Wake the Garden Gently

Spring is generous with encouragement. A fortnight of mild, bright days and suddenly the garden looks ready for action — but the soil beneath is often still cold and sodden, and a late frost can undo two weeks of eager work. The jobs that pay best in early spring are the quiet ones: feeding, mulching and checking the watering you will depend on later. Done now, while the garden is still half asleep, they set up borders and pots for months of healthy growth with far less effort in June.

Feed Borders as Growth Begins

The moment you see fresh shoots and swelling buds, plants are drawing on reserves stored over winter. Feeding too early, before roots are active enough to take it up, is largely wasted and can simply wash away in spring rain. Wait for signs of movement, then act.

For most borders a balanced granular feed is plenty — fish, blood and bone, or a pelleted organic feed, scattered evenly around the root zone at the rate suggested on the packet. Flowering shrubs and perennials appreciate a switch to something higher in potash from mid-spring, which supports buds and blooms rather than leaves alone.

• Water first, feed second. Granular feeds sit uselessly on dry ground; a thorough soak beforehand carries nutrients down to the roots.
• Keep it clear of stems and leaves. Scatter to the edge of the canopy, where the feeding roots actually are.
• Little and often beats one heavy dose. Two lighter feeds a few weeks apart are kinder than a single overload.
• Containers need more. Compost in pots holds far fewer nutrients, so begin a fortnightly liquid feed as soon as you see new growth.

Err on the light side. Overfed plants produce soft, sappy growth that aphids adore and wind snaps — the opposite of the sturdy, weatherproof plants you want by summer.

Refresh Mulch for a Calmer Season

A fresh layer of mulch is the closest thing to a day off in the garden. Spread 5–7cm deep, it suppresses weeds, slows evaporation and keeps soil temperature steadier through the swings of April and May.

Timing matters more than most people expect. Mulching cold, wet ground traps the chill and delays warming; mulching dry ground locks in the dryness. Wait until the soil has drained a little and is comfortably moist, weed thoroughly first, water if we have had a dry spell, then spread.

Keep mulch about 5cm clear of stems, trunks and crowns. A collar of damp organic matter against bark softens tissue and invites rot, particularly on woody plants. Around alpines, lavender and rosemary, grit or gravel works far better than compost, keeping foliage dry and stems firm.

Well-rotted manure, composted green waste, leafmould and bark are all useful; avoid fresh manure, which can scorch young growth. In a small bed, a thinner layer and a little hand-weeding often suits better than a heavy mulch that smothers self-seeders you actually want.

Check Irrigation Before You Need It

There is nothing more frustrating than discovering a blocked dripper in the middle of a July heatwave. Early spring is the moment to walk the whole system, while there is still time to fix it at leisure.

• Unroll every hose. Look for splits, perished rubber and kinks, especially where the hose bends around a corner or sits in full sun.
• Clear blocked emitters. Soak drippers and spray heads in warm water with a splash of vinegar to dissolve limescale, then flush the line through.
• Test timers and batteries. Replace batteries now and check that the programme still matches the season rather than last August's heatwave.
• Service water butts. Clear leaves and silt, check taps and filters, and make sure downpipe diverters are securely connected.
• Check taps and connectors. Replace worn washers — a slow drip wastes more water than most gardeners realise.

Once it is running, adjust the plan: deep, occasional watering encourages roots to travel downwards, whereas daily light sprinkles produce shallow, drought-prone plants.

Small Spaces, Careful Choices

On a balcony, courtyard or narrow town border, every task is magnified. Pots dry out quickly, wind strips moisture faster than sun does, and a single missed watering can undo a season's growth. A few habits make a real difference.

• Group your pots. Clustered containers shade each other's compost and create a kinder, more humid microclimate.
• Go bigger. Containers of 30cm or more hold steadier moisture than small ones, which swing between bone dry and waterlogged.
• Top-dress with grit. A layer of gravel or slate chippings slows evaporation and makes life harder for slugs.
• Use saucers or self-watering inserts for thirsty plants such as tomatoes, courgettes and fuchsias.
• Shelter from wind. A trellis, hurdle or simple screen protects tender growth on exposed balconies.
• Look upwards. Wall planters and railing troughs add growing space without stealing any floor.

Putting the Jobs in Order

Sequence makes these tasks easier, and kinder to the soil:

• First, tidy and weed, cutting back spent growth and checking ties and supports before fresh growth hides them.
• Second, feed established plants as soon as you see real signs of movement.
• Third, water thoroughly if the ground is dry, then mulch borders and top-dress containers.
• Fourth, test the irrigation so it is ready well before the first dry fortnight.

Spread the work over a few gentle weekends rather than one punishing day. The soil is still cool, the light is soft, and there is no rush — the garden will reward a calm, thorough start far more than a hurried one. Make a flask of tea, take your time, and let spring unfold around you.