Few times are better to be working in the garden than springtime. The air is getting warmer, birds are chirping – and it seems everything grows so easily. Not only does it feel great to spend an afternoon out in the sun digging in the soil, but being the start of the gardening season, it’s a great opportunity for a clean green slate. Whether you’re just starting out on your garden, or you’re simply looking to prepare your seasonal growths with the best kickstart of the season – we’re here to help with a few tips. Read on to learn more.
Trim, trim, trim
For an unseasoned gardener trimming to ensure more growth might seem counterproductive. But truth is, by trimming bushes, hedges and trees in spring is essential to ensuring they grow fuller, and bloom beautifully in summer. Why trim them in spring? Well, you don’t want to risk lopping off buds. Pruning in spring allows plants to refocus their photosynthesised energy on growing thicker and fuller of flowers. Show your garden some tough love with the shears and it’ll love you for it.
Cut away dead bits at a 45-degree angle, and make sure your shears are sharp, as dull ones can damage the growth. This is also a great opportunity to dictate the shape of hedges, bushes and trees. Want that perfect round shape? This is your chance. Want something more creative? Go for it!
Springtime is planting time
Springtime is the ideal time to plant. The weather is warm enough to encourage growth, but not too warm as to heat stress the plants. The soil is moist – ideal for plants to establish themselves before the warm weather hits. If you’re starting out anew with a garden, this is a great time to ‘art direct’ your garden. What flowers go well where? When do your favourite flowers bloom? What flowers have the best scent? By planning your garden carefully after colour schemes, scents, and blooming times you can have a coordinated garden that reinvents itself beautifully through the seasons.
Fertilise
You can’t expect plants to grow without proper nutrients. Plants in general – and particularly newly planted ones require ample nutrition to become established. Find a fertiliser that suits your chosen flowers and trees and spread it around – even established growths will appreciate the nutritional supplement from a liquid fertiliser. If you have a compost bin, mixing fully decomposed organic matter into garden beds and veggie patches to make the soil richer works well, too!
