change in the environment does not kill the young plants. There is no point in thinking about planting young tender plants out while there is still any fear of frost.
If you have a cold frame in the garden it can be used to harden plants off by fully ventilating during the day and closing the frame at night. Alternatively you can move your plants out of the glasshouse or window-sill during the day and move them back before the afternoon sun goes down. Once the plants are hardened off [ aprox 2 weeks ] they can be planted out into their permanent position in the garden.
Hardy annuals can be directly sown outside. Prepare the soil by producing a fine tilth crumbly surface. Create informal drills in the surface of the soil and sow your seed thinly into the drills. Cover the seed and water well. After germination thin the seedlings out by removing excess seedlings from the drills and allow the remainder to grow on and establish where they are to flower. Hardy vegetable seeds can be sown using the same technique but grown in straight lines which makes their maintenance and harvest much easier.
Growing from seed is an easy way to fill your garden with colour and your veg patch with vegetable plants relatively cheaply.
So,“ Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the flowers is” Well, they are all growing on in glasshouses, window-sills and cold frames in preparation for filling your garden with healthy plants for the season.
10 % DISCOUNT * FOR FRIENDS OF THE ALNWICK GARDEN
QUOTE CODE: AF-ALNWG-M1
HEIGHLEY GATE GARDEN CENTRE, MORPETH, NE61 3DA
STORES NATIONWIDE | COTSWOLDOUTDOOR. COM
* Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Selected lines are exempt. Only valid on production of an Alnwick Garden Membership card in store or use of discount code online. Offer expires 31.12.2017.