Spring Garden Revival: Essential Maintenance Tips for a Thriving Growing Season

After you’ve hibernated indoors over the winter, spring is the ideal time to give your garden some much-needed maintenance. While it might appear overwhelming, there are plenty of reasons to get growing, rather than leaving it too late to curate your summer sanctuary.

Starting on schedule means you’ll be working with the seasons to give your garden the best chance of blooming later in the year.

Preparing in early spring will help you to encourage growth and lay the foundations for flowering by giving plants an opportunity to absorb vital nutrients and minerals to develop stronger structures before they begin to bloom.

Alongside flowering, giving fruits and vegetables a full growing season will substantially improve the chances of your harvest flourishing by giving them ideal conditions to grow and mature.

Depending on your garden, winter can be incredibly destructive. Excess rain will test your drainage, which could leave your soil saturated, suffocating roots which, in turn, promotes fungal disease.

Any frost will have caused plant cells to freeze, leading to browning, wilting and even death, especially in delicate species like fuchsias which are particularly vulnerable to sudden temperature drops.

Additionally, high winds will likely have snapped branches, uprooted plants or left support structures damaged. There’s plenty to be done before you start planting.

 

Though it can seem like a lot, you’ll thank yourself for getting the hard graft out of the way early. The first order of business is a spot of spring cleaning.

It’s likely they’ll be a few fallen leaves laying around, as well as some dead plants and broken branches, collect and clear these from your growing area to prevent the encouragement of pests and diseases.

As you clear, also making sure to check for any signs of mould or rot in your perennials or wooden structures to catch any issues early.

If you have a greenhouse, be sure to disinfect any algae inside and out, alongside thoroughly inspecting for pests before you introduce new plants.

 

Another thing to consider is cleaning your tools.

If you’ve left them covered in mud or accumulating rust, they deserve a touch of maintenance. Start by removing ant dirt and debris, simply by rinsing off the soil and scrubbing stubborn dirt with some steel wool.

To address any rust, use the same steel wool to sand off the affected area and apply vegetable oil to treat and cure the newly exposed metal.

While you’re at it, it’s wise to use this time to sharpen any blunt blades, as well as lubricating any metal which has seized, which can be loosened using coconut oil as a natural alternative.

Once you’ve finished, be sure to dry your tools to prevent further rust damage.

 

There are loads of further ways to ensure your growing is as green as possible.

Something to consider is how you plan to water your plants, tap water tends to be slightly alkaline, while rainwater contains nitrogen, a key macronutrient for plant development.

Although winter is out the way, it’s worth building or installing a water butt to collect rainfall. These are most effective when connected to the bottom of your houses guttering, with a valve that directs rainwater into the butt until full, maximising your existing water capture system, while reducing runoff around drainage areas.

 

If you haven’t already been composting, now’s the time to start.