Winter Gardening Jobs

Winter in Ipswich brings a mix of cold nights and warm days. As a gardener, you might find yourself stripping off layers one minute and bundling up the next. Here's how you can make the most of this season in your garden:

Fertilise Gardens and Pots

At the turn of every season I also like to soil wet and fertilise my gardens and pots. I use Plant of Health’s granular Soil Soaker and Organic Link Fertiliser. Soil Soaker enables hydrophobic soils to become water penetrable and retain water. It also houses beneficial microbes, nutrients, silica and diatomaceous earth these make soil healthy which in turn improves root and shoot development and also reduces plant stress.

I will use Soil Soaker first then in a week or so give them all a good fertilise with Organic Link.

I also use Silica and Potash monthly to help plants naturally withstand cold damage. For young plants susceptible to frost, apply Envy frost protectant monthly.

While insects aren’t usually bad at this time of year if you do notice an attack a spray with neem oil is usually all you need.

Feed my winter flowering plants

Sometimes we just can’t get around to fertilising all our plants. At this time of year if I can’t fertilise everything I like to pay particular attention to my camellia sasanquas and japonicas, rondeletias, zygo cacti, azaleas and my poinsettias to keep them looking good and help promote flowers. I will also start to liquid fertilise these plants with Silica and Potash fortnightly to promote flowering.

Mulching

Mulching isn't just for summer; it's equally important in winter. It helps keep the ground temperature even, reducing cold stress on your plants.

Pruning

Late winter is a great time to prune most plants to ensure healthy spring growth.

Lawn Care

At the turn of every season I like to soil wet and fertilise my lawn. Even though I know winter isn’t a time for large growth, I find the heathy it is all year the better it looks and less attention I need to ultimately pay to it. I use Plant of Health’s granular Soil Soaker and Lawn and Turf Fertiliser.

I find lawn weeds don’t grow anywhere near as quickly in winter as they do in spring. I believe if I can get on top of them now I won’t be doing the bindii dance in summer! Normally at this time of year I can easily dig up any stray weeds and I always mow with the catcher on. If by chance I do need to spray I try to do it about three days after rain when the weeds are young but not in flower yet. I use Searles ‘Lawn Perfect’ as it kills most of the weeds coming up in my lawn. I don't worry too much about winter weed as I find out it dies out quickly as soon as the weather warms up.

Fruit Tree Care

Citrus trees can prone to Leaf Curl and Leaf Miner. Both these problems are mainly caused by insects. Normally when my plants are under attack I trim off affected growth and fertilise with Organic Link. At this time of year my citrus are usually in fruit or flower and I don’t want to stress the plants out and cause a flower or bud drop. So I will start a weekly spray for at least four weeks with Plant Care and Neem Oil, mixed together to give them an immediate boost.

After fruiting I will trim and fertilise.

While fruit fly isn’t meant to be active in winter I always change my fruit fly wick every three months or on the turn of the season, so beginning of Winter. Any fruit that is forming with get a spray with Eco-naturalure, an organic fruit fly spray to protect them from the odd pregnant female flying about! For more information on Fruit Fly click here.

What to plant

With the cool nights and warm days, it has become a vegetable gardeners paradise. There are so many vegetables that grow at this time of year beetroot, broccoli, snow peas, Asian greens, strawberries, onions, kale, leeks, cauliflower, spinach, rocket, coriander, cabbage, peas (though I don’t know why… Yuk!), just to name a few. Tomatoes and zucchini can also be planted now to get good growth before summer hits with fruit fly.

Winter is also a great time to start a herb garden. Herbs like basil thrive in the cooler months. Instead of paying high prices for fresh herbs, you can grow your own. Trevallan offers a variety of everyday herbs like chives, oregano, lemongrass and unique herbs like bergamot, chamomile, and chia. Now is also a good time to try seed potatoes, garlic and shallots.

 Regularly fertilise with Triple Boost and Neem to enjoy a bountiful harvest of winter vegetables.

Jobs done … I can kick back relax read my Winter About the Garden Magazine and enjoy the sunshine!

Extreme Weather Plant Protectants

Hopefully my silica and potash spray works better than using my good coats

Once the cold mornings start, I feel like I should be going out and putting a big winter coat on some of my plants. In summer I want to go put a big Sombrero on all my plants.

The reality is, plants don’t just struggle in cold conditions, they also suffer through heat, dry winds, intense sun and sudden temperature swings. In Ipswich, it’s often not just cold or just hot, but the constant stress of moving between extremes.

We don’t have a big coat and hat for our garden so there are two products that work like a protective layer in both hot and cold conditions, Silica and Potash and Envy.

How does Silica and Potassium help with Extreme Weather Protection?

Silica and Potash by Plant of Health is product we use at Trevallan

Silica (Si)

Role in Protection:

• Cell structure strengthening: Silica deposits in plant tissues strengthen cell walls, helping prevent cell rupture caused by ice crystal formation in cold conditions and cell collapse or scorching during extreme heat.

• Stress tolerance: Silica improves overall stress tolerance by helping plants regulate internal processes more efficiently, increasing resistance to cold stress, heat stress, drought and rapid temperature fluctuations.

• Water retention: Silica helps plant cells retain water, buffering against dehydration caused by freezing temperatures as well as moisture loss during heat, dry winds and high evapotranspiration.

Potash (Potassium, K)

Role in Protection:

• Osmoregulation: Potassium regulates water movement within plant cells, helping maintain cell turgor pressure. This reduces the risk of cell damage during freezing conditions and helps plants stay hydrated and functional during heat stress and dry conditions.

• Enzyme activation: Potassium activates enzymes involved in metabolism and stress response pathways, allowing plants to better manage cold stress, heat stress and environmental extremes.

• Carbohydrate movement: Potassium aids in the transport of carbohydrates throughout the plant. In cold conditions, these carbohydrates can act as natural antifreeze agents, while in hot conditions they support energy availability, recovery and stress resilience.

Combined Benefits of Liquid Silica and Potassium for Extreme Weather Protection

• Silica is often more effective when applied as a foliar spray. This is because silica is less mobile in the soil and can be better absorbed directly through the leaves, allowing quicker and more targeted uptake by the plant.

• The same applies to potassium, foliar feeding provides a rapid way to deliver potassium to plants, particularly during critical growth stages or periods of environmental stress.

Together, silica and potash support plants through both cold and hot weather extremes by improving the physical and biochemical stability of plant cells. Stronger cell walls, improved water regulation and more efficient internal processes help plants cope with frost, heat stress, drying winds and sudden temperature fluctuations, while also improving overall plant health and resilience.

At Trevallan, we use Plant of Health’s Potash and Silica (certified organic and safe to use across your whole garden). I liquid feed the garden centre about once a month with this product. I add the liquid fertiliser to Birchy, and the entire garden centre is fertilised in around 20 minutes.

What is Envy?

Envy is a frost protectorent and anti transpirant.

Envy is a frost protectant and anti-transpirant that supports plants through both cold and hot weather extremes.

Envy is designed to prevent frost damage by providing a physical and/or chemical barrier that reduces ice nucleation, the process by which ice crystals begin to form from supercooled water, a key factor in frost damage on plant surfaces.

Once sprayed over a plant’s foliage, Envy can increase frost tolerance by up to 4°C.

The same protective film also helps plants during hot, dry and windy conditions. Envy can substantially reduce moisture loss by up to 50%, helping to protect foliage from sunburn, windburn and dehydration during periods of heat stress.

Envy does not hinder plant growth or photosynthesis. It forms a semi-permeable membrane over the leaf surface that still allows the plant to breathe. It is non-toxic, pH neutral, and will biodegrade in sunlight.

Envy is best applied as a foliar spray and should be reapplied as new growth emerges to maintain protection during changing conditions.

Both products ‘Silica and Potash’ and ‘Envy’ can be applied as a foliage spray - mix the product with water and spray over the plant’s foliage.

Both need to be applied regularly for best results.

Azaleas

Azaleas are the blaze of colour that brings warmth to the cooler months garden. These divine mass flowering plants will do well for many years but they do need a little TLC to look their best.

These beautiful plants have dark lush green foliage and come in a wide variety of colours from white, through to pinks, purples, reds and oranges. There are two basic flower types – single and double. The double is my favourite and luckily many double flowering azaleas spot flower throughout the year so I can enjoy this lovely plant all the time!

Most Azaleas will thrive in semi-shade but some will also look fantastic in full sun or full shade. I prefer the smaller more compact varieties that usually grow to around 50cm to 1m high but some can get over 2m high.

Azaleas love acid soil; the pH range should be between 5.5 and 6.0.  Many Ipswich residents find that their garden’s soil pH is too low and prefer to grow azaleas in pots and that's perfectly ok as these plants do well in pots and gardens.

Azaleas have a shallow tight root system. If a good layer of mulch is applied, to your pots or the garden bed, and a soil wetter is used at least every 12 months azaleas should thrive. The mulch, must be organic mulch, like sugar cane or rainforest fines. This helps to keep moisture in the soil, and also helps keep the roots warm in winter and cool in summer. The soil wetter helps water penetrate the soil and root ball as after a period of time your soil can become hydrophobic (resists water).

Nice Surprise Azalea

To keep my azaleas looking their best I use the Plant of Heath Range. I use Organic Link every three months and I will also try to give them a liquid fertiliser fortnightly. I alternate between Triple Boost and Neem Oil (together) and Silica and Potash.  When my azaleas have finished flowering I prune them back by about one third.

Azaleas do have some pest and disease problems but I find the healthier the plant the less trouble I have.

Petal blight is a fungal disease that turns the beautiful flowers suddenly brown. You can use an organic fungicide called eco-fungicide but I find the easiest solution is to pick off the affected flowers and throw them away and then I give them some liquid fertiliser.

A common problem with azaleas is one where the leaves loose their colour and lustre; it kind of looks like the leaf has been sand blasted. If this occurs, turn the leaves over and you may see black spots. This is a sign of Lace bug. Severe infestations can lead to reduced plant vigour and loss of leaves. To prevent this from happening I mix Neem oil into my Triple Boost Liquid fertiliser (that I foliar spray once a fortnight). I find prevention is better than fighting the problem after it occurs.

Red Wings Azalea

If the problem does occur I spray with Eco-Fend. You may need to spray a few times to control your infestation and unfortunately once the leaves have that sand blasted look they will stay that way.  A good trim and fertilise will help promote nice new healthy growth to cover the unsightly affected growth. 

I love how azaleas can enliven a garden‘s dull spots and bring a smile to the face of a friend when given as a present. These plants truly will give your life the TLC it deserves.

Kalanchoe

With the onset of winter, we all need a kick start to get out in the garden. Nothing kick starts you like the vibrant shades of the Kalanchoe and these hardy plants are perfect for giving your garden some TLC during winter.

Kalanchoes are one of the prettiest bushy succulents. They belong to the stonecrop (Crassulaceae) family, which is the same family as the Jade plant or money tree.  Kalanchoes are the ultimate winter plant whether it is for your garden or pots.

These glorious plants flower from June through to September, sometimes even longer. Kalanchoe flowers are best described as masses of small bouquets of starry, four petalled flowers that develop at the end of a stalk. The vivid colour of the flowers - hot pink, bright yellow, brilliant orange and intense red make a dramatic statement during the bleak cold of winter. In the past, the flowers have only been available in single form, but in recent years, a double flowering Kalanchoe has been released and is available in all the vibrant colours, hot pink being my favourite.

Kalanchoes have a compact habit and their leaves are oval with scalloped edges. They usually have lush green foliage, but some varieties have grey leaves, which can actually add a lovely contrast to a dull spot in your garden, or brighten a boring pot.

Kalanchoes are a succulent that can grow anywhere and are extremely hardy. They don’t mind whether they are grown in full sun or shade, so are perfect for shady balconies or the western side of the house. They don’t mind if they are left inside while they are flowering or if they spend their life outside.  They look magnificent mass planted in the garden, or as a specimen plant in a pot.  They even look fantastic in a hanging basket.

Brown or green fingered, Kalanchoes are sure to survive at your house. These beauties don’t need much water and would much prefer to be dry than wet.  A good watering once or twice a week is all that is needed to keep these plants looking beautiful.  They don’t like to sit in water, so make sure that if planted in a pot, their saucer isn’t constantly full or if in the ground, it is a well-drained area.  Try planting in a clay pot with Searles Platinum potting mix as sometimes roots in plastic pots tend to sweat during the warmer months, which can lead to an untimely death.

Kalanchoes will thrive if Organic Link is used every three months and Triple Boost is applied every two weeks. If by chance insects attack your kalanchoe, trim off the affected foliage and spray with Eco-Oil (organic pesticide) or Neem Oil. Don’t fret though, these plants are tough and should survive even if they are only attended to rarely.

Flowering kalanchoes brighten any cold bleary winter’s day, so give your life and garden some TLC this weekend by getting outside with your morning coffee and enjoying the colours of summer whilst wearing your Ugg boots!