How to Get Your Garden Ready for Summer

How to Get Your Garden Ready for Summer

Here in the UK, there are only so many days and weeks we can enjoy outdoor space without the risk of rain and bad weather.

So, coming into the summer months, it is a good idea to get everything ready in time, so you’re able to relax rather than carrying out all the work.

From ensuring everything is perfectly manicured to keeping heat-loving weeds at bay, any work done now will allow you to reap the benefits later. Here are some ways to get your garden ready for summer.

 

Get your lawn looking perfect

By now, you’ve hopefully done all of the hard work required to care for your lawn. Aerating, filling in patches with seeds and watering should be covered by now and the grass should be growing nicely.

You should have also used a scarifier earlier in the year if you needed to remove weeds and dead thatch. But unfortunately, weeds are hard to get rid of, so you may benefit from manually removing some.

So, now to get it looking in its finest shape possible.

You will need:

• Lawnmower
• Strimmer
• Rake

When using a lawnmower, don’t cut any more than 1cm or one-third off your grass at a time. Overlap your lines too, so you can cover all areas and not leave any stray lines behind.

Then, with your strimmer, go around the edges and any borders. You may also want to use your strimmer if you need to cut back very long grass, although you’ve probably got past this stage by now.

Even if you used a scarifier earlier in the year, you will probably still have a few stray weeds growing back. The white flowering clover, Trifolium repens, is particularly prevalent coming up to summer. Pull each of these out by hand to get the roots and prevent further growth. Then, with a rake, go over any sections with other weeds or mossy areas.

Keep your grass watered with a hose or sprinkler on a watering can. It will probably benefit from grass and lawn feed too.

 

Clean your furniture

Prepare to entertain! Even if your furniture has been stored in a shed or outbuilding, it will probably still need to be cleaned before you and your guests can sit down and relax on it.

You will need:

• Pressure washer
• Paint/sealant (if you need to protect any wood)

The power washer will blast off any grime and dirt which has built up over the time the furniture was in storage. When using a power washer to clean anything potentially fragile such as furniture, be careful not to use too much power and don’t oversaturate it.

If your furniture is wooden, you especially need to be careful regarding power and oversaturation, so you don’t damage the wood. Wait for it to dry, and then paint or dye to protect the wood from sun rays and extreme weather.

• SPEEDY TOP TIP: While the pressure washer is out, why not clean other things too? From your patio to the barbecue, pressure washers can get the grime off most surfaces

When using a pressure washer, wear protective clothing and boots, as well as eye protection. You also need to clear the area to limit the risk of debris.

 

Keep on top of weeding and deadheading

If you have borders and pots, you need to keep on top of pulling any stray weeds out. A little bit of weeding every day is easier than a mass weeding session, so every time you go outside, have a look at how everything is getting along. It can be surprising to see just how much weeds love the sun and watering.

The same applies to deadheading plants. Removing old blooms will promote new growth, so if you have geraniums and other flowering plants, as soon as certain blooms start going, getting rid of them will help the plant last longer.

Once you’re done, you will see if there are any gaps in borders which need filling in.

 

Paint any woodwork

From fences to shed panels, any paint will need touching up. Hire a paint sprayer if it is a large surface to cover, which will save you lots of time and give even coverage.

If you’re painting masonry, remove any flaking paint with a stiff brush or a pressure washer first. You also need to cover anything you don’t want paint on, such as patio flagstones and bushes.

 

Check over your tools

Blink and you will miss summer. Unfortunately, you always need to be thinking ahead. So, when summer is done, you will need to start preparing your garden for the winter.

Once all the above prep work is done, getting your tools ready for the next time you will need to use them will save you time when summer is over. Clean your tools with a stiff brush and oil any hinges or springs which need some attention. Check over your lawnmower blade if you own one, and sharpen it if needed.

Get rid of broken or damaged tools and make a note to replace them. Also, make a list of what you will need to hire when autumn and winter come, so you know the jobs that need doing.

 

READY FOR MORE DIY TIPS?

We hope you found this guide on getting your garden ready for summer handy. If you need any tools for the job, Speedy Services has you covered.

If you need some inspiration for other outdoor DIY tasks, please visit our Skills and Projects page.

To make your next hire even easier, open a Speedy account online or in-store for all your tool hire needs.

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