Beautiful blooms enhance any garden space!
Gardens are starting to wind down, with the end of autumn looming. Over the coming months, deciduous plants will become dormant to the weather and the cold months ahead. Even many evergreens will mark time until spring arrives, although they stay green and leafy.
Despite the chill in the air, plants that flower right through autumn include sasanqua camellias, cheerful chrysanthemums, and tall stems of pretty white and pink windflowers, to name but a few.
Monitoring trees and shrubs
While some gardeners see deciduous trees and shrubs as grey and boring, they are beneficial to have as the bare branches allow sunshine to warm the soil. Plant through late autumn and into winter.
Bare branches will still reduce frost damage for plants growing beneath their canopy and also create interesting patterns and shadows.
While trees are bare, check them for signs of damage or invading weeds such as ivy. Damaged and diseased limbs should be pruned to remove them, and invading plants should also be stripped from trees.
After pruning, give your tree a boost with Seasol to aid overall plant health and reduce stress after pruning.
Tree and shrub growth cycle
While autumn leaf drop and winter dormancy are a natural part of the growth cycle of many plants – particularly garden plants from the northern hemisphere – bare branches can confuse some gardeners who may wonder if their plants are still alive.
If you’ve watched the gradual change from lush green and leafy to bare stems and trunks via autumn leaf colours, the plant is naturally deciduous and will leaf up again in spring. If you are unsure, the best way to check on the health of a leafless plant is to bend a stem. It should be flexible and bend but not break.
If the plant is dead, the stem will be brittle, brown and snap off rather than bend. Deciduous plants regain their leaves between late winter and mid-spring, depending on the species and local climate. In very dry times, trees may be slower to regain new growth.
Transplanting and planting tips
Another benefit of this enforced downtime for garden plants in late autumn and winter is that it is a good time to move established plants if they are in the wrong location and to plant new deciduous trees, shrubs and climbers.
If moving a plant, dig it up with its root system intact. To get plants off to a flying start, apply Seasol Organic* Worm Fertiliser to the soil before planting for a gentle, slow-release nutrient source to support healthy plant and root growth. Have the new position ready for the transplant (or move it into a large pot). If necessary, stake the plant after it has been moved.
Look for new plants at hardware and garden centres for good stocks of deciduous plants such as roses, fruit trees, fruiting vines such as thornless blackberries and raspberries, shrubs and ornamental trees.
Roses in autumn
Many roses flower well into autumn, but while the blooms are welcome, the plants themselves may look straggly as they are reaching the end of their growth cycle. Keep picking flowers and deadheading these later flowering varieties, but hold off on giving them a hard prune, particularly in cold or frosty climates.
Pruning may stimulate new growth which could be damaged by cold winter conditions. In subtropical and tropical zones prune in June, in warm temperate zones prune in early July and in cold areas delay pruning until August. While you are waiting to prune, pick up fallen leaves to help with disease control.
Tidy up the soil around the bushes to remove weeds and debris, and liquid feed with PowerFeed PRO SERIES for Roses & Flowers to improve soil health and maximise nutrient uptake from roses. It also boosts strong, healthy growth to support flower production.
Five important jobs for late autumn
- Prepare for spring by planting bulbs, including daffodils, hyacinths or ranunculus. When the first shoots appear, use Seasol GOLD for healthy plant formation.
- Protect frost-sensitive plants with a cover overnight if frost is forecast. Use shadecloth, frost netting, an old sheet or cardboard and remove in the morning after the frost has cleared.
- Remove pesky weeds in driveways and pathways by hand, trowel or use EarthCare Organic WeedKiller trigger spray.
- Rake up leaves on lawns to allow the sun, water and nutrients in for healthy green growth.
- Check soil moisture levels beside the deck or under the eaves and apply Seasol Super Soil Wetter & Conditioner to keep your plants moist.
Vegetables to grow now
Fresh vegetables to enjoy over the months ahead include leafy greens such as lettuce (look for soft-hearted varieties as these are quick and easy to grow) and rocket. It is also the season to grow peas, cabbage, broccoli and other brassicas, silverbeet and spinach. Also plant root vegies including radish, turnip and beetroot.
Broad beans too can be planted now but may not form flowers or set pods until spring, especially in cooler zones however, you’ll be glad of them whenever they are ready.
For the best results over the months ahead, grow vegetables in the sunniest part of the garden. If planting into containers to take advantage of sunny spots, move the pot around to catch the sun. Use a good quality potting mix such as Seasol Advanced Potting Mix and water every 7-10 days with liquid plant food such as PowerFeed PRO SERIES for Tomatoes and Vegetables.
Gifts for Mother’s Day
Plants make lovely presents to give on Mother’s Day. Chrysanthemums are traditional Mother’s Day blooms and many are available in May as potted plants. Enjoy them as a temporary house plant or in a brightly lit spot outdoors.
Indoor plants such as anthuriums, Chinese money plant, fiddle leaf fig, maidenhair fern or the snake plant make a great choice to brighten up household interior.
Also popular are potted cyclamen. Keep cyclamen plants in good condition by standing them in a brightly lit position indoors away from heating. Regularly remove spent flowers or discoloured leaves by gently twisting the stem at their base to remove it from the corm.
When wrapping your plant gift, add a bottle of PowerFeed Indoor & Potted Plants trigger spray to keep the plants looking good.
