Pliable from autumn showers and still warm from the past few months of summer sun, the earth is perfect for planting into right now.
Planting before the soil cools off ensures sufficient root growth to sustain plants over winter and provide an excellent head start in spring. Always dig soil over well and fork through plenty of compost, followed by a dressing of blood and bone. Use quality garden mix in each planting hole and top off with a mulch of fine bark after planting. In cold areas, delay planting frost-tender plants until spring. on nasty clay or dry sandy soils, spend the winter piling on compost to improve the soil before planting.
Screen & divide
Autumn is also the best time to plant versatile hedging. Use this to screen off an area to create shelter and privacy, block out utility areas, divide the garden into separate spaces, or create a more formal effect. Choose a variety suited to the purpose, eg, small, compact growing plants for low hedges, wind-tolerant plants for exposed places or fruiting plants for edible gardens. Prepare the soil as above, and trim plants lightly after you put them in the soil, to even up the height and promote side shoots. Ball park spacings are 15 to 30cm for hedges up to 45cm high, 30 to 50cm for one to 1.5m high hedges and 50cm to 1m for 1.5m-plus high hedges.
Spring Surprises
Beautiful and unexpected things will happen in your garden when you plant spring-flowering bulbs. April is peak planting time for all the old favourites including tulips, daffodils, Dutch iris, crocus, grape hyacinths, bluebells, plus highly fragrant freesias and hyacinths. Bulbs generally require a sunny spot with friable, fertile, well-drained soil. Add bulb food to the soil prior to planting and again when flowers begin to show. Plant bulbs in bulb baskets so they’re easy to lift each year after flowering, and use specialised bulb mix when planting in pots or heavy soil. For the full range of mail order spring bulbs that are available, visit www.nzbulbs.co.nz
Brighten your winter days
Now is also a good time to get winter annuals into the ground – before the soil cools off and seedlings struggle against the odds. Seed can be sown, but earlier flowering will be obtained by planting out seedlings or established ‘potted colour’ plants. Primulas, calendulas, polyanthus, poppies, violas, pansies and lovely scented stock can all be planted now. These will flower from early to mid winter, peaking in spring. Plant ‘garden mums’ (dwarf chrysanthemums) and cyclamen for instant gratification!
Easy greens
Quick and easy salad greens, including rocket, spinach, gourmet lettuces and mesclun mixes are also good to go into the ground right now. Add interest with Japanese mizuna and mibuna, giant red mustard, tat soi, coriander and parsley, and plant snow peas, spring onions, radishes, baby beets and baby carrots to harvest in the next couple of months. Plant veges in raised beds or containers if your soil is heavy, and liquid feed regularly to boost growth for an earlier harvest.
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