Spring into action
This is the time of year that inspires everyone to garden. Even non gardeners and black thumbs feel inspired to get out and ‘have a grow’. Doing practical tasks like weeding, feeding and mulching may not be as much fun as planting, however they will help your garden thrive. Not only do weeds look unsightly, but they also compete with the plants we want to grow for space, water and nutrients. This is the time of year to feed the whole garden – your ornamentals, fruit trees, vegies and lawn. Mulching garden beds generously to conserve water is one of the most important parts of your garden’s summer survival plan. Mulch prevents the soil and plants from drying out as rapidly and reduces your plants’ water requirements significantly. Mulching also helps to smothers weeds and reduce weed seed germination, stopping weeds competing with your plants for water.
Plant warm season vegies for summer abundance
Prepare the beds in your vegie garden well before planting your warm season crops like tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, cucumber, eggplants, pumpkins, zucchini as well as herbs like basil. Ultimately the quality of your crop is directly related to the quality of your soil, so be sure to work through plenty of organic matter in the form of compost and aged animal manures, as well as pelletised organic fertilisers. When the soil is improved and the soil temperature reaches 16 degrees, that is the time to start planting these summer crops. In cold districts, be prepared to grow seedlings on in pots where you can better protect them until the risk of frost is over. Its also a great time to be planting strawberries and they also grow best in well prepped soil.
Native page
Why not add some Australian Native plants to your garden this spring. There are lots to choose from, offering colourful flowers, interesting foliage and form, and many are magnets for birds, bees and butterflies. Some like Boronia also have heavenly scented flowers and others like wax flowers (Chamelaucium) make great long lasting cut flowers. Choose varieties that come from similar climate zones within Australia to ensure you are choosing plants which are hardy and waterwise. While there is a common misconception that Australian native plants cannot be combined with exotic varieties in a garden, a blended garden of natives and exotics can work very well.
Spring colour
Nothing brings us as much joy as adding some flowers to our gardens. Whether planting annuals such as Night Sky Petunias or pansies, or perennials such as daisies, lavender, Osteospermum or purple statice, be sure to add some flowering plants to your garden for colour and cheer in the sunny months ahead. Have fun making up large mixed planters combining a few colourful perennial plants with some complementary annuals and use them as focal points or statement pieces in garden beds, or to frame entrances and pathways.
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