Preparing the Garden for Winter
The magical sight of kangaroos bouncing through the snow comes as a complete surprise to many people; it’s just not what is associated with this beautiful ‘wide brown land’ we live in. Trentham’s bitterly cold winters put very specific pressures on the garden that are completely unfamiliar to most mainland Australians. What needs to be done to help get through this difficult time of year?
Many irrigation systems have components which will need to be taken inside to protect them from the cold. They will usually be turned off in autumn and not be required again until it warms up again in spring; the combination of both cold and wet is often what causes plants to fail. The water meter will also usually need protecting.
Very occasionally, horticultural fleece can be used to protect vulnerable plants on particularly frost-heavy nights. In general, I try to only grow plants suited to plants suited to the climate. However, some plants are more frost tender when young, and even tough plants will often plants will struggle in a newly-planted garden where they are more exposed.
Perennial plants which die down completely in winter are popular in Trentham as we have access to fantastic nurseries which carry a wide assortment of these plants. At some point during winter these will need to be cut down, but many have forms which are beautiful even once they have browned off. I only chop everything down once it’s looking ratty and I also happen to have some free time on my hands. This is also a good opportunity to top up the mulch ready for spring.
Roses and many fruit trees are best pruned in winter. I’m not so particular about the timing for roses, but fruit trees are incredibly specific in their pruning and spraying requirements; I’ve got all the relevant info written out on a spreadsheet on my phone as it doesn’t stick in my head otherwise.
Rug up well and find a nice sunny day to get to work outside; your garden will be the better for it, and it’s a healthy and productive way to shake the ‘winter blues’.
Happy gardening,
Landscape Designer Kaz Krasovskis
Insta: @kazkrasovskis
www.kazkrasovskis.com.au