The last of autumn’s leaves have fallen, now winter’s jobs can begin, says gardening writer JACKIE WARBURTON.
Pruning of summer-flowering deciduous shrubs and small trees can be done any time up to spring.
Shrubs such as smoke bush, crepe myrtles and deciduous hibiscus that flower on new growth can be pruned harder than shrubs that flower on old wood. This gives maximum growth and flowers in the summer.
Shrubs that flower in the spring on old wood, such as forsythia, weigelias and philadelphus, should be pruned immediately after flowering with a trim instead of a hack so there is no disturbance of flowering buds for the next season.
Once shrubs have lost their leaves they are in dormancy and won’t need fertiliser until there is spring growth and the soil has warmed.
WINTER is also the time for preparation of soil for spring and, most importantly, it’s time to get the gardens ready for rose planting.
Preparation is best done now for where new roses will go in the garden. The choices of roses suitable for our climate are endless.
In general, roses are a low-maintenance, long-flowering choice for any space in the garden. If thorns are a deterrent, then there’s also thornless roses.
Turning over the soil and adding a little blood and bone and cow manure to the area now will give the soil plenty of time to settle in before planting out in the next few months.
Although soil preparation is done now, pruning roses should be left until August or at least the beginning of spring. If pruned too early, the new growth will be burnt by frost and there will likely be loss of flowering buds for spring.
To keep aphids and scale at bay, spray existing roses with winter oil now as a dormant spray used in the cooler months, but only when the temperature is under 25C.
If sprayed in the warmer weather, it can burn the leaves and is not recommended.
For more about growing roses, the Friends of Old Parliament House Rose Gardens is having a high tea at the Mercure Hotel June 15.
I’m the president and will speak about the roses in the gardens, their significance to the history of Canberra leading up to the centenary celebrations of Old Parliament House in 2027.
Tickets are $55 via trybooking.com
NEW plants under plant breeder’s rights (PBR) are noted on the label. They can be more expensive, but worth it as a small percentage of sales goes back to the breeder to produce more new varieties for the future. PBR plants cannot be propagated or sold without their label and Ozothamnus Pink Pearl or Rice Flower is one of them.
It’s an upright branching shrub that grows to a metre tall with long, flowering aromatic stems. Pink Pearl is a new flowering variety, but Ozothamnus is also available in cream, yellow or red flowers. It likes to be grown in full sun and doesn’t need native potting mix to grow successfully.
Jottings
- Reduce watering of indoor plants.
- Kiwi vines can be pruned once the leaves have fallen.
- Protect tap timers from the frost to prevent bursting.
- Liquid feed flowering shrubs and potted colour
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