We’re only just heading in to Spring, but if you’ve got a garden it’s time to start thinking about preparing for the finer weather. Even though it’s still a bit nippy out there, and probably quite wet, there are lots of things you could and should be doing. So, it’s time to think about getting those garden tools out of their winter storage home and preparing them for some work.
Exactly how much work is to be done right now will depend upon how avid a gardener you are. But, even if your garden consists of a patio and a few pots, there are things you can be doing to prepare for summer. Here’s a list of the things that we should all be thinking about.
Lawns
Believe it or not, if it’s dry enough, then you should be thinking about getting your first mow in. Make sure your blade setting is higher than the normal summer mow. Later in the month it will be time to put some fertiliser on the lawn to help it recover from the winter.
Trees and shrubs
It’s time to trim off lower limbs of trees to balance canopies and make sure the growth at the top of the tree is getting enough goodness. Cutting back and pruning summer flowering shrubs is ideally done around this time. Don’t prune or cut back spring flowering shrubs until after they’ve flowered. If you’re not sure if you should be cutting back, ask your local garden centre for advice. If all else fails, wait a few weeks longer before pruning. If you’ve got evergreen shrubs you want to move, the end of March is an ideal time to do it.
Flowers
You can divide clumps of perennial plants late March. It’s also time to plant summer flowering bulbs and plant seeds; more tender plants will need to be kept in a greenhouse for a little while longer. Dead head winter flowering plants to keep them flowering for as long as possible. Depending on the weather where you are, you may also have some spring plants like daffodils to start caring for too.
Pots & containers
It’s time to clean up empty pots in preparation for use again this year. Scrub out all old soil and debris both inside and out. Top dress pots and planters still in use with fresh compost. Don’t forget to check if your pots need watering; they can dry out even at this time of year, especially if they’re sited under canopies or in sheltered areas.
Garden tools
Whether they’re stored in the garage, shed or at a self storage unit, it’s time to get them out and prepare them for use. Hopefully you cleaned them all up before you put them away at the end of the season and it’s just a case of the odd service and a bit of a wipe over. If not, then you’ve got some work to do to make sure your tools and not only going to be effective but also safe, particularly when it comes to power tools. Make sure leads and cables are intact – you may have had some visitors over the winter months that you don’t know about (quite common when stored in sheds and garages). Clean up, oil or grease and sharpen shears and pruning equipment. This post by David Domoney might help you decide what you need to do.
Now you’ve got your tools prepared, you can get on with your Spring garden activity, and once the weather warms up a little more, it will be time to get the garden furniture out of storage too!
If you want to know more about seasonal tasks in the garden the Royal Horticultural Society have some great information on their website.
We have many customers who use us for the storage of their garden tools and furniture. Units are clean dry and secure and clients are safe in the knowledge that their tools and furniture will stay in tip top condition over the winter months. When spring time comes around, they simply come and collect the tools as and when they need them. Furniture often gets returned to its rightful place on the patio and doesn’t come back to us until the end of the season. Because we offer flexible storage solutions with no long term contracts, it’s easy for clients to increase or decrease the size of unit they want as their needs dictate.
If you want reasonably priced, flexible storage solutions in Gloucester, Bristol or Stroud, get in touch.
Image credit: Daniel Watson