About the Garden Magazine Issue 65 Winter 2013

PRINT POST APPROVED PP 100000156

Roses

Housewarming gifts

Lavender Strawberries

Hellebores Backyard chickens

Apple trees ISSUE 65

Winter colour Goodbye, weeds!

WINTER2013

Fuchsias

For more gardening hints & tips, visit www.aboutthegarden.com.au

5+6+7

july'13

Life is a Garden JOIN US AT QUEENSLAND’S PREMIER GARDENING EVENT Queensland Garden Expo is a ‘must see’ in 2013 for green thumbs and novice gardeners alike.

Held in the Sunshine Coast hinterland town of Nambour from 5th to 7th July, this three day expo is Queensland’s premier gardening event. Some of Australia’s leading gardening experts take part in three days of lectures, demonstrations and workshops.

See plants, plants and more plants with over 55 nurseries represented and over 360 exhibitors. There is a full program of free lectures and demonstrations on eight ‘live’ stages every day covering a vast array of gardening topics. Head to the ‘Gardeners and Gourmets’ stage for some great tips on growing your own produce and turning it into delicious gourmet meals. The ‘Giant Kitchen Garden’ features a totally organic food court with a fully planted sustainable garden constructed onsite. Get free help from the onsite Plant Clinic and be inspired by the fantastic arrangements in the Floral Design Competition.

Come spend the weekend visiting the Queensland Garden Expo and exploring our naturally refreshing Sunshine Coast region – return home relaxed and inspired!

Presented by the Nursery & Garden Industry Qld, Sunshine Coast Branch

www.qldgardenexpo.com.au

New in 2013, Gardeners and Gourmets Celebrity Dinner, Saturday 6th July. Visit our website for more details and great accommodation packages.

Winter is a wonderful time to be in the garden! We have some beautiful edition — check out my favourites

God bless...

Con Searle

O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come. — Psalm 65:2

About the Garden is published seasonally by About the Garden Pty. Ltd.

Email: atg@aboutthegarden.com.au

Issue 65

WINTER2013 About this issue...

Features

A riot of Sunsational colour!

Winter daisies Lavender love-affair Heavenly hellebores Growing strawberries Living housewarming gifts Rosey outlooks Urban chookhouse Growing apples in Australian climates Winter weed warfare Fuchsias for you

4 5 6 8 9 10 16 18 20 22 23

Regulars ATG Winter 2013 Garden Diary ATG Winter 2013 Handy Hints & Tips Subscribe to About the Garden

12 14 23

(featured on our

front cover)

A riot of

i o t n a a s l n u S

colour!

Y

Would you like to chase away the ‘dulls’ of winter? Nemesia ‘SunsatiasTM’ are a breeding breakthrough which bring you long-lasting, brightlyrange of colours — from vivid, luminescent reds or yellows or subtle pastels and use them to ‘paint’ your garden in your favourite colour scheme!

History

Originally from the sandy coasts of South Africa, nemesias are closely related to snapdragons and

fragrant and make a great ground cover or or perennial and grow between 30cm and 60cm tall — with some varieties spreading as far as a metre and some growing more erect, so check and are perfect in pots, baskets and borders or in rockeries where they can bring a touch of ‘old

Planting

Plant nemesias in full sun or part shade in a

Ongoing care

Keep nemesias well-mulched or composted until established and water when necessary, taking care not to let the growing medium dry to

Special tip: end of frost, through spring, summer and into autumn in regions with cool, dry summers where night-time temperatures

K

hot and humid, they can fade in the heat of

dig in plenty of diluted solution of after planting to help plants establish two weeks throughout the growing season to support good plant health and

4

For bigger, brighter blooms, use

C

frosts, plant nemesias in a sheltered position

afternoon sun for long periods in the

q

Remove spent blooms regularly to promote more

Winter

daisies Bidens ferulifolia

For easy-care daisies,

The golden-yellow blooms of do not fade in the sun and will brighten any garden with larger blooms, a more compact

into the soil before planting to help with water Mulch with

速

after

速 , water it weekly to keep it in good condition and prune it back with

and hanging baskets, it looks fabulous in

and

Gazanias are a range of tough, mounding and ground-hugging perennials with gorgeous, daisy-like grow in most soils including sandy soils to get the best out of them, give them 速 a half-strength feed of full sun or part shade for a very effective

5

Lavender ‘Lace Series’ This is the variety you want for an

tones ranging from intense purple to winter in Queensland and mid winter in larger-sized pots of

Lavender love affair fragrance and easy-care nature of lavender have made it one of the all-time most popular plants the ‘Tuscan’ or ‘Mediterranean’ look, lavender is just at home in cottage gardens as it is in

resistance to disease, so new lavenders will grow in a wider range of Australian climate zones lavender cultivars have more

compact, mounding shape and

also a great problem-solver in windy or dry conditions, sandy

foliage, unlike traditional varieties

Intensive breeding is constantly leading to new, improved plants with better performance and

Give lavender full sun and a wellpoor soils (the only thing it hates

The Princess Lavender Lavender ‘With Love’ Lavender ‘With Love’ is the perfect way to say, ‘I love you’ and makes a gorgeous housewarming present or table-top display mature, it can last up to two weeks indoors before being moved to a sunny position

6

Lavender ‘Ruffles Collection’

It’s important not to prune lavender into Lightly trim the outside, green tips for a is boggy soils or waterlogging) and is Water it regularly when newly-planted

Apply to the soil around the base of lavender plants once a year in spring to promote

Any lavender would make the ideal container plant around entertainment areas and are dry tolerant once

diseases in wet or humid conditions, lavender has been traditionally grown (Here, it will grow happily through the cooler times of year before the lavender cultivars have an improved resistance to humidity, but they do better in some tropical regions than most out of lavender in tropical zones, it needs impeccable drainage — plant it in pots if your soil is not perfect and allow space around each plant for in full sun and give it a breezy position

Plant lavender near entrances, paths or walkways where its foliage can be incidently bruised or brushed against, releasing its

from inside the plant and use a lightcoloured mulch like white pebbles or it to the roots, not the foliage, and water early in the morning rather than the evening to allow it time to dry out

For regular gardening updates, visit:

16 7

Easy to grow, frost hardy and dry tolerant once established,

Heavenly

hellebores

beautifully in the depths of winter all troubled by frost or even snow very cold regions), hellebores love the cold! They are also tolerant of summer heat, as long as it is not mountain areas, hellebores are perfect for Victoria and Tasmania, are well-suited to coastal New South Wales as far north as Sydney and cool, inland areas as far north as Warwick, Toowoomba and Kingaroy grow hellebores in the temperate

Hellebores are stunning in mass plantings and are perfect in

Hellebores love just about any soil that is moist and free-draining, of into the soil before planting will improve the structure, fertility and water-holding capacity of the

8

a vigorous, rhizomous root system and will need to be repotted

S

Growing

trawberries

When buying a strawberry plant, consider its cropping season, because predominantly in the spring, others continue through summer and into Plant them into Strawberries need full sun and love a well-drained, slightly acidic soil that Like other members of the Ranunculaceae family, hellebores like plenty of fertiliser and winter is the in mind, give them a feed with

at

the soil, add plenty of or to the soil before planting and dig it in, — they should be no deeper in the soil

soil tends to be acidic, they also can

mound and spread as they grow, so

of

strawberries should be planted about

In regions with hot summers, give hellebores a good mulching in spring

(Overcrowding them can result in a reduced crop, so don’t be greedy by planting too many!)

are establishing, give them a regular

Straight after planting, give strawberries a good watering and feed them with ® a half-strength application of

Pruning hellebores — especially of the new varieties — is generally not necessary unless you’d like to do an

way every two weeks throughout the

naturalise in your garden in ideal

Strawberries grow beautifully in hanging baskets, pots, strawberry planters or wine barrels and look gorgeous

Make our sumptuous Apple and Strawberry Clafoutis dis h, page 17. them in pots is also a great solution if space is limited or you have poor soil — use

Strawberries are shallow-rooted, so mulch them well and keep them wellwatered — especially in very hot or dry

straw around the base of each plant will help control weeds and keep the also stop the fruit coming in contact

Strawberries can be easy to propagate new plants, peg the runners down — still attached to the parent plant — until new roots form, then snip them off and don’t want more plants, remove the runners immediately to give the parent

For better flowering,

fertilise with:

Pick strawberries as soon as they’re ripe Snipping them off with scissors makes it plants will perform at their prime for about 3 years, after which time they can be covered with hand-made

9

Living

housewarminggifts Introducing an indoor pot plant to any interior room and patio will add a touch of greenery and softness to the made the feature piece of a room

are phalaenopsis orchids, bromeliads, spathiphyllums, anthuriums, african violets, begonias, poinsettias,

When placed on table tops they add instant colour to a lunch/dinner party

for and will contribute to your friends

When purchasing a plant for a gift, keep in mind to also buy a matching

centres sell pre-wrapped living plants to make the choice easier and to complete the gift, bundle in a good

This will protect the furniture when watering and complement the

10

, to keep the plant looking its

速

Searles have released an exciting new range of cover pots that are sophisticated in design and modern in colour. pot plants damaging nearby electronic Fortunately, there are many very minimal attention; the problem is, these

Office

gifts

One way to relive a little of your holidays is to bring a plant to that recent studies

relieve stress and reduce negative moods by up to 60%? That’s pretty good

lead to better cardiovascular health and

because we think it’s too hard to keep

make these hardier plants shine is with pots we usually use outside and invest has a stylish range of decorator pots and has just released a beautiful new range of European plastic and cover pots in surely be one that suits your corporate

bottom from which the water would prevent the water from running onto must be taken to ensure your plant is not sitting in water permanently however, so lift the pot out occasionally and empty

concerns about water spillages from

air pollutants that are emitted by the

SUPERWAY

GARDEN, Ag & Pest PRODUCTS PTY. LTD.

INSECTICIDE

Delta-M: is a non staining residual insecticide, for the control of spiders, cockroaches, fleas, ants, silverfish, flies and mosquitoes.

Available in 250ml, 500ml and 1 litre packs.

NEW RELEASE

TERMITE CONTROL

Superway White Ant Termite Bait: A D.I.Y. ‘Back to the nest’ termite treatment primarily for use in Termite baiting stations.

Available in 500g, 1kg & 2kg packs.

Highly concentrated. Available in 1litre pack.

HERBICIDE

HOUSEHOLD PESTS

Available 250ml, 500ml & 1litre chamber pack.

Superway Dicamba-M is a selective herbicide for the control of bindii, thistle, cudweed, clover and dandelion in most lawns except buffalo grass.

Active ingredients: 80G/L Dicamba 340G/L MCPA

Weedkiller: provides effective control of most broadleaf weeds and grasses. 1 litre of concentrate’ Makes up to 100 Litres of weedkiller.

Available in 250ml to 20 litres and 1 litre 'ready-to-use' spraypack.

Superway Inside-Outside Cockroach, Spider, Flea & Ant Residual Insecticide: Concentrate for indoors porous surfaces. Odorless & stain-free.

Available in 250ml, 500ml, 1litre & 2.5litre bottles.

TERMITE CONTROL

PEST CONTROL

Grub, Ant & Pest Controller: Controls ants, spiders, cockroaches, lawn beetle, lawn grub, and armyworm in the home garden.

HERBICIDE

(a quality assured company, proudly Australian owned and operated)

Superway Bifenthrin Termite & Pest Controller: Termite/Insecticide for use as a termite barrier spray around poles etc. as well as control of ants, spiders, etc.

Available in 1Litre Chamber Pack as well as larger pack sizes.

Superway P.O. Box 183, Beerwah Qld 4519

www.superway.com.au

Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Trade enquiries welcome.

WINTER2013

Regional Garden Diary

Viburnums are easy-care, evergreen appear in winter and early spring and and grows into a 4m high dense, round,

South-east Qld & Northern NSW Subtropical areas

North Queensland Wet & Dry Tropics Flowers

Plant angelonia, aster, begonia, dahlia, daisy, gazania, geranium, impatiens, marigold, nasturtium, pentas, petunia, portulaca, salvia

Tropical Subtropical

Flowers dig in a small amount of

and -

Temperate

Herbs

Plant dill, garlic bulbs, marjoram, mint, parsley, oregano, sage, Thai

Fruit & vegetables

Cold Mediterranean Arid

Herbs

Plant chamomile, comfrey, dill, garlic bulbs, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, parsley, oregano,

Plant broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, peas, potato, pumpkin, spin-

Fruit & vegetables

More advice...

Fertilise fortnightly with and keep them moist

®

Plant spinach, silver beet, lettuce

More advice...

every two

pruned to keep them within a 2m

12

REGIONAL ZONES

Happitunia ‘Pretty Much Picasso’ bears the most unusual, fuschiapink flowers with a lime-green rim. Flowers are smaller than the average petunia but are borne in a profusion never seen before!

Plant it in pots of Searles Peat 80 Plus for stunning results.

native plants — a great way to

Sydney

Adelaide & Perth

Mediterranean Climates

Temperate areas

Flowers

Flowers

Sow ageratum, alyssum, cineraria, cleome, cyclamen, forget-menot, Iceland poppy, lobelia, lupin,

Plant pansies and violas for winter leptospermum and grevillea can be planted now and are a good option for a difficult spot as they are tough and tolerate dry condi-

primula, stock, verbena, wallflower

Fruit and vegetables

Plant artichoke, asparagus, broad bean, carrot, English spinach, let-

Herbs

Plant chamomile, comfrey, coriander, dill, feverfew, garlic bulbs, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, parsley, oregano, sage and

More advice...

tolerates and makes a striking contrast against

Fruit & vegetables

Meditteranean-style gardens or in pots, it loves full sun, part shade, good -

annuals were planted — they will

More advice...

Melbourne Cold & Southern Tableland

Dry inland

Flowers calendula, cineraria, cornflower, delphinium, dianthus, erigeron, larkspur, lobelia, nemesia, pansy, polyanthus, poppy, primula, ranunculus, snapdragon, stock

Herbs Camellia japonica ‘Desire’

Plant chives, curry, dill, mint, pars-

Fruit and vegetables Plant artichoke, asparagus, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, endive, leek, lettuce, onions, peas, snow peas, silver beet and spinach and rad-

More advice...

Camellia japonica is a

-

Flowers

Sow ageratum, aster, balsam, carnation, celosia, chrysanthemum, cockscomb, coleus, cosmos, dahlia, dianthus, everlasting daisy, gaillardia, gazania, geranium, gerbera, impatiens, kangaroo paw, African marigold, French marigold, nasturtium, petunia, portulaca, rudbeckia, salvia, snapdragon, sunflower, torenia, verbena, wallflower

Fruit and vegetables

Sow artichoke, asparagus, broad bean, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, lettuce, onion, parsnip, pea, potato, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb,

More advice...

Now is a great time to garden in warmer parts of inland Australia:

that loves part sun or are easy to grow but like good drainage and a

Arid or Outback areas

on fruit trees such as plum, nectarine, cherry and peach, spray with to control fungal

agapanthus, canna lilies, liriope,

13

is a handsome, small Give it a rich, well-drained soil, part It can survive light frosts, especially if moved to a sheltered position during

Leptospermum ‘Vertical Drop’ is an amazing woody plant that wants to drop vertically whenever it gets the chance! Cascading down a sunny wall or as a groundcover, it will

Now is the time to plant , which are very coldthe larger and more vibrant-coloured the with a fortnightly feed of and

WINTER2013 Hints & Tips

...continued from page 13

Mulch well and keep

After you bring your newly treasured pot plant home from the store, re-pot it into a premium quality potting mix like Searles Premium Potting Mix or Searles Peat 80 Plus Potting Mix. Both mixes contain all the necessary nutrition to sustain better plant growth

for superior results.

Happitunias are a new petunia whose compensated for by sprawling and and feed every 2 weeks with Searles Flourish for excellent results.

SeaMax Seaweed Organic Nutrient will boost your plants’ natural defences against frost and cold. Apply it every fortnight, beginning at least two months before the onset of severe cold for best results.

14

‘Ginger Meggs’

An excellent new rose cultivar is ‘Novalis’ a floribunda rose with abundant, fragrant, lavender blue flowers. An ideal bedding rose. For more on roses, see page 16.

Now that it’s winter, the bright red bracts of poinsettias will be looking fabulous in sunny, frostfree gardens. They grow easily from cuttings, so ask a friendly neighbour if you can take a few — for some beautiful, free plants.

Plant in early winter so the heads can form before the weather into the soil before planting and feed with

®

NEW! Just drop it into your toilet and flush.

For the control of roots in sewer pipes in and around your home.

AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD HARDWARE STORES, GARDEN CENTRES & NURSERIES

Rosey The secret to a care-free rose garden is to grow the latest varieties available on the

Award winners...

Award-winning roses are likely to be the hardiest roses available, and diseases and perfume — so the newest cultivars are almost certain to outperform the

In the 2012 National Rose Trials held in November of that year, these roses won the following distinctions:

Another good tip is to select roses that have won awards, as they are sure to offer the

‘Perfume Passion’ — Won 4 awards, including a Gold Medal,

Planting the best roses from the start can save you time, trouble and heartache further down the line, not to mention the money you can

‘Little Sunset’ — Won a Silver

‘Most Pest & Disease Tolerant Rose’

ideal in pots (use of Merit

recommended to maintain the best health,

Simple Rose Care at the

fragrance important; health; freely if they are watered regularly

like too much competition at the roots and all like at least a few hours of sun a day,

roses with

&

®

moisture, keep roots cool and feed

16

be sure to cut out dead, diseased and very importantly, old

Recipe Pages

Serves 6-8 1 cup white sugar 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced 1 3/4 cups full cream milk granny smith apple 1 1/2 cups halved strawberries Zest of 1 lemon Icing sugar for dusting 1 tsp baking powder Preheat oven to 220o

Spread the fruit pieces in the bottom of the dish

whisk, beat the eggs with 3/4 of the sugar until

Apple & Strawberry Clafoutis Pour batter over the fruit and sprinkle with the

Dog or cat problems?

Dogs and cats can often cause problems in our

however, it is ‘visiting’ animals who cause the most garden beds or patios and dogs can leave regular ‘calling cards’ on our front be the one to clean up the mess! Such issues can even cause disputes between neighThere are many odour-based dog and cat repellents on the market but none are as effective as repels animals by creating a feeling that the feeling disappears — and the memory of ‘danger’ is rein-

EENY, MEENY MINEY–MOH...

Protect vegetables, fruit trees, ornamentals, seedlings and buildings from cockatoos, crows, ducks, pigeons, rosellas, starlings, swallows, other birds & bats.

Protects homes, gardens, patios, shop fronts and paved areas from both dogs and cats or rats and mice.

Frida Forsberg '04

Protect one plant or a whole area — perimeter &/or band sprays.

that repels the animal, but this feeling of being threatlearned to associate your property with danger it can avoid your property for a long time — far longer than the habit of visiting your home — with no need for unpleasant confrontations with your neighbours! Unless a new dog or cat comes on the scene, the

Repels — without harming animals or humans.

Not considered a poison — no withholding period.

Easy to use — spray on. Effective when dry.

Safe, Proven and Effective.

Available in 100g, 1Kg & 4Kg Sizes. is unique. Reject products said to be "just as good", nothing is at all "like it". For further information send 2x60c stamps to:

D-TER, Dept. A, PO Box 3, Oyster Bay, NSW 2225.

Enquiries: Phone: (02) 9589 0703. Fax: (02) 9589 0147

GG20-260/02

our own pets — digging holes or damaging screen

Protect herbs, vegetables, trees and shrubs from possums, kangaroos, wallabies, rabbits, hares, bandicoots, deer, foxes and other wildlife.

Day old chicks.

The Chinese Silkie is a favourite amongst children.

Urban

chookhouse chickens in their prime will lay 6 eggs a day!)

Most people like the idea of keeping a few chickens because they like the idea of having fresh, organic eggs on

Chickens can be great workers in garden if contro the lled, otherwise they scratch where it is not wanted. garden beds where it makes an

This is the obvious There are many types of chickens that come in a range of sizes — from the

and added to worm farms, compost heaps and even to the chickens’ own

can be composted and dug through

old vegetable crops and scratch up

While free-ranging, chickens perform the task of pest and protein from insects and caterpillars!

These can be great for artwork, they can be added to the compost as a source of calcium and the small, soft ones can be used to stuff If you are keen, you can breed and grow your own fowl for clucky and you don’t have a rooster, you can buy fertilised eggs for your own

pets, they don’t need registering or walking — and they don’t bark!

18

ian d’Uccle hen.

this Belg Children just love bantams like

Taking care of chickens is a great way to teach children about

Chicken checklist:

Easy to put togeth er chook houses can be brought fro m chicken suppliers and hard ware stores.

1) aids in the bird’s digestion of can you keep on a block of your size? Where would you be able to good source of calcium which is put a shed or chicken coop? What are the rules regarding the keeping of feed and the removal of organic 5) Ensure your chickens have regular waste? Most city councils do not 2)

patch of dirt to roll around in and location must be weatherproof and have protection from the elements If you don’t have any spots like this in your yard, create your own wind can all affect the health of set up may be a movable, tractorstyle enclosure or you may prefer to build or purchase a shed and many options when it comes to

3) roosts are important factors when

balanced diet of carbohydrates, protein and minerals, plus greens for made poultry feeds available and Make sure the feed contains shell

periods of inclement weather, placing a tray inside the pen out What breed of chicken suits you and your needs? Think about your reasons for wanting to keep

Our beautiful Buff Sussex.

they pets for the children or are they going to be garden helpers as well? The amount of space you have for your chickens as well as your climate zone should be taken into account when at your local poultry clubs and breeds do well and are readily

Chicken food plants Favourite snack foods for chickens are comfrey, sorrel, pigeon pea, chicory,

wheat, oats, peas, lucerne and maize can be sown in seed trays and given to Grow parasite repellent plants such as wormwood, lavender, scented geraniums, rosemary and southernwood around your

foliage from cabbages, broccoli,

19

Growing

Appleins Australian climates

are the main pollinator of apple trees, so avoid spraying insecticides when your trees

Apples for warm climates Low chill apples

A healthy, established apple tree in your garden is a true asset to in warming sunlight through the chilly days of winter and burst into spectacular bloom with the arrival this a useful shade tree through the summer and of course, its signals the end of its growing

Other tough performers...

NEW Easy Care Apples

in Australian gardens, usually because of a perception that our

20

do our homework and select the right varieties for our region! Apples originate from places much colder than Australia such as northern parts of Asia, North America and was the tree’s way of preventing unseasonal warm spell in the blossoms being burnt off by further A healthy apple tree will burst and be covered in blossoms for a

recently, this was true in all but southerly and cool, mountainous cultivars of today have made it possible to grow apples — trouble free — even in the subtropical

Trixzie® Apples

huge range of apple varieties to

The need to chill

If you get reliable frost (or even snow) in your region, you’ll have a

over a longer period of time (say, at the same time as its suitable pollinator, limiting or preventing

Pollination is important

Although there are some apple varieties that can fruit without a pollinator, most will not, and ALL will fruit better with be another apple tree of a suitable compatible pollen and bloom times for pollination to occur, so ask at your garden centre to ensure you have that fruits well, apparently without a pollinator could actually be being pollinated by another tree growing somewhere else in your neighbourhood, in which case it will not be necessary for

How to plant

Apples need an open position with at grow best in a rich, deep, well-drained soil and need protection from strong into the

Planting bare-rooted trees

Pruning

let their roots dry out and plant them

In cool climates, give trees a ‘vase’ shape by removing interior branches, leaving a hollowed-out area through the

In cool climates, apple trees can be bought cheaply as bare-rooted

chemical fertilisers in the planting hole — they won’t need feeding during composted materials into the soil, such as or (avoid leaving roots in the hole so they have space to spread, but don’t plant the tree too deep — build up the base of the hole in the centre so the soil sits around

to reach more of the tree, encouraging tree a fuller shape to protect it from the the tree at a height where the fruit will grow at a reachable level, pruning each

Apples in southern Australia

tree in well and don’t water it again

line sits at the same level in the hole as

Ongoing care Water it in well to ensure the tree has plenty of moisture to start establishing a

Trees that have their needs for moisture and nutrition met will perform well and have a natural resistance to pests little need for spraying, so it’s a good investment to give them regular, small

Apples for small spaces

be given a deep watering once a

Apples are traditionally a large tree up to 6 metres tall, but most of the popular varieties these days are also available as (standard trees grown on dwarf root stock), (trees bred for their small stature, such as

also be fed with applications of

(such as the ‘Skinny’ Despite their smaller stature, these

in spring, summer and again in autumn ® of every two weeks will also promote strong growth

below and a little beyond the drip line (the area of soil underneath the branches) with or

21

Ashley Searle

Most lawn weeds begin their germination and growth in winter so this is the perfect time to commence an eradication program for a weed free lawn through the spring and summer

lawn type as not all sprays can be used

are mown, they will start to re-grow immediately and it is while they are in their growing phase that they are

your lawn type, select the sprays that are

Another way to suppress weed growth in winter is to apply or and Most weeds grow well in soils that are

the spray does not damage the turf before

Applying lime or dolomite will help reduce the soil’s acidity, making it

a chart of the most common weeds that

Gypsum helps aerate the soil, creating a good environment for

the weed, you need not worry as most The best time to spray is about 3-4 days

favour lawn health and vigour over

Identifying the most common weeds For best results when spraying, always add a wetting agent such as the spray stick to the weeds better which gives a better directions on the bottle for rates and coverage and use a pressure sprayer for best

Fleabane

22

Nutgrass

Fuchsias

for you

There are many different species of fuchsia, most of which originate from the tropics or subtropics of there are some from cooler zones,

This can also trigger further them hard again at the end of winter (wait until after

Fuchsias are perfect as ‘semi-indoor’ plants, grown

Whether you grow your fuchsias in pots or hanging baskets, choose a large

reputation, fuchsias love

the plant from becoming pot bound and stop the

to less than 10cm, always If rust or mites make an with after appearance, control them with a major pruning and tip prune on a regular basis to (make sure you spray Remove the berries that the insect itself — spraying the

a cool, shady spot in summer your plants as the seasons conditions is important, but that is not a problem because fuchsias are ideal for growing in pots and hanging baskets!

Fuchsias will also perform well in a permanent position with

or a basket 40cm wide is a

so if yours are not performing as well as you’d like, make sure they’re getting enough

Home delivery!

If using a terracotta pot, ensure it is sealed, otherwise For baskets, the coir-lined mind hanging baskets can be especially prone to dry-out, so only use

however will produce sparse,

Ask at your garden centre for the

into

Subscribe and have the About the Garden Magazine delivered to your door!

Name: .....................................................................................

Age:

help with water and nutrient

25–35

36–45

46–55

55+

Address: ..................................................................................

City: ............................... State: .............. P/code: ...................

Fuchsias need to be kept need a ready supply of

Phone: ...................................... Fax: ......................................

To keep your fuchsias well fed, sprinkle

Email: .......................................................................................

Enclosed is a cheque for: 1 year ($18.00)

need to be watered every day in normal conditions

provide the slow release of nutrients they need and will avoid any burning or ‘spikes’

OR charge this to my:

leaching of nutrients that can

fortnightly feed with will also keep

Card no:

®

Visa

2 years ($30.00) Mastercard

Card holder’s name:........................... Expiry date: .................. capacity to hold water and the minimum of care, use only

The secret to growing beautiful fuchsias is in a ‘rejuvenating prune’ in early autumn to maintain

Signature: .................................................................................

Please send this form to: About the Garden P.O. Box 70 Kilcoy Q. 4515

Email: atg@aboutthegarden.com.au

Phone: (07) 5422 3090 Fax: (07) 5497 2287

www.aboutthegarden.com.au Winter 2013

23

Grow tasty herbs, vegies and beautiful flowers using SEAMAX 速. The SEAMAX 速 range are high concentrated formulas that will give outstanding results and help reduce plant stress from pest & diseases, heat & cold.

www.searles.com.au