Gardening is never usually done during the winter due to the cold temperatures and lack of growth from grass and trees.
Your garden will begin to grow in spring; however maintaining a picturesque garden takes a lot of preparation. Here at Gustharts, we want to give you 10 top tips on preparing your garden for the spring.
Table of contents
- When should you start preparing your garden for spring?
- How to prepare your garden for spring
- Prepare your garden for spring with Gustharts
When should you start preparing your garden for spring?
A few weeks before spring until early spring is often a good time to prepare your garden to ensure maximum growth over the year. Spring often runs from mid-March to mid-June, so it is crucial to have everything ready in plenty of time.
How to prepare your garden for spring
There are several things you can do to ensure your garden is ready for spring. Follow this guide for 10 top tips to prepare for a scenic garden.
Take care of your lawn
Preparing for spring is the perfect time to clean your lawn of debris and loose leaves. Clear away dead leaves or branches to prevent diseases from affecting and possibly killing your plants. Whilst cleaning up your lawn, this presents the perfect opportunity to tidy up your patio if you have one.
You can also use the time you take cleaning up your garden to add grass seed to level off uneven areas. It is best to do this whilst preparing for spring, so your garden will grow evenly and neatly.
Trim plants
After clearing debris from your garden, it is worth trimming down plants to encourage new growth. Use a pair of secateurs to trim your plants’ stems, so they will begin to grow once spring begins.
When deciding which plants to trim, look for any damaged or diseased plants. Prune any excess stems and branches to prevent congestion. Ensure you clear away any stems and branches you prune to stop your plants from becoming diseased.
Get rid of pests
Hunt down and clear any pests from your garden to prevent your plants from becoming diseased. Even after you clear debris in your garden, there may still be some pests to get rid of. Thoroughly check at the roots of plants and the underside of leaves for any pests. Some pests can be brushed away; however some pests require specialist treatment.
Prepare soil
Weeds often start their life cycle at the end of summer and germinate over the Winter. Remove any weeds from your garden as soon as possible to prevent them from damaging your plants. Use a garden rake to rake your soil to maintain airflow so you have the best possible conditions to grow new plants.
Clean and sharpen garden tools
Ensure that all of your garden tools are thoroughly cleaned before you begin your spring gardening. Cleaning your garden tools is best done during the winter months when you won’t be doing any gardening. Garden tools can pick up diseases when not cleaned, so cleaning your tools early will prevent your plants from becoming diseased.
It is also recommended that you sharpen your garden tools during the winter months as well as clean them. By sharpening your garden tools, you will get a cleaner cut, and they will be easier to use. Using blunt tools may damage your plants and make your garden look scrappy.
Clean your greenhouse
Cleaning your greenhouse will allow your plants to grow efficiently during spring. Use disinfectant to clean the inside and outside of your greenhouse to remove any dirt and prevent pests and diseases from growing.
Sweep out any debris from the greenhouse’s inside to prevent diseases from forming off the loose debris. Once the greenhouse has been cleaned, inspect the greenhouse to make sure there are no damaged parts. If there are damaged parts, replace them as soon as possible.
Maintain gates and fences
While waiting for the growing season to begin, getting small maintenance jobs done is one thing you can do to prepare for spring. Inspect any gates and fences for any damage or decay. Fixing your gates and fences can stop any rot and wild animals from entering your garden and damaging your plants.
Create a composting area
Preparing your garden for spring is the perfect time to set up a composting area in your garden. You could build your own with spare wood or buy a ready-made compost bin. A composting area allows you to store all of your organic waste. A good waste mixture includes glass clippings, woody prunings and vegetable peelings. To keep your compost aerated, ensure you turn it over with a garden fork once a month.
Start collecting rainwater
Install a water butt in your garden to collect rainwater, which you can use in the summer to water your plants. As there is little rainfall in the summer, many companies resort to streams and underground reserves, which is costly and harmful to the environment. A water butt is an environmentally-friendly way of collecting water to keep your plants hydrated during summer.
Protect your fruit
Wild animals and birds will attempt to eat fruit from your fruit trees and bushes while searching for food. Use protective netting over your fruit trees and bushes to prevent this from happening. Install bird feeders in your garden with nuts as an alternative food source for birds.
Prepare your garden for spring with Gustharts
Keeping your garden in top condition is crucial, especially after the winter months. Following this guide will help you prepare your garden for spring in several ways. Why not make a start by browsing the latest range of hand tools and shovels at Gustharts?
