Spring is one of our favourite seasons in the garden. The sun is shining (well sometimes in Ireland), birds are singing and it’s time for your garden to resume its hibernation from winter. Your garden needs to help getting back in shape so here are some helpful tips from our garden team in maintaining your garden, while you wait to get new shrubs when the garden centres open again.
Get ready for a great lawn
Now’s the time to get the lawn mower out of the shed and give the grass the first cut of the season. Don’t mow your lawn to within an inch of its life. This only helps help weed seeds to penetrate through the short blades and reach bare soil for germination. Leaving your grass a little longer will actually help to catch the seed, and be eradicated with the next pass of the mower.
Revitalize the soil
Because your soil is likely dried out and packed after winter, it’s time to add moisture. Add organic material like compost or manure. You might need to test the soil to see what nutrients it needs, so you give it the right mixture. You might also need to add more fertilizer to increase the health of the soil and increase the life of your plants.
Clean out the garden
It’s time to clean your garden and remove all the leaves and trash. You need to get rid of weeds, making sure that you get the roots, so they won’t grow back. This is also a good time to sharpen your garden tools, if needed, because you’re going to require them for plant maintenance & soil care.
Add mulch
In addition to fertilizers and organic materials, you should think about adding mulch to your flower beds and garden. One to three inches of mulch helps to prevent weeds and diseases. It also keeps the moisture in the garden and maintains the temperature. The rule of thumb is to keep the mulch a few inches from the plant stems to prevent roots from rotting.
Trim old plants
Plants that survived the winter will need to be pruned so they’ll grow anew in the spring. Make sure to wait until mid-April or May in case there’s an unexpected freeze. Blooming plants should be pruned right after they bloom to avoid cutting off future flowers. Summer plants should be pruned in early spring.
The rest of spring
Once your spring garden is up and running again, it’s time to look to the future and decide what to do with your garden next. It will need some care, so it stays colourful and beautiful throughout the season.
