After a very slow start to Spring in Perth, which saw us wearing winter clothes in October (!) Brrr…..The birds are tweeting and the froggies are calling and we finally have some glorious sunshine and warmer days.
The nights are still cool and the plants are just loving it. I love the purple haze of the jacaranda trees scattered through the older suburbs at this time of the year. It tells me that Summer is just around the corner.
Here are some things to get your family involved with, in your garden this weekend.
- Deadhead your roses and flowering plants: I must confess that I pruned everything very late this year (in August) and as a result have been getting lots of healthy blooms but I will be wanting my garden to be looking a picture for Christmas and late December early January entertaining so I will be sacrificing some of those blooms and chop, chopping and trim, trimming so that my garden will be in full flower for Christmas day
Rose ‘Veilchenblau’
David Austin ‘Jubilee Celebration’
Rose ‘Spiced Coffee” a new addition to our garden
- Fertilise your plants: A sudden surge in growth in the past few weeks means that many of the plants will be very grateful if you apply some fertiliser right now. I give mine some mature compost and a liquid feed with a seaweed solution and a liquid fertiliser. Work your way around the garden with a watering can and the bottle of fertiliser and everything will be very happy through the summer months. I also use a granular fertiliser just for the roses for that extra boost.
Your pelargoniums will love some liquid fertiliser
- Use a wetting agent: Our sandy soils need lots of help and a wetting agent will help keep the water right at the root zone of your plants rather than just passing them by on the way through! You can use a liquid or a granular wetting agent, whichever you choose, make sure that it’s a frog friendly wetting agent and that you water it in well to activate it.
- Plant out some annuals: Nothing quite says spring like some new plants for your garden, change out your pots, add some annual colour to a corner of the garden that’s looking a little tired. Potted colour and annuals are a very inexpensive way to give the garden that little extra pizazz.
Cotinus…I love the colour that this brings to my Spring garden
- Check your reticulation system: How long is it since you’ve changed the battery on your reticulation system? It might be worth checking that. Also, turn the system on and have a look at it while it’s running, is every sprayer working? It’s a good idea to trim the lawn away from the sprinkler heads to allow them to pop up freely. Make sure that your system is only coming on during your allocated days. Hand water whenever required.
- Mulch your garden: It’s time to lay down some lupin mulch or some woodchips, this is really a personal choice but whatever you choose, your plants will Thank you.
Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’ one of my all-time favourite plants flowers beautifully at this time of the year
