Autumn in Melbourne Gardens - Ode to Autumn: A Celebration of Colour and Bounty
Autumn's charm rivals spring's! With bountiful displays from both our flowering and our deciduous species, It's a bit of a misconception that things slow in the garden at this time of the year when, in fact, it can be one of our busiest times in the garden with its soft light, mild days, and warm soil, it's a gardener's paradise as plants grow plentiful, Planting now gives plants three seasons to establish roots before summer in this article we will cover what we are undertaking in our gardens and will hopefully give you some things to look out for in yours and for the admires of flowers to start short list of few flowering species in gardens to look out for.
Vitis vinifera Grape
salvia anthony parker
A Feast for the Senses
Beyond the breathtaking foliage, autumn boasts a dazzling floral display:
Japanese anemones
Belladonna lilies
Crepe myrtles
Hibiscus
Plectranthus
Dahlias
Salvias
Asters
Fuchsias
Plumbago
Mandevilla
Zinnias
And remember the vibrant hues of autumn chrysanthemums, echoing the fiery tones of falling leaves, to name a few.
Feeding - Nature's Recycling System
Trees and plants are like miners, extracting nutrients to build leaves, flowers, and roots. As they mature, they shed less efficient parts, creating natural mulch. This fallen debris nourishes the soil's microbial life, feeding the plants.
Breaking the Cycle: The Importance of Leaving Leaves
Removing fallen leaves disrupts this vital cycle, depleting the soil of nutrients. We understand some may find fallen leaves unsightly. Here are solutions for a tidier look:
Mulch the leaves: Mow or shred them for a more polished appearance.
Compost the leaves: Keep nutrients cycling within your garden. You can also Compost in place on your garden beds using your autumn leaves (spread under shrubs/trees or mulch for beds; add Blood and Bone or Seamungus for faster decomposition).
Import organic mulch: If space is limited, consider bringing in fresh mulch and compost
Added Benefits of Mulching
Retain moisture and suppress weeds.
What We Do in Our Client’s Gardens:
At Artisan Horticulture, our mulching season starts at the end of autumn, when leaf fall is nearly finished. We like incorporating as much biomass into our gardens as possible, creating a more polished finish. Before mulching this time of year, we will generally adjust any soil issue affecting our plants, such as pH, compaction, and structure.
sedum autumn joy
Perennials:
Fertilising: Apply a high-quality all-purpose fertiliser, like Seamungus from Neutrog, for its micronutrient content.
Calcium: Apply gypsum or another preferred form of calcium to improve soil structure.
Aeration: Only aerate if the soil appears compacted. Use a garden or broad fork carefully, especially if you have drip irrigation.
Mulching: Use mulch with a particle size of ¼ inch or larger or a fungal-dominant compost. We use a product called surecrop(Compost) and blend it with ¼ inch pine 50/50 in the first year and 25/75 in subsequent years, applied at a 50-100mm layer.
Annuals:
Fertilising: Apply a high-quality all-purpose fertiliser, like Seamungus from Neutrog, for its micronutrient content.
Calcium: Apply gypsum or another preferred form of calcium to improve soil structure.
Aeration: Only aerate if the soil appears compacted. Use a garden or broad fork carefully, especially if you have drip irrigation.
Mulching: Use a bacterial-dominant compost along with pea straw, lucerne, straw, or lawn clippings for mulch; this will help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Feeding is Crucial in Urban Melbourne Gardens
Experienced gardeners know that some plants require more frequent feeding, especially true in urban Melbourne gardens due to two factors:
Australia's ancient soils: Australian soil tends to be low in nutrients due to age.
Urban setting limitations: Urban environments lack larger animals that naturally cycle nutrients back into the soil.
To address these challenges, we recommend a regular feeding program for both gardens and lawns:
Quarterly: Apply Seamungus, a high-quality all-purpose fertiliser, to your Garden beds and Lawns(a Crumble form made for lawns is available).
Monthly: Alternate between foliar feeds using products we mix one month, Root & Shoot, Woodvinger, BAM, MicroForce, and Cloak oil in one application, and potassium silicate on its own the following month. All Nutri Tech Solutions products.
This ensures a steady supply of nutrients for both leaves and roots feeling in the gaps, drastically reducing pest pressure and increasing flower and fruit yield.
Camellia sasanqua
Pruning
Deadhead perennials (agapanthus, dietes, penstemon) and roses regularly to extend flowering.
Cut back annuals to encourage a second bloom.
Prune climbing roses after flowering fades.
Summer flowering shrubs: Prune lightly to encourage bushiness.
Hedges: Start Pruning heat-sensitive species like Buxus, photinia, and Viburumn, to name a few.
Specific Plant Plant Pruning for Autumn:
Catmint: Cut back for a second flush of blooms.
Lavender: Cut back to a third of its size in summer.
Geraniums & Pelargoniums: Prune hard, save trimmings for cuttings (repot if needed).
Wisteria: Remove shoots back to two buds for denser flowering.
Buddleja (summer & autumn flowering): Prune by two-thirds.
Violets: Trim back old leaves to keep them compact and rejuvenate.
Clematis (Spring/summer flowering): Prune back halfway.
Winter iris: Cut back foliage to allow the sun to reach the centre and encourage flowering.
Spring flowering iris (not bearded iris): Divide or cut back.
Algerian iris: Cut down foliage for better winter sun exposure.
Lavatera & Buddleja (overgrown): Cut back by half their height.
Ceratostigma willmottianum - Chinese plumbago
Propagation/Planting:
Collect seeds from perennials and Annuals (like Californian poppy, coneflower, marigolds, calendula, sunflowers, poppies, zinnia, and nasturtiums) in autumn to sow in spring. Store seeds dry, cold, and airtight.
Take softwood and semi-hardwood cuttings now (e.g., salvia, Plectrantus, Agastache).
Divide perennials now (more successful than winter).
March
Planting: Plant evergreen shrubs and trees, citrus trees, spring bulbs (ideally by the end of the month), species gladioli, and watsonias (avoid summer water).
Other: Sow sweet pea seeds. Remove summer annuals and plant winter annuals (pansies, violas). Plant campanulas foxgloves for spring blooms. Plant delphiniums. Move evergreen shrubs. Choose and order bare-rooted trees and shrubs—plant herbaceous perennials.
April/May
Planting: Plant evergreen shrubs and trees (including citrus). Plant strawberry runners (established ones every 3-4 years). Sow poppy seeds, plant or divide peonies.
Bulbs: May is the last month to plant spring bulbs (anemone, ranunculus, tulips).
Ongoing
Divide and replant lilies every 3-4 years (well-drained acidic soil, cool temperatures, filtered sunlight).
Divide perennials showing new green shoots (asters, salvia, etc.).
Cut back kniphofia foliage and divide if needed.
Take hardwood cuttings of deciduous plants.
Note: Don't divide perennials that die back in winter (herbaceous).
Dahlia Tartan
Pest
Watch for slugs and snails as autumn rains begin, especially when planting late winter and spring annuals.
Be aware of aphids and blackspots (particularly on roses) with April's added moisture and warmth.
In the Veggie Patch:
End of season:
Beans
Tomatoes and cucumbers (production slowing due to cooler nights)
Prepare soil and beds for planting winter vegetables:
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Broccoli
Broad beans (better in May)
Plant seedlings
Brassica family
Lettuce
Spring onion
Leeks
Chives
Silverbeet
Rocket
Pak choi
Plant seeds
Carrots
Beetroot
Radish
Embrace the beauty and bounty of autumn. Let your garden be a testament to nature's remarkable cycle.
Keep growing,
Gavin Matthews.
