Easy Winter to-do list for your garden
The thought of getting out into the garden over Winter isn’t exactly everyone’s cup o’ tea. I get it. I’m sure the idea of staying indoors is much more appealing, however there are some amazing things going on outside during the cooler months. There are a lot of native plants that are in flower over winter, it’s the time of the year that you’ll start hearing frogs chirping away (in the southern Aussie states) and it is quite possibly the cosiest time to be around an outdoor fire with family and friends.
I’ve kept this season’s advice to a minimum with some practical tips to keep things moving along, I’m definitely doing these four things in my garden this season and I hope you will too!
Planning for Spring & Summer.
Winter is the perfect time to start thinking ahead for the coming year. Having a good think about what you want your garden to look like in in Spring and Summer will give you a head start to make it happen. This might be preparing your garden for a special event like a wedding or party, or just simply making your space exactly how you’ve always wanted it. I’m a big fan of using Pinterest to gather all your favourite ideas in one space, which makes it easier when you’re planning everything out. Feel free to check out my Pinterest page for inspiration and ideas.
Annual water tank maintenance.
It’s a good idea to check on the state of your water tanks every year, and the best time to check for leaks is when your tanks are full. Usually by late winter there have a few decent downpours to help you identify any issues. I found a comprehensive document on the Australian Government’s Health website that has some good maintenance tips.
In short, I’d be checking for any leaks, gaps and make sure everything is sealed up, check the mozzie mesh is still in-tact and not covered in leaf litter (home for pests), and check the colour of the water coming out of the tank – it should be clear.
Feed your flowering natives.
There are plenty of stunning native plants that will be flowering over the Winter season, so keep them looking great for longer by giving them a once-off good feed with a quality native slow release fertiliser and a splash of plant tonic (like Seasol) once a month or so. Also remember to keep the water up to them, Winter doesn’t always mean regular rain. A little TLC and these plants will reward you with long lasting blooms to brighten your Winter days.
Clean out and reset veggie gardens.
Over the prime growing seasons of Spring and Summer our veggie gardens take a beating, as does the soil. Late Winter is a good time to strip out whatever is left in the patch, and if you’ve got raised beds, the right time to top up on a good quality soil and compost mix. If you’ve got a decent sized veggie patch, my advice would be to get your soil and compost delivered by your local garden centre (or pick it up in your own trailer). It will cost you a lot less than buying bags and bags from a retail store! Remember to mix the new soil and compost into the existing soil well, a fork will generally do the job just fine. I’d recommend leaving your newly mixed soil to rest and settle for about 2 weeks before planting anything into it.
