WHAT TO DO THIS Month
From dividing daffodils to sowing honesty and propagating lavender, there’s plenty to get on with
PINCH OUT DAHLIA GROWING TIPS
Pinch out the growing tips of dahlias over the coming weeks and you’ll encourage them to form bushier plants with plenty of sideshoots rather than producing tall spindly stems.
Plants will be easier to maintain because they’ll grow stronger stems that are less likely to flop – and, most importantly, they’ll produce lots more flowers.
Remove the growing tip of the main stem when the plant has reached about 40cm tall and has four sets of leaves. Pinch it out between your thumb and forefinger or nip it back with secateurs to the top set of leaves.
CARE FOR PRICKLY HOUSEMATES
Cacti have become increasingly popular as houseplants in recent years, partly thanks to their reputation for being easy to look after. While these plants are generally undemanding, to get the best from them it’s worth giving cacti a bit of TLC.
Check if they need repotting by carefully tipping them out of their pot to see if the roots are congested. Oven gloves or a pair of homemade tongs made from a folded newspaper can make it easier to handle them.
● REPOT THEM Move them into a slightly bigger pot, using a gritty specialist cacti compost.
● WATER SPARINGLY Water every seven-10 days in spring and summer, but make sure to let the compost dry out between waterings.
● FEED MONTHLY Use a proprietary cacti fertiliser, such as Westland Cacti & Succulent Feed (£6.99 for 200ml), which is high in phosphorus.
● KEEP THEM CLEAN Dust can collect around the spines, so remove it with a gentle dust.
Renovate overgrown Clematis montana
This vigorous spring-flowerer can become woody and congested over time. Often an overgrown ‘beast’ responds well to hard pruning – but take care, judicious thinning is safer.
● When should I prune it? Wait
