As the summer months quickly approach, getting your garden ready and providing the proper care now will not only help you to enjoy it when the warmer weather hits, it will also ensure that everything thrives well.

When should you start preparing your garden for summer?

If you’re a keen gardener, you’ve probably already put quite a bit of work into maintaining your garden and getting it ready for the new growing season. Forward planning now will allow you to enjoy your garden once the warmer weather gets here and will help your plants to thrive.

Here are the steps you can take to keep your garden in the best shape for the summer:

1. Take care of your lawn

A tidy and well looked after lawn will keep your garden looking neat and tidy and help to draw more attention to your colourful pots and borders. As the summer approaches, you should have already re-sown it’s poor patches, aerated your lawn to encourage root growth and raked it over so that light and water can get through.

All of these steps will keep your lawn looking great and keep it growing throughout the summer.

2. Weeding

Weeds can spring up everywhere and keeping on top of them can seem impossible but it’s essential for making sure that the plants you want to keep in your garden have the space they need to grow and thrive.

To prevent more weeds from coming into your garden, we recommend checking any plants that you buy for weeds or pests before you introduce them to your garden.

3. Tidy up borders

Just before the summer properly kicks in is a great chance to get rid of the weeds in your garden borders before they get too established in the warmer weather.

Remove old blooms or dead flowers from your plants and give any shrubs that need it a prune. Once you’ve removed all the weeds and dead flowers, you’ll be able to see where the gaps are and where you might want to add new plants.

4. Watering

Keeping your garden well watered during the summer is essential for growth and keeping everything looking green. It is recommended that you water your garden in the early morning or late evening when it's cooler. During the day, when the weather’s warmer, the water is likely to evaporate which may mean your plants don’t get enough. Watering during cooler times of the day will ensure that as much water gets down to the soil as possible to reach the plants’ roots.

5. Plant annual bedding plants

Ideally, tender annual bedding plants should be planted in May but it might not always be possible. There’s still time if you plant them in the ground or in their new containers as early as possible in June. Place newly planted plants in a spot with good light to help them grow properly.

6. Deadhead plants

Deadheading the bedding plants and perennials in your garden will help to ensure that everything carries on blooming throughout the summer months. Deadheading allows the plant to put more effort into new growth so you’ll be able to enjoy bright colour all through the season.

7. Add garden pots

Garden pots are the perfect way to add extra colour and plants to your garden and patio. If you have a smaller garden with no space for borders, this is the perfect way to bring bright colour into your garden. You will have to decide where the pots are going to sit which will allow you to choose the best plants for that space.

8. Clean patios and decking

Over the winter, dirt and debris can build up on your patios or decking, making them look dirty and can even make them slippery. So, giving them a clean with warm water or a pressure water and then sweeping it will provide you with a clean space to sit and enjoy the hard work you’ve put into the rest of the garden.