Its harvest time in your vegie garden, and time to think about what you want to plant in winter. It’s also a great time for making changes to your ornamental garden… the soil is still warm but the sun’s heat is not as intense.

Water

It is critical to ensure that any water applied is penetrating through to the plant roots and not wastefully running off the surface. If it is, apply a wetting agent to increase the soil’s water-holding capacity. Top up mulches to help keep water evaporation to a minimum. Click here for our mulching factsheet.

If you have large shrubs or trees that are showing signs of stress, prune them back now. They will not put on tender young growth until spring and the reduced leaf area means that the loss of water through their leaves (transpiration) will also be reduced. If some plants have scorched leaves, try a product called Envy or Stressguard. This acts as a barrier on the leaf surface that slows down moisture loss from the leaves, without inhibiting photosynthesis or the plant’s natural growth.

Planting

The edge is off the summer sun and things are a lot more pleasant in the garden. Clean up the remains of your summer vegies if they are coming to the end of their useful life. These can be composted if you chop up the stalky parts first (a sharp spade is good) and avoid adding plant matter that might have been diseased, such as with powdery mildew. If you want to pull up your tomatoes but have still got lots waiting to mature, you can do both. Pull the plants out roots and all and hang them upside down in a shady spot outdoors. Gradually the tomatoes will mature AND you’ll have the garden space back again.

Add compost and manures to the soil which will be depleted after a fertile summer season.

Prepare the soil for some broadbeans. These will grow with very little care over winter. By the middle of spring, you’ll be eating the delicious crop and the leguminous nature of the plant means that they will enrich the soil too. Put some lime in before planting as they prefer an alkaline soil.

If you want to get in early, plant your hearty winter vegetables such as Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Silverbeet, Broccoli and Beetroot. Try some Asian greens for a tasty change. You’ll need to watch out for Cabbage White Butterfly flitting about your plants. They are liable to lay eggs amongst the seedlings. If you do see suspicious holes in the leaves, use enviro-friendly Dipel or some Success to eliminate the caterpillars.

Think ahead to brighten up the grey winter days and plant some colour for winter. Some winter / spring flowering annuals such as Alyssum, Pansies, Polyanthus and Cinerarias take about 8-12 weeks to flower so get them in for some lovely splashes of warmth before the cold sets in. If you’re keen on Iceland Poppies (those lovely paper-delicate flowers in gorgeous pastel colours) get those in soon too for a display in September. St Patrick’s Day (March 17th) is the traditional time to plant sweet pea seeds.

Bulbs

Bulbs could be called “buried treasures”. You’re planting on a promise, but once those shoots appear and flowering begins it inspires even the most jaded of gardeners. Bulleen Art & Garden stocks a wide range of bulbs, both loose and packaged, so you need only buy exactly what you want. Late winter and early spring flowering bulbs such as Jonquils and Daffodils should be planted this month to ensure colour through the grey winter months. The bulbs which need cooling to get them going, such as Tulips and Hyacinths, can be placed in the crisper of your fridge (not freezer) in a paper bag for 4-6 weeks before planting. If you have been disappointed by Tulips in the past, try the “Oz” tulips. These have been bred in Australian conditions and don’t require as much cooling as the traditional ones. For more information on bulbs & perennials click here.

Pruning

Take plenty of cuttings from your Geraniums, Azaleas, Hibiscus, Fuchsia, Grevillea, Camellias, Lavender and Rhododendrons. Take semi-hardwood cuttings (10cm pieces of new growth which has hardened off). This is a low cost way to fill up patches in your garden and the excess can be given away to friends and family. Cut back summer flowering plants that have finished blooming. This is especially important with the plants which have weed potential, such as Agapanthus. Left to seed, these plants will quickly invade surrounding areas. Even seed washed away has the potential to take root many kilometres away from your garden. Trim roses to encourage an autumn flush of flowers. Water in some plant food and more roses should appear before too long.

Slugs and Snails

Autumn rains bring out Snails and Slugs in full force. Sprinkle bait around newly planted seedlings and shrubs where Snails and Slugs breed. Large fleshy leaved plants are common hiding spots. Try animal safe Snail Baits or go looking for them at night, especially after rain. Just pull them off the leaves and drop into a bucket of hot soapy water.

Aphids

Look out for Aphids clustering on tender young growth, flower buds or underneath leaves. Aphids breed very quickly when conditions are favourable and can develop into a heavy infestation in just a few days if immediate action is not taken. Remove and squash them by hand or knock them down with regular sprays of Pyrethrum or Garlic and Chilli spray.