Sow spring crops and flowers
One of the most rewarding winter gardening tasks is getting a head start on spring favourites like tomatoes, capsicums, eggplant, basil, zinnias, cosmos and marigolds. Cold outdoor conditions can slow germination, so sow seed into punnets and place them on a sunny indoor windowsill. It’s a great project for kids, who’ll love watching the first shoots appear.
Once seedlings emerge, pot them into small pots or tubes and move them into a simple homemade hothouse to mimic spring conditions. A clear plastic storage container works perfectly. Place it in a sunny spot to trap warmth and, if temperatures climb too high, open the lid slightly to release excess heat. On cold or frosty nights, bring the container indoors to keep seedlings cosy. Feed weekly with liquid fertiliser at half strength and you’ll be well ahead of the game when spring arrives.
Want to tick off one of your winter gardening tasks and grow tomatoes this spring? Read our Top 10 tips for homegrown tomatoes to help you grow healthier plants and enjoy a bigger harvest.
Check citrus for gall wasp
If you grow citrus, winter is the time to inspect your trees for citrus gall wasp, one of the most common pests of backyard lemons, limes and oranges. Look along the branches for woody, swollen lumps, usually 1-2cm thick. Fresh galls are green and smooth, while older ones become brown and rough.
Checking citrus for gall wasp is one of the most important winter gardening tasks. For more information on identifying and controlling it, visit Sustainable Gardening Australia’s guide.
Left unchecked, galls restrict the flow of water and nutrients through the branch, leading to weaker growth, smaller crops and, in severe cases, dieback. Inside each gall, next season’s wasps are developing, ready to emerge in spring and reinfect your tree.
Mid to late winter is the ideal time to intervene before the adults hatch. A simple control method is to use a sharp vegetable peeler to shave one side of the gall, exposing the larvae inside to the air, which dries them out and kills them. If you find older galls with small pin holes, there’s no need to act – the wasps have already left the building.
Plant deciduous trees and shrubs
Planting deciduous trees and shrubs is one of those winter gardening tasks that pays dividends for years to come. Winter is the perfect time to add varieties such as crepe myrtle, Japanese maple, apples and pears to your garden. Many nurseries sell them bare-rooted while dormant, making them significantly cheaper than potted plants.
Plant them as soon as possible after purchase. Start by pruning off any damaged roots, then soak the root system in a bucket of water while you prepare the planting hole. Dig a hole as deep as the roots and twice as wide, then form a small mound of soil in the centre and spread the roots evenly over it.
Look for the soil mark on the trunk and backfill so the tree sits at the same depth it was growing previously. Water in thoroughly to settle the soil, then finish with a thick layer of The Garden Family sugar cane mulch to conserve moisture and protect the newly establishing roots.
By ticking off this and your other winter gardening tasks, you’ll give your garden the best possible start to spring.
To shop the Garden Family range head to Bunnings: The Garden Family – Bunnings Australia
