Top 3 things to do late-winter for early spring garden (and lawn) prep

Spring garden success starts in winter. Here’s how we’re getting ahead. 

As winter winds down and the soil begins to think about warming up, experienced gardeners know this is the secret window to get a jump on spring growth. Whether you’re growing veggies, flowers or chasing a lush green lawn, the work you do in late winter sets the foundations for success. 

At Food2Soil, our co-founders Josie and Annabel are rolling up their sleeves in their Canberra backyards right now. Here are the top three things they’re doing this month to prepare their garden and lawn for spring – and why August is the ideal time for spring garden prep in Australia. 

 

1. Feeding the soil before we feed the plants (or lawns!) 

Healthy plants start with healthy soil biology – which is why spring garden preparation in Australia should always begin below the surface. 

Most of the action in your garden actually happens underground, where roots search for nutrients and microbes help deliver them. Josie and Annabel are activating their soil now with a microbial-rich liquid biofertiliser (like Food2Soil) to improve: 

  • Nutrient availability for early spring growth

  • Root development in lawns and raised beds 

  • Overall soil structure and resilience 

Tip for how to get your lawn ready for spring: 

Apply a biofertiliser for lawns in late winter to stimulate microbe and root activity before new growth erupts. 

 

2. Clearing, trimming and topping up mulch (to outsmart spring weeds) 

Winter can leave garden beds looking rough – and lawns tired. This makes August the perfect time for a spring clean-up outdoors. Josie and Annabel are: 

  • Lightly pruning ornamentals and perennials 

  • Adding fresh mulch to suppress weeds ahead of spring 

  • Edging lawn zones for a crisp, “cared-for” look 

This not only keeps weeds at bay – it protects topsoil and improves water retention just as spring gardening season kicks in. 

Tip for spring lawn prep in Australia:

Use a half-moon edger or spade to redefine your lawn boundaries and prevent grass from invading garden beds. 

Annabel's top tip >> If you have dead plants that you want to ‘tidy up’, consider cutting them off at ground level rather than pulling them out. This leaves important structural organic material in the ground and aids in overall soil health (there’s millions of tiny interactions still happening down there even though the plant is dead). 

 

3. Mapping out our planting + lawn-renovation zones  

Late winter isn’t just about physical labour – it’s also prime time for planning your spring planting guide. Josie and Annabel are sketching out: 

  • Which vegetable beds will get a replant 

  • Where they’ll add flowers for pollinators 

  • What parts of the lawn need an early spring renovation 

Once you’ve mapped it out, you can add organic matter, compost or soil bio activators now – so everything is ready when warm weather hits. 

Follow this tip:

Even if you’re focusing on the lawn this year, a simple soil activation + feeding plan in August can transform how your turf responds in spring. 

 

Spring lawn prepped and ready to go with Food2Soil

Horticulturalist Oka, from Oka Property Maintanance, has been using Food2Soil biofertiliser on turf in Sydney’s leafy suburbs, and he’s seeing greener, thicker lawns in just a few weeks. 

“The roots are fuller, the colour is richer – and it’s all about the microbial life in the soil.” 

 

Spring prep checklist for Australian gardeners:

All in all, these are the key steps that we highly recommend to start implementing in your gardens now for spring success:

✅ Apply liquid biofertiliser in late winter 

✅ Edge, tidy and declutter garden beds 

✅ Top up mulch to block first spring weeds 

✅ Decide what goes where (veg, flowers, lawn) 

✅ Add compost now so nutrients settle in time 

 

Ready to give your garden or lawn a head start? 

Share this with a green thumb friend now so spring doesn’t catch you scrambling.