5 ways to prepare your garden for spring

As the leaves on the trees start to unfurl and a familiar warmth begins to emanate from the sun, we can finally give ourselves a pat on the back - we made it through the winter! At last, we can discard our heavy coats, scarves and gloves and get back to enjoying the great outdoors without fear of a soaking or freezing to the bone - beautiful.

Due to the cold, windy months we've just endured, it's likely that our gardens have become a little neglected in recent weeks, but the warming weather means that it's the perfect time to get it in order. Here are five jobs for you to get on with now that the weather has turned nice - and remember, you can borrow any of the tools mentioned direct from Kennards Hire!  

1. Have a general tidy up

Over both autumn and winter, leaves will have fallen from the trees, and other debris will have accumulated in your flower beds and across the lawn. Such muck may even have clogged up your pond and its handsome water feature, so now is a great time to get everything nice and clear again. A lawn blower is an awesome machine to help you through this task.

If some of your bushes and shrubs have become a little overgrown in recent months, now is a great time to cut them back, and a hedge trimmer is just what you'll need to get the job done.

2. Clean out your greenhouse

Your greenhouse is one of the most important features of your garden. Why? Well, during the springtime, it's where you raise and nurture tray upon tray of tiny cuttings and seedlings, and these could form the basis of your garden for years to come. Therefore, it makes good sense to clean out your greenhouse before you fill it with delicate baby plants. Start off by giving it a thorough sweep with a decent garden broom, getting rid of any plant debris from the previous year. 

It's also well worth your time disinfecting the interior of your greenhouse with a trusted garden solution This is because garden pests and diseases are a hardy bunch, and can survive even the harshest of winter, and you wouldn't want them taking a shine to your valuable cuttings. Additionally, you should also clean out any empty plant pots or seed trays that you have lying around, just to ensure that any lingering diseases are eradicated. 

Cleaning up your greenhouse can improve your chances of a decent crop!

3. Mend any fences and gates

The winter can really take its toll on your outdoor carpentry - high winds, pounding rain and the weight of snow is no picnic for your poor garden fence and accompanying gate. Once the worst of the cold season is over, it's a good idea to get started on those jobs you've been putting off recently, which includes mending any fences and gates that require it. This means you can ensure that your garden looks its best during the beautiful summer months - a good nail gun can help you get the work done more quickly.  

4. Scrub your gardening tools

As a keen gardener, it's likely that you will have your own personal collection of garden tools, even if you are renting a few specialist ones from Kennards Hire. With this in mind, it's important that you keep them in the finest shape possible, and this means cleaning them whenever you get the chance - especially if you haven't done it for a while. Winter is easily the longest time that you'll go without tending to your tools, so now is a good time to have them looking (and working) their best.

This isn't just so that they look nice, as your hoes, forks and spades could be home to just as many microscopic bugs as your greenhouse, which spells bad news if you're looking to keep a healthy garden. Clean them down thoroughly to make sure those pesky bugs never get the chance to ruin your lovely garden. 

5. Sow some early seeds

As winter fades away, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it isn't quite time for sowing any seeds just yet. After all, the ground is still cold and in some cases, hard, but that doesn't mean that you can't start sowing certain seeds, especially if they need a longer growing season. Flowers such as geraniums and begonias are relatively slow growing, so planting them early will ensure that they are in full bloom come the summer. Vegetables like peppers and aubergines also take a fair few months to ripen, so these too can be planted in the early spring to ensure that you have a good, healthy crop when it comes to harvest time.

Whatever your gardening needs, be sure to get in touch with the friendly team at Kennards Hire. If you can't find that handy hoe in your shed or your lawnmower has seen better days - we'll be happy to lend a hand!