Refreshing Your Garden for Spring
This February, get ahead of your Springtime gardening with Farrar & Tanner. This gardening guide will help you transform your weathered outdoor space into a luscious green paradise.
Follow these simple tips and upgrade your gardening toolbox with our quality brands to help achieve the garden of your dreams.
How to Prepare Your Garden for Spring
If you’re staring out of your window at wilting branches, overgrown weeds, and a host of dead plants, restoring your garden may seem like a mean feat. Yet, by taking a few small steps now you will be surprised how quickly you can turn things around.
Clean Up: Remove fallen leaves, dead plants, and any winter debris. This prevents pests and diseases from lying dormant in your garden and rearing their ugly heads to undo all your amazing work.
Prune: Trim back dead or damaged branches from trees and shrubs. Like getting your hair cut, removing dead ends helps to stimulate growth and keep your plants healthy and happy.
Prepare the Soil: Healthy soil is the foundation of any successful garden. Loosen the soil to allow roots to penetrate more easily and add organic matter like compost to boost soil fertility.
Planning: Now you have a blank canvas, sketch a plan for your garden to decide where will host vegetables, flowers, or herbs. Always take your garden's microclimates (e.g. sunny vs. shaded areas) into consideration to maximise the success of plant growth.
Clean and Sharpen: Before starting any work, take the time to clean, sharpen, and repair your garden tools. Take the plunge to upgrade and replace older equipment before the busy spring season begins, this will make gardening much easier in the long run.
What to Grow in February
February is a great time to get a head start on your spring garden by growing a few select plants and starting others indoors. Here’s what we recommend you focus on:
· Leafy Greens: Varieties like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard can sometimes be sown directly outdoors in milder climates. If your area experiences frost, start indoors and replant them outside later.
· Peas: In regions with shorter, mild winters, peas can often be sown directly into the garden. They thrive in cooler weather and will be ready to grow as spring arrives.
· Brassicas: Broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are best started indoors. February sowings will allow these cool-season vegetables to establish well before being moved outdoors after the last frost.
· Herbs: Begin basil, parsley, and oregano indoors. Basil is especially sensitive to cold, so it is best to start it indoors and transplant it outdoors when the weather warms. Thyme, chives, and mint can tolerate cooler conditions and can be planted outdoors much earlier.
· Annual Flowers: Start popular annuals like marigolds, petunias, and zinnias indoors. Once the frost risk has passed, they’ll add bursts of colour to your greenery.
By choosing the right crops and planning your planting schedule, February becomes a great month for setting the stage for a gorgeous Spring Garden.
Tools to Get Started
Having the right tools can make all the difference, and at Farrar & Tanner, we offer a curated selection of high-quality gardening tools to assist you in your spring gardening tasks. Here are some must-haves for your gardening tool box:
1.Burgon & Ball Sophie Conran Hand Rake
This elegantly designed hand rake will quickly tidy up fallen leaves and debris, as it slides easily between plants and under bushes. It features springy, stainless-steel tines that are curved at the ends to avoid damaging new shoots.
2. Fallen Fruits Ergonomic Handle Pruner
Known for its durability, this pruner is great for indoor and outdoor plants. It offers a clean cut for removing dead, diseased or damaged stems and branches.
3. Burgon & Ball Stainless Steel Hand Fork
Ideal for cultivating soil and removing weeds, this hand fork comes with a sturdy stainless steel head and comfortable wooden handle, ideal for lengthy soil preparation tasks.
4. PKS Bronze Planting Trowel
Ideal for planting bulbs and seedlings, this bronze trowel reduces soil adhesion and is resistant to corrosion, making it a reliable tool for year-round gardening.
5. Burgon & Ball Perennial Spade
Ideal for breaking ground and preparing soil beds for a new season. Its angled tip is delicate and precise causing minimal disruption to roots and plants.
6. Bradleys Tannery Leather Gardening Gloves
To avoid blisters and scratches, it’s a good idea to wear gloves that offer both comfort and protection. Great for handling soil, tools, and rough garden edges, these leather gardening gloves will keep your hands happy while they work.
7. Extended Range of Accessories
For those more experienced gardeners, you might also look for extras such as kneelers, trugs, and planting labels. Not essential, but these handy little add-ons can boost efficiency and increase enjoyment.
For all your gardening needs this Spring, shop The Great Outdoors.
