Have you picked up a tree or shrub from Groves or Little Groves Nurseries this year?

According to the experts at the garden centre, now is a key time of year to help get it established.

Becky Groves, the nursery manager at Groves Nurseries said: "We haven't had a 'useful' amount of rain for a good few weeks now and any newly planted trees or shrubs will be trying to shoot away without a good root system yet, they can't find their own water so we have to help get them established."

Here are a few key tips to get your plants going this spring:

• Soak your tree, shrub or fruit bush once or twice a week with a whole watering can of water. A good soak once a week is better than a little each day
• Keep your newly planted tree or shrub weed free - the weeds will compete for water and nutrients with your plant
• Give any new trees or shrubs that are planted a mulch - top layer - of well-rotted manure or good garden compost. This helps feed them and keep them moist
• Many evergreen shrubs (especially if in a pot) can look a bit yellow at this time of year so treat them to a good pinch of granular fertilizer such as Vitax Q4 or blood fish and bone to increase their nutrients (be sure to water them afterwards).

Don't forget: evergreen plants, such as bay and olive trees, bamboo, laurel hedges and photinia red robin don't wilt or drop their leaves until it's too late and then they will struggle to recover.

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