Let’s talk plants; it is autumn, leaves are falling, and your summer veggies are dying off. Get your gardening gear on and your green fingers out! Here is your guide for what to do with your garden.
As the weather starts to cool and the rain begins to increase, it has come time to preserve and store what remains of our summer harvests. A great trick to enjoying your favourite veggies again next year is to save and store seeds from your edible plants. Capsicums, tomatoes and beans are an easy place to start.
Saving and storing seeds
Firstly, the fruit or vegetables you are collecting seeds from need to be ready and ripe! Now it’s simple, all you need to do is scoop out the seeds and wash them thoroughly.
Once they are clean spread them over a paper towel to soak up any moisture and leave the seeds until they are completely dry. If your seeds are dry, it is time to store them for next year! You will need to store your seeds in a paper bag, not plastic. This will prevent your seeds from sweating, keeping them viable for sewing next year.
(A little recycling hack, use old envelopes you were throwing away to hold your seeds.)
Now for the most important part, label your seeds! Store them in a dark dry place and forget about them until next year.
What to plant for Autumn
During Autumn the soils are still warm making it the main season for planting trees and shrubs as they can establish over the winter months. This is the time to plant frost-hardy perennials, winter annuals, vegetables and the kiwi classic, Feijoas!
Celery, broccoli, cabbage or silverbeet are the perfect winter staples to plant if you are limited with space. These Veg will grow happily in a pot, container or raised garden bed as well as in the ground. If you are looking to fill your garden with vibrant floral displays then cyclamen, snapdragons, dianthus, or the classic daisy are your best friend! Each of these flowers will be happy in your garden bed, pots or even hanging baskets. Just remember to keep an eye on those hanging baskets, they dry out quickly!
Planting in advance
Nothing screams spring is here like Daffodils do! Some of the most beautiful and well know flowers grow from bulbs, like Daffodils, Tulips and Lilies. These flowers are great to plant if you want to be one step ahead. Simply choose their spot, plant the bulbs and forget about them until you get a blooming reminder that spring is here! If you worry your green fingers aren’t too green try gardening with bulbs. As long as they are planted in the ground, in containers or pots that are well-drained, with a little bit of water and sunshine you can have your very own flower bed.
