By our guest blogger – Tracey from I Grow Veg.com
With the lighter evenings, crocuses and snowdrop flowers opening with every burst of sunshine, we are all hoping that all the cold weather has vanished and that Spring has finally sprung! This would be a good time to wrap up warm and get out into your garden, there’s plenty of jobs you could be doing now to get your garden ready for Summer.
Flower Beds and Borders
- Check on the condition of your flower beds and borders
Look at your whole bed or border and see what you could improve, think of design features that could add height or interest in your garden or check where you could make space for new plants or shrubs. - Maintenance
Your beds and borders have been left to their own devises over the winter which means weeds have invaded, plants have spread, leaves and dead twigs may be hiding under shrubs. Use a hand fork and trowel to ease out weeds to help your established plants have space to grow.
Why not treat yourself to a new sturdy stainless steel Hand Fork and Trowel Set with ash handles to ease yourself into the weeding season. - Mulching and Plant Food
To keep your beds in tip-top condition, add nutrients after weeding. The soil can be raked or loosened with a fork (taking care around your spring bulbs) and dig in compost or well-rotted manure, then top dress the soil around shrubs and plants with a multi-purpose balanced plant food to give your plants a boost. - Sow Hardy Annual Flower Seeds
When the soil has warmed up, sow hardy annuals in drills or scatter seeds over well prepared soil, cover with soil and water well. Hardy Annuals like alyssum, calendula, centaurea, cosmos, helianthus and larkspur can be sown from March.
Sweet Pea’s can be sown in pots and planted out or sown direct at the foot of a support pole or frame – try this Set of 3 Willow Maypole Supports to give your garden design some height and a rustic cottage garden style. - Plant Summer Bulbs
Summer Bulbs like alliums, agapanthus, gladioli and cannas can also be planted in pots or beds (Top Tip: if your soil is prone to waterlogging, add coarse grit to your planting hole) and any excess bulbs can be stored in this sturdy but stylish Bulbs and Seed Box.
Garden Trading Tools in Bag
Set of 3 Willow Maypoles
Bulb and Seed Box
Potting Shed or Garage
- Clearing Clutter
Before the growing season gets going, take this opportunity to clear space in your shed or garage so you’ll be ready to pot up plants, sow seeds or take cuttings. - Garden Tools
Organise your tools with this handy Tool Hook Rail, a simple idea that will tidy up clutter and safety store your tools.
Tool Hook Rail
- Seed Packets
It is a good idea to sort through your flower and vegetable seeds and check the sow by dates on the packets. Any seeds that you don’t need anymore can be given to friends, family, neighbours or can be swapped online or at a local seed swapping event. Your remaining seed packets can be stored safely in a small or large Seed Box available in Apple Green, Coffee or String from Garden Trading.
Large Seed Box
- Cleaning Pots
Wash old plastic pots and dry before storing and check the condition of seed trays and cells. - Storage
Collect together all your potting tools, string, pots, dibber, plant labels and store them together in one place for piece of mind and organisation. This rustic Tall Wooden Shelf is a fantastic storage unit with individual compartments to label and organise your tools and garden accessories which will give you more time to concentrate on your sowing!
Tall Wall Unit
Jon Holloway
Hannah Marchant
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