Six tips for your best garden yet

1. Clean up, blow, and rake: Start cleaning when snow has melted and the soil has dried. Rake away layers of leaves that can lead to the grass moulding or decaying.

2. Clear away weeds: Get rid of any weeds as early as possible, before the sun gives them energy to start growing.

3. Loosen the soil: This makes it possible for the oxygen to reach plant roots – and makes a better-looking flowerbed. In smaller beds, hand tools do the trick but for large areas, a rotary cultivator is best.

4. Trim the hedges: Hedges with leaves should be trimmed during winter or early spring. For conifers, once in early spring and once in the summer.

5. Mow the lawn: Grass needs to recover after the winter. Do not cut it too short— a level of 5-9 cm is ideal.

6. Trim: Lawn and flower beds to look best with trimmed edges.

- www.Newscanada.com