Garden health checklist
2026-04-21T13:51:36+10:00
Autumn is the perfect season for tidying up, feeding, planting and preparing for winter. Our horticultural editor AB BISHOP takes you through the essentials.
Pruning and tidying
Removing spent blooms and decaying tissue helps reduce fungal problems as plants slow down (in cooler areas) ahead of winter.
- Deadhead hibiscus, crepe myrtle and other summer-flowering shrubs. Leave the decorative flower heads on hydrangeas until late winter.
- Cut back spent herbaceous perennials such as small-leafed salvia, coneflower and verbena.
- Lightly prune lavender, trimming stems by about one-quarter and avoiding woody growth.
- Place stakes around young or tender plants so that frost cloth or temporary protection can be added quickly if needed.
- Remove broken and dead branches on shrubs.
AB has loads more advice; read her expert tips on lawns and edges, planting, soil, top picks for autumn planting and more in our May issue – get yours and get gardening!
Image: iStock
