GARDEN ADVICE

Q How can I start getting my garden ready for summer?

A Your outside space benefits from a spring clean just as much as your home. If you haven’t already, get the pressure washer out and blast the dirt, moss and blossom leaves off your terrace, patio slabs, decking or furniture.

Repair damaged woodwork and treat or paint it – from fences to summer houses, decking to tables and benches. If metalwork has rusted, clean it off with a vinegar or baking soda and a stiff brush and paint with an outdoor metal paint. Check whether your barbecue, fire pit, parasols or awnings are still fit for purpose and not in need of repair or replacement. Gardens are now extensions of our living spaces so you want them ready for use as soon as it’s warm enough to sit out, and you can quickly dress the area with outdoor cushions, rugs, throws and lights.

With the risk of late frosts gone, it’s the perfect time to plant summer bedding plants to liven up borders, pots, troughs or baskets. If you’re into growing your own, there are root vegetables and greens you can still sow and plant as well as lettuce and tomatoes, some strawberries and rhubarb.

Mowing should have started by March, but consider leaving a patch unmowed to encourage wildlife.