Gardening tips for the Mediterranean climate
Practical guides to looking after your garden in Tarragona, Torredembarra and the Costa Daurada all year round. We write them from what we see in gardens every week.
Lawn care all year round
On the Costa Daurada, lawns suffer in summer and recover in autumn. This guide tells you what to do each month and how to fix the most common problems.
Lawn · 5 minHow to care for your lawn in summer
Between June and September the sun and coastal wind push lawns to the limit. With four simple changes yours will reach autumn still green.
Lawn · 6 minNatural or artificial grass?
Both work on the Costa Daurada, but they're not for the same thing. Here's an honest comparison so you can choose based on your garden and how you use it.
Plants · 6 min10 sun-tolerant plants for Mediterranean gardens
A very sunny garden and not sure what to plant? These plants cope with the Costa Daurada heat, add colour and need little water. Filter the ones that suit your garden.
Pruning · 5 minWhen to prune trees, hedges and palms
Pruning at the wrong time weakens the plant or costs it its flowers. This table sums up when to prune each type of plant in Tarragona's climate.
Pruning · 7 minLearn to prune: a guide for Mediterranean gardens
Pruning is one of the most important jobs in the garden, and doing it badly can damage plants. Here's the essentials for pruning properly.
Tips · 6 min10 tips for a Mediterranean garden
A beautiful garden doesn't need magic, but it does need consistency and a few professional tricks. These are the ten we use most on the Costa Daurada.
Ideas · 5 min8 ideas to improve your garden
You don't need to redo the whole garden for it to change a lot. These improvements are simple and show from day one.
Tips · 4 minHow to choose a gardening company
Before you leave your garden in someone's hands, check these eight things. Tick the ones the company you're considering meets.
What to do in your garden this month
January Rest
- Formative pruning of deciduous and fruit trees
- Check and repair the irrigation system
- Plant bare-root trees and shrubs
- Winter treatments for fruit trees
No time? We'll do it
February Prepare
- Last formative pruning before bud break
- Prune the roses
- Base fertilising in flower beds
- Prepare the ground for a spring lawn
No time? We'll do it
March Awakening
- Scarify the lawn and reseed bare patches
- First lawn feed
- Reprogramme the irrigation: the days are getting longer
- Plant herbs: lavender, rosemary, santolina
No time? We'll do it
April Growth
- Sow a spring lawn
- Watch for aphids on tender shoots
- Mulch beds with bark to hold moisture
- Light hedge trim
No time? We'll do it
May Palms
- Palm pruning season begins
- Preventive treatment against the red palm weevil
- Raise the mowing height
- Water at dawn
No time? We'll do it
June Heat
- Get the drip system ready before summer
- Mow the lawn higher so it doesn't scorch
- Hedge trimming
- Check for pests every week
No time? We'll do it
July Summer
- Water early in the morning or at dusk
- Don't fertilise in the heat
- Check the palms
- Avoid hard pruning
No time? We'll do it
August Endure
- Keep the lawn long
- Clean clogged drip emitters
- Clear land to reduce the fire risk
- Remove dead leaves and flowers
No time? We'll do it
September Sow
- The best time to sow or lay a lawn begins
- Clean-up pruning of dead branches
- Autumn fertilising
- Last palm pruning
No time? We'll do it
October Plant
- Lay lawns from seed or turf
- Plant shrubs and trees
- Cut back watering
- Scarify the lawn
No time? We'll do it
November Gather
- Keep planting
- Rake up fallen leaves
- Adjust watering to the rain
- Last mow of the year, set high
No time? We'll do it
December Plan
- Check the irrigation system
- Protect cold-sensitive plants
- Plan next year's garden
- Start formative pruning at the end of the month
No time? We'll do it
Rather do it yourself? Shop at JardinOK
Tools, irrigation and gardening products chosen by our team for the Mediterranean climate. If we haven't used it in the gardens we look after, it doesn't go in the shop.
Shall we talk about your garden?
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