Spring is around the corner and it's really a beautiful season in South Africa. The Namaqualand daisies burst into full bloom and gardens start to blossom with life. Now is the time to start preparing your plants for the warmer weather and pending rejuvenation. If you’re not a keen gardener, then IWESCO can provide garden maintenance services throughout the country.
Our team of expert gardeners and green-fingered gurus will whip your outdoor space into shape and give it the best chance of flourishing throughout the spring season. This includes cutting back bushes, preparing the soil and maintaining the lawn. These services can be organised on a routine basis or as a once-off job to prepare your garden for spring.
What to consider before starting
Every garden is different, so there are a few things to consider before diving into the task of preparing your yard. Think about your climate - do you live in a cold and wet climate or a dry and hot one? Plants all have a preferred climate in which they thrive, so planting the right shrubs and flowers for your climate is imperative.
Although spring does not generally bring much rain in South Africa, by the time the plants have matured in summer, the rains may affect their health. Depending on where you live, be sure to choose plants that thrive on the natural rainfall. This will help to reduce your water usage and also make long-term garden maintenance easier.
Lastly, consider your soil type. Some gardens have sandy soil, others have rich red mud. This obviously affects the growth of the plants in a massive way, so for a healthy spring garden, opt for plants that grow well in your soil conditions.
Soil preparation for spring
This is the key to success. If your soil is not correctly prepared and does not contain enough nutrients, then your spring garden will be a flop. Compost is the best way to add natural nutrients to your soil. Fertiliser works too, but it’s more expensive and potentially harmful if used incorrectly.
Fertile soil needs to contain organic nutrients as well as earthworms and insects. Starting a compost with vegetable scraps, leaves and grass clippings will ensure that you have a steady supply of nutrient-rich material to spread across your flower beds and incorporate into the holes that you dig for new plants.
Our garden maintenance crew will work the compost into your soil with a garden fork, as well as remove any unwanted debris and rocks from your flower beds. Mulch is another great way to keep moisture in the soil and ensure that it’s a haven for healthy microorganisms and worms.
Preparing your plants
Now is the time to cut back your bushes and shrubs. The old summer growth needs to be clipped to allow the new spring shoots to develop properly. This simple task will ensure that your plants grow during spring and throughout summer. It will also allow you to shape some of the shrubs in whatever way you prefer.
If you’re planting new flowers, be sure to water them regularly at first. Once they start growing properly, you only need to water them a couple of times a week - even less if you live in a wet climate. Watering your plants heavily and less frequently will encourage their roots to grow deeper, which will stand them in good stead for summer and the next winter.
All of these tasks will be carried out but IWESCO’s garden maintenance team if you do not have the time, patience or know-how. Our crew will also remove any weeds from your flower beds, lawn or paving. Weeds also thrive in spring, so removing them by the roots before September will prevent your garden from becoming overgrown.
Maintaining the lawn
During winter, grass usually grows slowly and in some cases, even lies dormant. However, when spring rolls around, you’ll notice that bright green shoots start to flourish. Before this happens, rake up the dead leaves and remove the winter debris. This will help light to penetrate the lawn and give it a chance to breathe and soak up some water.
Re-seed any dead patches, but be sure to choose a variety of grass that thrives in that environment (i.e. full sunlight, full shade or a combination of both). Loosen the soil with a garden fork and allow the seed to fall into all of the cracks and holes. Water this patch well until the seeds germinate.
Lawns tend to use a lot of water, so consider other groundcover plants if you live in an area with less rainfall and no access to a borehole. IWESCO will also take care of your lawns if you do not have the right equipment or time. We have proper machinery that will keep your lawn neat and tidy throughout the year. For more information about our garden maintenance services or to book an appointment, please contact us today.
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IWESCO offers specialised cleaning and waste control services to industrial and commercial customers in South Africa. These services are aimed at minimising our customers’ impact on the environment. Our services also include pest control, garden maintenance, fogging and disinfecting. Our staff are highly trained to offer the most professional services. IWESCO is a Level 2 B-BBEE supplier with ISO 14001 certification for environmental management.
We are a one-stop shop for all your contract cleaning and waste control needs and have a national footprint. Our head office is located in Tshwane but we can provide services to any industrial and commercial client in the major metropolitan areas around South Africa, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Mbombela and more.
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