Spring has finally sprung, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll be yearning to get back out in the garden. But a long, cold winter like the one we’ve just had can leave our gardens looking tired, bleak, and let’s face it, a little uninspiring. So before all the sowing and growing, take a little time this spring to rejuvenate and reinvigorate your outdoor space. Trust us, it’ll make all the difference for the growing season to come. Here’s a few tips and tricks for making a fresh start in the garden this spring.
Clear Winter Debris
Early spring is the perfect time to clear lawns, paths, and patios that are still strewn with autumn leaves and fallen branches. Don’t throw it all in the dustbin though, this debris is worth its weight in gardeners gold! Throw twigs and sticks on the compost pile to improve its structure, and collect fallen leaves in fabric sacks or leaf bags. They’ll soon rot down into nutritious leaf mould for autumn mulching! Remove any plants that have died to the prolonged cold weather – you can reuse the old compost into borders.
Top Tip:
Organic debris provides shelter and warmth for wildlife to hibernate over the coldest months, so hold off on clearing it away until temperatures are consistently above 10°C.
Pruning Perennials
Most flowering perennials, ornamental grasses, and woody shrubs prefer to be pruned in spring. Early flowering perennials can be snipped back to their newly emerging buds to promote plenty of beautiful blossoms and bushy foliage growth. Try not to prune too early though, as a surprise late frost may damage any freshly cut branches and stems. Deadhead any old flowers or seedpods that you left over winter for the birds to feed on, and chuck the cuttings on the compost pile. Late summer flowering perennials can be divided and transplanted to new spots around the garden ready to burst into bloom later in the year.
Prepare beds, borders, planters, and pots
Give yourself (and your plants) a head start by prepping your growing spaces now so they’ll be good to go as soon as the last frost passes. Clear away any leftover autumn mulch so new shoots and spring bulbs can break through easily, and remove any dead annuals that are leftover from last summer. Attack any emerging weeds early on to stop them from smothering this year’s seedlings and spreading so rampantly once the weather warms up.
Top Tip:
While your borders are fairly clear, revive your soil by working through a generous helping of, compost, manure or other organic matter. The extra nutrients will deliver abundant blooms and bountiful harvests this year!
We stock a wide range of compost, manure and other organic matter from the following brands:
Get Scrubbing
Ok, it’s not the most glamorous job, but hosing down or jet washing patios, deckings, and hardscaping will get rid of any slippery moss, mud, and grime that’s accumulated over the winter, plus it instantly makes your outdoor space look lighter and brighter. Rinsing empty pots or planters with warm, soapy water gets rid of any lingering pests or pathogens, so they’re ready to house healthy, happy plants this year. Best of all, your garden furniture can finally be uncovered or hauled out from storage and washed down ready for you to rest up and enjoy your newly refreshed spring garden! We stock a very effective patio path cleaner!
It might not be as satisfying as sowing a patchwork of seeds, or as rewarding as harvesting a bumper crop, but trust us, spring cleaning your garden is the best way to breathe life back into a winter-weary space!
