A gardening expert has shared three essential outdoor tasks to box off this month to maximise your garden’s potential and yeild “fantastic” results in preparation for summer
Want a lush garden this spring? Carry out these tasks(Image: Getty Images)
A gardening expert has revealed three easy tasks keen gardeners should be tackling right now to get the most out of their outdoor spaces for “fantastic” results in time for summer.
With spring well underway, the increase in sunshine and rising temperatures creates ideal conditions for a number of gardening jobs. Those fortunate enough to have a garden will no doubt be eager to make it look its very best, and that’s where professional gardener Adam Kirtland comes in.
The man behind the hit gardening brand View From the Potting Shed recently posted a detailed TikTok video highlighting three essential tasks to get done this April.
Plant vegetables
The first task on the list revolves around planting vegetables. Adam explained: “If you haven’t already then get your potatoes in now – and I’m gonna show you two ways that you can grow them.
“If you’ve got room in the ground, dig yourself a trench about six inches deep and then plant your potatoes eye side up, about 30cm apart or so. Give them water and let them grow.”
The footage then cut to show him holding a large lime green tub. He continued: “If you haven’t got room in the ground, you can do them in a pot or a bucket like this instead – let me show you how.
“Add some compost to the bottom of a bucket a couple of inches or so deep. Plant your potatoes eye side up again and you can fit about four in each bucket. Cover them over, let them grow.”
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He then turned his attention to another vegetable, frequently used to add depth to a dish. Holding up a complete garlic bulb, he went on: “While you’re thinking about vegetables, it’s not too late to get your garlic in – this is how I do mine. Garlic comes like this and yes, you can just use the ones from the supermarket.
“Roll it around to loosen up the cloves and then you have these individual cloves that you can plant in the ground just like this.
“Using a stick or your finger, make some holes about 10cm deep – garlic needs to be planted 10cm apart, which is roughly the width of an adult hand. Pop your cloves in, cover them over and you’re good to go.”
Sow fast growing seeds
Adam said: “There are loads of fast growing seeds that we can sow in April, too.”
He added: “April is a fantastic month to sow seeds because the sunlight is getting more and more every day.
“Things like radishes and beetroot germinate really quickly and it’ll make you feel like you’re getting loads of gardening done.
“The thing with sowing seeds is that you don’t need loads of room – even if you’ve just got a windowsill in your flat.”
In the comments section, he provided a “full list of seeds that you can sow right now”, featuring indoor and covered options such as tomatoes, peppers, chillies, aubergine, cucumber, courgette, squash and pumpkins, sweetcorn, basil, cosmos, zinnias and marigolds.
Outdoor options include carrots, beetroot, radish, turnip, parsnip, spinach, chards and more.
Deadheading daffodils
The final task on Adam’s list centred on deadheading daffodils. He said: “If you want amazing daffodils next year, you’re gonna have to make sure you deadhead them.”
Deadheading is the process of removing wilted or spent blooms from plants to improve their appearance while stimulating new flowering.
Removing old blooms prevents the plant from producing seed, pushing it to channel its energy into producing new flowers, ultimately resulting in a longer and more robust blooming season.
Adam went on to say: “The key to the most amazing daffodils is cutting off just behind the seed pod… don’t just pull the flower off, and you will have the best daffodils every year.”
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