Gardening – Indian summer beckons

It’s been a great summer for the garden – regular rainfall, lots of sun, balmy temperatures and not too much wind. I couldn’t ask for more really, but like all good things, this must come to an end. I always try to stretch the season out with some late sown crops in the hope that we’ll get an Indian summer, where the autumn stays warm and dry. Possibly this is one of those years; fingers crossed!

Aside from wishful thinking, vegetables that really need to be sown or planted out now include leeks, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, radish, beetroot, bok choi, kale, silverbeet, onions, carrots and parsnips.

For the latter two, it’s best to direct sow onto the soil just before predicted rain. The rain will help settle the seeds in and provide ideal germination conditions. The other crops will also benefit from this timing, so they can put on maximum leafy growth before the cold sets in.

If you are giving any of your veggie beds a rest over winter, then this is the time to sow greencrops, too, such as mustard, phacelia, lupin, buckwheat or clover. These are turned into the soil at the end of winter to replenish the soil and reduce the amount of soil pests and diseases.

If you are creating an environment for beneficial insects in your vegetable garden or home orchard, then this is an ideal time to plant flowering plants such as calendula, cornflower, alyssum, nigella, larkspur and borage, among others. Honeybees, bumblebees and other pollinators will thrive on the extra pollen and nectar these plants provide.

Salad greens and herbs that would normally bolt during the summer heat will appreciate the cooler conditions of autumn. Coriander, celery, parsley, rocket, spinach, hyssop, fennel, dill and lettuce will all do very well now. Speaking of herbs, now is the right time to prune rosemary, bay trees and lavender.

Aside from harvesting, fruit trees need little attention at this time, but before the leaves fall it is a good idea to prune plums and other stone fruit, as this reduces the amount of regrowth next season and the drier conditions of late summer to early autumn reduces the potential spread of diseases such as silverleaf. Citrus and avocados can put on another flush of growth at this time of year, so support this with some extra feeding and mulching.

If you are planning to increase the number of fruit trees in your garden, now is a very good time to plant them, with the warm moist soil providing ideal conditions for root growth before next summer. This applies to ornamental trees and shrubs too, and if you’re not happy about where you’ve previously planted something, now is the time to shift it! Above all, enjoy one of the best seasons in the garden.