Spring is a busy time for gardeners as the garden is bursting with new life. Take stock of what needs to be done now to ensure there will be time to relax on the patio and enjoy your personal paradise during the Spring and Summer into Autumn.
1) First decide if there need to be changes to the garden layout. New paths, flower borders, seating areas, focal points, trees, shrubs needing to be repositioned or adding a new vegetable plot.
2) If you have a compost bin or heap spread it over the soil to help retain moisture and nourish plant roots, making sure all weeds are removed from the area beforehand.
3) Make a homemade irrigation system by drilling holes in a length of garden hose laid across borders to enable water from the rain butt to seep into the soil around plants. Ground watering is much more effective than watering from above the plants.
4) Plant up some Summer-flowering bulbs such as Dierama, Alliums, Crocosmia, Ixia, Watsonia, Gladiolus and Agapanthus for an eye-catching display.
5) Declutter the patio area and check out container plants. Remove about a third of the top soil, and top up with fresh, organic compost and add liquid fertiliser. Repot the plant in a size larger container if the plant roots are appearing through the drainage holes.
6) When buying new plants or shrubs for the garden try to choose indigenous and water-wise varieties which are generally drought-tolerant and can withstand soaring temperatures. Reliable choices are :- Strelitza, Fynbos, Clivia, Salvias, Aloes, Dietes and Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum Jasmoindes) also succulents and sedums, Lavenders and scented Perlagoliums.
7) Softwood cuttings of Osteopermums and Arcotis can be taken now.
8) Cut back plants in the flower borders like Phlox, Helenium and Rudbekia to prevent them becoming too tall and ‘leggy’. Any established Proteus, Buchus or Leucospermums that have finished flowering can be pruned now.
9) For a bright and colourful flower border add Cape Honeysuckle, Marigolds, Gaillardias, Verbenas, Zinnias, Cosmos and Sunflowers.
10) Check roses for aphid and red spider mite attacks and spray with a homemade organic mist of water mixed with a little washing up liquid or a strong jet of water from a garden hose. Keep deadheading and feed with a rose fertiliser.
