Once you’ve got all your baby plants in the ground it’s time to sit back with a cuppa, listen to the bees buzzing and admire your handy work, right? Well, yes, but there are three crucial things you’ll need to do to look after your plants in the early days.
- Keep your plants well watered
This is especially important while your seedlings are still young and vulnerable, as they haven’t had time to establish their roots yet so need the water to be easily accessible. Water them every day for 3-4 days until they’ve settled in (unless, of course, it’s raining anyway!)
- Keep on top of the weeding
It’s important to ensure that your plants don’t get crowded so that it is easy for them to access all the water, nutrients and sunlight that they need to grow. This can be done by hand (try to pull the roots of the weeds out) or by using a hoe in between rows of plants.
- Don’t let them get chilly
To start with, your plants will be rather small and sensitive to the cold. In the UK, we can still get frosts in May. If you’re growing outside, it is a very good idea to cover your plants with horticultural fleece, a tunnel or bell cloche, or even use a plastic milk bottle that has been cut in half and placed over the plant, to keep them nice and warm.