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Spring In the garden
A very drawn out winter has finally come to an end and the spring sun is shining (most of the time!) Spring is the time to get jobs done in the garden in preparation for big summer blooms but don’t let that get you frazzled, it’s an exciting time to be a gardener. Undoubtedly you will see spring bulbs, tree blossoms and flowering shrubs popping up all over the place, as well as hearing the lovely sound of bird song in your garden. It is the perfect time to get all the boring jobs out the way so you can fully enjoy your garden when summer finally arrives. Mowing your lawn and preparing the soil by weeding are essential tasks if you want your garden to look its best and your plants to flourish. Birds and other wildlife will also benefit from your preparation, bird diseases are becoming increasingly common causing particular breeds to falter, to ensure birds are healthy in your garden disinfect any food holders and bird houses and replace their drinking and bathing water. This kind of preparation will go a long way in encouraging birds to nest in your garden year after year. Hunting down and removing nasty pests now can save you a lot of hassle later on. At the moment they will still be hibernating and therefore not feeding on your plants, take a close look to see if you can spot any slugs and snail colonies and use organic methods such as coffee grounds and egg shells to discourage them before they cause any harm. Clearing out last year’s pots can uncover some sneakily hiding away, so make sure you double check. More harmful pests such as vine weevils will be in larvae form and hiding out in your compost feeding on plant roots and the like. If you can find any destroy them straight away and buy some pest control to better tackle the issue. This year why not try to ‘go organic’ in the garden, while this method isn’t for everyone, with the world’s resources becoming increasingly limited, simple tasks such as collecting water can go a long way. Installing water butts will assist in cutting down your water usage and can actually benefit your plants, most tap water is slightly alkaline which can cause problems for certain plants. Composting and thinking about which plants will best survive in your garden without fertilisers or excessive watering will also help you become more ‘green.’ Spring may be the busiest time of the year and seem slightly overwhelming but don’t forget to sit back, relax and enjoy it!
14 | APRIL 2014 interiorexterior.co.uk
Tie back your trees and pull back anything that has been disheveled by the wind and snow.
SPRING JOBS
Get on top of weeds now to save time later, they have probably become over grown and unruly during the winter months For the vegetable growers amongst you, sow carrots, parsnips and bulb onions under cloches and chit potato tubers. Make the most of your spring bulbs, divide snowdrops when they have finished flowering. Prune climbing plants such as wisteria and roses. Steralise bird houses and put out bird food to encourage them to nest in your garden. Mow your lawn and prepare the soil for planting by adding some fresh manure. If you are making drastic plans to redesign your garden, now is the time to sketch out plans, including a rough idea of your plant displays.