Planning for Spring

Posted on August 02, 2016

It’s August and that means spring is just around the corner. Buds are already starting to swell as spring flowers start to peek open. Deciduous trees and shrubs are showing signs of life again and now is your chance to give your garden that added boost for spring growth.

Fertilise, fertilise, fertilise …Give the plants what they want! Fertilising is so important at this stage to help get the best performance out of your plants for the rest of the year. This means making sure you get the right fertiliser for the job. This may sound tricky but a couple of fairly simple hints will make sure you are giving your plants the correct ratio of nutrients and minerals for best performance.

Readily available is complete citrus feed which should be generously applied to any citrus plant, as they are heavy feeders, to promote crops of fruit.  Acid loving plants such as Camellia, Gardenia, Daphne and Azalea respond well to a specific feed designed to keep them happy and lush. If you have a native garden, then you have to be aware that Australian natives require fertilising as much as an English Cottage garden to keep them healthy and happy but check for a formula low in phosphorus which is essential for native plants.

A good fail safe mix of fertiliser for your pre-spring garden health kick is a good quality composted chicken or cow manure which can be found in a pelletised form for ease of use. Mix this with a good quality slow release fertiliser for an instant spring boost that will continue to feed throughout the season. Add some wetting agent and a nice thick bed of mulch if you haven’t already and your plants will be laughing.