Many of you will be delighted that garden centres have reopened and will be keen to purchase plants which will bring in butterflies, bees and the myriad of other pollinators to your garden. So here are some quick tips on which plants to choose with some handy tips.
Come prepared
Before you spend money on plants, it’s important to check your soil type to ensure your new purchases survive. A simple ph kit (available from many garden centres) will tell you if your soil is acid, alkaline or neutral. Most plants prefer a pH of 6.5 to 7 – the point where nutrients are most easily available.
As a general rule of thumb, clay tends to be neutral, chalky soils are alkaline and peat heavy or sandy soils are acidic.
It’s also good to know how well your soil retains water. Clay and peaty soils hold water better than sandy and chalky soils, so choose drought resistant plants if your soil is well-drained and be careful not to place plants in boggy or clay-heavy areas if they can’t tolerate it.