STAYING BUSY

Kids might be struggling with being cooped up indoors – so why not set up an obstacle course for them in the garden?

Dig out those old toys from the shed and get them to dodge or jump over them. Place a ladder on the ground and get them to balance their way across. Just make sure they are supervised! Getting outside and getting some exercise is vital in these times.

Personal trainer and nutrition coach

Vicki Marks (www.vickipt.com) says:

“Being cooped up inside limits our vitamin D exposure and can lower the mood. The weather is allowing us to do so right now, so let’s do it!

Get outside as much as possible.”

In his book, Grow Fruit & Vegetables In Pots, Aaron

Bertelsen explains:“Spring is the peak seed sowing time, but some individual crops have specific recommendations. I sow most things into

7.5cm/3ins pots and the first step is to make them clean. Next is to buy a bag of good seed compost.

“Fill the pots almost to the top with compost and tamp it down by tapping the pots firmly against a hard surface, or lightly pressing it with your hand. Be careful not to compact it to too much, as this will interfere with drainage and also make it harder for roots to develop.

“The aim is to get rid of the air holes and make sure the compost doesn’t sink too much when you first water the pot, leaving the seeds exposed.

“One way to ensure against this is to water the compost and allow water to percolate through before sowing. This is a useful thing to do anyway when sowing seeds such as beans, peas, sweet peas, courgettes and squashes, which are prone to rotting if left sitting in too much water.

“Once the surface is level, sprinkle the seeds over it sparingly. Remember that each seed is a potential plant and if they are too closely packed, they will start to strangle each other and you will find it difficult to

Not green fingered? Always worried about pulling up a flower instead of a weed?

Well now could be the perfect time to get into your garden and learn what exactly the difference is between a weed and a flower or plant.

There are many places online including YouTube that have tips and advice on what weeds to look out for, and how to get rid of them safely.

By the end of this, you could have the perfect looking garden.

Although we might not be able to stray far from our doorsteps right now, we could still use this time to develop a new skill such as orienteering.

An exciting outdoor adventure sport, it involves walking or running whilst navigating around a course using a detailed map and sometimes a compass.

The aim is to navigate between a set of points and decide the best route to complete the course in the quickest time. To start, you could use your garden to practise, even get the children to design the route.

For help and advice, visit the

British Orienteering website, www.britishorienteering.org.uk. thin them out without causing damage. Finish with a thin covering of seed compost – ideally about twice the depth of the seed itself.

Then water the pots, ideally outside on the ground.

“Put them somewhere that will get plenty of light – the windowsill is perfect.

“Now they will need covering. This can be done by putting them in a small propagator – essentially a tray with a clear plastic covering. This will give you better control over the temperature and moisture levels, the two factors that are critical to germination.

“If you’re not using a propagator, cover each pot with cling film or use small, clear plastic bags to make a kind of cloche over each one, securing them with a rubber band.

“You probably won’t need to water the pots as condensation from the cover will drip down and keep them moist, but do make sure you check them regularly and give them a sprinkle if they start to look dry.

“As soon as you can see the first signs of green, whip the covers off so that air can circulate.”

Grow Fruit & Vegetables In Pots: Planting advice and recipes from Great Dixter, by Aaron Bertelsen (Phaidon).

In these uncertain times, we are hearing about how supermarket shelves are being stripped bare and people stockpiling food. It means shoppers are often struggling to find even the bare essentials.

So why not use this time to grow your own fruit and vegetables?

The Royal

Horticultural Society

(www.rhs.org.uk) has lots of advice on its website including growing cauliflowers and cucumbers.

If the sky is clear at night, wrap up warm and get out into the garden – or if you’re in a flat, just look up from your window – and do some stargazing.

The skies have never been clearer, with most aircraft grounded. This is something young and old can do and little ones will find it exciting being outside at night.

The Sky at Night magazine website – skyatnightmagazine. com – has lots of help and advice and there are numerous free stargazing apps.

If you don’t have a garden you can still get stuck in. Clearly a trip to the garden centre is off limits, but there are plenty of seeds you can order online or you can simply swot up while you’re waiting for things to get back to normal.

Aaron Bertelsen, author of Grow Fruit and Vegetables in Pots, says in his book:“From delicate leafy herbs to root vegetables and sturdy little fruit trees, there should be no reason why – given a little thought, forward planning and, of course, some tender loving care – you can’t create a varied, productive container garden, whatever the space and the conditions you are working in.

“If I could grow only one type of thing, it would be salad leaves, which are easy to grow, make good use of space and generally taste much better than what you can buy in the shops. A couple of 12-inch pots will give you flavoursome fresh salad for weeks, if not months.

“Very little equipment is needed. A decent hand fork, a good sharp trowel and a watering can with a fine rose (sprinkler) are pretty much all you will need.

“Lack of space is no barrier to being able to enjoy the pleasure of growing – and eating – your own. Far from being limiting, container gardening offers endless possibilities.

“A sheltered courtyard creates a microclimate, where it is possible to grow crops that might struggle in a more open site.

“Sun-worshippers, such as tomatoes, chillies and aubergines will thrive on a bright balcony, while shadier spots are ideal for salad crops, potatoes, leafy greens, such as Swiss chard, and fruits, such as blueberries, rhubarb and even currants.

“Meanwhile, woody Mediterranean herbs, such as rosemary and thyme, can cope with the most inhospitable conditions.”