Spring! Just the word says so much. For many people it's the best time of the year. The cold of winter has passed, the sun is out and shining, the birds are singing, the bees are buzzing. And there is so much to do in your garden.
If you're a passionate gardener you'll know there's plenty of work waiting in your garden come Springtime and the earlier you get started the more you will be rewarded with wonderful vistas, delightful fragrances and beautiful blooms.
1. Start trimming & tidying
Your trees and shrubs will likely have leaves and even small branches that have died or shrivelled up over winter. Time to trim them all back and get ready for the new buds and bursts of growth in Spring. Not only does this encourage more growth but your plants will look so much nicer with all the dead growth cut away. Prune trees and trim hedges to encourage new growth. If you have summer flowering plants like hydrangeas and hibiscus, trim early in spring to encourage the plant to put all their energy into creating beautiful new blooms. If you leave it too late you will risk cutting off the new buds.
2. How green is your lawn?
If you have a lawn, early spring is the time to care the most about it. If you're energetic, you can get out the garden fork and start aerating it to promote lush new growth. Early spring is also the best time to hit your lawn with weedkiller to get rid of those pesky broadleaf weeds and painful bindii. Then follow up with a good dose of fertiliser to help the grass grow strong and deny the weeds a chance to come back. If your lawn has some bare patches, aerate and spread the lawn seed to give the grass a chance to grow and get established before the heat of summer.
3. Plant anything and everything
Spring is the growing season and it's the perfect time to plant just about anything. The soil should be soft and still moist from winter, making it easy to dig and helping plants get well established before the summer heat hits. Before planting you can dig in some organic matter and nitrogen, especially in the veggie garden to help give new plants a boost. A naturally prepared garden bed is always the best thing new plants need to get established. And even though the ground can still be quite moist, make sure new plants are well watered to help them get over replant shock.
4. Spread the love (and the fertiliser)
Everything starts growing faster and stronger in Spring. But plants need good nutrition to support all that growth, just like little kids do. So it's time to get out the fertiliser and give your plants a good feed. Your veggie garden will love it if you dig through compost and manure before planting your spring crops. (Or give those you've already planted a dose of a soluble fertiliser.) Australian natives in your garden (and other plants) will love the traditional blood & bone or something like Dynamic Lifter. These add organic elements into the soil to encourage microbial and earthworm activity. Your pot plants will love some liquid fertiliser to give them a slower release boost throughout Spring. If you have roses or citrus plants or orchids, etc look for the specialised types of fertilisers these plants need to give them a boost to their Spring growth spurt.
5. Get into pest protection mode
With all the rapid growth that happens in Spring, it's no surprise we also get an explosion in the number and activity of pests. The warm weather stirs up aphids making them more active in your veggie garden or on your new rose growth. You might also notice psyllids appearing on your Lilly Pillies and other plants. They will need to be controlled before they take over. So you will have to get busy around the garden with insecticides and keep a watchful eye on everything.
So there you have it, essentially the Top 5 tips you need to help your Spring Garden bloom in Melbourne and on the Mornington Peninsula.
We wish you a wonderful Spring in your garden. And of course, if your garden could do with something more than just a few new plants to make it really bloom, please feel free to contact us. Why not book a free consultation call with one of our design team? It's a great way to bounce your thoughts and ideas about your garden off a professional landscape designer at no cost and with no obligation. Who knows what might come from the conversation and what other tips and insights you might discover? Click below to book:
If you'd like some additional insights into landscaping and design for your garden, why not take a look at some of our other informative articles:
Other articles exploring Landscape Design and Garden Creation in Melbourne...
Which of the 3 garden design approaches will suit you best?
What's the most important element in a new garden?
When is the right time to engage a landscape designer?
