With plenty of plants that come into flowering as the weather cools, strategic planting can give the garden a riot of colour for many months yet, says gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.

Flowering now is a terrific plant that’s a little hard to find, but once in the ground the rhizome, which grows well in our climate, can spread to a lovely thicket.

Then there’s the Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), which can grow to at least a metre tall and gives a large, autumn garden lovely spikes of golden yellow flowers that bloom through late summer to autumn. The spent flowers can be left on the plant for birds and wildlife in the winter garden as well. 

Prune in late winter to early spring and fertilise for the season ahead. In  some areas of Australia it’s considered an invasive plant, but not an issue in our climate.

However, keep it contained in a garden bed or a pot to stop it getting away from you.

THINGS are moving fast in the vegetable garden with the end of summer crops to be dug out and the last chance to get winter crops in. 

From here, the soil begins to go cold and if seedlings are planted, they will sulk and not grow until the weather warms.

If planting seedlings, they may need some night protection with a glass dome cloche to keep the soil warm. 

PUMPKINS will be nearly ready for picking. Place a piece of cardboard under them to stop them drawing moisture from the ground while trying to ripen. 

Generally, pumpkins are ready to pick when their leaves wither. This usually happens with the first frost. The stem will also wither and detach from the vine. 

Storage requirements depend on the variety of pumpkin. I like to grow Queensland Blues mainly because they’re hard to buy and, some years with 15 pumpkins and 70 kilos worth, thankfully they can be long lasting when stored in a dry, dark space ready for winter pumpkin soup. 

If there’s a pumpkin variety you like, keep the seed and grow your own in spring. It’s very easy and worth a try. Wash and clean the large seeds and dry on a paper towel in a well-lit room. 

Once dry, they can be stored until spring. In October, when the soils are warm, cut pieces of the paper towel with the seed and plant straight into the ground. 

Always remember, all pumpkins need more room than you think. They like to sprawl over a large area and will scramble over other plants if they can. Give them lots of compost and space to grow. 

IF there’s a corner in the garden that gets all-day winter shade where it’s difficult to grow anything, a pondless water feature could work well.

A pondless water feature has trickling water and is safe around pets and children. It has less maintenance than a pond or traditional water features.

They are terrific for all wildlife and having moving water is more resistant to freezing. There are lots of plants that can be used for boggy areas within the area.

There are pondless kits that are available to put together or use a pond specialist to help with installing. 

They can be any size that fits and, most importantly, they say the sound of running water is always good for reducing stress. 

Jottings

• Plant broad beans directly in the soil. 

• Plant sweet peas in the garden with a trellis. 

• Spray stone fruit with fungicides. 

• Prune out berry canes that have fruited. 

jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au