May Your Summer Be Filled With Gardening!

While the start of this year has certainly seen some very unseasonable weather With heatwaves in March, and frostbitten fingers in April, our gardens are unsure as to what should be growing now, and what should have long died off. So where should we be with our garden at this time of year? And what should you start to look at getting done as we hope for a fairly normal spring!

Sunflowers

As a nation, we Brits love sunflowers. We have them printed on garments, pictures of them in our homes, and at some point, you’ll have certainly stood next to one taller than you. Even if you were only 5. So when can you plant your seeds? Now!
Typically, the perfect time to plant sunflower seeds is April to May, however, with frost dipping into much of April in most parts of the UK, we’ve recommended waiting until the start of May to get planting. This still gives you plenty of time to watch them grow and tower above you before the autumn hits.
If you have kids at home, kids in the family, or even the neighbours, why not get them involved? They are one of the most child-friendly plants to watch grow!

The Lawn

Now, we don’t know for sure what the forecast this month will be. We would love to predict the weather and give you the perfect advice to suit. However, the chances are, we’d be wrong. So when it comes to your lawn, there’s one tip we want to give you in case of hot weather. Water your lawn.
We would love to say to everyone, on dry days get the sprinkler out, or get the hose on your lawn, but we know that we get draught warnings in the height of summer. So remember that water butt we told you to get ready at the start of the year? Start using the water from that to water your lawn to keep it nice and green. Don’t forget to use the water on your flower beds too!
If you have a fish tank in your home, when you complete a water change, water your garden with the old tank water. This works wonders for a selection of plants!

Weeding

At this time of year, we cannot stress enough as to how important it is to keep on top of your weeding. Leaving just a week between sessions can see you with an abundance of new growth, no matter how nice or fresh your soil is.
The biggest issue is that you cannot use weed killers in your flower beds without running the risk of killing beautiful flowers. This means that you have to undertake this back-breaking task manually, and regularly to keep up. Try small bursts every could of days, preferably in the evening during the hot weather.

Treat Garden Furniture

So back before the bad weather, we would have been ensuring that everyone was protecting their garden furniture, fences and sheds from the effects of adverse weather. We’re now back to tell you how important it is to also protect it from the sun.
Typically any wood should only need treating once a year, so if yours was done in autumn, you can wait again until later in the year. However, if you didn’t get it done before the rain set in, get it done before the sun damages the wood further.
If the fence has already seen the effects of the sun and the rain and is looking worse for wear, get in touch with the team today for fencing in Radley and fencing in Abingdon.

The Greenhouse

This month, you can start filtering some of your greenhouse plants out into the borders. With the weather improving, you can add them to their rightful place in the borders. Make sure to take into consideration those that need shade, and those that thrive in the fullness of the summer sun.
Once planted, ensure that your plants are watered to allow them to bed in. This is particularly important if we are in the middle of a dry spell when they go into the ground.
This time of year will also start to see your greenhouse sweating. While the idea of the greenhouse is to keep all that’s inside nice and warm, you also want to take care that you don’t cook your plants. Make sure to open vents and windows in the summer and that you increase your watering to suit the weather.

OF course, keeping on top of your garden landscaping in Abingdon isn’t always so easy at this time of year. So if you would like to discuss garden maintenance, please get in touch with the team and we will be happy to assist you. It’s also a great time of year to consider patois in Abingdon, contact us today for more information.