Just because summer is over, that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your garden flourishing for many more months to come – quite the opposite, in fact! The changing season is the perfect time to get outside and give your garden some love, without the sweltering heat hanging over you.
Autumn is a season of transition, after all, making it ideal for planning, pruning, and preparing for the months ahead. Instead of just enjoying the fruits of your labour, now’s the time to enjoy the labour itself – digging in, getting your hands dirty, and nurturing what comes next.Shaping Tomorrow’s Garden
Autumn is a great time to tidy up overgrown shrubs, hedges, and trees. Pruning now helps to maintain shape, style and prevents structural issues from cropping up in spring and summer.
Here’s why it’s worth grabbing your secateurs sooner rather than later.
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Encourages new growth: Deadheading flowering plants like roses at the start of autumn helps to encourage healthy growth and fresh blooms later down the line. Prune plants back to a five-leaflet leaf, cutting at an angle for clean healing, or simply snap off faded flowers at the base of the bloom. Remember to remove any spent summer flowers from the beds to prep the soil for next season. Trust us, a little extra attention now will give you thriving florals in spring.
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Boosts fruit production: For fruit trees, pruning in autumn encourages better yields the following year. Raspberry canes should be stripped right back, and strawberry patches will need to be cut, weeded and tidied. Check out Hoselink’s sturdy range of cutting tools to make maintenance easier – from secateurs, loppers and hedge shears, to pruners and pruning saws (handy for tackling small, spiky branches and prickly bushes).
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Prevents disease: Now is an excellent time to remove any dead or dying branches from trees to help stimulate new growth. And removing diseased or decaying wood also helps to stop the spread of pesky fungal infections that love damp winter conditions.
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Destroys hiding spots for pests: Trimming back dense foliage and removing debris is a great way to unearth hidden garden nasties like aphids, slugs, and snails. Turf them out then and there instead of leaving your garden at their mercy for the winter.
The Perfect Time to Plant
Autumn is an excellent time to plant bulbs so they’re ready to bloom by spring. Whether you're dreaming of clusters of golden daffodils or elegant cup-shaped tulips, planting now gives them a chance to bed in before the winter frost hits.
Some top tips to get you started:
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Choose your spot wisely: Sowing your plants in an open, sunny position gives them a fighting chance to establish strong roots and deliver a stunning spring display when the time comes.
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Consider what to plant: Not everything will thrive at this time of year, so it’s important to pick your plants carefully for the season. Great options for autumn planting include daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, and snowdrops – all of which will establish well over winter and burst into colour as the weather warms up.
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Don’t forget about trees: Autumn isn’t just for bulbs – with plenty of sunlight, Australia’s warmer climate gives new trees a great shot at thriving throughout the season. Whether you’re filling gaps in the garden or growing your own produce, now is the time to get them in the ground. Fruit trees like peach, apricot, and citrus are excellent low-maintenance options, as they're self-fertile, which means they will bear fruit even when planted alone (good to know if you’re not looking to set up your own mini orchard!). If you want to grow a more extensive selection of fruit trees, remember that cherry, apple, and plum trees need a cross-pollinating partner, so planting two or more of the same variety is essential.
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Make potting a breeze: In autumn, damp soil can make repotting a messy task. To make the job cleaner, more enjoyable and easier on yourself, check out this shiny new addition to the Hoselink gardening range: our handy Waterproof Potting Mat. Designed for mess-free planting and quick clean-up operations, it's every gardener’s best friend when it comes to potting bulbs or transplanting seedlings.
Stay comfortable: Colder weather can lead to sore backs and stiff joints, even for the freshest-faced gardeners! So to keep things comfortable and help you enjoy your time outdoors for longer, take a look at our cushioned Folding Garden Kneeler and Seat. This versatile, ergonomic tool transforms from a supportive kneeling pad to a comfortable seat in seconds. Ideal for everything from planting bulbs to pruning borders. And most importantly, it's kind to your knees and back, too.
Looking After Your Lawn
After a hot, dry Aussie summer, your lawn may be looking a little worse for wear – parched, patchy, or tightly compacted. Fortunately, autumn offers the perfect recovery conditions: milder temperatures, more consistent rainfall, and softer soil. It’s the optimal window to give your lawn some much-needed TLC before winter sets in.
Here’s how to bring your lawn back to life:
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A good clean-up operation: Give your lawn a fresh start by clearing away fallen leaves and garden debris. This helps to prevent fungal issues and ensures your grass gets the light and air it needs. For a little extra support, try Hoselink’s Extendable Rake – easy to use and ultra-lightweight, it’s handy for reaching into corners and gathering leaves with minimum effort. And remember – waste not, want not – you can re-use any leaves you gather by adding them to your compost heap to create mulch for later!
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Weed prevention starts now: Left unchecked in autumn, weeds can take root in winter and run wild in spring. Start by aerating your lawn to relieve compaction, then apply a fertiliser specifically formulated for the colder months. This will strengthen your grass and make it harder for weeds to take hold.
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Lasting love: Give your lawn one last mow before winter arrives (usually around May). Just make sure you don’t cut it too short, or it could struggle in the cold. Finish off by applying a slow-release autumn fertiliser to boost root strength and encourage resilience over time. And come spring, we guarantee your lawn will be thick, green, and thriving.
Care for your hose
- Here at Hoselink, we recommend releasing water pressure from your garden hose and watering accessories and storing them in a dry, sheltered spot, such as a garden shed or garage, over winter if you live in an area prone to frost. This helps prevent frozen water damage and ensures a healthy, happy hose when you come to use it again in spring.
Tidy up garden beds
- It’s time to step back and plan for a new planting year. Any spent summer flowers should be removed from beds, and the soil should be prepared for the next season.
- Plants that have outgrown pots should be transplanted into new, larger pots with some fresh potting mix.
- Raspberry canes must be cut back, and strawberry patches must be weeded and tidied.
- If you have citrus trees, spread some mulch around the base to protect its shallow roots, ensuring the mulch does not touch the trunk.
Feed the Garden
On the whole, autumn is the best time to put on a feast for your garden. With the soil still warm and the weather more forgiving, plants can absorb nutrients quickly and efficiently – making it the prime time to nourish everything from your lawn to your citrus trees.
A few tips, tricks and tools give your garden the nourishment it deserves.
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Water away: Watering with fertiliser is one of the best ways to boost plant health and prepare your garden for the months ahead. We recommend using Hoselink’s Fertiliser Spray Mixer and Australian-made Fertiliser Range to keep your garden fed and thriving throughout autumn.
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Cover all bases: We’ve got more tasty solutions for every inch of your garden. Use our 3-Day Green Lawn Fertiliser to keep your lawn looking fresh, our Super-Grow Garden Fertiliser Concentrate for an all-round treatment, or our Organic Plant-Health Seaweed Tonic Concentrate as emergency medicine when your plants need some extra love.
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A fresh feed for pots: If your potted plants have outgrown their homes during the summer, move them into larger pots and use a fresh, high-quality potting mix to give roots room to grow and support healthy growth before winter.
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Trees eat too: Citrus trees in particular always appreciate a little extra food as temperatures drop. Add a layer of mulch around the base to protect shallow roots from temperature fluctuations – just be sure to keep the mulch a few centimetres away from the trunk to prevent rot.
Maintain your tools
- When you’ve finished your autumn pruning, it’s a good idea to service your garden tools. Sharpen and oil secateurs and lopper blades, wash garden gloves and clean your sprinklers and spray guns ready for spring.
Create a Compost Heap
Most people see fallen autumn leaves as a nuisance, but any good gardener knows that they actually provide a convenient base for a healthy compost heap. Done properly, this will offer an excellent (and free) source of nutrients for your garden beds or veggie patches later in the year.
Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Set aside a dedicated space or container in your garden or use a ready-made compost bin. If you’re after a budget-friendly solution, try repurposing old wooden pallets to create a makeshift compost enclosure with natural airflow.
Step 2: A well-balanced compost heap needs both "greens" (nitrogen-rich) and "browns" (carbon-rich) materials. Blend a mixture of fruit and vegetable scraps, grass cuttings and weeds with dried leaves, shredded newspaper, small branches and straw.
Step 3: Use a garden fork to turn your compost regularly – this keeps the pile aerated and speeds up decomposition. Avoid adding the likes of meat, dairy, diseased plants, animal manure, or large branches, as they can attract pests and slow the process.
Step 4: With regular turning and the right mix, your compost will slowly start to break down over a few weeks to months. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks dark, crumbly, and smells earthy. From then on, use it to enrich garden beds, potting mix, or around plants as a natural mulch.
Maintain Your Tools
It’s not just plants that need taking care of during autumn, your tools do too…
If you live in an area prone to frost, we recommend releasing water pressure from your garden hose and watering accessories and storing them in a dry, sheltered spot (such as a garden shed or garage) during winter. This helps to prevent frozen water damage and ensures a healthy, happy hose when you come to use it again in spring.
When you’ve finished your autumn pruning, it’s also a good idea to service your garden tools. Sharpen and carefully oil secateurs and lopper blades, give garden gloves a good wash and clean your sprinklers and spray guns ready for spring – we promise your future self will thank you.
Look Ahead
Lastly, as the gardening season winds down and you’ve finished all your autumn jobs, why not plan ahead and focus on new projects for winter? Whether it’s laying a new garden path, installing a rainwater tank, building a raised bed, or mapping out your very first veggie patch, there’s no shortage of ways to stay inspired and keep your green fingers busy through the cooler months. That way, when the warmer days return, you’ll be ready for them.
