Spring Prep: The Sunshine Coast Garden To-Do List

Spring on the Sunshine Coast isn’t just warmer weather — it’s the start of the growing season. With subtropical conditions, sandy soils in some areas, and high humidity on the way, what you do in August and September sets the tone for the months ahead.

Here’s your local guide to getting your Sunshine Coast garden spring-ready – tailored to our climate, soils, and the plants that thrive here.

1. Refresh & Rebuild Your Soil

The Sunshine Coast’s sandy soils can leach nutrients quickly, so spring is the time to recharge your beds.

• Dig in compost or soil improver to boost water-holding capacity and structure.
• Add slow-release fertiliser with trace elements to balance out nutrients lost over winter.
• In coastal gardens, gypsum helps break up clay pockets and improve drainage.

👉 We stock a wide range of soils, composts, and fertilisers ideal for local conditions.

2. Mulch to Beat the Summer Heat

By October, days get hotter and moisture loss skyrockets. Mulching now saves you water and weeds later.

• Apply mulch at 7–10cm thick (keep away from stems/trunks).
• Best picks for the Coast:
  • Cypress Chip/Mulch: long-lasting, termite resistant, neat finish.
  • Sugar Cane Mulch: breaks down quickly, perfect for veggies.
  • Tea Tree Mulch: great weed suppression and natural aroma.
  • Hoop Pine Mulch: holds well on slopes, suits natives.

👉 Order your bulk mulch online with same-day delivery across the Sunshine Coast.

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3. Prune & Shape After Winter

Pruning now encourages healthy new growth and reduces pest hideouts.

• Cut back hibiscus, bougainvillea, and tropical ornamentals to shape.
• Trim fruit trees like citrus and stone fruit to improve air circulation.
• Remove any winter-damaged or diseased wood before humidity rises.

👉 Stock up on sharp pruning tools to make light work of it.

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4. Feed Hungry Lawns & Plants

After a cooler winter, lawns and plants need a nutrient boost.

• Lawns: Use a high-nitrogen fertiliser to green up Couch, Blue Couch, and Buffalo lawns. Apply a liquid fertiliser for a quick pick-up, then follow with slow-release.
• Flowering plants: Use a balanced fertiliser to encourage buds.
• Veggies: Rotate crops to avoid pest build-up, and use liquid feeds every 2–3 weeks.

👉 Our range of lawn and plant fertilisers are suited for Sunshine Coast conditions.

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5. Planting Guide for Spring (Sunshine Coast Specific)

🌿 Veggies to Plant Now:

• Tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant, beans, zucchini, cucumbers, corn
• Leafy greens: lettuce, spinach, rocket, Asian greens
• Herbs: basil, coriander, parsley, chives, mint

🌸 Flowers to Plant Now:

• Heat-tolerant annuals: marigolds, petunias, salvia, zinnias, sunflowers
• Natives: grevilleas, bottlebrush, lilly pilly, kangaroo paw (bring in pollinators)

🌱 Fruit & Perennials:

• Citrus, passionfruit, pawpaw, bananas thrive with the warmer nights.
• Start preparing for mangoes, avocados, and tropical fruiting trees.

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6. Pest & Disease Watch (Spring on the Coast)

With humidity rising, pests love spring:

• Lawn grubs & armyworm in turf — watch for brown patches.
• Aphids, mites, and caterpillars on veggies and ornamentals.
• Powdery mildew on cucumbers and zucchinis in humid weather.

👉 Act early with the right herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides from our range.

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7. General Tips & Tricks

✅ Water in the early morning to reduce evaporation and disease risk.
✅ Group pots together to create a microclimate and reduce heat stress.
✅ Add garden edging (like Hedge, Link Edge or Straight Curve to keep mulch neat and lawns tidy.
✅ Use railway sleepers for raised veggie beds — they warm quickly in spring and give crops a head start.

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🌻 Ready to Kick Off Spring?

At Caloundra Produce & Landscape Supplies, we’ve got everything you need for a Sunshine Coast spring garden — from soils and mulches to fertilisers, tools, and turf care.

📍 Visit us in-store at Little Mountain or order online with same-day delivery