An oak framed garden building can have a wide range of different uses. Adding one of these beautiful and useful structures to your garden can truly enhance your life in a range of different ways. One of the great things about an oak garden building is that it can make it a lot easier for you to start growing your own food. Here are just some of the spring gardening jobs made easier with an oak framed garden building:

Planning The Gardening Year in an Oak Framed Garden Building

All around us, spring is in full swing. Plants are growing like crazy and there is plenty of wildlife around to enjoy. An oak garden building is a perfect place from which to enjoy and admire your existing garden.

But if you’ve not started growing your own, it is not too late to get organised. And an oak framed garden building can be the perfect place to plan for the year ahead. As a tranquil and relaxing space, an oak summerhouse, orangery or conservatory can be the perfect place to sit while you make lists, plan your planting schedule, and get organised for growing your own food this year. You should:

• Research gardening techniques and look into plants and varietals to expand your gardening knowledge. Learn online or by reading books. 
• Make lists of the seeds and plants you would like to buy this spring. (And get them ordered if you have not done so already.) If you have trouble sourcing seeds, it is worthwhile noting that there are also a number of vegetables you can regrow from scraps.)
• Start a planting journal, so you know what you sow when, and when you will expect to harvest each crop.
• Plan successional sowing, and for crop rotation.
• Make a ‘To do’ list for your garden for the next month or two.

Getting the Basics in Place

A garden building could create the perfect sheltered spot for a compost heap or compost bin. It can also screen this unsightly garden element from view. If you do only one garden job now, it should be starting a composting system. Composting kitchen scraps and garden materials is something we can all do to live more sustainably right now. 

A garden building can also open up new opportunities to collect the rain that falls on your property. Setting up guttering and a collection barrel or water butt on your oak framed building can help you make the most of this natural resource. Rainwater is better for watering your plants. And if your water is metered, collecting rainfall could help you financially too. 

Seed Sowing and Germination

An oak framed garden building can also be the perfect place to sow seeds. First of all, having a garden building will allow you to comfortably sow seeds out of the elements. You can set up a seed sowing station in front of a sunny window in the building to save your back and make it easier and more comfortable to get started with growing your own – or to expand your home growing efforts. 

A warm and yet breathable structure such as an oak framed building will also provide a great environment for seed germination. In spring, the temperatures may still be rather cool outdoors – a little too cool to direct sow more heat-loving plants. In an oak framed building, it is easier for you to achieve the perfect temperatures and environmental conditions for seed germination for a range of common edible plants. It will allow you to get started with seed sowing earlier in spring and get your garden off to a great start. 

Pricking Out and Potting Up

Setting up a potting zone in an oak garden building will also make it easier for you to care for seedlings after seeds have germinated. You can set up shelves and staging, and other accessible areas where you can care for seedlings, prick out your seedlings and pot them up as required. You can fill containers and create a container garden, or just care for your plants until it is time to harden them off and plant them outside in your garden. 

An oak framed garden building gives you a dedicated space to undertake all these basic gardening activities in comfort, no matter what the weather is like outside. A big step up from a simple potting shed, an oak structure is a place where you will be far more willing and happy to spend more time. 

Growing On More Tender Seedlings Before Planting Out

Certain plants obviously need more cosseting than others. One of the difficult things for gardeners is knowing when it is the right time to plant out more tender plants. Often, it can be a challenge to find enough windowsill space for summer crops like tomatoes and peppers that were sown indoors early in the year – especially as they are potted up to larger containers in the spring. 

An oak framed garden building can give you that extra, warm and light-filled space you need to grow on more tender summer crops until it is time to plant them out in your garden, well after the last frost in your area, and once the weather has well and truly warmed. 

Sowing and Growing Exotic Edibles

Finally, it is worthwhile remembering that a high-end, high-quality oak garden building will not only make it easier to grow common crops. It can also dramatically extend the number of crop types that you are able to grow. An oak building, whether it is a dedicated orangery or not, can be used to sow and grow a number of more usually exotic edibles that would not normally grow well in our climate.

It can be a space to keep citrus trees and other fruit trees over the cooler months. And it could allow you to grow sub-tropical and even potentially tropical plant species from around the world. 

These are just some of the spring gardening jobs made easier with an oak framed garden building. 

About Us

We here at Loosehanger Oak pride ourselves on our attention to detail, as well as our environmental credentials. We provide an end-to-end service – taking care of everything from initial idea to finished construction. We handle all the small hassles and let you relax and look forward to enjoying your new oak building or oak extension.

Contact Gary today to begin your journey, book a free site visit and consultation, and join our many contented customers as you embark on your own oak framed construction project.