Barangaroo may be a hard act to follow, But Graham still had plenty to talk about this weekend on the Garden Clinic.
It's our national floral emblem, rain forest rarities, and a Blossom report from Sandra. Here are the highlights from the show.
Bush Garden
I wonder how many of you can name Australia’s floral emblem? And of those who can, do you know whom we have to thank for making it so? You can read all
about it in my article, ‘Help us revive Australia’s floral emblem’.
We very nearly didn’t have a floral emblem at all. But thankfully we do, and it’s the Golden Wattle. The reason we don the Green-&-Gold at the Olympics,
and the World cup. It’s just about to flower now, following its various sister species already in tremendous flower all over Australia. And there are
over 1200 species in the genus. You can read all about it in Star of the Season: Flowering Wattle,
on the Garden Clinic website.
The 'Coastal Myall'. Photo - Joanne Harris & Daniel Bubnich
Tropical Rain forest Plants
Did you know that there are plants in the east Australian rain forests we are yet to identify? Despite this we still have tropical rain forest
under threat of destruction and the prospect of losing these plants forever. We really haven’t learned, have we?
I’ve been in tropical north Queensland this week filming for Better Homes & Gardens, and over the next few weeks I’ll be talking about some of the
new release plants that north Queensland nurseryman have been producing for the garden, and many of them perfect for climates even as far south as
Sydney. Stay tuned for more next week.
Bugwatch
I mentioned to Steve, who called in yesterday and asked about planting bare rooted roses, that he would need to watch out for aphids. These sap-sucking
pests are just taking up residence now on new growth in your garden. It’s the perfect time to take action before a little problem becomes a big infestation.
The good news is you don’t have to spray. There are alternatives available that help kill the unwanted pests without harming the beneficial insects. Eco-organic
Garden have a range of ‘Backyard Buddies’
that you can introduce to your garden that love eating pests like aphids. These little critters are available mail-order and are perfectly safe to
use in your home garden all up and down the eastern sea board. You can read all about it in our latest Bugwatch article.
Callers
Caroline in Turramurra has something very special to give to a young gardener, 16 camellia sasanqua trees. You’ll need to dig them out, but they’re free.
Give Caroline a call on (02) 9144 6410, and don’t forget your trailer.
Steve’s bare-rooted roses need to go into the ground today. Plant them in with some cow manure and water well. But beware, the bugs are beginning. Keep
an eye out for aphids, don’t forget the beneficial insects.
Dianne has used a foot warmer as a heat bed for her seedlings with great success, 100% success on her zucchinis. She will need to get those veggie seedlings
into the garden right now, as they’re getting too big for their boots!
Dry citrus? We had a caller today with dry mandarins without a single drop of juice. And this year it has been quite common. I think it’s due to lack of
lead-up rain at a critical time in the fruits development. Just one of those things I’m afraid. Better luck next year.
Anne at Killarney Vale has a whole bunch of Aechmea gamosepala, 'Match Sticks' bromeliads, and she is offering them for free to a good home.
Call Anne on 0421 518 026. We gave her a $100 voucher for Eden Gardens for being so generous.
Les wants to catch those female fruit fly, but isn’t having much success with conventional methods. We’ve found a way to get it by using a paint roller
in a bottle used as a fly trap. This keeps the Eco-lure substance wet, making it more effective.
This is how we keep the fruit fly lure wet, and thus effective for killing the female fruit fly.
Where can we take you?
It’s a small country with a big heart helped along by a timeless landscape and the friendliest people. In fact, most of us have a connection with this
place, or even relatives still living there. Of course I’m talking about the shining green jewel in the British crown, Ireland.
We will again be travelling there in June 2016, but there are only a few seats left. If you would like to join us call Ross Tours International on 1300
233 200, or you can download the itinerary here.