Top Gardening Tips For Easter Weekend

Spring is undeniably one of the best times of the year. Gone is the dreary winter weather, the days stretch out longer, and we get to watch the natural world wake up and come alive once more. What better opportunity to get out into the garden and get it prepared for summer? With the promise of the long Easter weekend ahead of us, make the most of your garden this year by turning it into a luscious green space full of flowers, foliage, and buzzy bees.

Gardening is a fantastic way to get outside and keep busy while staying in the comfort of your own home. Many find it to be a relaxing, creative outlet and who can turn down an excuse to spend time with the family? Not only will you have fun sprucing up your outdoor space, but children of all ages will also love to give a helping hand whether it’s digging, planting, or watering - it’s fun for the whole family! So make the most of the upcoming long weekend from April 2nd to the 5th with OnBuy’s top six gardening tips to help your garden bloom and thrive.

Before the start of any task, making sure you have the right equipment to get the job done is essential. Ahead of Easter weekend, dust off your garden forks, grab your trowels and take stock of what tools you have. 

If you find you do need to pick up some extra bits, by doing it early, you can ensure you’ve got everything ready to rock once Easter weekend rolls around. Believe us, you don’t want to be making last-minute trips to the garden centre. Not only will they be packed, but getting halfway through a task only to have to abandon it to go and get something you forgot is the ultimate pain in the neck. As the Scouts say: “Be Prepared.”

Spring is a rewarding time for the green-fingered among us to take advantage of the warmer days. But before we get planting, we first need to prep our gardens for the burst of life that’s sure to follow.

Early in the season, it's a good idea to give your flower beds and garden edging a bit of a tidy up. Remove the last of the fallen leaves and pull out any weeds that are starting to poke their heads through the soil - make sure you wear a good pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands!

Using a garden edging tool, tidy up the overgrown grass verges along your flower beds and garden paths and use a pair of garden shears to cut back any dead or dying foliage from shrubs and bushes.

Finally, add a layer of mulch over the surface of your flower beds to feed the soil and prevent more weeds from growing. By doing this before anything else, you’re giving your plants the best headstart possible for a blooming brilliant garden during the summer! Once you’ve done these easy steps, you’ll be ready to get stuck right in during Easter weekend.

It might seem obvious, but choosing the right plants for your garden can be a daunting task. 

Seeds and bulbs are the best ways to begin your garden from scratch. Seeds will need to be planted in early spring and kept in a greenhouse or planter box until the weather is warm enough to relocate them. Bulbs are different though. They can be planted during colder weather right into the ground and you can plan out when each part of your garden will be in bloom by using a mixture of spring and summer bulbs. As the seasons change, so too will the blooms in your garden. 

Whether you opt for seeds, bulbs, or a mix of the two, make sure you are choosing the right species for your garden. Some species of plants require a lot of direct sunlight to grow, while others thrive in the shade - make sure you’re planting them in the right places to ensure they look their best.

Not much of a green thumb but still want to make the most of the wonderful weather during Easter weekend? Why not try planting something a bit hardier than flowers? Herbs make a fantastic addition to your garden as they are easy to cultivate, can survive a little neglect if you forget to water them, and are delicious when added to food. Certain herbs, such as chives, can even act as natural pest control, keeping aphids and other unwelcome insects off your garden goodies. You can even keep them in pots and planters, making them the perfect addition to a balcony, patio, or windowsill.

Although you can plant things such as bulbs and root vegetables during the rest of the year, spring is the best season for planting all kinds of flowers and veggies. 

However, you can’t just plonk your seeds in the ground (well, you can, but it won’t guarantee success!). It’s best to get your seeds sown earlier in the year, around the middle of March, to give them a strong start. Keep them on a sunny windowsill or inside a greenhouse, such as this Wooden Mini Greenhouse, which features polycarbonate glazing and a sturdy wooden frame. A greenhouse is designed to trap warmth from the sun (no matter how weak) and humidity to encourage your seeds to germinate and begin to grow while keeping them protected from pests and cold snaps. Using a seed tray and good quality compost will give them the best start and will make them easy to repot or replant on Easter weekend.

After a few weeks of sunning themselves in your greenhouse, your seedlings will be ready to replant. To transfer them to your prepared flower beds, simply use a trowel to dig a small hole and gently place your seedling and soil inside. Gently press and pat the soil back around the plant and you’re ready to move on with the next one.

Once you’ve replanted all your seedlings in the ground or a pot, give them a good drink. Use a hose with a spray nozzle to thoroughly water all of your flower beds and boxes - you want to ensure the soil is thoroughly soaked through. If you only have a balcony or small garden without an outdoor tap, picking up a watering can such as this 14L Watering Can is an ideal alternative. It can hold a lot of water, so is perfect for watering all of your plants in just one or two trips, and the sprinkler-style tip helps disperse the water evenly over your garden.

Throughout the summer months, you’ll want to regularly water your garden to keep your foliage looking lush - especially if there’s a dry period. When watering your plants, make sure you don’t do it during high-sun. When the sun is at its highest point in the sky, the intense rays are further magnified through the droplets on the leaves, which can give your plants sunburn. Instead, wait until later in the afternoon when the sun has moved on from your garden or at dusk.

Mowing the lawn might seem obvious, but it’s an important part of maintaining your garden. When the weather begins to warm up, plants (including grass) wake up from their winter slumber and begin to grow again. It’s important to mow the lawn regularly, as letting it get too long can damage it. Grass that’s too long will turn brown and die underneath - destroying the turf and leaving bare patches all over the place. To keep it looking luscious and green, mow it every few weeks and keep it well fed using a good quality grass fertiliser, such as Miracle-Gro Patch Magic, which helps to encourage new growth in any bald patches.

With all the work that maintaining a garden brings, it’s easy to forget one of the most important parts of taking care of it in the first place - enjoying it! There’s nothing more satisfying than relaxing in the warm spring sunshine and admiring the fruits of your labour, so sit back, relax, and don’t forget to soak up all the wonderful work you’ve done.

Looking for even more ways to elevate your glorious garden? Why not pick up a new set of garden furniture to lounge in with your family? To help you pick out the perfect pieces for your space and needs, we have an entire guide on the ultimate garden furniture options here. Alternatively, why not check out our top ways to spruce up your garden for spring to make the most of your outdoor space this year? No matter what you choose to do with your garden this Easter, it’s a fantastic opportunity to enjoy some time out in the sunshine and get it ready for a blooming great summer!