Spring is Here!
Weeds are a good sign at this time of year, as the sudden arrival of weeds means your soil is warm enough for sowing at long last.  But also the battle between plants and snails is now on; last year's snail are now emerging from their winter hibernation, so sprinkle on your slug bait now to ensure the survival of your new seedlings.  Spare a thought for all the other sorts of wildlife that are killed by the slug pellets, and consider putting the pellets in a jar, and half bury it in the soil.  This not only keeps the bait dry, it keeps it out of reach of non target species and it actually lasts longer too. 

If you have a glasshouse or a warm garage like I do, start sowing heirloom tomato seeds but don't let them outdoors until October.  Also sow onions indoors in trays and wait until the seedlings are 5-10cm tall before transplanting, don't leave them in trays too long or their roots will tangle.  When sowing seeds in the garage or glasshouse, line your seed trays with newspaper to stop potting mix seeping through the cracks or the holes in your pots.  Use another sheet of newspaper to cover your seedlings until they break the surface and them remove it to let in the light.  Your seedlings should be cranking along now with the long daylight hours, so feed them liquid feed regularly especially just before you plant them out.

Rhubarb
As it's spring it is time to purchase a rhubarb crown or rejuvenate your existing rhubarb patch with a thick layer of compost or manure.  When the middle talks get spindly and small, it's time to divide.  This month, when the first new sprouts appear, dig up and separate the crowns.  Each division should be about the size of your fist and have at least one healthy bud.  You will now have more rhubarb plants for either yourself or to give to friends and family so they can start their patch.  The best conditions for growing rhubarb is in full sun or partial shade in well-drained, fertile soil that is rich in organic matter.  Start your patch by putting around 10cm of manure at the bottom of a deep hole - it is a hungry plant!  Cover with compost.  Space each crown approximately 1m apart then cover with soil and mulch, the bud should be 3-5cm below the soil surface

Daffodils
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,  
She wore her greenest gown;  
She turned to the south wind  

And curtsied up and down.  
She turned to the sunlight  
And shook her yellow head,  
And whispered to her neighbour:  
"Winter is dead".

Daffodils are the most popular spring flowering bulbs. They are easy to grow and require very little attention.  If you planted Daffodil bulbs in a moist, well-drained soil in early autumn they will be flowering by now. To help flowering, use a side-dressing of Bulb Food or Blood and Bone when the first leaves and buds appear, and then again straight after flowering. Be sure to protect new shoots from slugs and snails. Daffodil bulbs can be left undisturbed for several years and only need lifting and dividing when they become overcrowded. Don't be tempted to tidy up and cut the spent foliage back - the leaves contain the bulbs food supply for the following seasons flowering. Tie the foliage in a knot or fold the foliage over and secure with a rubber band to tidy them up. One way to disguise the foliage is to plant annuals and perennials around bulbs - they flourish in early spring as the daffodils die down. 
 
Hydrangeas and Roses it's time to give them another prune, if you cut these summer performers back now they'll perform will from November on, it's also important to give citrus trees a good liquid tonic.

If you're soil is drying start planting peas now.

A couple of years ago I bought this sprouts growing container from Palmers, it was an excellent buy, and now with spring here I have started using it again.  You just put a teaspoon of seeds in each of the three sections, and each morning and night add a cup of clean water that filters through the sections and then just empty the bottom section which catches the water.  In a week you have sprouts which are great for soups in winter and salads in summer, I just put them in a container in the fridge, and start another batch, if you see one I'd highly recommend you grab it and start growing all sorts of sprouts and alfalfa for salads and sandwiches.

Complete vegetable preparation, digging in plenty of compost.

• Sow seeds of carrots, parsnip, beetroot, silverbeet, peas, swede and turnips directly into the soil.
• Sow lettuces, leeks, cabbage, tomato, capsicum, courgette, cucumber and eggplant ready for transplanting later.
• Transplant summer vegetable seedlings into the garden; lettuce, leeks, cabbage, onions and silverbeet.
• Plant under glass early tomato, capsicum, courgette, cucumber, pumpkin and celery.
• Spray with Champ DP to protect young seedlings from fungus diseases.
• Protect seedlings from slugs and snails with Blitzem.
• Plant early-crop potatoes after sprouting.
• Plant herbs in pots or into the garden and sow herb seeds for summer harvest.
• Plant citrus and fruit trees.
• Feed existing trees with Palmers Citrus Fertiliser.
• Prune Passionfruit vines and Feijoas to encourage new growth and fruiting - late September to early October.
• Re-pot and feed houseplants with Soluble Plant Food.
• Plant hanging baskets and terracotta pots for summer display.

On the 1st of September, I rocked on down to Bunning's and today planted the following and each week I will give them a regular dose of Thrive liquid fertiliser to get them on their way...

• Blackjack Courgette
• Grey Crown Pumpkin Seeds
• Butterbeans
•  Tumbling Red Tomato
• Crystal Apple Cucumber
• Long White Cucumber
• Telegraph Early Perfection Cucumber
• California Early Wonder Capsicums
• Bijou Dwarf Mixed Sweet Pea