10 tips on how to wake your outdoor area out of hibernation …
It is (almost) never too early to think about spring! This also applies to your garden and outdoor area. In addition to nature, now, after the long and cold winter, your lawn, plants, trees and garden furniture should wake up from hibernation. Please take note of my tips and advice on the most important questions about the perfect garden in spring. And you will definitely not get stressed and certainly not miss the blooming start of spring. Have fun with the preparations!
1. What are the first steps in gardening after winter?
When it comes to gardening in spring, take an (early) inventory of your outdoor area! You should have the following checklist questions in the back of your head: Which plants did the winter carry away with frost and snow, which plants only let their heads hang? Which trees and bushes do I have to cut back now? Where should I take action against snails and weeds now? When pruning, the following applies: calmly and generously prune so as not to deprive all (smaller) plants of the light and air “to breathe” around them.
2. When do I have to start preparing the soil for the garden in spring?
Dig up soil for your garden early in spring! The sooner you have completed this work step, the sooner the bed or lawn can take the urgently needed break before planting again. So if you haven’t already done so in autumn or on a winter’s day before the frost, head outside with your spade and shovel! After digging, please rake the earth smoothly and remove any loose stones and other weeds.
3. How long should I wait before sowing lawn and plant seeds?
For the vast majority of lawns and beds, it is advisable to wait until mid / late March before sowing. Provided, of course, that winter does not make another comeback with snow and frost in the third month of the year.
4. How do I best fertilize my beds and lawn?
The pride of every (hobby) gardener is a lush, green lawn that starts the spring with him without mossy or bare spots. Now at the latest, remove the leaves from last autumn from your greenery so that it is well ventilated and mold does not form. After that, it can be treated with fertilizer. Be sure to water the lawn thoroughly after fertilizing so that the nutrients in the fertilizer can soak deep into the soil with the water. Depending on the condition of the lawn and the nature of the soil, a lime fertilizer can be useful to bring the acid-base balance of the soil into the normal range. If your lawn is “infested” with moss, felt, lichen, dandelion or clover, it is definitely worthwhile to scarify the lawn or possibly dig it up at the beginning of spring.
For your flower or vegetable patch in the garden, it is usually an organic fertilizer or the covering of the surface with compost from the compost heap.
5. What is there to do on the terrace / balcony?
Of course, the garden in spring also includes a terrace and balcony. Provided that the terrace or balcony floor has been thoroughly cleaned beforehand, the outdoor furniture can now be set up again. Depending on the weather, you might also want to set up the grill to celebrate spring with a hearty “barbecue”? Of course, the beginning of the outdoor season is also the ideal time to check: Is everything still working? Do I have to change the chair or table? Do the seat covers from last year still look good? Is the parasol’s cloth still in good condition? If not, let yourself be inspired by the hottest garden furniture trends and simply redesign your balcony or terrace.
6. How can I grow delicious vegetables or fresh herbs on the balcony?
The most convenient solution for this is to set up a raised bed. In here, you can plant everything you fancy, from beautiful, colorful flowers, which are primarily intended to please the eye, to tasty vegetables, even in a small space. There are only a few important tips for filling and setting up: In general, when filling a raised bed in layers, the filling must be finer and finer from bottom to top. Ideally, fill your raised bed – regardless of whether it is made of wood, metal or stone – with the following layers: the bottom layer close to the ground should be approx. 25 cm high and consist of branches, twigs, leaves and shrub waste with a little soil be filled. The second layer only needs to be about 10–15 cm high and should consist of chopped branches and unprinted cardboard.
The next layer is the manure or compost layer and should ideally also be 10-15 cm high. If you plan to use animal manure, well-rotted horse manure is particularly suitable. Otherwise, however, coarse compost is also recommended. The second top layer should preferably be about 20 cm high and is ideally a mixture of kitchen compost and soil. The top layer should be filled in up to the edge of the raised bed. It consists of nutrient-rich garden soil. Then you can start sowing straight away. A little tip: If you actually want to grow vegetables in your raised bed, do not overload the small area so that each plant has enough space and keep in mind that not every type of vegetable can be planted next to the other.
7. How do I properly show off new plants?
When the time for frosty nights and days is over, you can safely see the first early bloomers z. For example, place plants in nice-looking tubs: daffodils, daffodils, Christmas roses, crocuses … they are all pleasing to the eye and spread anticipation for fantastic, sunny spring days! For a nutrient-rich filling of the planter, I recommend that you mix potting soil and compost in a ratio of 2: 1.
8. What do I have to consider when maintaining my garden equipment and tools?
The garden tools are also part of the garden theme in spring. The motors of hedge trimmers, scarifiers and lawn mowers in particular should be checked thoroughly. When it comes to lawn mowers and scarifiers, it is always worth cleaning and oiling the cutting tools and metal parts. The hand-operated gardening tools should be checked for signs of weathering. The same applies to the garden hose. Are the plug / screw connections still tight? Is there a small crack or hole in the hose somewhere? Tip: Let water run through it thoroughly before using the garden hose for the first time. Not only in the hose itself, but especially in the water pipe, which has been shut down over the winter, numerous bacteria can have accumulated in addition to rust and limescale.
9. How do I maintain my paths and the garden fence?
After a long and frosty winter, paths and the garden fence, i.e. stone, concrete and wood, need care as well as plants, hedges and lawns. I would recommend treating the paths initially with water and a mild neutral cleaner or using a commercially available scrubber, dried bird manure and verdigris. Annoying weeds in the joints can either be removed by hand or, more comfortably, with a weed killer, which uses very hot air to effectively destroy the weeds, especially in joints.
You can make the beloved wooden garden fence fit for the new season with a glaze. A thinly applied layer of wood glaze not only protects your fence from all weather influences, it also preserves the grain and the natural appearance of the wood – in contrast to wood varnish. If you want to add special color accents this year, nothing stands in the way of a (new) painting of the fence afterwards …
10. How do I bring out my garden beautifully with tasteful exterior decorations?
Even now in March the nights are still very long and on cloudy days the world around us can still seem very dark. – But it doesn’t have to be in your garden in spring! Bring light into the dark and set dreamy lighting accents in your outdoor area! (Front) garden, balcony and terrace are enormously upgraded by selectively used “highlights”. A little tip: A lighting variant with solar-powered LEDs not only spreads beautiful light, but is also easy on the wallet thanks to its energy efficiency and the free sunlight with which it charges during the day.
Would you like to create an atmospheric garden in winter too? In our article you can find out everything about winter decorations for your garden .
Do you want to redesign your garden? In our garden design tips and ideas , we will tell you how you can transform your garden into an oasis of well-being in no time at all. Let yourself be inspired and try out the tips for yourself.
