Early spring garden jobs:
In the flower garden
- Don't be in a rush to remove winter mulch or to cut back evergreen plants such as lavender until temperatures are reliably warm.
- Cut back any remaining dead perennial foliage from last season (trimmings can go into the compost).
- Cut back ornamental grasses to about 10 inches from the ground.
- Resist the urge to start digging in your flower beds too early. You can damage the soil's structure. If you pick up a handful of soil, it should fall apart, not stick together like glue. When it's dry enough, you can start to dig beds and add compost or manure in preparation for planting.
- Grass growth is vigorous in the early spring garden, so edge your flower beds with a sharp trench between them and the grass to keep it in bounds. Repeating this job a couple of times through the season, goes a long way towards having a lower maintenance flower garden.
- Kneel down when planting by placing both knees on a knee pad or kneeler, or even using an old cushion or blanket.
- If you are digging, use a small spade so you don't have to pick up too much, thereby putting strain on the back.
- When lifting anything, be it a small plant or a heavy bag of rubbish, remember to bend your knees and keep your back straight, both when picking up and putting down.
- Finally, try to do no more than one and a half to two hours per day initially and work up slowly to longer days.
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