Spring and early summer composting tips, continued

Spring cleaning is not just for the house; hanging baskets, patio tubs and garden beds will also need a good tidy up. Winter pansies and violas, annual primulas and polyanthus all need to be cleared and put into the compost bin. Leftover used compost can also be put back into the bin.

When planting new shrubs in the spring give them a really good water and mulch heavily with compost; the additional moisture that the mulch will hold means that you’ll have to do less watering throughout the growing season.

To germinate seeds ready for summer planting place them in pots of compost and soil, cover with cling film and place them on a sunny windowsill. When the last chances of the frost have gone, plant them out in the garden beds.

In early spring plant new fruit trees and bushes and prune existing ones, then give them all a good drink of water and mulch with compost. This locks in all the moisture needed to produce bright, plump and tasty fruits.

As summer approaches family pets shed their toasty winter coats. Unwanted dog, cat and rabbit hair, like human hair, can be added to the compost bin.

As the heat rises make sure that compost bins are covered and kept in the shade to avoid the compost drying out.