Chris Collins shares the jobs he’ll be getting on with this April – and provides five tips for reducing your pesticide use

Alternative text should describe the visual content of the image. — Chris’s London flat is full to bursting with seedlings in spring – waiting to go outside to his balcony and allotment.

As spring gets into full swing, my gardening life takes on a whole new dimension; the tasks switch from more general landscaping and revamping of garden areas to getting the growing season up and running. But one thing is for sure, I won’t be using toxic chemicals to help this process along.

In my garden this month... 🔗

It’s seed sowing time and this year’s green army is well under way. With a kitchen garden, a full-sized allotment, and a large balcony to fill, I aim to produce around 90% seed-grown plants - and this operation is well under way. In my 40+ years of horticulture, I’ll never cease to be amazed by the transformation of a small handful of dormant seeds into all the food and colour they produce over the season. It’s truly a miracle and one I feel blessed to be a part of.

Of course, sowing your own seeds is also a lot of work, and a grower really does need to commit. I’m up at 6am to go to the allotment and water before going to work, and my front room is full of baby plants that all need careful watering. But the raising of seeds is to me gardening in its purest form. It also guarantees some important aspects of my gardening goals as the plants are more adept to local conditions. It has big economic advantages, both in the cost of plants themselves and monies saved at the shops and finally, but perhaps most importantly, I know how any food I grow is produced: fresh organic produce guaranteed.

It’s also a special year for seed growing with Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library reaching an amazing 50 years old. These seeds are a massively valuable resource, carefully maintained by expert GO staff and volunteers. This conservation ensures we conserve genetic diversity of plants that are more resilient to climate fluctuation, pest and disease, preserving culinary history and preventing these plants from becoming lost to us through extinction. From my point of view, they also have a much fuller flavour than anything I’ve ever bought out of a supermarket. My allotment is now full of HSL seeds, sown in drills. I very much urge you to do the same. Let’s celebrate the wonderful thing that is the Heritage Seed Library.

Top five ways to stop pesticide use 🔗

However, I would not be much of gardener if I didn't nurture my space - and careful plant management is very much part of the job. This does not mean though I must resort to poisons or anything that will pollute and damage my precious soil. There’s plenty of techniques to avoid this:

1. Try not to dig and disturb the soil too much. Digging tends to bring lots of dormant seeds to the surface, giving them access to light which triggers germination. If wild plants appear, give them a gentle hoe, leaving them upturned to dry in the sunshine and thus return to the earth.

2. Fill your beds with the plants you desire. I love my soil, but I don’t want to see it: gaps in my allotment planting are filled with flowers or green manures, denying light to any potential unwanted guests.

3. Add a mulch. Mulches of organic matter are friable and light in nature and make removal much easier. There’s less to grip - making weeding a quick and easy job.

4. Conquer and cover. For a heavily colonized areas, put down a barrier of cardboard with mulch on top. Some patience will help you get on top of things and prepare the ground for some growing of plants you want in your outdoor space.

5. Remember that wild plants are valuable plants too! I’d rather see dandelions any day than bare soil that will degrade in the elements. Nature does not leave vacuums, and many of these plants are important to our wildlife and pollinators. In short, a dandelion is a friend, not a foe if it’s growing in a spot you aren’t using.

Happy pesticide-free gardening!