Avoid a frosty reception

It’s so tempting. All those annuals you’ve sown indoors are now big enough to plant out, the tomato seedlings are doing well and you just want to clear those windowsills, the greenhouse or the conservatory.

But be warned, if you plant tender plants out before the last frosts have passed, it could ruin all your hard work of the previous months.

Despite the recent sunny spell, it’s also still been very cold out and snow has hit some parts. Late frost can hit in late May or even June, reducing tender plants to shrivelling corpses, so it’s prudent to be cautious.

But don’t give up if your plants succumb to frost. If you wait until early summer you may see signs of growth underneath the damaged parts. Cut back the dead growth to give the new growth a chance to catch up.