Preparing Your Garden for Spring
Taking a walk around the garden after the winter months and thinking about preparing your garden for spring can be overwhelming. However, there are also wonderful reasons to rejoice – the weather is finally, warm, and spring ushers with it a new growing season. New buds will start to form in your garden in no time! But there are plenty of tasks to do. This season brings with it a great time to assess some areas of concern brought about by winter, add a layer of mulch, tune-up your irrigation system, do some cleaning – both indoors and outdoors – and be kind to the birds.
All these may sound like a lot, but if you create a list and check the items off one by one, your garden will be a favorite relaxing spot for your family once you’re done. For a welcoming spring garden that is abundant with fragrance and vibrant hues, follow the advice below.
Inspect
Assess your yard. First, check your trees. Are there limbs or branches that need to be cabled or removed? If your garden has big trees, it’s best to hire a professional arborist to maintain them. Second, inspect the mid-level. Trim and prune last year’s perennial shrubs and throw them in your compost pile. Third, do some groundwork. Before foliage appears, be sure to rake mulch from beds planted with bulbs. After the soil warms, refresh the mulch in all planting areas. Lastly, take care of the hardscaped areas: check the steps, pathways, and fences for disrepair.
Tools and Supplies
Give your tools some attention. Pull out your trowels, spades, clippers, and hoes. Make sure that they are in tip-top shape when it’s time to roll up your sleeves. Clean and sharpen them well. Give the wooden handles some love by sanding, cleaning, and oiling them. Replenish your supplies, which include soil additives, potting soil, and fertilizer.
Spring Clean Up
This season is an important time to clear out all the debris. Pay attention to your turf. Rake up dead branches and brown leaves from your grass. Also, it’s never too early to pull out weeds. It’s a good idea to get them out before they establish in the soil, and before they compete for space in your garden.
Prune shrubs
Now is a good time for pruning your trees and shrubs. Prune the areas that are damaged from the cold. You can also prune plants that bloom in summer. It’s best to prune shrubs and trees that bloom in spring after flowering.
Fertilize
Your lawn is waking up, and we’re sure that it will be happy to get a little fuel. Fertilize your yard as soon as new growth appears. Start fertilizing your perennials once you notice new growth, and don’t forget to use high-acid fertilizer around shrubs like camellias or azaleas.
Taking the necessary steps to prepare your garden for spring will not only do wonders for your curb appeal, it will also help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Sources:
“12 Essential Spring Cleaning Tasks for the Garden,” The Spruce, https://www.thespruce.com/spring-cleaning-the-garden-1403165
“Top 10 tips to prepare your garden for Spring,” Thompson & Morgan, https://www.thompson-morgan.com/top-10-spring-garden-tips
“10 ideas to get your garden ready for spring,” Love The Garden, https://www.lovethegarden.com/uk-en/article/10-ideas-get-your-garden-ready-spring