Preparing your Garden for Spring | Garden Preparation For Spring Planting

Winter is here and so is the time to welcome the growing season by Preparing your Garden for Spring for good growth of plants!

Start preparing for the spring season in advance by doing the necessary changes in your garden in late winter. Read on the article to follow these essential measures for Preparing your Garden for Spring.

Preparing Garden for Spring

1. Clean the Garden Bed

The first and essential step is to remove the weeds, as it will help in cleaning up the area where plants grow. You can start this by plucking young weeds. Clean and remove herbaceous perennials, dead leaves, deciduous grasses, debris from flower beds as well.

• Give more attention to the weeds that are still alive. Remove them from the soil or burn them before the seed germination.
• Keep in mind to get rid of all living weeds, as they may grow back and interrupt garden plants later.
• If you have a pond in the garden, clean it by removing soft stems of aquatic plants and fallen leaves in the water.

2. Pruning

Late winter is the perfect time to prune the dead branches from trees and plants. Pruning dormant shrubs and trees in early spring helps in rejuvenating the plant and maintaining the shape. Also, pruning aids in abundant new growth during the spring season. Do sterilize pruning shears with some isopropyl alcohol before snipping the dead, diseased branches.

Here’s a pruning list for you according to the categories:

Shrubs: Dogwoods, Roses, Rose of Sharon, and Hydrangeas.

Fruit Trees: Pears, Plums, Crab Apples, and Apples.

Summer Flowering Trees: Smoke trees, Vitex, and Crape Myrtles.

3. Remove Garden Pests

Eliminate hibernating pests, as they can create a lot of trouble in spring. Look closely at your perennials and check for any aphids, snails, and slugs hiding in the underside of leaves, ground covers, and weedy places. Also, look out for white-vine-weevil larvae that stay in the compost and consume plant roots. Kill any larvae you notice as well.

4. Wash and Clean the Greenhouse

Wash and clean your greenhouse with a detergent or disinfectant cleaner to get rid of algae, general grime, and moss. This passes more light in growing months and also helps in removing pests and diseases. Also, don’t forget to wash the insides of the glass as overwintering pests take shelter in the tiny cracks and nooks.

• To avoid diseases, wash seed trays and pots.
• Clean the floor by sweeping out the debris of plants and wash it with a solution of garden disinfectant in hot water.
• Open the windows and provide ample ventilation, so the greenhouse dries quickly.
• Repair any damage to the glass and vents as it will be helpful in Preparing your Garden for Spring.

5. Maintain Trellis and Fences

Winter is the ideal time for maintenance. Check out any decay or damage in the gates, trellis, and fence of your garden. Repair or replace any broken structure.

• Clean the gates and fence panels with a power washer to wash off mildew, dirt, and moss.
• Remove the tough grime by using a stiff brush.
• Allow the wood to dry out completely before the application of wood preservative or paint.

6. Sharpen and Clean Gardening Tools

For preparing your garden for spring, you can sharpen and clean your tools, as maintenance of the garden instruments will help you in the prevention of diseases and also increases the life of your tools. Infected secateurs and pruning shears tend to spread fungi and bacteria to fresh pruning wounds.

• Prepare a mix of hot water and strong detergent. Scrub the tools with a scourer to clean them thoroughly.
• Also, remember to sharpen the tools as it will help them in working effectively.
• After sharpening the tools, lubricate them with some oil.
• Also oil up trowel, spade, wheelbarrow, hoes, rakes, and wrench.

Check out our article on preparing the soil for your garden here! 

7. Form a Composting Area

You can create a compost area in your garden, from wood logs, or buy a ready-made one. It will aid you in collecting all organic waste.

• Prepare a mixture of paper, wood prunings, grass clippings, and vegetable peelings.
• To keep the compost well-aerated, turn it with a garden fork every month.

8. Clean your Garden Decks

Prepare your garden decks for the coming spring season, as wooden decks require constant care to maintain the look. Get rid of dirt, moss, mold, and algae by washing it with a solution of warm water and bleach with a brush or soft cloth.

Apply a decking oil, once it gets clean and dry. This will provide it some shine as well. Also, the coating of oil adds a matt finish and makes it waterproof.

9. Plant a hedge

Late winter or early spring is the best time to plant new hedges and shrubs, though you can do this at any time of the year, making sure the planting site is not waterlogged. You can plant evergreen hedges, pleached hedging, defensive hedge, mixed hedge, breeze-view, or decorative and ivy screens in winters.

10. Prepare Garden Soil for Spring Planting

After the danger of frost has passed, you can start preparing the garden beds. During winter, the soil turns compact, so you have to till it using a spade or tiller. To unbind or loosen the soil, turn it up to a depth of 12-15 inches. Also, mix well-composted mulch or leaf litter but avoid using them fresh.

• Test the soil to check the pH and nutrient level, as it will help in determining the type of material and compost you need.
• If your current soil is weak and poor, apply a strong layer of compost to enhance moisture-retention and soil texture.