Get the feeding right

Nourished plants give the best results, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

THANKS to the wet winter and warm, damp spring, plants are growing like mad and gardens are filling up with colour and scent. We want to keep them that way, so it is important to feed and water plants to keep them robust, healthy and productive. This is especially so with fruit and veg plants that use a lot of energy producing blossom and crops.

Liquid fertilisers are easy to apply and work speedily and efficiently. However, their goodness is soon leached away by rain and watering, so you need to reapply every couple of weeks. This is especially important for plants growing in containers, as they can’t send their roots out far to search for new food.

Granular feeds and slow-release fertilisers take longer to start to work but last in the soil for months, meaning you only have to apply a couple of times a season. Give a feed just as things are starting to grow after winter dormancy and then again mid-way through the growing season.

Don’t feed in August or later as any soft new growth risks being damaged (or killed) by winter’s cold.