Image: Copyright Danny E Hooks
There’s still a chill in the air, but it’s official. Winter is over. Early spring is the one of busiest times of the year for gardeners. Beautiful summer gardens are thought out and created in spring. So it’s time to plan ahead. Here are some tips and tricks from the pros to help get your garden ready for summer.
1) Plan
It’s a wonderful season for planting and growing. And for giving your garden a facelift. Before you start digging, it’s best to have thought out what your garden is going to be used for. Plan where you will plant and where you will play. How about water features?
Think of who will be visiting your garden. Perhaps it will be frequented by kids who will want a space to play? Are you looking to attract wildlife- birds, bees and butterflies? Spring time means spring cleaning. Scrub bird baths and bird feeders to avoid mould build up. Fill bird baths regularly with clean water to avoid a scummy layer building up.
2) Weed
September is here. And hopefully the mercury will be steadily rising. This means we can get our green fingers out of our woolly winter gloves and back into our gardening gloves. Think of your garden as a blank canvas, and before you start work, your canvas must be cleaned. In other words, get weeding. Garden maintenance is imperative to keep your garden healthy.
Weeding is something that will take up more of your gardening time in spring. While many flowers and plants will prosper in the warmer weather, so too will weeds. So it is important to get root of them now before they become a problem.
Don’t forget about those nasty weeds in between your paving. They are easily spread during wet and windy weather.
3) Fertilise
Our beautiful spring climate makes for the perfect combination of moist and heat. It is the best time of year to add some fertiliser to your plant beds to get ready for your spring planting. Organic fertilisers are best. They help keep your garden and the environment clean.
4) Start a compost Pile
If you don’t have one already, we recommend that you get a compost bin and start filling! By starting now, you will have your own compost ready for next spring. Add water and turn regularly. Add equal amounts of carbon-rich brown materials and nitrogen rich green materials.
5) Rotate
If you had a veggie patch in one section of your garden, it is best to shake things up a bit. Plant something new there this year and transfer your veggie patch to another spot. Crop rotation helps to minimise the risk of disease or pests to your plants.
6) Prune
Pruning can be confusing. Pruning at the wrong time of the year can result in new buds been pruned with old ones. As a general rule of thumb, prune plants that flower in autumn and summer during the dormant season, which is now, i.e. early spring. Use clean, sharpened tools. Remove any dead stems or branches as these invite disease.
If you would like some help with your Vernal garden, get in touch. We would love to help.
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