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SPRING 2011FREE SAs OWN GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING MAGAZINE
Edited by
JonLamb
GARDEN
South Australian
& OUTDOOR LIVING
Official journal of the Nursery & Garden Industry and the Landscape Association of SA
Tomatoesyou can trust
Springinto actionPlanting & Repotting
Colourfulspring bloomers
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Printed on FSC certified paper
Why pay for water when you can makethe most of the winter rains all readyin the ground? Use compost, soil andmulch to retain that soil moisture and
cut your watering needs.
or stockists of Jeffries bagged productsnd more information phone 8368 3555r visit www.jeffries.com.au
Office hours Mon-Fri 7am to 5pm
NOW
available in
bags for your
convenience
Jeffries newbagged product range, makes it as simple as1, 2, 3 to add vital nutrients and stimulate plant growth whilekeeping those pesky weeds at bay. Perfect for the homegarden enthusiast, Jeffries bagged compost, soil and mulchproducts are ideal for garden beds, pots and tubs alike.
Utilise the recent rains and give your plants and vegetables the bestchance to thrive. Visit www.jeffries.com.au for your local stockist.
Organic Compostigging Jeffries Organic Compost into the topsoil
will add vital nutrients and living micro-organisms.very soil needs a regular top up of organic matter.
www.jeffries.com.aug No 5125M
Lock in
the recent
rains with
Jeffries
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011 3
Published byJon Lamb Communications Pty Ltd, (JLC)31 King St, Norwood, SA 5067
Ofcial journal oNursery & Garden Industry o SA IncLandscape Association o SA Inc
EditorJon Lamb(08) 8362 [email protected]
Publishing, sub-editing, layout
Steve Swann(08) 8365 [email protected]
ADVERTISINGHWR Media & Communications109b Conyngham Street, Frewville, SA 5063(08) 8379 9522 Fax (08) 8379 [email protected]
DISTRIBUTIONPassing Out Distribution 0416 295 755
Landscape Association o SA (LASA)Adelaide Showground, Goodwood Rd, Wayville.
PO Box 108, Goodwood SA 5034Secretariat: Rob Martin (08) 8210 5229www.landscapesa.com.au
Nursery & Garden Industry o SA (NGISA)505 Fullarton Rd, Netherby, SA 5062CEO: Georey Fuller (08) 8372 6822www.ngisa.com.au
DisclaimerAlthough all reasonable care is taken in preparinginormation contained in this publication, neitherJon Lamb Communications (JLC), NGISA or LASA,nor their ofcers, sta or suppliers involved in theediting and production o this magazine accept anyliability resulting rom the interpretation or use o
the inormation set out in this document. Inormationcontained in this document is subject to changewithout notice. The views and opinions expressedin this publication are those o the authors and donot necessarily represent those o the publishers oreditor. No responsibility is accepted by JLC, NGISAor LASA or the accuracy o inormation containedin advertisements in SA Garden & Outdoor Living.Publication o an advertisement does not constituteendorsement by NGISA, LASA or JLC o any product orservice, or warrant its suitability.
LandscapeAssociation
o South Australia Inc.
Nursery & GardenIndustry SouthAustralia Inc
Our supporters
SPRING2011
10
Cover: Ashgrove Iris Garden, Gumeracha. Dianne Michalks colourul garden will be open on November 5 & 6 as part o OpenGardens Australia. Open Gardens calendar on page 64. Copyright: Editorial material published in SA Garden & OutdoorLivingis copyright and may not be reproduced in any orm without written permission rom the Publisher or Editor.
GARDENSouth Australian
& OUTDOOR LIVINGEdition number 3
6 FEATURES6 Tomatoes you can trust
Perormance with taste
10 Eye-catching colourGreat spring bloomers ready to go!
24 Garden scents Advice to those who want to ollow their nose
REGULAR COLUMNS
22 The cutting edgeTrevor Nottle monitors the latest garden issues
66 Taste the seasonsChe Kane Pollard makes the most o spring
GOOD GARDENING
27 A fence full of fruitEspaliered ruit trees solve the space problem
34 FertilisersHow to pick the best or the job
42 Organic gardeningA great range o ready-made organic products
GUIDES
16 New plants
32 New products
64 Open Gardens
78 Whats on Calendar o SA gardening events
38
www.gardenandoutdoorliving.com
24
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011 5
Welcome to spring
During the next three
months, nature is on your
side. With the minimum
o efort, you can sow
vegetables, establish ruit
trees, roll out instant lawn,
re-pot your hanging baskets
or plant out a range o
ornamental shrubs.
Why not pay a visit to your
local garden centre? You
will be surprised at the
range o colourul spring
plants they have in store.
I you would like sound
advice on suitable plants
or your garden talk to an
adviser at your local garden
centre.
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6 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Tomatoes
you can trust!
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011 7
Tomatoes
Performance with taste. That has to be every every tomato
growers dream. Ask your local garden centre about the new
premium grade high performers.
Ripe red ruits with real tomatofavour on bushes that dontsuddenly collapse because o
the never-ending onslaught o pests anddisease.
Tis is the challenge that has been takenup by garden centre members o theNursery and Garden Industry Associationin South Australia.
o achieve this, they are working closelywith leading Australian plant breedingcompanies and SA based bedding plantgrowers to provide new tomato varietiesselected specically or home gardens thatcombine perormance with taste.While not discounting the perormance
o traditional tomato avourites such asMighty Red and Grosse Lisse, the aim isto help overcome some o the conusionconronting home gardeners whendeciding what variety o tomato they willgrow this season.
Tis season a number o new premiumgrade high perorming tomato varietieshave been released.Apart rom real tomato taste, they oer
high yields over an extended period, whilethe bushes have greater resistance to diseaseand tolerance to heat.
However, because each seed may cost 40cents or more (compared with less thanhal a cent or unimproved varieties), theseplants are sold as advanced seedlings inindividual containers (ideal when you onlyneed a ew plants), although some lines
will be available in punnets containing ourplants instead o the usual six or eight.
Tis season, most garden centres areoering a range o high perorming newplants known as truss tomatoes.
Each plant produces a number o wellormed trusses, carrying ve to six mediumsized but top quality ruits.
Te bushes have excellent diseaseresistance, generally grow to 1.8 metres highand as such, will need staking. Applying asmall quantity o balanced oliar with avery high potash content ertiliser everythree weeks once fowering begins will helpkeep the plants perorming.
Tese are premium plants and will besold as advanced seedlings in individualcontainers and sometimes in our cellpunnets.
Truss tomato labels to look for
United rusty Red, Ebony, Cupid andGourmet.
Living Colour Red russOasis Large Fruit russ, Pink Pearl,russ Plum, omatoberry.
Other high performing tomatoes
Mighty RedApollo ImprovedGrosse Lisse Improved
Grosse Lisse Improved (above) and Tomatoberry (opposite page)
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8 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Tomatoes
Target spot
Look or brown circular spots on theolder or lower leaves particularly early inthe season. Tis is a ungal disease thatturns leaves yellow beore they crop.
Te easiest way to protect your plants romungal diseases and pests is to dust or spraythe bushes on a regular basis. Most tomato
dusts and sprays contain a ungicide andan insecticide. Sulphur sprays or dusts are
very eective in controlling ungus diseasesand suppressing mites, but not caterpillars.
Tomato grubs
Green caterpillars, 35 cm long, thatburrow into ripening ruit.
Bronze surface mite
Very small sap sucking insects that causea bronzing eect, particularly on the lower
leaves. Plants are stunted and leaves turncrisp on hot days.
Verticillium and Fusarium wilts
Soil borne ungal diseases that seriouslyaect the sap fow o plants. Tey cannotbe controlled by spraying.
Plants can collapse during hot weather.
Best deence is to buy disease resistantplants.
Simple crop protection to beat pests and diseases
Roma ImprovedTese are traditional home garden
avourites but have been crossed (naturally)with high perormance tomato genes toproduce superior plants.
Collecting Heirlooms
I you are interested in tomatoes withgood old ashioned tomato taste, considergrowing a collection o Heirloom varieties.
Tis season, most Heirloom tomatoesin SA will be sold under the Diggers label
although Plants Plus Garden Centres havejust released an Earthcore range.
op Heirloom varieties include:Black Krim omato - dark red purpleruit, slightly fattened. Delicate skin.Very juicy. Needs staking.Black Russian omato - apricot size andshape. Tis has a black skin withchocolate interior, high yielding, ruityfavour.Green Zebra omato - apricot size andshape with green stripes over a cream
background. One metre high.Outstanding favour.
Mortgage Liter omato - very largeruits ull o tasty pink fesh. Needsstaking.igeralla omato - early maturingglobular shaped with red and yellowstripes. 1.5 metres high. angy favour.
N.B. Heirloom tomatoes are verysusceptible to common tomato diseasesand should be protected by spraying ordusting regularly with a ungicide or allpurpose tomato dust.Your local garden centre can help with
advice on both traditional and organicproducts.
rom previous page
Megabite Truss Plum Large Fruit Truss
Pink Pearl - high yielding, great taste
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Tomatoes
The secret to harvesting your owntomatoes beore Christmas isto keep the plants warm during
the rst ew weeks o growth. omatoesplanted into cold, wet soil will simply sitand sulk. Te setback they receive coulddelay harvesting by up to a month.
omatoes are sun lovers, so choose thewarmest position in the garden. Te
ground must be well drained and it is alsoessential to protect the plants rom wind.Many successul home gardeners grow
their early vegetables in beds raised 20-30cm higher than the surrounding garden.
Tis improves drainage and it makesit easier to warm the soil by covering thebeds in clear plastic. Te plastic shouldbe spread a week beore planting with thetomatoes being placed in slits cut into thematerial.
I the area is exposed to the wind, tryerecting a barrier using shadecloth or
plastic.Large, plastic, cordial containers with the
base and top removed can be used to coverindividual plants. Tese containers act asa mini glasshouse, stimulating the plantsinto early growth.
Check the soil every 4-5 days and water
only i necessary. wo to three weekslater, the containers should be removed,although plastic on the soil can remain inplace until the advent o hot weather.
Resist the temptation to ply yourtomato plants with ertiliser, particularlythose containing nitrogen only. Nitrogenstimulates the plants into vigorous growthand this will be at the expense o your earlytomatoes.
Compost and a balanced ertiliser
containing nitrogen, phosphorus andpotash (spread at hal a cupul to the squaremetre) should be dug into the soil beoreplanting.Apply a hal strength liquid ertiliser to the
plants two to three days ater establishingand then go easy on the eeding. A liquidgarden ertiliser with a high potash contentapplied every three weeks is all that is
needed.Pay particular attention to watering.omatoes will produce more ruit orlonger i the root zone is given a deepsoaking with the topsoil being allowed todry out completely between watering.
Use urrow or drip irrigation i possible,and try and avoid overhead sprinklers.
Wetting the oliage only encourages leadisease problems.
By late October, ground temperaturesshould be warm and the plants root zoneshould be covered with a 6-8 cm layer o
organic mulch. Tis will keep the roots cooland help prevent uneven soil moisture.
Jon Lamb provides topical gardeninginformation every Friday in Te Advertiserand on ABC 891s talkback gardeningprogram every Saturday 8.30-10.00 am.
Tomatoes before Christmas
Renmarks 17thRose Festival
14th - 23rd Oct 2011
For more information contactSecretary Miriam McLean 08 8586 4695
Release of Renmarks Rose Festival Fair Cabaret Luncheon Floral Demonstration Open Gardens & Garden Bus Tours
Art Galleries/Exhibitions Tea Rose Collection River Cruises Scarecrow Competition Cake Decorating Demonstration Quilting Display And much more
Pink Pearl - early to mature
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10 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Xxxxcacsaxx
Yes, this is what you will see when
you walk through the entranceway o your local garden centre.Tese plants have all been selected becausethey are compact, trouble-ree and providebrilliant colour over an extended period.
Voltage with high impact
Would you believe this is an oldashioned perennial osteospermum but
with a garden riendly makeover? Voltageproduces masses o bright, clear yellowdaisy-like blooms over an extended period.It is low growing, spreading and ideal as a
groundcover, hanging basket or in a largecontainer and grows in ull sun. Voltageneeds good drainage and i you go easy on
the water, it should fower rom September
through to late autumn. Height 25-40cm. Spreads 60-70 cm. Space plants 30-40cm.
Daisy with double blooms
A series o pink, purple and whiteosteospermum with double blooms hasalso been released. Tese are very droughttolerant, low maintenance plants that dontneed dead heading. Tey need ull sun butare ideal or growing in garden beds orcontainers and in large or small gardens.
Three ways with TrixieTis has to be the ultimate when you needa combination o colour and something
that is decidedly dierent.
rixie oers a range o containers thathave been planted with three dierenttypes o low growing, long lasting colourulperennials.
Each combination has been selected orits ability to produce an outstanding colourdisplay.All combinations eature a calibrachoa.
Tese are low growing, spreading but verycolourul perennial orms o petunia. Inthis range, the colours include light anddark blue, orange, red, purple and white.Perennial companion plants include lobelia
and verbena, bacopa and bidens eldoro.Over the next ew weeks, home gardenerswill plant out more petunias than all other
Eye-catching colour for springTrixie Bolero - three long lasting perennials
Osteospermum Voltage Petunia Bumble beeOsteospermum Double Petunia Black Velvet
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Good gardening
summer annuals combined. Petunias reallydo thrive in the heat and are happy togrow on the dry side. However, the latest
petunias will certainly catch your eye.Bumble bee
A very sophisticated petunia with a blackbase and a very distinctive yellow star,fushed with dark purple or pink aroundthe edges.
Te bushes produce an upright mound.Tey are early to fower and will be coveredthrough spring and summer.
Ideal or hanging baskets, containers orgarden beds.
Black Velvet
Black Velvet is the worlds rst blackpetunia. It also produces an upright
mound, fowers early in the season and willcontinue to fower through the hottestweather. Great in a mixed container ormaking a statement by itsel.
Minifamous calibrochoa
Calibrochoas are a perennial orm opetunias that produce masses o small, bell-like fowers.
Given ull sun and good drainage, theywill fower right through the growingseason.
Miniamous is a new double foweredorm that has very attractive bell-shapedblooms and layered petals.
ALSO WORTH CONSIDERING
Laurentia Blue Star
Pretty star shaped blooms above sotmounded oliage. A perennial oten treatedas an annual. Height - 30 cm.
Marigold French Flame
Compact, bushy habit. Large fowers,vigorous, distinctive mahogany colouredpetals edged with vibrant yellow.
Miniamous calibrochoaLaurentia Blue Star Marigold French Flame
Living Outdoorshuge range in store now!
560 Main North Road, Gawler, SA Telephone: (08) 8522 3400 www.vadoulis.com.au
VadoulisGarden Centremuch more than just plants
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12 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Recycling
What happens to all the stu
we put in our green bins?It doesnt just get dumped
somewhere out o sight, out o mind -to decompose on its own. Tat would be
an enormous loss o valuable nutrients.Organic material is a valuable resource thatthe state cannot aord to send to landll,particularly as South Australian soils areseverely nutrient-decient.
Green organics (or green waste) areproessionally processed into compost-based products such as soil conditioners,mulches, garden soils, top dressingsoils and potting mixes. New productsare continuously being developed orenvironmental applications such aserosion control and stormwater treatment.Products or more specic purposes arealso available or agricultural applicationssuch as viticulture, ruit, vegetables, grainsand pasture improvement.
What you put in your green
bin can be used to benet the
environment and the economy
Te Australian recycled organics industryregularly updates and publishes aninteresting set o numbers demonstratingthe importance o the commercialcomposting sector.
Over 120 businesses are involved,employing the equivalent o 1,900 ull timepositions in addition to creating jobs intransport, distribution and the applicationo the products.1 Te sector recycles morethan 5.8 million tonnes o organic materialeach year.2 Tis recovers more than 46,000tonnes o nutrients that would otherwisebe lost to landll.3
In South Australia, the Compost or Soilscollaborative project, jointly unded byZero Waste SA with industry, includes thestates three largest compost processors the Jeries Group, Peats Soil and Garden
Supplies and Van Shaiks Bio Gro.In 2009-10 almost 636,000 tonnes o
organics were recovered or reprocessingin South Australia. Te most signicantorganic recovery streams were 262,000tonnes o timber ollowed by 220,000tonnes o garden organics collected mostlyrom council green bins at the kerbside.
Saving water and
supporting food security
hold water, reduce leaching loss andimprove the soilcreate biologically healthy soils that useless water, less ertiliser and ewerpesticides mulches can save morethan 30 percent o irrigation water4lower extreme soil temperatures insummer and thus alleviate plant stressby insulating the soil in summer
Reducing climate changeAround 90 percent o greenhouse gas
emissions rom landlls are a result odecomposing organic material whichcould be diverted. Composting gardenmaterials and ood scraps divert thisorganic matter rom landll.5Composting reduces the quantity o
waste going to landll and thereorecuts down on methane, a strong
greenhouse gas and contributor toglobal warming.Compost can reduce soil erosion by upto 30 percent through adding structureand assisting plant growth andvegetation establishment.6
When the green bin leaves your
kerb, it takes about eight weeks
to be processed
Ater being delivered to a compostingacility, the green organics are blendedand ormed in oblong-shaped hills calledwindrows. Teyre bigger than you would
Composting garden materials and food scraps
diverts this valuable organic matter from landll.
Life beyond the green bin
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011 13
Xxxx casacxx
expect about the size o two double-decker buses end to end. Te windrowsare aerated using a network o ans whichmeans the compost does not need to beturned requently which many homecomposting systems require.When the material comes in to a
composting acility, unortunately thereis contamination, particularly romhouseholds.Ater composting, the material is put
through a screening and sorting process.For example, Jeries uses a machine aboutthe size o a two-story granny fat.
Its more or less a very sophisticated oodprocessor nicknamed Ross (RecycledOrganics Sorting System) and wasspecically designed and commissioned by
Jeries with help rom Zero Waste SA.Over several weeks, the material is
blended, composted, aerated, screened,sorted, ground, extracted, magnetised, de-stoned and tested.
Ten it all ends up as various typeso mulch and compost beore beingdelivered to customers - rom single personhouseholds to be used in the garden toSouth Australias large councils or reservesand sporting grounds.
One step in the process can be dyeingthe mulches dierent colours. Jeriesmanaging director, Lachlan remembersone o the strange things he noticed whentravelling overseas.
I youre on the Pacic coast o the US,everyone uses subtle, earth-toned mulch.But as you travel across, the urther eastyou get, the colours start to blend with
urban environment - unusual colours.South Australian gardeners and garden-
lovers have probably noticed the popularityo the bright reddish mulches maybe itreminds people o ochre at sunset.
1 National Processors Survey 2009-10,researched by the Recycled Organics Unit,published by Compost Australia. Tis surveydoes not target businesses processing less
than 5000 tonnes p.a. and does not achieve100% response rate. As such, these gures areconservative, as many on-arm and other smallscale organic recyclers are not captured.
2 Recycled Organics Unit or CompostAustralia, Organics Recycling in Australia,2008-2009
3 Adapted rom calculations prepared by B.Paulin, Dept o Agriculture and Food, PerthWA (unpublished)
4 Te Capability o the AustralianRecycled Organics Industry. June 2011.http://www.compostorsoils.com.au/index.php?page=benets-o-using-ro
5 US Composting Council (1996). Benetso Compost.
6 Te Field Guide to Compost Use. US EPA(1997). Innovative uses o compost. ErosionControl, ur Remediation, and Landscaping.
SA Garden & Outdoor Livingsupporter:
www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au
Rule o green thumb: I it doesnt grow - it doesnt go! Non-compostables like old garden hose, plant potsand plastic bags can NOT be composted.
Yes
Vegetable and ruit scrapsFallen leaves and ruitTea leaves and tea bagsCofee groundsVacuum cleaner dustDead owersSot stems o plantsEgg shells
Old newspapers (shredded)Lawn clippingsSawdust and small amounts o
wood ash or limeTissuesBiodegradable corn starch bags
No
Plastic plant potsPlastic seedling traysPlastic bags not even to keep
your clippings bundledtogether or tidyNon biodegradable bagsBatteriesHousehold chemicalsPolystyrene or oamNappiesMetalGarden hoseGarden toolsDead pets/animalsMagazines
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14 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Fruit trees
Fruit trees - feast or famine
Aheavy crop o small ruit oneyear ollowed by a small crop overy large ruit the next. I this ishappening to the ruit trees in your garden,you have what is known as a bi-annualbearing problem.
Te pattern can arise in almost all typeso ruit trees but apricots, plums, peaches,apples and citrus ruits are particularly
prone.Bi-annual bearing oten begins when atree carrying a heavy crop is placed understress, such as not having enough moistureduring summer.
Te best way around this problem is toreduce the load o ruit on the tree duringthe heavy year by removing or thinning it
while the ruit is still quite small i.e. size olarge marbles.
However, ruit trees tend to undergo anatural shedding a ew weeks ater ruitset so wait until this has occurred (usually
early November).Individual bunches should be reducedto no more than two ruits and where thebunches are close together, there shouldbe no more than one piece o ruit to eachbunch. Ideally the ruit should be spaced15-20 cm apart.When thinning, take the opportunity
to remove any pieces that are marked ormisshapen.
ry and not look at the ground as youwork as you may have to remove 30-40percent o the ruit.
Tinning early in the season will result
in a good sized crop o average sized ruitboth this year and the next.
Mature ruit trees (4-5 m) carrying aheavy load this season should be givenextra encouragement by spreading 2-3kg o ertiliser over the root system. Useone o the complete ertilisers containing
nitrogen, phosphorus and potash.
Tis should be spread under the outercanopy o leaves and make sure it is wateredinto the topsoil.
rees carrying a light load can miss out ona spring application o ertiliser. However,all ruit trees regardless o the load theyare carrying will benet rom 1-2 kg o
ertiliser applied during early autumn.
Many home gardeners prune theirruit trees quite heavily duringwinter. Tis usually results in strongvigorous growth and a large tall tree that isoten hard to manage.
Te way around this problem is to replacethis single winter operation with a lightpruning in winter ollowed by a urtherlight pruning o any vigorous growthduring late November or early December.
Tis summer pruning makes a gooddeal o sense as it redirects the trees energyinto smaller laterals and ruit buds. It alsoovercomes the need to prune your treesback hard every winter.Young ruit trees still developing a
permanent ramework o branches willcertainly benet rom summer pruning.
Main laterals that have produced morethan 45 cm o growth should have up
to one third o the length removed inNovember or early December whilevigorous side shoots should also have tipgrowth removed.
Regular summer pruning ollowed bylight pruning in winter will encourageyoung ruit trees to begin bearing withintwo to three years o planting. However, ogreater importance, it will help keep yourtrees smaller and ar more manageable.
Summer pruning can deliver the goods
Apricots are among the ruits most susceptible to the bi-annual bearing problem.
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16 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Sunpatiens
First impatiens series that tolerates ull sun. Thicker petals and oliage provide bettertolerance to heat and disease. Flowers both early and later than traditional impatiens.
Great colour ranges or containers, baskets and beds. www.ballaustralia.com
New plants
Whats new at your garden centreThe latest new plants available from Nursery and Garden Industry SA centres
Hollyhock Crimson
A compact variety with large semi-double to double owers inthe frst year o growth (late spring to mid autumn). Sun lover.Height 90 cm. www.oasishorticulture.com.au
Herb Stevia Sweetleaf
A natural alternative to sugar. The leaves areincredibly sweet when used resh or dry. Bushy plant.Very high yielding. Adapts well to container growing.
Sun lover. 45-75 cm. www.ballaustralia.com
Watermelon seedless
Red & Yellow
Two new medium sized (5-7 kg)seedless watermelons with red
or yellow crisp, sweet esh. Thinrind. Supplied with pollenizer toboost ower set.www.oasishorticulture.com.au
Loropetalum Plum Gorgeous
A stunning eature plant with deep plum to burgundy coloured oliage all year round.Tassle like raspberry coloured owers mainly in spring - repeats in autumn. Vigorous but
compact growth with domed canopy. Heat and dry tolerant. Frost hardy. www.pga.com.au
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011 17
New plants
Hellebore Tutu
A strong, easy to grow, reliableperennial with ecked petals andelegant rued centres. Flowersrom mid winter through spring.
Sun, part shade www.pga.com.au
Hydrangea Strawberries and Cream
The original variety rom a very attractive new series ohydrangeas. Numerous blooms on a mounded bush with brightgreen leaves. Very dierent to most hydrangeas. Very suitedto indoor use. Excellent container or landscape plant. Preerspartial shade to ull sun. www.tesselaar.com.au
Espaliered Michelia Fairy Blush
Well grown espaliered Michelia. Part o a series o readyto go ornamental and ruiting wall plants. Fairy Blush hasvery ragrant lilac owers during spring and autumn. Sun
or part shade. www.merrywoodplants.com.au
Friolina
A very dierent but extremely versatileorm o viola (viola cornuta) with excellent
tolerance to heat and cold. The plantshave a well developed trailing habit with acontinuous and very attractive show o selcleaning owers during autumn and again
in spring. Fiolina plants are highly branchedand produce numerous owers and because
o their trailing habit are ideal in hangingbaskets, ground covering or patio containers.
www.colourwave.com.au
Lobularia Snow Princess
A reinvented but very reliable orm o alyssum. Aheat loving plant producing large ower heads inashionable white throughout most o the year.Honey scented, very early to grow, does not selseed. Selected as a display plant or garden beds,containers and particularly hanging baskets. Needsull sun or very bright light.
www.aussiewinners.com.au
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18 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Landscape supplies
Have you ever wondered whatsinside your local landscapesupply yard? I you are a do-it-
yoursel gardener, its a bit like paying ashort visit to paradise.
Composts, soils and mulches, alongwith an amazing range o pavers, pavingsands and gravel, not to mention cementsleepers, edging materials and innovativebuilding blocks are all there. In reality, you
will nd all o the basic ingredients neededto create or improve your own landscape.
Te bulky materials like soils and mulchesare usually piled high in large storage bins.For home gardeners with a towbar on theircar, it is simply a matter o borrowing orhiring a 6 x 4 trailer, pulling into the yardand making your selection. When youreready, the materials will be loaded or youvia a ront end loader and you are on your
way.Te other alternative is to have the
materials delivered to your ront gate. Inmost suburbs, it will add around $25-30 tothe total cost o the materials.
I you have never been inside a landscapesupply yard, do pay a visit. Browse aroundand dont be araid to ask questions as mostoperators have accumulated an amazing
wealth o practical landscape inormation.You will nd they are more than happy to
show you around, whether it is weekdaysor weekends you are always welcome.A typical location is Marion Sand & Metal
Paving centre and depot manager, KeithWillsher, strongly believes in his operatorshaving a riendly chat with people as theyarrive. Tis is the type o service you canexpect when you visit the depot.
We like to explain what is available,identiy what materials will suit their needsand most important, help them work outhow much they will need.
Te sta are experienced in calculating
quantities. All you have to do is providedetails o the area to be covered or treated,Keith says.
However, i you are buying soil, rememberit is the backbone o your garden.
Quality loam should contain a largeamount o organic material and plenty oair spaces. Organic composts provide plantnutrients, improve soil structure and retainsoil moisture. Te air spaces are essentialor oxygen and drainage. Most unimprovedgarden soils are decient in both organicmatter and air spaces.According to Keith, soil suitable or a
lawn should contain 80 percent coarsesand and at least 20 percent quality organicloam.
On the other hand, a quality loam orgrowing vegetables or ruit trees shouldcontain 40-50 percent composted, organicmaterial as a minimum.
Mulches
One o the best ways to provide mulch oryour garden is to buy in bulk. Its relativelyinexpensive but the benets to your gardenare many.A 5-7 cm layer o mulch such as Jeries
mulches, comprising the Forever colouredmulch range as well as Forest Mulch andplayground pine chips, all help to control
weeds, cut water loss by up to 60 percentand i the mulch is organic, it will slowlybreak down to a composted material that is
extremely benecial to the topsoil.Blended materials such as Recover are
ideal or mulching most garden beds asthey contain plenty o chunky material toact as reasonably long lasting mulch butalso add valuable organic matter to thetopsoil.
We also provide what we call Gardenn ub Mix. Tis is a special blend ocomposted materials and soil that is idealor lling a hal wine barrel or large plantercontainers, and is ready or immediateplanting Keith said.
Our depot operators are quite used tolling trailers, buckets and dierent sizedcontainers with all kinds o landscapematerials, again it is a service we are proudto oer.
When it comes to home delivery, youcan order rom hal a tonne o blendedsoil and compost - ideal or lling a smallraised bed - up to a very large tip truck ullo garden mulch.
Get to know your locallandscape supply yard
SA Garden & Outdoor Livingsupporter:
www.jeries.com.au
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20 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Xxxxcacsaxx
T
he past 10 years o drought haveshown us that it is more importantthan ever to reduce our reliance
on water rom the River Murray. We needa diverse water supply which includesclimate and non-climate dependentsources such as desalination in orderto ensure maximum water diversity andsecurity.
South Australia is already a national leaderin stormwater harvesting, wastewaterrecycling, rainwater tank ownershipand irrigation eciency; however thereis always more that can be done. Tat is
why the Government has produced aStormwater Strategy.
Te Stormwater Strategy provides acomprehensive road map or uturestormwater management in South
Australia.Importantly, the strategy highlights how
individual urban water resources can nolonger be managed in isolation.
Stormwater should not be managedindependently o wastewater and strongfood-mitigation measures must beincorporated into our urban design,making Adelaide a water-sensitive city.
Te strategy outlines nine actions whichare considered essential in achievingsuccessul stormwater management.
Tese actions include developing anintegrated blueprint or urban stormwaterand wastewater by 2014, introducinginterim targets or water sensitive urbandesign, identiying ways to improvestormwater inrastructure, completingurther studies to improve stormwaterknowledge and commissioning a scienticresearch program to underpin urban water
policy.Te blueprint will be the rst o its kindin Australia and will help to ensure our
state remains a national leader in watermanagement.
In 2009, the Water or Good plan wasintroduced to ensure South Australias
water uture.Tis plan anticipates the capacity to
harvest 20 gigalitres o stormwater a year inGreater Adelaide by 2013 and 60 gigalitresby 2050.
Te Stormwater Strategy will play a keyrole in helping us reach these ambitioustargets.
State and local government, academia,industry and the community will be
working together to implement thestrategys nine actions.
Tis unied approach is vital to ensurethat our state makes the most o this highlyvaluable, t-or-purpose resource.
By combining increased stormwatercapture and re-use with what is alreadyhappening in our homes, gardens andstate, we will ensure we have a diverse
water supply or South Australians.
SA Garden & Outdoor Livingsupporter:
www.waterorgood.sa.gov.au
Stormwater - a vitalpart of the mix
As soon as rainwater hits our roads, pavements, gutters, drains and other suraces it quickly becomes contaminated. Open space wetlands allow stormwater toundergo a cleansing process, removing pollutants and turning it into a ft-or-purpose resource.
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011 21
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W
hether it is enhancing the night time environment orsimply improving outside security, garden lightinghas an important role to play.
Exterior spaces around the home have many uses, however alltoo oten they are dedicated to day time use. Te addition o well-positioned and correctly designed lighting allows you to makemuch better use o these unctional areas. When this occurs,lighting can have a very positive impact and provide the amily
with valuable, extended time to entertain in the garden.o me, lighting is a relationship with shadows and light. Nature,
particularly in a home garden, oers a range o beautiul objectsto illuminate.
Uplights strategically placed and easily camoufaged in gardenbeds are an easy but very eective way o projecting shadows onto ablank wall or ence, creating a piece o living art. Alternatively, youmay consider washing selected walls with light as this will allow
you to silhouette your plants and sculptures against the light.Te use o optics is a good way to control beam angles that direct
the light onto the exact point o interest, or example a narrowbeam o light highlighting each eature pillar or post.
Refecting light rom suraces such as a corrugated tin porch roois also worth considering as it allows even but indirect lightingto the whole area, and importantly eliminates glare and xturedistraction.
Correct lighting can also create both dynamic and intimate spacesthat will assist you in your entertaining requirements.
I like to use exterior areas like interior rooms with purposelight or tables and cooking areas and ambient lighting or thoseromantic nooks.
Special purpose lighting
Consider how you use lighting and switching inside your homeand bring these theories outside. It is oten very useul to be ableto separate switching or tables and barbecue suraces to that o theambient eature lighting as each has its own purpose. Tink alsoabout the use o dimmer switches as they allow you to control howmuch light you require at any given evening.When adding colour to a ocal point, lets not over-do it. A special
eature should say look at me - I am it! but this is not always aboutmore light. Make sure the light is even, balanced and gives depth toyour eature. Dont fatten areas with too much light.
Tere are many actors to consider when planning your exteriorlighting. Tese include electrical accessibility, energy savingoptions, visibility, colours, glare, scale and controllability.
And lets not orget quality and reliability o products. Teseshould be made or our harsh Australian environment so they donot corrode or disintegrate in Adelaide soils. I these actors are
taken into account and planned or, you can enjoy a successullighting system that will last the test o time.A good place to start is to create a master plan. Tis can be a
useul tool and ensures you get it right rst time. Ten with theassistance o someone with experience in garden lighting, you canplan, grow and extend your system to suit both your liestyle andyour budget.
Jane Best is a lighting consultant and manager for Gardens at Night.
Let there be lightBY JANE BEST
www.merrywoodplants.com.au
91 Lower Somerville Rd, Baxter Vic 3911Tel: 0417 115 758
MERRYWOOD
An espalier is a beautiful
addition to any garden.
It can soften a wall orbe the focal point of
your garden design.
Merrywood hand train
each espalier so it isready for you to enjoy.
specialising in Espalier Plants
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22 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
The Cutting Edge
W
ith spring comes the seasonor garden and landscapeawards and so its timely
to recognise a ew o the better exampleso the worst I have seen this year. Teseawards are based on my own observationsand as ar as I know, have all been madeby proessional landscapers and gardendesigners.
Best commercial award or a bad error oplant choice and design goes to a boundaryplanting along a 30 cm space in a re-developed caryard where two advanced sizegolden elms (Ulmus x Van Houtteii)normal growth (12 m x 10 m) have beenplanted our metres apart to screen aneighbouring property.
Best residential award or silly designgoes to a cluster o 5-star eco-riendlyinner suburban executive homes whichhave been enhanced by plantations o veadvanced super-sized Manchurian peartrees one metre apart in the ront gardenspace o each home.
Given that the space is 15 metres wideand ve metres deep, the number o treesseems to be purely cosmetic. Such an over-planting to create an instant garden needsimmediate remediation by removing atleast three o the trees to give the others achance to grow next year, and to allow orvisitors pushing through the over-growthto the ront door.
Te same development gets the awardor designed inconvenience. Tere is noroom anywhere or the three rubbish binsprovided by the local council.
Te houses sprawl across the entire blocko land rom ront to back and side to sideso all the rubbish has to go through thehouse to where?
Great design that, well worthy o thehighest criticism. And this was designed byan architect!
Theres good news too
Congratulations and admiration towhoever replaced the grungy New Zealandfaxes in the landscaping outside the ArtGallery with the delightul, and cheery,Aloe x opaz. Every time I walk down Northerrace the sot orange fowers draw myattention away rom all the surroundinggreyness.
Lets have more o such attractive hardyplants in public landscapes across the city.Te range o smaller aloes provides quitea colourul choice rom fashy primarycolours to pastel tones and white.
Following the public brou-ha-ha aboutthe weeds and poor maintenance in theMount Loty Botanic Gardens, thingsshow good signs o improvement.A very eisty meeting with the Minister
responsible, Paul Caica, and the Director,Stephen Forbes, some weeks back inStirling challenged their perceptions thateverything up there was just ne.
Since then some fexibility has beenound in stang at the Adelaide BotanicGardens, sucient to send some o thehorticulturalists rom the city up to theHills to eradicate weeds and raise the levelo presentation.
Late Press
Bad news too; it seems the total ABGbudget or the new nancial year wasslashed rom $6.3m last year to $3.9m or
the coming year. Oh dear! What hope orMount Loty? What hope or Wittunga?
Get excited about thisCycads spreading everywhere even
to Aldinga. Cycas revoluta, the Japanesesago palm, is taking over the town romNorth errace to the coast, in Norwoodand West Lakes, to Mawson Lakes and
Andrews Farm and as ar as One ree Hilland Happy Valley. When will the invadinghorde reach Victor? And what will be doneabout nding a new plant o the year orcopycat landscapers?
Read these
Te Adelaide Park Lands, by PatriciaSumerling and learn about why thistreasure o a place is as important now as ithas been or the past 170 years or so.
Kitchen Gardens of Australiaby Kate Herdshows how to have productive and prettyveggie gardens. Some are more productivethan others and some are prettier thanothers. Tere is ample variety, so take yourpick.
Flemings Fruit and Ornamental reeGuideby Liz Darmody and Paige Fleming;a thorough guide or home gardenersselecting deciduous ruit and ornamentaltrees.
Carrick Hill, heydays of the Haywards1940 1970. Te Friends o Carrick Hilltell the racy bits about the Grand Lie onthe Springeld estate along with givingaway some o the best recipes. Great un.
For the to-do list
Check out the numerous spring gardenshows, expositions and plant sales and getout there seeing, meeting and buying. Mid-
September is probably the latest to get potgrown plants out into the garden beoreadditional watering will be needed.
TheCuttingEdge
SA garden writer and mediterranean plant authority,
TREVOR NOTTLE keeps an eye on gardenings latest issues.
Heres the best of the worst!
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Ask for these great Searles products at your nearest gardening outlet.
Ph: 07 5422 3000
visit our website
www.searles.com.au
Watch gardens
burst int life
Rapid response delivers brilliant results
Searles Flourish Range
A FAMILY BUSINESS SINCE 1977
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Xxxxcacsaxx
Nothing delights the senses like
beautiul ragrance. It evokeschildhood memories andeelings o romance, warmth, pleasure andhappiness.
Gardens can produce ragrance all yearround, but probably the strongest perumecomes late in winter and early springrom the vigorous twining climber, Jasminpolyanthum, when masses o pink budsopen to pure white star-shaped, intenselyperumed fowers.Jasmin polyanthum can be grown against
walls and ences or or a soter look, try
trailing one around a pillar or post. Plant in
well-drained soil in ull sun or part shadeand provide a climbing structure, such as
wire or lattice.
It is rost sensitive. Prune immediately
ater fowering to maintain a tidy shape.I you preer a more subtle ragrance,Viburnum tinus is a star perormer in ourSouth Australian climate.
It can be used as an evergreen large shrubor small tree and is ideal or hedging as ithas a dense growth habit.A recent release is Viburnum tinusAnvi.
Anvi has large fower heads with clusterso pink buds opening to ragrant creamy-
white fowers rom late winter throughspring on a background o dark greenleathery leaves. Tis plant is very hardy and
rost resistant.
It is a golden maxim to
cultivate the garden
for the nose, and the
eyes will take care of
themselves
Robert Louis Stevenson, 1905
Garden scents
Erysimum Viburnum tinus Anvi Sweet peas Heliotrope Baby Blue
Lavender Lavandula angustiolia
Spring is the season of scents and KATHY ERREYoffers
some handy advice to those who want to follow their nose.
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Good gardening
GROW YOUR
FRUIT
IN A POT
Valley RedTM
Dwarf Peach
Grow your own, taste the difference
www.balhannahnurseries.com.au
Valley GoldTM
Dwarf Nectarine
PinkbelleTM
Dwarf Pink Lady Apple
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)is an old romantic or summer scent.
Dwar varieties, like Munstead and
Hidcote are available or the smaller gardenand require very little extra watering,making them ideal or the drier areas oSouth Australia.
Lavender preers well-drained soil and issuitable or planting in pots, garden bedsor used as a low hedge.Wallfowers (known previously as
Cheiranthus, renamed Erysimum) areprobably one o the hardiest small foweringshrubs with a delicate honey scent.
It is very long fowering and is availablein purple, yellow, orange as well as bi
and multi-colours. Wallfowers are rosttolerant, low water users and attractbutterfies.
Heliotrope arborescens, commonly knownas Cherry Pie, has a vanilla ragrance andis an old ashioned plant.
Heliotrope has ornamental purple-greenoliage producing aromatic lilac-colouredfowers and grows to about 60 cm in height.
It is rost sensitive, and so in colder areascan be grown in pots and moved to asheltered position.
Sweet peas are easy to grow and heavenlyscented. Make a note to plant the seed onApril Fools Day.
Water in and then dont water again untilthe seedlings emerge.
Protect new plants rom slugs and snails.Both tall and dwar varieties are availableand the dwar varieties can be grown asa groundcover - as such it doesnt needtrellising.
During spring, youll be rewarded withheavily scented fowers in colours rangingrom light pink, dark pink, purple to white.
Tere is no better git to yoursel or ariend than a home picked bouquet oragrant fowers.
Kathy Errey of Outdoor Canvas Plantsis a passionate gardener with a lifetimeexperience in selecting and growing plants forSA gardens. She is a member of HorticulturalMedia Association (SA). Jasmin polyanthum
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26 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Compost
Digging compost into the gardenhas been likened to installing ahuge water tank or the personal
use o your plants.All you need to do is dig a 2-5 cm layer o
quality compost into the top 15-20 cm oyour garden soil.
Increasing the organic matter in your soil
by even 1 percent can increase its abilityto hold an additional 16 litres o water persquare metre. Tats over a bucket and ahal o water!
Te water that is retained in the organicmatter is stored or later use by plants oncethe moisture in the plants root zone hasbeen used. And o course, i you cover thesoil with mulch, this stored moisture cantescape as evaporation.
Over a complete growing season, theamount o water you can save simply bydigging compost into the topsoil runs into
thousands o litres.
For anyone planning to grow vegetablesor plant ruit trees or shrubs in the garden,this has to be good news. During summerit will make a very signicant dierenceto the plants ability to survive duringextremely hot weather. In less extremeconditions, the higher levels o organicmatter mean you can extend the time in
between watering.By the end o a growing season, you will
be surprised at the amount o water youhave saved.
Making compost
Compost is the material let ater leaves,lawn clippings, spent annuals and vegetableplants, even chopped prunings, have beenplaced in a heap and let to decompose.
In a large commercial compost heap,the decomposition process generatesconsiderable heat and the plant material
can be converted into humus in six to
eight weeks. However, in most gardens,where small layers o material are addedon an irregular basis, the process cantake six months or more and oten a airpercentage o the original material is notully composted.
Composted and semi-compostedmaterials both make a great soil improver
when dug into the topsoil. However, withsemi-composted materials, it is importantto wait our to six weeks betweenapplication and planting to allow time orthe decomposition process to be completedin the soil.
I you dont make your own compost,dont worry. Premium quality compostis readily available in bulk rom yourlocal landscape supply yard. Jeries has astrong reputation or top quality materials.Supplies o compost are available by thetrailer load or you can arrange to have
material delivered to your ront gate.
Reduce your waterbill with compost
Jeffries Organic Compost Includes vital nutrients
Retains water
Encourages rootestablishment and growth!
Jeffries Recover Reduces evaporation
Minimises weed growth
Added blood and bone
Jeffries Forest Mulch Reduces evaporation
Adds vital nutrients
Insulates plants
For more informationphone 8368 3555 or
visit www.jeffries.com.auOffice hours Mon-Fri 7am-5pm
Now is the best time to start thinkingabout nourishing your garden bedsby digging organic compost into your soil.Not only will it reshen your garden upater a long cold winter, but it will help inpreparing your soil to retain moisture duringsummer.
Research shows that there is a strongrelationship between the levels o soil organicmatter and the amount o water that canbe stored in the soil says Lachlan Jeries,managing director o Jeries. Organic
systems use water more eciently due tobetter soil structure and higher levels oorganic matter.
One o the most important componentso organic matter is humus which has theability to store 20 to 30 times its weight in
water. It provides a vital source o nutrientsto the living organisms that help to maintaina healthy soil lie, and its darker colour canhelp to warm up cold soils in spring.
Keeping a good level o organic matterin your soil is also an important part o
improving aeration which promotes betterroot establishment and growth in plants. Itprovides a slower release o nutrients overa longer period, giving healthier sustainedgrowth.Jeries Organic Compost is now also
available in handy 30L bags rom your localparticipating stockist. With a ull rangeo compost, soil and mulches available inthe bag range, you can nd yoursel with agreener, lusher garden in three easy steps!
ry it today, and see the dierence!
Get the most out of your soil naturally!
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011 27
Fruit trees
A fence full of fruitdoesnt have to take up space
When space in the backyardis limited and your heart isset on producing resh ruit,
take a sideways look at your garden.In many gardens, the side or back ence,
beside a garage wall or maybe that thin
space dividing your entertaining area romthe rest o the garden is an ideal place togrow your ruit trees - espalier style.An espalier is just a ancy word or a thin
hedge where the trees side branches areencouraged to grow along a ence or wallon a supporting trellis.
Growing ruit trees as an espalier is notdicult. Apart rom the obvious advantageo saving space, the trees are easy to prune,protect and harvest.
Considering the traditional backyard isbecoming smaller and with many people
now living in units or fats with only acourtyard to garden, growing your reshruit as an espalier makes a great deal osense.
Citrus are ideal plants or hedging astheir canopy o evergreen leaves acts as apermanent screen while still producing
heavy yields o ruit. Olives, apples, pearsand most stone ruit also adapt to this ormo growing.
Te rst decision to make is what ence orwall to use. Keep in mind one side o the treewill be completely shaded, so choose a encethat receives the greatest amount o sun. Teother essential is a well drained soil.When deciding which type o ruit or
ruits to grow, remember apples, pears andmost plums need cross pollination. So twotrees o the one type that fower around thesame time are needed. Your garden centreshould be able to help with this advice.
However, dont overlook the value obuying a well advanced ruit tree alreadyestablished on its own trellis. A tree in a 40cm container trained on 1 m x 0.6 m trellismay cost $550 or more but it provides anideal way o getting started.
Ready to go trellised trees can be easilyremoved rom their original container
and planted directly into the ground orrepotted into a larger container.
More inormation:Advice on how to plant and train ruit treeespaliers: www.merrywoodplants.com.au
Lisbon Lemon
TAKE A STAB?
Take the guess work out of digging - Locate underground pipes & cables first
Log onto www.1100.com.au or dial 1100 to request information on
underground pipes and cables BEFORE you dig.
Its the essential first step in any safe excavation.The Essential First Step
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LANDSCAPE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Residential Design over $100,000 (Joint Winner) Beryl Bredon Landscapes Church Road, Mitcham
Residential Design $60,000 - $100,000Beryl Bredon Landscapes High Street, Seacli
Residential Construction$60,000 - $100,000Exterior Concepts DoverStreet, Malvern (below)
Residential Design $40,000 - $60,000Caroline Dawes Gardens Barnes Avenue, Magill
Residential Design over $100,000 (Joint Winner)Adelaide Garden Design Needlebush Drive, Hayborough
Residential Constructionover $100,000Exterior Concepts TheMews, Mawson Lakes (let)
In the landscape industry, an award or excellence is recognition orwork that has been judged to be outstanding. Tis year, the awardscoordinated by the Landscape Association o SA, saw record entries withmore than 80 nominations or design, construction and maintenancein community and residential landscapes as well as special awards orindividual eatures and environmental sustainability.While the awards are highly prized by winning landscapers, they also
provide a sound reerence point or anyone needing inspiration or newideas. Further inormation, ph 8210 5229 www.landscapesa.com.au
Landscape Association
o South Australia Inc.
Top landscapes take awards
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011 29
LANDSCAPE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Individual Landscape FeatureGreen Star Design Studio Maison, Kent Town
Most Environmentally Sensitive ProjectAdelaide Garden Design Needlebush Drive, Hayborough
Residential Design under $20,000Caroline Dawes Gardens The Esplanade, Henley Beach
Residential Design $20,000 - $40,000Gumlea Gardens Jam Factory Strata Project
Residential Construction $40,000 - $60,000Exterior Concepts Ninth Avenue, Royston Park
Commercial Construction under $100,000 (Joint Winner)Summit Projects & Construction Australian Native Garden, Botanic Gardens
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30 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
LANDSCAPE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Commercial Construction over $500,000Landscape Environs Port Noarlunga Memorial Gardens
Commercial Design $100,000 - $500,000Wax Design & Ric McConaghy Hazelwood Park Adventure Playspace
Commercial Construction $100,000 - $500,000 (Joint Winner)Landscape Construction Service Hazelwood Park Adventure Playspace
Commercial Construction $100,000 - $500,000 (Joint Winner)
Landscape Environs Botanic Gardens Project
Commercial Construction under $100,000 (Joint Winner)Harris & Noonan GP Plus Elizabeth
Maintenance o Commercial LandscapeLandscape Construction Services Goldsborough Industrial Estate
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011 31
Good gardening
It doesnt take long or the roots o ahealthy vigorous plant to reach the sideso a container.
With nowhere to go, the strongest roots
quickly circle those in the centre. By the endo the growing season, the outer roots willcompletely enclose the rootball and the plant
will need to be continually plied with waterand plant oods i it is to remain in reasonableshape.
Roots poking through or blocking thedrain holes, plants that wilt very quickly ater
watering, pale leaves and lack o strong newgrowth are all good indicators that re-pottingmay be necessary.
o be sure, take a look at the roots. I the plant can be lited, tip itupside down and remove the container. I the roots are not visible,or i they have only just reached the outside o the rootball, youshould get by or another season without re-potting.
Incidentally, blackened sot roots are a good indicator o over-watering, poor drainage and/or lack o air in the rootball.
Re-potting into resh potting mix and easing back on the wateringwill quickly remedy these problems.
Go for a quality mix
Choose a quality potting mix or the operation. Tose thatconorm to national industry standards are easily recognised by aseries o ticks on the side o the pack.A quality mix contains ully composted pine bark and chunky
sand allowing air to move reely around the plants roots, ensuringexcess moisture drains reely.
Premium mixes contain enough added plant ood or the rst ewweeks growth, whereas a standard mix ll needs ertiliser added.
Beware o budget price mixes; invariably they pack tightlytogether, preventing the ree movement o air and water.
Teres no point in paying good money or healthy plants onlyto have them quickly ruined by an inerior quality mix just or thesake o saving a ew dollars.
Because the plants are not easily damaged by re-potting inspring, it is possible to reduce the rootball by 20 to 30 percent.Te discarded material should be replaced with quality potting mixand this should keep the plants happy or the next season or so.
It is good practice to use a ace mask when using potting mix,particularly when you are just opening the bag. Tis reduces thelikelihood o inhaling dust.
It is also a good practice to wash your handsthoroughly ater the operation just in case thereare harmul contaminants in the mix.
Re-potting is quite easy i you carry out the
ollowing steps:urn container upside down to remove plant.ap side o pot gently i rootball is jammed.Fill bottom o container with quality pottingmix. Place rootball so it is 3-4 cm below thetop o the container.Fill around the rootball with potting mix andrm lightly.Water the potting mix thoroughly.
Re-potting isnt compulsory
Do all plants need re-potting? No but for plants that produce
strong, vigorous growth each year, it is certainly recommended.
Excellent range of quality plants,
pots and Garden Art
Expert advice, inspirational ideas
Fashionable gifts, jewellery and homewares
Delicious meals, housemade cakes and sweets
Wonderful ambience and great service
Amanti coffee and T2
48 Davenport St, MILLICENT SA
Ph: 87334566
Email: [email protected]
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32 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
New products
New garden productsAvailable from Nursery and Garden Industry SA centres
Instant Vegie Patch
All you need to grow tomatoes and salad crops or most vegetablesand herbs. Contains horticultural growbag and premium coir media.
Simply add plants, water and ertiliser. www.brunnings.com.au
Liquid Potash Plus
A very convenient way o applying additional potash
to vegetables, owers and ruit trees. One litre packmakes 1000 litres o ready to use product. Contains high
analysis o potash - 20% plus additional phosphorus
(4%) or increased uptake. www.searles.com.au
Condor tablets
A very convenient to use tablet orm o insecticide. The active ingredient is
imidacloprid (Confdor), a low toxic systemic insecticide or controlling most sap
sucking insects including lea psyllids. Each tablet contains additional nutrients
to boost plant uptake. Very long lasting. www.yates.com.au
Kendocide
A selective chemical or controlling most algae and liverworts
in lawns, on paths and in synthetic tur. Also eective as a
disinectant or pruning equipment. www.smoult.com.au
Troforte
A slow and controlled release ertiliser that
has been coated with natural Australian
microbes and minerals to boost plant nutrient
uptake. The prills continue to release
nutrients up to six months. Available in our
ormulations. www.smoult.com.au
Parrot box
Nesting box designed specifcally or parrots (rosellas and lorikeets). Made rom long lasting
pre-treated timber. Fully assembled, ready to install with specially designed PV spacers to
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Contains slow release ertiliser.
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A well designed sel watering container or
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twice the produce in hal the space. Fertiliser can
be added directly to the water reservoir. Australian
designed, ideal in small areas and or people withno garden. www.greensmartpots.com.au
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34 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Good gardening
Fertilisers which is best?
Walk through the ertilisersection o your local gardencentre and you are likely to
be conronted with a bewildering array oproduct labels. Words such as complete,organic, liquid, soluble and slow release allvie or your attention.
I youre conused about making a choice,it may be worth considering what is inside
the various containers and the role playedby the various nutrients.Your garden soil should contain around
16 essential elements or plant oods. Te big three are nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium. Tese are the major elements alwaysound in a complete ertiliser.
Calcium, magnesium and sulphur are also major elements butthe plants need or them is not as great and there are usuallyreasonable reserves in most garden soils.
Te remaining elements includingiron, manganese, zinc, boron, copper,molybdenum, cobalt and nickel are onlyneeded in very small quantities, hence thename trace elements.
However, they are just as important andi they are not readily available in the soil,your plants will become ill thrity and mayeven die. Many gardeners preer to use
animal manures in the garden rather thana manuactured product. Animal manuresusually supply most o the nitrogen
needed but they usually lack adequate supplies o phosphorus andpotassium.Tis is oten refected in the garden when vegetables,fowers and even ruit trees produce lush vigorous growth but ewor no ruits or fowers.
Poultry manure usually contains around two percent phosphorusand 1.2 percent potassium. Cow manure has less than one percento both. Tese levels are very low compared with the man-madeertilisers.
Complete D has 3.4 percent phosphorus and almost eightpercent potassium.Although the nutrient levels in animal manure are relatively low,
they have an important redeeming actor. Te organic material,that is the bre-like matter that contains the nutrients, has anumber o important properties.
First it acts like blotting paper, absorbing and holding ontolarge quantities o moisture in the topsoil, where the roots o theplants are operating. It also helps stick the very small soil particlestogether, orming chunky-like soil crumbs.
Tese allow excess moisture to drain reely rom the area and alsoallow air to circulate around the growing root tips.
Probably a more important actor is the role the organic matterhas in eeding the millions o soil micro organisms.
Teir activity changes elements in the animal manures into plantoods that can be absorbed by the plants roots.
Obviously a ertiliser containing a combination o animalmanure, with its organic matter, along with a balanced completeman-made ertiliser will give you the best o both worlds.
However, i you rely completely on articial ertilisers to eed yourplants, it is important to make sure there are adequate supplies oorganic matter in the topsoil as well.
Tis will allow the micro organisms to operate eectively.Compost is an excellent source o organic material.
Conversely, i you are using mainly animal manures to eed yourplants, it may be worthwhile balancing the ration by providingadditional phosphorus in the orm o superphosphate andpotassium, by applying sulphate o potash.An occasional application o a ertiliser containing trace elements
is also worth considering.
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Good gardening
Fertiliser to feedor not to feed?
I your landscape comprises largely otrees and shrubs and they are suitedto your garden soil, the answer is
probably no.Te proviso o course is that you allow
the leaves and small branches that all onthe ground to remain there, where they canbe broken down and returned to the soil.
I on the other hand you regularly removebranches or rake up the leaves and consignthem to the green recycling bin or compostheap, some orm o ertilising is called or.
Tis reinorces one o the most basic ruleso eeding the garden replace what youtake away.
Removing plant material on a regularbasis slowly depletes the soils naturalreserves and the best way o replacing theseis to use some orm o slow acting ertiliser.Where trees and shrubs are concerned,
mulching each spring with quality compostis all that is needed.What about ruit trees, vegetables and
fowers?Te answer again relates to the basic rule
o replace what you remove. For example,
ruit trees, vegetables and fowering annualsare usually planted close together and sothe competition or available nutrients inthe soil is quite intense.
In most cases, fowers, ruits or leaves areremoved and ater harvest, oten the spentplants are also removed rom the growingarea.All these will provide a bigger harvest
or better blooms over an extended periodi the plants are stimulated into stronggrowth, particularly in the early stages otheir development.
Very broadly, ertilisers that contain highlevels o nitrogen promote strong vigorousgrowth.
Elements such as phosphorus stimulateroot growth while potash encouragesquality ruits and fowers.
Fruit trees, rose bushes and other shrubsthat are constantly cut or required to growvigorously, like vegetables and fowers,all need to be regularly supplied with aertiliser that is high in nitrogen as well ashaving reasonable levels o phosphorus andmedium to high levels o potash.
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36 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Fruit trees
Dwar ruit trees are capturing thehearts and minds o SA homegardeners. And why not? In the
space normally occupied by a single largeruit tree, its possible to grow three dwartrees. However, i you are prepared to growyour plants in a container and train themas an espalier or cordon, this number iseasily doubled.
Tis means i youre really keen, you couldhave a mini orchard in your own backyard.
Because the concept o growing dwarruit trees at home is relatively new, ndinga comprehensive list o what ruit varietiesare available is not easy.
SA Garden & Outdoor Livinghas checkedwith the States major ruit tree supplier,Balhannah Nurseries, and the ollowingdwar ruit tree varieties should be availablerom most SA garden centres this spring.
Garden centres will happily place an orderor you i your selection is not in stock.
Dwarf apples
Pinkabelle a dwar Pink Lady apple,compact, spur bearing, (2 m x 1 m), heavybearer, earlier harvest than standard pink.Partially sel ertile, may benet romGranny, Red Delicious, Gala or Red Fuji aspollinators.
Leprechaun dwar Granny Smith,
(2-2.5 m), green ruit, crisp fesh. Pollinatorneeded (Pinkabelle).
Starkspur Golden Delicious semidwarng, ( 2-3 m) needs pollinator i.e.Granny Smith or Red Delicious.
Tas-Ag Red Delicious semi-dwarng,(2-3 m) pollinators Granny Smith andGolden Delicious.
Dwarf pear
anzie rst true dwar pear, (1.5 m x1.5 m). Sel pollinating. Sot green ruits.
Dwarf peaches
Valley RedM green lea, yellow fesh,reestone, (approx 1.5 m). Ripens late
January.Sunset PeachM deep red leaves, early
ripening, white fesh, reestone, (1+m).Ripens December.
Pixzee yellow fesh, reestone, (1.5 x15 m) good favour, ripens January.
Dwarf nectarines
Valley GoldM green lea, yellow fesh,reestone, (approx 1.5 m)
Sunset NectarineM burgundy leaves,early ripening, yellow fesh, reestone,(1+m).
Nectazee yellow fesh, reestone,
(1.5m) good sized ruit, excellent favour.N.B. Peaches and nectarines do not needcross pollination.
Mulberry
Dwar red Shahtoot (2-3 m). Long,red ruit. Raspberry favour. Ripens latespring. Some dwar ruit varieties are alsoavailable as multigrats i.e. a peach andnectarine on the same tree.
Dwarf fruit trees make a splash
Dwarf fruit trees that are well grown have
the potential to produce heavy crops every year.
Secrets of success
Container grown plants should be
grown in a blend of 80 percent
quality potting mix and 20
percent quality compost or soil
improver.
Feed the trees using a four-
month slow release fertiliser
in spring followed by a small
quantity of potash boosted
chicken manure pellets
immediately after harvest
Well grown trees will benet from
a liquid organic fertiliser (sh or
blood and bone) applied monthly
during spring and autumn
Mulch the trees lightly in spring
with a 1-2 cm (only) layer of pea
straw pellets to retain moisture at
top of the soil
Protect stone fruit trees from
peach leaf curl by spraying
thoroughly with copper
oxychloride just as the buds are
beginning to burst open (pink
bud) usually late August. Be
prepared to respray after heavy
rain.
Valley Red dwar peach
More inormation:www.balhannahnurseries.com.au
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38 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Wildlife in the garden
I wonder who lives here
There is more to a tree thanleaves and branches. Parrots,kookaburras, owls, possums,
geckos and bats all rely on natural treehollows or shelter, raising young, oodand even water and these species are justa small raction o the wildlie that utilisestrees across the landscape.
Historically, trees in urban and peri-urbansettings have been managed as individualspecimens. Invariably, they are maintainedto provide amenity value such as aesthetics,shade or as wind breaks. Rarely are theymanaged or wildlie.
Large, old trees with hollows and brokenstumps are the ones that oer the greatestresources or wildlie.All too oten, just as they become valuable
to wildlie, they are declared unsae andremoved.While the saety o people and property
is paramount, a new holistic approach totree management is starting to question
whether removal or excessive pruning isthe answer.
In certain situations, removal may be theonly option.
In many cases, however, the risksassociated with a specic tree, can bemitigated using ar less drastic measures.
Reducing sections o a tree that are ostructural concern as well as large scaoldlimbs to habitat stubs, particularly nearbuildings, is the rst priority.
Creating a no go zone beneath the tree,delineated by mulching and understoreyplanting will urther reduce the associatedrisks.
Te key benets o such an approach areAmenity value o the tree is retained
Cost o removal is drastically reducedree continues to provide valuableenvironmental services
Much o the habitat value is retained,supporting many wildlie species that
would have been destroyed or displacedby removalree health may be improved by resident
wildlie, increasing local ertility andreducing herbivorous insects.Tis no go zone approach to management
also allows the tree to become part o alarger landscape, rather than an island.
While islands are important habitats intheir own right, they are unable to supportthe biodiversity that exists in a connectedlandscape.
Urban zoologist, JAMES SMITH, reveals the incredible role
trees play in providing a natural environment for our native fauna.
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Wildlife in the garden
Australia has amongst the highest percentage o hollow dependant species o any country in the world.
Planting a mixed understorey to improvethe health o the tree builds verticalconnectedness in the landscape and is
aesthetically pleasing.However, large trees should be consideredas part o a connected canopy across thelandscape as this can dramatically increasethe wildlie that is likely to be supported.At the end o the day, trees help dene
our landscape with the largest specimensoten being the greatest contributors.
Large trees enhance our streetscapesand gardens, they provide invaluableenvironmental services, but o greaterimportance, they provide reuge or many
wildlie species to retain a oothold in an
otherwise alien environment.It is time our large trees were given greaterconsideration.
James Smith is an urban zoologist who runsfauNature, a wildlife agency providingproducts and services to attract Australianwildlife to backyard and communitygardens. www.faunature.com.au
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Spring garden guideVegetable planting guide
Vegetable Delay Seeds
best
Container Dist.
apart cm
Beans dwarf 10
Beetroot 8-10
Broccoli 50
Cabbage small hybrid 40-50
Capsicum 50
Carrots 4-6
Cucumber 40-60
Eggplant 50-60
Garlic cloves 8-10
Lettuce hearting 30
Lettuce non-hearting 15-20
Melon 100
Onions 6-10
Peas 10-12
Pumpkins 100
Radish 4-6
Rocket 6-10
Silverbeet 15-25
Sweetcorn 20-30
Tomatoes 50-80
Zucchini 60
OK Excellent
Annual Delay Semi
Shade
Water
Alyssum -
Amaranthus -
Begonias
Celosia -
Chrysanthemum
(Chalet)
Cleome -
Coleus
Coreopsis -
Cosmos
Dahlia -
Dianthus
Impatiens
Lobelia
Marigold -
Petunia -
Phlox -
Salvia
Snapdragon
Sunower -
Verbena
Vinca -
Wallower
Zinnia -
- Not suitable Just OK Excellent (drops) water wise high water use
Annuals for spring, summer
Herb Water use Seed Seedling
Basil
Chamomile
Chives Coriander
Garlic
Lemongrass
Mint
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Tarragon
Thyme
Waterwise Okay High
Spring herb planting guide FertiliserMost plants are bursting intonew spring growth. I theyhavent been ed with ertiliserlately, they will soon run short
o nutrients. An application oa balanced ertiliser containingnitrogen, potassium andphosphorus will beneft mostplants.
Soil improverA quick way to improve soilhealth is to spread cow manureand blood and bone over theground and dig it into thetopsoil.
Black spotI conditions remain showeryduring spring, roses will needprotection rom black spot, rustand powdery mildew. Look or arose spray that controls all threeproblems.
SoursobsLate season soursobs should besprayed just beore the owersbegin to open. Weed kill sprayscontaining glyphosate are very
eective.
Pruning
As spring owering shrubs lose their bloom, they also should be pruned lightly to encourage new
growth or next years owers. The list includes prunus, owering almonds, cherries and other stone
ruits, as well as wattles, thryptomene and other natives.
Tip prune
Evergreen shrubs that make strong growth early in spring should have their tips removed once the
branches have produced three or our sets o leaves. This will encourage a more compact shape.
Lawns
Dont mow lawns when they are wet, particularly in spring when growth is very rapid. I the lawn
becomes rank, resist the temptation to cut it low in the one operation. Severe cutting weakens thegrasses and also makes them targets or various disease problems.
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Jon Lambs seasonal checklist
PROTECTING FRUIT TREES
Leaf curlThe only way to stop lea curl disease in peaches andnectarines is to spray them with a ungicide such ascopper oxychloride or Mancozeb as soon as the budsstart to crack open.This spray will also help control other ungal diseasessuch as shot hole and brown rot. Plums and apricotsshould be sprayed with similar chemicals as soon asthe buds show the frst signs o pink.
Stone fruitsThe recent wet weather has caused ungal problems.Stone ruit trees that missed their ungicide spray atbud burst should be protected as soon as possible toreduce problems, such as shot hole, reckle and brownrot. Use a ungicide such as Mancozeb or Thiram.
SprayingApple and pear trees may need protecting rom ungaldiseases such as black spot, particularly i you live inthe Hills or areas that receive constant showers in earlyspring. Spray with copper oxychloride or Kocide as thebuds are starting to crack open.
FertiliserAll ruit trees should be ertilised in spring. Use acomplete ertiliser containing nitrogen, phosphorus andpotash. Use 3-4 kilograms on citrus, apples, pears andplums. Other ruit trees need 2-3 kilograms.
Name Planting
Depth (Cm)*
Water Sun Semi
Agapanthus 5
Canna 5
Crinum #
Eucomis 10
Gladiolus 10
Hemerocallis 10
Hippeastrum #
Kniphoa 10
Sprekelia #
Valotta #
Zephranthes 8
* top of bulb # neck just above ground
(drops) water wise high water use
Bulbs for summer colour
Pest Watch Out For Comment
Aphids Usually green or grey on tip growth
and backs of leaves
Squirt with water or spray with light oils or BugKill 1
Caterpillars Many types. Eat holes in leaves Non toxic sprays (BT, Success) very effective
Earwigs Light brown with rear pinchers.
Damages soft leaves and fruits
Reduce numbers by regular trapping
Psyllids Small sap sucking insects that cause
severe leaf distortion
Spray with BugKill1 when rst leaves affected
Slugs and snails Night feeders that eat soft fruits and
leaves
Reduce numbers by regular trapping
1 Contains low toxic Imidacloprid
Pest watch
Agapanthus Gladiolus
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42 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SPRING 2011
Organic gardening
Organic growing used to be the domain ostrictly do it yoursel growers.We laboured away in the garden to
make our own compost, compost tea, comreyextracts and other brews or ertility, and we madebotanical inusions or extracts such as garlic spray,tomato and rhubarb lea teas or pest control, andchamomile tea to prevent damping o.A big benet rom the recent growth and
acceptance o organic growing methods is the easyavailability o ready to go organic products. Wecan now purchase ready to use biological pesticidessuch as Success and Dipel, botanical pesticides such
as eucalyptus, chilli and garlic sprays and a rangeo other products such as iron chelate-based snailpellets, potassium soap and pest oil.We can also buy pheromones traps or many
caterpillar pests such as codling moth, loaded withnon-drying glue to capture the bugs, and othernon-chemical gizmos such as sticky yellow trapsor aphids and blue ones or thrips.
It is not hard to nd certied organic ertiliserssuch as seaweed extract, sh emulsion, pelletisedmanures, crushed mineral rock products and evencomplete ertilisers that are specially ormulatedor vegetables, lawns or fowers or other uses.
Organic seed is readily available or the mostcommon vegetable lines and some fowers, although the range ospecies and varieties may still be a little restricted.
Organic compost and potting soils are also available rom anumber o manuacturers. It is still un and cheap to make theseproducts at home, but the ready to use option is there or busygardeners, and oers the additional benet o quality control.
wenty years ago, when the only option or garlic extract was tomake it yoursel, we used a primitive pump sprayer that was hard
work, but could cope with a residue o garlic particles foating inthe bucket.
Commercial products are ltered and capable o being usedthrough ne nozzles, or ease o use and accurate application.
Tese products represent a new era in organic home gardening,and the range o products can be expected to continue to growinto the uture.
Many o the products mentioned above are not more expensivethan non-organic options, and are just as eective.
Gardeners oten have a choice o more than a ew products in eacho these categories too, so why not give organics a go and benetthe environment, by choosing ready to use organic products.
Remember to look or the certication mark on the label, asthat is your guarantee that you are buying a genuine organicallyapproved item.
My latest book, Te New Organic Gardener, will be available romearly November. It celebrates the new scientic knowledge andavailability o ready to use products that makes organic growing asmart, ecologically responsible and easy choice.
For 25 years, im Marshall has been at the forefront of the Australianorganic industry, as an innovative grower, inspector, trainer andwriter.
Organic products ready to goOrganics expert TIM MARSHALL explores the range of
ready-made, inexpensive organic gardening products.
Many commercial organic productscan be applied through fne nozzles.Photo: Lightzoom | Dreamstime.com