What Should You Feed Your Garden in Spring?

Spring is the most important feeding period in the garden year. After months of dormancy or slow winter growth, plants are ready to surge into life — and they need the right nutritional support to do it well. A well-timed spring feeding sets the foundation for healthy growth, good flowering and productive harvests throughout the entire season ahead. Getting this right pays dividends all year.

When to Start Spring Feeding

Resist the temptation to feed too early. Applying fertiliser to cold soil in late winter is mostly wasted — roots are dormant or barely functioning and cannot absorb nutrients effectively. Wait until the soil has warmed to at least 7–10°C and you can see active new growth beginning. For most temperate gardens this means mid-March to April is the realistic starting point, later in colder or more northerly areas. The first visible signs of new growth on shrubs and perennials are your cue.

What to Apply in Spring

Spring is the nitrogen season. Nitrogen drives the leafy growth and vigour that characterises healthy spring plants. Products to consider:

• Balanced granular fertiliser: blood, fish and bone or a general-purpose granular feed is a good all-round choice for beds and borders
• High-nitrogen lawn feed: applied to the lawn once grass is actively growing
• Well-rotted compost or manure mulch: applied to vegetable beds and around shrubs; slow-release, soil-improving and gentle
• Rose fertiliser: specialist products formulated for the balanced needs of roses in early spring
• Liquid seaweed: a gentle tonic for new growth and transplants, stimulates roots and supplies trace elements

Spring Feeding for Specific Plants

Different plants have different spring priorities:

• Fruit trees: a balanced granular feed scattered around the root zone (to the drip line) in late February or March before bud burst
• Soft fruit (raspberries, currants, gooseberries): a nitrogen-rich feed as growth resumes, followed by a balanced or high-potassium feed as flowers appear
• Perennial borders: a balanced granular feed scattered and lightly forked in as new growth emerges
• Shrubs: a spring top-dressing of balanced granular fertiliser around the base, especially for those newly planted
• Vegetable beds: incorporate compost before planting and add a balanced granular feed if the soil is light or depleted

How to Apply Spring Fertiliser

For granular products, scatter evenly over the soil surface at the label rate and water in if rain is not expected within a day or two. Avoid allowing granules to sit against plant stems. For liquid products, water the soil first and then apply as a root drench. For mulches, spread around plants but keep clear of stems and crowns where fungal diseases can take hold. Begin regular liquid feeding schedules once plants are in active growth and weather has warmed.