I just LOVE Spring! Gardens start to come alive with colour. Spring bulbs such as Crocus, Daffodils and Hyacinths are in flower, which begin to help the first pollinating insects of the year.
The sun begins to warm the soil so we can move closer to the surface. This is good news for you, as we begin to loosen the soil which increases the amount of air and water that gets in. However, this also means that slugs begin to warm up too.
The emerging shoots of Hosta’s and Lupin’s are the perfect grub for those pesky slugs, so start protecting your plants. There are a few ways in which you can do this, from beer traps, picking them off, slug pellets (make sure you choose the wildlife friendly ones) and barrier methods like copper rings. Or you can make some small changes to your garden from raised beds to encouraging in wildlife. Thrushes and Frogs are a gardener’s best friend when it comes to getting rid of slugs and snails, place bird feeders around your garden or try and incorporate a small pond.
Depending on the temperature and frost forecasts, you can begin to plant your Summer bulbs like Dahlia’s, Lilies, Begonia’s and Gladioli. But make sure if there are any signs of frost, you protect them with cloches or fleece. You can similarly begin to replant bulbs from indoors, once their displays are over, into borders with a good watering and feed.
Willie the Worm
