Let the cold weather begin! May brings the first frosts, cold nights and a blaze of Autumn colour and leaf fall from our deciduous trees and shrubs. There are lots of trees still bearing beautiful autumn foliage such as the Crimson Sentry Maples, London Plane trees and Golden Elms but by the end of the month, most deciduous trees will be completely bare and in their stark, sculptural winter form.

However, it’s not all grim for May as there are some beautiful flowers blooming and a lot of delicious fruit to harvest. Get some gardening gloves ready, as there are quite a lot of things to get done during this time, in preparation for the months to come.

Check out our articles about the Top 10 Autumn Trees, Top 10 Autumn shrubs and Top 10 places to visit in Victoria this Autumn.

Mother’s Day! Sunday, 14th May!

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, come to the nursery and get some lovely plants to treat your mum and grandmother. We have a big range of indoor plants to brighten up the kitchen or living room, some fragrant flowers, flowering trees and so much more at very low prices! Or you can also get a gift voucher, which might be more convenient. These can be mailed by post or emailed and can be redeemed in-store or even online.

Top picks for mum!

Forget the boring common bunches of flowers that everybody buys, and get something that will undoubtedly make mum happy for years to come! Here is a selection of the best fragrant and beautiful flowering plants that keep on giving!

Make sure to check out our article about the Top 10 plants for Mothers coming soon!

What is flowering right now?

There are some beauties just about to flower, such as camellias, begonias, salvias, Dianthus and some delightfully scented daphnes.

• Cottage Flowers. Add some popping colour to your garden and attract and feed the pollinators.

• Camellias. Queens of the winter flowers, Camellias are attractive evergreen shrubs that are highly prized for the beauty of their exquisite blooms, their splendid evergreen foliage and their compact shapely habit.

 

May in the Garden

Frosts & Frost Coverings

On still, cold nights, frost forms on our lawns, windscreens and makes our early morning starts even more difficult, particularly getting out of bed!

In May, frost really only forms in regional areas and the very outer suburbs of Melbourne, where it gets cold enough to form ice. Conditions have to be still with no clouds, and temperatures that drop below freezing.

Cold air is heavier than warm, so frost stays low to the ground and often rolls downhill, pooling in low points or gullies. Hedges and fences can catch rolling frost down a slope, which can cause a rather frosty spot.

How does frost form?

Frost forms from water vapour in the air, coming in contact with an object that is below freezing temperature.

So basically, when the moisture in the air touches a freezing cold windscreen, the moisture sticks to the windscreen and turns to ice!

When it comes to our plants, they expel energy continuously throughout the day and the night. Energy is warmth! During the day, their expelled energy is replaced by radiant heat from the sun, but at night time they become cooler as their warmth is not continually replaced. When the plant cools enough to get to freezing temperatures, frost can then form on its leaves.

You may notice under large trees there is little to no frost. Large trees shelter the plants and grass underneath. Their canopy radiates energy downward from the underside of their leaves, as these “breathe out”. This expulsion of energy keeps the area under the tree warmer for longer during the night. This is why planting your more frost-sensitive plants under trees and shelter can help protect them from frost.

Some plants can handle frost better than others. The moisture inside of the plant’s cells freezes and like all frozen water expands it can cause stress on the cells and therefore damage the plant. When the ice is quickly thawed by the morning sun, it causes the most damage to the plant.

If your plants have been damaged by frost, don’t cut off the damaged foliage until the frosts have finished as this dead foliage will actually act as protection for future frosts.

How to tackle frost

• Cover your frost-sensitive plants with sheets, newspaper or straw, making sure to remove it the following day.
• Lightly water your plants before sunrise by a sprinkler system (or by hand if you’re really keen!) This can prevent frost from forming. You can lightly water frost affected plants, which gently thaws the ice, reducing the damage from the frost.
• Use plastic sleeves and stakes to protect plants in open areas

Weeding

Weeds run rampant this time of year. You may have seen more and more popping up in the garden such as Bindii, Capeweed and the culinary Mustard weed.

Due to the increase in moisture from the autumn rains, the soil is loose, making weeds easier to pull out. As some of these weeds are just starting to appear it is always good to get them out while they’re young and their roots haven’t taken hold. If your weeds don’t have seeds on them, chuck them into your compost for added nitrogen!

Free plant nutrition in your autumn leaves! 

Most of the leaves have fallen off the trees so we now have an abundance of free plant food!

Every year, hundreds of Victorians begrudgingly get out their rakes and green bins and begin to rake up those fallen leaves to toss out. But little do they know they are throwing away valuable material. Almost everything in the garden is recyclable and leaves are certainly no exception.

Leaves naturally fall around trees, creating a soft, decomposing bed around the base of the tree, keeping the soil protected and warm as well as eventually breaking down and improving the soil. Trees are very clever and prepare their own soil!

In smaller gardens, fallen leaves should be removed to allow the lawn to grow (as leaf-littered lawns will die in patches) and prevent them from harbouring snails and slugs, as they love living in this moist environment.

Collect and store your autumn leaves for use throughout the year. It is best to try and compost or decompose your leaves from the beginning as dried leaves are a hot spot for earwigs to nest. These little pests usually help the decomposition process but they can also cause a lot of damage to your lush plants, much like snails and slugs! If you want to store them dry, store them in a sealed container so these pests can’t get in.

You can store your precious collected leaves in a large barrel, garden bin or even a garbage bag. Water them down to keep them moist and promote fungal growth, furthering the decomposition. If they’re stored in a large bin, layer them like you would your compost bin, with high nitrogen plants to replace the nitrogen the leaves have lost. (This would be a great use for all your pulled out weeds!)

Leaves can also be added to your compost if it is smelling bad from too much vegetable matter and this adds phosphate, potassium and other essential elements.

Leaves take 6-12 months to break down and become useful compost/mulch for your garden beds.

Bare Root is coming…

It’s almost time for BARE ROOTED FRUIT TREES and other wonderfully cheap deciduous trees! Winter marks the time for bare roots so it’s best to get your garden beds prepared.

Till your soil, create a loose, well-draining medium and make sure it is free from pests and diseases. Turn in any fallen autumn leaves and ready compost you may have so it can rest for the month before planting. Give the bed good watering to keep all your microorganisms happy and healthy!

More information about Bare Rooted plants & why we love them here.

Evergreen Fruits

If you haven’t done so already, get your citrus and evergreen fruit trees in the ground now. That’s all your lemons, limes and oranges as well as guavas like Feijoa, Chilean and Strawberry guava. Dig a hole twice the size of the pot and water the hole. Partly fill your new hole so that you can place the plant’s root ball into it so the top of the root ball is level with the top of the soil. Back-fill with a light, fluffy soil or well-composted soil, nothing too rich. Keep weeds and lawn away from the base of the tree as these plants have shallow roots and don’t want to compete for water and nutrients. Mulch around the base, keeping the mulch away from the trunk. This will keep the weeds away, and the soil warm and moist until the spring. Water once per week or as needed as even winter can be dry! Some fruits that you can harvest right now are persimmons, various citrus fruit, feijoas, raspberries and strawberries.

• Citrus plants. We have some nice big mature plants with fruit already on them! These are fantastic varieties that were originally destined for Victorian fruit farms, so you know they were born to produce fruit, plus they are on Sale right now.

• Berries. Put in some delicious berries for that homegrown freshness.

• Various fruit. Here is a great selection of the most popular and rare dwarf varieties, ideal for small spaces. Some are in limited quantities, so better hurry up.

The Vegetable Patch

Green Manure Crops

Not everyone is keen to be gardening in the cold of winter! You can simply grow some green manure crops and let them do their thing. When you chop and drop them right before Spring, they will decay and improve your soil nutrition and texture!

Late autumn-winter is bean and pea planting season. These wonderful, plentiful veggies are best planted now. They add nitrogen into an otherwise depleted veggie bed and provide an abundance of peas and beans at the same time! Two for one! At the end of the season, your veggie bed will be ready for your spring crop.

For a good green manure crop plant beans such as broad or fava bean, peas, oats, fenugreek, lupins, subterranean clover and woolly pod vetch. You can find them as green manure seed packs, sold by several companies across Australia.

Other things to note…

• Before planting Autumn and Winter veg, enrich your soil by top dressing with some compost and manure and let it settle for a week. If the soil is too hard from being baked by the summer heat, you can gently turn it over to incorporate some organic matter into it, which will make new crops grow better. If you have hard or clay soil you can also add some soil wetter to make water penetrate more easily and retain moisture.
• Give new seedlings a good boost with an application of liquid fertiliser after a week and they will reward you later on.

Winter veggies to plant now!

Autumn and winter veggies that should either already be in the ground or need to be planted now are as follows:

-Greens such as silverbeet, leeks, celery, watercress, lettuce, rocket, and spring onion.
-Herbs such as  parsley, thyme, oregano, coriander etc
-Asian greens such as Pak Choi, Kailan, Choi Sum
-Brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussel sprouts.
-Root veggies such as beetroot, turnip, radish, parsnip, onions, carrots and garlic.
-Legumes such as sugar snap/Snow peas and broad beans.

Check out our available range of vegetables and herbs.

Fertilizing

Due to the frequent rain in Autumn, nutrients leach away from the soil. Nitrogen or Nitrates are the most common essential nutrients that leach away, along with other highly soluble minerals such as calcium. You may tend to notice discolouration or yellowing leaves on your plants.

Use slow-release fertilizers or seaweed solutions instead of traditional instant “NPK” ones. These take time to break down and give a steady supply of nutrients for a few months. Choosing the right fertilizer for the right plant is important as these contain trace elements that the specific plants require which are often scarce in normal soil.
Gardenias, Camelias and Azaleas can use some fertiliser right now as they are about to bloom!

Click here for a full list of fertilizers.

Click here to view a chart of various possible deficiencies in plants. 

Pests and Disease

Humid and cool conditions can cause a proliferation of pests and diseases in the garden. Identify them early, treat them, and keep your plants healthy all through Autumn and Winter.

Cabbage Butterflies and Moths are the most common at the end of Autumn. White Cabbage butterflies lay their eggs on our Brassicas, such as broccoli and cauliflower. Little green caterpillars hatch from these eggs and then get to work chewing holes through the plants. There are several ways to control them:

-Netting- You can protect your young crop by covering them with netting that would prevent the butterflies from reaching them.

-Companion plants- Plant some strong-smelling herbs such as lavender, sage, and rosemary that seem to discourage cabbage moths from settling and laying eggs. Try planting them around the edges of your patch to form an odour barrier. You can also plant decoy plants such as nasturtiums, dill, and mustard, which will draw egg layers away from your main crops.

–Using decoy ‘Scarecrows‘- Cabbage moths are highly territorial and will avoid laying eggs where there’s already competition for food. Use little decoys around brassicas to send them somewhere else. Here is a great little printable template that you can use. Click Here to see the template. This template was created by the Australian Butterfly Conservation.

– Dipel – An organic biological insecticide based on Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, which is an insecticide derived from beneficial bacteria found in soil, on plant surfaces and also in insects. It specifically targets caterpillars and is safe for beneficial insects such as ladybirds and bees.

Blackspot and Rust commonly affect Rose plants. If you notice any of those on your roses, you can cut them back lightly, remove the diseased leaves, spray the remaining leaves with some organic copper-based fungicide, and also fertilize them to encourage new growth and blooms.

Powdery mildew is one of the most commonly occurring plant problems at this time of the year. It is a fungal disease that affects plant leaves and stems, coating them in what looks like a white or grey powder-like substance. In severe cases, powdery mildew can even spread to the buds, flowers, and fruits of plants. A simple remedy is a good spray of the following mix: 1 tablespoon baking soda with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon dish soap in 1 gallon of water. Another option is a mix of 1 part milk with 10 parts of water. If this natural remedy fails to get rid of it, you can look into Sulphur based fungicides.

Root rot and Wet Feet are the most damaging ailments our houseplants can suffer from, and one of the most common. An infection can destroy a plant literally from the ground up. It spreads quickly, and without prompt action, it’s soon too late. Roots of plants affected by root rot may turn from firm and white to black/brown and soft. Affected roots may also fall off the plant when touched. The leaves of affected plants may also wilt, become small or discoloured. Affected plants may also look stunted due to poor growth, develop cankers or ooze sap. Once root rot is identified, you must determine if the plant can be saved. If the entire root system has already become mushy, it is too late to save the plant. However, if some healthy, white, firm roots exist, try to bring the plant back to good health by replanting in fresh soil with good drainage.Click here to read more about wetfeet.

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Here are our best sellers that are heavily discounted!

 

That’s all for this month! Thanks for reading our Gardening in May Article. 🙂

See you in-store here at 1477 Sydney Road, Campbellfield!

Gardening in Autumn, May in the Garden. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Hello Hello, dear gardening friends! December officially marks the start of summer here in Victoria and is the most exciting month of the year! Long summer evenings, garden parties, friends over for dinner, school holidays, vacation home getaways, and especially Christmas and New Year celebrations! Woohoo…how exciting! There are beautiful flowers blooming everywhere right now such as Jacarandas, Hydrangeas, Flame Trees, Daisies, and so many others, keeping the bees buzzing around all day long! The veggie patches have not had a great start this spring, with the constant rain, but the weather is turning around and the zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers, are finally starting to take off! Fruit trees such as raspberries, blueberries, cherries, and mulberries are loaded with delicious fruit to tempt our taste buds!

For the month of December, we have some fantastic deals such as:
⭐Spend over $300 and get Free Delivery to Metro Melbourne and major regional centers!
⭐Get Free Plants with our Rewards Program!
⭐Get a Free Garden Design with Chris!

 

Christmas Trees & Gift Vouchers!

🎄Potted Christmas Trees are in store Now!🎁🎅 If you prefer the look, feel, and smell of a real tree and if you can’t bear the thought of cutting down a tree just to use it as a decoration, why not use a live potted Christmas tree or plant!? We have a lovely selection of Pines and Spruces that you can use as your live Christmas tree for the next 10 years! They are slow-growing, easy to maintain, and can be kept in pots for a long time!

Click here to read more about how to take care of your Christmas Tree!

DORRBUSTER SPECIALS!

Here are some super Doorbusting Specials! Get them now as these are for a very limited time only and we have limited stock too!

 

Top Specials for the month!

Here are our best specials for the month!

 Click here to see all our Top Specials!

Star of the month!

The Chinese Star Jasmine! Easily the most popular groundcover and climber, Star Jasmine is picked for its heavily fragrant flowers and robust green foliage. An incredibly hardy and easy to grow plant, Trachelospermum suits most garden styles and makes a really wonderful cover for unsightly places!

You can currently get a FREE  12inch pot, 1m tall Star Jasmine when you spend $500 in store or online, as part of our Rewards Program!

Click here to see the Jasmine factsheet!

Bulk Deals

Need a large lot of plants for a garden or landscaping project and want wholesale prices? We provide bulk discounts of up to 75% off on certain varieties and sizes when you buy in bulk!

Click here to see all our bulk deals!

Cottage Gardens

 We have a fantastic selection of perennial flowering plants in store right now that are already flowering or just about to flower. You can easily plant these in your garden to make it pop with interesting textures and colors all Summer long.

Click here to see all our cottage flowers

Maples

This is a great time to choose your maple as they are looking their best at this time of the year, with their spectacular array of foliage types and colours. Maple trees can provide a striking focal point in your garden, be the perfect plant to put in a large container on your patio or grow into an impressive bonsai specimen. We have dozens of Japanese maple varieties in various sizes, with a large assortment of leaf shapes and colours ranging from shades of green to orange, red, purple, pink and variegated.

Roses

Most roses are blooming beautifully at this time of the year. Now is a great time to choose which one is your favorite in terms of color and scent, so make sure you check out our range of roses in blooming right now. It is also a good time to feed your roses with some balanced, bloom, or rose fertilizer. Keep an eye out for aphids that love to feed on the fresh new growth. A good tip for more blooms on your roses is to dead-head the spent flowers regularly as this encourages more flowers. Avoid overhead watering as this can cause fungal problems. Watering early in the morning is better than in the evening. Once established, roses are quite drought hardy so water deeply only every so often. They are available in several forms such as bush form, climbing form, carpet roses, weeping roses and as standard (ball on a stick).

Click here to see all our Roses!

Azaleas

We have a great selection of compact Azaleas on Special right now! These grow to 2mx2m or less! Create a beautiful display like this one for less than $60!

Indoor

Perfect for adding some life into your living spaces! They are great Christmas gifts too!

Hydrangeas

We have a fabulous range of Hydrangea varieties for your garden! These beauties radiate abundance because of the lavish number of flowers, their striking colors and the generous round shape! They are a must-have for any garden!

Fruits

Going into your garden, picking your own fruit, and enjoying them as fresh as they can be, is really a special feeling. If you choose a dwarf variety, you do not always need much space for them, as they are happy to grow in big pots and you can trim them to your preferred size. Now if you have space, by all means, plant a full-size variety and put them in the ground, and let them grow into bountiful monsters! You could then perhaps exchange or sell your surplus produce!

• Apples. It is apple season already! Imagine biting into a crisp and fresh apple right off the tree from your backyard! It is possible with our fantastic varieties, bred for commercial success! They are guaranteed to give you a bounty of apples in just a few years. Apple juice, apple pies, apple cider vinegar, dried apple crisps, there are so many great things to do with them!

• Citrus plants. We have a great variety of 4L pots that are on sale right now! Citrus trees have been hard to get and in high demand this year, but this batch is new. These are fantastic varieties that were originally destined for Victorian fruit farms, so you know they are born to produce fruit, plus they are very affordable.

• Berries. Here is a great selection of the most popular and rare varieties, ideal for small spaces. These are in limited quantities, so better hurry up.

• Other fruits. Here are some less common fruits that you will rarely find in supermarkets!

Veggies, herbs, and Greens!

• Summer/Spring veggies such as tomato, peppers, squash, eggplants, zucchini, chilies, and basil can now be safely planted out in the ground! It is warm enough for them to grow beautifully. Remember to water them in properly with some seaweed fertilizers, which will help them settle in their new spot. See the full list here.

• Chilies to keep you warm, just in case Summer does not!

• Before planting your summer crops, dig in a generous amount of compost and manure in your veggie patch as these plants are quite heavy feeders. If you have experienced blossom end rot on your tomatoes in the past, it could be that your soil is deficient in calcium, and adding some garden lime will fix this issue. Just be aware that garden lime also raises the pH level of soils high in acidity, to make them more alkaline.

• Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach and rocket will all grow well in the garden right now until the hot days of Summer are here. If you have limited space, you may want to favor Summer veggies instead and leave the leafy greens for the cooler months. You can also get creative and plant lettuce/rocket u around your tomatoes/capsicums. Planting them every couple of weeks will ensure a steady supply. See full list here.

• Culinary herbs are really easy to grow and can be grown in pots on your balcony or your patio. They will grow well in shaded, partly shaded, and sunny spots. You can harvest them and they will simply grow back. You can also chop them up, dry them and create your own mixed herbs for later use. Once you start planting your own herbs, you will never buy them at the supermarket again.

Click here to see them all.

Soil, Fertilising, and Mulching

• For your veggie patch, if you have very poor soil, mix in generous amounts of rich compost, manure, and also some blood and bone meal. If your soil is already quite good, instead of turning it over, try top dressing. Turning the soil over when you already have healthy soil will disturb the delicate worm and microbial systems, which take time to build and are important for good plant development.

• Improve the growth, health, and yield of your plants by nurturing the soil as an alternative to using fertilizers. You can do that by restoring the beneficial microbial activity in your soil with some compost tea.

• Put some rich compost or well-aged manure around your fruit trees, to give them the well-needed boost for the Summer fruiting season.

• It is best to give some liquid feed to Summer flowering annuals every couple of weeks with a complete liquid fertilizer, to encourage healthy and vigorous new growth. You can also add some slow-release granular fertilizer that will feed your plants over a period of 3 to 6 months.

•  When the summer heat comes round, it is important to have a nice thick layer of mulch on your soil to keep some moisture in the ground and also keep the roots of your plants cool. This will reduce the frequency of watering and prevent your plants to go through heat and drought stress. If you are putting mulch for the first time, make sure to choose the right ones as they change the PH of the soil when they break down. Pine bark mulch creates acidity when breaking down, so it is perfect for Azaleas or Camellias, whereas straw or sugarcane are recommended for veggie beds. Do not put mulch too close to the stems but rather around it, as this will encourage the roots to grow outwards to find water and make them stronger. Also, make sure to give the soil a good soak before mulching. When watering over mulch, it needs some extra water to make sure it penetrates into the soil.

Dead-heading and Pruning

After the beautiful first spring blooms, many of the flowering perennials are now covered with spent flowers, which are busy producing seeds inside. Some plants have a big flush of flowers at once, such as catmint, while others flower more consistently over the flowering period, such as daisies. The longer you leave spent blooms on the plant, the more resources or nutrients they utilize to produce seeds, and the plant will feel that it has completed its life cycle, i.e producing seeds to ensure the next generation. The best thing to do is to remove spent blooms as soon as the flower petals shrivel up. This will encourage more flowers to pop out.

Pests & Disease

Now that there are lots of new shoots and seedlings, coupled with some warm weather and a few showers here and there, there will be more insects in the garden. The humid weather is perfect for them to proliferate, feed, and cause damage to plants.

• Aphids, thrips, and mites. With the warm weather, these sap-sucking insects find their way into our garden to feast on all the new growth. If there are not too many, you can leave them to help build the beneficial insect population that will then take care of the bad bugs for you later on. Adult aphids eat thrips and mites and ladybugs also eat aphids, thrips, mites, and whitefly If you have an infestation, on the other hand, you can make some homemade aphid spray to apply under the leaves of affected plants. Mix 2 tsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp dishwashing liquid, and some garlic cloves crushed,  mixed in 1lt of water, and left to infuse overnight. This is completely safe for other beneficial insects. Also, think of planting some beneficial insect plants that will attract ladybirds and they will take care of aphids for you. A favorite plant for ladybirds is the Angelica herb. • For ants you could sprinkle some diatomaceous earth on the ground where there is a lot of ant activity but only when it is dry. You will have to reapply it after it has rained. It is a natural organic control method that will not harm other insects.

• Azalea Lace Bug damage to azaleas normally occurs on the leaves and will look like silvery, white, or yellow spots. This is caused by these azalea insects, literally sucking small sections of the leaf dry and killing that section of the leaf. As these azalea leaf pests move on across the leaf, more and more spots will appear. These azalea insect problems are best avoided in the first place. The azalea lace bug tends to attack plants that are already weakened due to poor fertilizing or watering, so make sure to take proper care of your plants. If your azalea shrub is already infested with these azalea leaf pests, you can try one of two methods for getting rid of them. The first is chemical controls and the other is organic control. Chemical control involves using insecticidal soaps (some of which are organic). Most off-the-shelf insecticides will effectively kill azalea lace bugs. For organic control of these azalea insects, you can try several methods. The first method to try is to spray the plant down with a sprayer on the hose. This can knock the pests of the plant and disorient them enough to prevent re-infestation. • Codling Moth attacks Apples and Pears. The moth lays its eggs on leaves and immature fruit as flowering finishes. The hatching caterpillars then burrow into the fruit and eat it from the inside.   Yates Success Ultra is a good product to control these. You can also use organic control methods such as neem oil or even physical barriers such as fruit bags. Welcoming beneficial insects in your garden will also help with the control of codling moths. • Keep an eye out on your Rose plants for common diseases such as black spot, rust, and mildew. If you have noticed any fungal disease in the past on your plants, now is a good time to spray them with some organic copper-based fungicides.

That’s it for this month!

All the best in your garden and wishing you a merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Hello Hello, dear gardening friends! It is already November and we are having quite a lot of rain here in Victoria with a few cool nights, followed by some warm days with much-needed sunshine! Things are starting to take off in the garden and we are being blessed with lots of blossoms and lush green foliage!

Traditionally Cup weekend has been used as a marker to plant out tomatoes and other summer crops, so if you have not done so yet, now is the time!

Callistemon, Geraniums, roses, and other cottage flowers are blooming beautifully, while Hydrangeas and Agapanthus are getting ready to bloom in the next couple of weeks. Summer veggies like tomatoes are growing very well and will soon require stakes to keep them from falling over and peppers are getting taller every day.  From clipping back your spring-flowering plants to mulching, there is always a lot to do, so let’s see what can be done in the garden right now.

We also have some fantastic deals such as:

⭐Spend over $200 and get Free Delivery to Metro Melbourne and major regional centers!
⭐Get Free Plants with our Rewards Program!

Top Specials for the month!

Here are our best specials for the month!

 Click here to see all our Top Specials!

Bulk Deals

Need a large lot of plants for a garden or landscaping project and want wholesale prices? We provide bulk discounts of up to 75% off on certain varieties and sizes when you buy in bulk!.

Click here to see all our bulk deals!

Maples

This is a great time to choose your maple as they are growing new leaves, putting on an amazing display, with their spectacular array of foliage types and colours. Maple trees can provide a striking focal point in your garden, be the perfect plant to put in a large container on your patio or grow into an impressive bonsai specimen. We have dozens of Japanese maple varieties in various sizes, with a large assortment of leaf shapes and colours ranging from shades of green to orange, red, purple, pink and variegated.

Click here to see all our Maples!

Cottage & Summer Flowers

• We have a fantastic selection of perennial flowering plants in store right now that are already flowering or just about to flower. You can easily plant these in your garden to make it pop with interesting textures and colors all Summer long.

Click here to see our cottage flowers in store!

Roses

Most roses are blooming beautifully at this time of the year. Now is a great time to choose which one is your favorite in terms of color and scent, so make sure you check out our range of roses in blooming right now. It is also a good time to feed your roses with some balanced, bloom, or rose fertilizer. Keep an eye out for aphids that love to feed on the fresh new growth. A good tip for more blooms on your roses is to dead-head the spent flowers regularly as this encourages more flowers. Avoid overhead watering as this can cause fungal problems. Watering early in the morning is better than in the evening. Once established, roses are quite drought hardy so water deeply only every so often. They are available in several forms such as bush form, climbing form, carpet roses, weeping roses and as standard (ball on a stick).

Click here to see all our Roses!

Native Gardens

Native plants are very popular right now as they can easily be included in any type of garden. Native plants have so many advantages as they have lower maintenance requirements, are easy to grow, and quite hardy. They require less water and are wildlife-friendly. If you want a fully Australian native landscape, then a natural design and layout work best. Crushed granite on curved fluid pathways, timber sleepers for edging beds, and rustic garden sculptures all fit together very well. The Facebook page Australian Native Plant Enthusiasts forum is great for some native plant inspiration and one particular garden that always catches my attention is the Rosella Rise Native Garden of Deb MC. It has such a beautiful combination of plants, colors, and textures that it would inspire anyone to start a native garden! Be sure to click on the link to see more of that amazing Australian Native garden. To create such a paradise, you can use a variety of grasses, desert plants, shrubs, ground cover, succulents, herbs, food plants, fruit and berries to create a diverse Australian native garden.

Click here to see all our native plants!

Standards

Standard plants are great for creating interesting gardens. They are easy to maintain and  create a 2 -story layered garden effect with your standards at the top and other plants growing at the bottom.

Fruits

Picking your own home grown fruit, and enjoying them as fresh as they can be, is really a special feeling. Dwarf varieties require much less space, and they are happy to grow in big pots and keeping them trimmed them to your ideal size. Now if you have space, by all means, plant a full-size variety and put them in the ground and let them grow into bountiful monsters! You could then perhaps exchange or sell your surplus produce!

• Citrus plants. Citrus trees have been hard to get and in high demand this year, but this batch is new in. These are fantastic varieties that were originally destined for Victorian fruit farms, so you know they are born to produce fruit, plus they are very affordable.

• Apples ARE ON SPECIAL!! Grow a few different varieties for best pollination and better fruits!

• Berries are so yummy and easy to grow. We have a nice selection of blueberry, blackberry, and strawberries. Perfect for healthy breakfasts or desserts

• Various fruits. Here are some other interesting fruit trees for you.

Veggies, herbs, and Greens!

• Summer/Spring veggies such as tomato, peppers, squash, eggplants, zucchini, chilies, and basil can now be safely planted out in the ground! It is warm enough for them to grow beautifully. Remember to water them in properly with some seaweed fertilizers, which will help them settle in their new spot.

Tips for better tomatoes!

1. Work some rich compost in the soil and supplement with some calcium to avoid blossom end rot. 2. Plant your tomatoes at least 45 cm apart and bury the stems deeply. 3. Remove the bottom leaves and pinch off the side suckers. 4. Fasten them to a stake or in a tomato cage. 5. Mulch the soil and water regularly 6. Plant some companion plants around your tomatoes such as basil, chives, borage, nasturtiums, and marigolds as they deter pests.

• Before planting your summer crops, dig in a generous amount of compost and manure in your veggie patch as these plants are quite heavy feeders. If you have experienced blossom end rot on your tomatoes in the past, it could be that your soil is deficient in calcium, and adding some garden lime will fix this issue. Just be aware that garden lime also raises the pH level of soils high in acidity, to make them more alkaline.

• Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, rocket, endive, silverbeet, mustard greens, and celery will all grow well in the garden right now until the early hot days of Summer are here. If you have limited space, you may want to favour Summer veggies instead and leave the leafy greens for the cooler months. You can also get creative and plant lettuce/rocket under or around your tomatoes/capsicums as they usually have shallow root systems that will not interfere too much.  Planting them every couple of weeks will ensure a steady supply. See full list here.

• Root Veggies such as carrots, radish, turnips, parsnips, and beetroot are also great to plant right now. These are best sown directly in the soil. Young leaves can also make a tasty addition to your salads.

• Culinary herbs are really easy to grow and can be grown in pots on your balcony or your patio. They will grow well in shaded, partly shaded and sunny spots. You can harvest them and they will simply grow back. You can also chop them up, dry them and create your own mixed herbs for later use. Once you start planting your own herbs, you will never buy them at the supermarket again.

Click here to see them all.

• Herbal Teas are perfect to aid digestion, sleep, and have many other beneficial virtues. You can either dry the leaves up for storage or use them fresh.

• Edible flowers look great in the garden and also in salads!

 

 

Christmas Trees Selection!

Coming soon!

Here are some tips for your potted live Christmas trees on how to take care of them so as they can be used over and over again for the next 10 years!

• Sunlight –  It’s recommended that you keep your potted tree near a window that receives sunlight but has protection from the hot afternoon heat.
• Lack of sunlight – If the spot where you will place your Christmas tree is where it will not receive any natural sunlight or reflected light, you should bring it indoors as late as possible. The weekend before Christmas is ideal, and it’s advised not to keep living trees in the house any longer than 20 days. But if it does receive some sunlight indoors, it can stay a bit longer.
• Watering – As with most houseplants, watering is the most important aspect of caring for them. Too much and your potted tree will die of ‘wet feet’, too little and the leaves will turn brown and fall. So water sparingly and do a simple moisture check by stick your finger into the dirt as far down as you can and see if the soil is dry. When you remove your finger, any soil sticking to it indicates moisture. When your finger comes out relatively clean, it’s time to water. Always check that the container has good drainage and some sort of saucer underneath to catch any excess water.
• Sunburn – After you’ve used it as your Christmas tree put it out in the shade for a couple of months, then slowly move it back into the sun around Autumn. If you just put it back in the full summer sun directly after being indoors for a long time, the leaves will get sunburnt and turn brown.
• Root-Bound – After the Christmas period, check the roots of your tree. If the root-ball is getting too thick, loosen them up and plant your tree in a slightly bigger pot. If it is not a dense root-ball, they can be left in the same pot.
• Prune and shape your tree in winter to keep it neat and tidy. Be gentle with the pruning as they grow very slowly and bad pruning can take years to fix.
• Fertilise your tree at the start of spring with a balanced fertilizer to give it a good boost during its growing season and make it look lush for Christmas.

Pruning, Repotting & Weeding

• Spring flowering bulbs should be pulled out of the ground, trimmed of any shoots and excess roots, the soil is gently brushed off and the bulb is let dry. Then you can store them in a paper bag in a cool dry place over summer and autumn until it is time to plant them again.

• If your potted plants are looking overcrowded, you can always trim them or split and re-pot them into new pots. Make sure to use the right potting mix for them.

• Scraggy plants. If you have tried to revive and fertilize old and sad-looking plants to no avail, perhaps it is time to replace them. Rework the soil after pulling them out and let it settle for a week before planting a new plant there.

• Always stay on top of the weeds. With all the Spring flowers blooming and then releasing their seeds in the wind, you will see small seedlings popping up everywhere. It is easier to get them while they are still small by disturbing the topsoil and applying some mulch.

Soil, Fertilising, and Mulching

• For your veggie patch, if you have very poor soil, mix in generous amounts of rich compost, manure, and also some blood and bone meal. If your soil is already quite good, instead of turning it over, try top dressing. Turning the soil over when you already have healthy soil will disturb the delicate worm and microbial systems, which take time to build and are important for good plant development.

• Improve the growth, health, and yield of your plants by nurturing the soil as an alternative to using fertilizers. You can do that by restoring the beneficial microbial activity in your soil with some compost tea.

• Put some rich compost or well-aged manure around your fruit trees, to give them the well-needed boost for the Summer fruiting season.

• It is best to give some liquid feed to Summer flowering annuals every couple of weeks with a complete liquid fertilizer, to encourage healthy and vigorous new growth. You can also add some slow-release granular fertilizer that will feed your plants over a period of 3 to 6 months.

•  When the summer heat comes round, it is important to have a nice thick layer of mulch on your soil to keep some moisture in the ground and also keep the roots of your plants cool. This will reduce the frequency of watering and prevent your plants to go through heat and drought stress. If you are putting mulch for the first time, make sure to choose the right ones as they change the PH of the soil when they break down. Pine bark mulch creates acidity when breaking down, so it is perfect for Azaleas or Camellias, whereas straw or sugarcane are recommended for veggie beds. Do not put mulch too close to the stems but rather around it, as this will encourage the roots to grow outwards to find water and make them stronger. Also, make sure to give the soil a good soak before mulching. When watering over mulch, it needs some extra water to make sure it penetrates into the soil.

Pests & Disease

Now that there are lots of new shoots and seedlings, coupled with some warm weather and a few showers here and there, there will be more insects in the garden. The humid weather is perfect for them to proliferate, feed, and cause damage to plants.

• Aphids, thrips, and mites. With the warm weather, these sap-sucking insects find their way into our garden to feast on all the new growth. If there are not too many, you can leave them to help build the beneficial insect population that will then take care of the bad bugs for you later on. Adult aphids eat thrips and mites and ladybugs also eat aphids, thrips, mites, and whitefly If you have an infestation, on the other hand, you can make some homemade aphid spray to apply under the leaves of affected plants. Mix 2 tsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp dishwashing liquid, and some garlic cloves crushed,  mixed in 1lt of water, and left to infuse overnight. This is completely safe for other beneficial insects. Also, think of planting some beneficial insect plants that will attract ladybirds and they will take care of aphids for you. A favorite plant for ladybirds is the Angelica herb. • For ants you could sprinkle some diatomaceous earth on the ground where there is a lot of ant activity but only when it is dry. You will have to reapply it after it has rained. It is a natural organic control method that will not harm other insects.

• Azalea Lace Bug damage to azaleas normally occurs on the leaves and will look like silvery, white, or yellow spots. This is caused by these azalea insects, literally sucking small sections of the leaf dry and killing that section of the leaf. As these azalea leaf pests move on across the leaf, more and more spots will appear. These azalea insect problems are best avoided in the first place. The azalea lace bug tends to attack plants that are already weakened due to poor fertilizing or watering, so make sure to take proper care of your plants. If your azalea shrub is already infested with these azalea leaf pests, you can try one of two methods for getting rid of them. The first is chemical controls and the other is organic control. Chemical control involves using insecticidal soaps (some of which are organic). Most off-the-shelf insecticides will effectively kill azalea lace bugs. For organic control of these azalea insects, you can try several methods. The first method to try is to spray the plant down with a sprayer on the hose. This can knock the pests of the plant and disorient them enough to prevent re-infestation. • Codling Moth attacks Apples and Pears. The moth lays its eggs on leaves and immature fruit as flowering finishes. The hatching caterpillars then burrow into the fruit and eat it from the inside.   Yates Success Ultra is a good product to control these. You can also use organic control methods such as neem oil or even physical barriers such as fruit bags. Welcoming beneficial insects in your garden will also help with the control of codling moths. • Keep an eye out on your Rose plants for common diseases such as black spot, rust, and mildew. If you have noticed any fungal disease in the past on your plants, now is a good time to spray them with some organic copper-based fungicides.

That’s it for this month!

Wishing you all the best in the garden! Keep smiling, be happy and as usual, stay safe lovely people  🙂

Gardening November Melbourne 2022, Victoria, Australia.

Hello Hello, dear gardening friends!

October is here already with some beautiful warm sunny days alternating with some rainy days! With all we have delivered in the past month, we know for a fact that many of you are making the absolute best use of this time, to reconnect with nature and enjoy some sunshine in the garden, amongst all the pretty plants. There are lots of cleaning up to do in the garden, hedge touch-ups, little nooks and crannies to fill up, with some colourful flowers perhaps, and general maintenance to do. Maybe you did not think about the garden too much over Winter, but now with the warm weather, you want to spruce it up. If that is the case, there are easy ways to make the garden pop and look amazing without breaking too much of a sweat. Gardening works wonders for the body and the soul, so let’s get digging and planting!

Top Specials for the month!

Here are our best specials for the month!  

Click here to see all our Top Specials!

Final Call for bare rooted Roses!

October is the latest time of the year to get bare-rooted roses. We will be potting them up in just a week, so get them now while they are cheap! At this price, you can buy them by the dozen and fill your garden up with  a fantastic mix of colourful and fragrant roses!! We also have the classic iceberg and many colour varieties in 2ft and 3ft standards.

Click here to see more Bare Rooted Roses!

For more info on how to plant your Bare Root Roses, Click here!  

Ornamental Pears

Ornamental pears are currently blooming across Victoria. They are fast-growing deciduous trees with glossy green leaves, loved for their summer shade, spectacular autumn colors, and masses of white flowers in Spring. They come in a range of shapes and sizes to suit your landscaping requirements. Any fruit is usually small and hard.

Click here to see all our Ornamental Pears

Ornamental Blossoms

Cherry blossoms are the first signs of colour in the late winter early spring. The soft, delicate blossoms burst open along the bare branches in colours of white and pink, welcoming the warmer weather of spring! The mass of colour Cherry and Plum blossoms bring make them one of the most coveted garden items, used as feature trees, lining avenues and driveways or as street trees. Their blossoms fall away gently in the spring breezes like natures confetti, making way for the broad, green summer foliage.

Click here to see our Ornamental Blossom Factsheet and various varieties!

Maples

This is a great time to choose your maple as they are growing new leaves, putting on an amazing display, with their spectacular array of foliage types and colours. Maple trees can provide a striking focal point in your garden, be the perfect plant to put in a large container on your patio or grow into an impressive bonsai specimen. We have dozens of Japanese maple varieties in various sizes, with a large assortment of leaf shapes and colours ranging from shades of green to orange, red, purple, pink and variegated.

Click here to see all our Maples!

 

Striking foliage grasses

Grasses are starting to bounce back after naturally dying back in Winter and are looking great. Here is an exciting selection of grasses we have right now that will make any garden look amazing!

Click here to see all our grasses!

Flowers

• We have a fantastic selection of perennial and annual flowering plants in store right now. You can easily plant these in your garden to make it pop with interesting textures and colors all Spring and Summer long.

• Hydrangeas are starting to grow new leaves and will soon produce big blossoms!

• Mandevillea are very popular for their strikingly colourful flowers climbing vines! Click here to see them all!

• More exciting flowering plants! Here are some new and exciting varieties of flowers we have in store.

Fruits

Picking your own home grown fruit, and enjoying them as fresh as they can be, is really a special feeling. Dwarf varieties require much less space, and they are happy to grow in big pots and keeping them trimmed them to your ideal size. Now if you have space, by all means, plant a full-size variety and put them in the ground and let them grow into bountiful monsters! You could then perhaps exchange or sell your surplus produce!

• Citrus plants. Citrus trees have been hard to get and in high demand this year, but this batch is new in. These are fantastic varieties that were originally destined for Victorian fruit farms, so you know they are born to produce fruit, plus they are very affordable.

• Apples. Grow a few different varieties for best pollination and better fruits!

• Berries are so yummy and easy to grow. We have a nice selection of blueberry, blackberry, and strawberries. Perfect for healthy breakfasts or desserts

• Various fruits. Here are some other interesting fruit trees for you.

Click here to see all our fruits!

Veggies, herbs and Greens!

• Summer/Spring veggies such as tomato, peppers, squash, eggplants, zucchini, chilies and basil can now be safely planted out in the ground! It is warm enough for them to grow beautifully. Remember to water them in properly with some seaweed fertilizers, which will help them settle in their new spot.

• Before planting your summer crops, dig in a generous amount of compost and manure in your veggie patch as these plants are quite heavy feeders. If you have experienced blossom end rot on your tomatoes in the past, it could be that your soil is deficient in calcium, and adding some garden lime will fix this issue. Just be aware that garden lime also raises the pH level of soils high in acidity, to make them more alkaline.

• If you still have remaining Winter veggies, which are surely flowering right now, so time to pull them out. You can juice the leaves or use them in your compost pile. It is not worth saving the seeds, as they will most likely not grow into the same plant you harvested them from. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, and turnips come from the same Brassicaceae mustard family of plants and cross-pollinate each other resulting in a hybrid plant when their seed is planted.

• Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, rocket, endive, silverbeet, mustard greens, and celery will all grow well in the garden right now until the early hot days of Summer are here. If you have limited space, you may want to favour Summer veggies instead and leave the leafy greens for the cooler months. You can also get creative and plant lettuce/rocket under or around your tomatoes/capsicums as they usually have shallow root systems that will not interfere too much.  Planting them every couple of weeks will ensure a steady supply. See full list here.

• Root Veggies such as carrots, radish, turnips, parsnips, and beetroot are also great to plant right now. These are best sown directly in the soil. Young leaves can also make a tasty addition to your salads.

• Culinary herbs are really easy to grow and can be grown in pots on your balcony or your patio. They will grow well in shaded, partly shaded and sunny spots. You can harvest them and they will simply grow back. You can also chop them up, dry them and create your own mixed herbs for later use. Once you start planting your own herbs, you will never buy them at the supermarket again.

Click here to see them all.

• Herbal Teas are perfect to aid digestion, sleep, and have many other beneficial virtues. You can either dry the leaves up for storage or use them fresh.

• Edible flowers look great in the garden and also in salads!

Pruning, Repotting & Weeding

• Spring flowering plants that have already bloomed can be deadheaded to keep them nice and tidy and encourage more blooming.

• If your potted plants are looking overcrowded, you can always trim them or split and re-pot them into new pots. Make sure to use the right potting mix for them.

• Scraggly plants. If you have tried to revive and fertilize old and sad looking plants to no avail, perhaps it is time to replace them. Rework the soil after pulling them out and let it settle for a week before planting a new plant there.

• Always stay on top of the weeds. With all the Spring flowers blooming and then releasing their seeds in the wind, you will see small seedlings popping up everywhere. It is easier to get them while they are still small by disturbing the topsoil and applying some mulch.

Soil, Fertilising, and Mulching

• For your veggie patch, if you have very poor soil, mix in generous amounts of rich compost, manure, and also some blood and bone meal. If your soil is already quite good, instead of turning it over, try top dressing. Turning the soil over when you already have healthy soil will disturb the delicate worm and microbial systems, which take time to build and are important for good plant development.

• Improve the growth, health, and yield of your plants by nurturing the soil as an alternative to using fertilizers. You can do that by restoring the beneficial microbial activity in your soil with some compost tea.

• Put some rich compost or well-aged manure around your fruit trees, to give them the well-needed boost for the Summer fruiting season.

• It is best to give some liquid feed to Summer flowering annuals every couple of weeks with a complete liquid fertilizer, to encourage healthy and vigorous new growth. You can also add some slow-release granular fertilizer that will feed your plants over a period of 3 to 6 months.

• You can put some fresh mulch around your plants to keep weeds at bay. If you are putting mulch for the first time, make sure to choose the right ones as they change the PH of the soil when they break down. Pine bark mulch creates acidity when breaking down, so it is perfect for Azaleas or Camellias, whereas straw or sugarcane are recommended for veggie beds. Do not put mulch too close to the stems but rather around it, as this will encourage the roots to grow outwards to find water and make them stronger. Also, make sure to give the soil a good soak before mulching. When watering over mulch, it needs some extra water to make sure it penetrates into the soil.

Pests & Disease

Now that there are lots of new shoots and seedlings, coupled with some warm weather and few showers here and there, there will be more insects in the garden.

• Aphids. Keep an eye out for them as they love the tender new growth. If there are not too many, you can leave them to help build the beneficial insect population that will then take care of the aphids for you later on. If you have an infestation, on the other hand, you can make some homemade aphid spray to apply under the leaves of affected plants. Mix 2 tsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp dishwashing liquid, and some garlic cloves crushed,  mixed in 1lt of water, and left to infuse overnight. This is completely safe for other beneficial insects. Also, think of planting some beneficial insect plants that will attract ladybirds and they will take care of aphids for you. A favourite plant for ladybirds is the Angelica herb. • For ants you could sprinkle some diatomaceous earth on the ground where there is a lot of ant activity but only when it is dry. You will have to reapply it after it has rained. It is a natural organic control method that will not harm other insects.

• Citrus gall wasps are starting to emerge now that there is new growth. You should inspect your citrus trees and shave off of any galls you see with a potato peeler, exposing the wasps to die instead of cutting off the stems. If you cut the stems, it will encourage new growth that the wasps love. Some extra protection can be given by setting up some wasp traps. • Keep an eye out on your Rose plants for common diseases such as black spot, rust, and mildew. If you have noticed any fungal disease in the past on your plants, now is a good time to spray them with some organic copper-based fungicides.

 

That’s it for this month! Let’s get the Spring garden going! 

Wishing you all a growing success in the garden!

Gardening October 2022 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Hello Hello dear gardening friends! September officially marks the end of Winter and the arrival of the most anticipated season for gardeners, nature, and sunshine lovers alike: SPRING!

Let’s open up the windows and let the fresh air in. Birds and baby animals are back, bees are busy buzzing around, flower buds are opening up, sharing their delightful fragrance and the new tender leaves are slowly unfolding. Plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, almonds, ornamental pears and magnolias are putting on quite a show of flowers right now – and boy are the bees are loving it! We will be rewarded with some yummy fruit in a couple of months. You must be feeling more energized, soaking up some natural vitamin D from the sun and feeling motivated to spend more time in the garden. That is just perfect! There is so much to do out there. Some of us have neglected the garden just a little bit over Winter and it has become quite a jungle (those guilty, raise your hands!) But stress not, it’s all good since gardening is about having a good time outside. You still have about two weeks before the soil temperature starts to rise and by then you should ideally have prepared your garden beds for the new plants you’ll be planting throughout September.

Ok, it’s time to roll up your sleeves. We have a lot of things to do in the garden, so here are some tips and tricks to get you going!

Limited time offer ! Spend over $1500 and get a Free Weeping Cherry worth $299.99 as part of our Rewards Program! Click here to read more about Rewards!

Top Specials for the month!

Here are our best specials for the month!  

Click here to see all our Top Specials!

Final Call to plant your Bare rooted plants!

September is the latest time of the year to get bare-rooted roses. We will be potting them up in just a week or two, so get them now while they are cheap!

Bare Root Roses!

We have reduced our 3ft roses to only $19.99! At this price, you can buy them by the dozen and fill your garden up with  a fantastic mix of colourful and fragrant roses!! We also have the classic iceberg and many colour varieties in 2ft and 3ft standards.

Click here to see more Bare Rooted Roses!

For more on how to plant your Bare Root Roses, Click here!  

Bare Rooted Trees! 

h

We have only a few bare rooted trees left for the season. Get them quick as they will be here for only 1-2 weeks only!

Click here to see more Bare Rooted Trees!

Ornamental Blossoms

Cherry blossoms are the first signs of colour in the late winter early spring. The soft, delicate blossoms burst open along the bare branches in colours of white and pink, welcoming the warmer weather of spring! The mass of colour Cherry and Plum blossoms bring make them one of the most coveted garden items, used as feature trees, lining avenues and driveways or as street trees. Their blossoms fall away gently in the spring breezes like natures confetti, making way for the broad, green summer foliage.

Click here to see our Ornamental Blossom Factsheet and various varieties!

Ornamental Pears

Ornamental pears are fast-growing deciduous trees with glossy green leaves, loved for their summer shade, spectacular autumn colors, and masses of white flowers in Spring. They come in a range of shapes and sizes to suit your landscaping requirements. Any fruit is usually small and hard.

Click here to see all our Ornamental Pears

Deciduous Magnolias

Like candles upon a candelabra, the flowers of the deciduous Magnolia sprout upward from the twisting bare branches in the early spring time. The blooms gradually open into large, soft blossoms of pinks, purples, whites and yellows, the petals eventually falling to the ground creating a colourful carpet under the tree!

Click here to see all our Deciduous Magnolias!

 

Wattles

The most iconic Australian plant is the Acacia. Our nations floral emblem, with foliage of green and flowers of gold are the inspiration behind our nations colours (when it comes to sporting events at least!) and what better plant could represent us! Wattles grow all over Australia in dwarf forms to tall, towering trees, easily spotted throughout the ‘burbs and the landscape during late winter and early spring by their golden glow and delectable scent!

 

Click here to see all our Acacia – Wattles!

Spring Flowers

Oh the lovely feeling of a beautiful and sunny Spring day works wonders for our soul! And what better way to celebrate spring than by planting some lovely potted colour that will flower all season long, brightening up the garden while feeding the bees and the butterflies! 

 

 

 

Fruits

Soon we will be able to bite into our favourite sweet and juicy summer fruits. No need to be envious of the neighbour’s fruit-loaded plants, as you can have your own, pick fresh fruit, and enjoy them when you feel like it.

• Berries are so yummy and easy to grow. We have a nice selection of blueberry, blackberry, and strawberries. Perfect for healthy breakfasts or desserts

• Citrus plants. Imagine sipping on some fresh, home-pressed lemonade or a mojito with limes and mint from your very own garden this Summer! We have a great selection of dwarf and full-size trees such as limes, oranges, mandarins, and lemons.

• Other Fruit. Growing your own is easy! Plus you get them fresh and free from nasty chemicals

Vegetables & Herbs

Spring and Summer veggies such as tomato, peppers, squash, eggplants, zucchini, chillies and basil can be sown in pots or trays and kept in a greenhouse until the weather is above 18 degrees Celsius during the day and ideally above 13 degrees at night. Planting them in the garden right now might shock them, causing stunted growth and not performing well for you over Summer. So a little patience will go a long way! You can also plant them out in the ground, but cover them with old bed sheets or garden plastic to protect them from frosts and cold nights.

Check the weather forecast for warmer temperatures and later during the month choose a few days that are overcast and rather cool to plant your small plants out in the garden. Remember to water them in properly. An application of seaweed fertilizers will help them settle in better in their new spot. With the temperatures slowly rising and days getting longer, many Winter veggies will bolt, which means that they will go to seed and lose their lush leafiness. So it is time to go through it all and use them up. You can either use them generously in your kitchen or also harvest and freeze them for a steady supply over Summer.

• Spring/Summer Veg are coming in store very soon and we will have a bigger selection!

• Tomatoes are the superstars of the Spring and Summer veggie gardens! Sweet, juicy, easy to grow and very nutritious. Whether you like tomatoes in salads, pasta sauces, curries or in your burgers, we have a lovely selection to suit all your tomato dreams!

• Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, rocket, endive, silverbeet, mustard greens, and celery will grow well in the garden at the moment. Consider working out some space for them and plant them every couple of weeks for a steady supply. Fresh salad bowls will be a perfect addition to barbeques over Spring & Summer.

• Root Veggies such as carrots, radish, turnips, parsnips, and beetroot are also great to plant right now. Young beetroot leaves make a tasty, colourful addition to your salads.

• Culinary herbs will go really well with your Summer veggies, both as companion plants and as cooking condiments. We have a fantastic variety right now such as mint, thyme, oregano, marjoram, verbena, chamomile, etc. Many are great for green teas or are medicinal such as the pineapple sage or arthritis herb. Click here to see them all.

• Herbal/Medicinal Tea Herbs are perfect for brewing your digestive home teas. You can either dry the leaves up and store them or use them fresh. These aid with digestion, sleep and have many other beneficial & medicinal virtues.

 

Pruning, Repotting & Weeding

• Winter-flowering natives and non-natives can be pruned back and deadheaded to keep them nice and tidy. You can also prune back your evergreen trees to encourage new growth this Spring.

• If some of your potted plants have become overcrowded or looking sad, now is a great time to split them up and re-pot them. The sad-looking ones are usually root-bound and could use a light root trimming and then potting into a bigger pot, or a top-up with some fresh potting mix. Keep them partly shaded and protected for at least a week after this. Then you can give them a liquid or foliar fertilizer feed. Also remember to remove the dead, damaged and excessive growth to improve air circulation. Your succulents can be divided up and put into new pots. More plants!! YAY!

• Scraggy plants. In their prime, they looked fantastic! But now some plants are not performing well despite being pruned, fertilized and taken care of. They are prone to disease and put your other healthy plants at risk. They could be old and have dwindling strength. Consider pulling them out and replacing them with something that will perform for you. Remember to rework the soil and let it settle for a week or two before putting a new plant there. If you are unsure if your plant can bounce back, you can always send us a photo of the plant with some details and we will give you some advice.

• Stay on top of the weeds and pull them out as soon as possible, as with the longer days they will start to set seed and drop them…all through your garden! And you do not want that to happen, as you will be fighting weeds all Spring and Summer long if they start spreading in your garden.

Soil, Fertilising, and Mulching

• If you have poor soil in your vegetable beds now is the time to prepare them for Spring. Throw in generous amounts of rich compost, new soil, manure, and blood and bone meal turning it over, making sure to mix thoroughly. Let it settle for a week or two and it will be perfect for your tomatoes, eggplants, and capsicums during Spring and Summer. Make sure to add some calcium to your soil to avoid diseases such as blossom end rot.

• It is also a good idea to test the pH of the soil and amend it as necessary. Remember that the pH will change with the new additions so test it at various intervals. The aim is to get a neutral pH of 6-7, which vegetables thrive in. Sulphur (liquid or pellets) and pine mulch make your soil acidic whereas lime and mushroom compost increases alkalinity.

• If your soil does not hold on to moisture and goes dry way too fast, you can add some Soil Wetter to improve clay and compacted soil. This makes your plants thrive better as the soil humidity does not fluctuate wildly, and it allows watering and rain to penetrate to the roots where the plants need it rather than just running off the surface.

• Restore some beneficial microbial activity in your soil with some compost tea.

• Put some rich compost or well-aged manure around your fruit trees, to give them the well-needed boost for the Summer fruiting season.

• It is best to give some liquid feed to Winter/Spring flowering annuals every two weeks with a complete liquid fertilizer. You can also add some slow-release granular fertilizer that will feed your plants over a period of 3 to 6 months.

•  You can also add some slow-release granular fertilizer that will feed your plants over a period of 3 to 6 months.

• You can put some fresh mulch around your plants to keep weeds at bay. If you are putting mulch for the first time, make sure to choose the right ones as they change the pH of the soil when they break down. Pine creates acidity, so it is great for Azaleas or Camellias, whereas straw or sugarcane are recommended for veggie beds.

 

Pests & Disease

In Winter, the cold temperatures keep garden pests and diseases under control, but unfortunately, they are always lurking around and ready to spring back to life. Let’s take a look at the most common problems you will encounter this Spring.

• Aphids will be back in the garden once the temperature rises, so you need to keep an eye out for them on new tender growth, especially on flower buds, roses and stone fruit trees. Numbers can increase rapidly if left undetected. Soon enough the ants will be back to farm the aphids and will be placing them strategically around the plants in your garden. Luckily, you can simply blast them off with the hose. You can also make some homemade aphid spray to use on affected plants. Mix 2 tsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp dishwashing liquid and some garlic cloves crushed,  mixed in 1lt of water and left to infuse overnight. This is completely safe for other beneficial insects. Take pre-emptive action by planting some plants for the beneficial insect population like Ladybugs, Lacewings, Praying Mantises, Hoverflies and spiders. Some examples of beneficial plants are Queen Anne’s Lace, Cosmos, Lucerne and Calendulas. Marigolds are great to repel nematodes in the soil. Beneficial insects will control aphids and other pest populations in your garden. • Ants like to farm aphids for their sweet dew. To control ants you could sprinkle some diatomaceous earth on the ground where there is a lot of ant activity but only when it is dry. You will have to reapply it after it has rained. It is a natural organic control method that will not harm other insects.

• Citrus gall wasps are starting to emerge in late Spring to Summer when there is new growth. You should inspect your citrus trees and shave off of any galls you see using a peeler. This is better than pruning them off, as pruning creates new soft growth that the wasps love. If you decide to prune the galls, make sure to dispose of them properly by either bagging and sun drying the stems, burning them, or submerging them in a bucket of water. Some extra protection can be given by setting up some wasp traps.

• Fungal diseases that can attack your rose plants are black spots, rust and mildew. Azaleas are vulnerable to petal blight, which thrives in high humidity brought by the rain and warmer temperatures. If you have noticed any fungal disease in the past on your plants, now is a good time to spray them with some organic copper-based fungicides.

• Leaf curl is mainly a disease of peaches and nectarines, though it may also affect almonds and apricots. It’s caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans and occurs wherever peaches and nectarines are grown. Some symptoms are leaves that are entirely or partially curled, distorted and are initially pale green in colour before turning red or purple. This will result in fruit that has raised, irregular rough patches, usually red in colour. Such fruit often falls off prematurely. You can treat this with commercially available copper or lime-based fungicide sprays just during bud swelling, but before they have opened. Once opened it is too late to spray as the leaves will get damaged. A second spray in Autumn, once the leaves have dropped will greatly reduce the chance of re-emergence of leaf curl.

That’s it for this month!

Keep yourself busy in the garden, there is no better therapy to stay mentally and physically fit! And as usual, stay safe lovely people  🙂

Gardening September 2022 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Hello Hello, dear gardening friends! August is here and we start yet another exciting month in the garden. We are still getting a few frosty mornings in Victoria, but the days are getting noticeably longer. This is the last month of cold Winter days, and soon we will be in jumping into the most exciting season: Spring! But before Spring gets here, there is a lot to do in the garden, to get it ready for this magical time of the year! Right now native plants, Azaleas, and Camellias are reaching the end of their flowering season. Acacias and Hardenbergias are putting on dramatic displays and deciduous trees such as cherries and magnolias have swelling buds that are getting ready to burst open revealing their great unique beauty and delightful fragrance.

Despite the cold, we know how eager you are to get into the garden, but where to start? Here are some things to do in the garden:

With our list of things to do, winter will fly by and you’ll be ready to hop into spring!

What’s in store!?

Top Specials!

Here are our best specials for the month!  

Click here to see all our Top Specials!

Now is the time to plant your Bare rooted plants!

It’s that time of year again! Bare-root is BACK and we have loads of Bare Rooted Roses ready to go in-store. In winter, plants go dormant and dormant plants transplant much easier and stress-free than when they’re in leaf.

Bare Root Roses!

Now is the best time of the year to purchase your standard roses as we have hundreds of beautiful quality roses in stock. Whether you want 20 of the same colour or perhaps a fantastic mix of different colour roses depending on the garden colour scheme of your choice, you can get all of them in-store here in Campbellfield! We have the classic iceberg t and many colour varieties in 2ft and 3ft standards.

Click here to see more Bare Rooted Roses!

For more on how to plant your Bare Root Roses, Click here!  

Bare Rooted Trees! 

We have a nice selection of bare-rooted ornamental and fruit trees in-store and new ones coming in every week!

Click here to see more Bare Rooted Trees!

Ornamental Blossoms

Cherry blossoms are the first signs of colour in the late winter early spring. The soft, delicate blossoms burst open along the bare branches in colours of white and pink, welcoming the warmer weather of spring! The mass of colour Cherry and Plum blossoms bring make them one of the most coveted garden items, used as feature trees, lining avenues and driveways or as street trees. Their blossoms fall away gently in the spring breezes like natures confetti, making way for the broad, green summer foliage.

Click here to see our Ornamental Blossom Factsheet and various varieties!

Native Hedges

We find natives are a love ‘em or leave ‘em, hit and miss or sorely misunderstood plant species with many Victorians. But the following list of native hedging plants will make anyone rethink their idea about natives!
Not only do many natives grow extremely well in the varied conditions around Victoria, but they have a certain charm and character, which can be emphasised with a bit of tender loving care. Like most hedging plants, give them a light prune, shape them according to your needs and you will find you will have one of the most unique and hardy hedges on the block!

Click here to see our Top 10 Native Hedges!

Evergreen Magnolias

Very often we tend to think of winter as being a very dull time of the year for the garden. We have put together a little selection of plants that will flower in winter or just add a splash of colour thanks to their vibrant foliage!

Click here to see our Evergreen Magnolia Factsheet and various varieties!

Winter Flowers

Winter gardens are not so dull with these beauties, that bloom when the rest of the garden has little to offer!

 

Click here to read our Top 10 Winter flowering plants article!

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Get a Free Garden Design

If you’re starting a new garden bed you a whole new garden, winter can be a great time to start planning it. Once you’ve completed some of the steps below you can start to plan out where you will want to plant that new hedge or vegetable patch, build up an entirely new garden bed or landscape the whole backyard! We understand that this can sometimes be a little daunting so if you’re unsure, speak to one of our sales staff about our Free Garden Design service with Chris. He will be able to assist you with all your future garden plans!

Click here to get yours now!

You can now earn points when you spend with us and use the points to get some amazing Freebies. This is the biggest and most exciting promo we have ever done and you do not want to miss it! Click here to read more about our rewards program!

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The Edible Garden

 

As we are moving towards the end of winter, it is time to harvest the brassicas such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts over the month, to make space for spring and summer veggies. Here is what you can sow or plant seedlings now:

Leafy greens such as Lettuce, rocket, leek, spring onions. Asian greens such as mizuna, tatsoi, pak choi, etc.

Root crops such as radish, beetroot, turnips, swedes, parsnips, carrots, onions, potatoes and garlic. All of those would take 2-3 months before harvest, except for radish which is ready in just 30 days, while potatoes take between 90 and 170 days.

Fruiting veggies – You can also start sowing capsicums, chillies, eggplants and tomatoes for an early start of the spring and summer veggies!

Check out our available range of fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Some great companion plants for all these are herbs like sage, winter thyme, parsley, mint, chives, coriander, dill, oregano, marjoram. They deter pests such as caterpillars, aphids, mites, etc.

Blueberries

Blueberries have become renowned for making delicious pies and muffins, and they are a good source of Vitamin A and C. Blueberries are high in iron and low in calories, and are a good energy source. It is always best to plant a few different varieties next to each other to increase pollination and fruits, but also to extend the harvest season! We have lots of different varieties in store.

Edible Flowers

Flowers such as Nasturtiums, Calendula and Borage are great for the winter patch! They add colour, diversity, repel pests and most importantly are tasty and pretty additions to salads!

To see our full selection of Fruits, veggies and herbs in store. Click Here!  

Garden Tasks!

Pruning

This is a big one! Winter is when all major pruning is done because you can see the full structure of the plant and remove any problem branches. Fruit trees, deciduous trees and roses in particular benefit from a good prune. Fruit trees bear fruit more prolifically and look healthy after a good prune.

Click here to read more about Pruning Trees, Hedges, Box, Screens & Topiary  

 

Protect your plants from Frost!

How to tackle frost

• Cover your frost-sensitive plants with sheets, newspaper or straw, making sure to remove them the following day.
• Lightly water your plants before sunrise by a sprinkler system (or by hand if you’re really keen!) This can prevent frost from forming. You can lightly water frost affected plants, which gently thaws the ice, reducing the damage from the frost.
• Use plastic sleeves and stakes to protect plants in open areas

Click here to read our article about protecting your plants from frost!

Weed Control

Weeds don’t have a seasonal preference, they’ll turn up any time! But our one saving grace is they turn up less often in winter and the established ones that need to come out are easier to see. The soil is moist, which makes it easier to pull out these little suckers. For the tougher weeds like clumps of Crowsfoot and Crabgrass, Dandelions or Oxalis you made need a tool to get the whole root out. The importance of getting the whole root out is so it doesn’t re-sprout. We don’t want to have to weed again! You can use a hoe or even a butter knife.

Drainage

Keep an eye out for drainage problems in the garden. After heavy rains, you can easily spot places in the garden that accumulate water and form little pools. These spots are ideal for plants that do not mind waterlogged soil. You can also use gypsum or clay breaking liquid to break up the clay soil and amend it with lots of compost and organic matter, which will improve the drainage.

Transplanting and moving

With the nice cool weather, it is an ideal time to move or transplant plants as the plants have time over winter to grow new roots and be ready for spring. You can repot plants that have outgrown their pots and are getting root-bound. Remove the plant and trim some of the roots at the bottom, shake off some old soil and add some fresh ones at the bottom of the pot to give your plant a fresh start. They will love it!

Pests

There are always pests and diseases lurking around, but we do not see them a whole lot in Winter. Thankfully the cold gets rid of a lot of pests and gives us a nearly pest-free garden until the temperature starts to rise.

Citrus gall wasps emerge in Spring, often timing emergence with the onset of a flush of new growth. You should inspect your citrus trees and shave off of any galls you see. Pruning the galls off, will only cause new tender growth in the plant, which will be more prone to attacks by the gall wasps. Some extra protection can be given with some wasp traps.

 

Fungal Disease

Leaf curl is mainly a disease of peaches and nectarines, though it may also affect almonds and apricots. It’s caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans and occurs wherever peaches and nectarines are grown. Some symptoms are leaves that are entirely or partially curled, distorted, and are initially pale green in colour before turning red or purple. This will result in fruit that has raised, irregular rough patches, usually red in colour. Such fruit often falls prematurely. You can treat this with commercially available copper or lime-based fungicide sprays just during bud swelling, but before they have opened. Once opened it is too late to spray as the leaves will get damaged. Spray Now to avoid Spring disease

 

Soil, Fertilising, and Mulching

•If you have poor soil in your vegetable beds, with a couple of small Winter crops still growing, you could start harvesting them gradually and emptying the beds to prepare them for Spring vegetables. Throw in generous amounts of rich compost, manure and blood and bone meal and turn it over to mix it thoroughly. Let it settle for a week or two and it will be perfect for your tomatoes, eggplants, and capsicums during Spring and Summer. It is also a good idea to test the PH of the soil and amend it as necessary. Remember that the PH will change with the new additions so test it at various intervals. The aim is to get a neutral Ph of 6-7, which vegetables thrive in. Sulphur (liquid or pellets) and pine mulch make your soil acidic whereas lime and mushroom compost increases alkalinity.

Click here to read about different soil types
Click here to read about soil amendments.

•If you have planted green manure/cover crops over winter, now is a good time to chop them down and turn them over in the soil. It will have time to break down and improve your soil before it is time to plant spring and summer crops.

• Over the winter the microbial activity in your soil is very low because of the cold. In the next couple of weeks, you can prepare some nice compost tea to give it a microbial boost for spring.

• Put some rich compost or well-aged manure around your fruit trees, to give them the well-needed boost for the Summer fruiting season.

• It is best to give some liquid feed to Winter/Spring flowering annuals every two weeks with a complete liquid fertilizer.

• You can put some fresh mulch around your plants to keep weeds at bay. If you are putting mulch for the first time, make sure to choose the right ones as they change the PH of the soil when they break down.

That is all for this August 2022 in the Garden tips and tricks article, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Wishing you all the best, keep yourself warm this winter! Hello Hello Plants.

July is here, which means that half of the year is over already, and we are officially heading into the peak of winter with its daily dose of cold and rain! Don’t let the drab slow you down this winter. There is much to do in winter to get prepared for the spring growth plus you can enjoy the many benefits of gardening! Boost your physical and mental wellness, give yourself a sense of accomplishment, relieve some stress, boost your immune system and if you have a veggie patch, you get free nutritious veggies!!

Currently, Lavenders, Camellias, Daisies, Pansys and Violas are blooming beautifully and so are some natives such as Grevilleas, Banksias, Hakeas, Proteas and Kangaroo Paws. We can also start harvesting some winter veggies such as broccoli and snow peas. Some winter flowering bulbs are starting to bloom, such as the eager Daffodils!

With our list of things to do, winter will fly by and you’ll be ready to hop into spring!

What’s in store!?

Bare Rooted Trees! 

Bare-roots trees and roses are here! In winter, plants go dormant and they transplant much easier than when they’re in leaf. This includes your roses, fruit trees and deciduous ornamentals such as Poplars, Elms, Ash’s and Oaks, just to name a few. Every year, nurseries supply vast amounts of bare-rooted plants at much cheaper prices than if they were in their pots. This is because they are easier to store and transport, thus keeping costs low.

Choose trees with a good structure or framework. Check for any splits. And remember to prune your fruit and ornamental trees back before planting. This pruning is to remove any damaged branches and roots as well as prepare the overall shape for the spring.

We have a big range of bare-rooted fruit trees and ornamental trees already in-store and more coming in pretty soon, so keep an eye out for those on our website. Here are some that we have already received:

Now is the time to plant your Bare rooted plants!

It’s that time of year again! Bare-root is BACK and we have loads of Bare Rooted Roses ready to go in-store. In winter, plants go dormant and dormant plants transplant much easier and stress-free than when they’re in leaf.

Bare Rooted Trees! 

We have a nice selection of bare-rooted trees in-store and new ones coming in every week, including fruit and nut trees.

Click here to see more Bare Rooted Trees!

Bare Root Roses!

Now is the best time of the year to purchase your standard roses as we have hundreds of beautiful quality roses in stock. Whether you want 20 of the same colour or perhaps a fantastic mix of different colour roses depending on the garden colour scheme of your choice, you can get all of them in-store here in Campbellfield! We also have bulk packs of 5 roses at discounted prices.

We have the classic iceberg varieties in 3ft and many colour varieties in 3ft and 4ft standards.

Click here to see more Bare Rooted Roses!

For more on how to plant your Bare Root Roses, Click here!

 

You can now earn points when you spend with us and use the points to get some amazing Freebies. This is the biggest and most exciting promo we have ever done and you do not want to miss it! Click here to read more about our rewards program!

Get a Free Garden Design

If you’re starting a new garden bed you a whole new garden, winter can be a great time to start planning it. Once you’ve completed some of the steps below you can start to plan out where you will want to plant that new hedge or vegetable patch, build up an entirely new garden bed or landscape the whole backyard! We understand that this can sometimes be a little daunting so if you’re unsure, speak to one of our sales staff about our Free Garden Design service with Chris. He will be able to assist you with all your future garden plans!

Click here to get yours now!

Top Specials for the Month!

We have some absolute bargains in store and online too! With such little prices, you can easily fill up your garden without breaking the bank!

Click here to see all our Top Specials!

Box Balls

English Box Balls are a very stylish way to add a point of interest in the garden. They can compliment modern gardens, can provide a strong textural contrast to flowers & foliage in a cottage garden, enhance very formal gardens or excel in large pots as a feature in almost any garden or patio.
English Box Balls are hardy in extreme heat & cold, full sun through to deep shade & can grow in almost any soil type as long as it is not water logged. They’re slow growing & only require trimming 2 – 3 times per year.

Native Plants

Native plants are beautiful! They provide shelter and food for wildlife and promote biodiversity and stewardship of our natural heritage. They are unique because they are perfectly suited to the environment that they belong to. This means that they should survive on local rainfall patterns and in the local soil! Here is a selection of the most popular varieties we have in store right now!

Click here to see all of our Natives!

Winter Garden Colour

Very often we tend to think of winter as being a very dull time of the year for the garden. We have put together a little selection of plants that will flower in winter or just add a splash of colour thanks to their vibrant foliage!

Winter Flowers

Winter gardens are not so dull with these beauties, that bloom when the rest of the garden has little to offer!

We have a whole article about Winter flowering plants. Click here to read it!

Ground Covers

These do not grow taller than 10-15cm, are very low maintenance and do great in small spaces that tend to be overrun by weeds.

Click here to see more groundcovers!

The Vegetable Garden

It’s truly cold now, but it is just what some veggies love! Many people are concerned that nothing will survive in the cold weather, but that is just wrong because many winter veggies thrive and grow so well in the cold weather! It is even easier as you will rarely need to water the garden!

You can plant the whole range of brassicas such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts.
Leafy greens such as Asian greens like mizuna, tatsoi, pak choi, lettuce, rocket, spinach, mustards, spring onions, leek, kale and swiss chard.
Legumes such as Snow Peas and Sugar snap peas are very easy plants to grow right now, just make sure to provide some trellis for them.
Root crops such as radish, beetroot, turnips, swedes, parsnips, carrots, onions, potatoes and garlic. All of those would take 2-3 months before harvest, except for radish which is ready in just 30 days, while potatoes take between 90 and 170 days and garlic that takes about seven to eight months!

You can now remove any protective netting that you were using to safeguard the brassica and Asian green plants from the Cabbage White Moth and its hungry progeny, the caterpillars. As the weather has cooled enough, the moths or butterflies no longer pose a problem.

Asparagus Time to cut back the asparagus to the ground, which has yellowed as expected and then top-dress the plants with a combination of compost, aged cow manure and some slow-release fertiliser pellets.

Check out our available range of fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Some great companion plants for all these are herbs are sage, winter thyme, parsley, mint, chives, coriander, dill, oregano, marjoram. They deter pests such as caterpillars. Basil does not tolerate the cold and should be grown in warmer months.

Edible Flowers

Flowers such as Nasturtiums, Calendula and Borage are great for the winter patch! They add colour, diversity, repel pests and most importantly are tasty and pretty additions to salads!

To see our full selection of Fruits, veggies and herbs in store. Click Here!

 

Garden Tasks!

Preparing the garden. Everything is bare so time to prepare!

Pruning

This is a big one! Winter is when all major pruning is done because you can see the full structure of the plant and remove any problem branches. Fruit trees, deciduous trees and roses in particular benefit from a good prune. Fruit trees bear fruit more prolifically and look healthy after a good prune.

Pruning Standard Roses

1. Remove all the new, soft growths.

2. Cut back any dead, damaged or dying wood.

3. Remove all the suckers. These are buds that are growing from the understock and are found below the bud union.

4. You should cut it back so that it resembles a claw, don’t worry if you think you have been too ruthless. The plant should have 4-5 main leaders ready for next season.

Your rose will now have been cut by almost 2/3 of what it was. It may look like a lot but it is necessary and they love it! If you’re unsure, ask our staff or take a walk around the neighbourhood and find some of your local rose enthusiasts. Check out how much they will have cut their roses back by and you will be surprised! That’s one of the reasons they have such beautiful roses.

Click here to read more about Pruning Trees, Hedges, Box, Screens & Topiary

 

Protect your plants from Frost!

Frost forms from water vapour in the air, coming in contact with an object that is below freezing temperature. So basically, when the moisture in the air touches a cold windscreen, the moisture sticks to the windscreen and turns to ice!

When it comes to our plants, they expel energy continuously through the day and the night. Energy is warmth! During the day, their expelled energy is replaced by radiant heat from the sun, but at night time they become cooler as their warmth is not continually replaced. When the plant cools enough to get to freezing temperatures, frost can then form on its leaves.

Some plants can handle frost better than others. The moisture inside of the plant’s cells freeze and, like all frozen water, it expands, which can cause stress on the cells and therefore damage to the plant. When the ice is quickly thawed by the morning sun, it causes the most damage to the plant.

If your plants have been damaged by frost, don’t cut off the damaged foliage until the frosts have finished as this dead foliage will actually act as protection for future frosts.

How to tackle frost

• Cover your frost-sensitive plants with sheets, newspaper or straw, making sure to remove them the following day.
• Lightly water your plants before sunrise by a sprinkler system (or by hand if you’re really keen!) This can prevent frost from forming. You can lightly water frost affected plants, which gently thaws the ice, reducing the damage from the frost.
• Use plastic sleeves and stakes to protect plants in open areas

Weed Control

Weeds don’t have a seasonal preference, they’ll turn up any time! But our one saving grace is they turn up less often in winter and the established ones that need to come out are easier to see. The soil is moist, which makes it easier to pull out these little suckers.

For the tougher weeds like clumps of Crowsfoot and Crabgrass, Dandelions or Oxalis you made need a tool to get the whole root out. The importance of getting the whole root out is so it doesn’t re-sprout. We don’t want to have to weed again! You can use a hoe or even a butter knife.

Drainage

Keep an eye out for drainage problems in the garden. After heavy rains, you can easily spot places in the garden that accumulate water and form little pools. These spots are ideal for plants that do not mind waterlogged soil. You can also use gypsum or clay breaking liquid to break up the clay soil and amend it with lots of compost and organic matter, which will improve the drainage.

Transplanting and moving

With the nice cool weather, it is an ideal time to move or transplant plants as the plants have time over winter to grow new roots and be ready for spring. You can repot plants that have outgrown their pots and are getting root-bound. Remove the plant and trim some of the roots at the bottom, shake off some old soil and add some fresh ones at the bottom of the pot to give your plant a fresh start. They will love it!

Fungal Disease

Leaf curl is mainly a disease of peaches and nectarines, though it may also affect almonds and apricots. It’s caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans and occurs wherever peaches and nectarines are grown. Some symptoms are leaves that are entirely or partially curled, distorted, and are initially pale green in colour before turning red or purple. This will result in fruit that has raised, irregular rough patches, usually red in colour. Such fruit often falls prematurely.

You can treat this with commercially available copper or lime-based fungicide sprays just during bud swelling, but before they have opened. Once opened it is too late to spray as the leaves will get damaged.

Spray Now to avoid Spring disease

That is all for this July 2022 in the Garden tips and tricks article, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Wishing you all the best, keep yourself warm and safe this winter!

Hello Hello Plants.