As the temperature begins to drop, your plants will begin to go into hibernation. The metabolism of your plants will slow, thus, in turn, slowing their growth, so they can endure the cold months ahead, ready to jump back into life in Spring.
Although your garden has gone into dormant mode, it doesn’t mean you have to. There are plenty of things to do, to prepare for winter. Have you done your weeding, or set any wetting agents? Perhaps you need to liven your garden landscaping up with some lighting. Autumn and winter is the perfect time to get all those jobs done.
Prep your garden
The first thing you should think about is preparing your garden for the cold month ahead. We’ll go through three things you should do to get started.
- Tend to your lawn
Winter is a harsh month for your lawn, it’s cold and can either get too little rain or too much, depending on your location. Pick a slow-release fertiliser and feed it throughout the Autumn months so it can get the nutrients it needs for the long haul. If your climate is usually dry throughout autumn and winter, remember to water it regularly.
- Install irrigation
If your winter months are prone to rain and you don’t have irrigation, get on top of it now. Water can pool up and drown plants and grass. If you’ve had a recent dry spell, and the soil looks and feels dry consider adding wetting agents for the soil so water can soak in properly. Things to remember when irrigating is to focus watering on root zones, water deeply, water in the morning, and top up mulch.
- Prune your plants
As your plants hibernate and lay dormant you should get to pruning. An easy way to tell is if all the leaves have fallen off. Pruning ensures your plants are ready to grow for spring and summer. Some plants to prune in winter include; roses, apple and pear trees, deciduous trees and shrubs, and most fruit trees.
Get a vegetable and herb garden going
Winter is the perfect time to grow cold-weather hardy vegetables and herbs. There is something special about growing and looking after vegetable and herb gardens. You get to spend a long time tending to their needs, and then in the end you get some delicious ingredients that are perfect to add to your meals. Remember to keep on top of your weeds, and replenish your mulch levels so your veggies have the best conditions to grow.
Some vegetables to grow include:
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Leeks
- Spinach
- Potatoes
- Beetroot
- Broccoli
Some great herbs to consider:
- Coriander
- Chives
- Garlic
- Mint
- Parsley
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Sage
Grow some winter plants
Not everything grows in Spring and Summer, there is an array of choices to be made for winter plants to keep your garden looking vibrant and welcoming even in the colder months. Listed below are some great plants to grow in your garden that have a beautiful bloom and fragrance.
Winter Roses: The winter rose, or Hellebores are perfect for winter and can be planted beneath deciduous trees so they can get the winter sun, and shaded protection during the Summer. There are a range of colours to choose from; whites, yellows, pinks, plums, and dark red/burgandy colours. They are easy to grow in a pot as well, just remember to shade them during the summer.
Banksia: These are hardy and reliable winter flowers, that is native to Australia. If you keep up regular waterings they are easy to grow and don’t need too much attention. Banksias don’t require pruning outside of shaping and grow happily throughout winter. They aren’t very good for a moist, humid climate, so if your soil is always wet, they may not be the plant for your garden.
Camellias: Your winter garden will look exquisite with the delicately beautiful camellia flowers. Camellias have a range of pink, peach and white colours in their bloomage, perfect for the dull winter months. Shelter them from cold, dry winds, and keep their soil consistently moist, but well-drained.
Emu Bush: The emu bush has just the right wintery feeling to them, they have a frosty silver appearance with purple flowers, and go perfectly in setting the scene for a winter garden. They are a hardy plant only needing the odd tip pruning to keep them blooming. A dry climate is perfect for the emu bush, and can survive most soil types, so long as it isn’t too moist or humid.
Lay down some pavers
Summer is too hot to do any major physical work, but as the temperature cools, autumn and winter are the perfect times to get started on landscaping and getting some garden paving done. Fun things to add are walkways through your garden and veggie patches, or paths leading up to outdoor entertainment areas. Pavers are a great way to make your garden feel homely and inviting. If you have an open boring and bare spot, turn it into an outdoor dining area, by laying down some pavers or tiles. With the right outdoor heating and lighting, having a winter dinner outside can be a beautiful experience.
Warm it up with some outdoor lighting and heating.
Give your winter garden some vibrancy and warmth at night with some lighting and heating.
Install some hardscape lighting or add some moonlighting to subtly light up everything around you. By adding some lights around, you’ll be surprised how much more inviting your garden will be at night, especially with some heating.
Fire pits are great to have in the middle of an entertainment area, and perfect for entertaining guests. Everyone will want to sit around it, cook some marshmallows and have a great chat.
