This can be done by taking multiple soil samples from different parts of your garden and then subjecting them to a PH tester to determine their PH. On a PH scale, anything that falls between zero and six is deemed acidic, seven is neutral, and any reading beyond seven is alkaline. Once you’ve eliminated weeds and unwanted matter, use a gardening fork to break the soil into small particles and get oxygen diffused into the ground. If you require more Saponaria plants, then they can be propagated by division at the start of spring, or take cuttings from soft wood at the start of summer. Common Questions How many members does the Saponaria genus have?

Split the huge clumps of soil and examine enduring plants for hibernation insects as they could cause severe damage to your crops when the summer sets in and temperatures get to rise.

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Perhaps the most important consideration when planting summer bulbs is to provide enough drainage. ‘With most bulbs you can never have too much drainage – they will grow the better for it,’ says Monty in an episode of BBC's Gardener’s World. The time to sow spring-flowering bulbs is here with us, and in the next two months, it will be gone; however, now is the ideal time to cultivate warmer season flowers or hardy perennials including geraniums in shallow containers. Cultivating the entire garden, instead set aside a portion of your garden for nature and allow it to re-wild purposely for wildlife and insects. Perennials: Stratify seeds for one week in the fridge. Sow on moist blotting paper in a covered plastic petri dish or similar. Germination time: one to three months in the light. Temperature 70°F (21°C). Once seeds have germinated transfer them into individual peat pots. Transplant outdoors following the last frost; minimum temperature should not drop below 41°F (5°C).

Another mini spring bulb that's always a huge hit for spring planter ideas is muscari, or grape hyacinths as they are also known. These dense flowering blue beauties can really hold their own as the star of the show but also look lovely interplanted with other spring bulbs. The most important part is that there is a hole in the bottom of the pot, which allows excess water to be drained at any point. Otherwise, too much moisture in the plant can cause the roots to rot. There is also a risk of the pot breaking during the winter due to the expansion of frozen water. The lines will clearly show where the seeds ought to be planted and can be carried out in an offset direction to surrounding beds to form an extremely appealing display. Plant lots of tender seeds indoors in shallow pots and then shift them to the garden when the summer sets in.Next, flush out weeds from patches and beds while removing any dead or undesirable matter and getting beds to their normal state. The spacing in which the seeds are sown is species dependent: small Saponaria should be sown about 10 cm (4 inches) apart, whilst larger varieties sown from 25 to 40 cm (10 to 16 inches) apart.