Thursday 2 February 2017

Gardening Tips for Spring.


A background of daisies with the title text overlayed on top.
It's hard to believe, but winter is on its way out and it's time to start thinking about those necessary spring gardening jobs that encourage new growth and bring us hope of brighter days and warmer evenings. Everything is looking pretty abandoned and unloved at the moment, and I can't wait to tidy up a bit and liberate the lawn from under the piles of leaves. I don't know where they all come from. Night-time leaf ninjas, presumably. The weather is pretty grim here at the moment, wet and really cold, so this post might be a bit previous. However, knowing how fickle the British weather can be, it doesn't hurt to be prepared! Your Spring gardening tips are brought to you by my stepmum, landscape gardener extraodinaire. Her previous post was Autumn Gardening Tips.

February


Fledgeling Coal Tit Sitting in a Tree
 Ensure hedges are trimmed before the birds start nesting.
 Put up bird nesting boxes.
 Mulch flower beds with well-rotted manure, especially around the  roses bushes.
 If you make compost turn it out and use to mulch borders.
 Plant Sweet Pea seeds in pots.
 Whilst fences are bare it’s a good time to paint/ treat panels.


 March


Daisies in grass, taken from above.
Lawns will need attention now.
Lightly scarify with a spring tine rake to remove thatch and moss.
Undertake lawn repairs, sowing grass seed where necessary.
Trim the lawn edges.
Mow lawn weekly

                        

Flowers


Protect shoots of plants like Delphiniums from slugs, whilst pellets are an option, these can be harmful to other wildlife. There are Organic products available in the garden centres and Nematodes are very effective when watered into the soil.
Physical barriers such as egg shells and grit and are effective because slugs dislike crawling over coarse materials. Another option is a clear plastic drinks bottle, bottom removed pushed into ground as a barrier around the emerging plant.


Lift and divide perennials such as Sedum, Geraniums.
Snowdrops respond well to being divided now whilst still in ‘the green’.
Top dress pots with compost.
Plant summer flowering bulbs like Lilies, Canna Lilies, Dahlias, and Gladioli. Their new shoots will need to be protected from frosts.
Plant out Hardy Annuals, such as Cornflowers, Marigold, Nasturtiums, Love in a mist, (Nigella) and Sunflowers.



Hoe weeds.
Prune bush and climbing roses.
Hydrangeas can be cut back now to a healthy bud.
The winter flowering shrubs Cornus (Dogwood) and Salix (Willow)
Which are grown for their colourful stems can be cut back now.

         

Ponds

Ornamental pond, start to feed fish and using the pond fountain
Wildlife ponds will have signs of frogs’ spawn.

Vegetables

Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes
Put in supports for peas and runner beans.


Words: by Diane Cull
Pictures: from Unsplash (except the daisies and birdy) 
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