February may have been the month of love, but to put
it bluntly, it has not been kind. Between the "Beast from the
East" and Storm Emma, there is only so much one can take of icy winds,
heavy snow, ugly snow boots, and virtually
mummifying ourselves before stepping out of our homes. But now that spring is
round the corner, it is safe to seriously consider kicking that cabin fever. And beat winter’s doom and
gloom with the jewel-like brightness of Crocuses, Daffodils, Tulips and
Bluebells poking their happy heads in your garden.
First things first: Clean up!
You spring clean your home, and your garden deserves the same respect. Inspect your garden for inevitable, winter inflicted wear and tear. And then, in a manner very much Mary Poppins-esque, go about tidying up the debris, pulling out stubborn weeds, raking those sludgy leaves and adjusting your climbers and tree ties. Next, check for raised beds, bowing sides and broken or rotting fences in need of mending and get these fixed. Afterwards, simply check them off your list.
Say no to pests: Exterminate!
You didn’t just go through all that trouble to get your garden shipshape only for rogue slugs, snails and other pests to industriously snack on young spring leaves or their poor roots. Hotfoot it to your local home improvement depot and take your pick from the seemingly endless aisles of commercial pesticides. But if all things natural are more your thing, then there are plenty of natural remedies for the taking. You can use copper rings around plant stems, organic copper soap sprays, and compost tea made by steeping aged compost in water. All of these work just as well, and will keep your spring bulbs happy and safe.
Work that soil: Cultivate and Till!
Spring plants love well-aerated and nutrient-packed soil that allows
them to grow and thrive. The elements dry soil and turn it crusty, so cultivating
helps break it up and aids penetration of air,
nutrients and water where plant roots can gain access to them. Moreover,
cultivating the soil will also facilitate the sprouting of your newly
germinated seeds through the soil surface. When you cultivate, do take care to leave plant
roots undisturbed, and ensure the soil is only loosened a couple of inches deep so that
the surface does not dry out sooner.
Tilling on the other hand is a form of deep cultivation. It
comes in especially handy when you find your soil is desperately depleted of
its nutrient content, or even if you want to create a new garden bed which
requires a different soil quality. Quite simply, tilling merely involves giving
your plot some love, by adding materials in order to augment or modify its physical
characteristics.
Make a Plan: Design!
And now we come to the best bit.
Planning your dream spring garden. You can begin by consulting your zone to
learn which flowers and vegetables are best suited for your location. Another
smart way to a gorgeous garden is to get useful advice and recommendations from
experts at your local nursery. These green thumbed angels are always happy to
help, and would love to give you their two cents, which in hindsight, you’ll
find is worth a lot more than that.
Another useful tip is to mix perennial
flowers with some annuals, so that you can enjoy beautiful spring colors, and
scents, throughout the season. Afterwards, simply maintain your garden by
regularly pruning it to separate dead flowers and appendages from the healthy
stem. Late spring is also a good time to put down a useful layer of mulch on
the garden, to restrain weeds, while conserving water for those long hot summer
days ahead.
And now there is nothing more for
you to do other than put the kettle on or pop some prosecco (depending on your
poison of choice). You garden is beautiful. And it’s all down to you!
At Discount Insurance, our Home Insurance policies
also provide cover for contents in your garden, including plants in pots or
containers. Give us a call on 0800 294 4522 for a quick quote today!
