How to Prepare Your Garden for Spring

If you’ve enjoyed spending time in your garden this summer, you will want to ensure you can look forward to more of the same next year. The nights may be drawing in, with warm days in the garden, the BBQ lit and a beer in hand seeming a distant memory. However, if you want to be prepared, this is the time to get ahead. Look after your garden now and you’ll be able to make the most of it as soon as the spring weather makes an appearance. These five tips will make sure your garden is both protected against bad weather and ready to enjoy next year.

Pack Away Garden Furniture

Outdoor furniture can be affected by wet and snowy weather – metal rusts and wood rots. Even plastic furniture can become brittle if left outside. It’s better to pack away your furniture if you know it’s not going to get used – move it to a shed or summerhouse to extend its life.

Plant Bulbs for Spring

If you want a garden full of colour next spring, now is the time to get planting. Bulbs such as tulips and daffodils need to be planted now if you want them to be in full bloom next spring. Buy different varieties for a riot of technicolour glory or choose one or two colours and types for a more uniform look.

Cover Unused Beds

If you have an empty veg patch or flower bed, this is the perfect time to show it some TLC. If you want to give it a boost so your beds are perfect for next year, consider growing green manure. Seeds are sown in the same way as grass seed and allowed to grow. This smothers weeds. When the seeds have grown, the plants are dug up and turned into the soil to enrich it with nutrients. If you don’t want to try this method, alternatives include covering beds with either cardboard, mulch or weed suppressant to keep beds warm and free from unwanted weeds.

Repair Sheds and Outbuildings

If you have a shed or outhouse, now is the time to fix any leaky roofs. Corrugated roofing sheets are an ideal solution, especially if DIY isn’t your forte. Corrugated roofing is easy to erect and can be overlapped width and lengthways. Corrapol-BT is a popular product suitable for repairing any shed or outbuilding, ensuring you have a dry storage space over the winter months. Corrapol BT is well-known brand of bitumen roofing sheets.

Protect Established Plants and Trees

Winter in the UK can be harsh, so be sure to protect any plants or trees you already have. Assess whether any need extra support in the form of stakes (you can attach these with plastic ties or twine) and move any susceptible to winter damage into a sheltered spot such as a greenhouse. Cloches and covers are another alternative to keep your plants safe from frost damage, as are coldframes.

Putting the work in now might not appeal, but in six months’ time you’ll be delighted you put in the effort as you enjoy your beautiful outdoor space.