With the days getting brighter and longer, fresh buds blooming and nature slowly coming back to life, there's no better time to get out in our gardens to help local wildlife flourish and revitalise our outdoor space.
Heralding an exciting new season that sees gardens come back to life after the chilly months, SoGlos rounds up six of the best things to do with your Gloucestershire garden this spring...
Revive your lawn
Show your turf some tender loving care this spring, bringing it back to its green glory. Start by repairing winter damage, sowing new seeds to cover any bare patches and applying fertiliser for a luscious lawn; neaten up the edges and get rid of overgrown lines; as well as aerate the lawn.
It’s a good time to remove any dead moss and unwanted thatch from your garden, too.
Get planting
With the sun finally making its long awaited reappearance, its a brilliant time to grab your gardening gloves and get growing. Waving goodbye to winter frost, the spring sun will start to warm your soil up, making it the perfect season to start planting stunning summer bloomers.
Early potatoes can be planted outside or in a potato growing bag, while asparagus crowns can be planted in early spring, along with onion, shallot and garlic sets, as long as the ground is no longer frozen. Vegetable seeds such as carrots, radishes and lettuce can be sown under cloches and strawberries can also be covered with a cloche to encourage earlier fruiting.
Encourage wildlife to your garden
If you're looking to attract bees, butterflies, birds and a host of other creatures to your garden this spring, think about incorporating florets such as sweet peas, gladioli, lavender and wildflowers — it's a good idea to choose plants that provide pollen and nectar for as long a season as possible.
Make sure bird baths and bird feeders are kept topped up to encourage birds to your garden. A mix of food including peanuts, sunflower hearts, seeds, kitchen scraps and fat balls is ideal for feathered visitors.
Build a compost bin
It's a good idea to build a compost bin before the growing season gets underway so that you can toss in everything from your lawn clippings to annual weeds, hedge-trimmings and faded flowers, allowing you to create your own free, sustainable compost that will benefit your soil and plants throughout the year.
Home-made compost adds valuable organic matter that improves the soil’s structure, aeration and biodiversity, improving plant growth and health. The compost helps to provide plant nutrients in a stable organic form; increases plant rooting depth; boosts physical, biological, and chemical soil properties; conserves water; and reduces weed germination and moderates soil temperature.
Clean up garden furniture
Garden furniture is a must for those looking forward to spring’s lighter evenings and warmer weather. From rattan loungers to bistro tables, make the most of your outside space and furnish it like another room in your home.
For furniture which has been stored away over winter, clean with a non-abrasive sponge and lukewarm, detergent-free soapy water. Rinse with fresh water and allow to dry prior to using.
Keep on top of maintenance
It's important to keep on top of weeding now the weather is warming up. Run a hoe through beds and borders, apply weed killer to perennial weeds in paving and patios and look out for signs of pests and diseases; early prevention is easier than curing an infestation.
Check fence panels, gates and trellis for any sign of weather damage or decay. Fixing any broken structures now will give you more time to spend in the garden during the late spring and summer.
