In full bloom: Spring is here!

By Khadija Hadjab

Aug 30, 2024

Located in Kialla, Gardens on Archer is a plant nursery owned by Ben and Michelle Michel, who also run Michel’s Landscaping & Garden Design.

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Since taking over in 2014, the Michels have continued the nursery’s tradition of providing a variety of quality plants and plant-related products.

Known for their expertise, Gardens on Archer focuses on sourcing plants suitable for the Goulburn Valley region and helping customers find the right fit for their gardening needs.

As spring approached, News reporter Khadija Hadjab visited the nursery to gather tips from Michelle and capture beautiful blooms.

What is your favourite season?

“Look, spring’s exciting because there is so much stock available,” Michelle said.

“It’s generally mostly nice days. The wind’s not great, but you’ve got lots of people around and stuff in flowers. The nursery probably looks at its best in spring, but autumn is quite nice too.”

How do you prepare for spring?

“We order lots of stock and make lots of room in the nursery,” she said.

“Obviously, (we) check all the stock we’ve had over the winter because some of it is a bit tired-looking, and (we) get rid of that. But it’s mainly ordering lots of stock because spring is our peak period, and winter is probably our slowest period.

“So, we downsize a bit in how much stock we have over the winter months and have different stock that can handle cost and things like that, whereas as we come into spring, there’s less risk of that. So, we have a lot more variety in the nursery, and lots of seedlings are ready for people’s veggie gardens.

“Probably one of the biggest sellers as soon as spring hits are tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, and things like that. All those frost-tender veggies that people are hanging out waiting to put in as soon as the sun comes back out after winter.”

What advice or tips would you give gardeners preparing the gardens for spring?

“Coming out of winter, it’s a good idea to check over your sprinkler systems,” Michelle said.

“If you’ve got sprinkler systems, a lot of people turn them off for the winter months, so when you turn them back on, just check that they’re all running and not clogged up top up your mulches and things ready to keep the moisture in.

“As we get closer to the warmer months, it is a good time to feed most things in the garden. Because the soil temperatures lower in winter, a lot of fertilisers don’t really work throughout the winter months or do a lot. So, once we get those warmer days, soil temperatures warm up, and fertilisers really start doing their job well.

“Fertilising plants and giving them a boost after several months is probably the best thing to do this time.”