How to care for your garden in Winter

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR GARDEN IN WINTER

The cold weather has set in here in Melbourne. Our breaths now make misty clouds in the morning and heaters have been switched on to combat the chill. So, what does this mean for your garden? It’s time to do some final prep to ensure that your garden stays protected and healthy throughout winter. Here are our top tips.

1) Prune and weed
While spring seems a long way off, winter is a great time to remove weeds and clean up your garden to prepare it for when the warmer months do arrive. Remove any plants that have died, and prune plants and shrubs to encourage an abundance of larger shoots during the next growth season.

Be careful, however, when it comes to pruning your flowering trees and shrubs. A general rule of thumb is to prune summer and autumn flowering trees and shrubs in the dormant season (late winter/early spring) and to prune spring flowering trees and shrubs soon after their flowers fade. Confusion can arise when it comes to plants like hydrangeas, roses and clematis, as some of these flower in spring, summer or autumn whilst others flower repeatedly.

Feel free to give us a call on (03) 9696 0551 to double check when your plants will flower to make sure you don’t end up trimming the wrong ones.

2) Mulch, mulch, mulch
Keep your garden beds protected from the frost and cold by spreading a thick layer of organic mulch across all beds. Remove weeds and tidy up garden beds first, before adding your mulch.

Remember too that winter mulching is not meant to remain in place all year round. As soon as you notice your plants beginning to put our new growth, rake away some of the excess mulch so that the crown of your plants are again exposed to the world. We’ll be sure to remind you with tips for the coming months.

3) Winter colour
Winter is known for its duller colour palette, shorter days and grey skies. You may therefore like to brighten your garden with winter flowers. Cyclamens and hellebores are gorgeous options. Visit us in store and we can help you choose colour you love and will give you all the help you need to make your winter flowers flourish.

4) Winter trees
Now’s the time to plant deciduous trees. In winter, deciduous trees become dormant and this makes it the perfect time to transport them and replant them. Just make sure you improve the soil by adding some well rotted compost when you plant and some organic fertiliser at the end of Winter to support new Spring growth. We can help take you through the necessary steps to ensure you plant with ease and love your new addition. Just ask us in store.

5) Citrus please
Winter in the nursery means a big, glorious delivery of citrus. There’s plenty of oranges, lemons, limes and even the occasional grapefruit, tangelo and cumquat. We also stock dwarf varieties for smaller backyards or balconies. Add these tasty extras, and a Vitamin C hit, to your garden this winter.

Don’t be afraid to ask us your questions. Comment below or visit us in store to get all the help you need. Keep your garden (and yourselves!) healthy and happy this winter.