As Autumn settles in there are a few tasks that need completing to make sure your winter garden is successful and to give you a head start on a fabulous spring garden.

Time to Mulch and Feed

It's a great time to get your garden boosted. The trees have already stopped growing till next spring which means the fertiliser and water you apply is used by the rest of the garden as the competition starts to sleep.

Apply a generous layer of Mulch and feed with BioOcean. BioOcean fertiliser will stimulate the cool season shrubs, seedlings and perennials to grow nice and strong and as an organic it is a slow-release fertiliser that will feed over a longer period. Mulching with extra compost, fallen leaves or bagged mulch will help the garden retain moisture over the coming dry months so you won’t have to water as frequently through winter. The mulch will also help regulate the soil temperature like a blanket would for us assisting plant roots and helping keep beneficial insects warm.

With Autumn as natures planting time, we recommend doing the same. At planting the use of an all-round planting fertiliser is best. BioRock boosts root growth on newly planted plants which leads to success as the plants mature with a better foundation.

Get a few spots of colour refreshed

Bedding plants do not only add colour to the garden but lift our spirits too. The April rains will have finished off most of the summer colour. Water wise Petunias, Poppies as well as Pansies and Dianthus will give a great show for months on end. Time to pull out those tried Impatiens and Begonias and plant a new look or to plant up a hanging basket or container for the patio.

Plant a few Cali Petunias for something special in patio containers. Along with Kalanchoe, the flowering succulent, they dress up the patio in style and with different colours to the easy go to annuals.

Divide and Contour

Autumn rolls around, and it's time for some serious garden TLC. Picture your garden as a living space—each plant, a piece of furniture. Just like you'd rearrange your living room for better flow, it's time to shuffle your greenery for optimal growth. Those perennial plants? They're like that old armchair hogging all the space. Time to divide and transplant them, giving them their own corner to thrive without elbowing their neighbours.

But it's not just about space; it's about finding the right spot. Like moving your favourite lamp to a brighter corner, some plants just need a change of scenery to flourish. That shrub struggling in the shade? Maybe it's time to relocate it to a sunnier spot.

Think of yourself as the garden's interior designer. You're not just moving plants; you're crafting a living masterpiece. Consider height, texture, and colour—the garden's palette. Maybe that tall grass would look stunning beside those vibrant flowers. As you transplant and rearrange, you're not just tending to your garden; you're curating its story. Each plant has its role, its place in the grand narrative of growth and renewal.

Bug Off Ants

Ants have seemed to have come from nowhere this year. The infestation was exasperated by the heatwaves late summer. It may feel like they’ve subsided a bit but you need to sort them out. They’ll be back for spring so it’s a great time to get a head start sorting out the nests. We need ants in the garden as they clean up all the dead insects etc. but as with everything a few is better than an unchecked invasion.

More often they will nest against the house, finding their way indoors or under paving. Spray or drench with Efekto Ant which is the fastest way to get then under control against the foundations or in paving. Alternatively easy to use Nip-it, an ant bait that will control the nest at the source and soon you’ll be able to leave a teaspoon in the kitchen sink again.

Plant Bulbs Before the End of May

Autumn is planting time for winter bulbs that will flower through late winter into spring. It is bulb season and over the next two months all the varieties that one knows and a few new ones will be available and ready to plant. Bulbs are easy to grow and with very little effort they add a splash of colour in late winter when everything looks drab and boring. Most of the bulbs sold all over the world have their origins in South Africa as we have the best climate for these treasures.

All the winter bulbs should be in the ground by the last week of May.
The planting location is also important in terms of temperatures. Winter bulbs need the cooler soil to grow even if the planting instructions are for sun.

Read more on how to grow the best Daffodils on our additional article here.