How to prepare your garden for spring time - nine ways to refresh your garden in time for Easter

It’s never too early or late to groom your garden in time for spring as these quick and easy steps can be tackled in the darkest of winter.

Reviving your garden every now and then is a very important part of allowing your outdoor space to thrive.

With spring comes warmer weather. The heat can dry out your lawn, plants, flowers and shrubs if you don’t tend to your garden regularly.

Here are 10 easy ways to prepare your garden for spring.

1. Remove dead parts of your plants, flowers, shrubs and trees

To keep your garden blossoming, you will need to get rid of the dead growth of deciduous grasses and herbaceous perennials. Put the dead organic substances into your compost pile or bin.

However, any rejected deceased parts of plants must never be put into the compost as this could result in weeds shooting up wherever you use the compost at a later time.

You CAN compost:

- Fruit and vegetable scraps

- Tea bags, coffee grounds

- Egg shells

- Grass, prunings and leaves

- Minimal amounts of shredded paper and soft cardboard

- Animal hair

- Vacuum dust (only woollen carpets)

- Garden and pond plants

You should NOT compost:

- Cat or dog waste

- Meat and fish

- Dairy products

- Dead plants

- Disposable nappies

- A shiny card

- Solid objects

2. Clean and maintain your garden tools

The more regularly you clean and sharpen your garden tools, the less you will be spending on new tools which will save you money in the long term.

It’s important to make sure your tools are fresh in time for spring when you start to use them again as dirty tools attract bacteria and fungi which will ruin your carefully curated garden.

If the tools have gathered rust, you can easily fix them by soaking the tool in 50 per cent of water with 50 per cent of vinegar and scrubbing it will steel wool.

3. Clean your greenhouse (if applicable)

A greenhouse or shed is similar to any other room in your house; over time if it is not cleaned regularly, it gathers dirt, bacteria and attracts pests and diseases.

So it is vitally important to scrub the glass surfaces of your greenhouse inside and outside with soap, water and disinfectant to remove the moss and grime.

Ensuring a clean greenhouse means ensuring your seeds, plants and flowers growing there are reaching their full potential.

4. Find and remove garden pests

The earlier you source and remove all dormant pests, the less hassle it will be when spring and summer arrive.

Inspect the crowns of your perennials and make sure there are no slugs, snails and aphid colonies. If they appear, remove them immediately.

Eradicate any larvae you find and prepare yourself to treat for vine weevils by using parasitic nematodes or chemical drenches.

Remember to check under any leaves, as some may hide in obscure places. While some may be ignored, others will need a professional to treat them.

5. Prune plants, flowers and shrubs where needed

Timing is everything when it comes to pruning plants and flowers as doing so before new growth has begun can make it infinitely harder to suss which branches are dead and which are still hibernating.

Therefore, pruning must be done after new growth has started (in late winter) and you will need to remove any dead branches from shrubs, trees and perennial foliage.

6. Detangle crowded perennials

Make sure all perennials are divided nicely in order to improve their outlook and allow them to thrive in a larger space to grow.

To make sure your perennials are divided without destroying them, dig around the lumpy soil and under the roots to lift the plants from the ground. Untangle the roots with your hands, cut the lumps apart with a knife if necessary and replant the divided plants over a larger space.

7. Create a composting area in your garden

Compost takes time to mature in its quality so while your plants have been dormant, your compost has been getting ready for the season ahead.

At this point, it is time to turn your compost heap and see if any of it is ready to use. If you struggle to use enough compost, you can make your own; it’s free and one of the best improvements of natural soil.

8. Build and repair raised garden beds

The aftermath of winter weather like rain and snow can cause damage to the wood frames of a raised garden bed, so it’s important to make sure it is structurally intact.

If it isn’t, then you will need to repair the garden bed or build a new one. They are a good way to grow flowers and vegetables, so it is beneficial for your garden to make sure you have fully working garden beds.

9. Install waterbutts

Not only is harvesting rainwater through installing waterbutts very important for the growth of your garden, it is also extremely vital for the environment.

No longer will you be a slave to mother nature as your garden can be watered consistently whatever the season, whatever the weather.

Particular types of plants prefer rainwater to regular tap water due to its alkaline levels, like rhododendrons, blueberries and camellias.