Gardening with Simon - Spring in your Garden
Published on September 16, 2022
One of the biggest joys for any gardener who grows spring bulbs is seeing the first daffodil flower emerge.
Like prancing lambs, daffodils are a sign of spring, and the joy they bring can’t help but put a spring in your step.
Daffodils can feature in your garden provided you have plenty of drainage. You can plant them in the ground or in a container. If you choose the latter, I’d recommend placing small pebbles in the bottom before putting in your growing medium - a quality compost with bulb fertiliser is best. Because daffodils are deep rooted, choose a container no less than 12 inches deep to allow for root growth. Any deep container can be used, but I personally prefer the aesthetic of long containers rather than smaller upright ones.
As daffodils do not like getting their feet wet, put your container on a couple of pieces of timber to keep them off the ground if you can. For protection in case of a rogue frost, add a covering of straw or mulch.
What to plant in spring:
There are many vegetables that thrive in spring weather, but have frost cloth handy just in case!
Here are some of my suggestions and favourites to plant soon:
- Beans (dwarf and climbing)
- Broccoli (seedlings)
- Carrots (seeds or seed tape)
- Celery (seedlings)
- Lettuce (seedlings)
- Potatoes (tubers)
- Spinach (seedlings)
- Silverbeet (seedlings)
November is a good time to plant:
- Capsicum (seedlings)
- Chilli (seedlings)
- Cucumber (seedlings)
- Pumpkin (seed)
- Tomato (seedlings)
- Zucchini (seedlings)
Happy spring gardening, and I will see you all in summer.
Simon Broad
sf.broad@xtra.co.nz