The weather may be cooler, and garden plants maybe starting to ‘relax’, but there are still plenty of tasks to tackle in prepping and planting for the seasons ahead.
Here are a few top tips to keep you busy!
1) Add plenty of organic mulch to flower beds. This can be grass cuttings, dry leaves, bark chips, newspaper, straw or compost, which will protect roots from soil erosion and cold weather.
2) June is the month to prune Peach, Plum and Apricot fruit trees. Make sure your secateurs and loppers have been sharpened before pruning.
3) Autumn flowering shrubs, like Wild Dagga, Ribbon bush and Barlena can be pruned after flowering.
4) Cooler weather vegetables to plant now are Beetroot, Carrots, garlic spinach , Cauliflower, Kale, Onions and Snap Peas. B-road beans.
5) Cut down on watering and adjust irrigation systems for reduced watering.
6) New rose bushes can be planted or existing ones moved if necessary. Cut rose bushes to 1m tall, and cut above outward facing nodes. Spray lime sulphur to protect the shrub. Remove dead canes from bush.
7) Keep weeding! They will continue to grow whatever the weather and soon take over!
8) Lift and divide perennials, cut back dead foliage and replant in freshly prepared soil.
9) Plant winter and spring-flowering bulbs in prepared soil with added bonemeal and compost. Try iris, anomene , alliums, freesias, so many to choose from. Plant in groups for a spring show.
10)Colour is always welcome in the winter garden, so plant some winter flowering annuals such as Calendula, Primroses, Nemesias, Cineraria, Phlox, Antirrhinums (Snapdragons), Bellis Perennis, Pansies, Violas and Dianthus.
11)Take time during the winter months to plan any landscaping changes to improve the existing layout. New paths, more seating areas, a new patio, maybe include a new veggie patch or flower border.
12)Most importantly, remember to feed the birds by leaving seed heads on grasses, and adding some bird feeders filled with tasty bird food. Birds also need to drink and bathe so a bird bath would be very welcome.
