Spring always arrives earlier than expected in Gauteng. Are you ready? Now’s the perfect time to wake up your garden, add instant colour, prep your lemon tree, and refresh your indoor plants.
There are few sneaky ways to outsmart winter and your garden will be ahead this season. From clever watering and soil prep to planting for pollinators, these simple steps will help you grow a garden that’s both beautiful and sustainable.

1. Plant Instant Spring Colour

Spring colour planted now will brighten your garden through to the end of October, giving it a vibrant lift just when it’s looking dull. Feed flowering plants weekly with Multifeed Flowergro and deadhead regularly by removing dead flowers to keep the colour coming.
Choose trusted favourites like Primroses, Pansies, Violas, white Chrysanthemums and fragrant Alyssum for a reliable show that will last well into early summer.
For something proudly local, plant these indigenous stars:

• Cape Nemesia – Colourful, hardy and carefree
• Blue Felicia Daisy – Brilliant for pollinators and easy to grow
• Cape daisies – Bright, waterwise and eye catching

These additions not only bring bold spring colour, they support local biodiversity by attracting bees and butterflies to your garden.

2. Feed Your Lemon Tree

A healthy lemon tree means almost year-round fruit. Here’s how to grow the best.
Now is the time to feed it with BioGanic organic fertiliser to support the first flush of flowers and new foliage. As soon as the new leaves start to appear, apply Complete 350 to protect against unsightly leaf bumps.
Eckards Top Tip: Pick off all remaining lemons now, feed well, water, then let the soil dry out slightly until the leaves flush. This small effort sets your tree up for a healthy and productive season.
Organic fertilisers like BioGanic are not only effective, they’re safer for the environment, pets and kids, and support long-term soil health.

3. Mulch for Moisture and Sustainability

Mulching is one of the smartest steps you can take for a healthy garden. It helps retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and encourage earthworms. Using pruned leaves and trimmings as mulch is a sustainable way to recycle what’s already in your garden.
If you don’t have any then use the Bagged Mulch available at Eckards. It is a chunkier version of compost and will give you the benefits of mulch as it breaks down and improves the condition of your soil.
Decorative much such as bark chips are great as a mulch lasting for ages covering the soil and looking beautiful and neat too.
You’ll save water, reduce landfill, and feed your soil naturally. Mulching is a key practice in building a water-wise, eco-friendly garden that thrives in Gauteng’s changing climate.

4. Check Your Irrigation

As temperatures rise, so does the need for consistent watering. Check your irrigation system now to make sure everything’s working:

• Replace blocked sprayers
• Repair pipes damaged during winter or pruning
• Adjust for full coverage

If you don’t have an irrigation system now is the time to start a simple watering plan with a hose timer. Getting ahead now avoids the frustration of a sudden spring heatwave with a system that won’t work. Smart watering not only saves time, it conserves one of South Africa’s most important resources.

5. Refresh Indoor Plants

Indoor plants also need attention after winter. On a warm day, move them to a shaded patio or the bath and gently rinse the leaves to remove built-up dust. Top up the soil, check for pests like scale or mealy bug, and spray with Oleum which both treats insects and shines the leaves. Organokil is a ready to use organic insecticide aerosol.
Feed with Nitrosol, making sure water drains fully from the pot to avoid root rot. Once dry, return them indoors.
Eckards Top Tip: Never put indoor plants in direct sun, even in winter. They can burn easily under our strong South African light.

6. Revive Container Plants

Potted plants also need a seasonal boost. Remove the top layer of soil and top up with fresh compost. Add BioGanic and water deeply until water drains through the base.
If you’re replanting for spring, remove half the soil and refill with fresh potting mix. For bedding plants in pots, continue feeding weekly with Multifeed Flowergro for best results.
Where possible, reuse or repurpose old containers. Cracked pots make great drainage liners or decorative pieces. It's an easy way to reduce waste and bring character into your garden.

Are you Spring Ready?
With just a bit of effort now, your garden will be ahead of the curve this season.  Visit Eckards Garden Centre in Bedfordview - your one-stop local destination for seasonal colour, eco-friendly gardening products, and trusted expert advice. We're here to help you garden with confidence.