Slug defences

Slugs and snails, so soft, so hard to love… Thrushes, toads, hedgehogs and ground beetles happily eat them and for that they should be cherished. But if that’s not enough, there are slug pellets with ferric phosphate (don’t use those with methaldehyde, they may harm pets and ‘good’ wildlife), gel repellents and granules that you place in rings around selected plants, and they swell to create effective barriers.

Tender plants

In the first half of May ground frost is still possible. You may get away with planting out your geraniums, petunias, tomatoes or courgettes – but you are taking chances! However, once we are past the 20th, we can safely do all that and more.

The UK garden centres are now full of young plants – vegetables and flowers – ready to be popped into a border or a large pot. No need to mess about with seeds, what a time-saver! If you only get one, make it a tray of runner beans. They look great climbing up canes in a flower border – and you get to eat something, too. As tender plants are tender in more ways than one, you will need slug defences.

Colourful containers

Perennial plants in containers need additional feeding but if you use slow-release granulated plant food, you only need to do it once a year. Apply now and it will last till the autumn, and make a real difference to the look of your plants!

My simple recipe for pots of colour all summer long is this: a small number of biggish pots, filled with special compost designed for pots and hanging baskets (with water-retaining gel and slow-release plant food), and tried and tested ‘good-doers’. You can’t go wrong with geraniums in the sun and busy-lizzies in the shade, massed for greater effect.

Or just treat yourself to some ready made displays. Great for hanging baskets but you may find that the pots are a bit small as they need to be portable.