WINTER TIPS
Glen’s Seasonal Tips
Is winter a good time to plant?
Winter is the time of plenty in Australia, with most of our treasures putting on their best show of flowers. With low temperatures and saturated soils, winter is the perfect time for planting natives. Young plants may not put on so much growth, but will use this time to establish themselves, and once spring comes along, they will fire up and fly along. Remember to keep mulch away from the base of your plants to avoid collar rot.
What plants are good for boggy conditions?
With over 800mm of rain already in our rain guage for the year, the ground just about everywhere is sodden and boggy. This can make certain areas in the garden seemingly impossible to plant out. But worry not, for there are some beautiful natives that thrive in such conditions. Callistemons (bottlebrushes) and Melaleucas (paperbarks) are fantastic all-round natives that come in a variety of sizes, from small showy shrubs, to tall dense screens and medium-sized specimen trees. Callistemons and Melaleucas both produce masses of ornamental flowers in a range of brilliant colours, making them an ideal bird-attracting feature for the garden. Extremely hardy and adpatable, these plants are idealy suited to our extreme climate. Once the clouds disperse and the grounds dry up again, Callistemons and Melaleucas will treat you with beautiful lush foliage and the subtle scent of honey year after year.
Happy Gardening!
Glen