Plant punnets of winter-flowering annuals for colour in the cool season. In dappled shade, try pansy, viola and cineraria. In full sun, go for poppies; and in pots choose polyanthus. Avoid planting seedlings too deeply or they’ll rot in cool wet weather.
Tidy hedges and apply organic pellets (Rooster Booster or Seamungus) around the base of the plants to encourage new growth. New shoots will harden up before the cool weather arrives.
Remove old, tired herbs and sow seeds of rocket, coriander, basil and chervil, which grow well in autumn (as they don't rush to flower). Sow into gardens or pots.
Treat the entire garden with pelleted organic Seamungus or Rooster Booster to revitalise soil and add essential elements and good microbes. They're suitable for natives too.
Rejuvenate clumps of geraniums and pelargoniums by cutting stems back by one-third.
Give the lawn a good feed with a complete fertiliser to help it recover from all the summer activity.
Take a few minutes to remove pesky weeds from paths and garden beds. It’s a good way to stay on top of these space invaders. If you prefer to spray, try organic options, like OCP Slasher, Richgro Beat-a-Weed, Amgrow Weed Blitz or Seasol Earthcare.
Order spring bulbs now Check out online catalogues (Van Diemen Quality Bulbs and Tesselaar). Spring flowering bulbs should be planted in April. Tulips should be planted around Mother's Day in early May,