Gardening Tips To Prepare For The Summer

Andrew

With thousands of Brits paying more attention to their back gardens after the impact of the pandemic, we wanted to find out how we should be preparing for the summer this year and what people are doing to spruce up their outdoor space.
To identify which gardening activities get people excited to put on their gardening gloves, and which have them running back inside, we surveyed 1,000 adults on their opinions on gardening.

The impact of gardening on mental health

The research revealed that over half of Brits find gardening helps them to switch off from day to day life, with 54% saying they “strongly agree” or “agree” in the positive impact it has on their mental health.
According to the gardening expert Samantha Jones, gardening is an excellent way to connect to nature since it is both tactile and engaging as an activity. By nurturing and seeing something grow and thrive, our feelings for positivity can increase which has a beneficial impact on our mental health. Gardening also gives us something to busy ourselves with and focus on that isn’t work or family stress-related. For those of us who don’t enjoy physical activities such as jogging, it’s also a great way to get a bit of fresh air and exercise.
The study also found that under a third (28%) of Brits feel gardening does not help them switch off from day-to-day life. With common gardening mistakes leading to plants wilting or potentially dying, gardening can often prove to be stressful for new gardeners. Common traps which can challenge gardeners include:
 

  • Watering plants too much or not enough
  • Planting seeds at the wrong time for their season
  • Placing plants in the wrong place where they receive too much sunlight
  • Using the wrong soil or a poorer quality soil
  • Failing to properly remove weeds
  • Allowing insects or animals to eat plants

Gardening tasks can often be underestimated for the amount of time and energy they will take to complete. For example, leaving hedges untrimmed for months and avoiding mowing the lawn can mean that before you know it, you are left with urgent tasks which need your attention all at once. For this reason, it is important not to leave your most dreaded garden tasks until it is too late.

What gardening task do Brits love the most?

Our research showed that Brits favourite garden task is watering plants, with the average Brit having between 0-5 plants in their home. In second place is planting, with a further 28% voting this as their favourite gardening task:

 

  1. Watering plants
  2. Planting
  3. Weeding
  4. Trimming hedges
  5. Chopping down trees
  6. Digging
  7. Raking leaves

For keen gardeners wondering when they should begin planting this year, Samantha Jones advised “When you start planting depends on the type of plant. Seeds will need warmth, moisture and sunlight so they’re best left until spring, whilst many bulbs can go in during the winter or early spring. Plants and flowers are often less fussy about when they go in. If you’re not sure when’s best, a good rule of thumb is to wait until after the frosty mornings have finished and before your plants have come into bloom.”
On the other side of the spectrum we asked Brits what they found to be the most annoying garden chore:

 

  1. Weeding
  2. Raking leaves
  3. Digging
  4. Chopping down trees
  5. Trimming hedges
  6. Planting
  7. Watering plants

With weeds being characterised as wild plants which grow where they are not wanted, it is no surprise that they are disliked by over two-fifths of Brits. Weeds not only take up space and discourage desirable plants, but they also steal water and nutrients from plants gardeners have set out to cultivate in their gardens.
To avoid weed infestations, the best move for a gardener is to prevent weeds from becoming a problem in the first place. This can be achieved with water-permeable landscape fabrics, topped with mulch or bark. Pre-emergent herbicide products which are sprinkled and watered into garden soil are also an effective way to kill weeds since they create a barrier that prevents seeds from germinating.

What garden activity can devalue your garden?

While gardening has become a common activity for homeowners to engage in during recent years, there are in fact many features to be aware of which could, in fact, devalue your home.
Landlords or future buyers may raise claims which could cost hundreds, so it is wise to know what changes you should and shouldn’t make to your garden ahead of the summer. Consider researching more into any major changes you are looking to make, for example:
 

  • Installing a large outdoor water feature
  • Growing Japanese knotweed, Rhododendron Ponticum and Green Alkanet
  • Laying artificial grass
  • Buying a hot tub or installing a swimming pool
  • Building a concrete patio
  • Investing in garden furniture which will quickly outdate
  • Choosing seasonal plants

Sam Richards at Gazeboshop commented: “Despite being easier to maintain, many buyers are not keen on artificial grass for their gardens. For family homes where young children or dogs are often in the garden, artificial grass can be a preference, but for others, it can cost thousands to remove or reduce the sale value of the home if buyers are not willing to absorb the cost.
“Garden owners should also consider the plants they choose wisely. Selecting plants that all centre around one season can be damaging if the homeowner tries to shift their house on the market at a different time of the year. Instead, having a mixture of shrubs and trees, with perennials that respond well to deadheading will ensure months of colour.”
Rather than purchasing garden furniture which may outdate in a year or two, homeowners should consider quality items which can be used year after year, such as a heavy duty steel gazebo or a sofa set with a coffee table.
Samantha Jones, gardening expert, added “be careful about what you plant and know what is growing in your garden. Invasive and quick-growing species of plants and shrubs may be difficult to get rid of and can be costly. Japanese Knotweed is an obvious one, but other species such as Rhododendron Ponticum and Green Alkanet can also devalue a home. Also planting young trees near your house or a wall could cause structural problems later on. Installing large features that require a lot of maintenance such as ponds with electric pumps or are difficult to remove such as hard paving, may also devalue them.”

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