Spring has sprung and there’s never been a better time for a fresh start, especially when it comes to the garden. Here are some tips to help you prepare your garden for spring.
Remove Weeds
Getting rid of weeds in your garden is a great start. Removing weeds – as well as any debris and dead leaves will keep your garden tidy and prepare it for growing flowers and plants.
Hand weeding is one of the simplest ways to get the job done. Be sure to pull out weeds while they are still young to prevent them from spreading and doing more damage to the lawn.
Don’t forget to take care of perennial weeds like dandelions. These weeds can mature and become more difficult to remove. Take out the whole plant to prevent any roots being left underground. They are able to grow back from these roots and you’ll have to take them out all over again.
Revitalize Soil
Preparing soil is a great way to get the garden ready for spring. The soil in your garden is workable as soon as the winter frost passes. This is the best time to prepare garden beds ready.
Compacted soil can be loosened by tilling or turning it. Be sure to use a sharp spade or a tiller to work soil up to a depth of 14 inches. Any leaves or mulch that have composted are mixed into the soil during this process. Take away any fresh leaves though.
You can revitalize the soil in your garden by adjusting it or adding compost during this process. The first thing to do is to test the soil to learn more about its current nutrient and pH levels. From here, you can easily work out what needs to be adjusted or added to get the best possible garden.
Prune Away Old Plants
This is the time to prune old shrubs and trees – particularly those that grow new wood. Late winter or early spring is the best time to prune old wood so that new branches develop properly. This also gives you the chance to shape plants before buds break and start energizing the tree.
Break out the tools from your shed, including your hand shears, pruning saw, topiary shears, and long-reach pruner. Sterilizing pruners before using them will help to prevent the spread of plant diseases.
Prepare Fresh Beds
Spring is one of the best times to prepare new planters and garden beds. Just be careful to avoid ordering more plants than you have space for. Build up garden beds and order enough new plots for the space you have.
You should also tidy up any beds and flower borders. Set aside some time to clear borders and flowerbeds of dead leaves and other debris. Also take time to cut back dead growth from grasses and perennials.
You can prepare new borders and flowerbeds as well by clearing them out to the bare soil. If you’ve got a compost bin handy, then take the organic matter and pack it away to be broken down and turned into fertilizer.
Get rid of weeds and place them in a brown bin or get rid of them by burning them. Don’t compost weeds because they can germinate and cause a myriad of other issues.
Apply Fertilizer
Spring is the time to apply fertilizer to the soil to nourish it with plenty of nutrients. This can also prevent crabgrass from growing. Give it eight weeks before applying another layer of fertilizer, as well as any weed preventative.
Add Mulch
You should apply mulch to the garden whenever you can. Mulch stops weeds from establishing themselves. One problem with mulch is that you want to wait until seeds grow so that you don’t drown them in stuff. You can avoid this by growing seedlings indoors ready. Combine mulch with compost for healthy soil and don’t wait too long to start mulching, or your garden will be covered in weeds.
Summary
There are lots of things you can do to prepare your garden for Spring. The end result is that plants grow faster and healthier during the season and you create the perfect growing environment. Apply mulch and compost when you need to, and take the time to keep your garden clear. Short on time, consider looking for garden maintenance experts to save time and get your garden looking great!
