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Let’s go for growth

Nearing the end of a most unusual year, we are all looking forward to the new life summer brings. Being home-bound during the Covid-lockdown, many people explored growing their own vegetables and herbs. It was almost as if many folks discovered the positive effect of gardening for the first time and realized that it helps us keep our sanity. What preparations should be done to welcome the new growing season?
According to recent weather predictions, we may expect a promising rainy season ahead. The following preparations are important to do in spring: Firstly, cut back, prune and clean up before starting with seasonal soil preparation.

Apply a lot of organic material like compost or old well-decomposed cattle manure to flower-, vegetable-, and herb beds as well as your fruit trees and pots. Fertilize with organic fertilizer, especially in your herb and vegetable gardens and containers.
For the rest give either an organic fertilizer or 3:1:5(26)SR to all your flower beds and fruit trees. Superphosphate or bone meal should be given to your flower beds, especially with new plantings.

Due to high alkaline water and soil, we have problems with high soil pH, resulting in plant roots struggling to absorb micronutrients. When you apply organic material to your beds, the decomposing of the organic material in the soil has an acidic effect on the soil. Ammonium sulphate does basically the same and can be applied at least every third month.

Give your lawn a once-off lawn treatment during the first two weeks of September.

This treatment encompasses a thin layer of well-decomposed cattle manure and phosphate after aerating the lawn with a garden fork.