1. Clean up your act
If things are looking a bit sad and untidy after winter, now’s the time to get everything shipshape again. Sweep and rake up any leaves and debris and add to the compost. Remove any weeds or scrappy vegies that have survived the winter. Trim path edges with a spade or whipper snipper. Replace any kinking or cracked hoses and fittings, flush out your watering system, clean and oil your garden tools – and get those secateurs sharpened.
2. Prune back old growth
With your newly sharpened tools, now is the time to cut away any dead wood and trim back any leggy growth, allowing new shoots and buds all the space and light they need to get going for spring and summer.
3. Nourish the soil
Dig in lots of well-rotted manure or compost and add a sprinkle of organic fertiliser, such as chook poo pellets. This is especially important when you’re going to spread mulch, since, useful as it is, mulch tends to deplete the soil of nutrients as it breaks down.
4. Add mulch
Summer is just around the corner, so once your soil is well-nourished and moist, add a thick layer of mulch to conserve that moisture and save yourself time and money on the watering front, as well as keeping weeds to a minimum. Take care to leave an un-mulched margin around stems and trunks, to prevent rot.
5. Add new plants
This is the best bit! With the weather warming up, it’s the perfect time for planting, so take a trip to your local garden centre and stock up on all the wonderful new plants and seedlings for a riot of summer colour and fresh herbs and vegies.
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