What jobs do you need to do to rouse your garden from its winter slumber into a new spring awakening?
Winter can be a damaging time for gardens. Although not much will have happened in terms of growth it is a time when you don’t have the time or opportunity to get out there and tidy up any mess. We imagine you’re probably even looking out at your garden in despair, itching to get it tidied up and back into shape. Fear not, those warm spring days that are just around the corner.
Here’s a list of jobs that you can get done in a weekend that will immediately rejuvenate your garden and get it back into shape.
Sweep and tidy the lawn
Get your mower out and give your lawn its first cut of the year. Don’t be over ambitious in terms of the results – chances are the grass is a bit long, and it will be pretty wet too. So keep the cutting blades on a higher setting and concentrate on giving it an initial tidy up.
Wild windy days will have ensured that the lawn is full of fallen twigs and leaves. Pick up the broken bits of tree branches and twigs, and pile them somewhere dry and sheltered. These will make excellent kindling for a garden fire pit once they have dried out a bit.
Crisp up those edges
Even if you have installed steel edging along the border of your lawn, the damp conditions of winter will have encouraged moss to creep across onto the pathway. Take advantage of the early season damp conditions to bring back those sharp edges using the end of a spade or a proper edging tool.
Early spring pruning
Although there will not have been significant growth over the winter months, early spring pruning of certain plants will set them up for much healthier and more manageable growth throughout the summer months.
In particular, this is the perfect time to tackle pruning any rose bushes. The best approach is to remove the dead or weak growth, and reshape the bush for growing during the summer months. You rose bushes will thank and reward you with the most amazing amount of new flowers.
In particular, you want to be working on summer flowering deciduous plants, such as butterfly bush, rose of Sharon and crape myrtle. Deciduous perennial vines such as trumpet vine, climbing hydrangea and Boston ivy will give a much stronger growth if cut back in the early spring.
Spring Backyard Refresh
As spring breathes new life into nature, it’s time to revitalize your backyard. Begin by clearing away winter debris, including fallen branches and dead leaves. Prune bushes and trees to encourage healthy growth and shape. Rake and aerate the soil to prepare for planting. Apply fertilizer to nourish your lawn and plants. Refresh mulch to conserve moisture and deter weeds. Consider adding colorful flowers or freshening up existing flower beds. Clean outdoor furniture and inspect for any repairs needed. Finally, don’t forget to check your irrigation system and outdoor lighting to ensure they’re in working order. With these essential tasks complete, your backyard will be ready to enjoy the beauty of spring to the fullest!
Get rid of any early weeds
Don’t delay in tackling any weed growth. The earlier you can start on any weeds, the easier they’ll be to keep at bay as you’ll be preventing them from getting a deeper stronghold in your garden.
The perfect vegetables to plant in early spring
Once you feel as though you have adequately spring cleaned your garden, now you can start enjoying it again. This time of year is great for planting some favorite vegetables for a healthy summer time diet. Fast growing spring vegetables include: radishes, lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, turnips and peas.
Scented spring plants
And while the spring air is normally associated with the smell of freshly mown grass, there are also a number of spring plants which will give you the most amazing smells as you potter about during the early spring.
For example, while we are used to the mass production of clinical daffodils sold through supermarkets in vast quantities, when plants in your garden they give off the most amazing scent. Look out for Narcissus ‘Actaea’, ‘Geranium’, and ‘Silver Chimes’. You can plant them in pots on the early spring.
Other fragrant spring plants include: viburnum carlessi, osmanthus delavayi, wisteria, hyacinths, sarcococca confuse, viburnum x bodnantense and daphne odora.
