Spring is just around the corner and as the evenings are gradually getting lighter our attention turns to getting back out in the garden. We’ll soon be frantically planting and growing ready to nurture the life back into our gardens. These last few weeks before spring is officially sprung are a great time to focus on your gardening plans and with our top tips, you’ll be able to prepare your garden for the spring in no time at all.
If the weather is a bit cold, damp and grey, now is the time to research the bulbs and seeds you would like to plant in your garden and order them online. Spring vegetables such as peas, broccoli, kale, arugula, cabbage, spinach, carrots and radishes can all be planted mid to late March. If it’s flowering seeds you want, then the choice is vast and many can be planted at various times of the year to enable bloomage throughout the seasons. Sweet Peas, Calendula, Cornflower, Delphinium, Poppy and wildflower mixes can all be planted in March once there is no longer a risk of frost.ildflower mixes can all be planted in March once there is no longer a risk of frost.
Removing leaf litter and debris from flower beds and garden borders is a good first step. Then, you can proceed with removing and cutting back dead growth. Clearing your borders and flower beds back to bare soil will give you a blank canvas to start your new season with. Any organic matter that you clear can be composted, but don’t put weeds into the compost heap because the seeds will germinate and cause future problems.
Where possible, dig a 5cm layer of organic matter into the soil of your empty borders. You could use well-rotted manure, compost or recycled green waste which will provide an optimal growing environment for new growth.
Getting rid of unwanted visitors now will save you from issues later on in the year. Pests will often hibernate and shelter at the crown of perennial plants. Dealing with slugs, snails and aphids now is a good idea before they turn into a real problem.
If you have planters and pots with last year's bedding still in them, you’ll need to check for white vine weevil larvae. They often live in the compost and feed on plant roots. You’ll need to eradicate any larvae that you find and be prepared to treat for vine weevils this year, using pest control products such as parasitic nematodes.
Now is a fantastic opportunity to create your very own composting area, if you don’t have one already that is. You could purchase a purpose made compost bin or if you are feeling creative you can construct your own using any timber you may have at home.
A compost area provides somewhere to dispose of all of your organic kitchen and garden waste. When it breaks down you will be left with a very rich compost that will ensure your plants will thrive. Grass cuttings, vegetable peelings, paper and tree and bush prunings will provide an excellent mix, but be sure to turn it monthly with a garden fork to provide it with aeration.
Purchasing and installing a water butt is a great way to collect water from the typically seasonal showers. This is a fantastic way to be a little more environmentally friendly with your gardening plus, rain water is preferable to many plants and will help them to thrive.
You should position your water butt underneath a downpipe from your home or shed. If you have a closed drainpipe, you could use a diverter kit to syphon off some of the rainwater for collection.
Give your garden fences and wooden furniture a lick of paint. This will take care of any weathering that may have taken place over the winter months, offer additional protection and prolong the life of your wooden boundaries. If you are looking to create more of a transformation, you may like to consider a coloured garden paint which will brighten up even even the doomiest of corners.
If you follow these tips you are going to be kept busy for a little while, but your garden will be ready to welcome the spring season and you will be able to get the most out of those sunnier, longer days. If you are looking for some further inspiration and gardening products, take a look at our extensive gardening range here.
Sources:
https://www.thompson-morgan.com/top-10-spring-garden-tips
