There's a morning every year, usually some time in February, when you open the back door and the air smells different. The birds are louder, the light hangs on a bit longer in the evening, and you start eyeing up the borders. That's the signal.
The good news is that spring jobs don't all need doing at once, which is just as well, because the weather rarely lets you. Here's what we get on with, roughly month by month, so the garden's in good shape by the time summer comes round.
The short version
- February: divide perennials, prune the wisteria and give shrubs their first feed.
- March: tidy the borders, prune roses and late summer shrubs, then mulch.
- April: plant perennials and shrubs, refresh pots and plant summer bulbs.
- Wait until early June to plant tender summer bedding.
February: dividing, pruning and the first feed
We gain about an hour of daylight between the start and the end of February, so there's a little more time to get out there.
Divide tired perennials. As long as the ground isn't frozen, this is a good month to lift big clumps of herbaceous perennials and split them. Dig up the root ball and split it into two, three or four pieces, using two garden forks back to back or a sharp spade. Replant them round the border with a little slow release fertiliser. They flower better for it, and you get new plants for free.
Give the wisteria its winter prune. Cut the side shoots back to two or three buds from the main stems. It looks harsh, but it means the flowers won't be hidden by leaves when they open in late spring.
Feed shrubs and roses. A sprinkle of slow release fertiliser now sets them up for the whole season. We use Fed N Done, once now and once in autumn, and that's it. Rhododendrons, camellias and other acid lovers get the ericaceous version.
March: clear up, prune and get the soil ready
Tidy the borders. Clear fallen leaves, broken branches and last year's dead stems, and get the weeds out before they get going. Cut ornamental grasses back to the base before the new shoots come through.
Prune roses and late summer shrubs. Roses, buddleia and other shrubs that flower in late summer can be cut back now. Leave forsythia, flowering currant and other spring flowering shrubs until they've finished, or you'll cut off this year's flowers. Our spring pruning guide goes through it plant by plant.
While you're with the roses, give them their first spray against black spot and mildew.
Feed and mulch the borders. Wait for a day when the soil is moist, then spread a layer of garden compost or well rotted manure over the beds. It holds moisture in, keeps weeds down and feeds the soil. After a wet winter a lot of the goodness has washed out, so a slow release feed on top is well worth it.
Clean the greenhouse and start sowing. Give the glass a wash and sweep it out, then sow hardy seeds under cover. It's still too early for tender summer bedding, tomatoes and cucumbers.
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Join the Garden ClubApril: planting, lawns and summer bulbs
Plant for instant colour. The soil is warming up and plants settle in quickly before the summer heat, so this is a great month to plant perennials and shrubs. Bigger, established plants give you a display straight away. Hellebores like Ice Breaker keep flowering for weeks and sit happily in partial shade.
Refresh tired pots. Pull out the winter bedding that's past its best and replant with garden ready plants. Mix your leaf colours: something dark like heuchera or pittosporum, something silvery like lavender, and something architectural like a cordyline.
Plant summer flowering bulbs. Dahlias, lilies and gladioli all go in now as the soil warms. Plant them in generous groups and they'll flower from midsummer on.
Give the lawn some attention. Do the first cut with the mower blades set high, rake out the moss and thatch, and sow seed on any bare patches.
Hold off on summer bedding. A late frost can still catch us out in April and May, so we wait until early June to plant tender bedding. Our post on when to plant summer bedding has the detail.
All spring: look after the wildlife
Birds are nesting and the bumblebees are out hunting for nectar after a long winter. Keep the feeders topped up, leave one corner a bit wild for insects and hedgehogs, and plant early flowering, nectar rich plants. There's more in our bee friendly garden post.
And before it all gets busy, check the hose and sharpen the secateurs. Blunt blades tear stems, and a split hose always gets found on the first hot day.
Happy gardening,
Lou
