Larry Smith and the Riverside Gardens team talk all things pots, plants and pruning in their weekly gardening column.
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Welcome to spring, and what a great time it is to be a gardener or anyone trying to establish a garden at home or really anyone who works in the horticultural industry.
Our crew just loves this time of the year, all the new stock becoming available, new growth flushing over the plants in stock, flowers popping up everywhere, lots of customers to help, questions to answer, heaps of honey eaters and other birds coming into the plant area and beautiful weather to be outside in to top it all off.
Spring seems like it has been a long time coming this year, I think it’s because it has been such a grey and dreary last half of winter, very little sunshine and heaps of overcast dull days.
Hopefully that’s all behind us, because there is plenty that we can do to make the most of this prime growing season ahead.
For those that enjoy growing veggies at home, now is the time to prepare the soil for your summer crops.
Dig over the soil incorporating a bit of compost or old chook or cow manure and a good dressing of Blood and Bone, rake it all over to form up the garden beds and you are ready to go.
Summer veggies are now in stock with more varieties becoming available each week.
Lettuce, chillies, cucumbers, zucchinis, capsicums, spinach, onions, spring onions and tomatoes which you will still need to protect from the odd late frost, are all available this week.
Things like sweet corn and eggplant will be on the shelf in the coming weeks when we feel it is warm enough to have success with them.
Also now is really the last chance to plant out seed potatoes if you are looking for a crop this summer.
Annual summer-flowering seedlings are also making their way onto the shelves.
Petunias, marigolds, alyssum, lobelia, foxgloves and salvias are ready to make a big splash of colour in your garden this summer.
There is also a few impatiens for those that have a shady spot that is well protected from frost.
With majority of the plants in your garden about to put on the most growth they will put on all year over a short period, you need to be sure that they have the nutrients they require to do so.
By applying a good general purpose organic fertiliser such as Blood and Bone or a manure base one like Bounce Back to your garden you will not only be feeding the plants but also feeding the beneficial microbes in the soil.
This will ensure your plants have what they need to do their best.
If you like you can also use a liquid seaweed base or fish base fertiliser, but these are best used as a supplementary feed rather than the main course.
Even though there is still good moisture levels in the ground, it is a good idea to check your irrigation system out now.
It will not be long before we get the odd unusually warm spring day and with all that soft new spring growth on the plants, they are going to need a drink to get them through.
Camellias and azaleas have been a standout in the gardens for the last few months and will continue to do so for a little while yet.
It is also the time when the widest range of these are available.
The further we move into spring the less likely we are able to order in specific varieties that people may be looking for.
As the growers will start potting plants up for next autumn.
The evergreen magnolias like Little Sarah, Fairy Blush, Cinderella, Cleopatra and Inspiration are all coming into their first flush of flower for the season.
This group of magnolias are very useful in gardens as either feature plants, screening plants or clipped as hedges.
Their abundant floral displays will appear in flushes over the coming warmer months with their soft fragrance filling the surrounding garden.
These magnolias are starting to flower just as the deciduous varieties which have been amazing this year are finishing.
There is so much more that is looking great in the Garden Centre even though spring has just started.
Grevilleas are flowering, callistemon bottle brush are covered in new growth and flower buds, coprosma plants leaves are looking brilliant in a range of colours, clivia plants are budding and flowering and Abutilon Chinese lantern flowers which never seem to stop are still flowering.
It is just a beautiful time to be in the garden. and it is hard not to be excited and inspired as you walk around the Garden Centre on a lovely spring day.