Spring Clean your Garden
September marks the start of spring when warmer weather means plenty of planting, pruning and tidying. Discover what you need to do in the backyard this season
Adriana Camilleri
4 September 2018
As the cold slowly retreats and the days become warmer and longer, now is the time to help your garden spring to life. Whether it is to revitalise plants that have been lying dormant through the chilly months, picking the best colour flowers to decorate your garden with or to get those winter weeds eradicated, spring is undoubtedly the most exciting time to be out in the garden.
Refresh the lawn
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Your grass needs to take off its winter coat as much as you do, so there is no better way to rejuvenate your lawn than by aerating the surface. Aerating your lawn will ensure the sun penetrates deep into the soil over the course of spring, assisting your lawn in staying greener for longer through the season. Aerating also allows you to loosen and remove any pesky weeds which may have settled into your lawn over the winter. It is important to remove weeds now as this will prevent them from spreading as the weather continues to warm up, and with Hoselink's Fork or Garden Weeder, you can make light work of this tough job. Prepping the lawn for spring should also include spreading lawn fertiliser. A lawn fertiliser will encourage thicker, greener growth and minimise any new weeds from taking up residence. Turf is in active growing season during spring, which makes it the perfect time to lay down a new lawn or maintain and repair any bare patches which may have been targeted by the winter frost. Putting in the hard work now will minimise having to spend hours in the garden during the summer heat and will assist in keeping your grass thick, green and strong as the season progresses.
Planting
Spring is the season for blooming, so there is no better time to plant. It is important to remember that every region of Australia has varying environments, so it is essential to research which plants are suitable to grow where. Often wet/dry tropical zones are ideal for planting herbs such as mint and basil during the spring season, while cucumber, tomatoes and sweet potatoes are best planted in temperate regions such as Sydney, coastal NSW and Victoria. Popular flowers to plant during spring include petunias, marigolds and geraniums in the southern states (Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia). Western Australia and Queensland are perfect for planting marigolds while Belladonna lilies and giant sunflowers will flourish in Tasmania.
When preparing your garden for planting, your soil should be sifted with compost and manure to ensure plants have a rich source of nutrients. These nutrients will help the plant to establish roots in the early stages of growth. As the weather continues to heat up, your plants will need to be watered regularly. It is always a good tip to cover any garden beds with a 10cm layer of mulch. The mulch will ensure that moisture is retained. When moisture is scarce in summer you can prepare your plants now by mixing the mulch with a slow-release fertiliser which will provide the plant with nutrients throughout the hotter months.
Re-potting your pot plants is best done in spring, especially if your plant has outgrown its pot. Plants should be moved to a new, larger container or, if you are planning to move your pot plant to a garden bed, do so while the rest of the plants in the yard are at the start of the active growth period.
Pruning
During winter many plants can be hit with frost, so now is the time to cut off any dead, damaged or diseased branches. Without pruning, the new roots could be suffocated by old foliage and any dead or diseased stems will attract insects who can potentially spread the disease to the rest of your garden. Ensure you are disposing of any trimmed branches and leaves into a contained compost heap away from the regenerating spring garden. It is important during spring to keep your compost moist and turn it regularly, this will ensure that the decomposition process continues at a steady rate as the warmer weather begins to dry out the pile.
Spring is also the perfect time to trim your shrubs to maintain shape and increase plant health. Hoselink’s range of secateurs and pruning tools will help you determine what tool will help you get the job done whether it's a Pruning Saw to cut through sticky sap-laden plants or a pair of Ratchet Pruners to quickly snip through stems. By selecting a few branches and tidying up your garden beds, more light and air will be able to reach your plants, which means a stronger, healthier and more beautiful backyard for you to enjoy throughout the warmer months.
Just as we use spring as a motivator to clean out our wardrobes and tidy up the kitchen, the same goes for sharpening our gardening tools. Hoselink’s Sharpener will keep all of your garden tool blades sharp and at the ready. Take the time out before starting any pruning to sharpen and clean all secateurs and cutting tools. Selecting the correct tool for your pruning needs will also avoid damage to both your plant and your tools, keeping in mind that each plant will be re-assessed for each tool throughout the growth of your garden.
Repair and clear winter's damage
Frost, rain and the lack of sun to dry up excess moisture can really affect the garden beds in winter, putting stress on borders as well as fencing where the timber can be left rotting and damaged. Now is the time to move the soil without putting any strain on the plants and repair or re-lay garden beds. The same goes for drainage systems and gutters. Hoselink’s Long-Reach Pivot Cleaner will allow easy control in those hard to reach gutters without the need for a ladder. The build-up of leaves and overhanging branches can prevent the spring rain from filtering into your garden if drainage is not clear. The beginning of spring is at the garden’s low-growth point, so it is the easiest time for moving and clearing garden waste. All excess foliage and garden matter can be disposed of in the compost heap to begin the decomposition process for spring.
