The Garden Magazine

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April is definitely a month to be doing things with your Fruit and Vegetables.  We have had some very sharp frosts still so you need to protect the blossom of your stoned fruit trees such as Apricots, Peaches and Nectarines.  Whilst on the subject of fruit trees don’t forget to prune your Cherry and Plum trees once the leaf buds have cracked open.

You can start planting your Potatoes - remembering again to protect any early shoots from frost.  If you didn’t plant Asparagus last month that can go in along with root crops like Carrots, Turnips and Kohlrabi.  Salad crops such as  Spring Onions, Swiss Chard, Lettuce as well as Brassicas can be started now too.  I like to get some herbs such as Basil and Chives going to.  You will need to protect early sowings with fleece and/or polythene if you are still getting frosts.

In the greenhouse I am busy with Peppers, Aubergines (one of my favourites!) and Cucumbers - potting on your Tomatoes can be done as well.   I’m just beginning to increase the amount of ventilation in the greenhouse now that the days are warmer but do remember to close up at night or you could lose a lot.  I shall be doing some softwood cuttings from my beloved Fuschias as well as repotting and feeding some of the house plants.  My Orchids are doing particularly well at the moment and I am extremely pleased with the way they are responding to almost total neglect!

Earth Ponds: The Country Pond Maker’s Guide to Building, Maintenance and Restoration

There is nothing like a pond! What else can simultaneously increase your aesthetic pleasure, offer recreational opportunities, help the environment, and increase the value of your land? This is the recognized standard on ponds, now expanded to include a comprehensive guide to living happily with your completed pond and keeping it perpetually healthy. Here is everything you need to know about planning, digging, sculpting, and maintaining your pond.

Reader Reviews

“A great book for novice pond builders. If you are looking to move earth or refurbish an old pond or lake this book this book will give ideas and help to make a pond for livestock or pleasure. Some in picture detail but good basic writing in foundation.”

“A helpful guide for the pond owner with an easy to understand problem solving guide. It`s also a great book for the person attempting to construct their first earth pond or lake.”

“I bought this book for my husband, who has been planning the restoration for our 4+ acre pond. Many books on ponds seem to be focused on smaller water gardens, not on sizeable wetlands. This is the first truly helpful resource book that he’s found. The author writes from the perspective of a conservationist, but his passion for what he’s doing comes across as poetic. Extremely helpful guide for facts, resources, and the issues/challenges you’re likely to encounter, as well as key environmental considerations.”

Reviews are a little mixed with the emphasis being that this is a book about the joys of building a pond as well as the technicalities but at less than $10 I think it’s a steal.Earth Ponds is available from Amazon