Winter is officially here. The cold has set in and deciduous trees are losing their leaves. But when it comes to the garden, there’s still much to do.
Veggies
Winter is a great time to plant veggies such as broad beans, onion, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, leek, silverbeet, and lettuces. Remember to protect your seedlings from morning frost by covering them with frost cloth. Keep your winter veggie bed weed-free, and if it’s a really wet winter, add some gypsum to the soil to improve drainage.
Fruit Trees
Winter’s also a great time to plant fruit trees so their roots can get established before the heat of spring and summer. Deciduous fruit trees such as plums, nectarines, apples, peaches, and pears will be in store this month, and vary in sizes to suit every garden. If you have established fruit trees in the garden, now is a good time to prune back any new growth so energy can be distributed to fruit production.
Flowers
Plant winter annuals for instant colour such as cineria, pansies, viola, polyanthus, and cyclamen. Winter shrubs are available now and are perfect to fill gaps in your garden beds. Helebores are great under trees, and daphne, azaleas and camellias are popular brightly coloured flowering shrubs with beautiful fragrance. Remember to deadhead your hydrangea and cut back any perennials that have finished flowering.
For more winter gardening tips, pop into your Local Kings or give us a call on 0800 PLANTS for general inquiries.
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