Summer DIY projects for your garden

The warm weather over the next few months means you'll likely spend time embracing the sunshine and fresh air. Now is the perfect time, then, to prepare your backyard for summer fun.

Follow these garden DIY tips to get your yard ready for the sunny season.

Plant

If you've got a green thumb, December is a great month to plant a wide variety of vegetables. Basil planted now will be ready for harvest in March, while radishes, tomatoes and zucchinis will be ready to go in February. A little forward thinking now means that your late summer salads and roast veggie dishes will be bursting with fresh, home-grown ingredients. Either add them to your existing veggie patch, or if you're short on space you could construct your very own planter box to grow your green goodies.

Planter box

You don't have to be a carpenter to build your own planter box, but it helps if you know your way around a saw and a hammer. Start with some quality wood and build a top and bottom frame, gluing at the junction of the wood strips before nailing and then screwing them together. The frame can be as large as your lawn will allow.

Attach the frames together with the side panels, nailing from the inside to conceal the nailheads from the outside of the box. Add the end panels in the same process before sanding the corners and any rough edges to get rid of splinters. Then you can stain or paint the box to your heart's content, before filling it with mulch and the plants of your choice.

Stain

Wooden decks can instantly be transformed and updated with a  simple stain. Make sure you use high quality deck stain, and that your surface is completely clear of debris before you get to work. Add painter's tape along the walls of your home where it meets your deck to keep the stain from damaging this surface, then apply the stain in even coats using a paint pad for large areas and a paintbrush for smaller, more intricate spots. Wait at least 24 hours for it to dry until you put any outdoor furniture on your deck after staining it.