How to Make the Most of Your Garden during COVID-19

During these strange times gardens can offer a much needed breathing space where you can find peace and clarity. Those lucky enough to have them should be making the most of them as many people in London do not have this luxury. With all this extra time on our hands it’s also a great opportunity to get on top of many of those tasks that often get pushed back.

MAKE A PLAN

Write a list of jobs you’ve been meaning to do. You may not be able to do all of them since you probably won’t be able to get the materials you need but it’s a great time to make a plan for the garden. There will be plenty of tasks you can tick off especially some more tedious jobs but it’s also a great opportunity to think about major changes you’d like to make. Maybe there’s a tired bed you’d like to start afresh or clear an area for a future patio. Since you’ll be able to monitor the garden at all times of the day it’s a good time to work out where the sunniest spots are and how you think you could put certain areas to better use.

STAY AT HOME

Some hardware stores and garden centres are still open but as most gardening supplies don’t count as essential purchases we recommend staying at home. However, it’s a great time to still support your local garden centre as many are still doing deliveries and online orders. A lot of people will probably have the same idea so be prepared for a bit of a wait. If you can’t get hold of anything there is still a lot you can get done.

GET ON TOP OF THE WEEDS

With so much extra time at home when better to improve the beds in the garden. Weeding manually is a much more effective method when done properly and is so much better for the soil and garden. Go round your garden bed by bed and remove all unwanted plants including their root system. This can be hard work so break it up but it’s enormously satisfying. If you do have any compost or mulch now is a good time to fork the compost in or mulch over the top to try and keep any other weeds at bay.

TRIMMING AND PRUNING

Assess all your plants and see if there’s anything that could use cutting back, though check if it’s the right time of year to do so. You could make a pruning schedule for any changes you would like to make later in the year to make sure these get done. Any perennials that have spread a bit too much can be divided and planted elsewhere in the garden if you have space.

START COMPOSTING

If you’re doing a lot of cutting back you’ll end up with a fair bit of green waste and since councils are likely to be suffering from staff shortages now is a good opportunity to try and take the strain off collection services. If you have a compost bin now is a great time to use any compost that has been forming nicely or start using it properly. Don’t let a lack of a bin stop you either. Fallen leaves can be stored in a normal bin bag, pierce it and leave it somewhere out of sight to form leaf mould. You can also build a compost bin out of nearly anything (old pallets, bits of wood, chicken wire) as long as you can form a rough framework to hold a pile. You can add anything from the garden onto the compost heap although try to avoid thicker branches. You can also chuck in vegetable cuttings from the kitchen as well as egg boxes and plastic free tea bags.

GROW YOUR OWN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Although we shouldn’t be at any risk of food shortages there is nothing like relying on your own garden for food. With all this extra time, seedlings can be monitored and watered regularly and there’s nothing quite as uplifting as watching seeds come to life. There are plenty of seed catalogues available and garden centres and online shops should be delivering. Broccoli, kale, courgettes, carrots and salad leaves are just some of the things that can be sown in May ready to harvest later in the year.

DO SOME CLEANING

After winter a lot of paving can do with a clean to remove some of the dirt and green algae that can build up. The best method is soapy water and a stiff brush. This won’t have any chemical impact on the surrounding soil and won’t damage the paving itself unlike a lot of cleaners sold in garden centres which can permanently change the colour of paving stones. If you have a pressure washer this can be more effective but try and avoid the pointing as it can easily be damaged or blown out.

It’s also a good time to tidy the garden shed. During nice weather everything can be taken out and put back in a more organised order! If you have a greenhouse it could be scrubbed clean to allow more light to get through.

GET THE KIDS INVOLVED

If you’ve got children this is a great opportunity to get them out the house and start teaching them about plants and gardening. Get them weeding and planting with you, they’ll love helping out and getting their hands dirty. You could also start a wildlife survey and get them to spot and try to identify all the birds and insects they can find within the garden.