9 Ways to Give Your Spring Garden a Boost
Check out these quick and easy maintenance tasks to give your garden an instant lift in spring
Don’t let the changeable spring weather stop you from donning the gardening gloves. Keeping on top of your garden in spring will ensure you avoid the hard slog in the warmer months; even if it’s just to feed your plants or pot up some seedlings of spring flowering annuals. Pop them into containers on the deck or in the garden where you can see them from inside on dreary days. While you’re at it, pot or replant seedlings you find of Dietes and other flowering perennials. Don’t forget pond plants, too. For lots of lovely water lilies, you need to repot overgrown clumps before they burst into active growth. Grab the secateurs when you have a spare half hour to tidy up spring flowering trees and prepare vegie gardens for spring harvests by adding plenty of compost and other organic matter. Here are some key jobs to consider for a high-impact spring garden.
2. Smarten up your front entrance
Don’t forget about the front garden – it gives visitors their first impression of your house. Nice looking pots, planted or left empty, will add impact to the front porch. And make sure your front path is weeded and free of slippery mould.
BONUS TIP: Give the front door a coat of paint if it’s looking shabby and ditch that scruffy, old door mat. It will make a huge difference.
Don’t forget about the front garden – it gives visitors their first impression of your house. Nice looking pots, planted or left empty, will add impact to the front porch. And make sure your front path is weeded and free of slippery mould.
BONUS TIP: Give the front door a coat of paint if it’s looking shabby and ditch that scruffy, old door mat. It will make a huge difference.
3. Repot aquatic plants
Overgrown aquatic and marginal plants such as the water lilies (Nymphaeaceae) pictured, need to be divided and repotted every year or two just like other containerised plants. Lift baskets out and carefully remove plants before cutting clumps into smaller segments, ideally using a bread knife. Repot into aquatic baskets lined with hessian using garden soil that is not too rich in nutrients or you’ll encourage algae that will turn the water green. Top up with gravel to stop plants floating out.
GARDENER’S SECRET: You’ll know when water lilies need repotting as their leaves and flowers will become smaller each year.
Overgrown aquatic and marginal plants such as the water lilies (Nymphaeaceae) pictured, need to be divided and repotted every year or two just like other containerised plants. Lift baskets out and carefully remove plants before cutting clumps into smaller segments, ideally using a bread knife. Repot into aquatic baskets lined with hessian using garden soil that is not too rich in nutrients or you’ll encourage algae that will turn the water green. Top up with gravel to stop plants floating out.
GARDENER’S SECRET: You’ll know when water lilies need repotting as their leaves and flowers will become smaller each year.
4. Find free plants
While you’re weeding garden beds, keep an eye out for self-sown seedlings of Aquilegia, alyssum, dietes (above), foxgloves (Digitalis), Helleborus and other flowering perennials. Ask your friends and family to do the same. To avoid casualties, only move seedlings when they are large enough to handle easily. Pot them into containers until seedlings are robust enough to be planted out into the garden. Water regularly until well established and protect from snails and other pests.
BONUS TIP: Propagating your own perennials from seedlings or divisions is an economic way to create the large, naturalistic drifts of plants we so admire in contemporary gardens.
While you’re weeding garden beds, keep an eye out for self-sown seedlings of Aquilegia, alyssum, dietes (above), foxgloves (Digitalis), Helleborus and other flowering perennials. Ask your friends and family to do the same. To avoid casualties, only move seedlings when they are large enough to handle easily. Pot them into containers until seedlings are robust enough to be planted out into the garden. Water regularly until well established and protect from snails and other pests.
BONUS TIP: Propagating your own perennials from seedlings or divisions is an economic way to create the large, naturalistic drifts of plants we so admire in contemporary gardens.
5. Rejuvenate built elements
It’s amazing how a new coat of paint or stain gives new life to existing structures in the garden. Repainting or staining tired looking timber decks, fences, walls, sheds and pergolas will give your whole garden an instant pick-me-up. Always clean surfaces thoroughly before re-staining or repainting, regardless of whether they are new or existing.
BONUS TIP: Before starting, combine stain cans into one large bucket in case there is a variation in colour.
5 top decking materials
It’s amazing how a new coat of paint or stain gives new life to existing structures in the garden. Repainting or staining tired looking timber decks, fences, walls, sheds and pergolas will give your whole garden an instant pick-me-up. Always clean surfaces thoroughly before re-staining or repainting, regardless of whether they are new or existing.
BONUS TIP: Before starting, combine stain cans into one large bucket in case there is a variation in colour.
5 top decking materials
6. Plant sunflowers
With their huge bright yellow blooms that follow the path of the sun, sunflowers (Helianthus) always bring a smile to the face of gardeners, young and old. Worshipped by the Aztecs, sunflowers are easy to sow from seed, whether you sow them directly into the ground or raise them in pots then plant them out in the garden when there’s less chance of damage from slugs and birds. Sowing times are dependent on the climate in your area, but September is fine for those in warmer regions.
Good ground preparation is essential, so dig in plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure. For sowing direct into the garden, make a 2-centimetre channel with a trowel and place seeds around 50 centimetres apart. Cover channel with soil and water well. Use cloches (make your own from the tops of plastic drink bottles) to protect young seedlings.
GARDENER’S SECRET: Some gardeners plant two to three seeds together, then take out two once they’ve germinated, leaving only the strongest to grow.
With their huge bright yellow blooms that follow the path of the sun, sunflowers (Helianthus) always bring a smile to the face of gardeners, young and old. Worshipped by the Aztecs, sunflowers are easy to sow from seed, whether you sow them directly into the ground or raise them in pots then plant them out in the garden when there’s less chance of damage from slugs and birds. Sowing times are dependent on the climate in your area, but September is fine for those in warmer regions.
Good ground preparation is essential, so dig in plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure. For sowing direct into the garden, make a 2-centimetre channel with a trowel and place seeds around 50 centimetres apart. Cover channel with soil and water well. Use cloches (make your own from the tops of plastic drink bottles) to protect young seedlings.
GARDENER’S SECRET: Some gardeners plant two to three seeds together, then take out two once they’ve germinated, leaving only the strongest to grow.
7. Tidy up magnolias
Prune deciduous Magnolias like this beautiful one if they have outgrown their position, or if limbs are diseased and damaged. To create a pleasing shape when you are reducing the size of your magnolia, cut out just those branches that are too tall or wide. Try to avoid the lollipop look if you can help it.
BONUS TIP: The older the wood, the slower it will heal, so it pays not to cut into the very large branches of magnolias and many other trees.
Prune deciduous Magnolias like this beautiful one if they have outgrown their position, or if limbs are diseased and damaged. To create a pleasing shape when you are reducing the size of your magnolia, cut out just those branches that are too tall or wide. Try to avoid the lollipop look if you can help it.
BONUS TIP: The older the wood, the slower it will heal, so it pays not to cut into the very large branches of magnolias and many other trees.
8. Repaint outdoor metal tables and chairs
Metal outdoor furniture needs regular attention to avoid rust. Start by removing scale and loose paint with a stiff wire brush. Next, remove rust with sandpaper. Remember, rust can creep under the surface of paint, so clean surfaces on both sides of a visible rust spot. Coat your outdoor furniture with a rust inhibitor primer. Finally, brush off all dirt and dust, then paint with a top coat.
BONUS TIP: When priming and painting metal outdoor furniture, make sure you cover all the corners and angles thoroughly as rust loves these little nooks.
Metal outdoor furniture needs regular attention to avoid rust. Start by removing scale and loose paint with a stiff wire brush. Next, remove rust with sandpaper. Remember, rust can creep under the surface of paint, so clean surfaces on both sides of a visible rust spot. Coat your outdoor furniture with a rust inhibitor primer. Finally, brush off all dirt and dust, then paint with a top coat.
BONUS TIP: When priming and painting metal outdoor furniture, make sure you cover all the corners and angles thoroughly as rust loves these little nooks.
9. Prepare vegie gardens for planting
Dig plenty of compost, sheep pellets and other organic matter into the vegetable garden so that it’s ready for planting out seedlings for spring and summer harvests. Organised gardeners may have already sown vegetable seed under glass or on the window ledge and have seedlings ready to be planted out now. If that’s not you and you don’t want to wait for seeds to germinate, make a visit to the garden centre to buy well established seedlings for your vegie garden.
GARDENER’S SECRET: Don’t plant new seedlings into fresh compost or manure, which can burn delicate roots. Wait a week or two for compost and manure to break down before planting.
Learn from edible gardeners from around the world
Dig plenty of compost, sheep pellets and other organic matter into the vegetable garden so that it’s ready for planting out seedlings for spring and summer harvests. Organised gardeners may have already sown vegetable seed under glass or on the window ledge and have seedlings ready to be planted out now. If that’s not you and you don’t want to wait for seeds to germinate, make a visit to the garden centre to buy well established seedlings for your vegie garden.
GARDENER’S SECRET: Don’t plant new seedlings into fresh compost or manure, which can burn delicate roots. Wait a week or two for compost and manure to break down before planting.
Learn from edible gardeners from around the world
If it’s still chilly in your area, you may have to wait a few more weeks to plant out heat-loving vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, corn, cucumber, courgette and capsicum. However, you can start them off inside so they’ll be ready to plant out when it’s warmer. Remember to water regularly.
BONUS TIP: Try planting capsicum, eggplant and tomatoes in large pots if the ground is too cold. The soil is always warmer in pots than in the ground and heat-loving vegies will love you for it.
TELL US
What’s on your spring garden to-do list?
MORE
10 Steps to Growing and Harvesting Spring Produce
9 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Garden
7 Common Garden Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
BONUS TIP: Try planting capsicum, eggplant and tomatoes in large pots if the ground is too cold. The soil is always warmer in pots than in the ground and heat-loving vegies will love you for it.
TELL US
What’s on your spring garden to-do list?
MORE
10 Steps to Growing and Harvesting Spring Produce
9 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Garden
7 Common Garden Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
A low-cost, easy way to give your garden a lift at this time of year is with that old favourite, potted colour. Many spring flowering annuals can be planted now in pots or garden beds. Place them on or near decks, terraces and other outdoor living areas.
PLANTS TO TRY: Madwort (Alyssum), pictured, is always a reliable spring annual, many varieties are scented and the bees love the flowers. Or you could try Anemone, Aster, cornflower (Centaurea), Dianthus, Freesia, Impatiens, Lobelia, Nigella, Petunia, Phlox, poppies (Papaver), sweet peas (Lathyrus) or Zinnia.