Prepare your garden for spring: the essential steps

Clean and prepare the site

Garbage collection and weeding

Winter often leaves behind dead leaves, broken branches and other natural debris. Start with a thorough clean-up:

• Pick up dead leaves and branches.
• Weed flower beds and driveways.
• Aerate the lawn with a rake to remove accumulated moss and leaves.

Pruning and trimming

Pruning shrubs and trees is an important step in promoting growth and flowering.

• Prune summer-flowering shrubs (such as hydrangeas) to stimulate the production of new flowers.
• Remove dead or misaligned branches from fruit trees and hedges.
• Refresh perennials by cutting off dried parts.

Maintaining garden structures

• Clean and repair driveways, borders and walls.
• Check the condition of trellises and stakes for climbing plants.
• Prepare your pots and planters for the new plantings.

Enriching and working the soil

Aerate and amend the soil

Well-prepared soil is the key to a flourishing garden.

• Spade the soil to aerate it and promote drainage.
• Enrich the soil with compost or well-decomposed manure.
• Level the flowerbeds and define the edges of the beds for a clean, tidy look.

Planting and sowing

Spring is the ideal time to plant new varieties and add color to your garden.

• Plant perennials and annuals for staggered flowering.
• Sow grass or reseed sparse areas.
• Plant early vegetable crops such as radishes, carrots or peas.

Protect and maintain

• Mulch the soil to keep weeds down and retain moisture.
• Install pest and disease protection (natural manures, insect netting, etc.).
• Remember to water regularly, especially in dry springs.