Midcheshire Independent Issue 178

17 MAY 2025 Visit our website: www.independentnewspapers.co.uk • Keep weeds under control • Start sowing seeds outdoors • Sweet peas can be sown and planted outside • Plant out main crop potatoes • Plant new pond plants and divide waterlilies • Sow new lawns or repair bare patches • Lightly cut back lavender to stop it getting too leggy or woody • Last chance to prune climbing or rambling roses • Divide bamboos • Protect fruit blossom from late frost SOMETOP GARDENING TIPS FOR THEMONTH IT’S time to reacquaint yourself with your gar- den. Take some time out and just sit for a few min- utes with a cuppa, having a think about your plans and ideas for the coming growing season whilst listening to the birds. And if the sun is shining, then there is even more to smile about. In addition to it being the month when colourful tulips are in full bloom, it’s also a time of heady action in the garden - summer bulbs can be planted, you will need to start supporting your her- baceous plants and prick out seedlings. Planting generally is in full swing, particularly plants bought in containers. The soil is now relatively warm and rain is normally fairly frequent. Trees, shrubs, roses and perennials planted in the ground now will have plenty of time to establish their roots before summer. In the vegeta- ble garden it’s time to plant Time to revist your garden THE Royal Horticultural Soci- ety has shared some of its top tips for gardeners as spring works its magic and brings gardens back to life. � Support nesting birds by feed- ing, providing water and being careful about pruning and other potential disturbance of nests. Leave piles of moss, dead grass and twigs to help nest building, and keep an area of bare soil, wetting it if required so mud is always available for cement- ing nests. � Help insects by sparing flow- ering weeds such as groundsel and red nettles until they have finished flowering. Leave piles of prunings and trimmings in out of the way spots until summer. These provide shelter for insects and other creatures while condi- tions remain potentially harsh. � Spread mulch around perennial plants to lock in winter rain, suppress unwanted vegetation and support soil life, especially earthworms, that in turn feed birds and other garden wildlife. � Wetter than usual conditions since September in many places have left low-lying gardens and ones with clay soils very wet. Cultivating, sowing and plant- ing is difficult until the soil dries out. In the meantime, use planks to access the garden for pruning and weeding to avoid soil damage. � Sow seeds - seeds are relatively inexpensive, but are slow to get going, so aim to sow hardy Giving things a helping hand From basic property maintenance or repairs to a full renovation or even an extension, Ultra Build Northwest can ensure that your project is a success. Our multiskilled tradesmen will get to work promptly and complete all work to an exceptional standard. • EXTENSIONS • RENOVATIONS • LOFT CONVERSIONS • GENERAL BUILDING • KITCHENS • BATHROOMS FAST, RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE – WE’RE THE BUILDERS YOUR PROJECT NEEDS Call us today to discuss your project and get a free, no obligation quote! 07425 010470 info.ultrabuildnorthwest@gmail.com www.ultrabuildnorthwest.co.uk Independent HOMES & GARDEN hardy herbs, grow pump- kins, asparagus, tomatoes and beans. If you sowed sweet peas in the autumn, or have bought some in pots from your local garden centre, then now is the time to plant the seed- lings out. You can also plant sweet pea seeds straight in the ground or in deep pots filled with compost. Good light is essential to stop young plants becoming weak and lanky. If you pinch out the growing tips when the seedlings reach 10cm tall this will encourage stronger and multi-flowered plants. Sweet peas are perfect for picking and are easy to grow in pots or in the ground, training them up a frame for a beautiful display. Planting sweet peas near a seating area means you can smell them as you sit and relax in the garden – one of the best smells of the summer. They come in a variety of colours and sizes. For exam- ple, Lathyrus vernus ‘Alboro- seus’ is a hardy perennial bush-forming sweet pea that has tiny pink and white flow- ers in April, reaching 35cm in height and spread. Lathyrus odoratus ‘Matu- cana’ is a hardy annual that is a hugely popular old-fash- ioned sweet pea with scented two-tone purple flowers in summer, ideal for picking. While Lathyrus odora- tus ‘Lord Nelson’ is a hardy annual grown for picking with blue flowers and a highly rated scent in summer with a reach of 2m. Another summer smell – and taste – is mint which will be showing new growth from its winter die back this month. It’s one of the best herbs for attracting pollinators such as hoverflies, lacewings, bees and butterflies into the garden. Keeping it controlled is essential as mint tends to take over pots and beds with its robust root system, so now would be a good time to thin out any existing mint plants to let new shoots flourish. Apart from being a useful culinary herb mint also makes a great herbal tea. Peppermint leaves contain several essential oils that are released when steeped in hot water, including men- thol, menthone and limonene. Collectively, these give pep- permint tea its’ refreshing, cooling, minty taste. Peppermint tea can aid digestion and may also relieve an upset stomach. In some cases, it has been seen to relieve symptoms of irri- table bowel syndrome (IBS). If you are growing your own mint, then make sure it’s planted in moist but well- drained soil in full sun to partial shade. It’s an exciting month as you get back into the garden and start to sow outdoors, but look out for frosts and keep any tender plants indoors for now. sets until mid-spring as cold conditions induce premature flowering (bolting). � Where slugs are abundant, as is often the case after a mild wet winter, raising young plants indoors keeps them safe from attack and if grown to be quite large before being planted out they can tolerate some ‘graz- ing’ that would be fatal to tiny plants. � Courgettes, pumpkins, run- ner beans, squash, sunflowers and sweetcorn have large seeds which will grow fast after sow- ing so delay sowing these until the second half of April, or even sow outdoors where they are to grow after mid-May. � Bulbs are another relatively inexpensive way of getting garden colour - lilies, which flower from midsummer, are hardy and can be planted as soon as possible in spring for best results. Tender bulbs such as begonias, crinum, dahlias, gladioli, gloriosa and tigridia can be started indoors in pots, or planted outdoors where they are to grow from mid-spring. � Houseplants will start growing again now that light levels will be rising and will benefit from feeding and where necessary, repotting. However bright win- dows will soon become scorch- ing so delicate plants are best moved to duller positions. Simi- larly, greenhouses will overheat on bright spring days if shading is not installed. vegetable seeds such as carrots, lettuce and parsnips and for flowers, calendula and love-in- the-mist, as early as feasible. However, where conditions are too cold or wet to suit seeds outdoors, delaying sowing until April will give satisfac- tory results. Alternatively use cloches or a coldframe to warm and dry outdoor soil for a fort- night or more before sowing. � Sowing seeds indoors, per- haps on windowsills, enclosed porches or a coldframe where a greenhouse is not available, is necessary for tender plants with small seeds such as tomatoes, chilli peppers and tagetes. They are spoiled if they become over- crowded as they grow so raise no more than can be fitted into available space. Choose peat- free potting compost that is recommended for seed sowing. � Potatoes can be planted from early spring for earlies and mid-spring for maincrops, ide- ally after sprouting in a light, frost-free place. Shallot, gar- lic and onion sets can also be planted as soon as the soil dries out. Leave heat-treated onion