Your home & backyard november 2017

November 2017

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Marcia and Pet er Jensen shar e their garden in Flax ton See page 26

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Home

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Sweet problem

What do you do when thousands of bees invade your home? Call your local ‘Bee Busters’ of course!

Last week Maleny apiarists, Hinterland Bees, were called to a Sunshine Coast home where their walls were buzzing, to rescue a massive swarm of around 40,000 bees.

When residents Tracey and Derek first saw insects entering a gap in the brickwork of their David Low Way home they thought wasps were building a nest.

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Little did they know a colony of honey bees had decided to set up residence inside their walls.

An inspection from Hinterland Bees using a thermal imaging camera revealed that the beehive filled out at least two stud spaces with as much as 60kg of honeycomb and tens of thousands of bees.

Scott Whitaker from Hinterland Bees said that at this time of the year they are getting plenty of calls about bee swarms and those swarms are looking for new homes, usually in the cavities of buildings and trees.

“Once they move in, they don’t take long to explode in numbers and fill out these spaces with their brood nest and honey stores,” explained Scott.

“While honey bees aren’t naturally aggressive, they can be defensive of their home and can sting anyone or anything they perceive as a threat, including humans and our pets.

“The longer a colony occupies a space, the bigger the hive becomes. Once the colony reaches a certain size it will eventually swarm again, with the old queen leaving with half the population of bees.

“It’s not uncommon for this new swarm to move into another wall or ceiling cavity of the same building, doubling the problem for the home owner.”

Honey bees play an important role in our environment and Hinterland Bees strongly advises against homeowners trying to take

For a backyarldl ynour eeds

matters into their own hands by poisoning.

“Poisoning is rarely successful, with surviving bees becoming very aggressive, not to mention the fact that it doesn’t deal with the bigger problem of what is left behind: up to 100kg of honey which will attract vermin and the comb will slowly degrade leaking huge quantities of honey inside the wall or ceiling cavity,” Scott said.

He said the colony will be removed through a process called a ‘cut-out’, which sees the plasterboard wall cut open and the bees removed using a special vacuum. The honey comb and brood will be placed into a standard bee hive before being moved to one of Hinterland Bees’ apiary sites near Maleny.

All things going to plan, the end result will be some beautiful honey on the shelves of the Maleny IGA. “It’s a time consuming job with the a few stings along the way, but well worth it when you are saving the bees,” said Scott.

“And the homeowner ends up with some honey straight out of their own wall!”

If you find your home has been invaded by a swarm of bees, there are a number of local apiarists who you can contact, including Scott from Hinterland Bees in Maleny on 5313 4070 or 1300 278 448 and Bruce from Beerwah who can be contacted on 0418 833 997.

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• Professional Water Tank Cleaning & Sanitisation • Water Filters Supply & Service • Water Treatment • Bacteria & Virus Control • Tannin & Iron Removal • Bore & Spear Water Correction • Acidic Water Correction • Water Testing • UV Disinfection • Minimal Water Loss

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0404 302 723 Having worked for many years in the water treatment industry as well as the commercial cleaning products business, Allen brings with him many years of experience. Allen lives locally, on tank water, so he can fully appreciate all the benefits as well as the potential hazards associated with stored water.

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Glasshouse Country & Maleny News

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www.savagelandscapesupplies.com.au Glasshouse Country & Maleny News

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Home

& Backyard

Hidden gem at Flaxton

Hidden away down the end of a cul-de-sac in Flaxton, Marcia and Peter Jensen thought their life was almost idyllic, living on one acre of fertile soil, gardening and pottering about their rural residential block.

Then they agreed to open up their garden as part of the 2017 Gardening on the Edge event, organised by the Maleny Garden Club.

Suddenly, they had to make sure that their garden was ready for hundreds of visitors, walking about, poking at things, sniffing at flowers, asking questions, and probably sneakily taking away a few 'samples' as well.

Will the camellias be flowering, do the beds need remulching, is the grass green enough, will the chooks behave, where will the buses park, will there be enough for people to look at, what if it rains, what if it snows (that’s just going a little too far ... it was June, but really, Peter – snow!)

But over the months before, Marcia and Peter worked everything out, and for that one weekend in June, their property on the Flaxton hillside shone.

Their garden is a good typical example of what can be achieved on a slightly larger residential block – but one which is fairly common for this part of the world.

In one way, the slope of the block gives an opportunity to create a range of levels and areas, which the Jensens have used to their advantage.

With the house set back from the street, they had the opportunity to create ornamental gardens feeding left and right off the main driveway.

Luckily for them, the neighbouring property includes a substantial lake. This has given them the perfect backdrop and Peter and Marcia used the opportunity well to ‘borrow’ the landscape from their neighbours.

By doing this, they’ve enhanced the outlook from their garden and property and created the illusion of a larger space, without having to invest in creating and maintaining something substantial.

This is a clever approach and something gardeners should consider – instead of screening a neighbour, maybe borrow the vista as your own.

Their structured gardens are laid out in an unstructured way, with paths meandering between. They’ve used established trees as the frame and filled the spaces beneath with a range of perennials.

As any gardener would know, if you have something which looks spectacular or unsusual, everyone who comes will most likely ask “what’s that called?”

Name tagging plants is an easy way to negate

the need to remember the tricky names of things ... and it’s so easy to forget over time just what variety that pink rose is.

As productive gardens go, Peter and Marcia have it pretty well sorted. Luckily their volcanic soil means that fertility isn’t an issue, but it still needs organic matter to maintain a healthy soil ecology.

An older garden shed has cleverly been converted into a chook house, complete with choko vine.

Having the chicken pen directly adjacent to the vegetable gardens makes it easy to dispose of the garden waste without having to cart the material too far.

Fencing the chook run is also a smart approach, as it’s important to protect your feathered friends from predators and other wandering animals.

The idea of free ranging birds in smaller blocks sounds holistic, but in many cases ends up with the chickens suffering serious injury or death.

Peter’s next stage is a native garden at the rear of the block. As many native plants have different soil, water and nutrient requirements from standard garden plants, it’s a good idea to create separate beds for your prize native plant collection.

Overall, Marcia and Peter have achieved a well balanced, relatively easy care garden, which ticks all their boxes and, as was obvious on the open day, ticks a lot of other people’s too.

Make sure you mark Gardening on the Edge into your diary for next year. It will be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 9 and 10.

Please call for a Quote - Pallet racking, longspan shelving, raised floors.

Supply & Installations, Brisbane to Bundaberg www.racknstackwarehouse.com.au or Call Phil 0402 781 157 26

Glasshouse Country & Maleny News

iLandscape Sunshine Coast is your

ONE STOP SHOP: FOR LANDSCAPING IDEAS AND MATERIALS iLandscape Sunshine Coast can assist you with everything you need to get the job done right. From Quality Landscaping Products to choosing the correct contractor, we are here to assist your every landscaping requirement. Our staff are Fully Licensed & Qualified in Structural Landscaping and can assist you with starting your own DIY Project. Get the right advice the first time from the friendly team at iLandscape Sunshine Coast.

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27

Go Green Landscape Supplies open now!

Locals will be pleased to know that as of November 9, Go Green Landscape Supplies has officially opened up at 37 Moroney Place, Beerwah.

New owners, Andy Manuel and Roger Bennetts (pictured) have been hard at work getting the old landscaping yards cleaned up and ready for business.

Being a local and having worked for the past 13 years in the civil and landscaping field, Andy could see the need for a local landscaping yard to be re-established again in the area and joined forces with long-time friend and fellow gardening enthusiast, Roger, to revamp the old Moroney’s yard to bring back the local service, but bigger and better than ever.

After the site having been closed for the past six years, Andy and Roger are excited to be able to offer everything the locals need for their backyard jobs, big or small.

With new stock arriving daily, they have plans to set up a dedicated native nursery as well as supplying all of your exotic favourites.

They will also be your go-to guys for garden equipment to buy or hire and will be offering their own mowing and garden clean-up service as well as all your usual landscaping supplies ... by the bucket or truckload!

Andy and Roger would love for you to drop in and have a look around and let them know what it is you need. They are keen to hear from as many

locals as they can, just what it is that you would like to see in your newest local landscape yard, and if they don’t already have it there, they would be happy to get it in just for you!

Open seven days for your convenience, don’t wait for the new signs to go up before dropping in, they are ready and waiting to hear your feedback (and footy tips!).

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Glasshouse Country & Maleny News

Get the best looking lawn in the street

Grass is Grass... right?

An attractive looking lawn can add value to your property and street appeal to your home. So getting the most from your lawn starts by choosing the right Turf.

At Wild Horse Turf we take pride in helping our customers select the best Turf for their needs. Whether you are after a show home look or just want somewhere for the kids and pets to play, we will have the Turf for you.

Want to know how it looks and feels?

Then why not head out to our Farm and let Brett our Sales Manager show you around and discuss which Turf option is a fit for you. The quality of our turf is second to none so you will not be disappointed.

Go ahead and give Brett a call today to book your visit on 5496 9790 or 0414 648 130.

Orders over 100m will receive a 10kg bucket of our specialty turf fertiliser

which contains the nutrients that are essential for early root establishment and healthy plant growth

Call us for a Free Quote 5496 9790 www.wildhorseturf.com.au Glasshouse Country & Maleny News

29

In theGarden What’s on for gardeners in December

• Elimbah-Caboolture Herb Club – December 1,

it’s our Christmas party! If you’d like to learn

more about the wonderful world of herbs, call

Ruth on 5496 7649 to find out more.

• Faunawatch – No event for December. Phone Paul on 0422 429 594 for details on how to get involved.

• Native Plants Sunshine Coast – December 10, 10am. Let’s celebrate 10 years for Native Plants Sunshine Coast at The Orangery at Cairncross Corner, Maleny. Cost: $12 per person for morning tea. We have to pay a deposit based on the numbers attending, so please RSVP to Marie by December 5 on email: npscevents@gmail.com. Happy Christmas to you all.

• Hibiscus Society, Sunshine Coast Branch – no December meeting, it’s our Christmas Party. For more information on learning about hibiscus, call Audrey on 5476 2771 or Ted on 0407 440 999.

• Glasshouse Country Orchid Society – Our next formal meeting will be on February 8, 2018 at the RSL Hall in Glass House Mountains starting at 7.30pm. Come a little earlier if you have plants you want to show off.

New members are always welcome, so don’t be shy. Contact Robyn on 0427 138 168.

• Peachester Garden Club – No December meeting. For more information on joining the group, phone 5496 9169.

Gifts that Grow

With Spencer and Karen Shaw You’re likely to hear this from me at any time of year, but this cool moist end to Spring and start for Summer is a perfect time for planting and working in the garden, orchard or bush.

Here at Forest Heart Eco-Nursery we’re all about getting the best in native plants and fruit trees into your life, providing beauty, colour, food and a sustainable environment for you and our native wildlife – “Gifts that Grow”.

Great fresh new plants that we have in-stock for the garden include Grevilleas Yamba Sunshine, Flamingo, Autumn Waterfall and Raspberry Hooks, Ptilotus Mulla-Mulla, Scleranthus, Scaevolas/Fan flowers, Tassel Cord Rush, NSW Christmas Bush, Asteromyrtus Fireball and Lomatia silaifolia. In the trees we have a range of Figs, Scentless Rosewood, Tuckeroos, Firewheel, Barklya, Marblewood, Blue Quandong, Steelwood and many more. Fresh in the fruit trees we have Feijoa, Jakfruit, Carambola/Starfruit, Lychee, Grafted Mango R2E2 and a great range of Citrus.

To help improve your plants growth Forest Heart is also stocking Rocky Point sugar cane mulch and Earth Life fertilisers and soil stimulants. In our shop we also stock a great range of native plant and animal books, Hollow Log Homes, bushfood teas, eco-arts and fashion and more.

As we close in on the silly season, consider “Gifts that Grow” for friends and family. You can pick great value “Gifts that Grow” yourself or come and see us about a gift voucher.

Eco-Nursery • Native Plants • Fruit Trees • Habitat • Education OPEN 20 Coral Street, Maleny Tuesday to Saturday Call 07 5435 2193 (visit our website for opening hours) www.forestheart.com.au 30

Jobs for the yard in December

• If you haven’t done it yet, prune your azaleas to keep them nice and compact, and give them a feed with azalea fertiliser. Spray them with Confidor or Multiguard to protect the leaves from the dreaded azalea lacebug.

• The wet humid weather is heaven for vegetable caterpillars and grasshoppers. They can strip leafy green veggies overnight. Hand remove or spray with a natural spray (such as Dipel) every couple of days. Remember that water washes off any sprays – so repeat after rain or watering.

• Tunnelling ants are active and can cause headaches in pot plants.

Drown them by watering with soapy water, maybe with a few drops of a garden insecticide.

• Paw paw trees which have grown too tall cut be cut back now. Cut the stem to 1m off the ground and cover the cut top with a large can.

• Prune back your grevilleas by a third and feed them with a low phosphorus fertiliser. This simulates being burnt back in a bushfire, and stimulates them to grow more branches – more branches means more flowers.

• Don’t forget to slip-slop-slap when you go out in the garden, even if it is for a short period. Try to do most of the work in the mornings or the afternoons, so that you miss the heat of the day. Take a water bottle with you too – keeping well hydrated is just as important.

• Tidy up the garden for Santa – he doesn’t think too highly of a messy garden.

Vegetables Plant tomato, capsicum, snake bean, okra, eggplant, sweet corn, lettuce (leafy varieties), radish, sweet potato, cucumber, zucchini, choko, pumpkin, rockmelon, watermelon and rosella.

Flowers Plant cosmos, marigold, salvia, zinnia, begonia, celosia, gomphrena, sunflower, torenia, ageratum, aster, impatiens and coleus.

Plant of the month

M.R.W.L. We care about our environment

Black She-oak Allocasuarina littoralis Black She-oak is an erect conical shaped tree which has dark fissured bark which looks black at certain times of the year. This fast growing tree is a dioecious plant... this means it has separate male and female trees. The male tree bears showy red flowers in spring and the female plant has clusters of small fruiting cones which hold the winged seeds. This species can attain up to 12 metres in height on favourable sites and grows on a wide range of sites, but is most common on well-drained soils on hills and mountain slopes, and prefers full sun to light shade. Black She-oaks produce excellent timber for a wide variety of uses including woodturning and even burning, as they produce very little waste. In the past, its wood has been used for tool handles, yokes, furniture, farm buildings and roof shingles.

They make an excellent wind break and the wind sounds wonderful as it sighs through their branches and needles. Allocasuarina littoralis are one of the favourite food trees for the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo. Most properties would benefit from planting a couple of these hardy charismatic trees.

Mooloolah River Waterwatch & Landcare Inc. Steve Irwin Way, Mooloolah 5494 5074

Phone: 5439 0999 Fax: 5439 0077 paintplacebeerwah@tpg.com.au

1/28 Simpson St, Beerwah Q. 4519

Glasshouse Country & Maleny News

Glasshouse Country & Maleny News

31

Home

& Backyard

Real Estate

How does our garden grow at Peachester? Dual living, large family home or B&B? Contributed by Sally Joyce No garden can grow well without regular watering! The last warm dry winter was a test for volunteers assisting with the Peachester State School Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program. Lots of helpers kept our garden growing.

Now, with many thanks to the Coochin Creek Fruit Growers Co-operative, our garden will be a lot easier to water.

On Monday our school presented Co-op Manager Steve Williams with a certificate of appreciation for their very generous donation of an irrigation system that will allow our garden to be watered regularly with the turn of the tap.

Peter Mundy from Queensland Water Services has committed a donation of labour to install the irrigation system, which will be up and going before the summer school holidays.

Earlier in the year Katya Spierling donated 10 winter bearing blueberry trees that are going to love their new drip watering system.

The children are eagerly awaiting their crops of popcorn, rockmelons and watermelons to mature and will soon be putting in cover crops for the summer holidays.

If you are a community member interested in volunteering your skills, knowledge, time or items to our garden during 2018, please contact the school and stay in touch with our wish list.

Nestled comfortably amongst the glorious Glass House Mountains, this spacious five-bedroom family home is waiting for a new family to call it ‘home’.

It features wide verandahs around three sides, open plan living opening on to an outdoor entertaining area, high ceilings, large chef’s kitchen with loads or storage and bench space, main bedroom with ensuite and spa bath and walk-in robe, plus three queen-size bedrooms all with built-ins, plus a study or fifth bedroom.

With ceiling fans throughout, this handy location at 2010 Old Gympie Road, Glass House Mountains is priced at $715,000.

Also on the fully usable 4000m2 block is a fully self-contained two-bedroom cottage with bathroom and large undercover outdoor area and double carport, privately spaced and separated by low maintenance gardens from the main home. This is a great space for extended family, teenage retreat or home office, and it is currently rented and returning $900 per month.

Plus, there is a liveable shed/office/workshop with air conditioning and its own bathroom, the shed house is also rented as a liveable shed and returning $900 per month.

The main home has solar and each dwelling has its own 5,000 gallon rainwater tank. This home ticks all the boxes and is perfect for a large family or home business.

Offering a wide range of living options, this property is well worth an inspection. Please call to arrange an inspection. Phone Donna Girdler, First National Beerwah on 0417 357 167.

Manager of Coochin Creek Fruit Growers Co-operative, Steve Williams, with Jaxon H and Libby H

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Glasshouse Country & Maleny News