Top News

April is a great month to garden because it marks the true start of the growing season, with the soil beginning to warm up and young seedlings emerging. There are many jobs to complete, and it's important not to leave them until the last minute.

Alan Titchmarsh has shared a plethora of gardening tips and tricks throughout his career, including monthly advice. In the expert's latest YouTube video, the gardener has detailed five important jobs to complete in April.

Alan said: "It's time to sort out the lawn. Now, you've probably already started to mow, but there are certain ragged areas that could do with a bit of attention. With the wet winter we've had, your lawn is probably full of moss.

"So, now's the time to get a wire tooth rake and pull the moss out. Just tear at it. Once it's gone, the grass will get the air and light it needs to thrive."

If you find bare patches in the lawn, you can replace them with turf, but Alan recommended reseeding the area instead, as it's much cheaper.

Once seedlings have begun to grow and they are around an inch high, the gardening expert recommends giving them more space.

Alan said: "I fill the tray with compost to just below the rim and then tap it to settle it in. It's a good idea to make sure the surface is smooth.

"I then use a dibber with a point at one end and slide it down the side of the pot to ease out the seedlings.

"You can use a pencil if you like. Then I move them onto the surface of the compost, and I separate the seedlings while holding the top half of the plant."

Once Alan has made a hole in the compost, he gently places the seedling and lightly pushes the compost around its roots.

Make sure to plant them a couple of inches apart to give them enough room to grow. Once the danger of frost has passed, they can be planted outside.

Another job for April recommended by Alan is to plant up the vegetable patch. He said: "If you have a veg patch, or you're thinking of trying one, now is a great time for sowing seeds outside.

"Whether you're planting in the soil or in raised beds, always enrich the earth with an organic soil improver and add a sprinkling of blood, bone and fish meal.

"The easiest and most convenient way to sow veg seeds is in a row. I use a garden line to guide me on where each row will go so I can make sure they're spaced the right distance apart."

April is also a great time to plant hardy perennials, and Alan said this should be "top of your list".

The gardening expert listed some examples, such as scabious, ferns, English lavender and the hardy geranium.

Alan continued: "Now's a great time to add a flowering cherry tree to your garden...the most spectacular show is the blossom on cherry trees."

It's important to choose one that will suit your garden in terms of size and colour. If you have lots of space, Alan recommended Prunus Starlight, which can grow up to four metres tall.