It’s frustrating to watch gardening programs extolling the virtues of certain plants when I know quite well they’d end up being a winter casualty. Our region is cold, very cold, and the frosts night after night are plant killers – keep that in mind when buying new plants – ensure you look for frost hardy specimens.

There’s not a lot of incentive to be outside during winter, even though we’ve had some beautiful sunny days. There are jobs that need to be done, so you do need to venture out and get cracking in the garden.

If you want to plant fruit trees or deciduous trees – do it now. Bare rooted trees are available during winter. You need to plant these trees ASAP before you forget about them propped up against the fence or tucked away on the verandah and they become another casualty.

Try to find time for the vegetable garden, it’s a great time for brassicas – plant broccoli, cauliflower, Kale, cabbage and Brussel sprouts.

Put in your beans, turnips, spinach and peas and don’t forget some rhubarb crowns. Asparagus crowns can also be planted.

For colour in the ornamental garden, you can plant cornflower, pansies, violas and dianthus to name just a few species that will give a lift to the garden. Give all newly planted seedlings a feed of a seaweed fertiliser to get them moving.

Any frost hardy plants that have finished flowering can be pruned - plants like your Sasanqua Camellia. Don’t slacken up on your weeding just because it’s cold, there’s no excuse for having a weedy garden.

The cold weather shouldn’t mean a shabby garden, pull on the winter woolies and get outside.

Diary

Karen McInnes from Wodonga TAFE will be taking a Kitchen Gardening course during October. She will go over the skills you need to create your own sustainable vegetable patch and also look at other useful plants to have in your garden. If you want to know about companion planting, composting, natural pest management and recycling then this would be a course to suit you.  

For more information call 1300 MY TAFE (I300 698 233) or email AgHort@wodongatafe.edu.au or call into the Agriculture/Horticulture Department in West Wodonga.