Preparing Your Garden For Spring
- Written by Landscape Gardening expert, Jason Hodges
A new season has arrived. With longer and warmer days, Spring is the perfect time to get out and garden. It’s also the season when your backyard comes to life as flowers begin to bloom and we start preparing for outdoor entertaining. However, with so much to do, it can be hard to stay on top of everything. Landscape Gardening expert and Charlie Carp Ambassador, Jason Hodges, shares his top Spring gardening tips to transform your outdoor space into the crowning glory of your home.
Fertilise to Refresh the Lawn
“Lawns are a real luxury these days, and are especially appreciated after Covid,” says Jason. “In Spring, your lawn starts to grow, so you want to make sure that any dead patches are repaired and your lawn is weed-free.”
Before the growing season starts, your garden will appreciate a good spray of fertiliser as plants need feeding as they grow. In early Spring, prepare your lawn by aerating your lawn with a garden fork, patching up bare areas with seeds and using weed killers to remove any unwanted weeds.
After a few weeks, begin feeding the lawn with a fertiliser such as Charlie Carp’s All Purpose Fertiliser Spray Pack (2.2L RRP $15.00) to help stimulate the grass’ growth and improve soil quality. This ready-to-use spray-on pack is easy to click onto your existing hose system and is filled with the essential vitamins and minerals to help your lawn look its best. Easy to use in both small and large spaces, it’s a handy way to fertilise the entire garden, and should be done once a month over the warmer months.
Plant Annuals for a Pop of Colour
When we think about Spring, the first thing that comes to mind is flowers. “As the soil moisture is still high and the weather is not too hot, it is the perfect time to begin planting. Consider planting annuals and perennials in your garden for that extra pop of colour,” says Jason. Fill your flower bed and pots with a variety of petunias, alyssum, California poppies, asters, pansies, and African daisies.
Add fertiliser pellets to your garden beds and pots to strengthen soil structure, improve earthworm activity and help retain moisture. A fertiliser like the Charlie Carp All Purpose Fertiliser Pellets (5 kg RRP $24.60) is a great option. These odourless pellets are safe to apply by hand and don’t interfere with the scents of the flowers.
Start a Veggie Garden
“It’s a nice time of year to work in the garden, as the days are beginning to get a little longer but the weather is still not too hot,” says Jason.
Just like flowers and plants, Spring is a great season to sow vegetables and fruits. Jason recommends herb gardens if you are just starting out, as most of the produce is not seasonal and takes up less space. Otherwise, the vegetables to plant in Spring would be Summer veggies, which include tomatoes, beans, capsicum, eggplant, cucumber, sweet potatoes, corn, lettuce, and Asian greens.
“When it comes to veggie gardens, the most important thing is the foundation, meaning the soil structure,” says Jason. “You want to make sure your soil is full of nutrients and rich organic matter. Consider an organic fertiliser if you want to grow fruit and vegetables directly for the dinner table. I love Charlie Carp’s Liquid Premium Organic Fertiliser (1L RRP $16).” For the best results, complete spray coverage is essential, with a weekly dose recommended.
Mulching and Top Dressing for Best Results
A great mid-to-late Spring task is mulching, as this is when the soil is warming up from the colder temperatures of Winter, and should be dry. Mulching too early in the season will result in the cold moisture remaining trapped, which can delay the growth of plants.
“Timing is crucial with mulching, you want to avoid doing it too early but I also encourage you to do it, and jobs like top dressing, before the heat of the summer when your plants are under high levels of stress caused by the heat and strong sun,” says Jason.
“A tip is to top dress your soil with one to two inches of compost, humus, or manure in Spring after you have planted your flowers and shrubs to help increase nutrient retention in the plants and enhance drainage.”
All Charlie Carp Products are available at Bunnings Warehouse nationwide. For more information visit www.charliecarp.com.au
About Mayo Hardware
First established in 1928, Mayo Hardware Pty Limited is proudly recognised as a supplier of value to the retail, trade, government and commercial markets in Australia, New Zealand and selected export markets. Mayo Hardware hold a market leading position in outdoor lifestyle, safety, security and hardware categories. We work with our customers and end-users to create value that can be captured and shared. This is achieved through superior product offering, customer support and working closely with partners to fully understand their requirements to create the best programs to meet their needs.
About Charlie Carp
Charlie Carp fertiliser is made in Australia from the invasive and destructive European Carp fish, an introduced species that destroys Australia’s delicate river ecosystems and displaces native fish. European Carp lay over one million eggs per year, that is, three times that of native fish. They damage rivers by muddying waters and destroying native aquatic vegetation, and complete with native fish for habitat.
