Spring has sprung early this year and colour already abounds, with hellebores, snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils all appearing ahead of schedule.
Areas to concentrate on to get it back into shape and looking well are:
The lawn
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As our winters are mild, lawns never seem to stop growing. Right now you should be considering giving yours a spring feed. This will encourage growth and stimulate the grass to look good after a wet winter. But don’t go mad, as it’s not until late March or early April that you can deal with lawn weeds, sow a lawn from seed or patch an old one up.
Roses
At this time of year, garden centres have a large range of roses suitable for planting now. When planting a new rose, make sure the ground is well prepared in advance. Roses are greedy plants and respond to well-cultivated soil. The addition of some well-rotted manure at planting time will make the difference to the quality of flowers you can expect later. Prune roses now, adding a top dressing of sulphate of potash to stimulate flowering growth for the coming season.
Spring bedding
Spring bedding is ideal for adding a touch of instant colour, and now is the ideal time to plant in tubs, containers and window boxes. Look out for primulas, which come in a wide range of colours. Bulbs in pots are also available for those who forgot to plant in the autumn. Hyacinths are a good example — richly scented and in a variety of colours.
Pansies and violas are another option, and the trick with these is to encourage new flowers by removing the dead ones.
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Trees and shrubs
Many spring-flowering trees and shrubs do not benefit from pruning prior to flowering. A top dressing or mulch can be added at this time, such as homemade garden compost or well-rotted farmyard manure.
Check that tree ties are not strangling the trees and that any stakes are secure. If the ground is not too wet, it’s also a good time to select your early-flowering shrubs from the garden centre. An ideal plant for early colour is camellia, and there are lots of varieties. They need lime-free soil and can be grown in a container.
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Fruit
Apple trees can be pruned now. If you have established plants and feel they have got a little out of hand, it’s a good idea to employ a professional. It’s also a good time to consider planting a fruit garden.
When planting apple trees, make sure you have compatible pollinating plants. Garden centres will give advice when you are selecting. If you have limited space, choose a dwarf variety.
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Perennials
February and March is the ideal time for planting perennials. If possible, plant in groups. Many perennials are best divided every three years, and this is a good time to do the job. Discard the centre of any old clumps, concentrating on replanting the fresher growth from the outer part. This is the case with phlox, for example. Perennials also benefit from mulching at this time of year. Watch out for slugs and snails, as they can cause a lot of damage as new shoots begin to appear.
A little work carried out in your garden at this time of year, just keeping those general jobs under control, will make a big difference to your garden maintenance in spring. You’ll be able to enjoy and reap the benefits of your gardening work later by doing those little jobs now.
Spring is an ideal time to start thinking about getting your soil into condition for the coming season, especially if you’re growing vegetables, as the demand that they place on the soil is often greater than that of other plants.
The use of well-rotted manure not only improves the nutritional content of the soil but also improves the texture. Work it into your soil now if you didn’t do so last autumn. Alternatively, spread well-rotted manure as a mulch on the surface of the soil, allowing it to slowly work its way into the earth, helped on its way by worms.
Any kind of good organic matter is going to make a difference to what you grow. Homemade garden compost is fabulous, and compost made from recycling adds to the quality of garden soil.
A little work now on your soil, clearing weeds, digging and adding organic matter, will guarantee a bumper crop, whether it be flowers, fruit or vegetables, or a combination of all three.
By digging your soil you help to aerate and open up its texture, and this allows plants to root freely. It’s not necessary to dig every part of your garden, but it is advisable where there is intensive growing, as in the vegetable garden, or when planting a new hedge for example.
Even when planting a row of sweet pea, digging the soil well in advance opens it up, allowing the roots to penetrate deeply. The results speak for themselves. You’ll have sweet pea second to none, as it loves to root deep into good-quality soil.
Dermot O’Neill’s articles are archived on his website, www.dermotoneill.com