5 tips for getting your garden ready for spring
Recently, the clocks moved forward, officially marking the start of British summer time. This is a time of year where colourful bulbs burst from the ground, tree branches develop heavy green buds & birds begin to nest, signalling the start of spring and longer, warmer days ahead.
Following a harsh winter with record storms, it is likely that your garden will benefit from some routine maintenance. Here are 5 tips to get your garden into shape as springtime arrives.
Cleaning your paving
Just as we give our houses a spring clean, there are areas of our gardens that would benefit from some cleaning at this time of year too.
The regular use of a power washer to clean paving will ensure that it is kept in the best condition possible. Dirty paving can sometimes be dangerously slippery to walk on. The regularity of how often you need to clean your paving will depend on the type of paving installed in your garden.
Natural stone paving is porous meaning that it holds water and is more susceptible to algae and moss growth, especially on a shady north facing site. In contrast, manufactured paving such as porcelain is less porous than natural stone and therefore more resistant to algae & moss growth making it a good choice for a lower maintenance garden.
If you have block paving there will be additional steps you will need to undertake following pressure washing, to keep it in the best shape possible.
As you clean your block paving, dirt, moss and sand will be removed from your paving joints. Without sand between the joints, block paving can become unstable so you should re-fill the joints with new kiln dried sand, brushing it in once your paving is dry.
Feeding your borders
Bare springtime borders expose a soil surface that would otherwise be hidden with lush vegetation. Take this opportunity to remove unwanted debris from the soil surface, as well as any resilient early sprouting weeds that may have appeared. You may also have perennial plants in your border holding onto last year’s growth; although this dead plant material can look unsightly at times, it is a haven for over-wintering wildlife, so we recommend delaying the pruning of this old growth until the fresh green shoots start appearing at the base of the plant.
Once your borders are tidied, consider adding a layer of organic mulch to the soils surface. There is a broad spectrum of materials that can be used as a mulch but essentially it is a layer that sits on top of the existing soil slowly releasing nutrients and suppressing weeds. Over summer, the mulch layer will break down, enriching the soil beneath. As the lifespan of the mulch layer is finite, it is important to regularly re-mulch your planted areas to keep your plants in the best shape.
Maintaining and cleaning your garden tools
Inspect any garden tools you may be using over the spring and summer months for general wear and tear. It is crucial that items such as secateurs remain sharp, as blunt blades will crush branches rather than cut them- exposing plants to risk of disease. Similarly, cleaning your secateurs blades with soapy water regularly can help reduce the spread of disease between plants in your garden.
Inspect your mower to see if the blades need replacing or sharpening. Sharp blades on a mower cut the lawn much cleaner, which in turn helps your lawn to recover faster and stay greener.
Loving your lawn
After the rigours of winter, your lawn might be looking worse for wear. Raking and scarifying removes the unwanted mosses and dead grasses and allows the lawn to breath. Similarly to the planting in your borders, your lawn will benefit from a feed with a quality, organic lawn fertiliser in early spring, which will provide the essential nutrients it requires over the coming months. Whilst working on your lawn, you should overseed any bare patches so that your lawn is looking full and green, ready for the summer season.
It is also likely that your lawn edge will have lost definition over the winter months, so consider cutting in a fresh edge for the lawn using an edging tool. A crisp edge to a lawn makes all the difference in the appearance of your garden.
Repairing, refreshing or recycling
Following a harsh winter, there may be elements in your garden that require repair, such as split fence panels or rotten fence posts. It is worth inspecting the condition of any fencing in your garden to make sure that it is in good shape. A fence in need of repair can not only look unsightly but can be dangerous and make your garden less secure.
Perhaps you have structures in your garden that could benefit from a basic refresh? such as faded stained timber decking, gazebos or fencing; a few hours spend re-staining will really improve their look. Make sure to use a good quality stain that preserves and protects as this will help lengthen the life of the timber and reduce the frequency of re-staining. Similarly, consider re-oiling hardwood garden furniture to give it a new lease of life.
It is also worth considering recycling items in the garden that are contributing to a messy aesthetic. You may have found that recent frosts have damaged old terracotta pots. Why not recycle these pots by breaking them up into smaller pieces and use them to improve the drainage at the base of other planters? If you’ve needed to prune back some dead or damaged branches, why not reuse them as plant supports for vegetables or climbing plants?
We hope that the above list will help you prepare and refresh your garden for the springtime. For those considering a total garden makeover this year, why not enquire about our garden design service and see if we can help?
Alex Cockayne