5 Quick Tips About Post-Winter Gardening

The long wet winter is over and it’s finally time for the sun to come out. Spring’s the busiest time of the year in the garden because it’s the best opportunity to prepare for summer.  It’s sometimes an overwhelming time of year for the green-fingered. We’ve chosen five top tips for getting started with your garden this spring:

1. Check Your Lawnmower:

Over the winter months, for a multitude of reasons, you won’t have been out in the garden mowing the lawn. If a car had been sat in a garage and not used for months, it’s going to take a little bit of TLC to get it up and running again! Your lawnmower is the same. You’ll need to check for the following:

• Parts that need oil
• Electrical connections – ensure they’re in good condition
• Any rust
• The blades – check that they’re sharp enough!

2. Regular Mowing:

Your aim should be to make sure your lawn remains a consistent height throughout spring. An ideal height for most lawns is about 1-1.5 inches, however if your lawn has a lot of wear and tear it’s better to keep the height at 2 inches. Additionally, if your lawn is under a shaded area, keep the length to 3 inches as the growth will be restricted due to lack of light.

3. Hunt for Pests:

It’s best to check any perennial flowers for colonies of snails or slugs. Make sure you’re on the lookout for white vine weevil larvae. These vine weevils live inside compost and, as a result, will feed on your plant roots.  Checking these now will save you a lot of trouble later!

4. Get rid of weeds:

It’s easy to forget about the sparse weeds that grow during the cold winter months. However, the days are getting longer, lighter and warmer which means that your weeds are likely to rapidly multiply.

To prevent further unwanted growth from appearing, it’s a great idea to add a layer of mulch to the top of your soil. Eco’s brand new Bark Nuggets, consisting of large pieces of rich brown bark, have the benefit of giving your flower beds an ornamental quality whilst preventing weed growth and retaining water. Bark Nuggets will also insulate your roots during the colder months.

5. Planting:

After giving your flower beds and borders a general tidy up by removing any leaves and debris, it’s time to sow some new seeds. Planting this early in the year means that you can sow seeds that’ll need a longer growing season. This includes plants such as:

• Aubergines
• Peppers
• Antirrhinums
• Begonias
• Geraniums

When choosing bulbs, you’ll need to order summer-flowering bulbs and seeds. Lilies, Ranuculus and Gladiolus are perfect for planting in early spring to make sure your garden is blooming with bright colours for the summer.