If you happen to live in Ireland, you will already know how extreme the climate can be, and whatever else happens during the year, you can be sure of at least 2 months of nice weather. This is, of course, the time when your garden shines, but although Mother Nature thinks of everything, it does no harm to give her a helping hand. If you think about it, gardening is the manipulation of the natural environment, and once the garden had been constructed, it will thrive if nourished and treated correctly, and with that in mind, here are some useful tips for preparing your garden for summer.
- Nourish the Lawn – This should be carried out in early March, and would involve evenly spreading special grass fertiliser, while aerating the ground at the same time. This can be done with a garden fork by simply sticking it into the ground repeatedly, but if your lawn is of epic proportions, there are machines that can aerate the soil. Some gardeners buy some grass seed and sprinkle this after the fertiliser has been applied, especially if there are any worn areas. If you think your lawn mower has seen better days, there are affordable ride on mowers for sale in Northern Ireland that will make cutting the grass a pleasure!
- Tree Care – Some homeowners are not comfortable working above the ground, or they may lack the knowledge to prune correctly, and if you fall into this category, talk to your local tree surgeon, who can make one or two visits per year and make sure your trees are healthy and do not pose a danger. If you prefer to prune yourself, do a little online research about how to prune the particular species you have, and also take note of the best time of year to do this.
- Weeding – This is perhaps the one job that every gardener hates, and once spring arrives, you can expect some serious weed growth. There are special chemicals that can be used for in between paving slabs and stones, although this is not a good idea if you have pets. Removing weeds from your flower beds isn’t just for aesthetic reasons, as clearing them gives your shrubs and flowers more of the soil’s nutrients, and it will also reduce the number of insects that hang around.
- Preparing your Equipment – The lawn mower should be brought out of its slumber as soon as the last frost occurs, and if you oiled it correctly last autumn, everything should be in good working order. The first cut should be quite high, and it is always best to use a mower that also collects the grass – otherwise this will blow all over the garden with a bit of wind.
Once the harsh winter is behind us, and the days are getting longer, this is the time to start with your essential garden preparations, and with online suppliers of all things horticultural, souring what you need has never been easier.
