An alphabetical guide for the winter garden
A – Asparagus crowns (clumps of roots) can be planted into well-manured trenches.
B – Bindii appears in the lawn at this time of year. Remove it with Yates BuffaloPro or Bindii & Clover Killer.
C – Citrus scale – white flecks on the trunk and branches – can be treated in winter with low toxic Yates Lime Sulfur.
D – Deciduous fruit trees can be given a clean-up spray with Leaf Curl Fungicide, Fungus Fighter or Lime Sulfur after leaves fall and again before new growth appears.
E – Empty vegetable beds should be dug over, enriched with blood and bone or Dynamic Lifter and left to rest until spring.
F – Frost protection can save vulnerable plants. Move them under cover, build protective shelters or spray with Yates DroughtShield.
G – Garlic cloves planted in early winter will be ready for harvest in late summer.
H – Hellebores are called winter roses because of their beautiful, cool season display.
I – Indoor plants need less watering in winter.
J – June and July are the best months to plant or transplant deciduous (lose-their-leaves-in-winter) trees and shrubs.
K – Keep cyclamens cool at night by moving them out of heated rooms.
L – Help lawns recover from the stress of winter by feeding in August with Yates Lawn Master Slow Release Lawn Food.
M – Moss loves winter. Use a fork to spike and aerate a mossy lawn, apply Yates Iron Sulfate and trim overhanging branches to allow more light in.
N – Natrasoap (Yates Insect & Mite Killer) gets rid of small sap sucking pests on all sorts of plants, even vegies and fruit trees, without leaving chemical residues.
O – Orange trumpet creeper, Pyrostegia venusta, produces a wonderful warm show in the winter garden. It can handle light frosts.
P – Pansies, poppies and primulas all provide long-lasting colour in the cooler months.
Q – The tough and drought hardy flowering quince (Chaenomeles sp) produces red, pink or white flowers in late winter and early spring.
R – Roses are at their peak of activity in winter when it’s time for planting and pruning. Don’t forget the Line Sulfur after pruning – it cleans up pests and diseases.
S – Sow tomatoes (such as Yates Improved Apollo) into indoor pots in late winter. That will give you an early start for planting out in spring
T – Take hardwood cuttings in mid winter. It’s the easiest way to propagate deciduous plants.
U – Underground is always more important for plants than what’s happening above. Drainage, nutrient levels and soil quality are all important to plant health.
V – African violets can be damaged by cyclamen mites. Spray regularly with Nature’s Way Natrasoap to protect the leaves.
W – Winter grass invading kikuyu and buffalo lawns can be controlled with the help of Yates Winter Grass Killer.
X – X-Ray eyes are often needed to detect borers at work, but winter is the best time to check for their activity in trunks and branches.
Y – Yates Garden Planner gives a year-round guide to seasonal gardening activities.
Z – The ‘Zee Zee’ plant, also known as Zanzibar Gem (Zamioculcas zamiifolia), is an almost un-killable indoor plant.
