Amazing spring gardening techniques to transform your outdoor spaces
Well it seems like it’s been a long time coming but the winter season is over, and spring is here. And isn’t it wonderful to smell the scent of those gorgeous spring flowers again after months of cold weather! If you have a bit of a green thumb, now’s the time to get your garden gear ready - even if there’s still a bit of a chill in the air. September is a great month to wake up your garden and get it into spring-ready shape before the temperatures rise.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry; we’ve got your back on this! Here are some great spring gardening ideas and techniques to transform your outdoor spaces quickly and easily.
Spring inspection
The first thing you need to do as soon as the weather gets a bit warmer is to head on out to your garden or backyard, pen and paper in hand. List down everything that you need to do. Check the plants that have been affected during the winter so you can identify what you can save and what should be removed.
Look around your hardscaping elements, such as your patio, walls, benches and fences and have a think about what you might be able to do to jazz things up a bit. For example, an old wooden fence can be completely transformed by attaching some sheets of outdoor cladding and then freshening it up with a coat of paint.
Check your tools
Your gardening tools are about to get a workout so it’s important that they are in good shape. Check them out and sharpen your pruning shears and spades. Inspect any wooden handles and give them a quick sand then massage in some linseed oil to keep them in good condition.
Work on the hardscaping issues first
The technique to avoid getting too exhausted with your spring gardening is to tackle your tasks one at a time. Work on the hardscaping issues first during the early spring or towards the end of the winter season. Repair any damaged walls, clean the gutters, fix the deck and check the shed and window boxes. These are tasks that should be done every year - and while your plants are still a bit dormant is a great time to get them done.
Check all of your outdoor furniture to see how well it’s weathered winter and give everything a good clean down with some soapy water. Timber furniture may need a fresh coat of wood stain or oil to seal it and protect it from the elements.
Get your lawn ready
Your lawn is likely to need a little TLC after winter, so start by giving it a good rake over to remove dead growth. This will also bring light and air to the soil level, which has the effect of encouraging new growth. If you’ve got bare patches, mix some grass seed with some soil in a bucket and spread evenly to cover. Then keep the area well-watered until the new grass establishes itself.
Clean up your gardens and paths
If you haven’t been diligent over winter, odds are your garden has accumulated plenty of dead leaves, which in spring can become potential breeding grounds for pests and disease. So, rake them all up and put them into your green waste bin or compost bin if you have one. While you're outside, check your paths, patio and driveway for any moss, mould or algae, and use a water blaster to remove it.
Prune and plant
Spring is absolutely the best time to transform your outdoor spaces into a magical garden. Remove any dead, damaged or diseased parts of your existing plants, and thin and trim your summer-blooming shrubs. If you have gaps in the garden from the removal of old plants, choose some new blooms that will give the garden some colour.
Sow seeds
If you want to start a new garden bed from scratch, aerate you soil with a garden fork and then add the seeds of your choice - spring flowers, herbs, shrubs, and tasty vegies such as tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and chillies. Actually, just about anything your outdoor spaces can accommodate! The soil is still full of moisture during this season, so it’s the perfect time to grow those plants before the heat of summer arrives.
Fertilise
Of course, to get your plants growing well, you need to add a good quality fertiliser, which you can buy at any garden centre or in some supermarkets. Simply scatter the fertiliser on the soil and add a little mulch or compost to help prevent the soil from drying out. If you garden is mainly in pots, it’s best to use a liquid fertiliser.
Let the spring gardening begin
Spring gardening doesn’t need to be overwhelming. You just need to get yourself organised and tackle each task one at a time. You can also rope in the family to help out so you can all get into the garden and enjoy some spring sunshine. We know that getting the garden ready for the warmer weather can sometimes be a little draining on the finances - so if your budget won’t quite stretch that far, we’re here to help. Just take a look at our cash loans from $1,000 to find out how quick and easy it is to get your hands on some extra funds. Once a loan is approved, the cash is in your bank account (usually within a few hours) – so you can start planning your spring garden makeover today!