As a home gardener and plant enthusiast, your role in preparing your garden for the change of seasons is crucial.
Taking proactive steps ensures that your garden is healthy and ready for the change in weather, thriving as you need it to.
Care and maintenance needs change throughout the year. As spring rolls around and we wave goodbye to winter, these tips will help you take charge and get your garden ready.
Tidy Up
First and foremost, take charge of your garden’s well-being by tidying it up. This not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of your garden but also promotes a healthier environment for your plants.
Set the stage for a healthy and thriving garden ready for the new season. Rake up dead leaves, clear debris from bushes and trees, (including tree lopping to remove overgrown or dead branches), and remove dead plants.
Check Plants
Take some time to inspect your plants for any damage they may have sustained over the winter. This thorough check is crucial to ensure your plants are in good shape and ready to flourish.
Look for slugs or other hibernating pests that can harm your plants. Remove any that won’t thrive this spring. Also, now is the perfect time to plant perennials, annuals, and shrubs. Not only will they have time to establish themselves, but it’s also the best time to get them at the most affordable prices.
Prepare The Ground
Testing your soil and digging it before planting is essential.
This step is crucial to ensure the best care for the soil and your plants. You need to know what kind of soil you’re dealing with so you can get the best from what plant and care for the soil and your plants in the best way possible.
A quick and easy test is to simply pick up some soil and crumble between your fingers. This will give you a good idea of the type of soil in the ground and how compact it is. Loose soil equals better drainage, and more compact soil equals poor drainage. Alternatively, a pH testing kit can give you a better idea of the type of soil in your garden.
Add Mulch or Fertiliser
It’s really quite normal for the ground to get depleted after winter. The harsh weather conditions and excess rain can cause nutrient loss in the soil. Now is the time to consider re-invigorate it. Fertilizer, compost, or mulch are great additions to the soil and can be beneficial when preparing your garden for planting.
For many plants, doing this once at the beginning of spring is enough, but it can be overkill for some plants or ground, so it is important to check before adding it so you can avoid any unintentional damage.
From here, you can begin to take control of your garden and ensure it’s in the best condition possible for the upcoming spring and summer seasons so it can flourish and you can enjoy a blooming, healthy, and vibrant garden.
