Gardening is boring.
How-to guides for feeding soil, cutting back perennials, sowing flowers for summer, and planting & staking fruit trees.
Written in partnership with Boring® Oat Milk.
This spring, Sage Journal is partnering with Boring® Oat Milk to bring a fresh perspective to garden prep. We’re embracing the basics that lay the foundation for a thriving growing season. Together, we’re taking a lighthearted approach, inviting you to find joy in these ‘boring’ but essential spring garden tasks.
This early spring guide covers practical, step-by-step tips to help you set up your garden for the season ahead.
While gardening may sometimes feel like a series of small, humdrum tasks, it’s these very basics — feeding the soil, pruning back perennials, sowing flowers for summer, planting and staking young fruit trees — that will get you closer to the summer blooms and lush garden growth we’re all hoping for. It begins here.
Follow along with us this season as we uncover the beauty in the basics — #gardeningisboringnz
How to feed your soil for spring gardening
Test your soil
It’s not thrilling, but knowing your soil’s secrets is weirdly satisfying.
Grab a pH test kit and diagnose the soil’s structure (clay / silt / sand) to determine what amendments you need for optimal growth.
Add organic matter
Add compost, aged manure or leaf mould to boost soil fertility and improve its structure. It’s the stuff that turns your garden’s soil into growing gold.
Mulch
Mulching: the gardening equivalent of putting a lid on your leftovers. Not exciting, but it keeps things fresh.
Apply a layer of organic mulch, like pea straw, wood chips, fallen leaves and lawn clippings, to retain moisture, keep weeds down and regulate soil temperature. Mulch also adds nutrients as it breaks down.
Use natural fertilisers
Because giving your plants a healthy meal should be as routine as your morning coffee.
Go for natural fertilisers like blood & bone; seaweed or fish fertiliser; comfrey, bokashi or worm teas. These provide essential nutrients without harming the environment.
Grow cover crops
The ultimate “plant now, benefit later” move.
Plant cover crops like lupin, phacelia and broad beans in empty beds to fix nitrogen, prevent erosion and improve soil structure for next season.
Get ready to plant!
And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for — actual planting. See? All that humdrum prep wasn’t so bad.
Happy growing!
Cutting back perennials in spring
Timing is everything
Ah, timing — something you can’t ignore and is a little different for each region. Know your frost zone. Many perennials need their old stems and seedheads as a winter blanket, so it’s ok not to get snip-happy too soon.
The general rule? Wait for new growth to show its face, then get cutting.
Tools of the trade
Before you go all Edward Scissorhands, get your tools sorted. Sharp secateurs, a hori hori knife and gloves.
It’s a good idea to sterilise between cuts — spreading disease is never a good look.
Herbaceous perennials: Clean cut
Not all perennials are equal — some like a good chop, others just need a trim.
For herbaceous perennials like achillea, sedum, and ornamental grasses, cut back to basal growth (15-30cm above ground). It’s the plant version of a fresh fade.
Woody perennials: Don’t overdo it
Woody perennials are a different story. They like to keep their shape, so don’t go too wild.
For plants like lavender, penstemon and salvia, trim about one-third back. Less is more.
Eyes peeled for pests
Cut out any plant material with signs of pests or fungi.
Treat it fast if things look dicey. Use fungicide or insecticide for those problem areas — your plants will thank you.
Feed & mulch
Pruning’s done, now give those plants a little spa treatment. Feed with seaweed to boost spring growth, and mulch to keep weeds away.
Clean up
Time to clean up the evidence.
Compost the prunings or go with the “chop and drop” method. If it’s disease-free, it can even double as mulch.
How to sow flowers for summer
Select your seeds
Ah, timing — something you can’t ignore and is a little different for each region. Know your frost zone. Many perennials need their old stems and seedheads as a winter blanket, so it’s ok not to get snip-happy too soon.
The general rule? Wait for new growth to show its face, then get cutting.
Know your frost zone
If you’re sowing tender annual seeds, sow them indoors about 6 weeks before your last frost date. They really aren’t fans of the cold!
Use quality seed raising mix
Just like the (oat) milk in your coffee, the base matters.
Use a good-quality seed raising mix to give your seedlings a solid start.
Depth matters
Bury seeds twice their depth — or for fine seeds like snapdragons and poppies, surface sow and sprinkle with vermiculite.
Warmth & humidity
Seedlings need warmth and moisture. Place them on a sunny windowsill and keep the soil moist. For next-level care, use a humidity dome or plastic tub with a lid.
Light, light, light
Once they sprout, it’s all about exposing the seedlings to light. Seedlings crave sunlight to avoid getting leggy.
True leaves = time to ‘pot on’
When the first ‘true leaves’ show up (the second set of leaves your seedling produces), it’s time for a pot upgrade. After transplanting, give them a good soak with seaweed solution from the bottom up to get them thriving.
Transplant into the garden
Transplant once the frosts are behind you, your seedlings have developed a solid root system, and they’ve had some time to toughen up outdoors.
All this seemingly unremarkable prep is the secret to a garden full of blooms this summer!
How to plant & stake fruit trees
Location, location, location
Take your time to pick the right spot for your tree. It needs plenty of sunlight and space to grow — without running into fences, houses, powerlines or other trees. (Because nobody wants a surprise rooftop apple harvest.)
Dig the hole
Dig a hole the depth of the root ball and twice as wide. Loosen the soil at the bottom for good measure. Think of it as setting up the tree’s first (and only) home — no pressure.
Deal with poor soil
If your soil’s more like a brick than a bed, add some compost to help with drainage. Go easy on fertiliser at planting time — we want to avoid burnt roots.
Mind the graft union
Make sure the tree is centred in the hole, with the graft union (that bulge near the base) above the soil line. A small detail that’ll make a big difference.
Stake it
Drive in 1-2 stakes parallel to the tree (away from the root ball) on the windiest sides, so your tree doesn’t blow over. (No one wants to watch their hard work topple in a breeze.)
Tie it, but not too tight
Secure the tree loosely to the stake(s). This way, your tree gets some room to wiggle and grow without snapping or rubbing.
Backfill & tamp down
Gently backfill the hole and tamp down the soil with your hands to remove air pockets. Don’t stomp on it too hard — compacted soil = stressed tree roots. Water well to settle the soil.
When to ditch the stake:
The stake can come out after 1–2 years, or when the tree’s strong enough to stand on its own. Patience, grasshopper.
—
In partnership with Boring® Oat Milk.
This spring, Sage Journal is teaming up with Boring® Oat Milk to bring you a series of weekly gardening tips, shared on our social media channels. Together, we’re celebrating the beauty in the basics — those humdrum tasks that make all the difference in the garden. After all, one person’s boring may be another person’s most interesting.
