With summer fast approaching, many people are gearing up to get out into the garden to soak up the rays, have fun with the family, and entertain friends and neighbors with barbeques and garden parties. However, before the fun part begins, there is work that will need to be done. In order to prepare your garden for all the summer fun and make it presentable for any parties you may decide to hold there, you must first ensure that the area is as clean and attractive looking as possible.
General clean-up of your garden
The first thing you need to do is to give your garden a general clean-up. After the colder months have taken their toll, your garden will be full of material that will need to be removed including leaves, fallen twigs and branches, and other unwanted debris. Getting rid of this mess may seem a bit daunting if tackled just before you are ready to start using your garden in summer, so it is best to get this job done and out of the way as early in the spring as possible.
Weeding and fertilizing
Once you have removed all of the loose debris, the next job is to get rid of the unwanted weeds that have taken root in your garden. The most important thing to remember when weeding is that you must get the entire weed – including the roots – out to prevent it from returning later in the season. For smaller weeds, you will be able to either pull them by hand or use a trowel to dig them out, while for the larger weed varieties you will probably want to use a hoe.
For areas that have a severe weed infestation, a commercial weed killer can be used; however, caution is advised as you may be putting the plants that you do want to grow at risk. In most cases, it is not advised to add weeds that have been killed with chemicals to a compost pile; rather, they should be disposed of in the trash, or taken to the local dump.
In order to properly prepare your garden for summer, the next thing you need to do is fertilize it. Use the best manure and fertilizer that your budget will allow for, and use a pitchfork and spade to work these into your soil to provide it with all the nutrients it will need to grow whatever you choose to plant.
Furniture and accessories
Another aspect of the garden that will need to be right for summer is the furniture and accessories. It is better to get these in place as early as possible so that you can plan the rest of your garden around them. The furniture and accessories you choose might include anything from hanging chairs to a pop-up gazebo, which can make for a great centerpiece; many gazebos of this type are easy to dismantle and store once the season has come to an end.
If you are likely to host parties through the summer, you will want to take this into consideration when choosing your furniture and be prepared ahead of time to provide enough seating and table space for the guests you invite. Adding accessories to the garden is also a great idea, and features such as fountains or ornamental lighting can really add that personal touch which will help to make your garden special and unique.
