The days are definitely becoming longer and there are little signs of Spring here in Surrey. if you’re thinking about your garden here are some tips on getting you and your garden ready for Spring:
Declutter … Now is a great time to have a declutter or Spring clean. Have piles for the dump, charity shop and compost bin. Anything broken should go, terracotta pots, hanging baskets, children’s toys, gazebos, chairs etc etc .. now is the time to get ahead of everyone else and get sorting!
Recycle … Recycle plastic pots – we’re great hoarders of pots! Do you need them all though? Lots of garden centres now take back plastic pots, trays and even compost bags. Squires especially are good at this. Or try your neighbours, often somebody wants pots for their allotment or school garden.
Planning … If you’ve got a hunch that things could be working better in your garden, now is a good time to plan. Th garden is at its emptiest. Without the clutter of flowers and foliage we can see it’s bare bones. If you can have a look at it from an upstairs window .. it’s a good vantage point to see the layout. Take photos if needed (and its always good to have a before and after!). You might spot straight away what the problems are:
- paths might be too narrow or indirect
- beds might be complicated and need simplyfing
- a tree might need a good prune
- the trampoline could be moved to a better position. If it’s not obvious I can help see the wood for the trees! Get in touch.
Sharpen … Clean and sharpen your tools. Get ready to step into action and make life easier for yourself! Blunt secateurs can be sharpened making it easier on your wrists and elbows and better pruning for your plants.
Snowdrops … Every Garden should have Snowdrops .. they are one of the first flowers to bloom in the year and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like them. They can be tricky to grow from bulbs so when they have flowered split them to make new clumps. You can buy them ‘in the green’ at this time or its even better to ask a friend if you can have some of them .. I’m sure they’ll be happy to split some for you!
Pruning … If you haven’t done already prune back the old flowering stems and tatty foliage of last year’s perennials and grasses with your nice, sharp secateurs! Some you can do with secateurs, but grasses you can do with shears. These can also be split to make new plants, but I would wait until Spring and the fear of a frost has passed to do this job.
Seed Sowing … Get prepared for seed sowing. Lots of annuals and veggies can be started off indoors or undercover in February/March time. You’ll need pots or trays, compost, seeds, labels and a sunny position. You might also need clear plastic to cover the pots to get the seeds started. More tips here.
Sitting … Make sure you have a couple of garden chairs or benches clean and ready to be used. You might not want to sit out there all afternoon yet but be prepared to spontaneously take advantage of any dry, sunny moment for a cuppa in the garden.
What are you going to do first? Let me know in the comments …
Renée