5 Essential Things to Do in the Garden This Winter
Russell Larke started at Fed Square two months ago as our Head Gardener, and he’s been busy sharing his plant knowledge and gardening expertise at our Test Garden Open Days, running tours and looking after the Test Garden – the densely-planted garden located on the roof of the Fed Square car park.
Eventually Russell’s role will be looking after Laak Boorndap – the 18,000 square metre urban garden currently in the works across the river, being created as part of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation Project.
To help you keen at-home gardeners, we thought we’d pick Russell’s brain for his top tips to help you plan your gardening activities during these cooler winter months.
1. Collect seeds
Winter is a great time to gather seeds from your favourite plants. Letting seeds dry thoroughly before storing them ensures you’ll have a healthy, homegrown supply ready for sowing in spring. It’s also a rewarding way to preserve and share plants that performed well during the year. We have just collected our Showy Copper-wire Daisy (Podoloepis jaceoides) and Rough Blazing-Star (Liatris aspera) seeds from the Test Garden!
- Showy Copper-wire Daisy growing in the Test Garden at Fed Square.
- Rough Blazing-Star growing in the Test Garden, prior to the seed harvest. Photo: Sarah Pannell.
2. Stop watering – seriously!
One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make in winter is continuing to water – put your hoses down and turn the irrigation off. Cooler temperatures mean your plants aren’t actively using as much water. Overwatering in winter can lead to root rot, leaving plants unprepared for the heat and stress of spring / summer, when they’ll need strong roots to keep up with increasing transpiration demands.
3. Tackle winter annual weeds
Weeds don’t take a winter holiday! Winter annuals can quickly take hold and get ahead of your plants if left unchecked. Pulling them out now is a must and will save you some time this time next year.
4. Review your garden plans
With everything slowing down in the cold, winter is the ideal time to step back and assess. What worked this year? What didn’t? Take notes, draw sketches, and plan any changes you’d like to make. Whether it’s redesigning a bed to be more naturalistic like the Test Garden or trying some new plant species, winter gives you the mental space to be creative without the pressure of immediate action.
5. Put the secateurs away
It might be tempting to prune and tidy up, but in most cases, it’s better to leave your plants alone during winter. Many plants benefit from keeping their structure intact through the cold, and pruning now can expose them to frost damage. Waiting until late winter or early spring is usually safer and healthier for the plant.
Final thought
Winter in the garden is less about action and more about preparation, observation, and restraint. Use this season to rest along with your plants – and get ready for a strong, healthy start come spring.
To keep up to date with news from the Test Garden, follow Laak Boorndap on Instagram.
About Russell
Russell Larke (BSc First Class Hons, Dip Hort, Dip Cons & Land Man) is the inaugural Head Gardener at the Melbourne Arts Precinct’s new Laak Boorndap. A passionate advocate for native flora and conservation, he previously served as Senior Curator at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (Cranbourne), where he managed the living collections and established multiple plant conservation initiatives. Russell is committed to advancing horticultural innovation and connection to nature throughout the Melbourne Arts Precinct.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter
Sign up and never miss updates on articles, interviews and events.