With summer around the corner, it’s time to start turning our attention to our gardens again. A well-maintained and thoughtfully managed garden can be a real centrepiece attraction for your home, and summer gardening can be a very rewarding experience. In this blog, we’ll go over our top seven tips on how to get your garden ready for summer. We’ll go over everything from plant care to design tips to help you create an amazing outdoor space that you'll be able to enjoy with your family and friends all summer long.
Clean and Maintain Garden Furniture
Entertaining guests in the summer means you’re going to need to have well-maintained furniture to hand - nobody wants to sit on a chair that looks like it’s about to fall apart after all! Getting your garden ready for summer starts with making sure that your furniture looks comfortable and enticing. Use a soft brush with mild detergent to remove any dirt or mildew from your furniture. For wooden tables and chairs, you can consider sanding them down and applying a fresh coat of paint and varnish to make them look brand new.
Create a Watering Schedule
The key to healthy-looking plants is a well-thought-out watering schedule. Particularly with hot summer weather, keeping your garden plants properly hydrated can be a challenge. Your garden will need watering no more than three times a week - any more than that and you’ll overwater. Early morning or evening are generally the best time slots for watering (due to the reduction in evaporation, allowing your plants to absorb water much more efficiently). Garden irrigation systems can be helpful, as they deliver water directly to the root area of the plants.
Set Up a Cutting and Pruning Routine
Following up from watering, cutting and pruning your plants is another key step in getting your garden ready for summer. Prevent the spread of infections and generally neaten up your plants by removing dead and diseased branches. Overgrown areas need to be trimmed back to allow for optimal access to air and sunlight. Prune away spent flowers to encourage new blooms. Different plants have different pruning requirements, so take the time to research the needs of the plants in your garden and set up a cutting and pruning schedule from there.
Improve Soil Quality
The quality of your soil is going to determine exactly how well you’re able to grow plants in your garden. A soil test will reveal the pH and nutrient level of your soil, and using that information you can make changes in order to maximise the quality of your garden. You can add organic matter such as compost or manure to boost its fertility or mulch to help your plants retain their moisture and suppress the growth of weeds. Good quality soil forms the basis of plant health in the garden, so this is an area you don’t want to skip out on when getting your garden ready for summer.
Protect Plants from Pests and Diseases
Keep a close eye on your garden for any signs of pests or diseases in your plants. Discoloration of leaves, wilting or holes are all key signs that your plants are suffering from disease or pests. Neem oil or insecticidal soap is good for removing pests - as are introducing beneficial insects such as ladybugs to the garden. Make sure to remove any diseased part of a plant to cut down on disease.
Keep a Waterproof Garden Notebook
Keeping track of your various gardening tasks can be tricky, so we recommend having a high-quality notebook to hand to help you keep track of it all. In particular, we recommend our Rite in the Rain notebooks. Their incredible durability and water resistance come from the amazing qualities of Rite in the Rain waterproof paper and their PolyDura covers, making them an ideal pick for outdoor work in all weather conditions. With one of these at hand, you’ll be able to keep perfect track of your garden and be assured that your notes are safely contained in one of the toughest notebooks you can get.
Optimise Garden Layout and Design
Being strategic with the layout and design of your garden is what makes the difference between a good garden and a great one. Consider exactly where you want your furniture to be to make the best use of the space. Use lighting to highlight key areas of the garden to show off its best qualities. Make use of water features and other decorative pieces to create the perfect sense of ambience. Thoughtful garden design will allow you to go the extra mile in getting your garden ready this summer to hold the best outdoor gatherings you possibly can.
