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Hey everyone, Gemma here, your friendly neighbourhood garden enthusiast! With spring in full swing, it's time to roll up our sleeves and give our gardens the TLC they deserve. As the days grow longer and the temperatures rise, there's plenty to do to ensure your outdoor space flourishes throughout the season. Let's dive into the essential spring garden maintenance tasks.

Clean Up: Preparing Your Garden for Spring

Spring is the perfect time to give your garden a thorough clean-up after the winter months. Start by removing any debris such as fallen branches, leaves, and dead plants. Clearing away this clutter not only improves the appearance of your garden but also prevents pests and diseases from taking hold.

When tidying your garden for spring in a wildlife-friendly manner, consider leaving some debris, like twigs and leaves, to provide shelter for insects and small mammals [1]. Create habitat piles with prunings and trimmings to offer refuge for wildlife species [1]. Additionally, utilise natural materials like leaf mould to enrich the soil and provide habitat for beneficial microorganisms and wildlife. By implementing these practices, you can maintain a clean garden while supporting local wildlife.

Pruning: Shaping Your Garden for Growth

Pruning is vital for fostering healthy growth and maintaining the aesthetics of your garden. Trimming back overgrown shrubs and trees helps promote vitality and shape. Focus on removing dead or diseased branches and thinning out dense areas to improve air circulation. In late spring, consider pruning shrubs like roses, some hydrangeas (e.g., Hydrangea macrophylla and H. paniculata), and lavenders to encourage vigorous growth and blossoming. However, it's crucial to avoid pruning spring-flowering shrubs such as forsythia, lilac, and magnolia during this time to prevent the removal of next year's flower buds.

Weeding: Battling Unwanted Invaders

As the weather warms, weeds become an inevitable nuisance in gardens. It's crucial to address them promptly by uprooting them or using a hoe to disrupt their growth. Staying vigilant and maintaining consistent weed control efforts are essential to prevent their spread and competition with desired plants for nutrients and space. Utilising organic mulches such as straw or shredded bark can effectively suppress weed growth, providing a natural barrier to inhibit their proliferation. Common weeds that you are likely to encounter include dandelions, bindweed, and ground elder, all of which require diligent management to keep them in check and preserve the health of your garden.

Lawn Care: Nurturing Your Green Carpet

Spring is the perfect time to give your lawn the care it deserves. Start by aerating, scarifying, and overseeding to promote healthy growth and achieve a lush, green carpet effect. Applying a wildlife-friendly and sustainable fertiliser, such as organic seaweed-based fertiliser, provides essential nutrients, aiding grass recovery from the winter months [2].

Avoid mowing your lawn too short, as this stresses the grass and makes it more vulnerable to weeds and diseases. Instead, maintain a height of around 6 to 7.5 centimeters, ensuring your lawn stays healthy and vibrant throughout the season.

Planting: Introducing Life into Your Garden

Spring offers a perfect opportunity to enrich your garden with new plant life. Embrace seasonal blooms and plants ideal for the UK climate, such as delicate Helleborus orientalis (Lenten rose), fragrant Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender), and the evergreen shrub Viburnum tinus. It's also helpful to add some native species like Digitalis purpurea (common foxglove) and Primula vulgaris (primrose) to enhance both visual appeal and the ecosystem, attracting crucial pollinators like bees and butterflies, thus enriching local biodiversity. When planting, maintain appropriate spacing to encourage airflow and deter overcrowding, which can invite disease. Ensure newly introduced plants receive ample hydration to foster strong root development and fortify their resilience in the garden.

Final Thoughts: Setting Your Garden Up for Success

By following these spring garden maintenance tasks, you'll set your garden up for success and enjoy a vibrant outdoor space throughout the season. Remember, a little effort now will pay off in spades later, so grab your gardening gloves and get started!

And remember, if you need a helping hand, some plant recommendations, or a complete garden design get in contact!

Happy gardening from Gardens by Gemma!

References:

1. RSPB. (n.d.). A wildlife friendly spring tidy up in the garden. [Online]. Available at: https://community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisit/flatford/b/flatford-blog/posts/a-wildlife-friendly-spring-tidy-up-in-the-garden [Accessed: April 2024].

2. STIHL. (n.d.). How to make a wildlife-friendly garden. [Online]. Available at: https://www.stihl.co.uk/en/garden-ideas-and-advice/diy-wood-projects/wildlife-friendly-garden [Accessed: April 2024].