Feed me, feed me now...

Shrubs, trees and roses will thank you for a feed at the beginning of the growing season. They do most of their growing in the next few months, so will benefit from stoking up on nutrients. Whether in a pot or in the ground, a good balanced feed (see below) in March will keep them growing well and guard against leaf problems and viruses.

Well rotted manure

...is the best option, in my book. In a bag from a garden or DIY centre, it has a wide range of nutrients and also adds organic matter (sponginess) to your soil. It releases goodness gradually over time as it breaks down naturally. It can also raise the acidity of your soil slightly, so it's particularly good for acid loving plants like hydrangeas, acers, rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias. However, most plants like a slightly acid soil so, if in doubt, chuck on some manure, 2 inches deep - but make sure it does not touch the plant stem/trunk.

Chicken manure pellets

Next best is a handful of chicken manure pellets. These offer many of the benefits of manure (without the organic matter) in a condensed form (easier to bring home on the bus....). Buy a big tub and it will last you for years.

Liquid & powdered feeds

I tend to avoid liquid and powered feeds. It is easy to use too much, with excess nutrients washing into the watercourse where they damage river ecosystems. Slow release granules are perhaps better, but I am not sure they justify the manufacturing process, when poo pellets or a bag of 'muck' will do the trick.

If you do use a liquid or powder, choose an organic 'balanced feed' at this time of year, with equal parts nitrogen (for green growth), phosphate (for root growth) and potassium (for flowers and fruit). Look out for three numbers on the packet like this: 10-10-10. This indicates the percentage of each of these nutrients in the fertiliser, in the order N (nitrogen) - P (phosphate) - K (potassium. So, 10-10-10 is a balanced feed - perfect for now.

Happy feeding.

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