How to spring clean your garden

Posted on May 11, 2020 in Gardening

Spring clean your garden and get rid of built-up grime plus give your outdoor space a spruce up, in preparation for the summer season ahead.

Tidy up

Start by clearing out your borders and planters and removing any dead branches and debris. Use secateurs to trim back overgrown plants and hedges to make your flowerbeds more presentable, and rake up fallen leaves from the lawn, decking and patios, too.

Now is also a good time to de-weed your borders and hard surfaces. Not only will this help with the overall appearance of your garden, but it will also stop the weeds stealing valuable nutrients from your spring-flowering plants as they bloom.

Fresh start

Moss and layers of dirt will have most likely built up on your patio, paths and decking over the colder months, but a few hours labour now can make them look as good as new again. Invest in a mild all-purpose cleaning solution for the hard surfaces but be sure to use a natural one if you have pets.

Once this has been applied, use a hard-bristled brush to scrub the surface or, for a speedier alternative, try a jet pressure washer to lift off the grime. Be sure to remove moss and weeds growing in the gaps and crevices, too, to stop them spreading later on.

Sitting pretty

As well as preparing your landscape for the summer, now is the perfect time to clean your garden furniture ready for use. Use a dry cloth to remove any cobwebs and loose dirt first, then, depending on the material of your furniture, wipe it down with a suitable cleaning solution.

You’ll need to take extra care with wooden furniture to make sure the solution won’t damage the surface and remember to treat wooden pieces with a protective oil, too.

Deep clean

Taking care of pots and planters is an important part of your annual garden maintenance and can impact how well next season’s plants will grow. Using a stiff brush and water, start by removing any dirt and stuck-on soil from both the inside and out of the pots. This will also remove any built-up salt deposits from the previous planting.

Next, fill a large container with one-part bleach to nine-parts water and submerge the pots for ten minutes. This will kill off any lingering bacteria and stop it from transferring to the new plants.

Rinse the pots well (soak terracotta pots for an extra ten minutes in fresh water to clear out any absorbed bleach) and allow to dry before re-planting.

Add some colour

If your fences are looking a little drab, why not give them a lick of paint in a shade other than brown? Black fencing is a big trend at the moment and can give your garden a contemporary feel, or opt for something country-cottage inspired, such as sage green. Be sure to clean the panels well before painting and always use a specialist fence paint to give the wood suitable protection against the elements.

For information on our garden maintenance service please call 0845 604 1288 and speak with one of our friendly team or visit Protech Garden Solutions.