Top News

Now is the perfect time to get on top of things in your garden ahead of the summer, and according to the gardening expert Monty Don, April is the time to plant out one particular plant.

The sun is shining, and spring is in full bloom, so while you prep your garden, cut the grass, and de-weed flower beds, there may be one more thing to add to the list.

It can quickly feel like a big job when it comes to facing the garden revamp year on year, but as Monty Don suggests, those jobs that you should have done sooner can fall into two categories. He says they're either the jobs that should make it to the very top of the list or simply left until next winter, if the delay is too much.

However, there is one job perfectly aligned with April that simply shouldn't be missed, and that's planting your sweet peas. It's advised to plant out in the garden around mid-April in the south and then towards the end of the month further north.

Many opt for the plant to immerse their garden in their lovely fragrance and admire their cut flowers, making them a popular choice for gardeners at all ability levels. You may not have realised that the best time to begin is sooner than you think - right now.

According to Monty, sweet peas grow best in rich soil, with a lot of moisture and in cool conditions, making this time of year the ideal time to get them started.

With sweet peas, the more that you can enrich the soil, with the help of compost or manure before you plant them, the more likely they are to thrive in growth.

Then, when it's time to plant them, the expert grows his up bean sticks, arranged in a wigwam style for preference. Although he notes that any kind of support will do the job, whether it's using bamboo canes or chicken wire, any support should do the trick.

Assign two or three plants per tray and ensure you thoroughly water them before mulching them. This helps to keep them weed-free and avoids drying the plants out.

A few Aprils back, he wrote on his website his method for the ultimate sweet peas come summer. He shared: "One word of caution. The aim is to grow strong, healthy individual plants, so if you buy a pot with lots of seedlings, I think it better to divide each pot into two or three.

"Then plant these sections at the base of each support so they have less competition, and you should end up with more flowers."

Another job Monty Don believes is a priority on the April gardening to-do list is deadheading fan-favourite flowers such as azaleas and rhododendrons - what he calls a "simple job" but one that is often overlooked.

To extend their life for the season and ensure the plants' energy isn't wasted entirely on seed production, deadheading as many as possible will help with this.

Although, in the process, you should avoid using secateurs, as this can risk hurting the fragile buds that are beginning to grow at the flower's base.

Instead, simply gather the flower trusses between your fingers and gently snap them off. Not only is this aiding the plant's growth, but it is removing those unattractive dead flowers that hang onto the shrub sometimes for weeks on end.