Spring is finally around the corner and many people can hardly wait to use their own garden again and enjoy it to the full. However, the local green was probably “shut down” over the winter. Now the time has come to make the garden fit for spring again so that it can be used optimally in the warm season. We reveal which steps are useful and which little helpers are available to “smart” gardeners. This makes the garden even more beautiful, safer and simply better than the year before.
Tip 1: create a concept
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Before everything is randomly taken out of the shed, set up and put into operation, it makes sense to create a concept for your own garden. This has probably already happened in the past and therefore there are three vegetable patches in one corner, a terrace for sitting and barbecuing in the other corner and a hammock under the tree.
But such a garden concept can become outdated, no longer suit your own taste or prove to be impractical. A passionate gardener always comes up with new ideas, be it for a purely visual design or for an even more practical use of their own green. It therefore makes sense every year to think about how your own garden should be (re) designed in the coming months.
Larger changes can now be planned. Perhaps it is time to fulfill your long-cherished dream of the pool or to buy the new lounge for the terrace. But even small changes can have a big impact.
- How about, for example, WLAN in the garden so that you can now stream films or work there as well, as a home office in the country, so to speak ?!
- Perhaps a normal vegetable patch should also be converted into a raised bed to protect the back or to serve as a colorful decoration.
- Buying a robotic lawnmower can also save a lot of time and nerves, making the summer in your own garden even more relaxing.
Tip 2: check the possibilities
The concept therefore consists first of all of wishes that the garden owner would like to realize. Before making the final decision, however, it must be checked whether these changes can even be implemented in your own garden. For example, when buying a robotic lawnmower, there are big differences in terms of prices or features. Not every robot can be used in every garden. Sometimes measures are also necessary, such as laying boundary wires. The robot can also be dangerous to use when children or pets are in the garden.
After the rough concept has been drawn up, it must now be decided in detail which plans are sensible and feasible. Then it comes to the specific selection of smart garden tools, the pool, the lounge or other planned purchases.
Tip 3: set the budget
There is only one step left before these are actually bought: the budget has to be determined. Because many purchases for the garden are not a bargain. Not everyone can therefore immediately realize their dream garden. If the budget is insufficient for the planned purchases, conversions, etc., priorities must therefore be set.
Of course, essential purchases should be made first, whereas “luxury” can still wait. In addition, everything that requires major renovation work in the garden should be tackled first. For example, it makes sense to lay the new terrace first and then buy the lounge furniture, or to lay the boundary wires for the robotic lawnmower first and only then to plant the areas.
Another tip is to wait for special offers such as discount campaigns for purchases that are not absolutely necessary. However, savings should not be made in the wrong place here, because high-quality garden tools also have a significantly longer service life and can therefore be cheaper in the long term – despite the higher purchase price.
It therefore makes sense to first get an overview of which garden tools are needed and how much they cost. Many well-known shops now have smart garden tools in their range so that a direct comparison is possible, for example between a robotic lawnmower and a conventional lawnmower.
The smart version is not always necessary – but in many cases it makes “gardening life” more comfortable and is therefore worth considering if the budget is sufficient. Otherwise, it might make sense to save another year and wait before making this purchase.
Tip 4: define an order
In order to make the garden fit for spring and to proceed sensibly, the order is also important. This can save a lot of time and the garden will look the way you want it as quickly as possible. As soon as the sun is shining and frost is no longer to be feared at night, every gardener should make a “to-do list” to make the garden fit for spring.
- First of all, all points can be collected in order to get a rough overview.
- Then these must be sorted according to priority and meaningfulness. Smart helpers can be used for this.
There are, for example, numerous apps for smartphones or tablets to create such “to-do lists” and to sort or edit them if necessary. If you have problems with motivation, you can use similar apps to increase productivity. Finally, there are also applications that are specially designed for gardeners and that are helpful in many different ways. These include, for example, apps that
- Help with garden management, for example with a photo diary or with the overall concept.
- help with the creation of beds and the cultivation of vegetables, herbs and other plants.
- inform about different types of plants, their flowering time and other important details.
- Act as a kind of “plant doctor” and support gardeners in identifying and treating plant diseases.
- Provide a community on the topic of gardens and thus enable the exchange on various topics.
Tip 5: Use smart opportunities
Many “smart” garden tools are now controlled using such apps, for example fully automatic irrigation solutions. There are now many ways to use such smart garden tools in the garden. Of course, that also largely depends on how your own garden is to be used and how much work the owners are willing to do themselves:
There are people who like to mow the lawn themselves. For others, the garden is more of a second living room in the “green”, where they can relax in the lounge and watch a film on the tablet. WLAN in the garden is therefore indispensable for them. Others want to enjoy the closeness to nature and work with their hands in the flower beds, far from any digital media. For them, an irrigation system makes more sense so that the beds are optimally managed at all times.
In principle, there are smart garden tools suitable for almost everyone nowadays. But that doesn’t mean that every garden has to be equipped with all available gadgets. In this regard, too, it makes sense to create a concept and check which helpers are useful and in the budget – and which are not.
Tip 6: install lighting
Enough with the preliminary considerations: Now it is time to get to work. A first sensible step to make the garden fit for spring is lighting. Because in spring it gets dark comparatively early and without additional light, the mild evenings in the garden are quickly over.
If lighting is already installed, it is important to check that it is working properly. In addition, this can of course be changed or optimized. “Smart” technology can be used for new lighting or as a supplement to the existing one. For example, modern garden lighting can be equipped with motion sensors or a dimmer. There are models that charge their battery during the day using small solar cells and thus provide beautiful light at night without any additional power consumption. Anyway, all lights that do not require a power supply via a cable are useful. Because this has numerous disadvantages:
- A cable must be protected from water or other weather influences in outdoor areas.
- It can be damaged quickly, for example by the lawn mower.
- It becomes a dangerous trip hazard.
- It often just looks ugly.
When laying cables outdoors, there are therefore special requirements to be observed. Alternatively, a wireless model can be chosen. There are lights for the floor or the table, movable or fixed models, with white or colored light and so on. Smart light strips, which are controlled by smartphone and can be laid wherever the adhesive strips are, are also popular. This makes them ideal for stylishly marking paths, the terrace boundary and similar areas.
Tip 7: prepare the terrace
The terrace or a similar sitting area are usually the areas that are most used in the garden. It therefore makes sense to start with these so that you are ready for spring – for a brunch on a sunny Sunday or a bit of relaxation in the lounger after work. Depending on how this seating area is designed, different activities arise:
- A hard floor made of tiles or stone must be swept and possibly cleaned with a high pressure cleaner.
- The stored furniture can then be taken out of the shed and cleaned.
- As soon as everything is in the right place, the seat cushions, the tablecloth, the parasol and perhaps also a smart speaker that can be controlled via Bluetooth with a smartphone, for example.
- If you also want WiFi, you should install the repeater near the terrace, because that’s where it is used most, i.e. the signal must be strongest there.
Tip 8: Maintain the lawn
Then it comes to the maintenance of the green areas. The lawn has hardly grown over the winter, but autumn and winter have probably left their marks. First of all, it is therefore important to free it of leaves, stones and other coarse dirt. Any legacies left by cats, moles or other animals must also be removed.
The lawn can then be mowed – either by hand or with the help of a robotic lawnmower. Now the time has come again to program it so that it keeps the lawn at the desired length in the coming months. It is important, however, that the first spring cut is not shorter than four centimeters, otherwise the lawn can be damaged.
Spring is also a good time to scarify. This opportunity can also be used to touch up bald spots or make other small “repairs” on the lawn. To do this, it is enough to loosen the soil and re-sow. A new growth of moss can be prevented by liming. If you want, you can also fertilize the lawn so that it grows faster, looks greener and can better defend itself against weeds or moss.
Tip 9: beds, hedges and co
The next steps depend to a large extent on how the garden is designed. Anyone who has created vegetable or flower beds, for example, must now also bring them into shape. If there are hedges, it is time for spring pruning. However, the right time for this depends on the type of plant. You should also watch out for birds and other residents.
Some trees, bushes and other plants now also have to be cut, fertilized or otherwise cared for. Special apps can also be helpful here.
Plants that need a lot of water in particular should also be equipped with an irrigation system. Smart garden irrigation saves a lot of time and optimizes the results. It uses intelligent plant sensors to decide when the plant needs to be watered and to what extent. Of course, models with automatic programming are also possible, for example a sprinkler system that starts at the same time every day.
Tip 10: make the grill fit for spring
As soon as nature is blooming again in full beauty and the terrace and the dining table are ready, the barbecue can be started for the first time. If you like to grill often, it is best to set up your own “grill corner” so that the device does not have to be stowed away and taken out of the shed every time. In the warm season, a waterproof tarpaulin is usually sufficient as a cover.
However, that also depends on the type of grill. Gas cylinders, for example, must not be exposed to high temperatures. It is important to keep them outdoors, but in a shady and dry place. When deciding to buy a grill, the question of correct storage should also be clarified. It also makes sense to choose a smart grill with a self-cleaning function.
Tip 11: the smart garden house
Anyone who owns or wants to build a garden house can transform it into a small “smart home”. First of all, it is important to clean and sort it out thoroughly. It is only too happy to be used as a storage room for furniture or garden tools in winter. In addition, mice or other small animals often nest here, after all, it is warm and dry there and they are undisturbed.
If the problem is more profound with pests, an app can help identify the animals and give valuable tips on how to properly eliminate them. Various apps are also available to find and commission an exterminator from the region if necessary. Here, too, smart helpers can make “gardening life” easier.
As soon as the garden shed shines in new splendor, it can be comfortably furnished. Some people use it as a wellness oasis, others as a small fitness studio and again as a place to eat when it rains and the terrace needs to be cleared quickly. The possibilities are almost endless.
In many cases, it is worth considering making the garden shed “smarter”. In principle, the same options are available for this as in the main house, provided there is a power connection. Alternatively, it can be supplied with a small solar power system. The most important steps to turn the garden house into a “smart home” in small format include:
- Installation of light, ideally with motion detectors outside and a practical dimming function inside. Voice control is also possible.
- Put an internet connection. In the best case scenario, the WiFi signal extends from the main house to the garden house and can be amplified there using a repeater.
- Especially when valuable (smart) devices are used, the garden shed must be secured against burglary. A “Smart Lock” is recommended for this, which can be locked and unlocked using fingerprint, Bluetooth, time control or other convenient functions.
- Inside, the comfort can be increased by speakers – for the perfect soundtrack for relaxing, exercising or whatever the garden house is used for. The use of intelligent AI technology such as Alexa is of course also possible.
- Smart adapter plugs can be used to have more sockets available or simply for more convenience. They enable control by voice, according to schedules or via smartphone, so that the electronic devices in the garden house do not generate unnecessary electricity consumption.
Finally, security can be increased through additional measures such as smart external cameras – but this does not only apply to the garden house.
Tip 12: more safety in the garden
Smart outdoor cameras, like motion detectors in garden lighting, can increase security. This means that no movement in the garden goes unnoticed, especially at night, which also serves to protect against break-ins. The smart cameras can be viewed at any time and, if necessary, set off an alarm if they detect unusual activities. Now the garden is fit for spring, modernly equipped, safe and comfortable – so that nothing is left to be desired and it can be optimally used in the warm months!
