Spring is now visible. Buds are visible and there are many flowers. It is always exciting to see if all the plants have survived the winter.
Lawn
- Scarify the lawn. It is best to do this when the grass is at least three year old. The roots of younger grass have not developed enough to withstand scarifying . After some years layers of thatch, weeds and moss will build. Those layers prevent air, nutrients and water from reaching the soil. Scarification removes those layers. Grass has two growth periods: April/May and September/October. It is best to scarify just before a growing period. You do not necessarily have to scarify twice a year.
- After scarifying you can aerate the lawn. You can do this by pushing a garden fork about 10 cm (4 inches) deep into the soil in the areas where the ground is compacted and rock the fork back and forth.
- Bare patches can be re-sown.
- Now is a good time to sow a new lawn if the soil is not too wet or too cold. Do not walk or mow newly sown grass until it reaches a height of 5-7.5 cm (2-3 inches). At that time you can give it a light trim at the highest setting.
- Feed the lawn with organic fertiliser if the temperature stays above 5 ºC (41 ºF). Do this after scarifying. Wait 4 to 6 weeks after using lime. The fertiliser will otherwise neutralise the effect of the lime.
- Mow the lawn to about 3.5 cm (1.4 inches) and cut the edges.
Pruning
- Perennials and many deciduous and summer flowering shrubs like roses, lavender, carex, deciduous Ceanothus species and ornamental grasses can be pruned or cut back if the weather is mild.
- It is best not to prune trees anymore because the saps are flowing.
- The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects bird nests so it is an offence to damage or destroy them. Please check for bird nests before you start pruning.
- Remove dead and damaged branches from trees and shrubs.
- Deadhead early flowering bulbs and leave the foliage to die back naturally. The leaves will gather energy into the bulbs to flower again next year.
Sowing
- Sow plants that can be sown indoors. If you have done this in March you can put them in pots.
- Sow annuals directly in the garden by the end of this month.
Planting and moving
- Order and plant summer flowering bulbs.
- Deciduous trees and hedges can be planted as long as the leaves have not appeared.
- Plants, shrubs, hedges and trees in containers can be planted all year round.
- You can lift and divide clumps of perennials.
- Evergreen shrubs and trees can still be planted and moved in the beginning of the month.
- Towards the end of the month dahlia tuberous roots can be planted outside in mild areas.
Tidying up
- You can remove the plants that have not survived the winter.
- Check if self-seeding and spreading plants do not smother other plants.
Other
- Put supports in place before the perennials get too tall.
- Feed the trees, shrubs, perennials and hedges with fertiliser if you have not done that last month.
- Mark the spots where the spring flowering bulbs are if you want to keep them. Otherwise you may damage them if you plant new plants later in the year.
- Remove weeds.
- Check if the ties around the trees are not too tight or too loose.
- Tie the main canes of climbing roses as near as horizontal as possible. This will stimulate the growth of side shoots which will result in more flowers.
- Watch out for diseases and pests like snails, slugs and scarlet lily beetles.
- You can turn on the water to the outside tap.
- Put the garden furniture outside and make them ready to use.