- 12
-
Seed Potatoes
Gardening Talk — If you don't have a lot of space you can grow spuds in containers. Fast maturing early varieties like Nicola are ideal and when it comes to a container you want at least 30cm wide and 30 cm deep with some really good drainage holes at the bottom. ...More…
-
Brilliant Potted Colour
Gardening Talk — The first secret is a quality potting mix like Yates Thrive Premium Potting Mix, which is free draining and contains the right stuff to get your pots off to a great start. It has a slow release fertiliser in the mix as well as a wetting agent to ...More…
-
Insect pests:
Gardening Talk — Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a hardy perennial vegetable, best suited to cooler climates. It tolerates frost well. The succulent shoots emerge in early spring from the underground crown. Packed with vitamins and minerals, high in fibre, ...More…
-
Weird And Wonderful Plants
Gardening Talk — Tillandsias are utterly fascinating and deserve a place in anyone's collection. They are also called living air plants because believe it or not they will grow suspended in nothing but air, hanging from the branches of trees or almost anything. ...More…
-
Ferns That Survive The Dry
Gardening Talk — Choosing the right fern varieties is important in a water smart garden but there are other things you can do. Mulching is vital for keeping the soil moist. One of the big reasons the ferns are doing so well is because of the protection they get ...More…
-
Fertilising Trees
Gardening Talk — Make a circle of holes right around the tree and then come in a metre and make another circle. If it is a big tree you can continue making circles, finishing about one metre from the trunk. Then put a good handful of Dynamic Lifter pellets into ...More…
-
Tree Ferns
Gardening Talk — Pruning tip: restrict pruning to cutting off the old dead fronds beneath the crown. In exposed situations the dead fronds may protect the trunk from sunburn and aid humidity. Do not discard the fronds but crunch them up for mulch. Watering tip: ...More…
-
Espalier Plants
Gardening Talk — Choose a plant that already has two strong bottom side shoots or laterals. Dig a hole directly under the trellis. Place the tree into the hole and position the laterals in the same direction as the wire. Back fill and water in. Now tie the ...More…
-
Pests - Whiteflies
Gardening Talk — Sap-sucking whiteflies live on the undersides of leaves and make them wilt and turn yellow. The nymphs (young ones) are usually green or white; the adults are white. Disturb them and they will rise in clouds - but ... Silverleaf Whitefly on Dry BeansMore…
-
DIY: Build A Boot Bench Seat
Gardening Talk — The drawers couldn't be easier to make - they're just a box with the lid missing. First step is to join the sides together using glue and nails, then attach the base. The timber for this is ply, it's stable and less likely to warp but the ...More…
-
Frangipani (Plumeria)
Gardening Talk — Frangipani (genus Plumeria) is native to tropical and sub-tropical America. However today it is most widely recognised as associated with Hawaii, via the lovely leis. A garden or room can be transformed into a tropic oasis by the clever use of ...More…
-
Gifts for the gardenia lover:
Gardening Talk — Gardenia is a genus of evergreen flowering shrubs and trees native to tropical and sub-tropical Australia, Asia and Africa. They are prized for their strong sweet aroma and large flowers. Gardenia prefer sheltered humid locations, and acidic ...More…