10 green shoots

Whether you’re a novice or an experienced gardener, here are 10 easy tips to follow in self-isolation that will transform your outlook

- Leigh Clapp

Mother Nature is doing a lot better already with less pollution around, so if you’re fortunate to have a garden, self-isolation is offering you the perfect opportunity to get out into it and have it looking better than ever.

Here’s the chance to really tidy up, get creative, try some ‘make-do-and-mend’, divide plants as they come into growth and propagate your own stock. It’s easy and economical, gives you a great green-gym workout and also helps to lower any feelings of stress, fear and anger.

If you haven’t a garden you may be able to plant up some pots for the windowsill, do something creative, or at least open your windows, get some fresh air and look out at nature.

1 TAKE A STROLL

Get outside in your garden at least once a day, wander and slowly breathe, really notice the sights and sounds all around you. With less traffic the bird song will be clearer, bees will be humming and you’ll have time to admire the beauty of the plants, sniff subtle scents and watch insects as they go about their daily lives.

You’ll save money on replacing plants, fertilising and watering if you use the mantra, ‘right plant, right place’. Here’s the chance to closely observe your conditions at different times of the day, the sun, shade, wind, assess the soil and amount of natural moisture.

2 WEED, PLANT, SOW

With spring comes the weeds, so you’ll actually have time to get on top of them this year. A little weeding or deadheading each day is quite therapeutic. Regrow some plants from scraps. Onions are the easiest; just cut off the root end, leaving about 0.5in of onion on the roots, and then cover with soil in a sunny spot.