Making Positive Mental Space for Gardening

Phrases come and phrases go and ‘cancel culture’ is one of the current expressions thst tends to arouse passion. Within the gardening community we prefer to think in terms of ‘subtraction satisfaction’. What is this and how can it help improve mental health (another well-used phrase that uses loaded language)?

Simply put, most of us need to do less. Many people seem to have too much going on. The digital age and our comparatively luxurious lifestyles mean there are multiple demands on our time. There’s always another gadget to buy, ‘life-enhancing’ changes to make to the home or that ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ holiday to save for (these things always happen more than once). We work more in order to play more and often give in to peer pressure urging us to join in with a greater number of things. This lifestyle suits a wide range of people, but very rarely is it perfect for gardening folk. So, this wonderful time in spring is the very best time to make space for gardening. Subtracting commitments from the diary will help you to do it. Gardening cannot be rushed! A garden is a healing, nurturing place where mental health is soothed and the soul is fed with contentment.

This is the month of plenty, so it’s vital to allow yourself time to enjoy it. Garden tasks can feel overwhelming because everything is growing so fast. Prioritise the lawn, if you have one, because it will provide a visual feature during the months to come. Cut and reshape the edges, it’s amazing what a difference this makes. Gradually lower the cutting blade each mowing time, aiming for grass length of around 6cm – don’t be tempted to take it too low. Most importantly, leave some patches of longer grass for wildlife. At least one square metre is recommended.

The long days mean that summer is almost here and early spring growth in the garden can be tidied up to make way for the glorious summer show. Spring-fl owering shrubs often benefi t from being pruned back to healthy buds, but take time to check the most effective method for each species. In the case of forsythia, for example, best results are achieved by taking out some of the older stems, right down to the ground. This thins the shrub whilst still allowing it to adopt its natural form. What you don’t want is a ‘mechanical massacre’ whereby everything is rounded into a blob. Take a walk around your local modern housing estate to see it! Abelia, choisya, helichrysum and chaenomeles can also be pruned now. Climbers such as clematis need you to be wise. Some of them can have a light clip at this time of year, but not those that are about to fl ower! The easy-to-remember advice “if it fl owers before June, don’t prune” will tell you what type of pruning group your clematis falls into. The early-fl owering clematis only need a very light clip after fl owering, whereas those that fl ower after June will mostly benefi t from a harder prune next February. This will encourage the plant to produce fl owers all the way down the stems rather than purely on the newer top growth. Celebrate the season by planting out your annuals towards the end of the month, when all danger of frost has passed. Hanging baskets and bedding will provide vibrant colour and interest right through until October.

• If you are growing strawberries, lay straw between the plants and the soil. It will lessen the chance of mould spoiling the crop and will keep those luscious red fruits clean, too. • Did you know that you can achieve greater yields from your vegetable beds if you plant in triangles rather than rows or squares?

Stagger your plants, but don’t plant too closely. The crop is far better when there’s a bit more space in between. • It’s time to make supports for runner beans.

Allow about 2.5m of height and plant just one bean per support. These can go in the ground at the end of the month. • Chit and plant potatoes, if you haven’t done so already. They like soft, crumbly soil.

Always avoid planting them in boggy sites. • Get weeds under control this month and it will make the rest of the growing season much easier. Hoe when the weather is dry, as this stops weeds in their tracks.

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