Best Plants to Grow in Autumn
Spring tends to be the favourite month for planting, but autumn can actually be a great time to plant. As spring planting can be relatively short and the summer often intense, autumn offers steady and pleasant weather ideal for planting.
However, not everything will survive once the temperatures drop and the frost takes hold. You’ll need to choose plants which can survive the winter months to then thrive in the spring and summer.
What are the best plants to grow in autumn?
At Jim’s Mowing, we’re experts at gardening and all things lawn related. We know what plants thrive in the cooler months and what you should be planting before winter. Here are our top plant picks for autumn.
Vegetable plants and herbs
These are the delicious plants and herbs you enjoy eating! Herbs have the added benefit of being able to be grown indoors so you can enjoy a wide variety year-round.
Broccoli
All of the members of the cabbage (including cauliflower, cabbage, family tend to thrive in the cooler months, and broccoli is no exception! Best suited for a sunny spot, plant your broccoli seedlings in deep and well-drained soil. Keep the soil enriched with the right nutrients by regularly fertilising.
Kale
Kale is ideal to plant in the cooler months, especially as it will be less prone to the Cabbage White Butterfly found in the South of Australia. It has been dubbed as a superfood due to its high content of iron and vitamins. Although it prefers full sun, kale can tolerate partial shade well.
Shallots and Garlic
A delicious way to add flavour to any meal, shallots and garlic are also easy to plant. These plants will thrive in any well drained soil in a sunny position.
Coriander, Chives & Parsley
When it comes to planting, herbs are incredibly versatile! You can plant your herbs into small pots, in containers, or in garden beds alongside your other plants. Ensure your herbs are in a sunny spot. It’s best to water your herbs two to three times a week.
Flowers
If you live in an area that is not affected by frost, consider sowing flower seeds during autumn. Around spring or summer, all your hard work and efforts will be rewarded once the plants flourish.
Daisy
Fast growing, daisies are a great way to fill up any empty spots in your garden whilst also adding beauty and colour. Daisies are relatively flexible and can grow in a range of soils aside from very wet soil.
Pansy
Pansies come in a wide variety of different colours and patterns, making them a stunning addition to any garden. Pansies can also tolerate a low level of frost which is great when planting in cooler regions.
Lavender
Lavender looks and smells wonderful! Popular with pollinators, lavender can also help attract plenty of bees and other good insects to your garden. Plant lavender in a pot, as part of a hedge, or in a garden bed, ensuring it has adequate sun.
Other plants
Bottlebrush
The majority of Australian plants can handle the autumn and cooler months well! Bottlebrush is amongst one of the beautiful Australian autumn trees that is frost tolerant, grows well in damp or wet conditions and thrives in full sun to partial shade. Bottlebrush can grow up to 60cm to 5 metres tall so ensure it has adequate space to grow.
Citrus trees
Citrus fruit trees such as lemon, lime and orange, thrive in autumn. However, they don’t like competing for space so plant them in a pot or not in close proximity to other plants. When the plants begin to flower, feed them with a fruit and citrus fertiliser.
Correa
A low growing plant and frost hardy with pretty flowers, Correa is also known as ‘autumn blaze’. A Correa plant needs well draining and full sun, and can handle most types of soil.
Additional tips for growing plants in the autumn
Finally, if you want to be ready to plant bulbs during spring, you can make the necessary preparations in your garden during autumn. During autumn, you can add fertilisers, compost, or manure to the soil to make it richer.
Gardeners should watch out for slugs and snails which can thrive during winter and autumn. Inspect your plants regularly and remove these manually. Finally, adding compost and potash can negate the effects of nutrients leaching out of the soil when the rains start to fall. You can find a range of helpful tips for gardening in autumn here.
