Get your garden spring ready
With the end of winter nearing and the warmer weather creeping closer, it’s the perfect time to give your garden a little TLC. From mowing your lawn to fertilising, we’ve gathered some tips and tricks from our team of horticulturalists to help you get your garden ready to bloom this spring.
Tip One: Mulching and pruning will ensure a seamless transition from winter to spring
Winter is the time to mulch your garden and prune your roses, perennials, and shrubs ready for spring growth.
Did you know, the City of Adelaide’s Green Waste Recycling & Mulch Centre in North Adelaide sells mulch and compost to the general public? Apart from making your garden look great, mulch is very beneficial for your garden in the following ways:
- Helps retain moisture in the soil.
- Cools the root zone of plants which lowers transpiration of moisture from the plant.
- Builds soil structure and adds nutrients (fertiliser still recommended).
- Aids micro-organisms that are beneficial to plants and soil.
- Helps prevent salinity problems by reducing evaporation.
- Introduces organic material into poor soils.
To find out more, click here.
Tip Two: Fruit trees love the cold
Wintertime is a great time to plant your fruit trees. The cold weather increases the rate of survival for your tree, encouraging growth as the weather starts to warm up. Winter is also a great time to transplant your plants. If you’re thinking of moving a plant out of a pot and planting it in the ground, or you need to move plants around your garden, now is the time to do it!
Tip Three: Add a little fertiliser before spring hits
To prep your garden for a spring full of strong growth, you’ll need to fertilise it! In the weeks leading up to spring, add a slow release or organic fertiliser to your garden to give it the best start. While you’re at it, if you’ve got an irrigation system, you should also check and make sure that it is up to scratch!
Dave MacDonald, Horticultural Tradesperson, Streetscapes Team - planting Westringia Grey Box and Dietes Grandiflora in a nature strip on Wakefield Street.
Tony Mercuri, Leading Hand, Streetscapes Team - preparing to turf an area next to Wellington Square.
Tip Four: Slow growth in winter means your lawn mowing should look a little different
It’s no secret that in winter your lawn grows at a slower rate than other times of the year, but did you know this means you should change your lawn mowing technique? Turn your mower up a notch higher to avoid cutting your lawn too short!
So, what are you waiting for? Get out into your garden and get it ready for spring before it’s too late!