Spring Garden Tips
August 23rd 2006 10:47
Tips for Approaching Spring
Spring is coming, and here are some tips for what to start doing before the season arrives...
Repotting
It is vitally important that you do this at the start of spring. Plants that are getting too big for their containers need to be upsized, as 90% of their growth occurs during the spring months!
You must re-plant any plants that have been in a container for two or more years, even if they have not out-grown the container, as the potting mix is by now degenerate.
Remember to water well in the re-potting stage, and although good-quality potting mixes contain fertilizer, a slow-release fertilizer (eg. Osmocote) can be good at this stage also.
After re-potting, the plant should be in a partially shaded area for a few weeks to allow for re-adjustment, before putting back into their prefered exposure level.
Edibles in Containers
This is the time for herb gardens. The tip is to grow them in containers so that you can water them even though the time of year may be dry.
Make sure the containers are big enough to allow expansion and use good quality potting mix.
If you are sowing seeds, cover them with 2-3cm of potting mix, firm them down, and make sure you keep them moist during the germination stage.
If you are using saplings, water the plants in their container about 1/2 an hour before planting. Be careful the hole you make in the new pot will not squash the roots!
You can feed the edibles once a fortnight with a liquid fertilizer like Thrive or Nitrosoil, and this will keep them happy. Classical music has also been known to help 
Citrus
Mid-Spring is the time to look at fertilizing citrus. You can use the same food that you do for your roses, and chook-poo is also good for citrus. Alternating between citrus food and a general fertilizer like Dynamic Lifter is a good option.
Thanks again to Don Bourke for his wealth of knowledge and expertise.
Spring is coming, and here are some tips for what to start doing before the season arrives...
Repotting
It is vitally important that you do this at the start of spring. Plants that are getting too big for their containers need to be upsized, as 90% of their growth occurs during the spring months!
You must re-plant any plants that have been in a container for two or more years, even if they have not out-grown the container, as the potting mix is by now degenerate.
Remember to water well in the re-potting stage, and although good-quality potting mixes contain fertilizer, a slow-release fertilizer (eg. Osmocote) can be good at this stage also.
This is the time for herb gardens. The tip is to grow them in containers so that you can water them even though the time of year may be dry.
Make sure the containers are big enough to allow expansion and use good quality potting mix.
If you are sowing seeds, cover them with 2-3cm of potting mix, firm them down, and make sure you keep them moist during the germination stage.
If you are using saplings, water the plants in their container about 1/2 an hour before planting. Be careful the hole you make in the new pot will not squash the roots!
Mid-Spring is the time to look at fertilizing citrus. You can use the same food that you do for your roses, and chook-poo is also good for citrus. Alternating between citrus food and a general fertilizer like Dynamic Lifter is a good option.
Thanks again to Don Bourke for his wealth of knowledge and expertise.
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