Gardening

Oour resident gardening guru CHARLIE ALBONE provides tips for changing with the season

Autumn-proof

Autumn in Australia is a gardener’s dream. The heat of summer is dying down, so plants feel less stifled and they start putting on some growth before winter. It’s a great time to get into the garden and see instant results after a little bit of hard work. Here are the top five things you need to make the most of your outdoor space...

Power up your planting

The soil is warm but the air is cool, so now is the time to get shrubs and trees in the ground. The warm soil promotes new root growth and the cooler air means less stress on the leaves, so your plants establish well. You may not see much leaf growth straight away, but come next spring g these p plants will have a definite jump on the rest.

Embrace fertilising

Your deciduous trees and shrubs – those that lose their leaves over winter – are now storing up energy for spring, so fertilise with a slow-release pelletised fertiliser as well as a fast-acting liquid version. For big trees, soak the ground with a hose for an hour and then use about five watering cans of liquid fertiliser spread evenly on the ground below the tree canopy.

Start transplanting

For theh same reasons as planting, now iis a great time to lift and divide perennials. For those that have got congested, try to dig the whole plant out of the ground – keeping as big a root ball as possible. Use two forks back-to-back to prise the root ball apart into various smaller plants. The fork method reduces damage on the roots so several new plants can be replanted and spread around the garden, or even grown in pots.

Get into leaf moulding

Leaf mould is similar to compost but is made of fallen autumnal leaves. Collect and cram them in a black plastic bag as tightly as you can. Then fill the bag with water and put one or two holes in the bottom. Leave this behind your shed for six x months and you’ll find a great soil conditioner has formed. It can be added to your garden den beds, used as a mulch ch around roses or added ded to compost to give ve it a boost. .

Remember to relax!

Winter is the time to plan all the details of your new and exciting projects in the garden – but before you do that you need to do some research. Spend a bit of time sitting and relaxing in the space. Watch how the sun moves around the garden, consider the good and the problem parts and imagine all the great new things you could have in your space.