Top tips for autumn gardening in Perth

By Sara Fitzpatrick

Autumn is a wonderful time to be in the garden – the days are getting shorter and the nights are much cooler.

Naomi Glasson of Gardening Gals says it is the ideal time to plant almost anything so flora can be established before the really cold weather sets in.

She shares her top tips for autumn gardening.

Vegetables to plant in autumn

Beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, leek, lettuce, radish, spinach, spring onion, turnip, peas and onions

Flowers to plant in autumn

Alyssum, lobelia, stock, pansy, snapdragon, cornflower, sweet pea and viola

Garden tasks to attend to in autumn

• Prune geranium and pelargonium by two-thirds to encourage new bushy growth before winter
• Remove weeds before they go to seed. The best time is after rain
• Prune petunias to keep them flowering well into autumn
• Divide agapanthus plants from autumn through to early spring
• Prune off citrus branches hanging lower than one metre above the ground to reduce the spread of brown rot
• Scorched leaves can be a sign that soil is water-repellent. If dry apply a wetting agent and water well
• Divide clumping grass-like plants such as dianella, lomandra and kangaroo grass. Keep several shoots per clump and remove dead material
• Harvest radish regularly to stop them becoming too hot and spicy, woody or pithy
• Remove and discard any diseased or rotten fruit that may be hanging in trees
• Rake up and remove leaves regularly as a build up of leaves shades the lawn and eventually kills it if left there
• Start planting bulbs