Spring gardening advice

 

Spring is the season of new life and the perfect opportunity to return your garden to its pre-winter beauty. The cold weather can really take its toll on your garden which is why a spring clean is just what everyone needs. Here are some of the most basic yet essential steps to follow in order to get your garden ready.

Ready your tools

Quality tools that are in good condition will make gardening that much easier and far more fun. Take some time to inspect your hand tools. Look for corrosion and wear. If any tools are particularly worn or broken, you will want to replace them sooner rather than later. Pruners need to be cleaned and oiled in order to keep them in top shape. If you are planning on planting using garden pots, you should ensure that they are clean before you begin.

Cleaning up

All sorts of debris can build up over the winter and, apart from proving unsightly, it can also make it difficult or impossible to grow new plants. Use a rake to remove the winter mulch and any other bulky plant material. You can add this to you compost heap. Remove any dead or damaged plants. If parts of plants are damaged but the plant is still very much viable, you can use clean pruners to cut away the dead or damaged parts. Take a look for any fungal growth or discolouration on leaves. Dispose of any affected plants. You should not add them to your compost heap. Remove any weeds and prune brushes and fruit trees that bloom in the summer. Add a layer of compost to your flower beds and be sure to scratch it into the topsoil.

Planting seeds

Now that your garden is prepared, it’s time for planting. You can choose between a variety of flowers, herbs, and vegetables. They are cheaper to start from seed but they will take time to grow which means that you should plant early. Many people choose to plant seeds in small pots at first. They later transfer them to their garden. In some cases, planting directly in the garden is best since you will not need to traumatize the plants by moving them later. Make sure that you keep track of the weather before planting and you should only plant seeds that are meant to be planted in the spring season. Each plant has its own season which is why it’s important to plan your garden and planting schedule appropriately.

Don’t forget to maintain your garden once you have gone to all the effort of cleaning and planting. You wouldn’t want all that effort to go to waste. Within a few short weeks, you will have a superb garden to enjoy!