently, topping up with a specialist tomato feed.
Make sure they are somewhere with plenty of sunshine. Pinch out any side shoots that appear between the main stem and branches.
Good companion plants include French marigolds to deter whitefly and basil to combat aphids.
Put seedlings in a nutrient-rich compost and water consistently, topping up with a specialist tomato feed and in no time you'll have a bumper crop
The perfect time to plant evergreen shrubs
Early spring is a great time to plant evergreen shrubs such as holly, pittosporum and ceanothus.
First soak the root ball, then dig a hole the same depth and two to three times as wide as your plant.
Position the shrub the way round you want it then back fill with soil, firm with the sole of your boot, and water well.
Early spring is a great time to plant evergreen shrubs such as holly, pittosporum and ceanothus (pictured) but first soak the root ball before planting
PLANT OF THE WEEK
PRUNUS INCISA 'KOJO-NO-MAI'
This ornamental Fuji cherry is incredibly compact, making it ideal for a small garden, growing to around 2m high and wide
This ornamental Fuji cherry is incredibly compact, making it ideal for a small garden, growing to around 2m high and wide.
It is great for early pollinators in spring when it bears plump, palest pink blossoms with a hint of blush at the centre.
It also has good autumn colour when the lance-like leaves turn from mid-green to a red-orange.
This dwarf cultivar prefers well-drained soil in a sunny spot. With a nicely rounded shape, it can also be grown in a large container and would work well in a Japanese-style garden.
