Now's the time to give your spring garden some TLC

Craig de Necker of The Friendly Plant shares his top gardening tips for early spring

1. CHECK YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM

• Check your irrigation system for blocked spray heads and test the system to see whether any spray heads need to be adjusted or raised, to ensure that the entire garden is covered.

• Adjust your irrigation controller – giving your plants a deep soak every two days will allow the water to reach the roots of the plants, and will also prevent evaporation.

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2. SHOW YOUR LAWN SOME LOVE

• Spring signals the start of the growing season. Lawns such as bermuda and kikuyu benefi t from frequent watering and regular cutting. Ensure that your lawnmower blades are sharp and that the mower is fully operational. Lawn cuttings can be kept to compost rather than removed from site.

• Use lawn dressing and fertiliser to give your lawns an additional boost.

3. NOURISH THE SOIL

• Order a load of organic compost to spread around your plant beds. When the rains come, or the irrigation system is turned on, the nutrients in the compost will sink down to the roots of the plants.

• You should also add some fertiliser to plant beds for an additional source of nourishment.