As Aussies get ready for spring to arrive, we've rounded up our top 10 gardening tips to get you prepared for the warmer months ahead. It's a wonderful time to begin work on your garden, establish a veggie patch, tidy up the garden shed, plant new seeds, fix up neglected areas, renovate your yard, and give your lawn its twice-yearly feed of fertiliser!
1. Get equipped and organised
Have you been waiting for an excuse to replenish your tool shed? Spring is the perfect time to organise your tools by giving them a good clean and sharpen. Cleaning and sharpening up tools are essential for maintaining a healthy plant as this will help prevent the spread of disease. If you don't have a space big enough for a tool shed, try a Hoselink Garden Tool Tote Bag instead! These bags have plenty of compartments for storing tools and make it easy to move them around the garden. They also make great gifts!
Missing something from your collection? Hoselink has an excellent range of tools that are essential year-round, not only in spring. One of our ultimate must-haves is the Hoselink Stand-up Weed Puller. This weeding tool was designed to make weeding the garden easy while protecting your back, as there's no need to bend down. This is an absolute must in getting your lawn ready for spring! From weeding tools to cutting tools, Hoselink has designed these products to be robust and ergonomic to ensure they're user-friendly and will pass the test of time.
2. Start planting
It's true what they say, spring is the perfect time for new life to emerge! Longer days, more sunlight and warmer temperatures will encourage your plants to grow. So, if you've been thinking about planting fresh flowers, greens, herbs, vegetables, hedges or any plant variety, now is the time to start while the weather is on your side!
3. Mulch
Mulch is great for so many things, including conserving water and helping to prevent weeds. Mulch will assist in stopping your soil from drying out by keeping the soil moist, helping to save water and keep your plants hydrated for longer, especially in hot weather. Mulch is something you should provide for your garden not just in spring but year-round! Furthermore, mulch also encourages your plant life to have good drainage while improving soil structure and helping implement the proper nutrients for your soil.
4. Prune
In the winter, you may have let your garden run a little bit wild, which means it's time to tidy up and prune as you get ready for spring and summer. There are many ways to prune a plant: some people prefer a manicured, refined look while others like to let the plant show its most natural form, only removing branches that are dead, diseased or broken. Removing these branches is essential in maintaining the long-term health of your plant and encouraging new life to form. If you're short on cutting tools, Hoselink has one for every job. From Snippers and Secateurs for smaller plants to Loppers and Hedge Shears for those bigger jobs, there's nothing Hoselink can't handle!
5. Clean and clear
It's time to clear out all the debris winter has left behind. Put on your Garden Gloves and get rid of dead fallen leaves on the lawn and any other debris that may have blown into your outside space. If you don't already have a rake, now is the time to purchase a Hoselink Extendable Rake. This handy tool is excellent for saving space on storage and can extend to 1.6 metres, making it suitable for a person of any height to use and adjust.Â
6. Fertilise
The most crucial time to fertilise your garden is in spring. An all-purpose fertiliser like Hoselink's Super Grow Garden Fertiliser will work a treat in providing your garden with all the nutrients and minerals it needs to boost health and growth. As an all-rounder fertiliser, it suits both new and established plants, and several plant varieties including natives, veggies, lawns and trees.
7. Start a compost system
Composting systems are fantastic for the environment and for reducing your own general waste in the home. Composting is easy to do and is an excellent activity for the kids to get involved in. You may be wondering, besides the environmental benefits, what can you do with the compost? Well, there are many uses that will come in handy during the spring gardening season. Compost can be used to feed your spring bulbs, add to fruit trees, act as a top layer on garden beds and much more. If you have furry friends at home, you may want to consider establishing a worm farm for composting! Your pets' faeces can be put in the worm farm along with your kitchen scraps and all of it will be digested by the worms. If you're feeling a little lost on where to start or what option is best, there are plenty of starter kits available online to make the transition easy and provide a step-by-step guide on what you can and cannot compost.
8. Soak your evergreens
As the sun starts to shine more, your evergreens' roots will be more demanding of water. Without sufficient moisture, vegetation can turn brown. This is why spring is the ideal time to give your evergreens a good soak. Not quite reaching the roots with a hose? Try Hoselink's Root Waterer and Soil Breaker instead. This watering accessory connects easily to your Hoselink-fitted hose and will allow you to directly water the roots underground as well as break up hard soil, which may be preventing water from reaching beneath the surface.
9. Pest control
Pests are a common issue, which unfortunately will affect most gardens year-round. Whilst you have a bit of time to get on top of it, check out some natural pest control remedies. One of the best tips is to keep your plants healthy, this will keep them strong and less prone to pests. Another great way to control pests is by having plants that attract beneficial insects. Beneficial insects will control the damaging ones by eating them and saving you from having to use chemicals. If the worst comes to the worst, there is always the option of physical barriers such as netting. Some pests are harder to avoid than others!
10. Lawn care
Has your lawn been looking a little neglected lately? Whip it into shape in time for spring! A mow will be in order, but if you're looking to really give your lawn some TLC, check out Hoselink's Lawn Care Video with Horticulturist Ben Hayman. Ben shows you all the tips and tricks to having a lawn that everyone will be envious of. If you're looking for a bit of a shortcut, be sure to look at Hoselink's 3-Day Green Lawn Fertiliser. This Lawn Fertiliser contains all the essential nutrients your lawn needs, including nitrogen, magnesium, iron and potassium, all of which will help your lawn be in the best shape both above and below ground. This can be purchased in a bundle with Hoselink's Fertiliser Spray Mixer for an easy connection to your Hoselink-fitted hose and fast application to your lawn.
