At this time of year, keep on with tidying up your garden, removing and composting any old growth or finished annuals, especially in the vegie garden.
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Tidy up perennials as well but don't be too hasty to prune off flower heads that have finished. Many finished flower heads can help keep some structure in your garden as we head into winter and provide a refuge for insects over winter.
Those who prefer to tidy all the finished flowering stems of their perennials in autumn may find that plants such as salvias, Japanese anemone, perennial phlox and some of the grasses already have new growth forming at the base and so will be more advanced when spring arrives.
You might choose to sacrifice the seed heads in the interests of encouraging earlier growth in spring and a neat tidy garden in winter.
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Don't trim back anything that is cold-sensitive just yet. Leave the foliage to protect the crown of the plant and any new growth.
Seed pods have developed on perennials and the seeds can be harvested for sowing next spring.
Once flowers begin to fade at the end of the season and seedpods have changed from green to brown and can be easily split, most flower seeds are ripe for picking and you can begin collecting them.
Seeds are best collected on a dry, sunny day and simply put the seeds or pods in paper bags. If the seeds are beginning to come out of the seed head, close the top of the bag and shake the plant to get all the seeds out. If the heads aren't quite open, lay them on a sheet of paper in a dry place until they begin to shed the seeds.
Be sure the seeds are completely dry before storing them. Write with the name of the plant on the bag and store it somewhere cool and dry and at a constant temperature - about 5 degrees C is ideal; an air-tight container on the bottom shelf of the fridge works well.
There is still time to move plants, as there have not been many frosts and the ground is still retaining some of its warmth from summer. Water them well and use a thick layer of mulch. Remember to stake larger trees or shrubs if they are in an exposed place.
Continue composting fallen leaves. Don't burn them or put them in the bin; they are too valuable!
You can use autumn leaves to make leaf mould or use them as mulch, as they are great for insulating dormant plants.
Remember that little creatures like lizards and frogs might be sheltering under the leaves, so take care when raking them up.