When the clocks go forward, lighter evenings arrive and the warmth of the sun spurs the garden into growth. It’s time for gardeners to spring into action for a busy season ahead. While many of us may spring clean our homes ahead of summer, getting the garden into shape is just as important, especially where plots have been ravaged by winter storms and gales.
Whether you’re looking forward to dining and relaxing alfresco or eager to create your best borders ever, check out our top spring jobs to tackle now – so your garden will be at its finest when summer arrives.
Spruce Up Your Patio
Patios and decks are the centrepiece of outdoor living but can look less than appealing after winter, with surfaces cloaked in slippery algae, unsightly moss and grime. Sweep away loose dirt and leaves and scrape areas of moss from hard surfaces. A Long Handled Weeding Knife will make the job quicker, because it gets into every nook and cranny, making it easy to remove moss and weeds from tight spaces and gaps in between paving.
A pressure washer makes light work of blasting dirt from patios and decks, but these handy gadgets can be expensive, noisy and blast dirt everywhere! If you’re looking for a gentler way to clean that’s just as effective, try Resolva outdoor cleaners that removes green mould and algae without having to scrub. Delivering excellent results within a week, it does all the hard work for you, resulting in a noticeably cleaner patio – and it even carries on working for up to nine months.
Revive your Lawn
Torrential rain, waterlogging, frost, ice, snow and gales – harsh conditions during winter can take its toll on your lawn, leaving it dishevelled and patchy by spring. Moss is common on compacted soil, thriving in damp, waterlogged areas that receive little sunlight.
Give your lawn a spring boost by raking away moss and thatch with a scarifying rake. This rake is designed to cleverly remove all thatch, moss, and dead grass cuttings from lawns to improve airflow and the uptake of nutrients and water. Use in a pull motion after mowing and before putting down lawn seed.
Aerate compacted areas with a lawn aerator to relieve soil compaction and stimulate root growth, then apply a feed . If your lawn has bare patches, overseed them for a lush, green finish.
Treating your lawn to a spring weed and feed like Westland SafeLawn will strengthen grass and encourage fresh growth that outcompetes weeds and moss.
Tidy Up & Prune
Spring is a good time to clear away winter debris and remove any remaining fallen leaves. Use a 3 in 1 rake to rake up and clear your lawn and borders.
Use sharp cutting tools like Eversharp or SureCut to cut back dead or damaged growth. Prune shrubs and perennials to encourage strong, healthy growth for the summer months.
Spring is the perfect time to prune roses as it encourages healthy new growth, better flowering, and a strong plant structure. As roses emerge from dormancy, pruning removes dead, damaged, or weak stems, allowing more light and air circulation, which helps prevent diseases like black spot and mildew.
Spring pruning also stimulates fresh shoots, leading to more abundant blooms in the growing season. The ideal time is when you start to see new buds swelling, typically in early to mid-spring, depending on your climate. Using sharp, high quality secateurs ensures clean cuts that heal quickly, reducing the risk of infection. Learn more about how to deadhead roses.
Edge Beds and Borders
Lawns can often form the centrepiece of our gardens but over time grass has a tendency to creep into beds and borders, resulting in an untidy finish. To define border and path edges, use SureCut Adjustable Edging Shears to smarten up their appearance. Perfect for achieving well-defined borders and immaculate flower beds, these edging shears offer an accurate and clean cut every time.
Wipe Out Weeds
Weeds put on rapid growth as temperatures rise in spring, so get rid of them as a priority, taking care to remove as much of the root as possible to prevent regrowth.
A useful weeding tool such as the Corkscrew Weeder makes light work of weeding beds, borders, and lawns. Its clever corkscrew design pulls out the entire root of a weed with just a simple twist in a clockwise motion - no digging or chemicals required. It makes it easy to remove common weeds such as dandelions and tap-rooted weeds, plucking the entire root from the soil so the weed cannot return.
Prepare the Soil
A healthy garden starts with nutrient-rich soil. Turn over beds, remove weeds, and incorporate compost or farmyard manure to improve soil structure and fertility. Use a Kent & Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Fork or Capability Spade to break up compacted soil, ensuring good drainage and aeration.
Start Sowing and Planting
Spring is the ideal time to sow seeds for vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Hardy annuals and early crops such as lettuce, carrots, and peas can be sown directly into prepared soil.
If you're working in large areas, a draw hoe can help create long, straight seed drills efficiently. For smaller seeds, a dibber can also be useful for making individual planting holes.
Mulch and Feed Plants
Applying a layer of mulch helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil health. Spread organic mulch around trees, shrubs, and flower beds to provide essential nutrients. Use a hand fork to work in fertiliser and keep your plants thriving.
Maintain Your Tools
Spring is a great time to check your gardening tools, ensuring they are sharp, clean, and ready for the season ahead. Regularly cleaning and oiling your Kent & Stowe tools will help maintain their longevity and performance.
