If you haven’t had a chance already, the Easter weekend is an excellent time to start getting your garden in shape.  As things get warmer and plants start to grow more readily now is the time to start seeding the plants you want to see grow and bloom in your garden. 

However, given the unpredictability of the weather (especially in more northerly places like the UK, Scandinavia and temperate America) a gardener should take nothing for granted at this point.  A sudden, unanticipated arrival of a late frost can kill off young plants that are freshly planted if not protected.  Pay attention to weather forecasts and be prepared to cover over your young plants to protect them from sudden frost. 

The Sun Comes Out

For plants and crops that require warmer temperatures to grow well, it is a good idea to start their propagation in the warmer interiors of the home or greenhouse.  This gives you the advantage of having a few weeks growth within the house which protects your plant, allowing you to transfer it to your prepared ground or planters outside once it is larger, healthier and more likely to thrive in the warmer late spring and early summer months.

Now is also the time to start to pay attention to the lawn again.  The warmer weather will encourage many varieties of grass to wake from their winter respite.  The goal is to maintain a regular height. What height is up to you but it is best not to make the lawn too short for the health of the grass.  The growth period makes this the ideal time to sow new seeds to cover patches in the lawn or start new ones. 

Watch Out For Pests

However, it is also the ideal time for weeds to start their growth, meaning that it is important to address them wherever they are found.  It is essential to do this early otherwise the weeds will grow to seed, further spreading themselves across your lawn, beds and planters.  If the weather is relatively dry this is a good time to apply weed killer which will not be washed off or diluted by rain. 

Other menaces to the garden will also begin to rear their heads.  Slugs and snails will be attracted to your newly grown budding plants and will need to be guarded against.  Slug pellets and liquid slug killers are one method of dealing with them but another option is to encourage their natural predators to visit your garden.  Frogs, certain bird species and beetles all prey on slugs and snails and can help keep down their numbers.

Finally, if you haven’t already maintenance on your garden tools and furniture is essential.  Clean all your spades, trowels and other pieces of kit as well as check any wooden chairs, table and other features for rot.  The drier weather makes now the ideal time to consider applying protective coatings to wood and other features. 

By getting ahead of your garden maintenance now, you will reap the benefits of a vibrant garden throughout the rest of the year.