Selling Houses Australia’s Dennis Scott’s ultimate winter gardening guide

Yes winter has started, but you still have time to get these must-do tasks done to prepare the garden for the colder months and reap the benefits in summer.

With winter here, it doesn’t have to mean that you lock yourself and your garden away until the warmer months appear again.

Winter in my eyes is one of the most important seasons for us and our gardens. Winter gives us a time to prepare for the beauty of spring, in fact if you don’t do anything in winter you are actually robbing yourself of the opportunity to set the spring season alight.

Here are a few tips and tricks on winter garden maintenance, ensuring your garden and surrounds are set for the growing season, spring.

First, it isn’t too late. Yes, winter has started but you still have a small window of time to get these two must-do tasks done to prepare the garden for the colder months.

Dennis Scott with wife Mia, daughters Poppy, 13, Matilda, 16, and dog Frankie. Picture by Luke Marsden.

Tidy up – remove all weeds and dead foliage. This is like cleaning your room. It will have your garden in good shape for its hibernation or dormant period.

Feed up – this is the most important piece to the puzzle. Give your gardens and lawns some food. Add some compost or organic fertiliser be it in pellet or liquid form. Do the same for your lawns. This will give your gardens and lawns nutrients to cling onto during the cold and they will actually store it and use the excess to bounce out the gates when winter finishes.

Apologies to novice gardeners hoping winter means the chance to hibernate and sit by the fireplace with a nice glass of red.

Winter is a very busy and important time for home gardeners providing the perfect opportunity to set yourself up for a sensational spring.

Get outdoors and embrace the sunshine even with a slight chill in the air. Stop looking at beautiful places and start making your own.

Winter is no time to slack off when it comes to the garden.

My top four winter jobs in the garden (In order of preference, my opinion)

1. WEEDING

With the current wet weather there will be weeds.

But on the flip side, weeds are far easier to remove when the ground is wet and soft. I attack my weeds old school style and hand pull them. I find this is the best way to ensure you are getting them roots and all. I actually find the process very therapeutic. There are other options such as spraying with chemicals such as Glysophate 360 or you may want to choose a more organic approach like vinegar or boiling water. Aside from the manual method all of these alternatives are non-selective and will kill other plants if applied accidentally. If you have a large area, use a garden rake or fork to loosen the soil first. This will save you some time and effort.

2. MULCHING

Mulching is always a good idea, any season. Mulch goes hand-in-hand with weeding because if you follow weeding with mulch, it is the best way to help prevent future weed growth. Mulch sounds boring but this is almost the most important part of the gardening process. Mulch is the unsung hero of the garden. I think I love mulch.

Key benefits of mulch:

Helps prevent weeds. A good layer of mulch prevents the sun from reaching the soil preventing any weed seeds from germinating;

Mulch away.

Retains moisture in the soil, reducing water usage and the risk of over watering;

Provides a protective layer for your plant’s roots. It prevents damage from foot traffic and keeps an insulating barrier maintaining a more constant temperature for the plant. This helps it regulate and concentrate on its winter sleep;

Breaks down improving soil structure and provides nutrients and nitrogen into the soil allowing the plants to absorb them giving them a nice winter feed;

Looks good. Mulch comes in many varieties and colours.

3. EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

My garden tools are my livelihood. These guys are the hardest workers and they never talk back. We need to reward them with some TLC. This will see them rewarding you for many years to come, not to mention good garden tools can be expensive so maintaining them will pay dividends. Here are a few tips to keep them ship shape.

Garden tool Maintenance:

First up, remove all the dirt from your tools. A scrubbing brush, bucket of water and some detergent will do the trick on caked on dirt. A damp cloth though should be all you need for your secateur blades and loppers. If you have rusted tools, use wire wool or a stiff steel brush. You may need to use a rust cleaning chemical to assist. Once clean and dry immediately lubricate them with something like WD40.

Our garden tools need to have sharp edges or cutting blades. Sharp blades or cutting edges will require less effort, saving energy. Some people choose to have their secateurs and loppers professionally sharpened but with a sharpening stone and a small amount of oil to lubricate the surface this can be a DIY project.

Looking after your tools can save you money in the long run.

For shovels, I recommend clamping them in a vice and using your grinder to put a sharp edge on the bottom. Make sure you have all the appropriate PPE on before proceeding. With all surfaces once clean and sharp, wipe them over with a small amount of lubricant to protect.

Don’t forget the handles. The cutting blades and edges may be doing the hard work but the handles of our tools are the unsung hero. These guys need some love too. Rub them over with a coarse sandpaper to ensure any splinters have been removed. Then coat them with some linseed oil to prevent cracks and splintering. If handles feel weak or broken, replace them as they can be bought separately to the tool.

Be proactive with your garden tools and not reactive. By this I mean after each use, wipe them clean and lubricate. This will prevent costly repairs being required at inconvenient times, when they are needed. You can sterilise cutting blades using a mix of one-part bleach to 10 of water. Sharpen blades regularly, keep moving parts lubricated and your handles dry and oiled and store them out of the weather. Do this at a minimum and your tools will serve you well.

Ensure your mower’s underside is clean and clear of any debris and weed seeds, blades are sharp and in good condition. Winter is an excellent time for you to get the mower serviced and possibly blades changed by a professional.

Power tools need not be neglected. Check them for any damage, remove batteries if not using them for a long period of time and wipe dry. Store power tools in a dry place away from moisture.

Wouldn’t you love a lawn like this? Picture by Luke Marsden.

4. PLANTING

Winter is actually a busy time for the garden. It provides us with the perfect opportunity to see what has worked and maybe not worked. If you have bare areas during winter you can start to understand what may need to be removed and replaced with another variety. No matter where you live you don’t need to wait for spring to have a beautiful garden full of colour. Below is a guide to winter planting state by state.

Winter Planting Guide

QLD – (Wet and dry tropical regions, including parts of northern NSW)

Ageratum – Mostly in shades of blue, these pompom like flowering plants are a very pretty plant for anyone’s garden.

Carnation – Beautiful tufting flower that is the star in any bouquet. Their fragrant blossoms make a welcome addition to any garden

Geraniums – Long-time favourite of many gardeners. Easy to grow and have a lovely scent. Variety of colours

Impatiens – Plant them in the garden or pots. Incredible range of colours especially during winter.

Bird of paradise. Picture: Ron Bloxham

Northern Qld – (Subtropical climate, hot, humid)

Bird of Paradise – A statement in any garden. Likes full sun and tropical conditions. Beautiful orange flower that looks like a bird of paradise, hence the name.

Coleus – Very easy plant to grow. Endless colours and patterns, they like a dappled position. These guys root so easily you can grow from a small cutting. Fast growers.

Everlasting Daisy – Hardy, drought tolerant Australian natives. Flower displays start from winter to early spring.

Canna – Brilliant flower display that can be used to screen out almost anything. They come in a variety of heights and colours. They are a tuberous plant and can get out of control if not looked after.

NSW (Sydney, cooler than a tropical climate)

Grevillea – Prefer a full sun position. Great range of sizes, from ground covers to tall screening trees. Spider-like, bird-attracting flowers.

Pansies – Bright, happy-feeling flowers that are low growers. Variety of colours and best planted on mass.

Camellia – Winter flower winner. Beautiful dark glossy evergreen foliage with exquisite blooms that last for weeks. Variety of colours available.

Salvia – Included in the mint family. They show as a densely packed flower on top of light green stems and compact velvety leaves.

With large and boldly beautiful pink petals, the japonica camellia 'Marie Bracey' is sure to make an impression in any garden. Picture: Fawcett Media Weekly Time Gardening

VIC/TAS (Cold or cooler climates)

Begonia – Easy to grow annual does well in a variety of conditions including the cold. They need little help to thrive making them a favourite.

Violets – Purple and white blooms, all year round. Can be used as a lawn substitute. Be warned these lovely lookers can be invasive to other spaces.

Geraniums – Plant in a well-lit spot. Love 5-6 hours of sun a day, sheltered from the afternoon sun. Water regularly and remove the spent blooms to keep healthy.

Grevillea – Not all species will like the cold so choose carefully. Stunning addition to any garden but again choose wisely.

Don’t forget to mulch.

WA (Dry tropical or Arid areas)

Kangaroo Paw – One of my favourites and part of the floral emblem representing WA. Dozens of varieties and colours. Beautiful fur-like flower in the shape of a kangaroo’s paw at the end of a long flower spike. Stunning on mass.

Marigold – Perfect plant to brighten up a garden. Rich bursts of orange/gold flowers. Easy to grow and will bloom all year round.

Sunflower – What’s not to love? Beautiful, happy, bright yellow flower. These guys don’t like the frost so plant in a protected zone.

Chrysanthemum – Native to east and northeast Asia. Grows well in containers, indoors and as a flower bed border. Low maintenance option.

Dennis Scott is the gardening guru with Foxtel’s Selling Houses Australia and writes a regular column for At Home magazine.

Originally published as Selling Houses Australia’s Dennis Scott’s ultimate winter gardening guide