Summer has been, and we say hello to autumn when the leaves start to turn a lovely yellow, red and orange. The mornings have a slight chill to them, the days are cooling down, and the weather becomes unpredictable. But autumn is a beautiful and busy time in any garden.
We’ve put together a list of tasks to do now to get your garden autumn-ready.
Lawn maintenance
Keep mowing your lawn once a week on a high setting and water when dry.
Check your lawn for weeds, especially the well-known winter grass.
Fertilise with fertiliser with an equal nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratio. This will help develop a robust root system.
Celebrate a healthy soil
Autumn is a fabulous time to add some compost to your soil’s surface that will help protect plant roots against the winter weather.
It improves soil structure and helps retain moisture in the warmer months ahead.
It also gives a good headstart for the winter seedlings, winter bulbs and vegetables once they are planted.
Fallen autumn leaves
Be sure to collect the leaves in your garden and on your lawn regularly; otherwise, they will smother your plants and lawn. Then, add the leaves to your compost heap.
Divide perennials
Evergreen, summer-flowering perennials like Agapanthus, daylilies, Iris and Cannas overgrown can be divided by lifting them from the soil and dividing at the roots re-planting them in compost-enriched soil. Water them regularly as they will suffer some stress from being separated.
Plan your vegetable garden
Start planning your vegetable garden for the winter crops to ensure a bumper vegetable harvest during the cold winter months. There are lots of vegetables that can be planted during autumn. Kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and peas are well-known winter seedlings. Carrots, beetroot and lettuce can also be planted as these vegetables can
be grown throughout the year. Keep an eye on the seedlings for cutworm and aphids, especially on the Brassica family. Do not forget to plant herbs like coriander, parsley and organum. Plant your garden mint in pots as they tend to take over.
Seedlings – Some colour to the grey winter
Plant your sweet peas seeds now in a sunny position in your garden. Remember to water regularly once you have sown the seed. African daisies, fairy Primula’s, Cineraria’s, poppies, Pansies, Nemesia’s, stocks, Calendula’s and bokbaai vygies are only a few annuals that can be planted in autumn. Remember to add some bonemeal and compost when planting your seedlings. Water well and check regularly for snails.
Bulbs
Plant winter and spring-flowering bulbs now. Daffodils, Anemones, Freesias and Ixias are some of the easiest bulbs to grow. Remember to plant Tulip bulbs only in May as soon as the soil is colder. Prepare the soil by mixing in compost and bonemeal before planting. Water deeply every fourth day till the rainy season sets in.
Pests
Keep an eye on your plants because of the unpredictable weather. The plants are also under attack from various pests. Cold nights and warm days are a big favourite of aphids, red spiders, and the hawk moth’s caterpillar on arum lilies. (Contact us for advice on how to treat these pests.)
General autumn tasks
-Clean your cutters regularly
-Reduce watering as the months get cooler
-Pull weeds up regularly before they go to seed
Azaleas, Gardenias and Camellias will start forming flowering buds now; keep them moist to avoid bud drops before they open in spring.
Autumn is a perfect time to plant deciduous fruit trees like apricots, apples and peaches. The advantage of growing in autumn is that these plants will be established in spring.
Trim hedges regular to keep them compact and bushy from ground level.
Autumn is a colourful and exitIng time in any garden and is also the time to give your garden a thorough tidy before the cold and wet weather sets in.
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Leonotis leonurus – Common names: Wild dagga, Lion’s ear
There is no other plant that announces the arrival of autumn more than Leonotis leonurus with its long plumes of bright orange flowers that blends well with all the autumn colours.
The colourful favourite – Leonotis leonurus
This colourful perennial has become a firm favourite in gardens and is very easy to grow. It attracts sunbirds, bees and butterflies to the garden to feast on the nectar-rich flowers in autumn and winter. Leonotis leonurus occursnaturally in the Western Cape, Kwazulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Gauteng, making Leonotis a go-to plant for landscaping uses.
Watch out for the sharp edges
Leonotis is a fast-growing shrub with long, roughly hairy leaves that taper with serrated edges. It is highly aromatic and has a robust herby scent, characteristic of the mint family—the plant branches at the base into erect, reedy stems that grow up to 2 metres. The stems are brittle and break easily in strong winds. The top half of the stems bear clusters of tubular, bright orange flowers that encircle the stems and appears at intervals along the length of the stem. After flowering, at the end of winter, prune back hard and apply a thick layer of organic mulch to stimulate vigorous growth and retain youthfulness.
The plant for all seasons
Leonotis leonurusis widely suitable for mixed borders, country garden, fynbos, grassland and rockery garden themes in full sun. It will do best in well-drained soil with plenty of compost added. Water well in summer. Fast-growing and both frost and drought hardy. It is seldom attacked by pest or disease.
Leonotis leonurus is and has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat several ailments. Tea made from the flowers is used to treat sore throats, high blood pressure and asthma. Strong infusions made from leaves, twigs, and flowers are used to treat skin problems and relieve sore muscles if added to a bath. Leonotis leonurus generally grown has bright orange flowers, but there is also a form with ivory-white flowers available. Both make excellent cut flowers.
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Autumn in your garden is like a spring in your step!
Autumn colours are one of nature’s marvels. Yellow and orange are the colours of sunshine and life, full of vibrance, highlighting the beginning of a new season. And red, well red is eye-catching and courageous, making Autumn brilliant, exciting and cheerful.
With this colourful time in your garden come days that are cooling down, softer sunlight and unpredictable weather.
It is important to remember that your gardening should not stop in the autumn months. Autumn is the time to prepare your garden for winter and prepping it for the following spring.
Start a compost heap this Autumn
Compost is organic gold, and with all the colourful leaves, grass clippings, dead flowers and plants, there will be enough organic matter to start with. (Remember not to throw weeds or diseased plants on your compost heap).
Divide perennials
Autumn is the best time to divide overgrown, summer-flowering perennials like wild garlic, Agapanthus, Dietes and daylilies so new roots can get a chance to establish themselves before the winter really starts. Remember to prepare soil in advance with compost and put some bone meal (good root starter) in each hole, and water well.
Compost
By giving a layer of compost in the Autumn, you ensure that plants have all the nutrients they need for winter. Compost will also help to aerate the soil; it will improve drainage and encourage earthworms and micro-organisms in your garden.
Pruning and Watering
Cut back all summer flowering perennials like Salvia, lavender bushes, Fuchsias and daisy bushes. Cut back all dead growth, twigs and branches.
Remember to set irrigation in your garden on less watering and reduce the amount of water you give to your house plants.
Lawn care
Keep lawn weed-free and feed with a phosphorous rich fertilizer to promote a healthy root system before the winter weather arrives. Remove fallen leaves from your lawn regularly as they deprive the lawn of light, causing it to die off and create brown patches.
Planting for spring
Seedlings and bulbs can be planted in early Autumn. Some bulbs like Watsonia’s and Chasmanthe can be planted as early as March. If it is still too hot in your area to plant spring bulbs, buy them while they are available and keep them in a cool, dry place. New plantings will establish good root growth before slowing down in winter.
Check for the unwelcome guest in your garden
Watch out for weeds that will germinate after the first winter rains and with the cooler weather. Snails, caterpillars and aphids love the cooler nights and warm days. Keep a lookout for them, spray them off your plants with water, or ask at your local nursery for a recommended organic spray.
The best part is that next spring, your efforts will be rewarded with a garden that comes alive and will look better than ever!
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