If you spend an afternoon with Trent Smith, you will come away with a lot of new knowledge about gardening — and a powerful sense of his love for his craft.

The Aberfeldy Nurseries manager says no one is a plant killer by definition — you can develop a green thumb.

So what do you need to be a successful gardener?

Fertiliser, the right pots for the right plants, water, the right amount of sun or shade, good potting soil and watching out for insects are all essential.

Using Bermuda peppers, which are used to make Outerbridge’s Sherry Peppers, as an example, Mr. Smith said all of the plants are started at the nursery in Somerset and they are then put into cell pots.

Asked if it was better to replant the seedlings in terracotta pots, rather than plastic, he said: “I recommend plastic because in the summer terracotta pots drink just as much water as the plant.

“Also use Aberfeldy potting mix when you put them into the containers.”

He also suggested that gardeners make use of the fertilisers that are on the market, as many plants lag because of the lack of nutrition.

“You should fertilise your plants at least once a week, because they need their vitamins like we need our vitamins.

“Water is a necessity, but they need their nutrients. If people are growing organically then they use fish emulsion, cow manure, chicken manure or seaweed fertilisers.

“While some people use synthetic made like Triple Six or Jack’s Classic, which is what we use with all of our plants outside, it is really good because it carries all the nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, iron, magnesium and it offers better growth in the end.

“Everything around here is fed three times a week with fertiliser and it makes a big difference.”

Sometimes when people take plants home from a nursery — and in my case — they just dry up and die.

“The main reason for that is that they are not being fed. We eat three times a day, we drink water, which is what our bodies need, but what they need is not only the water, they need the nutrients.

“When they take them home they just give them water and that is why they crash, because they are not getting the nutrients that they require and that makes a big difference.”

Regarding hanging baskets, he said: “Sometimes it can be every other day that you water them. Some of these want to be in full sun, but some like shade sometimes — they feel the heat too.

“The morning sun is good and afternoon shade. For instance, the periwinkles can use full sun.

“Feed them twice a week when you get them home and water in between. Also prune them back just to shape them as they get long after they have had a good batch of flowers. After you trim them back, feed them and they will flush right back out with another batch of flowers.

“Once you trim them back it just revitalises them and Jack’s Classic is very good.”

Asked about coconut husk hanging baskets, he said that you would probably have to water them a lot more than plastic pots.

“It depends on the look that you want, it can work either way, but the plastic pots can hold a little more moisture, but these dry out a little more quicker.”

For window boxes the treatment is similar.

“Get a good potting soil and Aberfeldy nursery mix is really good, because it drains nicely and retains moisture, because if the soil gets too wet then it starts to go off and the roots start to rot and the plant starts to decline.”

When it comes to companion planting, Mr. Smith said: “Some people call it companion planting, as some plants are happier when they are near others.

“I have a book on it, but I haven’t read anything in depth on it. Some people have did research on it and some do do better when planted near other plants.

“But I think the most important part is your water, fertiliser and looking out for your insects, because in the plant kingdom they just all grow together.”