Overgrown gardens can often feel like a mammoth task to tackle, but if you have the right tools to hand, you can create a garden haven, ready to enjoy all year round.
Before you begin, make sure you have the tools needed to take on your overgrown garden. Alongside household cleaning products, investing in essentials like gardening gloves, secateurs, trowel and lawn mower can make keeping on top of your garden maintenance much simpler.
If you’re looking for extra space to store your garden furniture and tools seasonally, you could consider short-term storage, leaving room in your garden shed for other essential items.
How can you tackle an overgrown garden?
- Map out your plan before you begin
- Clean up any rubbish
- Mow your lawn
- Prune your shrubs and trees
- Pull out weeds at the root
- Deep clean your patio
- Clear out your shed
- Freshen up your garden furniture
1. Map out a plan before you begin
No matter the size of the garden you’re about to tackle, creating a to-do list can make things much more manageable. Think about how you use your garden: if you’ve got a pet, making your space animal-friendly might be more of a priority, while the green-fingered among us are more likely to need to focus on the flowerbeds first. Make sure you’ve got all the tools you need to hand, as well as access to a skip or green bin to safely throw away any garden waste before you begin.
2. Clean up any rubbish
Before you start to mow the lawn or take on the shrubs, clean up any rubbish in your garden. Check for any dog waste, toys, dead garden material and rubbish that may be hiding in the grass and bushes – don’t forget to wear your gardening gloves before you get started.
This step is especially important if you’re in the process of selling your house. Removing excess waste is an instant fix for giving your property that all important kerb appeal.
3. Mow your lawn
Once the rubbish has been taken care of, it’s time to mow the lawn. Depending on when you last trimmed your grass, it may take a couple of trips up and down your garden to get it to a more manageable length.
A freshly cut lawn will instantly give your garden a refresh and allows you to get a better view of what else needs to be done.
4. Prune your shrubs and trees
In the winter months we naturally spend less time in our gardens, which means shrubs and trees can often become overgrown and unruly, with roots and branches reaching across your garden. This is where your secateurs will come in handy.
When shrubs, trees and bushes are left to grow, they can quickly look unhealthy and unappealing. Using your secateurs (or hedge trimmers if you have them to hand) start to trim them back to a more manageable size.
Remember, shrubs such as hydrangeas and honeysuckle need to be trimmed in early spring. This gives them the perfect amount of time to rejuvenate and grow as the summer days approach.
For other shrubs and trees, make sure you check beforehand to find out when is the best time to prune them. You may want to speak to a specialist who can advise you further.
5. Pull out the weeds at the root
Once you’ve pruned your plants, you’ll be able to see any weeds that have cropped up in your garden – and in an overgrown space, there’s likely to be a fair few.
To help you remove those pesky weeds, take your trowel and dig down around the root, to see if there are any roots growing out away from the plant. If you don’t pull out the weed from the root, it will likely grow back quicker and impact the quality of your soil.
To keep on top of roots sprouting up, we recommend checking your garden for roots every couple of weeks. This will make future garden tidy-ups much easier.
6. Deep clean your patio
Patio slabs can often become discoloured in the autumn and winter months: giving them a deep clean removes any mould or moss, and makes your tiles look as good as new, too. A pressure washer is the perfect tool for removing any excess dirt and debris from your patio and often doesn’t require any cleaning elements either.
If you don’t have a pressure washer or specific patio cleaners to hand, you can make the most of natural household cleaners like washing-up liquid, white vinegar and baking soda.
Using a sweeping brush or handheld brush, scrub warm water and your cleaner of choice into the patio slabs to remove built-up dirt. Once each slab has been scrubbed, rinse your patio with clean water.
To keep your patio area sparkling for longer, try to give your tiles a deep clean three to four times a year.
7. Clear out your shed
Garden sheds are a great place for storing your gardening equipment, but we can all be guilty of using them as a dumping ground, especially in the colder months when you’re less likely to step foot in your garden.
Declutter any unnecessary items that are taking up too much space and house them elsewhere. It’s important to keep only the essentials in your garden shed, as this will help you to manage your garden in the future.
8. Freshen up your garden furniture
If you’re pulling out your garden furniture ready for entertaining this summer, you’re likely going to need to give it a refresh before using it.
For wooden, plastic and rattan furniture items, use a soft brush and warm soapy water to remove any dirt, buffing each piece gently to remove any cobwebs or grime. If you’ve opted for metal garden furniture, use a soft cloth with the soapy solution and rinse down with a hose or pressure washer on the lowest setting.
To help your furniture last longer, clean it at the start of spring, and always make sure you’re storing it underneath a waterproof covering for the winter months.
While it might feel like a thankless task, conquering your garden means you’ll be able to enjoy your space to the fullest. If you’re looking to spruce up your surroundings or get your garden under control before moving, our handy guide will help you bring some order back into your space.
Find out more information about how to clear out your garden shed to help you get your whole garden under control.