Fertilizing soft fruit

Sorry to hear about being ill - hope your journey to recovery is swift 

I'd put the fertiliser round when you can, and don't worry too much about the timing.  Look after yourself first, and ensure you don't go down to the allotment (if that's where your plants are, rather than the garden) until you're sure that you're out of the isolation period too.

There’s no rush, you may as well wait until you feel fully better rather than exhausting yourself and possibly having a relapse. There’s no sign of any significant rain in my forecast, so the fertiliser will just sit there until there is. Soft fruit is only just starting to break buds, so won’t be able to use the nutrients until the leaves are fully out. Best wishes for a quick recovery.

Thank you and Yorkie for that.  I am out of the isolation period - just still exhausted even watering the houseplants makes me breathless (I wasn't a top class athlete beforehand, but I was nowhere near that unfit).  I can't complain I am not going to be permanently affected - just need patience - 2 weeks today of being ill.

Sprinkle Growmore, chicken pellets, or whatever you've got to hand over the mulch, then 'tickle it in' as best you can using a fork or rake. That should help most of it find its way to the soil surface - just need to wait for rain then to wash it in (did I really say that?  )

You could liquid feed of course, but I tend to use that as a quick fix much later in the season than this.

Glad you're on the mend Londongardener - don't overreach yourself, your health and vitality is much more important than your plants'.