Prepare Your Garden for Spring
Category Home Renovations
As Spring approaches, signs that Winter may be on the way out are everywhere. There's no better time than the present to get outside and start preparing your garden beds for Spring. Even if you have an established garden, now is a great time to tackle some tasks and projects before the days start hotting up. This is a wonderful time of year as you have a mostly blank slate to work with and can plan sweeping changes if you want.
Remember that your garden is one of the first impressions people will get of your home so keeping it in tip top shape is essential, especially if you're looking to sell.
First up on your to-do list is planning. Ask yourself the following:
- How much time do you have to spend working in your garden?
- What is the purpose of the garden? Do you want to grow your own food or have showstopping floral displays?
- What is the topography of your garden? Is it flat, sloped or a mix of both?
- How much sun does your garden have?
- What type of soil do you have?
- Do some areas have better drainage than others?
Once you have a better sense of the answers, you will be able to work with nature and play to the strengths of your space. Remember to consider the style of your house when designing your garden so that the two compliment each other. A colourful cottage garden full of flowers and abundance suits a traditional house, while more modern architecture looks better with a garden dominated by gravel and succulents.
Now the hard work starts. If you haven't pruned your trees and shrubs yet, now is the time to cut the scraggly bits off. Doing this before the weather heats up reduces risk of infection by giving the cuts time to heal. If you haven't done this before, fear not. Most plants thrive after having deadwood cut away. You don't need to be a landscape designer to cut back a few branches, consider how you want a shrub to be shaped, or where excess growth needs to be removed and then use a pair of sharp garden shears to cut.
Soil preparation is so important for a successful growing season. Throughout the spring and summer, plants use up the nutrients in the soil, so enriching it again is vital. Compost is an essential component of healthy soil, and if you haven't got your own compost heap, well-rotted kraal manure is a good option to keep your soil rich and healthy. You will need to dig your soil over to a depth of at least 30cm while incorporating compost and removing rocks and unwanted plants.
Your lawn can end up looking quite threadbare during winter. To prepare for a beautiful, lush green lawn, it's time to rake up all the winter debris and dead growth. Raking the grass ( aslo called scarifying) helps bring air and light to soil level, encouraging growth. If you have bare patches, loosen the soil with a rake and sprinkle seeds. You will need to keep the reseeded areas well-watered until the seeds germinate.
Now the fun part starts. It's time to hit the garden centres and nurseries and stock up on seeds, seedlings and plants to fill up those garden beds. Just remember, if you don't live on the coast, wait until the last frosts have passed before you plant.
Happy planting, and remember when posting photos of your gardens, tag us, @maxpropsa so we can share the springtime joy!
Author: Maxprop