Garden To Do List : Autumn

Trees & shrubs

• Lightly cut back hydrangeas, helichrysum
• Make sure that late-summer flowering shrubs are getting adequate water (once a week)
• Prune back Poinsettias to keep them from getting leggy
• Trim hedges
• This is a good time to plant (it's getting cooler and the plants won't need as much looking after)

Lawns

• Fertilise lawn areas with a high nitrogen fertiliser (4:1:1 or LAN.) Water well afterwards to prevent chemical burn)
• Frequent light mowing is best
• Water well, once a week (or more if extremely hot/dry)

Roses

• Water well, regularly
• Mulch with a good compost
• Feed with 3:1:5 fertiliser
• Keep an eye out for blackspot, powdery mildew or fungus (especially SRA)

Perennials & Groundcovers

• Water well, once a week (particularly WRA)
• Trim any untidy growth
• Divide perennials such as Iris, Dianella, Bulbine
  
• Cut Felicias and Salvia leucantha back well
  

Annuals

• Keep summer-flowering annuals well watered (particularly WRA)
• Petunias can begin being planted out (they don't like a lot of water on their flowers)

(SRA) Summer Rainfall Areas
(WRA) Winter Rainfall Areas