Author:AMICO’s Founder – Ami Bauer

Winter Planting Guide: Vegetables That Will Survive a Frost

As the cold really starts to hit we often forget about our poor gardens as well, it’s too cold! Here at Amico however, we think about gardening 365 days a year!

One thing we are noticing more and more is people opting to grow their own vegetables and herbs, not only is it a lot of fun, but it cuts down on the grocery bill and delivers you fresh, pesticide-free food that you have the satisfaction of knowing that you grew!

To get you back out in the garden during winter and help developing your own mini farmer’s market, here are some of the best vegetables and herbs for surviving winter’s frost!

Broccoli

Not only is broccoli packed with nutrients, but it’s also very easy to grow all year round. Broccoli is very frost tolerant, and it is best if you plant it roughly a month before the frost really starts to hit.

A great tip with broccoli is to keep the leaves on the plant after harvesting as they will produce side shoots which can give you a second or third crop! Our favourite variety of broccoli is the ‘Packman,’ which matures in about 55 days.

Cabbage

Cabbage is not only edible, but it also looks great growing in a garden. You can choose from two types of cabbage that are well suited to the first half and second half of the year:

1. Early cabbage (‘Earliana’)
2. Late cabbage (‘Vantage Point’)

If you are trying to add a little colour to your vegetable garden, plant a red-leaf cabbage (known as ‘Ruby Ball’). However, our preferred kind is the ‘Gonzales,’ which is ready in about 60 days after planting.

Carrots

Carrots, precisely the ‘Thumbelina’ variety, are perfect for the frost and are best harvested when the roots are large enough to eat. As the temperature cools, carrots actually get sweeter!

By placing some mulch over the roots, it will keep your carrots warm during the coldest days allowing them to be grown and harvested all year round.

Chives

This perennial herb is a great grower during the winter season, and you can harvest it as soon as its new leaves start to appear. The foliage has the flavour of a chive, and the blooms taste more like an onion.

As an added bonus, if you pick off the faded blooms, they will self-seed in your garden!

Lettuce

Lettuce is a very versatile plant which is available in an array of colours, shapes, and tastes. It only takes a few seeds planted each week to provide a constant crop.

Lettuce is best planted in a shady spot during the summer but will survive through the frost with no issues. We recommend the ‘Red Sails’ variety, which produces reddish-bronze leaves and is usually ready in about 45 days.

A Little Too Cold to Head Out Into the Garden?

Are you still feeling it’s a bit too cold to venture outdoors? Stay warm indoors and let our expert gardeners in Beaconsfield head out into the garden for you this winter. Amico can handle all of your gardening requirements without any hassle, no matter the time of year.

Our garden maintenance services can provide you with every possible service your garden could need and we are beyond happy to help as gardening is our passion!

Contact us today and we will help create a garden that you will love; which can include a fresh batch of delicious vegetables planted today!

5 Best Outdoor Plants That Can Survive Winter

As the weather begins to cool down, we often spend less time in the garden (for obvious reasons), even neglecting it somewhat! Winter, however, does not have to mean an end to the beauty that is your garden!

Here at Amico, the best gardeners Sydney can provide, we love gardens all year round, and the following are five of our favourite plants that not only survive but thrive in the colder climates that will make a great addition to your garden!

1. Coneflower (Echinacea)

Many people love the coneflower for its beautiful purple colouring; it is essential to note that this colour will disappear as things get colder. That being said, the plant still survives in the cold and positions itself for a very strong return in the spring!

Pro Tip: The Coneflower does enjoy its sunlight and should be planted when the sun is out to give it the best starting chance. Once the flowers go dormant, simply trim the dead stems and add a bit of mulch, and you’ll have some beautiful purple shades in the garden the minute spring hits!

2. Lily of the Valley

Delicate yet robust, Lily of the Valley is one of the most popular winter plants around. A big reason for this is how well it handles shade, as it only requires partial sun.

The sweetly named Lily of the Valley also has a poisonous nature, which means animals won’t go near it. Its busy cascading look will add the perfect amount of pink to any garden. This is one of our favourites!

3. Hardenbergia

Also known as the ‘happy wanderer,’ the Hardenbergia is a native flowering climber that excels in well-drained soil and barely requires any sunlight.

Once again, often providing some deep and lushes pinks, this and the Lily above are great examples of how winter in the garden doesn’t need to be devoid of beautiful colouring!

4. Polyanthus

When planting a Polyanthus, aim for the months where there is a little more sunshine. Once established, however, this plant will thrive in the garden or a pot all year around. A great one to move inside to help bring in the outdoors once it is off and running!

To help it gain a strong foundation, water the plant with a seaweed solution, this will keep it healthy and flourishing no matter what season it is.

5. Snowdrops

Another plant that loves the shade, even from inception, is the Snowdrop. These plants are incredibly well-suited to containers making them great for outdoor areas that do not have a lot of soil space.

Take, for example, someone with a balcony garden or courtyard; this is the plant for them! The droopy white flower with the well-placed spots is a real favourite for gardens of any size.

Need Some More Ideas?

The qualified team of gardeners in Balmain at Amico make gardens and the plants within them their passion! If you are looking for the best options to suit your garden and lifestyle, give us a call! We can handle it all for you without any hassle, leaving you with a garden you will love!

Speak to us today about our garden maintenance services and let Amico get the most out of your garden!

Edible Fruit Plants: 5 Most Popular Fruit Bearing Trees

There are many advantages to an edible garden, fruit trees are colorful and can grow quite large to provide shade, and they can also save you trips to the grocer and shave a little off your shopping bill. There is a certain satisfaction to growing your own fruit, and you know what you are eating is fresh and free of pesticides and chemicals!

There are fruit-bearing trees suitable for any climate and size of garden so let’s take a look at the five most popular options for you to choose from. And if you have questions, contact Amico – the experts gardeners in Sydney if you would like any more information about adding a fruit bearing tree to your garden.

1. Apple trees

It makes sense that we would put the most popular fruit tree first, as who doesn’t love a delicious juicy apple! Apple trees are highly requested by budding gardeners and are best suited for colder, temperate climates.

The main component for a fruitful apple tree is fertile soil that is kept relatively moist. For your topsoil, aim for a depth of around two feet and make sure it is not in a position where water will drain away too quickly.

A special effect for the dwarf varieties is that they have the ability for wall training, which means you don’t need a huge space to have an apple tree either. If you would rather have a dessert apple, it will require a significant amount of sun as opposed to cooking apples which can handle more shadier areas.

It is best to plant apple trees in the dormant season with a lot of mulch and ensure you water them well when they first go in the ground and the time after that. Depending on the variety of apple tree you have chosen you should see fruit within a few years.

For apple tree topsoil, aim for a depth of around two feet and make sure it is not in a position where the water will drain away too quickly.

2. Plum trees

Another excellent option for cooler temperate climates is the plum tree. A word of warning, however, expect a significant amount of plums if these trees are kept in fertile soil and well watered. Much like the apple tree, it is best to keep them well mulched and in an area where water doesn’t drain away too quickly.

There are varieties of plum trees that can grow in containers to suit smaller spaces and courtyards, but those with more room may opt for a version that will grow much larger.

Important note: Before purchasing, check if your chosen plum tree is self-fertile, if it’s not you will need more than one tree to ensure you see some fruit.

Much like the apple tree, it is best to keep them well mulched and in an area where water doesn’t drain too quickly.

3.  Cherry trees

For something a little different, you may like to consider a cherry tree! Once again these are great for spaces of all sizes as they can be grown as free-standing trees or they have the ability to be trained against a wall.

If you decide to choose the sweet cherry variety, you may need more than one tree for fertilization, and they will need to be kept in full sun. Bitter cherries on the other hand are the opposite, they are self-fertile and able to be kept in the shade.

The other benefit to cherry trees beside their delicious fruit is the beautiful blossoms that will grow on the tree adding colour to your garden area.

Cherries are great for spaces of all sizes as they can be grown as free-standing trees or they have the ability to be trained against a wall.

4. Pear trees

If you are looking for an easier to manage tree with low maintenance, the pear tree is the one for you! Choose between either a sheltered or sunny spot and either stand-alone or as part of a forest garden.

Depending on which variety of pear tree you choose, it should begin growing fruit within a few years. Once it has established itself, it is very durable and self-sufficient.

Great for either a sheltered or sunny spot and either stand-alone or as part of a forest garden.

5. Peach trees

Peach trees don’t handle the frost too well in cooler climates, they are better suited for a sunny, sheltered spot. They can, however, be grown in containers if your space is small or if you want to bring them inside during the colder parts of the year.

If you do decide to grow your peach tree in a container, ensure it is at least 45cm wide and only plant the dwarf variety. Once again these trees can be trained against a wall and may require hand pollination to see fruit.

If you do decide to grow your peach tree in a container, ensure it is at least 45cm wide and only plant the dwarf variety.

Turn your backyard into your grocer!

Planting fruit trees are great, not only for the colour that they bring to your garden, but they return to you a few items that you can scratch off the grocery list!

If you give them the time and patience they need to establish themselves, you’ll be rewarded with fresh, delicious fruit that you have grown yourself for many years to come!

6 Plants That Grow in Summer and Winter

While the elements often have a significant effect on our gardens and what we can grow, there are many perennials and shrubs that can thrive in both winter and summer.

Amico are known for providing the best gardening services in Paddington can offer and in this article, we’ll not only detail six plants that can thrive year round, but these plants are also great for pots and containers making them useful in a variety of ways. Read on for six of our favourite plants that grow in both winter and summer!

1. The Golden Sword Yucca

Everyone loves a good Yucca, and they are great for any season. When it gets warmer the yucca is at its peak, but this plant is durable so the winter won’t bother it at all.

The Golden Sword Yucca can grow two to three feet high.

The Golden Sword Yucca, in particular, works well with other plants. It offers a stunning dark green mixed with golden yellow and can grow two to three feet high. It thrives in the sun but can handle shade and survive the colder months with ease.

2. The Green Mountain Boxwood

This little plant will keep its color all year round. It prefers a semi-shaded location, but this slow-growing shrub is very durable. It offers a lovely dark green color and grows into a pyramid shape as opposed to the rounded shape of other shrubs.

The Green Mountain Boxwood prefers a semi-shaded location, but this slow-growing shrub is very durable.

3.  The Golden Creeping Jenny

The Golden Creeping Jenny is particularly perfect for pot life as it create a beautiful and dramtic effect spilling over a pot’s edge. Usually only growing about four-inches tall, this plant provides golden, coin-shaped leaves that can even grow in a water garden if you like.

The Golden Creeping Jenny grows about four-inches tall.

The plant is capable of handling the effects of a full sun; but just a tip, keep the soil moist during the warmer months to ensure this little plant remains healthy.

4. The Emerald Arborvitae

The Emerald Arborvitae can become quite a tall plant but it is excellent year-round as it keeps a vibrant green colour even when it gets cold. It stands upright, and grows narrow and works very well when combined with other plants. Keep it in a container if you want to restrict its height and if possible put it in full sun or a minimal light shade.

The Emerald Arborvitae can become quite a tall plant but it is excellent year-round as it keeps a vibrant green colour even when it gets cold.

5. Bergenia

The Bergenia has green, glossy, oval leaves, and is a vigorous grower no matter what time of year it is. The leaves can get pretty big and will turn a burgundy colour when the weather gets a little colder. The Bergenia also produces flowers, small pink blossoms at certain points throughout the year.

The Bergenia is a vigorous grower no matter what time of year it is.

Taking care of them can be simple too, but make sure that they get full sun or a minimal light shade.

6. The Variegated Red-Twig Dogwood

This big and beautiful shrub performs nicely year round with leaves that have white margins and grayish green centers. Its bright red stems make for a very colourful affair.

The Variegated Red-Twig Dogwood performs nicely year round.

To keep this one in pristine condition, remove old branches in early spring and leave it in full sun to half shade. Also, keep an eye on the bugs in summer as they love this little shrub

Let Amico Help You With All Of Your Gardening Needs

The gardening experts at Amico love creating beautiful gardens that remain stunning all year round. Give us a call and let us share with you our vast knowledge of all things greenery to help maintain your garden goals, or help create them if you haven’t figured them out yet!

What to Grow in Winter – Winter Vegetable Planting Guide

Despite the cold snap in the air, winter really does offer a perfect chance for dedicating some time and love to your garden. Turning over the earth now can bring some tasty rewards as the seasons change. The biggest bonus? Planting winter veggies means a bountiful harvest awaits you in the warmer months, and your vegetable crisper need never be empty with the fantastic planting guide we’ve got for you.

Consider Your Conditions

We love and recommend winter vegetable planting for any gardener keen to get their green thumb working and bring forth some new life from June to August. But it’s also important to keep a few points in mind when planning your winter garden.
Remaining aware of the coldest times of the season will let you avoid planting during tougher conditions. Many plants, especially young ones, are fragile in extreme temperatures—so a week predicted to feature heavy frost is not the best choice!

Leafy Greens for Winter

Since there is an array of plants that will suffer in high heats and full sun, no winter vegetable planting guide would be complete without mentioning some of our favourite leafy greens. Chock full of vitamins C, K and differing kinds of vitamin B, spinach is a prime contender for winter planting.

Spinach seeds don’t germinate well in warm soil, and the plant prefers cooler temperature: making them a great choice for your veggie garden during winter. Rocket, bok choy, and a variety of lettuces can also round out your greenery while it’s cool!

Add asparagus to your winter veggie garden for more greenery in your garden and more crunch in your dinners

Peas, Beans, and Crunchy Veggies
The predominantly temperate weather that New South Wales experiences year-round means a wider variety of winter planting options than might not otherwise be possible. Snow peas are an excellent winter vegetable choice for this reason. The milder winters means that they can be planted at any time throughout the season.

Add asparagus to your winter veggie garden for more greenery in your garden and more crunch in your dinners

At the same time, consider giving them garden bed-buddies! Fellow crunchy vegetables such as different varieties of beans, spring onions, and asparagus are all great winter planting and growing options and ensure a flow of fresh veggies from garden to plate as Spring approaches.

Preparing for the Fruits of Spring
There are few things better than biting into a vibrant red, juicy strawberry as the weather begins to get warmer. In New South Wales’ cooler winter climate, the perfect spot for growing your own delicious berries is warm and sunny (full-sun to part-shade), with good air circulation and nutritious soil.

Add strawberries on the vine to your well-mulched garden bed

Strawberry planting options include seedlings and runners, and they thrive in a wide range of locations. Whether it’s your garden patch, a hanging basket or an outdoor pot, plant strawberries in winter to reap the bright red fruits in time for sweet spring snacking.

Herbs
Finally, temperate winter weather means herbs are always a good choice! Herbs provide another great option in winter that can add a vibrant splash of green to brighten up your garden. Keep an eye out for chamomile, coriander, lavender, mint, oregano and others, and take advantage of your choices to add flavor and excitement to your winter meals.

Tall sprigs of oregano will add bright greenery to your garden and wonderful taste to your plate

Here at Amico, we’re passionate about creating gardens that serve both aesthetic and functional purposes throughout the seasons. To see some of the wonderful ways, Amico’s expert horticulturalist can support your veggie garden aspirations throughout Winter, look at our project gallery! Here, we provide you a small snapshot of the wide range of lush (and tasty!) gardens we’ve created for happy clients over the years.

If you need some help in creating that winter vegetable garden, our team of expert gardeners in Coogee is just one call away. Give us a call at 1300 – GARDEN (1300 427 336) or drop by our Queens Park office for a personalised quote.