Tips for your garden this spring – from a gardener

Gardener Claire Greenslade said it was a good idea to cover plants at night, and water them in the morning

The country has had a good dose of spring sunshine of late, meaning many of us are getting back into the garden.

One gardener has shared a few tips for looking after plants, which she says need particular care at this time of year.

Claire Greenslade, former head gardener at Hestercombe House near Taunton, said it was a good idea to cover plants at night, and water them in the morning, rather than the evening, so the water does not get too cold overnight.

Ms Greenslade told BBC Radio Somerset there were lots of other jobs to be done besides. "All of us gardeners get itchy fingers this time of year because we want to get on with everything," she said.

How can I keep my plants warm during the night?

Ms Greenslade said it was still "really cold" at night and gardeners without a greenhouse might need to improvise.

"I don't have a greenhouse," she said. "I've got two methods – one is that all my seedlings at night I cover in fleece.

"It will keep it a little warmer for them. When it gets to about 09:00, I uncover them and let the sunlight get to them.

"Another thing I do, which sounds a bit weird, but those plastic containers you can get and slide under your bed and keep stuff in – I've been treating those as a cold frame.

"I've got them out in the garden and at night I pop the lid on and in the morning take the lid off. Top tip, I would say."

When should I water my plants?

Claire Greenslade said plants need extra care at this time of year

"Because it's been so windy, lots of plants are losing water quite quickly," Ms Greenslade said.

"If you've got bulbs I would carry on watering. I'd try not to water at 22:00 or really late – when the temperatures drop it will stay cold at night.

"If you can water in the morning or straight after work it should be OK."

What other jobs are there to do in spring?

"Keep your eye on the weeds," Ms Greenslade said.

"If you lose control in April or May, you're done for. "Especially with this dry weather, you can just knock off those weeds."

The Royal Horticultural Society says many flower seeds can be sown directly into the ground in April, along with a wide range of vegetable and herb seeds.

It's also a good time to sow grass seed for new lawns or repairing bare patches, the RHS says.

Gardeners are advised to protect fruit tree blossom from late frosts, using fleece or cloches, for example.

And for those with indoor plants, the warmer April weather signals the time to start increasing the amount of water given to them, the RHS says.