GROW YOUR OWN: Gardening expert Reg Kidd says consider building a wicking bed system for backyard vegetables. Photo: JUDE KEOGH
Orange gardens have been boosted by the weekend's rains.
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Gardening expert Reg Kidd said now is a great time to get into the garden and prepare for spring.
Here's some tips for what you should be doing in your yard.
WINTER TIPS
- Plant deciduous trees and shrubs including roses and climbers
- Daffodils are starting to flower. After they have flowered you need to deadhead them.
- Deadhead camellias and azaleas. Fertilise them post-flowering with their special formulation that is available from nurseries.
- Prune any untidy geraniums. Water in a handful of complete fertiliser.
- Dig flat weeds, roots and all, from your lawn or spray them with a herbicide.
- Apply 'blueing' compound to pink hydrangeas for a colour change.
- Think about planting potatoes in a vegetable patch.
- Any plants or flowers showing signs of rust should be sprayed with the appropriate fungicide.
- Prepare for rose pruning.
- Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of perennials.
- Do not prune back any frost-damaged plants, wait until spring.
- Think about installing a wicking bed system for a vegetable garden. It's a self-watering system. Special kits are available. There will be more information in an upcoming article.
- Start preparing vegetable garden beds for spring planting. Add organic matter and lime if needed.
- Veggies that can be established in colder months include globe artichoke, asparagus crowns, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, potato, celery, coriander, English spinach, Jerusalem artichoke, mint and snow peas.
- Consider transplanting before new growth starts.
- Buy a PH testing kit from a nursery. It measures soil acidity or alkilinity. It is easy to use. By knowing the PH level (most plants like 5.5-6.5) you can modify your soil to get improved results.
- Consider re-potting fruit trees if they need it.
- Feed citrus with a slow-release fertiliser.
- Attract pollinators (bees) to your garden by planting plants that produce blue, purple or yellow flowers.
- Finish off pruning any bare-root fruit trees.
- Prune off any citrus gall wasp lumps.
- Think of buying a wollemi pine. It's a great gift for a gardener.
- Enjoy the fragrance of daphnes. They grow in a container or garden bed.
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