Christmas is over and the days have started to get longer again – hooray! As this happens, we set our sights on longer days and warmer weather, and for many of us a huge part of this is the garden. Spending time outdoors is great for our mental wellbeing and tending a garden is a relaxing activity, which brings so much pleasure.
If you are planning on getting back out into the garden soon, then here are some of the garden problems that are fairly common and some ideas on how to remedy them…
Invasive Plants and Weeds – Most gardeners struggle with weeds and invasive plants in the garden from time to time. The best way to deal with this is with regular weeding, however there are times when there is little choice but to use strong chemicals and tougher ways to stop this. Some of the worst plants for causing problems are Japanese Knotweed, and bamboo. Both of these are incredibly hardy and spread quickly and easily. When you spot these in the garden rapid action is needed. You may want to get a specialist in to deal with the problem for you, as sometimes the roots will need digging out, and it may be that you will need to put something in the soil to block the plant from spreading.
Fungal Diseases – Plants are prone to many fungal diseases and as a gardener it is important to keep a lookout for these and catch them as early as possible so that you can get on top of them. A common fungal problem is black spot. This forms on roses, which many of us have in our gardens, and is quite easy to see, as like the name suggests it forms black patches on the leaves. You can buy black spot on roses remedy for dealing with this, or if you decide to tackle it without using these treatments, you may be able to remove the leaves that have the problem. Blight is another fungal disease to watch out for, that often affects food that you might be growing in the garden, such as potatoes. You can spot it as the leaves of the affected plant will start to turn brown around the edges.
Winter Damage – Getting back out into the garden after the winter weather often means that there is a lot of tidying up to do and damage to repair. Winter storms can wreak havoc on a garden, so there will likely be lots of garden jobs to get on with at this time of year before you can get on with any gardening. Check all structures, like greenhouses and shed, particularly the roofs which can take the brunt of the winter weather. It is also important to clear away debris like dead leaves which can be blown into the garden with the strong winter winds.
