Spring is around
the corner and you’ll soon be caught up in a frenzy of seed sowing,
growing, and nurturing your garden as it comes back to life. Time to organize
your thoughts and get a head start on the new gardening year. Read our useful
guide for top tips on how to prepare you garden for spring.
1.
Order summer-flowering bulbs and seeds
Order
summer-flowering bulbs and seeds. Flowers like lilies, gladioli and
ranunculi can all be ordered in the winter for early-spring planting.
2.
Tidy up flower beds and borders
Have a
general tidy up, removing leaves and other debris from flower beds and borders.
You can cut back the old dead growth of deciduous grasses and herbaceous
perennials.
Clear
borders and beds back to bare soil. Put the dead organic matter you’ve cleared
away into your compost pile or bin to break down. Remove any weeds you can see
and either burn them or put them in your brown bin. Don’t compost them as the
seeds will germinate and cause you more problems later on.
3.
Clean out and wash your greenhouse
Now’s the
perfect time to give your greenhouse a good clean, ready for
the seedlings and cuttings of spring. Wash the outside of your greenhouse with
disinfectant or detergent, to remove algae, moss and general grime. This will
let in more light during the growing months, while removing potential homes for
pests and disease. Make sure you disinfect the inside of the glass too –
overwintering pests and disease can survive in the smallest nooks and crannies.
4.
Sow any seeds that need a longer season
You can
start sowing the seeds of plants which need a longer growing season, such
as geraniums (pelargoniums), begonias, antirrhinums, peppers and aubergines.
They’ll need to be started in a heated propagator or similar to ensure good
growth.
5.
Hunt down and remove garden pests
If you
still haven’t cleared last year’s pots of summer bedding then do so now,
checking for white-vine-weevil larvae, which live in the compost and feed on
plant roots. Destroy any larvae that you find and be prepared to treat for vine
weevils this year, using parasitic nematodes or chemical drenches.
6.
Install water butts and start collecting rainwater
Harvesting
rainwater is essential for environmentally friendly gardening. Peak demand for
water in the hotter months often forces water companies to resort to
groundwater reserves and streams, which is harmful to the environment and
costly for consumers.
Rainfall
is the best type of water for plants. When you install your water butt,
position it underneath a downpipe from your home or shed.
7.
Move deciduous shrubs
Dig a
circular trench around the shrub, giving it a wide berth. Try to take as much
of the root ball as possible so it can re-establish itself in its new location
as quickly as possible. When you replant your shrub in its new position, place
it at the same level it was previously in the soil, and remember to water in
well afterwards.
8. Maintain
fences, gates and trellis
Check fence
panels, gates and trellis for any sign of weather damage or decay. Fixing any
broken structures now will give you more time to spend in the garden during the
spring and summer. Replace any broken segments or structures.
Next,
clean fence panels and gates with a power washer to remove dirt, moss and
mildew. Use a stiff brush to help remove stubborn grime. Let the wood dry
completely before applying two coats of stain, paint or wood preservative on a
dry day.
9.
Clean and sharpen gardening tools
Maintaining
your garden tools will help preserve them, saving you money in the
long run and helping prevent the spread of disease. Dirty secateurs are
notorious for introducing bacteria and fungi to fresh pruning wounds.
10.
Create a composting area
A
compost area provides somewhere to put all your organic waste. Once it has
broken down, you’ll get a lovely, rich compost your plants will thrive on. Make
sure you have a good mixture of grass clippings, vegetable peelings, paper and
woody prunings. And to help the process along you’ll need to turn your compost
with a garden fork each month to keep it aerated.
Work your
way through the list and you’ll be ready for Spring!
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