Spring is in swing, so pay attention to your garden

Spring, as they say, has well and truly sprung, so if you haven"t tended to your garden by now, a spot of spring gardening might be the idea to banish those recession blues.These days, everyone is worried about job security, paying mortgages, bills and other outgoings, so reconnecting with the earth is the key to clearing your head and re-establishing a bit of perspective.The story of Ireland"s past is, for the greater part, a story of our relationship with the land, and the struggle to win back their pastures from the landed gentry.Nowadays, as the 'market' focus on industry means that agricultural practices are not as widespread as they used to be, in these recessionary times, people will still value their 'little patch', where they can grow food for consumption, or plants for pleasure.There are a number of tasks facing the gardener in the 'rite of spring', and if you haven"t addressed them already, you"ll need to make a checklist as soon as possible.Your first job is to clear drainage ditches, as leaves and other debris will have gathered in drains over the autumn and winter months. As spring seeds develop best in soil which has good drainage, you must ensure that the spring rains will have plenty of room to manoeuvre.Wet winter soils put a serious strain on raised bedding, and seomtimes and a stake will rot and give away, resulting in a collapse. Any bowed or leaning sides should be fixed now, if you have not done it already.Dig back the soil behind the bowed side, and drive new stakes into the ground with a slight inward lean. Then, push sideboards up to the stakes, and fasten with screws or nails.Trellis and fencing are also easiest to replace in early spring, with less growth to work around, and less roots to disturb.Then you must weed young, spring weeds, and mulch bare spots in flower beds. Any weeds which appear in your flower beds will be easiest to dislodge in early spring, as their roots are shallow. Covering exposed spots with mulch or ground cover will stop new weeds from appearing, and for this, a depth of three or four inches is enough to do the trick.To help prevent any rotting, keep the mulch a couple of inches away from tree trunks, or the crowns and stems of plants.When beds get dry enough, dress the top of them with compost or seasoned manure to prepare for planting. Whatever you do, don"t dig the bed, as established beds have a complex soil ecosystem which you shouldn"t disturb.Apply lime to your beds in early spring, as this is the time when soils of a certain acidity will benefit from substances such as dolomite - the recommended grind of top gardeners. Lime should be applied a number of weeks before planting, and you should cover a limed bed with plastic sheeting during the heavy rains of springtime, to prevent the substance from escaping.Make sure to remove dead leaves from ornamental grasses and ferns, as once spring growth begins, it"s difficult to do this without damaging the plant.Finally, get your lawn ready for the summer season by removing winter debris, and reseeding patches of lawn which have been made bare by the gruelling winter months.Take time to prune dead or damaged branches of trees and shrubs after the beginning of new growth, and prune roses as they begin to bud out. Any fruit trees you may have should have been pruned by now.Relocate any existing shrubs you may want to move before they begin to produce leaves, and remove any stakes and guy wires installed on trees planted during the autumn.If you"re going crops and flowers, soil is ready for this purpose once it crumbles easily in your hands or at the force of a spade, and is free of ice crystals from the recent cold spell. Ensure that the soil is not too wet, as this prevents your seedlings from breathing. Plant several varieties of vegetables, and ensure that they are protected from any more hard frosts we may encounter during the opening months of 2009.Remember, if you"re a beginner, starting small is key to building a successful garden. You do not need to be a trained horticulturist, but if you"re having trouble, consult the Internet, or visit one of your local garden centres for advice.