6 steps to make your garden ready for spring
The light is back, the temperature is rising and it's tempting to get out into the garden. Get our top tips to get your garden ready for spring.
What needs to be done?
Clean up
The garden needs a good spring clean. Rake the lawn of winter fallen leaves and branches (put it on the compost). Sweep patios and walkways. Remove old boxes, pots and clutter that has accumulated around and tidy up your tools. The garden is just like the living rooms in the house - it's much nicer when it's tidy, clean and neat.
Remove weeds
Start spring weeding your raised beds and planters. The root system of the weeds isn't that big yet, so it's easy to get them out.
Divide the perennials
If some of the perennials have grown too big, you can dig them up and divide them. Many vigorous perennials should be divided every three years. Loosen the soil around the root ball, dig up the entire root ball, place it on the ground and cut it with the spade. All these parts of the perennial are now independent plants. Then bury all the rootballs, either together but at a distance, or in new places in the garden, at the same ground level as before. Remember not to let their roots dry out.
Spring flowers
One of the most important tasks of spring is to welcome the new season. Fill planters and raised beds with spring flowers to provide pollen for the insects and lovely colors for you to enjoy.
Raised beds and planters
If you have larger plants in raised beds and planters, small trees, shrubs and large roses, it's important that you pamper them. Plants growing in raised beds or planters are much more dependent on what you provide them with in terms of water, light and nutrition. So if you want to do them good, you can top-dress the raised beds and planters.
To do this, remove the top layer of soil in the pots, 5-8 cm, and then fill with new fresh raised bed soil. Water well afterwards.
Reflecting pools
Set out barrels or reflecting pools of water for your garden animals. Birds love a spring bath and both birds and insects are thirsty.