My To-Do List of Spring Gardening Jobs

Spring is nearly upon us so it’s time to start planning for what spring gardening jobs we need to do. As the weather warms it’s a great time to get out in the garden and prepare for summer!

It is not quite spring yet but there are already plenty of signs that the garden is starting to come to life again. Most noticeable is the blossom on the fruit trees. The almond tree as usual has been the first to burst into flower but our other fruit trees aren’t too far behind. Our ornamental pear trees are also flowering and humming with bees.

It’s wonderful at this time of year watching as different plants begin to flower.  It might begin with fruit tree blossom but then the spring bulb flowers open and before you know it the garden is full of colour! One of my favourite spring flowers would have to be the California lilac; I love having a splash of blue in the garden!

The other thing that tends to make a splash in the garden at this time of year is the weeds. Spring is the season where the weeds can really get the better of you if they’re not removed. The warmer weather combined with good spring rains will usually send the weeds into overdrive!

So weeding is a spring gardening job that is given a high priority around here. It is one job that has to be carried out all spring so I have included in my list of ongoing spring gardening jobs.

Spring tends to be one of the busiest seasons in the garden. Along with the weeding there also lots of fertilizing and pruning to be done. And spring is the time when we can start planting out our summer vegetable crops. Not to mention looking out for bugs like aphids and cabbage white butterfly!

Below are some of the spring gardening jobs that I will be doing over the next three months. I have included lots of general spring gardening jobs as well as some that are specific to my garden. To have a comprehensive list would depend on your climate, your garden type, and what plants you have in your garden. Hopefully this list will point you in the right direction and give you some ideas for what jobs need doing in your spring garden!

Early Spring Gardening Jobs

• Provide frost protection when needed to susceptible plants
• Plant seeds for summer vegetable crops
• Care for seedlings that can’t be planted out in the garden until the last frosts have passed
• Increase frequency of watering for potted plants as the weather warms
• Apply fertiliser to roses
• Remove dead flowers from bulbs
• Prepared garden beds for planting (dig through compost and manure)
• Test irrigation systems to check for leaks and blockages

Mid-Spring Gardening Jobs

• Plant out summer flowering ornamental seedlings
• Watch out for late frosts and protect susceptible plants when necessary
• Plant out potted chrysanthemums
• Increase watering as the weather warms
• Fertilize roses
• Deadhead spring flowering bulbs as the flowers die off
• Plant out potted vegetables like tomatoes when risk of frost has past
• Remove protection from overwintered capsicums when there is no longer a risk of frosts
• Prune passionfruit vine
• Mound potato plants

Late Spring Gardening Jobs

• monitor vegetable patch daily and water as required
• stake tomato plants as they continue to grow
• deadhead roses to encourage fresh blooms
• monitor drip irrigation system for leaks and blockages
• clear leaf litter and twigs from gutters and around garden to prepare for upcoming bushfire season
• protect fruit trees from birds as fruit develops
• move pots of spring flowering bulbs that have finished to a cool shady area to die back before lifting
• prune spring flowering shrubs when flowers have finished

Ongoing Spring Gardening Jobs

• Weed and mulch around vegetable and ornamental beds where necessary
• treat flowering oxalis weed (soursob) with glyphosate as necessary
• Pick off or treat cabbage white butterfly on brassica (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts)
• control aphids on roses as necessary
• mow lawns when necessary

Well that list should keep me busy in the garden! For more spring gardening ideas head over to Pinterest and have a look at my Spring Garden board.