How to Prepare Your Garden for Summer

With spring just around the corner, it means the summer months are nearly upon us. Many of us are likely to spend more time outdoors and in our gardens during the summer, using them as a place to relax, socialise and potentially even host the odd barbecue should the weather play ball. With this in mind, now is the perfect time to prepare your garden for summer.  

Here at R&J Landscapes, we offer our customers in Watford, Harrow and the surrounding areas a whole host of garden services including fencing and decking, turfing services, treework and much more. Our more than 30 years in the industry have seen us establish ourselves as leading garden experts, and build great relationships with households across our service areas.

We’ve put together a list of handy tips to help you make the most of your garden or outdoor space this summer.  

Clean equipment 

In order to start out on the right foot when preparing your garden for summer, it’s important all of your garden equipment is in good working order. Before beginning any work, give any spades, trowels, forks, secateurs and any other equipment you may have a thorough clean. Dirty tools can spread bacteria and diseases to plants in your garden. Simply wash the equipment with water and a stiff brush, and you’ll be good to go.         

It’s worthwhile including any garden summer essentials in this clean. Go over barbecues, patio furniture and anything else you’re likely to use during summer to make sure they’re ready to use when you need them. 

Remove weeds and trim foliage 

Weeds are the scourge of every garden, and due to gardens being somewhat neglected during the cold months, it’s likely yours may require a spot of weeding. While it’s among the more tedious gardening tasks you’re likely to come across, it’s necessary to make your garden summer-ready. Pull out any weeds from your lawn that have grown in the cracks of paving slabs or decking. Prevention is better than cure and you can stop further weeds growing by applying weed killer to the affected areas.     

Once weeds have been removed, you can start thinking about planting flowers. If you’re wondering when to start planting flowers, spring is a perfect time. By planting seeds in early spring, you can expect beautiful, blooming flowers by the time the summer season rolls around. Your local garden centre will be able to advise on the best types of flowers for your garden.       

Treat your lawn

The lawn is the highlight of almost every garden, and as summer approaches there are a number of things you can do to get it in the best condition. The drier, warmer weather means you’ll probably be tempted to cut the grass for the first time in a while. If this is the case, be sure to keep the blades on your lawnmower on high in order to help develop a deeper root system – a great way to keep your lawn healthy.       

As we see (hopefully) less rainfall you may also consider using sprinklers or hosepipes on your lawn, but this is not necessary. A lawn going brown in summer is normal, and it will return to its luscious green colour when the season dictates. However, if you do insist on watering it, use a watering can so as not to drown the grass.    

Attract wildlife 

If you’re a nature lover, it’s likely you’ll want to attract wildlife to your garden. The summer sees all kinds of animals visit gardens across the country, and there are some things you can do to prepare for this.

Installing bird tables, houses and baths is a great way to encourage a variety of birds to visit your garden. 

You can also make your garden more accessible by adding small holes to the bottom of fences that may attract hedgehogs and other small mammals into the garden.    

Stay on top of maintenance

Once you have completed all of the tasks above, the best way to ensure your garden is prepared for summer as it edges ever closer is to stay on top of maintenance. You’ve already done the hard work so don’t let it all go to waste by neglecting the smaller jobs. 

Regular lawn care, weeding, watering and applying fertilisers and, if necessary, pesticides will go a long way in keeping your garden looking its very best. Plus, be sure to keep up with any general tidying, too. 

At R&J Landscapes, we have earned a reputation for our leading, professional landscaping services. We can provide you with a whole host of landscaping and gardening options that can help take your outdoor space to the next level. To find out more, simply get in touch with our team today.