Spring has officially arrived. The cherry blossoms are blooming, the soil is warming, and September is one of the busiest gardening months of the year in New Zealand. With longer days and rising temperatures, it’s the perfect time to sow summer crops, refresh your lawn, and prepare garden beds for vegetables, herbs, flowers, and shrubs. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned gardener, these Top 10 Garden Tips will help you make the most of the season.
1. Refresh and Prepare Your Soil
Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving garden. After the wet winter months, many soils in can become compacted, nutrient-poor, or waterlogged. September is the time to bring them back to life. Start by digging through Premium Compost or Premium Garden MIx to add structure and nutrients.
For heavy clay soils, incorporate Gypsum to improve drainage, and compost to interact with and break up the clay.
In garden beds, top up with Premium Garden Mix before planting veggies, herbs, or flowers. Adding Garden Mix, which contains fertilisers, ensures plants establish quickly and remain healthy throughout the season. Don’t forget to mulch afterwards to keep moisture in and weeds down.
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2. Plant Early Spring Vegetables and Herbs
September is the green light for planting hardier vegetables and herbs. Sow carrots, radishes, beetroot, celeriac, spinach, and lettuce directly into the soil.
Herbs like coriander, dill, parsley, and sage thrive in early spring conditions, but basil should be planted when it’s warmer.
To diversify your veggie patch, try coloured carrots, Florence fennel, or rainbow chard. Plant pollinator-friendly flowers such as borage, lavender, or phacelia nearby to attract bees for better harvests.
Tomatoes, capsicum, and zucchini can be started indoors or planted outdoors under cloches if you want to get ahead.
For quick salad harvests, scatter mesclun or rocket seed through your veggie beds. Companion plants like marigolds will help deter pests while adding cheerful colour.
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3. Boost Plant Growth with Fertilisers
As plants burst into spring growth, they need extra nutrition. September is the month to crank up your fertilising across the garden.
For veggies and herbs, liquid fertilisers or pelletised fertilisers added at planting time help seedlings establish quickly, especially if soil temperatures are still cool.
Mound up soil around potatoes as they grow. Early crop potatoes such as Swift or Rocket will be ready to harvest by Christmas.
For fruiting plants such as strawberries and blueberries, apply a balanced fertiliser or use natural options like Dave’s Magic Mix Pellets, because they like to be fed!
To keep berries healthy and their fruit clean, mulch with Pea Straw and protect them with bird netting. Feeding now ensures strong growth, abundant flowers, and productive crops right through summer.
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4. Add Colour with Flowers and Ornamentals
Spring is the season to brighten your garden with new flowers and shrubs. Plant viburnums, lavender, camellias, rhododendrons, and azaleas for instant impact.
Using a support such as a fence, pergola or a climbing frame plant a clematis – just remember to plant the roots a bit deeper with Premium Compost or Premium Garden Mix, and mulch generously.
September is also the time to move plants if they’re in the wrong spot. Dig the shrub out carefully, with a good root ball intact. Take them for a “wheelbarrow walk” and transplant using Compost or Garden Mix. Top with Mulch.
Early planting of perennials and annuals gives them time to establish before the heat of summer. To keep roots cool and plants looking their best, finish with a layer of Mulch or decorative Bark.
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5. Prune, Weed, and Mulch for Healthy Growth
Spring is about fresh growth, and that means now’s the time to prune, weed, and add a layer of Mulch.
Trim hedges, topiaries, and shrubs to maintain their shape. Check roses for early signs of black spot or mildew and add liquid fertiliser like Aquaticus Organic Garden Booster to your sprayer to encourage healthy foliage.
Mulching is essential in September: it conserves soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and protects roots from sudden temperature swings.
Bark Mulch works well around ornamentals, while Pea Straw is excellent in vegetable beds. With the soil still moist from winter rains, it’s the perfect moment to hand-weed before i vigorous weeds take over.
With the soil still moist from winter rains, it’s the perfect moment to hand-weed before invasive species set take over.
A tidy, mulched garden in September will reward you with vigorous, healthy plants throughout spring - try our Premium Black Mulch for a striking contrast.
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6. Care for Lawns – Feed, Seed, and Weed
If your lawn looks patchy or tired after winter, September is the perfect time to revive it. Start by aerating compacted areas with a garden fork to improve drainage.
Patch bare spots with Premium Lawn Soil and re-seed with quality lawn seed.
Feeding is essential this month – apply ProLawn Lawn Booster for steady growth and a deep green finish.
To start a new lawn, spread Premium Lawn Soil, sow ProLawn Grass Seed evenly, and apply ProLawn Lawn Starter fertiliser. Water daily until grass is established.
Now is also the time to control weeds before they spread. Small lawns can be weeded by hand, while larger areas benefit from selective weedkillers, that kill weeds but leave the grass intact.
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7. Build Raised Beds for Easy Gardening
Raised Garden Beds are perfect for growing veggies, herbs, and flowers. They provide excellent drainage, warmer soil, and make gardening easier on your back.
September is a great time to build new beds before the main planting rush. Choose wood sleepers like Macrocarpa Sleepers or Trustwood Sleepers for long-lasting garden structures.
Raised beds also let you control soil quality more easily – fill with layers of Premium Garden Mix and Compost for rich, friable soil. The soil stays warmer when it’s raised up and you can plant earlier and harvest sooner Than in-ground veggie patches.
With a raised garden bed, you’ll enjoy healthier plants, fewer weeds, and better yields. Check out our handy article and video on how to build your own raised garden bed.
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8. Keep on Top of Pests and Diseases
Warmer spring weather means pests start to reappear. Keep a close eye on aphids, slugs, and snails.
Small aphid populations can be controlled by squashing or spraying with organic solutions. Slugs and snails can be trapped using beer traps or deterred with mulch barriers.
Roses and other ornamentals may show signs of fungal disease – use fungicides to control and boost plant health by adding liquid fertilisers containing fish or seaweed into the sprayer.
Healthy, well-fed plants are naturally more resistant to pests and diseases, so ensure regular feeding and mulching.
Staying on top of problems in September helps prevent infestations from becoming bigger issues later in the season.
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9. Create Garden Paths and Outdoor Spaces
Spring is not just about plants – it’s also a good time to improve your outdoor living areas.
Create garden paths or driveways using products like JakMat GeoCell Mats, which stabilise gravel and make surfaces durable and low maintenance. For a decorative finish, top with pebbles or stones.
Garden edging helps keep lawns, beds, and pathways neat. Wooden sleepers used to line paths and lawns make a strong statement.
Adding structure now makes your garden more practical and enjoyable throughout the warmer months.
September’s mild weather makes it easier to tackle landscaping projects before summer heat sets in.
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10. Plant Trees and Shrubs for Long-Term Growth
September is the ideal planting season for trees and shrubs. The soil is warm but not dry, and plants have time to establish roots before summer.
Dig holes at least as deep as the pot and twice as wide. Mix in Premium Compost or Premium Garden Mix to give new plants a strong start. For clay soils, add Gypsum to improve soil structure.
Staking new trees is essential to protect them from spring winds. Finish with a generous layer of Mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
Planting now ensures your trees and shrubs thrive and become beautiful long-term features in your garden.
