Soil, structure and timing sit at the heart of the spring garden. Long before the first sowings take hold, there is a quieter, more deliberate phase of preparation that determines everything that follows. This is the moment to read the ground, to understand its readiness, and to shape the season ahead with intent rather than urgency.

Soft fruit in Britain is a layered inheritance, from woodland plants gathered in the wild to carefully refined crops of the kitchen garden. What we grow today reflects centuries of selection, exchange and deliberate care.

You can plant potatoes into early May, extending your cropping season. It all depends on your soil conditions. Let Chris Smith explain…