Hirepool Guide: Prepping Your Garden for Spring

Step 1. Make a plan of attack

First up on the list, it’s best to take stock of your current space and plan out your big garden idea. It’s good to know from the beginning what you want to achieve and a budget if needed. Consider what areas of your garden you may want to upgrade and what spring planting you need to prepare for. In spring, it can be a good idea to plant a range of veggies, including: 

• Beans
  
  
• Beetroot
  
  
• Broccoli 
  
  
• Carrots 
  
  
• Celery
  
  
• Lettuce
  
  
• Peas

Suppose you are planning to build a planter box, garden water features or any other form of landscape architecture. In that case, you’ll also need to purchase any materials or garden equipment ahead of time. To get you started with planning, read our guide on setting a budget for landscaping your garden. There are also a few excellent external online planting calendars get started. 

Step 2. Clean up and weed

Next up, you need to get in the weeds. During winter, many dead leaves and other plant matter may have fallen and caked up all over your garden and lawn. Because of the bad weather, you may have also neglected your weeds, and your garden may have become overgrown. Don’t worry, we can’t blame you! 

You’ll need to get your hands dirty to get on top of things. Pull up weeds from soil, clean up leaves and carry out any pruning. At Hirepool, we make yard cleaning maintenance simple. Hire a leafblower, weedeater or pruner to make light work of the big tidy up. You can also read our guides on lawn care 101 everything you need to know for a great looking lawn, how to use a leaf blower and how to use a hedge trimmer for helpful tips. 

Top tip: Put leftover plant life in a pile for later. More on that soon.

Step 3. Build a raised garden bed or put up a trellis

The end of winter is the perfect chance to start fresh and create even your wildest landscape design or garden idea. Think past new plant pots and use your imagination. Landscape architecture and garden ideas could include:

• Build a raised garden bed
  
  
• Put up a trellis
  
  
• Create a garden water feature
  
  
• Put up a retaining wall

A raised garden bed is also fantastic for supporting the vegetables and plant life you’re planning for spring. At Hirepool, building a raised garden bed, putting up a trellis or even crafting a retaining wall is easy with our top equipment for hire. Depending on the job size, you may benefit from hiring a saw or drill. Read our guide on retaining wall DIY what you need to know or how to build a raised garden bed for more advice. 

Step 4. Build a compost bin

In today's day and age, more than ever, it’s crucial to reduce, reuse and recycle. A fantastic way to free up the tip from green waste is with a compost bin. It may seem like plant matter and green waste is something that should be ok to chuck out wherever you please, but this isn’t the case. Organic matter can lead to water pollution and harmful methane emissions when dropped off at a landfill. 

As well as that, a compost bin can help out with your garden too. Not only do you not need to cart leftover green waste to the tip saving you time and money, but you can also reuse this compost as a chemical-free fertiliser for your garden. It’s a win-win! There are many easy-to-follow compost kit sets or ready-made options at your local garden shop.

Step 5. Loosen soil

Over the colder months, the soil in your garden may have become compressed. As we’ve mentioned already, the harsh conditions, added moisture, and fallen plant life can all make your soil solid or thinker. The compact earth is not great for supporting any new seedlings or planting you’re planning for spring. One way to help prepare your soil for planting is with a rotary hoe or tiller. A rotary hoe or tiller works to get underneath and loosen up ground and dirt. This equipment is available to hire with your pals here at Hirepool.

Step 6. Add mulch

Another way to help get the most out of your spring garden right now is with mulch. To make soil more hospitable for spring planting, a little mulch can go a long way. Mulch is a nutrient-rich mix that is fantastic to apply in your garden before spring. Then, when spring rolls around, you simply remove it. While on your soil, mulch helps to prevent weeds, protect it from the wind or weather, and lock in moisture. 

Your soil pH level is a consideration when it comes to mulch. Essentially, pH is how much acidity and basicity are in your soil. Too much or too little can hamper the chances of your plants and vegies flourishing. The ideal pH level for your soil will depend on the soil type, whether that be:

• Clay
  
  
• Sandy soil
  
  
• Regular soil

Mulch can help you to get the ideal pH level. You can test your soil’s pH level with an easy-to-use kit from your local garden shop. Read our guide for advice on creating mulch with a wood chipper.

Step 7. Start early planting

Finally, getting a head start on planting any seedlings can be a fantastic garden idea ahead of spring. Although you’ll want to do the bulk of your planting in spring, carrying out some planting now will mean you have some yummy veggies ready even at the start of spring. To do this, you’ll want to use plant pots or plastic planting containers indoors and out of the weather. Then, when the season changes, move what you planted early outside. There are so many top-value vegetables to grow, some of which are perfect for a head start. Common options include:

• Broccoli
  
  
• Cauliflower
  
  
• Cabbage 
  
  
• Peppers

Top tip: Once spring arrives, it’s a good idea to plant your vegetables successively. Not planting everything all at once will mean that all of your veggies aren’t ready for harvest at the same time. That way, you can enjoy healthy treats throughout the entire season. As we mentioned earlier, a planting calendar can help here.