If you are wondering what you should do in your garden this month to help it thrive and prepare it for the winter season, read on.May is the last month of Autumn here in Perth, the weather is cooling down and as gardeners, we’re getting ready for the winter months. In this blog, we will cover what needs to be done this month to get your garden ready for winter…
What to do for lawn care in May.
1. Now is a great time to apply foliar fertiliser to your lawn to give it the boost it needs to thicken up and help it combat any weed growth and invasion.
2. It is also a good time to start mowing your lawn at a ‘longer’ or taller setting to help it catch as much light as possible during the winter months.
3. Weed removal. During winter, lawn growth slows right down but, unfortunately for gardeners everywhere, weeds start to sprout and increase thanks to the increased moisture. To keep on top of weeds, the winning strategy is to manually pull them out by their roots or mow them before they have a chance to seed. Of course, an alternative (that we prefer to avoid) is to use a chemical weed killer. If you do choose the chemical path, contact professionals or make sure to wear protective clothing and equipment.
Yes, the ‘by hand’ method will always be more time-consuming but it is effective – along with being much better for the health of the soil and planet.
What tasks you should do in your garden in May.
For all you green thumbs out there, now is the time to take cuttings from your natives to propagate them, planting your cuttings directly into some quality propagating mix for best results.
Some other garden tasks are:
Prune spent flowers in ornamental plants such as roses, salvia, buddleia, etc.
Prune hydrangeas back
Prune trees and taller shrubs. It is a great time to prune them back to open the foliage so the winter rain can penetrate the soil more evenly – this will also make them less prone to winter storm damage with less foliage and branches able to be affected by wind.
What should you plant in your garden in May?
May in Perth is a great time to plant new natives and trees to give them a chance to establish during the rainy season. With the increased and more consistent watering, they will be stronger and more able to resist the heat and drought come summer. We all know the extra time and care it takes to keep new plants healthy and growing during the Perth summer heat! You can also plant dormant stocks, bulbs and trees during this month.
For those with edible gardens, some ideal vegetables to plant in May are:
Strawberries
Potatoes
Leeks
Onions
Chives
May is a great time to get out in the garden with the cooler days, so grab a hat and some gardening tools and spend some time preparing your garden to thrive during winter.
If finding time to garden is too hard right now, have a look at our Garden Maintenance Packages to see how our expert gardening team can help you out – and you can enjoy a happy healthy garden without picking up a single gardening tool in May!
Australia sees very dry weather during this time of the year with February being the last month of summer.
It is our goal at Perth Gardening Company to provide garden owners with timely and proper guidance to ensure that your front and backyard are in tip top shape during this season.
Hence, we highly encourage garden owners to water less often during these hot and dry periods. This would ensure that your plants’ roots would grow downwards and make them less vulnerable to drying out.
We also advice that you take advantage of the hot weather to weed your garden. Just make sure that you lay the weeds on top of the soil so it could dry out and become mulch.
Of course, you should also be mindful to remove the seeding parts first to prevent them from growing back.
Start pruning your fruit trees this summer, and maintain their sizes by cutting new green growth.
For your citrus trees, feed them and top up mulch (by using compost or old manure) over its roots, keeping clear of the trunk
Feed citrus trees, and top up mulch (use compost or old manure) over roots, keeping clear of trunk.
Start pruning your summer raspberries, cut out old canes and tie new canes after the fruits have been picked
Begin Propagation of semi-ripe cuttings during mid to late summer and utilize rooting hormones.
Here’s a list of other pointers for you to do in order to prepare your garden for the coming seasons:
Cut and dry herbs for winter use and collect ripening seeds for plants you wish to propagate.
Divide perennials towards the end of the month, or leave until March if your garden is experiencing drought.
Sow cool season green manure crops then have them dug in during autumn before they begin flowering.
This month is also the last opportunity for you to sow warm season green manure plants.
Carefully observe your water gardens and ponds as water levels decrease exponentially due to evaporation. For aquatic plants, this time of the year may cause them to become overgrown.
Make the most out of summer’s last month by ensuring that your plants are more resilient to drought and the dry weather.
March is the start of Autumn in Perth… and we’re finally starting to feel it! Prepare to be fighting those pesky leaves for the next few months, but also take some time to enjoy those glorious colours of Autumn! We just love how it goes from stunningly royal displays of purple in the Summer to those golden and warm orange tones – always something beautiful to spy around our home here in Perth.
As always, at the beginning of a new season, there is plenty to do, so we have compiled some March gardening tips for you.
Gardening Tips for March
In our March gardening tips we’ll look at what to plant and what needs doing in March. Let’s get started with what needs planting in March.
What to Plant in March
This is a great season to be planting all sorts of things and even to begin planning your spring bulbs!
TIP: Before the end of the month you want to have planted your citrus, avocado and olive trees.
March is ideal for planting trees and shrubs. This month it is getting cooler but the soil is still warm enough to encourage growth in your new greenery – so they have some time to establish their roots before the cold weather sets in!
With that in mind, now is also great for planting new lawns. Summer is the time for outdoor play, and can cause a lot of wear and tear on your grass – often in the form of bare patches in the most used areas, not the best look! By planting now, the new grass seeds will also be able to get their root systems established before the cold, like your trees and shrubs, as well as having months of good growing time before it’s hot again! Make sure you get a qualified lawn expert to help you out if you haven’t done it before, they will be able to make sure it is done right, as well as teach you exactly how to look after it in the following months to ensure it grows lush and green.
Composting and Garden Cleanup in March
You know those lovely leaves that will start to cover every inch of your garden? A great way to get rid of them is to add them to your compost where the worms will love them and you don’t have to see them! You can also add some used coffee grounds to the mix for an extra boost.
March is also a great time for a general garden clean-up to prepare it for the colder months ahead.
Trim any branches on your citrus trees that might be hanging lower than 1m – this helps prevent the spread of brown rot.
Remove all weeds and any plants in your garden you don’t want to spread – they will all be starting to seed.
We hope that this guide has been helpful and we are sure with the application of these tips and tricks your garden will flourish this month!
Enjoy being out gardening in March in these last warm days – we certainly will!
Have a read through some of our other blogs for some more info on gardening in Perth, or check out some of the gardening services we offer. As it becomes colder your garden still needs lots of TLC, but you might not feel so excited at the thought of getting out in the cold to give it! Contact us and let our friendly and professional landscape gardeners take care of it for you…
September is the beginning of spring and time to get ready for the warmer days ahead. It’s a great time to plant pretty much anything and undertake an outdoor spring clean. There’s lots to do in the garden but don’t get overwhelmed; just aim to do a little each week and you’ll have it under control in no time. Or Get in touch with professional to take the burden away from you.
Top tips for Planting in September
Plant seeds for flowers and vegetables for summer
Fertilise strawberries to encourage a bumper crop
Get weeds under control
Apply a slow-release lawn food to all grassed areas
Use a metal rake to remove any build-up of thatch
If looking a bit sparse – reseed or returf bare areas of the lawn
Increase watering of potted plants as the weather warms up
Apply a slow-release fertiliser to all potted plants
Tidy up ornamental grasses to promote new growth
Fertilise all plants and lawns as growth resumes
Prune hibiscus and also prune plants that flowered in winter and early spring
Plant herbs such as parsley, mint, coriander, and oregano
Renew mulch on garden beds – cover the soil with compost and then cover with a layer of mulch
Divide and repot cymbidium orchids after flowering
Watch for pests on new growth such as aphids and snails. Aphids can be squashed or treated.
Snails and slugs can be trapped or deterred
Repot potted plants that are root bound
Divide herbaceous clumping plants as new growth resumes
Dead head spring annuals and bulbs
Tips on Planting Strawberries
Top tip
September is also a great time to spring clean your backyard ready to spend more time outside having fun, relaxing and entertaining. Check all your outdoor furniture and equipment (including cubby houses, trampolines, swing sets). Clean and repaint or re-oil outdoor furniture as required. Check and tighten nuts and bolts. Sweep or water-blast paved areas to remove mould or moss build-up as well as accumulated leaves and dirt. Clean the BBQ and replenish the gas bottles so you’re all set to enjoy the warmer weather that September brings.
If you need help with your yard this September just contact the team at Perth Landscaping & Gardening – it’s what we do!
July sees us well and truly in the midst of the cooler months but that means it is also a great opportunity to tackles some of those jobs the hotter temperatures make difficult – or just plain uncomfortable. If you’re planning on creating a new path, digging a pond or building a new veggie garden, now is the time to get into it. You’ll build up a sweat but it won’t be as bad as trying to get it done while it’s hot.
