Spring Garden Jobs

Love your lawn

With spring around the corner and warmer weather approaching there is plenty for you to do in the garden. One of the first jobs to tackle is giving the grass its first trim of the season. Remember to set the mower blades high for the first cut and gradually reduce the height over the following weeks till you get to the desired length.

Scarifying, aerating and feeding the lawn will give it some needed TLC and set it up for the busy summer months ahead and the inevitable increased traffic. Tidying the edges of the lawn will also give it an instant facelift.

Time to toughen up

Early spring is the perfect time to harden off the young plants that you have been cultivating indoors or in your greenhouse. Bring them outside to acclimatize them but don’t put them in direct sunlight and remember to bring them back inside at night. After a week you can leave them outside overnight but cover them with a fleece or cold frame for a week or so. Once they have been hardened off you can get ready to plant them in the garden.

Make your beds

Now is the time to fill your borders and flower beds with some annual seeds and your newly toughened-up plants. Planning your beds and borders in advance will allow you to position each plant in its optimum location and provide a mixture of color, texture, structure and height. Don’t forget to add some mulch such as well-rotted manure to give your soil a boost, suppress weeds and retain moisture.

Don’t sit on the fence

If winter storms and old age have left your fence looking decidedly wobbly it may be time to consider a new fence installation for your garden. Whether you want a close board fence or a quintessentially English picket fence it will frame and enhance your garden. Depending on the size of your garden you can install a new fence over the course of a weekend. Once your fence is up you should paint it to protect it from the elements and to preserve it for as long as possible. The days of only brown fence paint are long gone and now there are plenty of great colors to choose from to brighten your garden boundary.

Scrub the decks

It’s not just your lawn and flower beds that will benefit from a spring tidy-up. You’ll want somewhere comfortable to sit and enjoy the fruits of your labor so now’s a good time to clean your deck or patio. A pressure washer will make this an easy and immensely satisfying job but check first that the surface is suitable for this type of cleaning. Don’t forget to remove any flower pots, planters and garden furniture and remember to put on some safety goggles and non-slip shoes before getting started. Medium pressure is usually enough to remove surface dirt without damaging the surface you are cleaning but check in an inconspicuous area first.

Furniture facelift

Now that your deck or patio have been spring cleaned it may show up your less-than-blinging outdoor furniture. Plastic furniture can be restored with an appropriate cleaner while rattan furniture needs a soft brush and mild detergent solution to remove dirt and grime. Wooden furniture can also be cleaned with warm water and mild detergent but it may also benefit from sanding down and a fresh coat of paint. Once your outdoor furniture is looking like new again you can put your feet up and enjoy the sights and sounds of your spring garden.