April marks a month of change in the garden.  Longer days, rising temperatures and clear signs of vigorous growth coincide with the four day Easter weekend for many and draw even the barely-gardeners outside to exercise their green fingers.  For keen growers, especially of vegetables, April brings a sigh of relief as they start to free greenhouse and windowsills of seedlings started in frost-free conditions.  But take care to harden plants off for a few days – outside during the day, back inside at night – as temperatures fall rapidly after sunset and frost is still likely overnight once or twice to the end of the month.

Good Friday is a traditional day to plant seed potatoes too.  There are several theories as to the origin of this from religious blessing for the crops, planting with phases of the moon that determine the date of Easter to the prosaic observation that Good Friday was an extra day off work in a time before automatic holiday allocations. It is a good rule of thumb though in the south of England because potatoes are half-hardy, meaning that any part of the plant subject to frost will be killed off.  The tubers can sit snugly under 15cm of soil and the soft green shoots will not emerge for 2-3 weeks by which time (we hope) frost is passed or protective fleece at night is sufficient.

One of the keys to success in any activity including gardening is having the right tools.  A bad workman may try to blame his or her tools but it is in your interest to choose, look after and repair your garden tools.  So April showers provide a good opportunity to open up the shed and examine the contents.  You do not need many tools and to start with I would suggest hand fork and trowel, border fork and spade, secateurs and loppers plus a pruning saw.  Cutting tools especially need regular attention to maintain clean, sharp blades and a smooth mechanism for both gardener and plant!

If you lack the expertise or materials yourself, then check out local Repair Cafes where volunteers will help, advise and fix.  If you are that garden tool expert then maybe consider volunteering?  Garden tools can last a lifetime and a pair of comfortable secateurs are a joy to be cherished.  The Repair Cafe movement started in 2009 in Amsterdam and there are now 2,500 cafes across the world.  The aim is simple – to reduce the quantity of old stuff that goes into landfill and new stuff that is made taking energy and resources.  The Cafes are manned by volunteers, usually with no fixed charge but donations are always appreciated.

Happy Easter Gardening from Alison