We Won the Business NSW Excellence in Small Business Award!

We Won the Business NSW Excellence in Small Business Award!

We Won the Business NSW Excellence in Small Business Award!

We’re proud to have been announced the winner of The Business NSW Northern Rivers Excellence in Small Business Award 2022!

Dan and his team attended the 2022 Business Awards ceremony which was held at Southern Cross University in Lismore on Saturday 22 October. The awards recognise growth, entrepreneurship and celebrates business success across New South Wales.

‘After an extremely challenging year this is a real honour. In March, we experienced 1.5 metres of floodwater through our premises. As a result, we lost 4 of our 5 vehicles plus equipment/product totalling $250,000+. This disaster temporarily crippled our business. However, the team pulled together, doing what was required to clean up and restore our premises.’ Said Dan.

Dan demonstrated his leadership skills, springing into action to immediately lodge insurance claims and order new vehicles. Hire cars were immediately organised for the interim, so he could operate and support his clients, staff and families to clean up. Due to this swift action, Early Up were operational again within 1 week.

Despite their challenges, Early Up has continued to grow and expand. As a local Tweed business, they are passionately committed to engaging other local businesses at every opportunity. Dan is firmly committed to providing career opportunities for local youth by employing young people as trainees and he hopes to bring on more trainees in the future.

Dan also firmly believes in supporting locals who need help. Early Up proactively supports local charities who feed the homeless and disadvantaged in our community, including Fred’s Place and the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal. After the recent floods, they supported the local recovery process through a competition for a $10K garden makeover for a flood-affected family.

Early Up was up against 18 other finalists within the category of The Excellence in Small Business Award. This particular award recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience. Dan and his team will now attend the NSW Business State Awards held in Sydney on November 18.

Early Up were also proud winners of the Home and Garden Improvement category in the Australian Small Business Champion Awards back in March 22.

Related tags: local garden landscapers

How to Prepare Your Garden for a Wet Summer

How to Prepare Your Garden for a Wet Summer

With another La Nina weather event on its way, now is the time to prepare your garden for a wet summer. Above-average rainfall and cooler day temperatures are part of the weather predictions. But don’t worry, this post includes suggestions and tips to help keep your yard and lawn thriving and healthy, despite the weather predictions.

Rain Rain and More Rain – How it Affects Your Garden

La Nina will bring heavy clouds, causing frequent rain and storms. Such severe weather could potentially damage your plants and flowers. The additional water will also dilute soil nutrients.

A combination of warm weather and moisture during La Nina can produce unpleasant mould or mildew in your garden. Keeping a close eye on your growing fruits and vegetables is vital.

To prepare your garden for a wet summer, with its additional rainfall and humidity, follow these handy tips:

  • Move plants into a protected area such as a greenhouse or stand
  • Keep compost as dry as possible by adding dry materials such as garden cuttings or cardboard
  • Build mounds around your garden and vegetables to create soil drainage and increase airflow
  • Trimming and pruning will help rejuvenate and encourage growth while giving plants breathing space from all the humidity
  • Fertilise frequently and use slow-releasing pelletised fertilisers for better results in rainy conditions

Temperature Matters

The cloud coverage caused by La Nina reduces sun and heat, resulting in an uncharacteristically cool summer. When plantation usually flourishes during the warmer months, you may notice that your vegetable garden will slow down during La Nina. Try not to be disheartened. Your produce will take shape next year.

La Nina and Your Garden – The Downfalls

Your yard and vegetable patches will need extra love and attention during La Nina.

Every week, check your zucchinis, cucumbers and pumpkins. If you find powdery mildew or mould, spray a mixture of 2 cups of water with half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. A spray bottle filled with half milk and half water also works.

After heavy rainfall, there is the potential of finding unwanted garden guests such as spiders and snakes. Be sure to wear covered shoes or boots and always wear garden gloves.

How La Nina Can Actually Benefit Your Garden

La Nina weather is challenging to predict, and conditions will change frequently. However, there are some positives. You might be pleasantly surprised by thriving green plantations with a substantial amount of rain.

The cooler temperature is also an excellent opportunity to plant in your raised vegetable gardens for early autumn.

With the change of seasons upon us, we trust the above information will help you prepare your garden for a wet summer.

At Early Up, we specialise in landscaping design, garden maintenance and garden makeovers that will help your garden thrive. As your local gardenologists, we design landscaping in Murwillumbah, the Tweed Coast, Tweed Heads, Northern Rivers and the Far North Coast areas. Let us help you with all your landscaping and gardening requirements.

This isn’t our first rodeo! We know how important it is to prepare your garden for the wet weather ahead. We have helped our clients with the effects of LaNina in the past and we’re certainly ready to do it again.

Give us a call on 0448 300 736 to chat about your requirements today.

Spring Gardening Checklist from the Experts

Spring Gardening Checklist from the Experts

We’ve created a spring gardening checklist to inspire you to spruce up your garden. After all, it’s the season for regrowth and new beginnings, so let’s get busy!

Our Top Spring Gardening Tips

As backyard landscaping and garden maintenance experts, we love Spring. However, it can be an overwhelming time for some gardeners when trying to prioritise what needs work in the garden.

Our spring gardening checklist helps break down the tasks and jobs for you. Once it’s all done, sit back and enjoy the blossoms and beauty of spring.

Get Your Vegetables Growing

Springtime is nature’s way of telling us to prepare our raised vegetable gardens for a bountiful harvest of summer produce.

Get inspired by planting summer vegetables like:

  • Tomatoes
  • Capsicums
  • Cucumbers
  • Beans
  • Zucchinis

Pretty Up Your Garden with Beautiful Flowers

While jasmine, wisteria and roses are popular spring flowers, don’t forget about stunning bulbs, like daffodils and tulips.

For a more Australian native feel, waratahs, bottlebrushes and kangaroo paws are perfect options.

Before you know it, your garden will be bursting with colour.

Weeds Begone!

It’s time to get down and dirty with some weeding. Weeds love sunshine and warm weather. At this time of year, regular weeding is essential, to prevent your garden from weed infestations.

Head over to our previous blog post for all the tips and tricks on how to get rid of these pesky plants.

Pruning is Key

Give your trees and shrubs a fresh start with a good prune. Cutting dead wood and clearing up the dead leaves from winter gives your garden a chance for fresh, new growth.

Be sure to use the right tool for each type of pruning, ensuring the tool is sharp and clean before your start. Cut back any weak or stunted growth and thin out problem branches to ensure air circulation for regrowth.

Irrigation Systems Simplify Your Busy Life

Warmer weather calls for more watering. An irrigation system will help reduce your water bill during the summer, while the automatic timer will ensure your garden is always adequately watered. At Early Up, we install garden irrigation systems – ask our friendly team about a quote.

Attracting Birds with a Feeder

Why not welcome feathered friends into your garden? In spring, a bird feeder can assist migrating birds to refuel and rest.

Clean out your bird feeder regularly and fill it with fresh seed or nectar.

Home-made bird feeders are a great project with kids, encouraging them to appreciate birdlife and the outdoors.

Your Handy Spring Gardening Checklist

Overwhelmed? Unsure where to start? Keep this spring gardening checklist handy, so you can reference it when you’re in the garden. Just tick the boxes as you get through each chore. Easy done.

  • Clear all winter shrubbery, sweeping up debris and dead leaves around the patio or veranda
  • Trim pathways with a whipper snipper or spade
  • Check garden hoses and taps, making sure fittings and watering systems are working
  • Clean, oil and sharpen gardening tools
  • Prune trees and shrubs
  • Nourish soil with organic fertiliser or compost
  • Add mulch around garden beds
  • Trim back and shape hedges

We hope this handy spring gardening checklist helps with your gardening tasks.

As your local Gardenologists, we’re here to keep your garden looking great. Early Up are your local North Coast landscape garden designers and landscaping experts in Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads, the Tweed Coast and across the Northern Rivers region of NSW.

Need help getting your garden ready to thrive in Spring? Need an irrigation system to keep your plants hydrated in the summer months? Early Up can help. Call us today on 0448 300 736 to arrange a quote and find out why we are the garden experts.