John's Garden Diary (09/04/20)

The phrase – ‘After late frosts’ – is often offered in gardening advice, so it was used, optimistically this week to finish the pruning of Buddleia (down to 3-4 feet) and Penstemon (down to the base). Some Dahlias were left in the ground last autumn, covered with a mound of straw and uncovered this week. They all appear to have some sound tubers, but time will tell if they grow away – report back later.

Early cabbage and cauliflower raised from seed were planted (with oz/sq.yd. 20.10.10) under fleece to give some protection against frosty nights but also to deter any early emerging cabbage root fly.

2 ND early Charlotte and early main-crop Wilja were also planted – 3-4 inches of soil above the tubers. If they emerge quickly, am ready to cover up with loose soil on a frosty night forecast. 1 st earlies planted a fortnight ago are peeping.

Greenhouse is a bit busier with tomatoes Shirley and Sungold planted out, using space around them for Begonia and pricked out Zinnia. Now that tomatoes are out of the propagator the heating has been raised to prevent overnight falling below +5 C.