Seasonal Garden Maintenance in Glasgow: What to Do and When

Gardening Throughout the Scottish Seasons

Glasgow, with its temperate climate and bountiful rainfall, brings unique rewards and challenges to gardeners. Our distinctive climate offers the opportunity to grow beautiful, lush, varied gardens, but those gardens do require careful planning and conscientious upkeep. No matter the season, there are garden tasks that must be done to nurture your outdoor space, but with the right care, your garden can thrive year round. Here, we offer expert tips for seasonal garden maintenance in Glasgow, so that you will know just what to do to keep your garden at its best, no matter the weather. 

Preparing for Growth in Spring

Your focus in spring will be largely on pruning and getting rid of winter damage. This is the time to trim dead branches and remove debris, so that your garden will get a healthy start and begin the season with a fresh look. Inspect your plants for frost damage or issues that may have occurred during harsh weather. Spring is also the season for weeding, in order to get ahead of them before they take over. When you are proactive about controlling weeds, your garden will be healthier. Once everything is cleaned up and refreshed, it is time to begin sowing plants and vegetables, enjoying the new life creeping into your garden, bringing greatly appreciated colour after the winter months. 

Helping Your Garden to Thrive in Summer

The lush blooms of summer require regular watering, so be sure to water deeply and consistently. Inspect your garden frequently, looking for signs of disease or pests so that you can take action and stop the issue from spreading. If you have flowers like cornflower, cosmos, sweet peas, snapdragons, straw flowers, phlox, or zinnia, cut them regularly. That way, you will have lovely posies for your house and to give away to friends, and you will also be promoting fresh growth and helping to grow more flowers. Soft fruit should be picked as it ripens, and if you have berries and cherries, make sure to pick them before the birds do! Test your soil, because summer is a good time to enrich it with organic matter like manure or compost. 

In Autumn, Get Ready for Cold Weather: Tips for Gardens

Once the summer blooms begin to fade, it can be tempting to take a break from gardening, but this would be a mistake. The autumn months are an important time for your garden, because that is when you should be preparing it to face the winter. Clear away leaves and debris, and cut back bush and climbing roses, to protect them from winter winds and ensure they will be strong in the spring. Cut back perennials that have finished blooming, and divide crowded plants. Autumn is a good time to plant bulbs to flower early in the spring, and to transplant shrubs or trees. The soil still holds some warmth, and you will not have to water as much as you would in the summer. Protect your plants from frost with a thick mulching around their base. Move any truly delicate plants into a greenhouse or indoors, if possible, and use horticultural fleece to protect the ones that cannot be moved, like tree ferns. If you have Dahlias and Cannas, you can use a fork to pull up the tubers after the first frost, and shake off as much soil as you can. Cut the stems down to just a few inches, rinse the tubers, and store the ones that are in good condition in pots of dry compost in your garage or shed. Make sure all of your pots are either raised off of the ground or placed on gravel, so that they will have proper drainage. Turn off outdoor taps, and winter-proof them with a tap cover. Empty and clean water butts, and remove the pumps from ponds and water features, draining, cleaning, and storing them until spring. Autumn is also a good time to sharpen your tools, so that they will be ready for winter’s pruning. Make sure to clean all of your bird feeders so that you can safely feed the birds all winter, keeping them well-fed without risk of disease from contaminated feeders. This benefits you, too, as it gives you cheery little colourful friends to enjoy throughout the winter.  

Winter Garden Tips for a Beautiful Garden 

If you plan ahead, you can keep your garden visually interesting all winter. Be strategic in your planting, incorporating evergreen trees and shrubs, and plants that will flower well into the winter. Skimmia, Hellebore, Pansy, and Viola are all excellent options for this, and you can visually complement them by planting Gaultheria and Pernettya, which produce colourful berries. During the winter, prune trees and shrubs while they are dormant, and keep the snow under control, knocking it off conifers and greenhouse roofs and clearing it from your paths. Periodically brush sand over your paving slabs, and you will avoid slipping on wet or frosty surfaces. 

Let North Hill Gardens & GrassGo Bring Out the Very Best in Your Garden

Whenever you need help with your garden, whether you want to completely transform it or you just need expert maintenance assistance, trust North Hill Gardens and our sister company GrassGo to bring out its full potential. Our mission is to create beautiful, sustainable, and functional gardens, and we believe that every garden can be an exquisite, tranquil sanctuary that brings joy and inspiration to the world. Our team of enthusiastic, skilled garden designers, landscapers, and horticulture experts has been serving communities in the UK for many years. Working closely with our clients, we strive to tailor each project to match their unique vision, in a way that is both creative and practical. Whatever you envision, our goal is to use our wealth of knowledge and passion for gardening to help bring it to life in your garden. Whether you are seeking landscaping, garden design, or maintenance, contact us or visit www.grassgo.co.uk to find out how our experienced team can help.