Here we mow!
Dust off your tools, give the lawn a trim and get ready for a new season in the garden...
SOME gardeners will have already found an opportunity to start preparing their plots for the season ahead, but for many last Easter weekend marked the traditional start to the growing year. It’s a time when, weather permitting, the air will reverberate to a gentle whirr of mowers and spades striking the earth, so whether you need to give the lawn its first cut or fill gaps in displays, roll up your sleeves.
Cut the lawn
A fair few gardeners will have already given their lawn its first cut, but those who haven’t should fire up the mower. It’s important not to cut too closely in early spring, so set blades on their highest setting to leave a sward that’s 3-4in high. Aim to cut the grass every seven to 14 days — lower the cutting height each time until it’s about 1½in. In summer, 1in is fine for hardwearing family lawns.
A quick word of warning — avoid mowing sodden lawns. Keep off until it no longer makes a squelching sound when you walk on it.
Pruning shrubs
It’s a great time for pruning shrubs grown for their showy winter stems. Prune dogwoods and willows in a measured way, cutting back a third of the shoots close to the base. Ornamental brambles can be chopped back to ground level.
Next, turn your attention to deciduous shrubs, such as hardy fuchsias, leycesteria and Hydrangea paniculata varieties. After pruning, give plants a boost by working some granular fertiliser into the soil.
Make surfaces sparkle
During the winter, algae, moss and dirt can build up on hard surfaces, giving them a scruffy appearance and making them dangerously slippery. Make patios, decks, driveways and paths sparkle again by giving them a clean.
The quickest way to remove grime from stone and brickwork is to blitz with a pressure washer on a high setting. Don’t worry if you don’t have a pressure washer. Scrub surfaces with a broom and soapy water to remove stains.
Grow your own veg
Home-grown vegetables taste better than anything you can buy in shops, and now is the time to start growing some of your own from scratch.
Seeds can be planted directly into the ground, including broad beans, peas, beetroot, carrots and spinach. Seedlings should pop up within seven to 14 days. Keep some horticultural fleece handy in case of late frost.
Fill gaps in beds and borders
Ensure summer arrives with a fanfare by filling any gaps in beds and borders. Salvias, hardy geraniums, herbaceous sedums and many other perennials will provide a long season, while roses, weigelas and potentillas are perfect if you have a big space to fill.
An economical way to plug any remaining gaps is to snap up a few bags of summer bulbs, such as lilies, gladiolus and crocosmias.
Declutter sheds
Take everything out of your shed and then spruce up the inside, sweeping the floor, washing walls and cleaning windows. Next, improve storage by adding shelves, hooks, boxes and racks. Finish by discarding anything you no longer use before moving everything else back inside.
Get mulching
Put the finishing touches to beds and
borders by mulching bare soil with composted bark, garden compost or a proprietary product, such as Strulch, Coco Chip and Magic Mulch. Mulching reduces weed growth, prevents moisture loss and will help to keep the roots of plants cool in summer.
Instant container colour
Plant up containers with seasonal blooms.
There are loads of early bedding plants available in garden centres, supermarkets and other retailers.
Primroses, violas, daisies and cyclamen can be combined with readygrown bulbs, such as daffodils, grape hyacinths and tulips.
Fill pots, baskets and window boxes with compost and then arrange plants. Once you’re happy, plant in position.