We have had a rather long dry spell during April and certainly didn’t see too many April showers. It has been pleasant to carry out jobs in the garden however I’m sure you are acutely aware how cold it has been therefore keep in mind the old saying of "never cast a clout till May is out." We are hopefully not too far away from a visit to the garden centre to buy the summer bedding plants or if you have grown in the glasshouse introduce the young plants to the outside temperatures gradually but being mindful of planting plants out too early, making sure that all morning frosts have passed.

If you have over wintered plants in the glasshouse make sure they have had a slight exposure to harden them for the cooler nights that could still affect them. The end of May should hopefully see the end of any cold weather that would stunt the growth of annuals.

It is important to plan out your bedding in advance of planting, choosing the colours you like but also making sure the plants are correct for the situation you want them to grow, perhaps a dot plant such as Cordyline as a centre plant if in a circular bed and then choosing summer bedding that is not out of place and in keeping with the rest of the garden.

Be careful to choose plants that are suitable to the position of the garden; full sun, shade, partial shade. If your soil is dry perhaps a soak of the plant plug in a bucket for a few moments before planting will avoid that quick drying effect that can happen post planting.

It would be a good time to choose a good balanced rose fertiliser to apply around the base of your roses, this should be applied and gently worked in with a hoe. It is a good time to spray a soap based spray on roses if they are found to already have aphids. If a garden pesticide spray is the preferred option then it is important to spray before flowering as this avoids any harm to bees and other pollinating insects.

As the temperature increase grass growth increases which is a good time to lower the height of cut on the lawn to encourage a thicker grass plant with more leaf. If you have applied your spring fertiliser and taken care of the moss now is a good time to apply a summer fertiliser to encourage growth, one with potassium will help the lawn from drying out should we enter a dry period of weather.

Any planting of bare root shrubs or container grown shrubs should really have been done by now however if you find when planting out your bedding plants there is a shrub or plant needing moved be mindful of soaking the roots before replanting and not allowing them to dry out.

PAUL BRANNAN