Gardening – Winter planting frenzy

I’ve been planting up a storm lately, in between storms that is! Seriously though, there is a very good reason for all the planting activity as autumn is the best time to plant a whole bunch of different crops and ornamentals. Frequent rainfall (a little too frequent perhaps), mild temperatures, lower sun intensity and soil still warm from the summer sun equals great growing conditions for little plants.

This is the time of year to get the winter flowering annuals in. These add bright cheery colours to brighten dull winter days. This year I’m clearing under all my pip and stone fruit trees to create a circle of colour under each one, with a vibrant mix of Iceland poppy, viola, alyssum, calendula, cornflower, forget-me-not and borage. Other plants that can go in now include polyanthus, primrose and pansies. An important side benefit is feeding the various beneficial insects over the lean winter months.

Subtropical plants are also best planted now while the soil is still warm. I’m splitting bromeliads, heliconia, gingers, cannas and bananas. Easily done, just dig them up, break them apart or use secateurs or a pruning saw to separate the tougher ones, then replant straight away into their new location. Cuttings of many subtropicals will also strike well at this time of year; think cordyline, yucca, brugmansia, hibiscus and many more.

The veggie garden doesn’t get neglected now. The typical winter vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, spinach, leek, onion and silverbeet are almost a no-brainer, but this is also the best time to plant out more specialist veggies such as coriander, parsley and celery, all of which run to seed if planted in hotter conditions. I like to get in early with setting out garlic and shallot cloves, as I find they establish better now than at the traditional planting time of the Shortest Day. Likewise, I get my strawberries in now, so they get a good head start before winter sets in.

Even fruit trees get a look in at this time of year. It’s a great time to be planting subtropicals such as citrus, tamarillo, passionfruit, guava and feijoa. Berry crops such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and boysenberries are ideally planted now, although any canes lying on the ground will probably have beaten you to it, setting vigorous root systems from the ends! And although winter is the traditional time to plant deciduous trees such as stone and pip fruit, if they are container grown plants, they can be successfully planted now too. There’s no excuse really – get your gumboots (or in my case jandals) on, give the spade a sharpen, stock up on fertiliser to go in the planting holes and get planting!