Spring time has arrived! The weather is getting warmer and it is time to get back into the garden after the cold winter months and prepare for a colourful summer.

MARCH – Tidy Up and Prepare

Finally the winter has passed and it is an exciting time for green fingered enthusiasts.  Now you can enjoy preparing your garden for the warmer weather. 

• Start preparing your garden by giving it a full weeding and a good tidy up.
• Prune back rose bushes and remove any dead or diseased material.
• Lift and divide perennials that are over grown.
• As soils warm up, prepare and begin to sow hardy annuals. 
• Sow half hardy annuals and vegetables such as chillies and peppers indoors.
• Now is the time to plant bulbs such as lilies, dahlias and gladiolus for summer colour.   
• While waiting for summer flowers to bloom, why not plant containers and window boxes with pansies, primrose and daffodils?
• Indoors, make sure your houseplants are watered carefully and receive the right amount of  sunshine.  Watch out for unexpected frosts overnight on your windowsills!  
• Depending on where you are in the country, if you have not started cutting your grass yet  then check your lawnmower for any faults and blunt blades. 

APRIL – Plant and Grow

A major planting and growing month, gardens will see dramatic changes in April.  As the sun stays out for longer and weather warms, plants will start to come through and shrubs will flower.  It is going to be a busy month for gardeners whose greenhouses and gardens will be full!  

• Directly sow half hardy annuals outdoors and vegetables such as peas, carrots, parsnips, rocket and lettuces.
• Spring bulbs such as tulips and flowering shrubs (such as magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons) should be in bloom now, so it is important to fertilise them to ensure quality growth for next year. 
• Plant young bedding plants in containers ready for May.  Place these outside in the sun during the day and watch out for warnings of night frosts on your local weather forecasts.  Cover small plants with a garden fleece when frost occurs. 
• As trees and shrubs grow, look out for any winter damage that may have occurred. 
• Repair bare patches on the lawn, replace any damaged areas, remove weeds and kill moss.
• April is a good time to lay turf as roots get away quicker in warmer soils.
• Be vigilant and look out for pests and diseases in both your houseplants and outdoor plants as weather warms up.
• If weather is warm be sure to water plants regularly.