18 • REAL ESTATE
The Property Guide – Friday, May 2, 2014
bendigoh mes gardening
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UTUMN has arrived with nights closing in and a real chill in the air. There’s a promise of more autumn rain and some cool but sunny days ahead so we need to get stuck in and start preparing for autumn/winter plantings. It’s time to clean up garden beds by weeding and start that composting. There will be plenty of clippings, weeds and leaves to go in it. Choose a warm spot as the heat speeds up the process. You can purchase ready-made bins or tumblers, my favourite, or build one from sleepers. Start it off with some leaves, add a little garden lime, soil, more leaves and weeds, annuals, old veggies from the vegetable
patch, kitchen waste, not too much citrus, it takes a long time to break down. Add a bit of hay or straw and you’ll soon have a great brew. By spring you should have some wonderful compost to add to your garden, but remember to give it a good turn over every couple of weeks. Don’t let it get too wet or it will take ages for it to compost and it will stink. Getting ready for autumn/winter pruning starts with good sharp clean tools. Buy the best garden tools you can afford, look after them by keeping them sharp, clean and oiled and they’ll last years. I still have an old pair of secateurs given to me 25 years ago, still with the same blade and used on a daily basis. Shovels, spades,
The rusty leaves crunch and crackle Blue haze hangs from the dimmed sky The fields are matted with sun-tanned stalks Wind rushes by. The last red berries hang from the thorn tree The last red leaves fall to the ground Bleakness, through the trees and bushes Comes without a sound.
Autumn by Joan Mitchell
Take it away The Greenaway Way
WITH SUE PHILLIPS Bendigrow Garden & Living Centre, Tannery Lane Strathfieldsaye
mattocks, anything used for digging or cutting should have a good edge on it, if you don’t know how to sharpen tools, find someone who can. It’s still not too late to prepare your vegetable beds with plenty of time left to plant winter veggies. Plant cauliflower, cabbage, onion, carrot, Asian greens of all kinds, garlic, snow peas, leeks, spinach, silver beet and many more. I’ve had a few people asking for seed potatoes, it’s still a bit early for them in Bendigo. Perennial plants like Salvia, Penstemons and the wonderful new varieties of Agastashe are all worth planting now. You could also plant a few nectar producing plants for the birds for winter feeding, like grevilleas, correas, Kangaroo Paw and banksias. Remember to top up water in birdbaths when we haven’t had much rain, the birds and small animals enjoy a splash! With Mother’s Day not far away (May 11), traditional Chrysanthemums are an ideal gift with so many colours and styles of flowers. Cyclamens also make a wonderful splash of colour and can be planted in the garden too. This is a very special Mother’s Day for me this year as my Mum (my gardening mentor) turns 90, which will be celebrated with family from both here and overseas.
A solution to a growing problem N OW that Autumn is here, there is no better time to spend in the garden preparing it for next spring’s inevitable growth. And that’s where Greenaway Bins can help. With an affordable fortnightly garden waste collection service you’ll be joining the thousands of other residents who are already doing the right thing by recycling their excess garden waste with a Greenaway Bin. Your garden compost bin can take care of a lot of your green waste but there are still occasions when extra capacity is required For just $110 you can help the environment while keeping your garden clear of excess garden waste. With around a third of Bendigo’s recyclable green-waste dumped into landfill each year and with Bendigo’s landfill nearing capacity, it’s as good a time as ever for an environmentally friendly alternative. “We are always hearing prospective customers lamenting the mistaken fact that Bendigo doesn’t have a green waste service,” Anthony said. “In fact if you visit the City of Greater Bendigo’s website and search for green-waste services it will direct you right to our website at greenawaybins.com.au.” Greenaway Bins servicing Bendigo, Castlemaine and Maldon fortnightly.Phone 1300 033 606 or 5439 4740 and join the many households already taking advantage of this economical and environmentally friendly service.
Bendigrow GARDEN & LIVING CENTRE PH: 5 4 3 9 3 9 9 7
Greenaway Bins customer Narelle Stone said it was the environmental aspect that motivated her to contacting Greenaway Bins. “We found that our rubbish bin was always more full of garden waste than anything else. We down sized to the smaller council bin and have found the savings have almost paid for our Greenaway Bin. The biggest saving of all is the easy disposal that gives us more time to relax and enjoy our garden, with the knowledge we are reducing the landfill problem.”
GIFT RS E H C U VO BLE A L I A V A
ONLY $110
1300 033 606 or 5439 4740
www.greenawaybins.com.au
For Mum on
Mother’s Day
Chrysanthemums, Roses including Mothers Love and Mother & Daughter, Cyclamens, Camellias in flower, Giftware and lots more
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