How to Garden in Autumn + Grow Privacy without Growing Impatient (Is there such a thing you ask!??)
How to Garden in Autumn
In our subtropical climate, Autumn is a fantastic time of the year and a great time to be in the garden! Despite the classic Hollywood depiction of a time to snuggle up and rest amongst the warm fall colours, Autumn is actually the sweet spot in the year where the best things can happen.
As the temperature tends to start cooling down so the days are pleasantly mild with the benefit of the ground still being warm and lots of growing time left. This makes an ideal time to plant, giving your new plants a good period of time to settle in before the cooler months start. This makes for lots of root ball growth and a strong, stable, happy plant ready to flourish come spring! Adding in a few key ingredients to nourish the soil is ideal to maximise your growing potential.
The difference you can see in spring time from a plant established in Autumn versus a plant established in other months is phenomenal! You can achieve so much more robust growth and see your plants thriving as though they are an entire season ahead, simply from the development stages during Autumn (and a few hot tips from your local garden centre wink wink). Establishing your plants in the right place, with the right products, at the right time = very happy gardeners. And we like creating very happy gardeners!
Another plus of gardening in Autumn is the range of plants you have available to buy is excellent and the quality is high, this should be the case Australia-wide especially with freight options available to you. Our range of bamboo is looking fantastic with substantial growth, as is our tropical plants that have been thriving in this heat and the rain.
These two factors combined (refresh: factor 1: great time for plants to grow, factor 2: great plants available) means it is the absolute best time of the year to plant, and especially to plant PRIVACY SCREENING! The old saying is "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago... the next best time is now" can never be more true for bamboo.
Grow Privacy without Growing Impatient
Bamboo not only the fastest growing land plant, it is one of the most forgiving plants when it comes to planting anytime of the year *providing you don't get nasty frost* but if we could recommend the best time, its Autumn. You have the seasons, temperature, moisture and time at your advantage. As bamboo are not limiting to expanding width ways on a trunk, but rather advantaged by the more roots = more shoots theory, you have the potential to grow privacy screening by Christmas time. (Yes!! By this years Christmas!) Don't wait years for a lilly-pilly hedge to grow a few metres, establish a clumping bamboo privacy screen in less then 2 years (and a light screen in less then 1 year) with our best advice and best species.
We have seen small Gracilis bamboos screening up to heights of double story windows with 9 months of growth.. because it was the RIGHT 9 months of the year (and they were set up following our comprehensive planting guide that takes you step by step through achieving the best results in the shortest amount of time.) And of course buying larger more established pots also gives you a massive leg up in getting a even denser screen. Bamboo can achieve height very quickly in one season however that extra season or pot sizes up can give you a thicker mature screen in the same amount of time. We often say that you can achieve full screening in 18-24 months, and the sooner you plant + the bigger size you plant, the lower that number gets!
Our 'Magnificent Seven' screening bamboos all have equal opportunity to provide you with phenomenal screening by Christmas time. They are fast growing, low maintenance and also create a beautiful garden oasis. They can be incorporated into any style garden whether its tropical, asian, modern or left wild. Growing time varies largely due to conditions of the soil, water, weather and tender loving care. Following our planting guide ensures you're maximising your results potential for any of the wonderful species below:
Gracilis - The #1 Best Selling Screening Bamboo, grows 6-8 metres heigh with a 1 metre footprint and can be maintained into a smaller, shorter, narrower version if required. Very upright and slender with bushy foliage.
Goldstripe - The "smaller version of Gracilis" being 3-4 metres heigh with a 1 metre footprint and ideal for narrow garden beds or troughs. Also very upright with a pretty gold stripe on the stem and green foliage.
Boniopsis - A wider, denser screening option to Goldstripe with the same height of 3-4 metres but a wider vase shape out to 2mtres wide if left natural. Boni can definitely be trimmed and maintained but isn't recommended for narrow spaces, let her thrive where you need more coverage and have the room.
Chinese Dwarf - A fluffy dense 'hedging' bamboo with thick foliage right to the ground. Fantastic for pots and the ground, and requires hedging/trimming to maintain the height you want and to bush up THICK.
Malay Dwarf Variegated - A similar dense shape to Chinese Dwarf with a pretty white variegated on the leaves. Approximately 1 metre footprint but can be planted closer or wider apart to achieve different results. Also great for pots or troughs.
Alphonse Karr - one of the only small colourful bamboos featuring golden stems and bright PINK new shoots. Grows to around 3 metres height with a vase shape and a little more open for light screening. Great for pots as a feature screen.
Asian Hedge - A newer species in our range, being a little bamboo for pots or smaller screening. Only grows to a small 2-3 metres with thin culms, small dark green leaves and a narrow base. The perfect option for very small spaces or elderly gardeners who want something super easy to maintain.
There is a clumping, non-invasive bamboo option for all gardens we promise! The Magnificent 7 have been known to solve most privacy woes however there are always the special ornamental varieties that could be the one for you. Browse our range online or call/come in to speak to one of our experts and get help on your garden.