Spring is here! The season brings bounteous growth, but there’s a few jobs to tick off the list to make sure your garden is making the most of it.
- With a dizzying array of plants in different stages of flowering and growth, the timing of pruning can be confusing, but selective pruning in spring of certain plants is a great way to ensure good structure and future health. In general, for plants grown for their flowers, wait until after flowering to prune, and for shrubs and other plants grown for their foliage or structure, now is the perfect time to give a light prune to promote density and side-shoots.
- Spring is an important time to fertilise, as most plants are in active growth. However, soil chemistry is a delicate balance, and it is possible to overfertilise plants if products are used incorrectly. Always use the appropriate product, read the label and follow the directions, and when in doubt, ask a professional.
- Weeds are also loving the warming weather, and will be flowering and setting seed just as readily as your garden plants. Spring is a critical time to keep an eye on your garden beds and pull out any weed seedlings as they emerge – if you don’t have the time to pull them out, at least pull off flower heads as they appear to prevent them adding to the seed back in the soil.
- The combination of warm temperatures, rapid growth and windy conditions typical of Sydney springtime can dry out plants and the soil surprisingly quickly, even after a few days of unseasonable rain. Pots are particularly vulnerable to drying out. This is where a drip irrigation system can be really helpful, keeping the soil moisture levels consistent across changing conditions.
OUTHOUSE offers in-person consultations with qualified horticulturalists to help you get the most value out of your landscape. We can provide verbal advice, planting plans or a full landscape design. Get in touch with us to discuss your needs.
View past tips for October here!
