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Spring painting and maintenance tips from a Resene expert

Spring is just around the corner and the warmer weather now feels so close you could touch it. This means conditions become much more favourable for painting and for getting out in the garden. It’s also a good time to sort any issues that can affect your property during winter. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned pro, you may just find a nugget of informative gold in the painting and planting tips below from Resene Paint Expert Patrick Katoa.

What can we do to prepare our homes for spring?

The spring season is a great opportunity to do a bit of cleaning around the house. We have a great range of cleaning products available, one of them being Resene Paint Prep and Housewash. Dilute as recommended and apply the solution with a soft broom, then rinse the surface with lots of fresh water.

For areas with mould, it’s best to clean with Resene Moss & Mould Killer. Again, dilute it according to the instructions on the pack and allow 48 hours after application to achieve a full kill.

Patrick recommends using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash to keep your exterior paintwork looking its best.

Use Resene Moss & Mould Killer to get rid of all the green stuff that builds up over winter.

What are your best spring painting tips?

Deciding on a paint colour can be tricky, so regardless of the size of the project, I strongly advise to trial testpots, order drawdowns, or take home some colour charts.

When painting, using the recommended brushes and roller sleeves is crucial to achieving a great finish. When customers pop into their nearest Resene ColorShop, our staff will recommend the correct product and brush or roller to go with it, along with any other materials required.

Anything we need to consider when painting in warmer weather?

Exterior painting during warmer months is best done in the morning. In the afternoon, because of our harsh conditions, substrates heat up which can have an impact on the paint performance. Resene Hot Weather Additive is a great product as it slows the drying time of waterborne paints. Always check the forecast for consistent weather.

For interior painting, certain parts of your house might not have great airflow so I advise you to invest in or hire an extractor fan to help with the paint curing process.

It’s still very cold, can I start my paint project now?

During colder weather, paint takes longer to dry. Exterior paint should not be applied at temperatures below 10°C or when it is likely to drop below 10°C during the drying period. I advise customers to hold off from exterior painting and to wait until spring or summer.

If you do decide to go ahead with exterior projects, the best time to apply the paint would be in the morning and to check the forecast for good, consistent weather. It’s important to give paint a longer cure time due to cold temperatures. With interior painting, ensure there’s good airflow and invest in a dehumidifier to help with the process.

Bring Resene into your garden with a Resene Grow watering can. Available in five Resene colours exclusively at Mitre10, Nichol's and respected garden centres. Pictured watering can is Resene Coast.

Spring planting tips

Spring is the season for colour, so think about planting flower seedlings like viola, polyanthus, cineraria, alyssum, poppy, cornflower and gypsophila. Start sowing seeds like alyssum, Californian poppy, petunia, chrysanthemum, marigold, phlox, sunflower, zinnia and other summer flowering favourites. These can get planted directly into your garden as soon as the weather warms up.
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Feed trees and shrubs with a long-term controlled release fertiliser. Just sprinkle it around the base of your plants and water well – you’ll notice the difference in terms of growth and strength almost immediately.
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Weed and dig in compost and general garden fertiliser to prepare garden beds for spring planting.
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Plant new roses in rich, well-drained soil with plenty of compost, fertilising them when planting. Complete rose pruning in time for spring growth and give them a good spray with copper and oil to protect new growth from pests and diseases.
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Want to start focusing on a garden-to-table lifestyle? Now is the time to prepare for spring planting by digging in generous helpings of compost and adding lime to improve soil structure. Sow seeds of tomatoes, cabbage, celery, spring onion, onions, silverbeet, spinach, melons, cucumbers, capsicum and lettuce in trays of seed raising mix ready for transplanting later.
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Plant asparagus crowns directly into the garden. For best results plant in well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter.
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Protect winter crops of cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and broad beans with copper oxychloride, spraying every 14 days to prevent fungus diseases and bacterial blight spots. If your fruit trees had any issues with brown rot or fungus last summer then now is the time to spray with them copper oxychloride, which controls a wide range of fungal and bacteria diseases. Spray at leaf fall, bud burst and at the green tip stage for best results.
You thought Resene were just paint specialists, but now you can check out the new Resene gardening products and head out into the garden. Elevate your gardening game with these stylish new Resene Grow watering cans that come in five uplifting, nature-inspired Resene colours. Designed for functionality and aesthetics, they have a long spout, which makes hydrating your indoor and outdoor blooms easier than ever.