Gardening in the spring time is the best way to get into a routine of maintaining your outdoor living space. There are lots of tasks to take care of but, if you go about the work methodically, it won’t take as long as you may think. Before you know it, you will be itching to get into the garden every day to attend to your lawn, plants, shrubs and trees. If you want to create a garden to be proud of, try these spring gardening tips.
Greener Grass
Your lawn needs aerating to keep it looking healthy and green. Get to work with a garden fork and aerate your lawn for greener looking grass. Broadleaf and Bindii are two common weeds that can take away the appeal of an otherwise beautiful lawn. The earlier part of spring is a good time to take care of those weeds by applying weed killer. Come back a few weeks later and apply fertilizer to help prevent weeds coming back for a second chance to destroy your lawn.
Bare patches on a lawn are unsightly. You can either plant new seed in the patchy areas or start from scratch with a newly seeded lawn. It is best to establish your grass when the soil is just beginning to heat up in the spring months. By summer, you will have a beautiful lawn that you can maintain until the following spring.
Keep it Tidy
Trees and shrubs need pruning to get rid of any dead wood or left over winter leaves. When you are trimming or pruning trees or shrubs it is important not to cut into healthy branches. Cutting away dead material will encourage growth but if you go too far you could end up destroying a healthy tree. Do not leave it too late to tend to shrubs such as hibiscus. If you wait until the shrub begins to bloom there is a risk of cutting into healthy buds.
Spring Planting
If you look at a planting chart you will notice that the vast majority of plants, shrubs and trees should ideally be planted in spring. When soil moisture is high it is much easier for plants to establish and thrive. These conditions are most common in spring. You should also reference a spring planting guide for ideas for plants and shrubs that will grow well in South Australia.
Fertilise in Spring
While spring is still young, it is time to start fertilising to help your garden grow healthy and strong. Blood and bone and dynamic lifter work well in South Australian gardens. You can spread handfuls of these fertilisers over every four square metres to treat your lawn. If you have a veggie patch, make sure to dig compost and manure through the soil. Soluble fertiliser is perfect for treating any veggies that are already planted. Your potted plants will appreciate some TLC with liquid fertiliser. There are also slow release fertilisers that are ideal for potted plant growth. For your rose, citrus and orchids, purchase specialist filters that are designed to provide the proper nutrients for healthy plants.
Pest Control
Aphids love warm weather so you may see them around your veggies and roses. Psyllids are commonly seen on Lily Pillies with new growth. You will need a suitable garden insecticide to keep pests under control; otherwise they will propagate and potentially destroy your plants and veggies.
If you are planning on making any major changes to your landscape or outdoor living spaces, you will need a reliable building inspector in South Australia. Call Houspect for reliable inspections and reports.
