Spring into it! A beginner's guide for your very first garden
Spring has officially sprung and if you’re looking to get into the gardening game – now’s the time! If you aren’t a seasoned green thumb the gardening world can seem pretty daunting, but fear not! Gardening is anyone’s game and with a little bit of time, love and tenderness, you too can create a garden of your very own.
To help you get started this spring, our plant nerds have picked out some plants and products that will transform you into a gardening guru.
The tools of success
The right equipment makes gardening easy! So, before you do anything else you need to set yourself up for success. Even the simplest of gardens, requires these basic gardening tools:
Looking to create a garden that’s on the smaller side? A good watering can or compact portable hose reel will see you right. Want to expand your garden over the years? A full size retractable hose reel is the way to go!
Glow it up with Glowpear planter boxes
You don’t need to dig garden beds to get your garden started. Simply grab yourself a planter box or two, assemble, plant it up and grow away! If you’re looking for a great Australian made product, we recommend the Glowpear planter range.
These amazing planter boxes have in-built water level indicators, so you know exactly when it’s time to water. Better yet the integrated self-watering system means your plants take the water they need when they need it. Simply top up the reservoir and your plants will self-water!
Glowpear planters are available in a range of shapes and sizes. From the cute and compact Mini Bench, to the larger Urban Garden Planter, which can be connected to other units for integrated watering and increased growing space.
Want to move your plants about? The Café Planter is fitted with rollers, so you can make the most of a sunny spot or wheel your plant babies indoors at night. Short on space? The Mini Rail or Mini Wall varieties make smart use of vertical space such as walls, balustrades and balconies!
What should I plant?
What you plant is totally up to you! It all depends on what you want to get out of your garden. Want to grow your own veggies so there’s no more last-minute dashes to Woolies? Spring is a great time to plant a bunch of popular crops, including:
- Capsicums
- Carrots
- Chillies
- Cucumbers
- Green beans
- Lettuce
- Pumpkin
- Sweet corn
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
Want to attract the birds and bees? Packed with flowering Australian native plants, our Australian Native Plant Pack is perfect for nature enthusiasts. Drought resistant and easy to care for, this native box will bring the song of the birds and the hum of the bees in no time!
Into sweet scents and brilliant blooms? Our Flowering Plant Pack has everything you need to create your own blooming sweet-scented garden. Need something hardy? Our Drought Tolerant Plant Pack is bursting with plants that can handle the heat. Low-maintenance and low water usage, these low fuss plants are perfect for modern Australian gardens.
Zest it up with dwarf citrus
Potted plants are perfect for beginner gardeners! Whether you’ve got a backyard, patio or balcony, pot plants are a quick and easy way to get into gardening. Our top plant pick for the season is dwarf citrus trees! Not only do these plants scream spring, their miniature size makes them perfect for potting.
Here’s how you pot up dwarf citrus:
- Choose your citrus tree variety! You can browse our full range of zesty Pipsqueak citrus trees here.
- Invest in a quality lightweight pot. Our top pick for beginners is the 300mm Mr Kitly Pot which is the perfect size for dwarf citrus trees and is available in a range of colours. Better yet, they are self-watering, and you're not going to break your back moving them!
- Find a good quality, free-draining potting mix and plant up your dwarf citrus. Don’t forget to throw in some Osmocote Fruit, Citrus, Trees & Shrubs Fertiliser to give it a boost!
- Water from above to help the potting mix settle in and then remove the base of your Mr Kitly pot so it can drain completely.
- Mulch with coconut coir or lucerne hay to keep the roots moist and protected from the sun.
- Place the base of the pot back underneath and fill your water well halfway up. Your zesty plant babe will wick up the water via the potting mix as needed!
- Whenever the water well dries up, just fill it up halfway again. Say goodbye to under watering and hello to healthy citrus trees!
- It's good to note that if you're not using self-watering pots our Sustee water meter can tell you when to water your plants. Simply place a Sustee down into the pot and water until the device turns blue. Only water again once your Sustee turns back to white!
Nourish those natives!
Springtime is growing time, so you need to give your plants a feed! A high quality fertiliser will give them all the energy and nutrients they need to flourish in the warmer months. Make sure you choose the right fertiliser for each of your plant varieties, especially when it comes to Australian native plants! These guys have super sensitive root systems which hate phosphorous (a common ingredient in regular fertilisers).
Choose an Australian native plant fertiliser, such as this Native Focus Liquid Fertiliser, which is specifically formulated with low levels of phosphorous. Top up the surrounding soil with compost and/or a light layer of mulch to help suppress weeds and keep them nice and moist during the hotter months.
Stay pruned!
Early spring is a great time for pruning. Many deciduous trees will be looking a bit leggy, so make sure you trim off any dead branches or stems so the trees can devote all that springtime energy into new growth. When pruning trees, try to make clean cuts close to the trunk or main stem without tearing the bark to reduce the risk of disease.
When pruning hedges, the simpler the better. Don’t be tempted to carve your hedges into intricate shapes and don’t be afraid to trim them down – you want to keep those hedges hedgie! Start at the end of your hedge and work your way along for a clean, crisp top.
So, what are you waiting for? Spring into it!
If you’ve been umming and aahing about whether to start a garden, now is the time! Shrug off those winter woollies, pick up some plants and make the most of the wonderful warmth of spring!
Need some more advice? Our knowledgeable plant nerds are always happy to help! Check out our support page or flick us a message via the contact form and we’ll get back to you!