“Hope springs eternal.” An inspiring quote by one of the greatest English poets of all time, Alexander Pope.
Nothing could be more true in the garden. It’s a beautiful place to be that is bursting with hope and belief in tomorrow & spring is probably one of the most hopeful times in the year.
After a dreary winter, the sun is shining, birds are singing, bulbs are emerging. Life is good indeed.
Please enjoy our latest Avid Gardener newsletter, full of gardening tips, new products in the shop & plants that will thrive in your garden.
Hen and Pete xx
What veggies can I plant now?
❓ This is probably one of the most common questions we’re asked as gardeners, particularly in spring.
We are fortunate to live in a unique cool climate that gives us the true wonders of the four glorious seasons, however it also means we are limited to what we can plant & when, due to the cold.
🍅 Spring is the most active time of year in the Central West. Mid-September to early October is a great time to think about tomatoes.
Seedlings shouldn’t be planted out until after Melbourne Cup (unless you have the discipline to cover them each night with frost cloth or equivalent) but you can start the process of planting seeds and raising them into strong, healthy plants ready for the ground after November
🌿 You might also consider companion planting with basil. Both plants enjoy the same soil conditions, & assist each other by improving growth & enhancing overall flavour.
Basil also assists in repelling some insects. A slice of tomato from the garden wrapped in a fresh basil leaf just happens to be one of the best flavour combinations around!
Other plants for success and family consumption include:
🌱 Lettuce
🌱 Parsley
🌱 Zucchini
🌱 Rainbow chard
🌱 Rocket
🌱 Eggplant
🌱 Micro greens
🌱 Sweet corn
🌱 Plus many, many more
Always remember success has a lot to do with the nutrients in your soil, regular moisture & sufficient mulch. A veggie patch is one of the most rewarding things to cultivate at home.
🏡 Here at The Avid Gardener, we have put together a Cool Climate Planting Guide for seeds and seedlings specific to our region, including planting hints & tips for success.
📲 The Calendar is downloadable so you can keep it on your phone for quick use, or get it printed (it’s also visually lovely) & pop it up on a wall for easy reference.
Top 3 jobs to get your garden ready for spring
Feed. With the unusually warmer weather, now is a good time to throw some organic dynamic lifter around your garden. It’s a slow release fertiliser & a good all rounder. Spread as if feeding chooks. Your garden will love you for it.
Mulch. We prefer organic sugar cane, lucerne or pea straw mulch. It breaks down beautifully, keeps soil temperatures more consistent, reduces weeds, helps to retain moisture & adds important organic matter back in to the soil…this all leads to happy and healthy plants. Be generous with your mulch, at least 8-10cm.
Prune. Cut back perennials, prune roses hard, give hedges a tidy. Rule of thumb…if it’s finished flowering, cut it back. Giving plants a trim stimulates growth. August/early September is a great time to do this in our cool climate.
Our Gardeners Candle is back in stock!
Our super popular Gardeners Candle is back in stock. Handmade in Orange by our lovely jubbly friend & fellow mum, Stacey from Our Town Candles, it makes the perfect little pick me up after a hard day's work in the garden.
Beautiful fresh scents from the Australian forest…eucalyptus, lemon myrtle & bush mint lead to peace, calm & relaxation. Perfect with a warming cup of tea & the latest edition of Gardening Australia Magazine 👩🌾 💚 🌸
Plus there’s free delivery in Orange 🚚 📫
Spring Lawn Care
🏡 AERATION
This is probably one of the most important jobs in getting your lawn into shape. Soil gets compacted. Getting air down to the roots helps with moisture, oxygen & nutrients making for a stronger & more robust lawn. This can be done with a garden fork, a pair of aerating shoes or with a professional aerating machine - quite reasonable to hire.
🏡 FEEDING
Once aerated, we recommend using an all-purpose lawn fertiliser. Always buy the best quality you can afford.
🏡 WEEDING
One of my favourite mottos in gardening is “slow & steady wins the race”. Gardening takes time & patience. All of a sudden though, everything starts to come together & the rewards for hard work is exponential. A little bit of weeding consistently over time will have your lawn looking fab. If it’s really large or there’s just too many weeds, use a post-emergent herbicide.
🏡 TOP DRESSING
Spring is ideal to give your lawn a top dress. It will help to even out any undulation. You can use specific soil for top dressing or a course river sand for areas that are overly moist. Make sure you mow & fertilise first. Do not cover the tips of the grass blades.
🏡 SEEDING
Fill any gaps or thicken up lawn by spreading good quality lawn seed. We like to use a mixture as diversity always helps nature keep everything in balance.
🏡 WATERING
You may need to increase moisture levels if rainfall is low. A deep soaking once a week will train your lawn’s roots to grow deeper into the soil, which will improve your lawn’s drought tolerance.
A different kind of recipe…
🌱 How to improve your veggie patch soil for spring planting.
🌿 The recipe is for approximately 1.5 x 1.5 metres garden bed.
🌱 VEGGIE PATCH SOIL RECIPE
1.5 wheelbarrows of fresh compost
1 large bag of cow manure
1 large bag of chicken manure
1 large bag of mushroom compost
1 bale of organic sugar cane mulch
🌿 Buy the best quality you can afford. We prefer organic.
1. With a fork, turn your existing soil over so any residue mulch is well worked in.
2. Add composts and manures to the veggie patch.
3. Work everything in with a fork.
4. Spread mulch on top of soil.
5. Leave veggie patch for two weeks to rest. You can use this time to think about the seeds you’d like to plant 😊
Cosmos - Sensation Gloria
🌸 Cosmos bipinnatus
🌸 Annual growing to 90cm. Attractive ferny foliage. Beautiful flowers in a mix of colours including rose, red, crimson & white. Good for borders & cut flowers.
METHOD: Direct or seedlingsSOWING DEPTH: 6mmWHEN: Spring & SummerGERMINATION: 7-10 days @ 18-22°0HARDINESS: Half hardy annualPLANT SPACING: 50cmPLANT HEIGHT: 90cmPOSITION: Full sun, moist well drained soilDAYS TO MATURITY: 85 daysCARE: Deadhead to prolong flowering. May need staking
The Avid Gardeners Kitchen
🥒 Have a glut of zucchinis? More tomatoes than you know what to do with?
🍅 At The Avid Gardener, we love the magic of cultivating our ingredients & elevating our meals with nature's finest.
🥒 Join us to explore simple, delicious dishes that capture each season's magic, & infuse your cooking with your own homegrown produce.
📲 Take a look at our newest addition to our lovely website. It’s totally free!
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