Winter is almost over and we’re heading into Spring, which means lighter evenings and drier gardens, so it is the perfect time to start on some annual maintenance to get ready for the summer months ahead. In all likelihood, your garden will have some issues with moss, green paving/decking, overgrown trees and plants as well as fencing that will be in need of some TLC. We’ll have a look at some of the best things to do to get your garden in order.

How to deal with overgrown hedges, trees and bushes

The most noticeable thing in your garden is likely to be that many of your plants, trees and hedges are either a bit overgrown or in need of some trimming. For plants it is a fairly simple task and you are likely to only need secateurs to complete the job but trees can be a different story. First of all, ensure that there are no protection orders on trees that you are looking to cut back or you may have to get the council round to take a look before you complete any work. If you are able to start work then you will need some equipment depending on the size of the tree including electric chainsaws, ladders or potentially even a harness. To ensure the tree isn’t trimmed too much in one area, ensure you take a step back every few minutes to make sure the it is retaining a healthy shape.

Pressure Washing

One of the single best tools to own when tidying your garden is a pressure washer, it can clean almost anything with great effect. Obviously the number one area to clean is paving stones (or decking) and the difference it will make is huge. It can be a very messy job with dirt flying everywhere so in all likelihood you will need to clean down brickwork, windows and doors with your pressure washer after you are done with the paving. Always remember to clean windows and PVC on a lower pressure setting as it can ruin seals and cause glazing to leak. Once you have completed your paving stones it is a good idea to sweep some fine sand in between them as you will have removed some of the previous dirty sand whilst cleaning. The sand is there to both keep the stones in place and stop mud from coming up between them when it rains. You can also apply a layer of sealant across the top of the stones and sand to protect it further if you don’t want to be re-cleaning them every year.

Get Mowing & Strimming

Your lawn is likely to be in need of some serious attention, it will have grown slowly since you last cut it in Autumn so will probably be fairly long. When using your lawnmower for the first cut, always leave the grass a little longer than normal otherwise it can leave the grass looking very pale and anaemic. You want to increase the cut setting on your lawnmower by a few millimetres and then on your second cut you can go as short as you normally would once it has had a bit more sun.