Garden tips for the start of spring
The sun is shining, temperatures are rising and many garden owners are eagerly waiting for spring to begin. That Germans like being active in the garden is also confirmed by the Einhell Do-It-Yourself Study 2023 published recently. It shows that more than two thirds (69 percent) of Germans enjoy spending time gardening. Traditionally, garden work each year will begin with a major spring-clean. Michael Gröstenberger, Category Manager at Einhell Germany AG, passes on the most important tips and tricks.
Lawn care begins when the soil temperature reaches 10 degrees
“Many people do their spring-clean in a single marathon spurt before or just after Easter, which is not always the best policy.” says Gröstenberger, explaining: “The spring-clean is divided into certain tasks that don’t necessarily have to be done at the same time. That means the work can be split up, so you don’t need to do everything at once.”
The first essential is to clear the garden of the remnants of the winter. “If you’re not expecting any more snow, it’s advisable to get rid of moss, withered grass, leaves and weeds from the lawn. Be careful with piles of leaves, though: Hedgehogs might still be hibernating in them,” Gröstenberger adds.
Once the soil temperature reaches ten degrees you can then start the actual lawn care, says the Einhell garden expert: “But then you need to decide whether to scarify or aerate the lawn, which will depend on the soil characteristics and the weed growth. It doesn’t make any sense to do both at the same time. Unlike scarifying, aerating is a rather gentle method, loosening up the soil and allowing more oxygen to reach the roots of the grass. The best time for scarifying or aerating is in the early part of the year up to mid-April, when the lawn is particularly capable of regeneration.” Only later, when the lawn starts to grow again, should you bring out the fertilizer.
“Whether scarifying or aerating, for me cordless machines from Einhell make the best choice, because even after a long winter they can be started up immediately without any major effort. They also offer cordless freedom. Depending on the particular amperage of the battery, Einhell cordless scarifiers/aerators such as the GE-SA 36/35 Li can handle lawns of up to 550 square meters in size,” says Gröstenberger.
Cutting back hedges and trees only allowed to a limited extent
While there are rules against cutting hedges back radically from March in order not to disturb domestic birds nesting and brooding, with fruit trees you have a little more time, explains Gröstenberger: “As long as the trees don’t have any leaves yet, you can bring them into shape and cut them back. That will then give the trees the strength they need to produce a lot of fruit.”
Tips for planting and clearing
There is even more time when it comes to flower beds and vegetable patches. “The old farmer’s rule says that frost-sensitive plants such as geraniums and tomatoes should only be put into the ground after ‘Ice Saints Day’, which is May 15,” advises Gröstenberger, clearing up a false gardening rule: “Please don’t dig up the flowerbed or vegetable patch, just rake it over. Digging it up encourages weeds and prevents the work of millions of microorganisms.”
The spring-clean also includes cleaning patios and garden paths. “You can start on them straight away, as soon as the snow is gone,” says Gröstenberger. Again, he warns against another frequent mistake: “Please don’t use any chemicals whatsoever, other-wise the microorganisms in the adjacent soil will be destroyed.” His tip? “Both the Picobella cordless surface brush and the high-pressure cleaner from Einhell use only water to achieve perfect cleaning results. With patios especially, whether made of wood or stone, I recommend cleaning with the surface brush because that is gentler. Einhell offers three specially designed brushes, depending on the substrate.”
Gröstenberger also has a perfect spring-cleaning solution for getting rid of weeds growing between paving stones and slabs. “Einhell’s GC-CC 18 Li cordless paving scraper lets you remove dirt and weeds from crevices between 6 and 15 millimeters wide easily and without too much effort. Einhell offers nylon and steel brushes for this purpose, each coming in 2 different widths.”
Gröstenberger: “By the way, the spring-clean is not just good for the garden, but also for your own soul. Researchers at University College in London discovered that cleaning has a similarly positive effect on the psyche to sport.” This is also confirmed by the Einhell Do-It-Yourself Study 2023, with 69 percent of those surveyed agreeing that “I enjoy spending time gardening.”
About Einhell Germany AG
Einhell is a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art tools and equipment for the house and garden. From its headquarters in Landau/Isar (Bavaria), the internationally successful company has continuously expanded its innovative rechargeable battery platform Power X-Change and is now the market leader in the area of cordless tools and garden equipment. For many years Einhell has set new standards in terms of endurance, performance, and safety. Einhell customers appreciate the freedom of cordless operation for all their DIY projects, as well as the excellent value for money that Einhell products represent and the first-class customer service offered by the company.