Your garden is poised, ready to burst into life. Here are some things to do at this busy time of the year preparing the garden for the summer ahead.
General jobs to do in the garden:
- Keep weeding, hoe flowerbeds, and apply weed killer to patios.
- Jet wash patios and driveways to remove slime and moss.
- Buy or repair water butts and attach them to down pipes ready for summer.
- Top up birdbaths and feeders to encourage birds.
- Top up raised flowerbeds with compost and topsoil.
- Move plants from greenhouse to cold frames preparing them for planting out.
- Look out for pests and diseases before they take hold.
- Check compost is ready to use in your compost bins.
Jobs to do in the flower garden:
- Dig compost or fertiliser into the soil.
- Look at supporting any plants you feel may grow high this year.
- Prue summer-flowering Clematis before growth begins.
- Deadhead daffodils once they finish flowering.
- Feed trees and shrubs with a slow releasing fertiliser.
- Plant summer flowering bulbs.
Jobs to do in the vegetable garden:
- If you have sown peas, make sure to adequately support them.
- Start to plant potatoes.
- Start to plant carrots and lettuce but make sure to keep covered.
Jobs to do in the fruit garden:
- You should still be looking to protect blooms from the late frosts.
- Hand pollinate peach trees with a soft brush to increase your yield.
- Feed your citrus plants as they will need more food as the temperatures rise.
- Prune berry bushes to maintain productivity.
In the greenhouse:
- Soak seeds in tepid water overnight before planting to increase germination.
- Start sowing bedding plants to plant after the last frost.
- Start to sow tomato plants ready for planting out after the last frost
- Clean greenhouse windows to make most of longer days and sun.
- Take the tops off sweet pea plants to ensure bushier plants in the summer.
What to do with the lawn:
- Now is a good time to get the lawnmower serviced so that it is ready for the first mow.
- Spike lawns with a garden fork to improve drainage and aeration.
- Repair lawn where required.
- If dry, start to mow lawns on a high cut to start and lowering the blades as you get closer to the end of the month.
- Now is a good time to attack moss with a moss and weed killer, as you will still have time to re seed.
