Getting your garden ready for summer, with its warmer sun and longer days, can be daunting, especially if you’re not really a gardener, you’re elderly, or you simply lead a busy life working, and/or bringing up children. But, if you are up to the task, to make things a little easier, we’ve listed 8 essential jobs that should help to ensure your garden becomes a colourful and thriving outdoor space throughout the summer and beyond.
The best place to start the summer preparations is by carrying out a thorough garden tidy-up. Do this by removing any debris, or dead leaves, and by doing some weeding to remove weeds that have accumulated over the spring.
You could also pressure wash paths and driveways, and implement regular lawn mowing, both of which are great ways to help prevent pests and diseases from spreading, and possibly damaging your bedding plants and your lawn.
Before planting any new additions to your garden, ensure your soil is well-nourished. Mix in some organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure to enrich the soil with the vital nutrients it needs.
By carrying out this soil-enrichment process, you not only help to promote healthy plant growth (even through a scorching summer), but you also help the soil improve its moisture retention ability through the hot months.
Inspect your existing plants and shrubs for any damage or overgrown branches, then prune them back to encourage healthier growth, and to maintain an attractive and more stable shape.
Also, remove any faded flowers or spent blooms to help stimulate further flowering, and blossoming, especially on certain fruit trees to help ensure a better yield throughout the summer, and into the autumn.
With rising temperatures, proper watering becomes crucial. Water your plants with a hose or a watering can, deeply but infrequently. This helps to encourage stronger root growth.
Early mornings or evenings are the best times to water, as this minimises evaporation which allows the plants to absorb more water. You could even install a drip irrigation system for a more targeted watering strategy.
Mulching is a garden’s best friend, particularly during the hot summer months. For effective mulching, apply a layer of organic matter, such as wood chips, or straw, around your plants, to a depth of around 5cm. Mulching just before the summer comes is a great way to help conserve moisture, suppress weed growth, regulate the soil temperature, and provide a protective barrier for the roots of all your favourite plants.
Summer can bring an array of pests and diseases to your plants and your lawn. So, start implementing preventative measures, such as companion planting, introducing beneficial insects, and simply practising good garden hygiene.
Also, regularly inspect your plants for signs of infestation or disease, and take appropriate action as soon as possible, preferably before the sun gets to its warmest, and the garden is once again in full bloom.
If you have various potted plants at certain points in your garden, give them a little extra care before summer arrives. Check for overcrowding, and carefully transplant any plants that have outgrown their containers. Also, refresh potting mix by adding suitable compost or slow-release fertilisers to help provide vital nutrients throughout the summer, and also ensure the pots have ample drainage to prevent swamping the roots.
Pollinators, including bees, wasps, butterflies, and birds are essential, not only for the survival of humankind, but also to help ensure all the plants in your garden thrive no matter how hot the summer days are. To help encourage these essential pollinators throughout the summer months, you could look at your front yard design etc., and start planting nectar-rich flowers, such as lavender, hardy geranium, foxglove, snapdragon, or hollyhock.
By carrying out these 8 garden maintenance jobs, your garden will be fully prepared for the summer. But, if you don’t quite feel up to the work, get in touch with us at Culverhouse Gardens, and we’ll happily get them done for you.
Posted by Culverhouse Gardens
