What To Plant, Prune + Plan For In Your Southern Highlands Garden In Spring.
Gosh, we love this warmer weather. There is something about seeing buds popping up on branches, camellias and crab apples blooming, and bees buzzing around that gets us all inspired to get out in the garden and work some mulching magic, right? Right!
But what if you’re a little like us (helloooo black thumbs…!) and don’t know where to start?
You talk to a gardening guru! Michael Nichols of Turf 2 Trees Horticulture is certainly one of those. Michael and his crazy talented team do complete landscape management, specialising in acreage, formal gardens and show gardens…. and wow! We’ve had a sneak peek at their work, and the gardens are stunning!
Here’s Michael’s friendly advice on what to plant and prune this spring, how to handle the wet-wet winter we just had, and some proactive tips to get your garden ready for summer, so best get going now!
Wet winter
This winter’s heavy rainfall has left many gardens and worksites with saturated soil, creating a tricky environment for trees.
When roots sit in water for too long, the risk of root rot rises, and trees can become unstable, sometimes toppling even without wind.
It’s more important than ever to inspect all trees on your property or worksite carefully. Look for signs like movement in the root plate, cracks appearing in the soil around the base, or dieback and stress in the canopy.
These are all warning signals that a tree might not be safe. Prioritising safety is essential, as unstable trees can pose serious hazards to people, structures, and surrounding plantings.
In cases where roots have rotted beyond recovery, planning for replacement trees is crucial to maintain both safety and long-term garden health. Early attention now can prevent accidents and costly damage later.
For peace of mind and expert guidance, consider getting professional help from a team like Turf 2 Trees Horticulture to assess, manage, and safely resolve any worries you may have with your trees.
Pesky pests
Spring is here, and so are garden pests. Watch for aphids on hellebores and roses, leaf curl on stone fruit, codling moth on apples and pears, and browning conifers from cypress borer. Protect new growth and emerging dahlias from slugs and snails.
Chemical sprays aren’t always the answer. Ladybirds, lacewings, copper, and physical traps can be more effective.
Turf 2 Trees Horticulture uses Integrated Pest Management, combining manual, biological, cultural, and chemical controls.
You can contact the team about safe, effective solutions that protect your garden, pets, and the environment.
What to plant
September
Start preparing the vegetable garden for your spring crops. Plant carrots, parsnips, spinach, silver beet, leeks and lettuce, but be careful about planting some of the frost-averse veggies [like tomatoes and cucumbers] too early as late frosts are becoming the norm in the Highlands. Now is a good time to get fertilising, getting that garden ready for peak planting season.
October
As the sun sticks around a bit longer and warms things up, it’s like an open invitation to hang out more in our gardens. Right in the middle of spring, it’s like Mother Nature’s perfect timing for planting. The soil is getting more cosy and warm, the temps are just right and to top it off, we usually get a good dose of rain to give those plants a boost. Oh, and speaking of being busy outside, the lawn mower’s definitely earning its keep this month after hopefully getting that nice fertilising treatment last month. Most frost-tender vegetables can now be planted, think all that lovely salad veg- cucumbers, tomatoes, kale and spring onions.
November
There’s still lots of gardening TLC to be done before we dive into the upcoming summer. This month, it’s all about giving your plants some good grub and hydration – they’re counting on it. Oh, and if you’ve got indoor plants, orchids, or buddies in bigger pots, it’s high time for a little repotting action. Bearded iris should be dug up and divided every 2-3 years. Just after they finish flowering is a perfect time to start.
What to prune
The start of spring is the best time to ensure your hydrangeas are pruned for the new season’s growth. Annuals can be changed out for the coming season – marigold, delphinium, petunia, and phlox are good varieties.
Come October it’s time to deadhead bulbs to encourage good strong blooms for this coming season. Remember to leave foliage as this allows the bulb to harvest valuable nutrients for next season’s growth. Spring flowering shrubs such as forsythias and spiraea, can be pruned once flowering has finished.
What to plan for
September
If you haven’t finished your mulching then keep at it! This job is best suited before the warm weather arrives and starts to dry out your soil. September is the time to kickstart your lawns back to life again. Aerate, dethatch, seed bare areas and fertilise to put you in good stead for the coming season, and don’t forget to control lawn scarab beetle!
October
As you watch your roses burst into life, now is a good time to pick and deadhead them to encourage more blooms to grow well into summer. October is also a great time to get that weeding done and as the start of the month lies in school holiday time, the whole fam-bam can get their hands dirty!
November
If you want to expand your hellebore numbers into other parts of the garden, cut the spent flower heads off and disperse them in the garden. That means you’ll find some new additions to your garden come next season! November and December are a great time to take cuttings for many shrubs so you can keep everything fresh and expanding.
Okay guys, Spring is here and all systems are a go, gardening gloves at the ready! Thankfully this guide should get you prepared for the busy months ahead.
And don’t forget Michael has put together a month-by-month guide of what to do and when in the garden during every season. You can check out the summer, autumn and winter guides here (bookmark these for later this year and next year).
Turf 2 Trees Horticulture is a Landscape and Estate Management business, specialising in acreage, formal gardens and show gardens with over ten years of horticulture and turf management experience. A local business who has mastered the art of their craft in the unique Highlands climate, the team at Turf 2 Trees Horticulture focus on efficiency and high-quality property maintenance.
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