If you’re one of the 52% of Britons who admitted to ignoring their garden over the winter, the next few weeks could be the ideal opportunity to dust off your gardening gloves and give your green space some much-needed TLC.
According to studies, we spend the most time in our gardens in the spring, so Belvoir have put together some top tips for getting your garden back into good shape.
Clean up your garden furniture
It’s worth giving your garden furniture a once-over before it makes its spring debut to make sure it’s ready for the warmer months.
Don’t be hesitant to use the pressure washer. Giving your outdoor furniture a good wash with the hose may be all it takes to make it ready for spring. If you don’t want to get your furniture wet, a quick wipe off will be enough and keep it looking fresh.
Spring weather may still be somewhat unpredictable, so use teak or linseed oil to preserve your furniture from the elements. If you’re feeling particularly inventive, use the chance to spruce up your furniture with a fresh coat of paint.
Be smart about watering
Most gardeners have a natural inclination to over water plants in the spring. After all, they’re eager to see their plants grow and thrive. However, if you over water your plants, you can actually do them more damage than good.
The most common problem that occurs when you overwater plants is root rot.
Root rot is the result of water-logged soil, which turns into a mushy mess that ends up suffocating the roots of your plants. This can cause your plants to wilt and eventually die. Be mindful and smart about how much you are watering plants.
Don’t plant too early
Planting too early can result in damage from frost. Many gardeners are anxious to get started in the spring and may even start seeds indoors in January or February. However, it is important to wait until all danger of frost has passed before you plant outdoors. Frost can damage or even kill delicate seedlings. Some plants won’t germinate until the soil temperature reaches a certain threshold, so you may be wasting your time if you plant them too early.
Another reason to wait is that it is often windy in early spring. Plants that have been protected indoors may be damaged by strong winds when they are set out in the garden. Soil temperatures are also colder at this time of year than they will be later, so plants will not grow as quickly as they would if planted when the weather warms up.
Experiment with growing your own produce
If you’re a gardening enthusiast, there’s no better time than spring to put your green fingers to work. Spring gardening is a great way to get outside and enjoy the warmer weather while tending to your plants, flowers, and herbs.
If you’ve ever dreamed of having your own vegetable garden but aren’t sure where to begin, now is the perfect time. While the spring season is ideal for planting flowers and vegetables, it’s not always easy to know what will thrive in your garden — especially if this is your first year.
Here are some of our top tips and tricks for growing vegetables in the UK climate:
Start a herb garden: Herbs like thyme, oregano, and rosemary are perennial plants that can thrive all year long. Planting herbs in pots makes it easy to move them indoors when the temperature drops during wintertime.
Plant strawberries: If you have kids in the house, they’ll love having fresh strawberries at their fingertips this summertime. Strawberries tend to grow best when they’re planted in an area that receives full sun for most of the day. They also prefer soil that’s rich with compost or manure, so be sure to add fertiliser before planting.
Prune dead branches from trees and shrubs
Spring is the best time to prune your trees and shrubs. This is the time of year when you can see the plant’s natural shape. Winter storms and wind have stripped many of the plants of their leaves, allowing you to see what needs pruning.
Why is it important to prune your plants? Pruning helps a plant grow healthier and stronger. Dead branches, branches growing too close together, and branches growing in an odd pattern can all be removed during this process. The plant will grow better without these elements growing out of control.
In addition to removing dead branches, you can also use a technique called thinning to help your plants grow healthier. Thinning is used if you want the plant to grow taller or wider. To do this, choose several stems inside the plant that are growing too close together; cut them off at their bases. The remaining stems will now have more room to grow, which will make them more healthy overall.
You may also want to remove some of the smaller branches at the base of your plant if they are not receiving enough light or air circulation. These small branches will not be able to produce fruit or flowers with adequate sunlight. They will also be more susceptible to disease and insects because they do not receive enough air circulation
Final Thoughts
These are our top tips for gardening in the spring to give your garden a new lease of life.
Thinking of moving this spring to somewhere with a bigger garden? Spring is widely considered to be the best season for selling a home- anyone who is looking to buy a new property will prefer to make the deal in the spring. Also a house looks much more appealing in the spring- lush greenery, beautiful flowers and that all important spring clean will have been done.
Take a look at our properties for sale this spring and find your perfect home (and garden!)
