First the work, then the flowering: checklist to make the garden fit for spring

"The beauty of spring is that it always comes when you need it most." - This quote goes back to the German writer Jean Paul. And there is much truth in it. Because it´s not just nature that can´t wait to get going again after the winter, we also long for the first warm rays of sunshine, the first flowers along the way or the first hours in the garden. And the motto here is: work first, then flourish. Because before spring can really be enjoyed in the garden, there are still a few things you need to do. In the following, we will tell you how to prepare your garden for spring.

Getting the garden fit for spring: The most important steps

Gardening is trendy, because in our digital world, many people long for a grounding activity that is carried out with their hands, in the truest sense of the word. But of course you should know exactly what needs to be done - and the following gardening checklist will tell you that.

1.)   Take inventory:First, you should inspect your garden carefully. To do this, take a lap and examine all your trees, plants and green areas. What survived the fall and winter? Which plant needs a lot of affection now? And where could space be made for something new? Attention: Take a close look and inform yourself thoroughly before you remove what you think are arid and lifeless. Bamboo, for example, curls up in frost and only needs an extra pinch of water to unfold in spring. If you also remove pests and dry leaves right now and devote yourself to weeds, you will save yourself a lot of work in the warm months. In addition, take enough time in advance to check your garden equipment or tools. Because nothing is more annoying than wanting to get started, but not having any working utensils at hand.

2.)   Digging up beds: If you haven't already done so in the fall, you can dig up your beds now. This measure is particularly useful if you are dealing with heavy soils with a high loam or clay content. The upper layer of soil is turned and loosened, transporting plant remains and weeds to the deeper layers of soil. In this way, even demanding soils or soils that have not yet been used can be prepared for growing vegetables. On the other hand, if you have lighter soil, you can save yourself this gardening work in spring - and thus protect the soil structure and the important microorganisms it contains. Provided that appropriate precautions are taken in autumn instead: You can cover your harvested vegetable patch in late summer with a layer of mulch made from autumn leaves, compost and crop residues, or you can opt for green manure. Shortly before sowing, you should remove this layer and simply loosen the soil, enrich it with mature compost and give it about two weeks to settle again.

3.)   Prepare first sowing: If you start sowing in spring, you can soon look forward to tasty vegetables or early bloomers. So it is worth sowing the first vegetable seeds in the prepared soil at the beginning of March. A dark film on the floor helps store the sun's heat and releases it to the ground. As soon as the last frost has passed, broccoli, leeks, onions, peas, spinach and co. enjoy this additional warmth. More robust plants such as marigolds, cornflowers, gypsophila or spinsters can even be sown directly outdoors. On the other hand, you prefer more sensitive conspecifics such as sunflowers, nasturtiums, peppers or tomatoes indoors on the windowsill. Pepper plants in particular need time, while you can wait until mid-March for tomatoes. As soon as the sour cherry blossoms, more frost-sensitive flowers such as gladioli, dahlias, lilies or montbretia can be planted.

4.)   Cut back plants: Light should not be in short supply in your garden. That's why it's important to cut back perennials that are already large at the beginning of spring so as not to damage neighboring plants. You shouldn't be picky about this - pruned plants often reward brave gardeners later with strong growth and beautiful flowers. And trees now also tolerate a cut. Start with the deciduous trees, because these can be cut back in winter. Fruit trees, on the other hand, are more sensitive to frost - so only take care of them on warmer days. Also, prune them carefully so you don't damage any buds or shoots. An exception are cherries and apricots - they are only pruned after the harvest. Anyone who already has frost-damaged trees in their garden should carefully cut open the edges of torn bark and coat them with tree balm. Roses are particularly demanding: rose branches that already have brown spots or partially tear open must be consistently removed down to the healthy wood. This is the only way for the plant to recover. The general rule is: pruning the roses hard in spring results in strong new shoots. And here the optimal moment for the spring pruning is the period in which the forsynthia blooms. If you have heavy soil, you should loosen the soil around the rose more often with a rose fork.

5.)   Fertilize garden: In spring, plants look forward to an extra portion of nutrients in the form of fertilizer. April in particular is ideal for this. Horn shavings and meal are among the most popular organic fertilizers - but they mainly supply the plants with nitrogen. If you want to get more out of your own plants, you can add phosphorus, potassium and trace elements to them. The best universal fertilizer is still compost. It should be two to three liters per square meter, with potatoes or types of cabbage even taking twice as much. But be careful: every plant is different. If you are unsure about this, it is best to ask professionals.

6.)   Put potted plants outside: You should be more patient with balcony and potted plants that you have overwintered inside the house. Don't put them back outside before May. The same applies to annual plants such as marigolds. If you also have potted plants that no longer have enough space for their roots, you should repot them between the end of March and mid-April.

7.)  Cut the lawn: Wait until the last frost is over to mow the lawn. As a rule of thumb, the lawn should be about 7 cm long. Then shorten it to about half a centimetre. Anyone who is annoyed by a brown lawn with sparse patches can scarify it to stimulate growth. For this purpose, the turf is first torn, later slow-release fertilizer is used and finally new grass seeds can be sown. If, on the other hand, the pH value of your soil is in an acidic environment, you can also lime the soil. A neutral soil has the value 7, everything below is acidic, everything above is alkaline.

8.)   Prepare favorite place: And then comes the freestyle - preparing your new retreat for the warm season. If you have a wooden terrace, you should give it a new coat of paint. Rattan furniture, on the other hand, is happy about a care unit in the form of fruit acid base mixtures that counteract graying, or oils that give the seating set its natural color back. A protective wax or sealed varnish is also helpful. All those who own a hammock or hammock chair can now take this everyday companion out of winter storage and place it outside.

Enjoy the magic of spring

And finally, it's time to enjoy the magic of spring and bathe in spring fever. With a sparkling drink in your hand, nice people to talk to, a good book or you just enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing. Because Astrid Lindgren already knew: "And then you have to have time to just sit there and look in front of you."