The Winter solstice has just passed, but here in Victoria we have a few cold months ahead yet. Now is a perfect time to get into nature and hunt for  Winter-flowering native trees and shrubs.

Some of our favourites include the architectural flowers and cones of Banksia species, which can be spotted year round.

The wonderful Hakea laurina brings a splash of hot pink to the garden, when many other flowering plants are dormant.

In late Winter many Acacias are showing off their yellow pom poms, including Acacia paradoxa, a prickly shrub perfect for screening and hosting small birds.

There’s still plenty of activity going on in the garden, and unfortunately this includes pests as well. If you have citrus trees or finger limes, inspect the leaves closely. You might see silvery trails on twisted, curled leaves. This is evidence of citrus leaf miner larvae, which feed by burrowing into new foliage. They are most active in late Summer and Autumn but treatment in Winter can help manage future infestations.

Prune off the affected foliage and fertilise trees with an organic fertiliser. This will stimulate new growth in Spring when the pest is less active and won’t be attracted to the fresh leaves. Keep up regular watering, ensuring the soil remains consistently moist but not wet.

A healthy tree can withstand pest and disease without chemical intervention, which is generally unnecessary in a domestic garden setting and harms all the natural predators of citrus leaf miner.

Now is the time to start thinking about pruning your deciduous trees before they break dormancy in Spring. Remove undesirable branches that are crossing over or crowding the trunk and other branches, allowing the tree to have good air circulation in the centre. Stone fruits, apples, and pear trees or espaliers can be pruned to improve their shape and encourage fruiting.

Always prune in dry conditions when there are at least 3 days of no rain forecast.

Happy gardening!