Three Ways to Get the Most from Your Garden This Spring

One of the best things about living in Chapelton is easy access to green space and the great outdoors. So with longer days and slightly less bite in the breeze spring is a wonderful time to get outside and do some gardening.

To help you get the most out of your garden this year we’ve pulled together some handy tips for budding gardeners.

Save yourself work later

We all know that it is much easier, and more fun, cooking in a clean and well organised kitchen and the same applies to gardening.

Weeds are the bane of every garden and as with most things it is best to deal with them early. Doing weeding in the spring can save a lot of time in the summer and gives your garden the chance to look its best when barbeque season comes around.

The first step to dealing with weeds is to run a hoe over your flower bed to kill most weed seedlings. This is best done on a dry day with a light wind, not just to save yourself from getting wet but because weeds will dry out on the surface rather than re-rooting into moist soil.

For particularly persistent weeds digging them out with a fork can be a quick and effective solution.

Brighten up your garden with butterflies

Spring is a great time to plant flowers and doing so will make your garden a riot of colour when summer rolls around. But if you want to add an extra special touch this year then consider planting some flowers rich in nectar to attract butterflies.

There are lots of options here but Verbena Bonariensis, commonly called Brazilian Vervain, is particularly effective. These delicate purple flowers grow wild in some places but can bring a lovely sense of calm to your garden and are butterfly favourites.

Lavender is another great option for attracting butterflies but waiting until slightly later in the spring to plant is wise in case of any late cold snaps. Lavender also comes with the added bonus of adding a delicate and calming scent to your garden.

Get your summer vegetables ready

It is true what they say that a vegetable grown yourself tastes better, not just because they’re as fresh as can be but because of the added taste of success.

The good thing with growing vegetables is that no matter the time of year there is always something to plant. For early spring in Scotland there are plenty of options that will look and taste great on your plate come summertime.

Broccoli is a longstanding favourite and goes well in pastas, risottos and alongside a roast. Planting broccoli in March is ideal and will mean you will be ready to harvest in early summer.

Leeks are another versatile vegetable that if planted in early spring will be ready to eat by early summer. A good tip is to sow more seeds than you have space for and harvest them as baby leeks in the summer. These baby leeks are tender, tasty and much easier to harvest.

If the weather isn’t looking great there are a few things you can grow on your kitchen windowsill at this time of year to add that extra pizzazz when summer comes. Start off by planting some basil seeds and letting them grow inside until later in the year when the risk of frost has passed then move them outside. Basil is a great summer food and will add that extra special dash of flavour to your favourite dishes.

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