Welcome rains have fallen in Sydney and Brisbane and the chance of a few more light showers on the way.
Time to make the most of it while the soils are moist and soft. We're planting summer loving plants like Society Garlic, feeding the lawn and harvesting our cherry tomatoes.
If you love summer in the garden you'll love our Summer Loving Platinum membership pack, including three summer stars that will stand up to the heat waves
and sizzle with summer flowers. The pick of the bunch are: golden yellow Stella Bella Day Lily which brightens up gardens, the wonderful Dark Star
/ Society Garlic - excellent for edges and we also have the dwarf Escallonia, Hedge with an Edge with dark pink flowers.
Join or extend your membership today and get your Summer Loving pack while stocks last.
Society garlic is one of the plants you'll get with the Summer Loving pack when you join the Garden Clinic today.
Questions of the week
Q: What do I do about my lawn?
Christmas season traffic and prolonged hot, dry weather has left our lawns looking a little worse for wear. But today's rain has come just in time. Best
thing to do is get out there today and feed your lawn.
If you're not getting the rain yet use a hose-on seaweed like Seasol and hang in there until the next rain.
Q: My lawn looks like it's dying in patches. What is causing it?
We received calls from a many of our members this week about damage to their lawns that appears to have been caused by Army Worm. This destructive garden
pest has an insatiable apetite, and will destroy a lawn in no time at all.
Patches of grass that can look as though they've been mown, then dry out and die spreading across the entire lawn is usually army worm or caterpillar damage
of some sort.
Treat Army Worm with a specific caterpillar control like Yates Baythroid, which works on contact to kill pests in addition to being long lasting.
Apply late afternoon as an overall treatment to recently mown lawn. Lightly water the lawn before applying. Repeat treatment if necessary. When treating
a dense lawn with a garden sprayer, lightly water lawn before and after spraying.
Caterpillar damage may be more widespread this summer.
Garden News
Mikey the Powerful Owlet & Friends: Saving Byles Creek Valley & Beyond, Cheque Presentation to Sydney Wildlife
“Team Mikey” flew to The Children’s Bookshop Beecroft for the presentation of a big Bendigo Bank promotional cheque for $2,510 to Sydney Wildlife (signed
by “Mikey” the celebrity Powerful Owlet), on Monday 22 January 2018.
The donation represents $5 from each of the 500 limited-edition “Mikey the Powerful Owlet & Friends: Saving Byles Creek Valley & Beyond” photo
books, written by Georgia Cameron, photographed by Michael Bianchino and published by local community group The Byles Creek Valley Union Inc, plus
a private donation.
Donating all the profits from Mikey’s second book to Sydney Wildlife was in recognition of the amazing work the organisation does in the community, according
to co-authors Georgia and Michael, who also present The Half Hour Hoot on local Hornsby/Ku-ring-gai community radio station Triple H 100.1FM.
A registered charity licensed by NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, Sydney Wildlife’s 24/7 rescue and advice service is operated entirely by volunteers
who rehabilitate and release sick, injured and orphaned wildlife and educate the community, at all levels, about the need to protect native animals
and preserve their habitats.
Books are still available at The Children’s Bookshop, 6 Hannah Street Beecroft (02) 9481 8811 or online at www.mikeythepowerfulowlet.com
Left to right: Paul Macdonald (Owner Children’s Bookshop Beecroft); Dr Mehreen Faruqi (NSW Greens MLC); James Stanton-Cooke (Co-founder BeardsOn for Conservation); Michael Bianchino (Photographer); Georgia Cameron (Writer); Trish Brown (President Byles Creek Valley Union Inc); Deb Fleet (local Sydney Wildlife carer); Robin Grindrod (Secretary Sydney Wildlife); and Graham. Photo: Michael Bianchino 2018
What's New: plants to love this week
Eremophila 'Beryl's Blue'
A family of blue Wrens moved into our Eremophila nivea ‘Beryl’s Blue’ last Christmas, rearing four chicks; extra reasons to love this striking
Western Australian shrub. ‘Beryl’s Blue’ should say ‘please prune me!’ on the label. The shrub grows fast and dense and snaps easily in strong winds,
especially after rain. Pruning thickens stems and encourages flowers, so chop, chop, chop - by up to 40 per cent - straight after flowering. Available
from your nearest native plant specialist nursery.
Eremophila 'Blue Beryl'.
On the road: Garden Travel
A Passage to India
We're looking forward to the end of the month when Ross Tours head off to the opulent palaces, towering forts, beautiful gardens, vibrant colours and incredible
bazaars of India, which have cast their spell on tour guide, Libby Cameron.
We can't wait to hear all about it on their return.
Ross Tours Passage to Northern India tour leaves February 20.
Top End Broome to Darwin
Angus Stewart will be returning to the Top End later this year. Join him and travel in comfort across the unforgettable landscapes of the Kimberley, Kununurra,
Katherine and Kakadu. Deep rugged gorges, tumbling waterfalls, ancient rock art: you’ll see it all and enjoy the expertise Angus has gained from a
lifetime of traveling through this region.
Places are filling fast, so call the Ross Tours office on 1300 233 200 to book
Aboriginal rock art (Namondjok) at Nourlangie, Kakadu National Park. Photo - EcoPrint/shutterstock
Ross Tours International Morning Tea
Join us for morning tea and a Tours Talk on the 2018 programme including The Gardens of Italy & Sicily, Japan at cherry blossom time, Japan’s spring
flower festivals, Grand Gardens of Europe, England & The Chelsea Flower Show, Rose Gardens of England & Hampton Court Flower Show, Singapore
Garden Festival & our Australian Tours.
Where? 83 Beecroft Rd, Beecroft NSW 2119 ( a 5 minute walk from Beecroft Station ) at 10.30am, on the Ross Tours website Ross Tours website. Stay in touch by subscribing to our monthly postcards and print
out any of our tour itineraries. Can't find the destination you'd like to travel to? Send us an enquiry - we may have a tour going there later.
Call Ros or Royce at the Ross Garden Tours International office for further details and to book your seat.