With the days getting longer, the sun shining a little more and the cold air warming up, it’s safe to say that spring is right around the corner and we can kiss the winter and all the doom and gloom of the past twelve months goodbye.
Instead, we can look forward to some brighter weather and spending more time outdoors with friends and family. However, with many places yet to fully open up, this time may have to be spent in your garden rather than at a restaurant or inside someone’s home. So, you need to make sure that your garden is in tip-top shape, ready for spring and all of the activities that you have planned for the coming months.
If you’re not quite sure what you need to do to get your garden ready for spring, don’t panic, this blog is here to tell you everything you need to know!
Getting your garden spring-ready
1) Clean up
The first thing that you need to do to get your garden ready for springtime is to give it a good old fashioned spring clean! Throughout the autumn and winter, your garden can be exposed to a lot of bad weather, so anything left over from the last couple of months will need to be cleared. You can visit Eagledumpsterrental.com for information on dumpster removal.
Start by clearing your garden of any broken branches, leaves and other debris that may have collected over the back end of the year. It’s important to get this done as early as possible so that any spring bulbs and plants that you have can grow uninterrupted and there’s less chance of you stepping on them because they’re out of sight.
Once this is done, turn your attention to any trees, shrubs and hedges that you may have and start pruning. If you didn’t manage to prune your trees and hedges before or during the winter, then you’ll need to do it now. Grab a step ladder and remove all damaged, dead and diseased branches and thin any dead foliage that you find.
Once the lawn and trees are taken care of, tidy up any last bits that will make your garden look more appealing, such as repainting and repairing any fence damage or replacing old and broken plant pots.
2) Tool TLC
After months of laying in your garden shed or garage, your gardening tools and essentials are most likely in need of a little attention too. So, once your garden has been tidied up, here is where you’ll need to focus, especially since you’re going to be needing them throughout the spring.
Start by pulling out and cleaning your tools with soapy water, using mineral spirits on any wooden handles. This will help prevent the wood from splintering, something you’ll want to avoid when you’re using them! Almost all tools are easier to use when sharpened, so hone any spades, trowels and hoes with a file and apply lubricating oil to get them sharp and shiny.
3) Give life to your soil
The harsh elements throughout the autumn and winter can take their toll on your garden’s soil, so this is where you’ll turn to next because, without healthy soil, your spring plants will not be able to grow.
Start by testing your soil’s quality by taking a handful and squeezing it tightly. When your fist opens, the soil should crumble instead of forming clumps. You can also test the pH levels and enrich them accordingly. If you need to raise the pH, add dolomitic but to lower the pH, add sulphur.
Once this is done, add in some compost or well-rotted manure to your soil using a spading fork to mix everything in properly.
4) Come up with a plan
Now that you have cleaned and prepped your garden, you can start to make a plan of what you’re going to do over the coming months. Find out which flowers, plants and vegetables are best for your garden and where you live and plan what you’re going to be planting and where.
Try to mix annuals with perennials to help keep colour in your garden for longer and don’t forget to think about height. Plant taller plants at the back so they do not block out the sun for the rest.
And there you have it! Four easy steps to get your garden ready for the spring. We hope this blog helps and you can start to look forward to a brighter and better 2021.
