Chris Packham says gardening has been 'rewarding' in lockdown
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This spring has been less than satisfactory for gardeners, with April being uncharacteristically cold and May one of the wettest spring months seen for years. But now the forecast is starting to look up, it’s time to get back out in the garden and sort the space in time for summer entertaining and helping your plants well into the summer months.
Harvest rainwater
These past few weeks have seen an unseasonal amount of rainfall all across the UK, in one of the wettest May’s seen for years.
In the interests of saving water and money on your bill, you should set up a water reserve, so that when the good weather finally comes in, you’ll be prepared with saved water – good for the planet, and good for your bank.
Invest in a water butt or repurpose an old plastic or wooden container and place it somewhere that gets plenty of rain.
Clean surfaces
Hardly one of the most glamorous jobs of having an outdoor space, but cleaning up your garden is the easiest way to make it look summer-ready.
Armed with a rake or brush, collect dead leaves from patio spaces and pathways, and clean any hard surfaces with a pressure washer or by simply scrubbing away.
Weeding – also one of the least popular garden tasks – will have your home visitor ready in no time.
Get rid of pests
Slugs, snails, and other garden pests are out in force during wet springs and can be very destructive to flowers old and new.
It is best to get on top of slug populations before they get out of hand.
The best way to naturally rid yourself of pests is to place grapefruit skins around and on the soil, which they will clamour to, and then remove them in the morning.
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Remove faded heads
Now that we are entering summertime, even if the weather doesn’t reflect it, it’s time to take the heads off early spring bloomers.
Remove heads from faded daffodils and tulips and they will grow back better and stronger next year.
Don’t tie up the stems – allow them to die down naturally.
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