Spring-clean alpines

Alpine plants are robust, but they’re a li le delicate when it comes to wet winter weather, and may need a li le help and boost now to get them going healthily for spring. Check over plants and see how they’re growing – if more heavy wet weather is forecast then keep some overhead protection in place to stave off a lot of the rain. If not, remove it now so they get access to more sun and light. Clear away dead leaves or other plant debris to lessen the risk of rot and disease spread. If plant rose es (such as house leeks) have died off, remove them with a sharp knife, then you can top up rockeries and alpine containers with a new layer of grit or gravel.