<p>When plants wake up during spring, it’s such an uplifting time of year and you’ll want to ensure you get the most from your <strong>spring plants</strong> until the early summer flowers take over. We'll tell you how...</p>

<p>Make sure you know how to get <strong>the best from spring plants</strong> so you have a cheerful spring in the garden. When plants wake up during spring, it’s such an uplifting time of year and you’ll want to ensure you get the most from your spring plants until the early summer flowers take over. Spring is a busy time of year for gardeners starting to get the garden ready for the warmer, sunnier months ahead so make sure you take some time to sit back, relax and enjoy the spring plants you’ve been waiting through out the winter months.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Mixing up your planting</h2>
<p>For stunning space saving ideas why not mix up your spring plants in containers on the patio. Plant your bulbs in a pot and ensure you have space to also plant some spring perennials or annuals. This way the pot will be full of colour with a variety of plants. For example Tulips in the middle of the pot and Primroses around the edges of the pot. Hyacinths and Pansies are another good combination.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="How to get the best from spring plants" src="https://staging.tuincentrumvoorbeeld.nl/files/files/spring-plants-1-1200x500-6423e32f821dc.png" style="width: 100%;" title="How to get the best from spring plants" /></p>
<h2>Put them in pride of place&nbsp;</h2>
<p>If your garden or patio is bare but you have some spring plants coming into their own growing in containers, why not move them so they are in the best place for you to enjoy them? When the spring flowers are done, just pop them out of the way again and let the next flowers take centre stage. Remember also when you are planting spring plants in your borders to ensure they are situated where you can see them.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Using your lawn</h2>
<p>Enhance your lawn and really make it come alive in spring with some colourful bulbs. Use a bulb planter to drop crocus bulbs and replace the turf on top. Your lawn will be full of colour and later when the bulbs have finished flowering, you can start mowing the lawn at just about the right time of year. Don’t forget to leave some grass to grow longer which is beneficial for wildlife.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="How to get the best from spring plants" src="https://staging.tuincentrumvoorbeeld.nl/files/files/lawn-spring-plants-1200x500-6423e1b9590a8.png" style="width: 100%;" title="How to get the best from spring plants" /></p>
<h2>Grow early and late varieties&nbsp;</h2>
<p>Most spring bulbs will have early flowering and later flowering varieties. So if you plant a mix of these you’ll have flowers for a longer period over the spring months. Same goes for spring shrubs. If you makes sure you have some that flower late winter/early spring and others during spring into early summer, you’ll have plenty of interest for all of spring.&nbsp;We have a range of plants that will bring your spring garden alive. Visit us to make the most from your spring garden.&nbsp;</p>

How to get the best from spring plants

<p>These <strong>growing in grow bags</strong> tips and ideas will help you to grow thriving plants in grow bags. They are ideal for growing in small spaces or even to increase your harvest.</p>

<p>These <strong>growing in grow bags</strong> tips and ideas will help you to grow thriving plants in grow bags. They are ideal for growing in small spaces or even to increase your harvest by using them alongside raised beds in the vegetable garden. There are various types and sizes of grow bags so choosing which is best for you and what you will grow is important.</p>
<h2>Benefits of growing in grow bags&nbsp;</h2>
<p>If you are short of space, have a patio or balcony - grow bags are the ideal option to grow both flowers and vegetables in. They are easy to move around and are great space savers. It’s easy to harvest from grow bags because they are higher up and if you grow crops such as potatoes in, they can be tipped up rather than digging around to find them.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Comparisons when growing in grow bags&nbsp;</h2>
<p>There are a few different types of grow bags in various sizes and materials. The top tip is to ensure you have grow bags with handles as this will make them much easier to move. Most are made from heavy-duty landscape fabric and will last a good few seasons. There are new grow bags on the market that also have netting to protect growing plants from pests and diseases. The colour of the grow bag depends on your preference although most are black or green. As long as the material isn’t too thin so the light doesn’t get through or so they rip easily, the colour is down to preference.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Choosing plants when growing in grow bags&nbsp;</h2>
<p>The options really are endless, as the grow bags can be treated much the same as containers or raised beds. Flowering plants, especially annuals will soon brighten up a patio, plants for pollinators to encourage bees to your garden to help pollinate your crops or fruit and vegetables such as rhubarb, courgette, tomatoes, aubergines, potatoes, sweet potatoes, herbs and so much more!</p>
<p><img alt="Growing in grow bags" src="https://staging.tuincentrumvoorbeeld.nl/files/files/growing-in-grow-bags-1200x500-6414743871af9.png" style="width: 100%;" title="Growing in grow bags" /></p>
<h2>Care when growing in grow bags&nbsp;</h2>
<p>If you use a good quality peat free compost, you shouldn’t need to feed your plants until they are more mature. At that point using an organic liquid feed will ensure they have enough nutrients to grow. When reusing the grow bags replenish the compost when you replant. The soil will dry out fast so keeping on top of watering is really important. You may need to water daily especially in dry weather.</p>
<h2>Overwintering your grow bags&nbsp;</h2>
<p>To keep the grow bags in good condition, move them to a sheltered area of the garden for over the winter time. Or you can empty the grow bags, clean and dry them before storing in a cool dry place until you are ready to fill them up again in spring.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Choose from our grow bags, compost and accessories in store for some spring gardening.</p>

Growing in grow bags

<p>Melt away the winter blues with <strong>pots filled with gorgeous spring flowers</strong>! Find out more about our top 6 plants to plant in spring pots.</p>

<p>We all need some spring colour in our lives to chase away the cold dark days of winter! Planting up <strong>pots with beautiful spring flowers</strong> is a great way to banish the winter blues and give your garden, patio or windowsill a healthy dose of colour. We’ve chosen six of our favourite spring-flowering plants that all look fantastic in pots and will give you many weeks of enjoyment.</p>
<h2>Spring bulbs</h2>
<p>If you didn’t have time to plant bulbs in the autumn, don’t worry! You can still enjoy the flowers this spring by buying pots of pre-planted bulbs. Pots of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and all your other favourite spring bulbs are available now and can be planted out in containers and window boxes for gorgeous spring colour.</p>
<h2>Violas and pansies</h2>
<p>You can’t beat violas and pansies for cheering up pots and window boxes in spring. The dainty-looking plants are surprisingly tough, and they cope well with any sudden spring frosts. They put on a great show of bright, colourful flowers as the weather warms up in spring, and deadheading the spent blooms will keep the plants flowering for many weeks.</p>
<h2>Primulas</h2>
<p>Primulas are great for shady spots, and as well as the traditional soft yellow of the common primrose (Primula vulgaris), there’s a fantastic range of brightly coloured varieties available. You can choose from double, bicolour and even scented primulas, and they look lovely in pots and window boxes, their vibrant flowers gleaming like jewels above rosettes of green leaves. For even more impact, plant polyanthus, also part of the Primula genus with the same bright flowers held on slightly longer stems above the leaves.</p>
<p><img alt="6 fantastic plants for spring pots" src="https://staging.tuincentrumvoorbeeld.nl/files/files/primulas-pot-spring-1200x500-64146cdab4cfd.png" style="width: 100%;" title="6 fantastic plants for spring pots" /></p>
<h2>Wallflowers</h2>
<p>Wallflowers flower for a long time in spring, and come in a range of gorgeous rich colours including purple, red, orange and golden yellow. Many are deliciously scented too, adding an extra dimension to the spring garden, and they combine beautifully with tulips and other spring bulbs. Compact dwarf wallflowers will grow happily in pots in sun or partial shade, needing very little extra care and attention.</p>
<h2>Heuchera</h2>
<p>Heucheras have the most incredible foliage in a stunning range of colours, from silver and deep purple to blazing orange. Their colourful evergreen leaves make a superb backdrop for flowering plants, and they also look great on their own. Just one tip – vine weevil larvae can be a problem for container-grown heucheras, so keep on top of them by treating pots with nematodes in spring and autumn.</p>
<h2>Bellis daisies</h2>
<p>With their round pompom pink or white flowers bobbing on short stems above rosettes of green leaves, bellis daisies look fresh and bright in spring. Flowering for weeks in spring with no fuss and bother, they’re a must for sunny spots and ideal for containers.</p>
<p><img alt="6 fantastic plants for spring pots" src="https://staging.tuincentrumvoorbeeld.nl/files/files/pots-spring-1200x500-64146d72cb0ef.png" style="width: 100%;" title="6 fantastic plants for spring pots" /></p>
<p>If your garden needs&nbsp;a dose of colour, come and see our fantastic range of spring plants. We have everything you need to brighten up pots, beds and window boxes this spring!</p>

6 fantastic plants for spring pots

<p>Enjoy the delicious taste of your own <strong>home-grown tomatoes</strong> this summer, sun-warmed and picked fresh from the plant! Find out more about how to sow and grow your own tomatoes.</p>

<p>There’s nothing quite like the taste of your own <strong>home-grown tomatoes</strong>, fresh-picked and still warm from the summer sun. You don’t even need a big garden to grow a tomato plant – many will grow happily in a pot on a sunny patio or balcony.</p>
<h2>Choosing which tomato to grow</h2>
<p>Tomatoes are divided into bush and cordon types. Bush tomatoes grow to a fixed height and then stop. They’re often easier to grow than cordon tomatoes, as they need little supporting and no pinching out of side shoots. Cordon tomatoes will carry on growing taller throughout the season, and need to be tied in to support canes or wires.</p>
<h2>Tomatoes are also grouped into categories based on the size and shape of the fruits:</h2>
<ul>
<li>Cherry tomatoes are small and round, ideal for salads and snacking.</li>
<li>Plum tomatoes are oval and have few seeds, good for sauces.</li>
<li>Salad tomatoes are round, typically between 5-7cm in diameter and are great all-rounders, perfect in sandwiches and salads or for cooking.</li>
<li>Beefsteak tomatoes are huge and very fleshy, great for sauces and for slicing in sandwiches and hamburgers.</li>
</ul>
<p><img alt="A guide to growing your own tomatoes." src="https://staging.tuincentrumvoorbeeld.nl/files/files/growing-tomatoes-1200x500-63fdc75525436.png" style="width: 100%;" title="A guide to growing your own tomatoes." /></p>
<h2>How to sow tomato seeds</h2>
<p>Tomato seeds germinate easily indoors in pots on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse. They need a long growing season, so should be sown in early spring.</p>
<ul>
<li>Sow 1cm deep in pots filled with moist multipurpose compost or in seed trays. Cover the pots or trays with clear plastic bags and place in a warm, bright place.</li>
<li>Once the seeds have germinated, remove the bags and allow the seedlings to grow on. Water regularly to keep the compost moist.</li>
<li>When the seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them into larger pots and grow on.</li>
<li>Plant out in late spring or early summer after all risk of frost is past. Harden the plants off for two weeks before planting out, by placing the pots outdoors during the day and bringing them back in at night.</li>
</ul>
<h2>How to care for tomatoes</h2>
<ul>
<li>Tomatoes need full sun and a fertile, moist but well-drained soil. They can be grown outside in a sheltered sunny spot or in a greenhouse.</li>
<li>Water regularly to keep the moisture level in the soil consistent. Dry periods followed by heavy watering can cause fruits to split.</li>
<li>Once the fruits start to form, feed fortnightly with a high-potash liquid tomato feed.</li>
<li>Tie cordon tomatoes in to canes or support wires as they grow. Once they have produced 5 trusses of fruit, pinch out the growing tips two leaf trusses above the highest fruit truss.</li>
<li>Pinch off the side shoots on cordon tomatoes. These are the small leafy shoots that appear in the angles where leaf trusses join the main stem. There’s no need to pinch off side shoots on bush tomatoes.</li>
<li>Harvest tomatoes when they have developed a good colour and are slightly tender to the touch, but not soft.</li>
</ul>
<p><img alt="A guide to growing your own tomatoes." src="https://staging.tuincentrumvoorbeeld.nl/files/files/growing-tomatoes-1-1200x560-63fdc7cd18a27.png" style="width: 100%;" title="A guide to growing your own tomatoes." /></p>
<p>Whether you’re growing vegetables from seed or planting seedlings, you’re sure find everything you need in our centre, so pay us a visit soon!</p>

How to grow tomatoes

On the Blog

<p>Create a garden inside your house with the lush greenery and flowers of houseplants, and you&#39;ll not only&nbsp;make your house look beautiful, you&#39;ll improve your quality of life. Research has shown that in an average&nbsp;room, just two or three houseplants picked from the range in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre improve air quality, pump&nbsp;feel-good oxygen back into the air and reduce stress.</p>

<div>In our garden centre you&#39;ll find handsome architectural palms and ferns for a modern, minimalist look; or&nbsp;pretty African violets, delicate paperwhite daffodils and fragrant stephanotis if shabby chic is more your&nbsp;style.</div>

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<div>Pick out a good-looking container for your houseplants from the range in our garden centre to really show&nbsp;off their beauty: in the right setting, the impossibly exotic flowers of orchids or the strange, waxy bloom of an&nbsp;anthurium can stop you in your tracks.</div>

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<div>Houseplants like a bright spot out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. Mist regularly with water to keep&nbsp;humidity high - you&#39;ll find hand misters in our garden centre, along with liquid feed to keep them at their best&nbsp;all season long.</div>

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<div>Please ask the staff in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre for more information and advice about our range of houseplants.</div>

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<h1><a href="https://www.thehertfordshiregardencentre.com/product-range/163/indoor-plants-bonsai">Care Tips&nbsp;<img alt="" height="69" src="https://www.thehertfordshiregardencentre.com/files/images/arroww.jpg" style="width: 75px; height: 69px;" width="75" /></a></h1>

<div><em><b>*please be advised a variety of our products are seasonal. And can only be found at certain points of the year.</b></em>&nbsp;</div>

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<p><a href="https://www.thehertfordshiregardencentre.com/garden-tips/8/growing-fruit-and-veg-on-balconies"><img alt="" height="152" src="https://www.thehertfordshiregardencentre.com/files/images/balconies.jpg" style="width: 268px; height: 152px;" width="268" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thehertfordshiregardencentre.com/garden-tips/21/displaying-your-houseplants"><img alt="" height="149" src="https://www.thehertfordshiregardencentre.com/files/images/displaying%20h%20pla.jpg" style="width: 268px; height: 149px;" width="268" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thehertfordshiregardencentre.com/garden-tips/22/displaying-orchids"><img alt="" height="152" src="https://www.thehertfordshiregardencentre.com/files/images/displaying%20orch.jpg" style="width: 268px; height: 152px;" width="268" /></a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

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Houseplants & Bonsai

<p>When it comes to houseplants, there's no reason why you shouldn't put your garden design skills to good use in just the same way as you would any outdoor display.</p>
<p>Houseplants may look more exotic – among the choice in our garden centre in %locations%&nbsp;you'll find lush green ferns, stat

Displaying your houseplants

Sow annual flower seeds now for a pretty display by early summer, but make sure your soil is warm enough first. Hold the back of your hand against the ground, and if it feels chilly, your seeds will shiver too: when it's comfortable to the touch for three consecutive days, you're ready to go.

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