About the garden spring 2014 magazine

Pellets not available in WA.

Available nationally from all good gardening outlets.

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Prayer to St Jude - ‘The Patron

Saint of the deus, I salute

Oh, glorious Apostle, St Jude Thad

martyrdom for Thou who didst gloriously suffer beseech you, I ter, Mas e Divin the love of your ain always obtain for me the grace to rem

le Con Sear

Front Cover Photography: Geranium ‘Pinktastic’.

Available from your local garden retailer this spring!

Managing Director: Conway Searle Contributors: Claire Bickle, Noel Burdette, Alana Searle and Ashley Searle Magazine Manager: Alana Searle Design & Layout: Alana Searle ATG Group Co-ordinator & Advertising: Jason Searle About the Garden is published seasonally by About the Garden Pty. Ltd. ABN 21 076 919 992

The material appearing in About the Garden is subject to copyright. Other than as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publishers. No responsibility is accepted by About the Garden Pty. Ltd. for the accuracy of information contained in the text, illustrations or advertisements. Although believed to be accurately and correctly sourced, thereof disclaims any liability against itself, editor/s or employees arising from any person acting on the material herein. The opinions expressed in the magazine, or by contributors, do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. ©Copyright 2014 About the Garden Pty. Ltd.

The About the Garden Magazine is proudly produced from sustainable resources.

About this issue...

Features

Bright Sparks Knock Out Natives for Urban Spaces Spring Flowering Beauties Spring Flowering Trees Classy Cliveas Very Berry Recipe - Berry Parcels Citrus - Pest & Diseases

4 6 8 13 15 18 20 22

Regulars ATG Spring 2014 handy hints & tips ATG Spring 2014 garden diary

12 16

Bright Sparks

Euphorbia millii - Crown of Thorns

birds &

bees

lomvee

With Spring well and truly in the air, it’s a great opportunity to bring bright colour into all parts of the garden.

Right now the nurseries in your district will be brimming over with colour and choices can seem endless, but by considering a few small factors, you can ensure that your purchases can bring that excitement.

Noel Burdette

4

Many brightly coloured flowering or foliage plants often don’t require large spaces to showcase their beauty and are sometimes best shown off as potted specimens placed on tables as centrepieces or to frame stairs or simply used as potted features on their own.

Depending on your gardening tastes, this spring you will find many different kinds of colourful plants that are incredibly well suited to potted culture that will last for many years.

One of first to show their brilliance is the beautiful Hippeastrum Hippeastrum reginae. These bulbs are amazing with their large flowering heads that emerge from a dormant bulb in early spring and sometimes last until Christmas!

Needing well-drained, sunny sites, Hippeastrums are perfectly suited for pots and can be mass planted for a large display.

They can be combined with smaller annual plants around their base such as alyssum or lobelia for a softening effect.

The flowers can be cut and brought indoors for further enjoyment. When not in bloom, the handsome deep green foliage will look lush and cool for any location.

Bringing bright colour into your outdoor spaces is a lot simpler than what you may think. Having smaller plants in pots will provide you with an opportunity to enjoy their beauty up close and (hopefully) have them for many years to come.

Happitunia ‘Bubblegum’ shows off its abundant flowering display for long periods.

Hippeastrums

In recent years, Eupho rbia millii and its hybrid cultivars have become quite the po pular choice for many people living in high rise apartments, small courtyards or who trave l frequently. The Thai hybrids with their large colourful flowering bra cts in a wide array of candy colours are sim ply irresistible in pots.

Needing only a deep watering about once a week during summe r and even less during winter, these are the perfect choice as gifts for anyone who may not be as dedicated or experienced with garde ning. Look for the smaller growing versio n available at all garde n centres. This is called the “forever flo wer” or Euphorbia “Sa mona” and is widely available in scarlet red , but a cream and delicate pink is also available.

Euphorbia millii - Thai Hybrid Euphorbia millii

5 Aechmea ‘Primera’

Aechmea Brom eliads

Visit About the Garden website to find out more on how to propagate bromeliads. http://www.aboutthegarden.com.au/index.php/4-easy-steps-to-propagating-bromeliads/

Caladium bicolour variety

Gazania ‘Sunset Jane’

Another worthwhile bulbous plant to consider is the old fashioned and still popular Caladium or Bleeding heart, Caladium bicolour. This warm season bulb begins emerging at this time of the year and will remain on foliage all the way through until next autumn when once again, they begin to die down for their winter dormancy.

Caladiums would have to be one of the easiest plants to grow in pots. A semi shaded spot suits them best and regular watering through the hottest part of the season will see these delightful plants produce brightly coloured heart shaped leaves in tones of red, lime green, white, pink, and combinations of all four!

Gazania ‘Montezu ma’

Gazanias have be en in gardens fo r as long as I can yet there are a fe remember w cultivars that I have found to pe in pots. One such rform better cultivar, the Gaza nia “Sunset Jane particular. Its brig ”, is one in ht orange double flo wers are simply yet unlike other spectacular gazanias, it does not spread as re best showcased ad ily and is in a pot. All Gaza nias flower for m of the year while an y m onths the weather is wa rm and respond monthly applica well to a tion of a soluble fertiliser such as Searles Flourish.

Removal of the spent flowers will encourage more to be formed. Ga zanias of all kinds are the pe rfect choice to en courage more pollinating insec ts such as bees int o our gardens.

Pandorea jasminoides ‘Bower of Beauty’

Whether you are looking for groundcovers, climbers, shade trees or shrubs there are natives to suit every garden aspect and position. With shrinking backyards gone are the days of planting large native trees. If you have the space that is fantastic but if you are on a smaller block of land don’t despair, there are a spectacular range of smaller growing natives to suit.

Claire Bickle

6

Pandorea jasminoides ‘Bower of Beauty’. This vigorous climber hailing from N.S.W and Qld is a beautiful evergreen climber that lends itself to a variety of garden styles. This particular species has a few cultivars, which bear blooms in a range of pinks and white. There is another species Pandorea pandoreana that has also three stunning varieties ‘Golden Showers’, ‘Ruby Bells’ and ‘Snowbells’. These have smaller flowers but none the less are very showy when their masses of clusters appear all over the vine.

Tecomanthe sp. ‘Roaring Meg’. The Fr creeper is slo aser Island w to get sta rted but onc established e it has itself and th e first blosso you realise ming occurs it was worth the wait. Th large dark sa e amazing lmon pink cl usters of bell flowers born shaped e in spring a re stunning sight to beho and really a ld. Growing anywhere fro every garde m 2-5m, ner should m ake space fo these climbe r one of rs. Preferring a warm sub climate in e tropical ither full sun or semi-shad e.

Paper Daisies

Kangaroo Paws

Grevillea cv ‘Dorothy Gordon’ Now I love Grevilleas of all shapes, sizes and colours but this new release is pretty spectacular, having the most unusual mauve and purple toothbrush type flowers framed in a bush of grey foliage with bronze coloured new growth flushes. Growing 3m by 2m it is a decent sized shrub that will lend itself for use as a screen, all the while attracting bees, and a broad range of bird species not only for its Syzygium ‘Cascade’ nectar but for nesting habitat space as well. As with all Grevilleas, drainage and full sun is a must and only native fertilisers that are low in phosphorus should be used. A great native fertiliser to use is Searles Robust Native Plants.

7

Grevillea ‘Dorothy Gordon’

Syzygium ‘Cascade’. This lilly pilly is an outstanding cultivar for backyards, producing the most stunning pale pink powder puff flowers throughout spring and summer. It will grow to around 3m high and 2m wide. It can be used as screening, hedge, or specimen plant and will happily grow in pots as well.

They flourish in a full to semi-shade position and in soil that is humus rich with good drainage. They will like a reasonable amount of water to look their best especially during times of drought. The flowers are attractive to bees and birds.

Scaevola aemula

Casuarina glauca ‘Cousin It’

Corymbia ‘Summer Beauty’

Note: Some natives mentioned in this article may not be suited to your climatic conditions. Natives cover a wide variety of plant species and growing conditions. Please check with your local garden centre which natives grow well in your area.

‘Native Daphne’

8

Pomegranate Punch’

Superbells® Series Calibrachoa Hybrid Flowering: Flower right through the warmer months from early spring to late autumn.

Prostrate with abundant, small petunia-like cascading growth.

20cm H x 30cm W Position: They do best in full sun.

Features: Well suited to containers, baskets, patios and gardens. Continuous flowering.

Care: Allow the top of the soil to dry before watering again.

Calibrachoas don’t like wet feet. Use Searles Peat 80 Plus if planting in baskets and pots. Fertilise with Searles Flourish every few weeks to promote more blooms. No dead heading necessary. days Habit: flowers.

Size:

Superbells® ‘Doubles’ Series Calibrachoa Hybrid

Flowering: Spring through to Autumn Habit: Beautiful double flowers, semi-trailing habit Size: 20cm - 25cm H x 30cm - 35cm spread Position: Full Sun This range with their full-double flowers come into flower early in the season. Their excellent branching, semi-trailing habit and medium vigour make them ideal as a stand-alone feature in any size of pot. They’re even more impressive in combination plantings.

‘Double Yellow’

‘Double Ruby’

we

love

With a firmer and stronger habit than most petunias, ‘Happitunias’ bear smaller, but far more profuse blooms than your average petunia. So fast-growing and effective as a ground cover, ‘Picasso in Pink’ is perfect for smothering weeds. In pots and hanging baskets, it has a trailing habit and cascades over walls and rockeries. Give it full sun and plant 40cm apart for good coverage.

‘Picasso in Pink’ is self-cleaning with fresh flowers covering the old ones. This variety is ideal for gardeners who like an easy to care for plant with some show stopping appeal. Water when soil is dry and fertilise every fortnight during flowering seasons with Searles Flourish Soluble Plant Food.

9 $1 from each plant sold is donated to the Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation

Dianthus ’M emories’

These heavy flowering compact plants have similar growing requirements to Dianthus ‘Memories’. Dry tolerant. Great for low edging, ground cover, cut flowers and rockeries.

Sugar Plum

Coconut Sundae

The Dianthus Scent First Collection, including ‘Memories’ arise from the same amazing Dianthus breeder in the UK.

These creamy white, deliciously fragrant flowers are ever-popular. Many new forms are available including double, semi-double, single, golden-flowered and ground cover varieties, all of which carry that alluring fragrance that beckons admirers. All gardenias are acid-loving plants, requiring a soil pH of around 6 to 5.5. Gardenias are susceptible to magnesium and Iron deficiencies. Searles Flourish Azalea, Camellia & Gardenia Soluble Plant Food applied every fortnight will usually prevent such problems and maintain general vigour. The crisp, white gardenia blooms appear freely both in mid spring and autumn.

The most popular gardenia is ‘Florida’ which only grows about 1 metre tall and spot flowers throughout the year.

UÊ 1«ÊÌ ÊÓ ÊÌ> Ê­`i«i ` }Ê ÊÛ>À iÌÞ® UÊ Õ ÊÃÕ ÊÌ Ê } ÌÊà >`iÊ UÊ V ` VÊÌ Ê iÕÌÀ> Êà °Ê ii«ÊiÛi ÞÊ ÃÌ° UÊ ÊV >Ìið UÊ «« ÞÊSearles Azalea, Camellia & Gardenia Plant Food every 3 months.

‘Florida’

‘My Love’

10

Origanum ‘Bellissimo’ Flowering: Stunning plum coloured blooms appear in summer and early autumn with lovely aromatic foliage.

Habit: Compact small shrub with an attractive weeping habit.

Size: 20cm H x 40cm W in gardens.

Position: This plant is ideal for long-lasting, bright garden colour as a potted specimen or planted in the garden in rockeries and borders or to spill over retaining walls and enbankments. Tolerant of hot and dry conditions. Plant in a full sun position. Remove old growth.

Daphne ‘Spring Pink Eternal Fragrance’ are prized for their repeat The strongly perfumed

flowering. Flowers fade from pink to pale pink to almost white in summer. This variety is well suited as border, hedge and small garden plants. For optimum results trim lighty to maintain shape and vigour. Frost hardy and heat tolerant. Does well in cooler climatic zones. Plant in full sun to part shade. 60cm H x 90cm spread.

Azalea ‘Fielders White’

11

Escallonia ‘Pink Elle’ Flowering: Stunning summer displays of dense upright pink flowers fading to white.

Habit: Compact habit with glossy dark green leaves all year round.

Size: 1m H x 1m spread in gardens.

Position: Plant in full sun to part shade. Use this plant as a low ornamental hedge or fantastic container display. This plant is trouble free and easy to grow.

Keep moist during extended dry periods and whilst flowering and fertiliser with Searles Flourish Soluble Plant Food.

12

‘After’

Hydrangeas are deciduous and frost tolerant.

They will flower once clivias have finished, prolonging your display of blooms.

They make excellent cut flowers. Plant hydrangeas in a rich, well drained soil and keep them moist for best results. Feed with Searles Kickalong Fruit & Flower Organic Plant Food before flower buds form to promote robust and plentiful blooms.

‘Before’

by Renee Gusa

Abi and her fath er, Peter

After two years of cultivating nothing but weeds down the western side of my home, I decided to take action, but what to grow! After some deliberation, I decided the spot would be ideal for an herb garden, not only as most herbs are lower growing plants, but most have shallow root systems, so I wouldn’t have to ‘wheel barrow’ too much additional soil in.

Step 1.

I bolted some sleepers against the fence line with cement to create a raised garden bed. Therefore making it level and decreasing the possibility of soil being washed away during heavy rain. NOTE: make sure when you use timber or sleepers in your garden that they are treated against termites.

Step 2. I filled the raised garden with bags of Searles Garden

Soil. Alternately, mix into the existing soil bags of 5IN1™ Organic Plant Food and leave the soil to rest for several days before planting.

Step 3. Once the seedlings were planted, following seed

packet guidelines, I gave them a good drink of SeaMax® Fish & Kelp. This product assists with decreasing ‘plant shock’ aka plants suddenly dying after planting due to root damage.

Step 4. After watering, I generously spread a layer of sugar cane mulch (approx. 4cm in depth) around the seedlings. Mulching is very important. WHY? Because mulch provides a barrier for the plant to keep the root system cool during hot summer days and also assists in retaining moisture, therefore you don’t need to water as frequently to have your plants looking healthy.

13

Jacaranda

Jacarandas - put on a show in spring with pretty mauveblue flowers that cover the tree. Look out for the white flowering variety ‘White Christmas’ which is smaller and bears its flowers in clusters.

Silky Oak - is native to Queensland and New South Wales rainforests. The largest of the grevilleas, it is hardy and fast growing and can reach a height of 30 metres, although it has an elongated habit, growing taller than it grows wide.

Its golden flowers are a treat for wildlife.

Tabebuia - is a good, reliable tree with few pest problems. Tabebuias tend to stop traffic when in flower with their showy pink or yellow flowers covering the entire tree. It is a great choice for repetitive flowering though the warmer months. They are semi deciduous and tend to lose their leaves prior to flowering.

Illawarra Flame Tree - A handsome tree even when not in flower, its maple-like leaves are typically shed in summer to make way for a stunning display of scarlet flowers. They prefer a warm climate and sunny position.

ia Yellow Tabebu

IIlawarra flame tre e

Malus ‘Rejzam’ Rejoice

TM

Valued for its masses of rose-pink spring flowers followed by burgundy coloured crab apples from late summer, this crab apple tree loves full sun and is adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions. The leaves are dark green with a slightly burgundy-maroon overcast and in autumn change to a medley of yellowyorange tones. Reportedly disease resistant and a moderate grower, growing to 5 x 4 metres at maturity. This upright, slightly oval shaped tree makes for a wonderful garden centre piece. Also look out for the similar Malus ‘Shotizam’ ShowtimeTM which grows slightly taller and its new leaves emerge in an attractive purply-bronze tone. Both varieties grow best in well drained, slightly acidic soil.

Suitable for growing in temperate regions, parts of SA, VIC, NSW and lower areas of ms sso blo me Malus ‘Shotizam’ Showti QLD and tableland regions.

Malus ‘Rejzam’ Rejoice

Prunus ‘Pink Snow Showers’

A superior weeping form, this pretty pink ornamental cherry will delight with a floriferous cascade of single blossoms in early to mid spring and a golden display of foliage in autumn. Flowers best in full sun and planted in fertile soil, this weeping beauty is a show stopper. Grows to about 2.5m H x 1.5m W. Flowers well in areas of cooler climates.

14

...continued from page 13 Beautiful small tubular, violet blue flowers appear from thick stems throughout spring on this Mist Flower (Eupatorium megalophyllum) shrub. This evergreen shrub grows to about 2m high with large velvety leaves adorning the plant during the year. This shrub grows best planted in light shade, protected from summer heat and it does do well in frost areas. After flowering, prune back shrub to about one third for strong re-growth. Plant Mist flower as a backdrop to smaller shrubs and border plants for a stunning garden display.

ALL ZONES

For prolonged and more prolific flowering, fertilise your flowering plants with Robust Flower Booster Plant Food.

This plant food contains an instant fertiliser plus a controlled release fertiliser for months for spring feeding.

BATober

is the perfect time to remind everybody NOT to use anti-bird drape netting over fruit trees. October is when most bat babies are born. They only have one baby a year. If you can put your fingers through the holes in the netting, you could injure or kill innocent flying-fox mums with bubs aboard going about their important night shift, pollinating trees and dispersing seeds over many kilometres while feeding on nectar, pollen and fruits. Wildlife friendly netting won’t catch wildlife or snag on branches and lasts many years. Look out for wildlife friendly netting such as Hailguard (www.fernland.com. au). For QLD residents only, see www.bats.org.au or call the free 24/7 Bat Rescue service on 0488 228 134 for more information. For other states, call your local wildlife representative. Another great website is www.wildlifefriendlyfencing.com

For more information on garden hint & tips and what’s on visit

www.aboutthegarden.com.au

15 This hardy perennial brings a lush, tropical look to the garden all year round with its lush, strappy foliage and bold coloured blooms and needs little care once established. Clivias are excellent for growing in dry shade such as under the canopy of a leafy tree. They look spectacular planted en masse, especially when in flower. They also tolerate root competition from nearby plants such as shallowrooted palms.

Did you know?

Clivias make excellent cut flowers and can look great for more than a week in a vase.

David Grays Garden Problem Solvers

AVAILABLE FROM ALL LEADING NURSERIES, GARDEN CENTRES & HARDWARE STORES.

16

Mandevilla ‘Pink Fantasy’

Darwin

Cairns Broome Townsville Whitsundays

N.T.

Mackay

Mt. Isa Longreach

Alice Springs Carnarvon

Emerald

Blackall

W.A.

Hervey Bay

QLD

Gympie Roma Toowoomba Warwick

Coober Pedy

Geraldton Kalgoorlie

Rockhampton Gladstone

S.A. Port Augusta

Perth

N.S.W.

Albany

Victor Harbour

North Queensland Tropical — Wet & Dry Tropics

Mt Gambier

Armidale

Orange

Adelaide

Gold Coast

Grafton Port Macquarie

Tamworth

Bunbury Esperance

Moree

Sunshine Coast

Brisbane

Newcastle

Sydney

Canberra Wodonga

Vic.

Melbourne

Sow ageratum, amaranthus, begonia, chrysanthemum, cockscomb, coleus, cosmos, dahlia, dianthus, everlasting daisy, gazania, geranium, gerbera, impatiens, kangaroo paw, marigold, nasturtium, petunia, portulaca, rudbeckia, salvia, snapdragon, sunflower, torenia, verbena and zinnia.

Herbs

Plant basil, chilli, chives, dill, ginger, mint, oregano and parsley.

South-east Qld & Northern NSW Subtropical — Coastal

Tas.

Flowers

Hobart

Flowers

Plant mandevillas (dipladenias) around your pool enclosure for cheerful colour throughout the swimming season. This is a compact climber, so is unlikely to obscure your view of the pool. For screening, try bougainvillea or allamanda which flower beautifully and can obscure an unsightly shed or fenceline.

REGIONAL ZONES Tropical Subtropical Temperate Cool Mediterranean Arid

Sow ageratum, aster, balsam, carnation, chrysanthemum, cockscomb, coleus, cosmos, dahlia, dianthus, everlasting daisy, gazania, geranium, gerbera, impatiens, kangaroo paw, marigold, nasturtium, petunia, portulaca, rudbeckia, salvia, snapdragon, sunflower, torenia, verbena and zinnia.

Herbs

Basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme.

Fruit & Vegetables

Fruit & Vegetables

Sow beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, chicory, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, melons, mustard, onion, parsnip, potato, pumpkin, radish, rosella, silver beet, squash, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato and watermelon.

Plant beetroot, capsicum, carrot, chilli, Chinese cabbage, choko, corn, cucumber, french beans, eggplant, leek, lettuce, onion, radish, rockmelon, silver beet, spinach, squash, sweet potato, pumpkin, tomato, watermelon and zucchini.

More advice...

More advice...

Complete any digging or landscaping work before the weather becomes too hot. Divide cannas. Plant ornamental trees. Prune established plants for bushier growth — especially those which have just finished flowering. Fertilise and mulch well.

Spray mangoes with Searles Mancozeb fungicide after flowering to protect them from anthracnose - a common cause of fruit drop. Spray passionfruit with Searles Bug Beater, a natural pyrethrum spray to control sucking and chewing pests.

Anthuriums

Magnolia ‘Coco’

Sydney

Adelaide, Perth

Mediterranean Climate

Temperate areas

Flowers

Flowers

Sow amaranthus, aster, balsam, begonia, carnation, chrysanthemum, cockscomb, coleus, cosmos, dahlia, dianthus, everlasting daisy, gazania, gerbera, impatiens, marigold, nasturtium, petunia, phlox, Iceland poppy, portulaca, rudbeckia, salvia, snapdragon, sunflower, torenia, verbena and zinnia.

Herbs

Basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme.

Fruit & Vegetables

Sow beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, chilli, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, endive, lettuce, melons, okra, onion, parsnip, potato, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb, rosella, silver beet, spring onion, squash, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato and zucchini.

More advice...

Plant fruit trees and vines. Divide clumping plants such as agapanthus, canna, liriope, iris and clivea. Protect seedlings from snails and slugs.

Remove spent flowers to induce new blooms. Plant deciduous and fruit trees. Keep lawns weedfree with Searles range of weed killers. Prune winter flowering trees, such as bottlebrushes and wattles. Feed citrus with Searles Fruit & Citrus Food.

Peach tree in blossom

17

Sow alyssum, antirrhinum, aster, begonia, carnation, cornflower, cosmos, dahlia, daisies, dianthus, foxglove, gazania, impatiens, marigold, petunia, salvia and zinnia.

Now is the time to buy deciduous magnolias, which come into flower at the end of winter. Different types have different soil, position and space requirements so always ask at your garden centre to make sure you have the best variety for your area. (In warmer regions, evergreen varieties like Magnolia grandifolia or ‘Little Gem’ can be more suitable.)

Melbourne Cold & Southern Tableland areas

Flowers

Sow alyssum, antirrhinum, aster, begonia, carnation, celosia, chraysanthemum, cineraria, cockscomb, coleus, cornflower, cosmos, dahlia, dianthus, foxglove, gazania, hollyhock, impatiens, lobelia, marigold, petunia, salvia and zinnia.

Produce

Sow basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme.

Sow broccoli, carrot, celery, cucumber, lettuce, silver beet, snow pea, spinach, strawberry, sweet corn, zucchini and tomato.

More advice...

Lightly prune passionfruit vines for new flowers and fruit. Mulch gardens before the temperature heats up. Now is the time for planting garden colour.

Fertilise with Robust Flower Booster.

Inland Areas

Arid or Outback areas

Flowers

If planting flowers, use advanced pots to ensure a good flowering before it gets too hot (by November/December).

Try petunia, vinca, cosmos, marigold, salvia, portulaca, nasturtium and zinnia.

Herbs

Produce

Sow basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme.

Protect plants from heat in late spring.

Inland areas have a good climate for growing all types of herbs.

Fruit and Vegetables

More advice...

Sow beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, endive, leek, lettuce, onion, pak choi, pea, radicchio, silver beet, snow pea, spinach, spring onion, strawberry, sweet corn, zucchini and tomato.

Stop planting most vegetables by spring, although beans, capsicum, onion, radish and sweet corn can still do well. Harvest by summer.

Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

More advice...

Deciduous fruit trees like apples, pears and stone fruit do more than bear delicious crops. Each spring, they put on a magnificent display of blossoms. There’s no need for warm-climate gardeners to miss out, either, with low-chill and ‘tropical’ apple and peach trees now available.

Apply mulch over all garden beds in preparation for warmer weather. If using a woody mulch, first dig in some 5IN1TM Organic Plant Food or Blood & Bone to the soil. Repot indoor plants that have become root-bound.

Watch out for aphids on citrus trees and spray with Searles fully organic Ecofend Vegetable & Garden. Start clearing bulb foliage to divert more energy into it’s bulb production.

Evergreen vine with perfumed star-like white flowers appearing in spring and summer. Ideal for screening or a pot specimen.

It is such one of life’s simple pleasures to walk about in your garden in the warmer months and notice rich juicy berries ready for picking.

For most the temptation is too great and they are consumed right there and then.

Alana Searle

18

There’s nothing better than the sweet flavour of home-grown strawberries! Loved by children and adults alike, it’s little wonder this easy-to-grow groundcover is among the most popular food crops in Australian home gardens. With its pretty white or pale pink flowers and familiar red berries which curiously bear their seeds on the outside, strawberries will crop throughout spring and summer with many varieties continuing through autumn.

Everywhere outside the tropics, new strawberry plants are best planted in June and July. (Tropical gardeners might prefer to put them in earlier, say from March to May to give them the longest growing season). Give strawberries a sunny position and improve the soil by digging in plenty of 5IN1TM Organic Plant Food before planting. Good drainage is essential, so build up garden beds if your soil is heavy clay. Strawberries are also ideal for growing in pots, planters or even in hanging baskets on a sunny balcony or courtyard.

Maintain a good layer of mulch over the soil. This will conserve moisture, but it will also keep fruit in good condition by preventing it from touching the ground. Strawberries produce runners which makes them easy to propagate. It is recommended that strawberry plants be removed, thinned and the runners replanted every few years to ensure good crops and avoid overcrowding. Birds love strawberries as much as we do, so protect them with netting or place wire cages over your plants to protect your crop.

Raspberries are generally available throughout garden retailers to plant in winter and depending on the variety, flower and fruit at different times from late spring to late Autumn.

The raspberry plant is a suckering shrub with cane-like stems that can grow up to 2 metres in height. Plant in a sunny spot as a hedge or in rows as a garden bed divider supported by a trellis or posts. Raspberries grow best in cooler climates and don’t like hot temperatures so if you live in the tropics or subtropics plant mulberries instead. Raspberries grow well in well-drained and rich, well composted soil so before planting, dig into the soil 5IN1TM Organic Plant Food. They have shallow roots so protect their roots by applying mulch around, but not touching the base of the plant. Fertilise in spring when flowers appear with Searles Fruit & Citrus Food.

Raspberries take 4 to 6 weeks to fruit. Harvest when they turn their iconic red colour. Prune back heavily tired and old canes after fruiting for a bumper crop the following year and keep stems away from the ground.

19 ALL ZONES

Mulberries will be forming on their trees soon. Unlike raspberries and boysenberries which prefer a cool climate, mulberries are hardy in most parts of Australia. They generally grow as tall as a tree, but you can prune them to remain in a shrub. Dwarf varieties suitable for pots and small gardens are available in garden centres.

Do you have Silkworms?

Mulberry leaves provide a steady supply of food.

Mulberry trees love a sunny position with lots of room to grow. Plant them in a well drained, compost enriched, slightly acidic soil. Mulch well around the roots and fertilise with Searles Fruit & Citrus Food in early spring.

Beware the ripe fruit stains and when the birds have a feed they make a big mess, so plant in a space away from driveways and patios. The mulberry tree produces fruit on new growth so they perform well if pruned to desired height that is easy for picking. They are fast growers so they will bounce back very quickly. Prune in late autumn after fruiting has finished.

Mulberry trees are deciduous in winter with new leaves appearing in spring. The red fruit develop to their distinctive purple colour quickly in early spring in tropical and sub-tropics regions and more gradually in cooler regions giving these regions an extended harvest period. Harvest mulberries when they are fully ripened on the tree. Mulberries do not ripen after they are picked. They are also liable to spoil so promptly eat, cook with them or freeze them for later use.

If you're looking for something more unusual, there's a form with white berries (M. macroura ‘Shatoot’) which are sweeter and have a more subtle flavour.

When berries are in season they are irresistibly juicy and a must to pick, but bewa re of the birds.

Neighborhood po ultry know when is the right time to pick them as well. Ne t fruiting bushes with bird and bat friendly netting available from go od garden and produce centr es.

Due to the height blueberries bushes grow, approx. 2m high, they are ideal for sunny spots in small gardens and container planting. Like azaleas, blueberry bushes are members of the Ericaceae family and flourish well in slightly acidic and well draining soil. If planting into the ground, mix Searles Azalea, Camellia & Gardenia Specialty Mix into the soil. This mix can also be used for planting in pots. Blueberry bushes have shallow roots with fine, fibrous, surface feeding roots, so after planting, add a top layer of Searles Mulch Plus over the soil to protect them from extremes of weather. Plant blueberries preferably between late autumn and spring to give time for the plant to establish it’s root system before the onset of flowering in spring.

Generally, potted blueberries are available in garden centres all year round.

Blueberries love warm days and cool nights. Depending on where you live in Australia white belled shaped flowers start appearing on the bush in spring. Then a month or two later the flowers wither and the fruit appears. As a general rule, blueberry bushes flower earlier in Queensland and Northern NSW compared to their southern states. Harvest fruit when it turns to a deep dark blue colour and the fruit easily comes off the tree with a light twist with the hand.

Blueberry bush will flower at different times during its flowering season, so you should have a healthy supply of berries for many months.

Prune any dead branches and unproductive shoots to encourage fresh new grow. A light tip prune will also be beneficial. Fertilise plant before and during flowering with Searles Fruit & Citrus Food to encourage more fruit.

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Recipe Page

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15-20 mins INGREDIENTS 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 cup of berries (fresh or frozen) Milk for brushing Sugar for dusting Spray oil ALTERNATIVE: Use tinned peaches, apricots, apples or any other fruit of your choice in place of berries. Just make sure they are not too wet to avoid the pastry on the bottom getting soggy.

REFRIGERATE LEFTOVERS: This recipe can be refrigerated and served hot or cold the next day.

Recipe provided by Kids Dig Food - kidsdigfood.com.au

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Pre-heat oven to 180°C, partially thaw the pastry sheets and line a baking tray with non-stick paper.

Using cookie cutters, cut shapes of your choice from the second pastry sheet and place one on top of each berry parcel.

Cut one of the pastry sheets into 4 even squares and place them on the prepared tray.

Place Âź cup of berries in the centre of each pastry square.

Fold the corners of each square of pastry into the edge of the berries so the shape resembles a octagon.

Brushing the pastry with milk (if needed), pinch the corners together, leaving the top open.

Brush each pastry parcel with milk, sprinkle with sugar (if desired) and give them a light spray with oil before placing them in the oven.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Serve immediately.

22

range Bronze O

ph Bug nym

Citrus trees are one of the most productive and easy to grow trees in the home garden but just us we love to reap its awards so do pests and diseases. Here is a list of the most common aliments of the citrus tree.

Citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella) tunnels through the young leaves of citrus trees which creates silvery lines. Finally, it curls the leaf into a shelter and pupates within. This can severely distort the leaves, but mature trees are not likely to be seriously damaged. To protect young trees, spray new growth thoroughly with Searles Pest Gun.

Melanose affected citrus fruit

Two-spotted Mite

Two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae) affects ornamentals, fruit trees and some vegetables. Affected leaves have a mottled appearance or can be bronzed or shrivelled. Leave them to natural predators, but if the problem is severe, spray Searles Rose Pro. Watch out for these brightly coloured bronze orange bugs on citrus trees and flowers. They suck the sap from young stems and damage new growth. They give off a bad smelling substance when threatened so its best to spray them with Searles Conguard to control their numbers.

Small female wasps lays her eggs inside the branch of a citrus when the weather starts to warm up in spring. By summer time new tiny wasps escape from the swollen growth leaving the branch deformed. The citrus gall wasp does not directly kill the citrus tree but when repeated attacks occur it severely deforms the tree branches inhibiting normal growth. If you see lumps starting to appear cut the branch off promptly and remove the affected branch away from the tree.

Scale found on the leaves and stems of citrus are from sap sucking insects laying their eggs underneath the protection of a hard waxy dome shell.

Once the immature ‘crawlers’ hatch they spread and multiply rapidly. Severe infestations can lead to branch dieback, leaf drop and yellowing of the leaves. Control red scale, white and pink wax scale with an organic oil spray Searles Ecofend Natural Solutions Fruit & Garden. Some soft scale, such as white wax scale and black scale secrete a sticky like substance ‘honeydew’ which then attracts the fungus sooty mould and ants to the plant. The ants protect the scale from predators, letting them proliferate even further. Treat the ants first.

Gall Wasps lay the ir eggs in side branch es

Citrus Leaf Miner

The Queensland fruit fly is common in the warmer tim es of year. After mating, the fem ale lays her eggs under the skin of the fruit. When the maggot-like larvae hatch, they burrow deep er into the fruit causing it to rot.

Searles Fruit Fly Trap is an effecti ve reusable trap to monitor and cont rol fruit fly activity around vegetabl es, particularly tomatoes, and ar ound citrus trees.

It contains a wick that attracts mal e fruit flies, traps and kills them, stopping the breeding cycle.

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

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.

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

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.

Red Scale

is unique. Reject products said to be "just as good", nothing is at all "like it". For further information send 2x60c stamps to:

GG20-260/02

Available in 100g, 1Kg & 4Kg Sizes.

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

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

terpillar Large citrus ca us) (Papilio aege

Melanose is a fungus that can multiply quickly in wet weather.

Little dark brown, raised spots appear on immature leaves, twigs and fruit. In severe infestations, Melanose can cause fruit disfigurations and wood rot. Remove dead wood from your citrus where the spores lay and spray with Searles Copper Oxychloride when fungus is first sighted.

The small and large citrus butterfly caterpillar can strip citrus trees of their leaves and produce a strong foul odour when disturbed.

Though, this smelly, spiky and unattractive caterpillar will turn into a beautiful butterfly. If infestation is severe, spray tree leaves and branches with a natural Pyrethrum insecticide such as Searles Bug Beater. Alternatively you can hand pick them and squash them if you can handle the smell.

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