THERE are many gardeners who I enjoy following on Twitter, gleaning insights into some of their methods, techniques and approaches and challenges of growing plants and the broader aspects of gardening in the UK, writes TOM ATTWOOD. Gardeners I follow who are based south of Manchester down to the 'tropical' climates of Essex and Surrey have significantly longer growing seasons and I’m frequently guilty of my expectations exceeding the reality of gardening in Cumbria. When it comes to growing tender annuals for summer display, timing is fairly critical and you have to capitalise on every tool in your horticultural armoury to succeed. The difference some additional heat makes when it comes to speeding up germination is terrific. Every season I like to grow plants that create a strong structural element in the garden, something like the castor oil plant for example (Ricinus communis). I bought some seed in January and have just sown it this week into small plastic plant pots, sitting them on a heated mat in a well-lit location. There’s more than one variety, including those with names such as New Zealand Purple or Red Giant. Last October I was delighted with the heady heights of the four feet that most of mine reached only to have my euphoria dashed by people in their Surrey gardens proudly posting online photos of them standing beneath their lofty 12 feet giants. The one thing you have to watch with 'forcing' germination is that the emerging seedlings are kept in good health as there is a risk at this time of year of young plants damping off (a fungal problem) particularly when they're growing in a confined space and they're in a damp, warm atmosphere. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots or cell trays to give them space, making sure that they remain protected from cold weather. The idea is that by the time the warmer days of June arrive you can set out your plants and they'll romp away with their sights set on a strong summer display.

Next week: how to strengthen lawn edges