Time To Dig In

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday February 20, 2008

KILMENY ADIE

With winter on its way, now is the time to prepare your garden so it will bloom come spring time, writes KILMENY ADIE.

The change of summer to autumn is a hectic time for gardeners, according to nursery operator Gwen Reid.

When the trees begin their colourful transformation into autumn shades gardens need a little TLC and careful planning.

Reid runs the Drive Thru or Park nursery in Unanderra and says with the cooler months around the corner, now is when people should start making plans for spring.

"Autumn is the busiest time of year," she says.

"You plant in autumn ready for spring. You don't plant in spring.

"It simply means the plant gets into the ground and good growth and then in spring it's right for flowering and is as good as it can be."

Reid says now is the time to feed roses that are in bloom and spray for black spot, which could affect plants following the recent rain.

It is also the time to start digging if you want to add a fruit tree to your garden.

Fruit trees including lemon, lime, raspberry, fig, apple and banana are all ready for planting.

The dwarf citrus varieties are particularly popular with people who have small gardens or villas, Reid says.

With the right care, these smaller trees can provide a great crop from large pots or an eye-catching half wine barrel.

If you're looking to add a little colour to the garden in the form of a shrub for the next few months, Reid recommends lobelia, gardenias, ixora and loropetalum.

Gardeners should be sure to plant these in places that get the right amount of sun and shade.

This is because plants like the gardenia perform better in the morning sun than the hot afternoon sun.

If it is a quick and easy splash of colour you're after, Reid says gardeners cannot go past marigolds, impatiens and pansies, which are inexpensive to plant and deliver immediate results.

She says petunias are coming to the end of their season but with pruning and fertilising, established plants will provide another burst of colour.

Pansies are not yet in stores but they will be as soon as the weather is a little cooler.

Reid says people with native gardens might have noticed their plants looking a little worse for wear. because of the recent rains which is not good for the Australian natives.

"At the moment they're getting too much rain and they don't like it," she says.

"The natives are not doing as well as the ordinary plants."

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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