The bluffer’s guide to soil

Working out what to plant starts with knowing your growing conditions and soil type

Know what’s best to grow, plus targeted plant guides

■ Before planting, dig a deep hole part-filled with compost, and thoroughly soak the plant’s rootball. Water new plants weekly until they are established.

■ Under deciduous trees, plant spring-flowering bulbs such as cyclamen, anemones, snowdrops and narcissi.

■ create a ground cover of foliage to retain moisture.

■ in spring and during hot spells, thoroughly soak the ground once every 10 days – this encourages deep root penetration, whereas watering little and often develops weak, shallow-rooted plants. ■ if planting in terracotta pots, line them with plastic to retain moisture in hot spells, adding moisture-retentive gel granules to the compost. ■ Dig in organic matter to increase the moisture retention of the soil, mulching heavily with a thick layer of bark chippings in spring.