A little preparation goes a long way this month as we highlight 5 essential gardening tasks to help you get ready for summer.
1. Planting preparation
Preparing your garden for planting is an essential task this month.
Take care of troublesome weeds before they grow out of control.
Clearing space for new arrivals, remove remains from last year’s beds and borders before new bulbs come through.
A useful exercise saving you hassle down the road, dig compost into your beds, especially those with heavy clay soil, making planting a little easier.
2. Pruning
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Carrying out a little maintenance is an essential task throughout March and into April.
Keep on top of climbing plants and take the opportunity to tidy up winter shrubs.
Inspect rose bushes where possible, removing any diseased or dying stems as well damaged shoots.
Once you have tidied up, fertilise the surrounding soil with organic compost around the base.
Traditional pruning can be laborious and time-consuming, so why not try the easy-care method.
Cut an established bush with secateurs or a hedge trimmer to half the original height.
Trials by the Royal National Rose Society have found that the easy-care method is at least equal to the Traditional Method.
It is also an ideal time to sprinkle granular fertilizer around roses for the year ahead.
3. A little lawn care
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Test out the Lawnmower, checking it is still in good working condition.
You may need to safely conduct a little servicing and cleaning where possible.
Across the lawn, sore patches may catch your eye.
Bare areas attract weeds so consider introducing new turf or re-seeding now alongside a good watering to stop the march of weeds.
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4. Spring shoots
This month you will begin to see emerging new shoots.
Now is the time to implement some precautionary measures. Protect new shoots from slugs with organic pellets.
Deadhead existing flowers and water regularly for long term flowering benefits, especially pots, to help them thrive well into spring.
5. Get ready for summer
Now is the perfect time to plan, order bedding plants and summer bulbs, ensuring your garden is ready for summer.
A little planning will go a long way, helping you maximise the potential of your garden for the months to come.
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