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Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 62

Spring 2022 issue of the award-winning Whitchurch and Llandaff Living

Spring 2022 issue of the award-winning Whitchurch and Llandaff Living

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gardens<br />

Spring Vegetables<br />

In a time when food prices are on the rise, dedicating an area of your<br />

garden to growing your own food could be beneficial. Here are a few<br />

ideas on how to get started, <strong>and</strong> what vegetables to grow<br />

Don't start too early<br />

Tempting as it may be to get stuck<br />

in, sowing too early could mean that<br />

your crop is at risk of being harmed or<br />

destroyed by frost. Find out the rough<br />

date of when you can expect the last frost<br />

of the year. If you do find yourself caught<br />

out with a sudden temperature drop,<br />

you can always protect your crops with<br />

newspaper, old sheets or frost blankets.<br />

Just remember to remove them the<br />

following day.<br />

Sowing your veg<br />

There’s still time to sow vegetables such<br />

as aubergines, tomatoes, sweetcorn,<br />

cucumbers, <strong>and</strong> courgettes.<br />

You can always give your vegetable<br />

garden a kick start if you feel that you're<br />

too late to sow, by purchasing baby plants.<br />

You'll need to gradually expose these to<br />

outdoor conditions throughout the spring<br />

season.<br />

Spring is a good time if you’re planting<br />

in pots or on your windowsill. Lettuce <strong>and</strong><br />

tomatoes do particularly well.<br />

Feed, nourish <strong>and</strong> protect<br />

Your vegetables will be growing quickly during the spring months so<br />

always keep them hydrated, either with a hose or by sitting them in a tray<br />

of water. If you have any plants in pots, these can be fed once a week with<br />

liquid feed.<br />

You'll also want to think about preparing your outside garden spaces<br />

ready for your new plants. Remove any weeds that have started growing<br />

as these could present a problem later in the year when they get too large<br />

<strong>and</strong> unmanageable.<br />

Harden tender<br />

vegetables<br />

Tender vegetables will need<br />

to be exposed to the great<br />

outdoors if they are to flourish<br />

over the summer. Spring is the<br />

best time to do this as conditions<br />

are, for the most part, gentle <strong>and</strong><br />

welcoming.<br />

Start by taking them outside for<br />

just one day a week <strong>and</strong> leaving<br />

them in a safe, sheltered spot.<br />

Bring them in at night if you feel<br />

that the temperature is dropping<br />

too much, or that frost is forecast.<br />

This toughening up process<br />

will help the plants flourish<br />

<strong>and</strong> become tough enough to<br />

withst<strong>and</strong> the rain <strong>and</strong> wind.<br />

Towards the end of spring, you<br />

can plant them in their final<br />

growing space, where they will<br />

remain for the warmer months.<br />

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