Trimming encourages fresh, new growth, as well as keeping things neat. And if you have a small garden – or just want to fit in as many gorgeous plants as possible – try some of the following:
1. Instead of fences, prune and shape apple, pear, plum, cumquat or other fruit trees into espaliers or “living fences”.
2. Prune fruit trees, camellias and native shrubs flat against walls and fences, to minimise the space they take up. In cold climates, planting against sunny north-facing walls will help you grow frost-tender plants.
3. Instead of using shade sails, grow fast-growing ornamental grapes or wisteria along a solid framework to keep summer sunlight away from windows and paving. For real magnificence, try a natural arch of tall trees, bent and pruned to shape.
4. Prune lower tree branches to let more light onto flowers below, but thin out some top branches, or the tree may get top heavy and fall over.
5. Thin out thick trees in humid areas to let the breezes through.
Now is the time to …
1. Mulch! Especially bare soil that may get washed away in thunderstorms.
2. Plant the flowers and vegetables that will give you bounty and beauty all through winter.
3. Spray vines with a cup of milk to nine cups of water to help prevent downy mildew.
4. Trim back roses to get an autumn glory of new flowers.
5. Plant rosemary, winter savoury and oregano to replace summer herbs such as basil.
6. Fill hanging baskets with pansies for blooms all through autumn, winter and spring.
What to plant
Subtropical and tropical areas:
Plants to eat:
Strawberry runners, sweet potatoes, passionfruit vines, parsley and other herbs, beetroot, capsicum, carrot, cauliflowers, celery, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce seedlings (lettuce seeds may not germinate in the heat), paak tsoi, pumpkin, radish, silver beet, sweet corn, tomatoes and watermelon.
Plants for beauty:
Hibiscus, bougainvillea, tropical evergreen fruit trees, ageratum, celosia, cosmos, coleus, Iceland poppy, salvia and sunflowers.
Temperate to cold areas:
Plants to eat:
Strawberry runners, passionfruit and banana passionfruit, rhubarb, blueberries, artichoke, beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots (try the tiny, fat, fast-maturing ones in cold climates), sweet corn (fast-maturing varieties only), leek, lettuce, white onions, salad greens such as corn salad, mizuna, mitsuba, cress, red Italian chicory, silver beet, spring onions, lots of English spinach.
Plants for beauty:
Iris, daffodils and jonquils, alyssum, stocks and flowers to give you colour and cheer through winter – pansies, violas, primulas, Iceland poppies, wallflowers and polyanthus.
Your say: Do you have any tips for autumn gardening? Send them to [email protected]
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