Autumn is a wonderful time to get back into your gardens and yards. The days become mild and shorter, the Perth heat finally subsides and the winds ease.
PRUNING
Trim back that excess summer growth. Cut off old flower buds to start your autumn tidy up. Plants will look great and may reward you with another flush of flowers and/or nice green new growth.
FEEDING
Take care of your fruit trees, shrubs and pot plants with a slow-release fertiliser such as Troforte. Each application of general-purpose Troforte, available from Swan Valley Station, lasts around six months. That means spring and autumn applications will feed your garden and or tub plants all year round.
Autumn fertilising encouraged new growth on evergreens, citrus and improved spring and summer cropping for spring and summer deciduous fruit trees. It is even recommended for native trees, shrubs and ground covers. If you have hedges, border plants and those used for privacy, feed them now to thicken their growth. Troforte releases more food to plants on warmer days, so get it on in early Autumn.
PLANTING
You can still plant beautiful deciduous shrubs and trees in autumn. They will establish their roots and be ready to take off in spring. Plant cherry blossoms now ready for spring.
Ornamental pears have stunning autumn leaves and make a great addition to any medium to large garden. Chinese tallows have the most stunning autumn leaf show with yellow, orange and red leaves on one tree, all at one time!
Crepe myrtles will have just about finished flowering, but you can still plant them. You will get a small amount of new growth before they lose their leaves over winter, then sprout away ready for the stunning floral show they produce in summer with red, white or pink flowers.
LOTS OF POTS
Autumn is perfect for smaller gardens and those planting and gardening in pots, planters and tubs. Trim and feed as you would with regular gardening. Swan Valley Station recently received a container of new ceramic pots in dozens of different colours, shapes and sizes. We buy in bulk and pass on the savings to our customers.
Plants to pot and raise in the shade include Philodendron xanadu, tractor seat plants, golden cane palms, lilly pilly ‘straight and narrow’, cumquats, star jasmine, gardenias, magnolias or even a beautiful Tahitian limes.
DECORATE
To top off an autumn garden clean-up and make-over, add a birdbath for your feathered friends and a wind spinner that looks great in more moderate winds. Swan Valley Station has at least 12 new types and colours of wind spinners with around six designs on special.
It is amazing how a moving, spinning feature in the garden can bring a space to life. Mini sunflower spinner is always popular, or check out the bigger brighter new ones such as crimson bloom with autumn crimson large petals.