With cooler autumn temperatures upon us, many will be turning their attention to back yards and balconies and the flora and fauna that grows there. Our knowledgeable folk at Council’s Community Nursery have got your green fingers covered with our top five tips for autumn gardening:

1. Choose plants suitable for your climate and environment

Sydney’s eastern suburbs are known for their temperate climate, compared to our neighbours in the west and in the Blue Mountains. You can also be assured that planting at this time of year means plants will have a water-intensive diet, thanks to high rainfall during the early autumn months.

At the Randwick Community Nursery in Kingsford, the only plants sold are those that are suitable for life in the eastern suburbs, meaning residents know that whatever they’re going to pot or plant will thrive in its new home.

2. Look after your flock

Good maintenance and a solid watering routine will ensure your autumn greenery thrives. Cut back on watering as the weather cools, but remember that autumn and winter winds can be very drying. A good rule of thumb is to water twice a week, but check soil moisture to make sure plants don’t dry out.

Autumn is also a great time to do some pruning – tidy up by removing spent flowers, dead stems and give any shrubs that have already flowered a light trim.

If you want to move any plants, the cooler months of autumn is the perfect time to do so. Add some seaweed solution to your transplanted plants when watering them and they’ll settle in nicely.  

3. Plant in season

Many of our favourite herbs such as basil and parsley go to seed at this time of year, but tough Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and thyme will soldier on. Coriander, which often quickly goes to seed in summer, is also a great herb for the cooler months.

For those who prefer their veggies home-grown, bok choy, rainbow chard, spinach and silver beet are all perfect for planting in Autumn. Winter staples Brussels sprouts and broccoli also benefit from being planted now in time for a winter pick.

4. Fertilise!

Plants put energy into their root zone during autumn which makes for stronger plants and lots of healthy new growth come spring time. Give your plants a health shot with some complete fertiliser to ensure they’re feeling full of vitality heading into winter. 

5. Visit the Randwick Community Nursery

The Randwick Community Nursery in Kingsford specialises in native and local-friendly plants, many of which have been used by Aboriginal Australians as food and medicine for thousands of years.  Staffed by a small but friendly team, the Nursery is one of Sydney’s leading venues for propagating and selling local provenance plants.

Pop in on a weekday and speak to the team about your backyard or balcony plans or your dreams of horticulture heaven, and be advised which plants prefer which conditions.

Orders can also be placed over the phone with delivery available in the Randwick City area – find our full stock list of plants here.