Spring is a pivotal time in a gardener’s calendar as it marks the start of the growing season, where plenty of jobs in the garden need doing.
This includes pruning, mowing the lawn and planting certain bulbs, but an expert has warned that doing certain jobs too early can “run the risk of ruining bulbs” as well as cause damage to the garden.
A spokesperson for Garden Buildings Direct said: “As soon as the sun starts to shine and the weather warms up, it can be tempting to get outside and start tackling all of your spring gardening jobs.
“However, it’s important to not jump the gun and carry out these tasks too early or you could run the risk of ruining bulbs, disrupting the soil structure and causing long-term damage to your garden.
“Don’t start trimming your spring bulbs too early, else the photosynthesis process won’t be complete, meaning the flowers may not bloom next year.
“Another job to hold back on in weeding – the soil will still be damp from spring showers so plants can become disturbed from growing properly as you pull up weeds.”
Weeding
The expert recommended waiting until the weather is consistently warm and the soil is firmer before you start weeding.
Whilst this is one of the most important jobs in the garden, removing weeds in wet and unstable soil can affect the conditions of nearby bulbs or seedlings.
The pro noted: “Wait until the soil has dried out to avoid disturbing growing plants and ruining the soil structure.”
When it is the correct temperature to begin weeding, an expert has recommended using boiling water as well as white vinegar to tackle them.
The same advice applies to planting frost-sensitive bulbs as late-spring frosts could cause these plants to die, according to the pro.
Planting frost-sensitive plants
The gardening expert continued: “While springtime may be tempting to start planting frost-sensitive plants, such as herbs and vegetables, bulbs that are susceptible to damage in cold weather may be damaged or killed in late spring frosts.
“It’s important to wait until nighttime temperatures have settled and are consistently warm before planting these.
Planting seeds
Because of the varying temperatures during the spring months, planting seeds too early can result in poor germination.
The soil needs to be warmed up before any seeds are planted, so make sure to wait until the end of spring or summer.
This does depend on the bulb or plant though, so make sure to check any packets before planting them in the garden.
Another option is to start them off indoors on windowsills as this will help to keep them warm and encourage germination.
There are a variety of plants which will begin to grow well in April however, including tobacco plants.
