OH! Magazine - Australian Version April 2016 | Page 22

(OH COOL!) AUTUMN GARDENING TIPS Get in the garden and make the most of autumn, with these tips from Yates. utumn is a brilliant time to get out into the garden as temperatures are milder making it more comfortable for both plants and gardeners. Soil is still warm enough for root growth, so if plants have enough nutrients and water they will thrive during this season. In autumn, there’s lots of wonderful things for green (and not so green) fingers to do, including growing delicious herbs and veggies, and planting new trees and shrubs. Here are a few ideas and tips, to get you started; and it doesn’t matter if you have a large or small space available – simply use whatever space you have to work with: including salads, stir fries and soups. New shrubs and trees in autumn shades of red and orange look beautiful in the garden and can be purchased from your local nursery. A • • 22 Cool season veggies like baby leaf spinach, silverbeet, baby beetroot, onions, broad beans, spring onions, kale, lettuce and cauliflower are ideal to plant now. Fragrant and versatile herbs including coriander, rocket, Italian parsley and chives will thrive and can be used in a variety of dishes APRIL 2016 ( OH! MAGAZINE ) • • • Plant containers and hanging baskets with flowers like winter viola, pansies, lobelia, carnations, sweet peas, Flanders red poppy, alyssum and calendula to brighten up outdoor spaces. Organise garden beds for planting spring flowering bulbs like hyacinths and daffodils and your veggie patch by enriching the soil with organic fertilisers. Soil is the engine room of the backyard and preparing it during autumn creates the best foundation for a beautiful, healthy garden. Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food is ideal for enriching your soil as it increases water and nutrient retention, encourages and feeds earthworms and micro-organisms as well as providing complete plant nutrition with organic slow release nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for better root growth, stronger plants and more flowers and fruit. • Dynamic Lifter can be mixed into a garden bed before planting, added to the bottom of a hole when establishing new trees and shrubs and combined with potting mix. It’s also perfect for creating a nutritious foundation before laying new turf. • Ongoing feeding of your new plants is important to ensure continued health and productivity of the garden. Regular applications of Dynamic Lifter every six weeks will contribute to the wellbeing of your garden by providing plants with gentle, slow release organic nutrients. For more information including lots more gardening tips visit www.yates.com.au