With BBQ’s, sun lounging and cool refreshments on the horizon, it’s about time we all start preparing the garden for summer. Warmth and sunshine tend to creep up on us and when the hotter weather arrives, we often find ourselves in a frenzy to get the garden ready.

Preparing your outdoor space for summer seems daunting, and realistically it will require your time and effort. However, with our tried and tested DIY tips, you can get it sorted quickly and simply!

Clean & Sharpen Gardening Tools

Hedges, bushes and authentic grassy terrain receives a lot of water during the winter months and can therefore quickly appear overgrown. You should start by tending to these areas, using appropriate tools to trim down the growth.

Prior to this activity, you should check the efficiency of your tools. Maintaining gardening equipment helps to preserve it's value, making it last longer and saving you money in the long run.

Wearing thick, waterproof gloves to protect your hands, simply fill a container with hot water and strong detergent. Dip a wire scourer into the solution and clean spades and forks with circular motions. If caked mud is hard to budge, you can leave these items to soak for five minutes before attempting to scrub. Allow to drip dry by placing large equipment up against a wall.

Bladed tools, such as secateurs and loppers, also need a thorough clean. Carefully wipe with the warm detergent solution and dry with a cloth. To make life easier this year and next, you should sharpen the blades of your instruments. Sharpening improves performance, enabling precision when used. This can either be done by yourself or you may send them off for a sharpening service. If attempting this yourself, then after sharpening apply a dab of oil or grease to protect the metal.

Trim the shrubbery and mow the grass then dispose of the clippings into an organic waste bin for transporting to a local recycling centre. Alternatively, place clippings underneath bushes and hedges to act as a natural fertiliser. This recycling method also prevents the weeds from growing!

Maintain Sheds, Fences & Gates

It’s a good idea to get the tedious little maintenance jobs out the way before summer swings by. Check fences, gates and sheds for any sign of weather damage, grime or decay and replace any broken segments and structures.

Go through the contents of your shed and organise items into three distinct piles; keep, dispose, donate. Identify what is clutter and the items that cease to provide any future value. Give the inside of the shed a thorough clean; removing cobwebs, sweeping away debris and wiping dusty surfaces.

Categorise the relevant segments into storage units, boxes or drawers, labelling accordingly. Searching for items will be easier and it will deter users from returning items to the wrong place.

Give dull looking sheds a fresh lick of paint or preserver. Shades of blue and egg shell beige are aesthetically pleasing once the sun starts shining. Over time, these shades are also less likely to appear discoloured and dirty compared to white painted sheds.

Winter weather can cause structures to become weak, so to repair a sagging garden gate you will need replacement gate hinges. Robust gate furniture, such as heavy duty gate hinges, provide a long lasting solution to seasonal change.

Tighten hinges to ensure a strong hold and pair with a matching heavy duty hasp and staple for a cohesive aesthetic. Secure your property with a weatherproof combination padlock. This type of locking system can also be used on sheds.

Plant Flowers to Flourish

Tidy up flower beds and boarders with your freshly serviced tools, then follow by sowing daffodil, iris and hyacinth seeds that will blossom in abundance. Nurture your garden throughout the summer months to keep plants and flowers hydrated. Keeping on top of outdoor jobs will ensure that your space is ready to enjoy!

We hope to inspire your home DIY projects and offer a variety of high-quality products that excel in both aesthetic and performance. For more home and garden improvement, check out our previous blog on Laying Stepping Stones in Your Garden.