Love… nurturing your outdoor space

As spring blooms start to fade, and summer flowers burst into life, it’s time to nourish window boxes, container plants, beds, borders and lawns.  Let’s take a look at some simple ways to create an outdoor space to enjoy over the next few months. 

Tidy up spring blooms

Colourful flowers from spring bulbs will now be past their best, so remove any withered blooms but try to resist taking the leaves too. They’ll still be working hard to put energy into the bulbs for next spring, so let them fade naturally. Divide large clumps of bulbs, re-plant and feed with liquid fertiliser. It will mean you have even more flowers to enjoy next year. 

Plant out summer bedding

Bedding plants that you’ve been growing from seed indoors can be susceptible to colder temperatures when it’s time to take them outside. If you're putting them out before the end of May, they might need hardening off, so put them out in the day and bring them in at night. This will lead to happier plants producing more flowers throughout the summer. 

Love your lawn

Lawns grow very quickly in spring, so get mowing. It’s easier to keep your lawn looking good if you do it regularly, and it’s better for your mower too. Spring is also the best time to scarify established lawns: use a wire rake to gently thin out the build up of moss, debris and dead grass. Then aerate it, by pushing in a garden fork to create some holes. Start at one end, and push the fork into your lawn approximately every six inches – it’s hard work, but it’s worth the effort! If you’ve got any bare patches, sow lawn seed. Keep your lawn well fed and watered to keep it looking green and lush for as long as possible.

Water wisely

As temperatures rise, your plants will need watering regularly. Give beds and borders a good soak at least once a week, and water hanging baskets and pots every day while the weather’s hot. You’ll also need to keep any young fruit trees well watered, as they’ll be growing fast.   Water plants in the evening: if you do it in the middle of the day, the water will evaporate before it soaks into the soil – and may even focus the sun’s hottest rays and scorch the leaves. Recycle your water wherever possible, by using a water butt to collect rainwater, or using bath water or dishwater. 

Start harvesting

Some of your crops will be ready to eat in late spring. Harvest a third of your total rhubarb stems; pick asparagus spears when they’re around 18cm long. As we head into June, you’ll be able to start picking strawberries too – and remember, the more you pick, the more they’ll grow. Inspired? Click here to find your nearest store to pick up your essential garden supplies and don't forget to share your garden transformations with us on social media!

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