🌱 Spring Is Almost Here: 7 Garden Jobs to Do Before September

“A little preparation now can make spring gardening a whole lot easier.”

It’s hard to believe we’re already coming to the end of August. The days are getting longer, plants are starting to wake up and there are signs of spring appearing around the garden.

But before we get too carried away with spring planting, there are a few jobs worth getting done first.

Late August is a great time to tidy up, get on top of weeds, prepare your veggie beds and start some of your spring seedlings. A bit of work now means you'll be ready to go once the warmer weather really arrives.

Here are 7 garden jobs we’re getting stuck into before September.

1. Start Your Spring Seedlings 🌱

One of the most exciting jobs at this time of year is getting seeds started for the season ahead.

Depending on where you live in Australia, you can start thinking about crops such as:

• Tomatoes
• Capsicum
• Chilli
• Zucchini
• Cucumber
• Beans
• Basil and other herbs
• Spring and summer flowers

If you're in a cooler part of Australia, don't be in too much of a hurry to plant warm-season seedlings straight into the garden. We can still get some pretty cold nights and frosts at this time of year.

Instead, get them started somewhere warm and protected so they're growing while you wait for conditions outside to improve.

Give Your Seedlings a Good Start

Our 6.5cm Biodegradable Coir Seedling Pots – 8 Pack are what we've been using to get seedlings started.

They're made from natural coir and can eventually be planted pot and all into the garden. This helps reduce root disturbance when it's time to transplant your seedlings.

They're a simple alternative to plastic pots and are great for starting individual veggies, herbs and flowers.

Why we like them:

• Biodegradable natural coir
• Plant straight into the soil
• Less root disturbance when transplanting
• Breathable for healthy root development
• Great for veggies, herbs and flowers

Tip: Don't overwater seedlings at this time of year. Cooler conditions mean pots can stay wet for much longer than they will during summer.

2. Get on Top of Weeds Before Spring

If you've noticed weeds starting to pop up everywhere, you're not alone.

As the weather begins to warm, weeds can quickly start putting on new growth. Getting on top of them now can save a lot of work later in spring.

Hand pulling is still one of the easiest options for weeds growing through garden beds, particularly when the ground is soft enough to remove the roots.

For weeds growing in suitable hard-surface areas, another option is thermal weed control.

🔥 An Alternative Way to Tackle Certain Weeds

Our Propane Weed Burner Torch Kit – Flame Gun with 3 Nozzles & Hose provides another option for controlling suitable weeds without applying herbicide.

Rather than burning weeds to ash, the idea is to briefly apply heat to damage the plant tissue. This can be particularly useful for small weeds growing in suitable areas such as cracks and some hard surfaces.

It won't be suitable for every weed or every part of the garden, so always use it carefully and follow the product instructions.

Important: Never use a flame weeder during a Total Fire Ban or where dry vegetation or other combustible materials could ignite. Check your local fire restrictions before use and keep well away from mulch, dry grass, buildings and other flammable materials.

3. Prepare Your Veggie Beds

There's nothing worse than having seedlings ready to plant and then realising the garden bed isn't ready for them.

Use the last part of winter to:

• Pull out weeds
• Remove old or unhealthy plant material
• Loosen compacted soil
• Add compost and organic matter
• Top up mulch where needed
• Plan where your spring crops will go

Adding compost now gives it a little time to settle into the soil before your main spring planting begins.

If you're growing vegetables, it's also worth thinking about where your larger summer crops will eventually go. Tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers can take up a surprising amount of room once they get going!

4. Give the Garden a General Tidy-Up 🪴

Winter can leave gardens looking a little rough around the edges.

Late August is a good opportunity to walk around and tackle some of those small jobs you've been putting off.

Remove dead leaves, pick up fallen branches, tidy garden edges and check your pots and garden beds.

While you're there, look closely at your plants. New spring growth is on the way, so catching pest, disease or weed problems early is much easier than dealing with them once everything starts growing quickly.

5. Get Your Gardening Tools Ready

Spring usually means a lot more time spent planting, transplanting, weeding and watering.

Having a few basic tools ready makes those little gardening jobs much easier.

Our Eco Gardening Tool Set with Watering Can – 4 Piece Garden Starter Kit is a handy little set for everyday garden jobs.

It's lightweight, made from recycled plastic and includes the basics for working around veggie beds, seedlings and pots.

Use it for jobs like:

• Planting and transplanting seedlings
• Loosening soil
• Small weeding jobs
• Working compost into garden beds
• Watering young plants

You don't need a shed full of equipment to grow a garden. A few useful tools that you actually reach for regularly can go a long way.

6. Plan What You're Growing This Spring

Before buying or starting dozens of plants, spend a little time planning what you actually want to grow.

Think about what you eat regularly, how much space you have and how much sun different parts of the garden receive.

For the veggie patch, spring favourites can include tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, capsicum and herbs.

Planting times vary considerably across Australia, though. What works in Queensland in August won't necessarily work in Victoria or Tasmania.

If you're still getting frosty mornings, use the next few weeks to start seedlings under protection rather than rushing them outside.

7. Don't Let a Warm Day Fool You ☀️

We've all done it.

You get one beautiful sunny day at the end of winter and suddenly it feels like it's time to plant everything.

Then another cold snap arrives.

Keep an eye on your local conditions rather than planting purely according to the calendar. Warm-season plants such as tomatoes are much happier once the soil and overnight temperatures have properly warmed.

There's nothing wrong with getting a head start — just do it somewhere protected.

Starting your seeds now means you'll have healthy young plants ready to go when your local conditions are right.

🌿 A Simple End-of-August Garden Checklist

Before September arrives, try to get a few of these jobs ticked off:

• Start your spring seedlings
• Get on top of weeds
• Prepare your veggie beds
• Add compost to the garden
• Tidy up after winter
• Get your gardening tools ready
• Plan what you want to grow
• Keep an eye out for late frosts

You don't need to do everything in one weekend. Even knocking over a couple of these jobs each week will put you in a much better position once spring gets going.

For more great gardening tips subscribe to our newsletter.