Making the Most of Colder Months with Your Plants

When most people think of gardening, they think about pulling weeds and planting seeds during the spring and waiting to see them sprout in the summer. A lot of gardening does happen during the warmest months, but garden maintenance doesn't stop as soon as the temperatures drop a little bit. Depending on where you are in the country, fall may not bring a lot of dramatic changes to your part of Australia. If you're living somewhere that usually experiences a bit of a harsh winter, you'll need to start preparing your garden for the months ahead. Maybe you maintain a small garden in your home, or maybe you manage a garden that's large enough to need some farm sheds. Either way, if you're managing a garden make sure you follow these tips this fall.

                                          

Don't stop growing

Summer is considered the most bountiful season for gardeners, but the slight drop in temperature doesn't mean that you need to stop growing. If you live in a chilly part of the country, now is the perfect time to plant arugula, collard greens, and spinach. If you're lucky enough to live in a warmer climate, you can branch out and try growing some kale, cauliflower, or broccoli. If you stick with members for the cabbage family, you should see some nice leafy greens before winter. If you like root vegetables like carrots and radishes, now is the perfect time to plant them. If you want to start something you'll see next summer, plant some shallots and garlic. Before you start planning, make sure that you…

Clear your yard

The first rule of gardening is to plant in a clean field. Before you start planting your fall vegetables, make sure that you do a thorough job of cleaning out any detritus left over from your summer plantings. Some people leave yard waste strewn across their garden because they think it'll provide extra nutrients for plants, but it'll just serve as a virtual squatter's house for insects and other pests. Add yard waste to a compost pile so that you can get the actual nutrients you need for your plants.

Add yard waste to your compost pile

Composters can add to their piles throughout the year, but fall brings a wealth of yard waste that can help give your plants they nutrients they need. Save your final grass clippings and get as many fallen leaves as you can for green waste. Smaller twigs, tree trimmings, and branches from pruning could be run through a wood chipper to help them decompose at a faster rate. This will be your last time to get some primo yard waste before the winter comes, so be sure to take advantage of it.

Plant bulbs for next spring

When you're working on protecting your garden from harsh winter weather, the last thing on your mind is next spring. Now is the perfect time to plant certain flower species to ensure that you have a colourful garden when spring comes. Bulb plants like tulips and crocuses need a winter freeze to start their growing process. If you plant before the ground freezes, you'll have much better results.