REGULAR TRIMMING KEEPS your hedge good looking and your garden tidy. Start by removing any dead or diseased branches, then trim the sides first, working from the bottom up. Make sure the base is wider than the top. For taller hedges, trim the top first, then the sides. Use a slight angle when cutting the top and maintain a consistent angle when trimming the sides to ensure a smooth, even finish. For straight lines, especially on taller hedges, use a string line as a guide. Don't remove too much growth at once, as this can stress the plant.
Plant lettuce, beans, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, corn, silverbeet, chilli, eggplant and recket. Prepare the soil with compost or manure, and water and feed consistently throughout the season. Dont forget to include pollinator-friendly plants such as borage, nasturtium and calendula in your veggie patch.
Codling moth is a destructive pest for apple growers, as its larvae burrow into the fruit and make it look inedible. Look for telltale holes plugged with frass (larval droppings). When you cut the apple open, you'll often find tunnels and feeding damage around the core. You may even spot the caterpillar. To control codling moth, remove and dispose of infested fruit, fallen leaves and twigs to reduce overwintering sites. Thin apple clusters to one or two apples per cluster to limit the spread of the pest. Apply a thick mulch around the base of your tree to prevent adult moths from emerging from the soil. Exclusion bags around developing fruit can also help by preventing female moths from laying eggs.
CHOOSE A SUNNY, well-draining spot and sow zinnia seeds directly into the garden, or start indoors 4-6 weeks ahead. Plant seeds 6mm deep and 15-30cm apart, keeping soil moist but not waterlogged. Thin seedlings to the recommended spacing and support taller varieties. Other flowers to sow now include cosmos, rudbeckia, cleome, and sunflower.
stunning rainbow of colours to your garden, with their late spring blooms bridging the gap between spring and summer. The secret to their vibrant flowers is fertiliser. Apply a mix of Blood and Bone, rose fertiliser and a small amount of Sulphate of Potash about 6 to 8 weeks before blooming in early spring, and again after flowering. Water in well. To keep irises healthy and blooming, divide them every three years, after flowering in late spring. Dig up the clump with a garden fork or spade, being careful not to damage the rhizomes. Separate the rhizomes, discarding old, woody ones, and cut the leaves back by half to reduce stress. Replant the divisions in a sunny, well-drained spot, placing the rhizome on a small mound with about 2cm of soil covering it. Ensure the top of the rhizome is exposed to the sun, spacing the rhizomes about 20cm apart. Water well after planting.
CREATE THE PERFECT SETTING for summer gatherings by planting decorative pots for verandas, patios and courtyards. Choose from petunias, calibrachoa, alyssum, cosmos, dwarf dahlias, geraniums, daisies, impatiens, lavender, lobelia, marigolds, and portulaca.
FEED YOUR LAWN now with a complete lawn fertiliser to protect it against summer heat stress and keep it looking lush and green. Mow regularly to keep your grass healthy. Mow without a catcher so the clippings can decompose in place, gently feeding your lawn as they break down.
DEVIL'S IVY IS PERFECT for beginners. It’s easy to care for and looks great in an elevated pot or basket. To propagate, place a small cutting in water to develop roots or directly in potting mix. This method works for syngonium, snake plant, monstera, rhipsalis, hoya, philodendron and string of pearls. Once the roots are established, transplant into individual pots with premium potting mix. These make great Christmas gifts!