Don’t work the soil too soon
It is important you don’t work the soil when it is saturated with snow or rain as it can become compacted and hard to break up.
Heavy, wet soil is not great to work with
Roots need lots of space to grow and heavy, wet soil isn’t loose enough to create the best environment for planting.
When is it the right time
The easiest way to tell if your soil is ready is to pick up a handful, mould it into a ball and then break it up. If it comes away easily you know you’re on track.
Clear away the weeds
Once your soil is good to work with you can start by digging up any weeds. These will help bring any plant-destroying larvae to the top allowing the birds to get at them.
Fix any fences
Now is the ideal time to fix any fences or trellises, especially if you want your plants to grow up them. It’ll be tricky to fix them when they are covered in flowers.
Clear your borders
Remove any dead plants, leaves or mess from your borders so they are ready for planting your spring plants.
Once you have your garden spruced up, you can begin to add some personal touches and even include the kids in the process. For great ideas, such as a homemade bird house or homegrown strawberries, check out this fab family gardening guide from Sainsbury's Bank.
