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25.01.2022 Dealing with Weeds Everybody’s pet hate How best to have the garden looking great without spending hrs of back breaking work or using toxic poisons that put our kids and pets at risk For those of you that have tried poisons you know that dead weeds look as bad if not worse than live ones and eventually you’ll still need to remove them anyway. Then comes the aftermath of damaged bare ground that only the weeds seem to be happy in.... It’s always easier to work with Mother Nature than against her as she’s a tough mother, if you observe in the woods she has covered the ground with every autumn leaf drop and small twigs and animal droppings wether it’s from birds or lizards rabbits or even bigger animals So the first lesson is to cover the ground nowhere do we want bare soil as bare soil is dead soil It’s a little tough at first but once you’ve done this the rest is easy In a garden manually pull the weeds a day after a good soaking just do one area at first set your sights on one or two square meters then lightly hoe weekly while weeds are tiny don’t let this get away while trying to get the rest done adding a bag of cow or sheep manure will greatly improve the soils ability to hold moisture and the plants will love the nutrients Once your on top of this you’ll be amazed how big an area can be done in just 10 minutes, Be really strict about your edges allow no grasses to creep in to the garden and no plants to grow over the edges into the grasses get on top of these early For weeds in grassy or lawn areas mow very regularly to stop any weed seeds forming and spreading A regularly mowed lawn looks so much better just take the top off don’t cut too short as you do any weeds trying to reach for the light have their seed heads chopped off so there’s no spreading or blowing in the wind onto the garden all but the really tough ones give up and die off Those tough ones can then be pulled out manually the day after watering or rain This is not an overnight miracle but you’ll see results over a few weeks For around trees manually weeding after a good soak out to the canopy and mowing area this means no more accidents with ring barking with the whippers it’s a good idea to use a mulch like wood chips this will keep the trees happy and you can still sprinkle the fertiliser on top of the mulch as it’ll find its way down to the soil and roots For paths and concrete or paved areas use boiling water to kill the weeds and either sweep or hose the dirt from the grooves in concrete to discourage new ones settling in If you need to remove grass or lawn from a large area first mow it as short as you can then cover the area with a tarp or sheets of iron once the light is taken from the grass it’ll die

24.01.2022 Every so often I meet someone who has a garden problem which then inspires me to write again, maybe there's someone else struggling with the same issue. Here we have two very different products with two very different uses, unfortunately often home gardeners confuse them. Lime is for adjusting the soil pH often referred to as a soil sweetener because after heavy rain the soil seems to be a bit "sour" while lime is a great product it really should only be applied if you know t...he pH of soil , and this is easily determined by using a pH test kit. Some plants really hate lime like azaleas strawberries blueberries to name a few. Lime is of no use as a clay breaker To alter the structure of clay soils you need gypsum. Gypsum does not alter the soil pH But it does over time break up clay. Here's how gypsum works Clay particles are sticky and cling together creating problems of water retention setting hard and not allowing air into the plants roots, when gypsum is applied the clay particles repel each other BUT this only works for a short time so unless you take further steps not a lot will happen, so after applying gypsum to your clay follow up by adding a fine compost or potting mix, what we want to have happen is that the small particles get into the spaces created by the gypsum thereby stopping the clay particles from restructuring. This process will need to be applied at least each season until the desired soil is attained See more

23.01.2022 Setting up a raised garden bed from scratch Once you have selected and assembled you garden bed and chosen a site that gets adequate sunshine I suggest you use thick cardboard boxes or newspapers to line the bottom. Do not use weedmat or any waterproof plastic or you may end up with a muddy pond in wet weather ... Grass and weeds will grow between the beds and even between the fence these are places where bugs can hide waiting to attack your crops If possible its best to leave enough room to get a mower around all sides. Most important is soil, nurseries sell top soil that has come from building sites and spuse it up with organic matter, so whatever weeds were on the building site will now appear in your garden if you're unlucky enough to get nutgrass that's the end of the garden as it's impossible to kill. Instead i recommend that you buy a bale of sugar can mulch ( only the ones sterilised in plastic wrap ) lay it on top of the cardboard you'll need a whole bale for the big bed next on top of that buy bags of potting mix, mushroom compost, and compost about $3 not the expensive mixes these contain artificial fertiliser sometimes Bunnings sell broken bags cheaper you can also add bags of cow or sheep manure especially if there's any broken bags ( please Do Not buy horse poo) horses do not digest their food properly and you can have another weed problem. Last of all on top of all this put a whole bag of Sears's 5 in 1 plant food yes a whole bag in each garden as top layer gently rake it in don't dig it in Now you're ready to plant, but no seeds this season only seedlings and no root crops ( carrots, onion,beets etc) you need to wait a season for the cane mulch to break down. As everything starts to break down you'll notice the levels drop that's normal so in between crops add more potting mixes and manure Manure is food for plants and vegetables are 70-80% water so keep it coming See more

22.01.2022 Unhappy unfruitful citrus trees Often folks will tell me how wonderful their citrus trees were then all of a sudden things changed.So what’s going on? Most likely it’s not happy underneath, its roots may have come into contact with the clay table below it’s easy to fix Firstly prune the tree as the taller it gets the further the roots go down trimming will stop this next and keep doing this each year while working of fixing the problem Remove all grass and weeds from under... the tree right out to the trees canopy. Next you’ll need to sprinkle gypsum at the base of the tree ( be generous with a good thick layer) do not dig the gypsum in, next on top of gypsum spread a bag of potting mix ( cheap one is fine) The reason for this is the gypsum alters the structure of clay particles it causes the clay particles to repel each other but only for a few weeks so the potting mix serves to get in between the clay particles to stop them from restructuring and this needs to be done 2-3 times per year but every season is best Next add a whole bag of pure organic cow manure bunnings sell it for $6.90 bag ( don’t buy the cheaper one it’s not pure) The reason for the cow manure is firstly to feed the tree with real fertiliser but also cow manure attracts worms who will dig down into the sub soil and help open aerate the soil and get the nutrients to where it’s needed Citrus fertiliser ( white pellets ) burn worms and destroy microorganisms You’ll soon have a happy tree and healthy soil but don’t be tempted to plant plants under the tree they’re not happy to share the water and nutrients instead a good layer of wood chips will help suppress weeds and any that do pop up will be easy to pull since the soil is now more open Keep stating cow manure each year it can just go on top of the wood chop mulch it’ll find its own way down See more

22.01.2022 Finding So many people new at gardening and we would like to help and encourage you to be successful by showing you a few tricks so that you don’t get discouraged this is a leek bought from the shop you can see it has a few roots on the bottom sometimes growers cut them off so try to choose ones that have a least some roots I use the top part in my cooking but save the bottom few cm and pop it in a glass with just a small amount of water in a day or two green shoots begin to ...grow like a spiral out of the top then it’s just simply dig a small hole in the garden to plant it in leaving some of the new shoots exposed to the light. At this time I should mention that I always add a bag of cow manure to every square meter of soil annually it’s food for plants and very important it’s sold finely powdered at most nurseries and Bunnings stores The taller ones in 3rd pic are about 6 weeks old when they’re a bit bigger I’ll just cut the top and leave the bottom in the garden to grow into the next crop. This method of growing is really fast so it’s a great way to start You can also grow by this method spring onions just pop the bottom of the whole bunch straight into the garden Silverbeet and both Pac Choi and Boc Choi Will grow this way as well See more

18.01.2022 Epsom salts healing the soil Epsom Salt is Not a salt as we think of it but it’s actually magnesium sulphate and best applied to the garden twice yearly dissolved in water Epsom salts is magnesium it’s a very important trace element both in the soil and for the plants, then in return for our nutrition Most soils are depleted of magnesium because of the use of artificial and chemical fertilisers if you stop using and buying these but instead go back to using manures from ...vegetarian animals the soils begin to heal This in turn results in less attacks from bugs so reduces and eliminating the need for pesticides Epsom salts MAGNESIUM is the trace element that greens up foliage so some people think that it’s a fertiliser especially when they see the results but as mentioned it’s actually a very important trace element Very similar to when people take magnesium supplements it doesn’t replace the need for you having dinner Similarly for plants Epsom salts doesn’t replace the need for a complete fertiliser By eliminating the use of artificial and chemical fertilisers and returning to using animal manures over time the soils will begin to heal Most big nurseries and produce stores sell bags of cow sheep and chicken manure as well as mixed ones and you be amazed how much cheaper it is than the man made fertiliser just be sure to buy pure manure not composted ones Other animal manures can also be used though they’re not sold commercially but best to chose manure from animals that do not eat meat See more

15.01.2022 Dealing with clay soil Clay is an amazing substance with out we wouldn’t have plates and cups etc but it’s not good for growing as it’s too sticky when wet and too hard when dry so the plants roots struggle in it The good part is that it is easily changed Gypsum clay breaker alters the structure of the clay particles but only TEMPORARILY so when applying gypsum you need to also add organic material that has small enough particles to lodge in between the clay like a potting... mix These particles will help to stop the clay particles from restructuring and provide food for worms who like to tunnel through. Adding these needs to be continually repeated by the repeating process of gypsum and potting mix the depth of the new (soil ) gets deeper so even at this point it’s best to only grow low growing plants Once you have plants growing add both the gypsum and potting mix only at the surface do not dig it in or you’ll most likely damage the roots of your plants As well as potting mix you can add other organic matter as well like lawn clipping leaves wood chips and most importantly MANURES as these provides nutrients for the plants they may still be having a difficult time pushing their roots through the clay in search of food When your soil is looking great and you have a depth to work with you can begin to grow slightly taller plants remember that the height that is above the ground will generally represent a third of what is below the ground in roots so if for instance you were to plant a dwarf citrus tree and all is going well then suddenly the tree starts to stress it probably means that the trees roots have gone down and come into contact with the clay again what has happened is that as the tree has put on some growth the roots have responded by going deeper If this happens just trim off the new growth and again apply a layer of gypsum AND potting mix and some manure do not dig it in. So the reason I’m suggesting manure and not chemical fertiliser is because we want to encourage worm activity worms are a gardeners helpers they eat the organic matter at they same time they tunnel deep through the clay and soil, again helping to break down the clay structure as the tunnel through they are opening pathways and are shedding skin and pooping the organic matter they eat Artificial fertiliser in the form of white pellets burn worms and microorganisms in soil it’s best avoided when trying to improve soil See more

15.01.2022 Citrus Problems Water, fertiliser Leaf Minors All plants including citrus need regular food and water as soon as they run out they will shed leaves in self preservation if they’re in a pot this is even more crucial as they cannot forage their roots any further than the area of the pot It’s a good idea to check below the soil surface to see it the water is soaking in all through the soil or is it just running down the inside wall of the pot and out you can check th...is in a couple of ways if it’s possible to lift the pot into the laundry trough great, put the plug in and fill the trough with water to cover the pot not the plant if it’s dry under bubbles will come to the surface If it’s too big to lift set a small sprinkler in the pot, Place the pot on the lawn not a concreted area turn the sprinkler on very low for an hour to make sure it’s properly soaked right through. Water running out of the bottom does NOT mean that it’s wet as water always finds the easiest path out. For fertiliser forget those white pellets it’s best to use real organic fertiliser instead of chemical ones, dynamic lifter is a mix of chicken manure and blood n bone it’s natural and contains all the trace elements. Yellow leaves means it’s hungry or missing trace elements using natural organic fertiliser means all the trace elements are in there Mother Nature does it best. Brown leaves and brown tips means it’s thirsty or has previously been without adequate water, leaf drop and fruit drops usually means it’s been thirsty at some point so it aborts what it cannot sustaine Leaf minor is the little creature that is the lave of a moth who likes to plant her babies INSIDE the leaves where they are safe NO SPRAYS can harm them inside the leaves If you look closely at the directions on pest oil white oil eco oil etc. The instructions says for the PREVENTION of leaf minor not to get rid of leaf minor It does this by the application of a sticky oil coat on the leaves this stops the little moth from landing so she cannot deposit her babies You’ll notice that plants that have leaf minor has little trails on the back of the leaves, this is where the babies crawl around and often will cause the leaves will curl up. Best way is to remove the damaged leaves as the minors will continue to spread throughout the plant and remember to apply oils weekly throughout spring and autumn when it’s mating season for the moth See more

15.01.2022 Raised Gardens All gardens should be no dig as digging brings the subsoil to the top and top soil to the bottom it’s how farmland has been destroyed. Look at how Mother Nature does it in the forest she keeps spreading leaves grasses and bird droppings on top of the forest floor over and over each season, everything grows effortlessly with no mans interference If we copy Mother Nature by continually adding organic matter AND animal manure the soils begin to heal and everyth...ing grows. Forget the fancy labels on commercially produced fertilisers and chemical these have only become the normal in the last 50-60 yrs and have resulted in poor soils produce that doesn’t taste like it should and bugs that devastate your efforts. For generations before whole family’s of often 10-15 kids were fed from home gardens using the old methods Those who have gone back to this way of growing are not only harvesting but often find that some vegetables pop up on their own either from seeds of off cuts How high you want to build your raised garden bed This is a personal decision often depending on your personal mobility and preferences If you wish you can just raise only a few cm and not even use any sort of surround to hold the organic matter in place this works well as organic matter will continually break down and shrink away. This is a good thing really as it means that the worms and microorganisms are busy munching away and as they do they’ll aerate the soil and open up the ground below to give you more growing depth. Of course this also means that you’ll need to add lots more to keep it up to the height of your chosen construction This worm and microorganisms activity only happens with organic matter not with soil or sand, if you decide to fill your raised garden bed with soil that has very little or no organic matter it often just sits there on top of your soil and doesn’t get moved around by the worms and often results in disappointment I feel it’s a good idea to start without the construction of any frame till you get things going using the budget to buy organic matter like straw hay potting mixes bagged manure and add your own lawn clippings and vegetable peelings and scraps You can always add the raised garden bed frames over the prepared soil/area later on By this time you’ll have noticed the best position in regards to the direction of the sun and shade from buildings also tree roots perhaps from neighbours and most importantly is access to be able to mow around the garden beds to make keeping it tidy easier See more

14.01.2022 Amazing how many folks don't know what a ladybug lave looks like so I thought I'd share

14.01.2022 Getting started with a worm farm You’ll need it to be in a shady spot or they’ll get too hot in the sun and die Get one that has 3 trays they come with a block of coir peat wet this it’ll swell place it in tray 2 with worms and vegetable scraps, any hard bits like pumpkin or potato can be cooked or chopped small no meat no onion citrus or garlic, add water regularly it will drain to the bottom tray for you to collect as worm tea keep a bag of rolled oats for the days you d...on’t have scraps over time this tray no2 will build up to the lid now it’s time to add the 3 rd tray Buy another block of coir peat about $3 wet it and begin putting the vegetable scraps here The worms will move up through the holes to the food wait a few weeks then check that all the worms have moved up Now you can use the wonderful compost in tray 2 for your garden or pots then repeat each time the tray is full See more

12.01.2022 Brazilian Spinach If your looking fo an easy to grow perennial spinach to grow this is it Packed full of nutrients it just keeps on giving regular watering and a handful of organic fertiliser monthly and you’ll reap the rewards, and best of all you can just take a cutting and it’ll strike so easily Look for it in garden centres and garden groups once you have a piece growing it’s so easy to grow more or for sharing it’s great in stir fry in scrambled eggs on your toast for eggs benne or anywhere you normally use spinach

09.01.2022 Leaf Minor in citrus White oil eco oil and pest oil will NOT kill leaf minor it’s a preventative not a cure Here’s how it works a little moth injects it’s babies into the leaves of citrus the babies move around through the leaves and even the trunk as they do the leave the silver trail as the suck on the trees nutrients this causes the leaves to curl up Spaying does nothing as they’re INSIDE the leaves The use of oils during the moths active season spring and autumn make th...e leaves too sticky for the moth to land so it’s a weekly application during these times Now to fix the damage already done cut and remove everything affected and fingers crossed that something is left to recover sometimes the trees die so be ready but all going well some new growth will appear and a provention can begin Always feed with an organic fertiliser and water regularly keep all weeds and grasses away from the base and out to the canopy See more

07.01.2022 Citrus in clay soils Clay soil can kill citrus you need to add gypsum around the base every months but also mulch to the canopy with a cheap potting mix then fertilise with cow manure monthly also trim the branches do not let it get any taller Heres why As the tree gets taller the roots go deeper where the clay is The gypsum alteres the structure of the clay by creating crevices this is why you need potting mix the small particles of potting mix will fall into the crevic...es to stop the clay from restructuring as the gypsum wears off you need to keep adding it and more Notting mix Do not try to dig it in as you’ll damage the feeder roots close to the surface The reason for the cow manure is to not only provide food for the tree but it also encourages worms to aerate the soil Artificial chemical fertiliser like the white pellets burn worms and microorganisms that’s why to get the cheap potting mixes there’s none in them the more expensive potting mixes has lots of chemical fertiliser according to price All these are available at bunnings Pure organic cow manure is $6.90 bag so be generous See more

06.01.2022 Pesticides are poison So how can we grow plants without sprays and poisons ?? and are any safe ?? I believe a poison is a poison no such thing as kill one harmless to others We live in a time of artificial everything and that is the problem Our soils are deficient in nutrients and so consequently are our plants and especially food plants ... Stressed plants give off vibrations to say they’re sick this makes Bugs come in to take them out ( kill) this must happen otherwise these sick inferior plants bear seeds that are even more inferior and so a downward spiral begins Only the stronger are supposed to survive to produce seeds for the next generation Its simply really and so is the answer Return to natural fertiliser like cow chicken or sheep manure these contain the correct NPK nutrients as designed by Mother Nature these manures help to hold water in sandy soil they help to break down and open heavy and clay soils they encourage and support worm activity and micrograms that makes soil healthy try it for yourself even if it’s just on one sq meter of your garden Add lots of manure add it regularly like monthly no need to dig it in just sprinkle and leave it. In the fields cows n sheep do not bury their poo no need as they don’t eat meat. By doing this your plants grow faster taste better and overtime the bugs will be minimal You soil will be alive and healthy and you’ll no longer need to buy pesticides See more

05.01.2022 Growing vegetables without the bugs Do you think it’s possible to grow healthy organic vegetables without spraying pesticides ?? Well it certainly is just like they did in the days of our grandparents but we need to cultivate some of the old ways It’s all about the health of the soil....Continue reading

05.01.2022 GROWING BANANAS Once you get a sucker just plant it preferably near something that you can stake it too as the bunches often get very heavy It’s important to feed regularly if you want a good crop and keep grass and weeds away I feed monthly with either cow manure sheep manure blood n bone or dynamic lifter ( alternating is good ) As the tree grows only allow one sucker to follow it, ... remove all others or there’s too much competition for food and water resulting in lesser quality crop. After about 12 mths you should see the top of the trunk swell and a bunch begins to appear Make sure you keep the water up wait till the flower has finished opening revealing all the banana hands, when it’s stopped opening cut the flower off you can eat this ( called a bell) or it’s great fertiliser as well It’ll be another 6 mths for the bananas to grow to ripen At the very first sign of yellow colour cut the bunch and hang it in a safe place ( shed or similar) away from fruit bats n possums they’ll ripen very quickly like in 2-3 days a bit slower in winter so you’ll need to be ready to freeze dehydrate or share some Meanwhile the tree that produced the bunch gets cut down to ground level it’s great to chop up and use as fertiliser too The one shoot that you left becomes the next season’s fruit tree I use the term fruit tree loosely as bananas are actually a herb The suckers that you remove can be planted and used to establish more trees you just don’t want them too close to compete for food and water A good bunch should produce about 20 kg See more

04.01.2022 Manure or manure What is what? What is good ? What is best? I’ve been asked to clarify a bit on this so here goes. Manure from most animals is ok as long as the animal does not eat meat Cow manure is gold this is because a cow has 3 stomachs so every thing a cow eats is completely broken down and the active enzymes in the cows stomach makes the manure full of nutrients for your plants, next Sheep manure and chicken are also great and all are available through nurseries and... bunnings stores Just be aware that that there’s a different grades sold Pure or premium which is just manure that’s dried and powderd with nothing added The blended range only contains a percentage of manure the rest may be compost or sawdust etc it’s worth the little extra to buy the pure quality. And non of these manure will burn your plants, if you observe the cows and sheep in the fields they do not rush out to water down their poo and guess where the best clump of grass grows. You can also use manure from your own animals like alpaca, goats horses etc Though the nutrients in these is not as good and a risk of introducing weeds is higher All manures are great for improving soil quality and the ability to hold moisture but most importantly is the plants need nutrients to grow strong fast and tender Slow growth often results in more bitter vegetables and bugs attacking them So which one to choose ? think of it like your plants dinner similar to your variety of meals Beef lamb or chicken dinner why not give your plants some varieties as well Which brings us to the next picture I’ve chosen Searls 5 in 1 plant food please don’t mistake this as potting mix as it’s all pure manures and animal products and it is an amazing product through a little more expensive and also comes in differs size bags This product contains cow manure sheep manure chicken manure, blood n bone, mushroom compost and worm casings a real smorgasbord for plants The worm casings often have worm eggs as well so great if you want to introduce worms as well So how to apply ?when ?how often? and how much ? Before planting a new crop add a whole bag to a square meter fork it in then plant If you think this is overkill do a test yourself a whole bag to a sq meter and the next meter with what you feel is adequate and watch the results. ( vega Plants appetite is a bit like kids all different the longer the plants take to mature the more food they need to keep on producing Try to sprinkle more around your growing plants monthly but don’t dig in around the roots the worms will do that for you. If you can get into a habit of at the start of ever month buy a bag and do the whole garden every plant and any left throw on the lawn don’t store it use it Over the years of using chemical fertilisers our soils are sick That’s why we’re reaching for pesticides it was never the way in our grandparents day

04.01.2022 Sooty mould is a black mould that covers the leaves of stressing plants it’s particularly noticeable on citrus trees and gardinia but many plants can suffer from this. Plants not only look unhappy but in severe cases can result in death Before long comes the scale insects sucking the goodness out and stressing the plant even further, then the ants come they’re attracted to the sticky residue left by the scale often for a less observant gardener the ants may be the first th...ing you notice so the problem is already advanced A spray with eco oil or similar ( pest oil white oil or Neem oil) will get things going in the right direction, the oils suffocate the scale insects which look somewhat like little turtles the mould will come off in the next few showers or watering The day after spraying it will rub off quite easily so you can see that it is working you may need to spray a couple of times to get it all as some will be on the underside of the leaves The reason plants get this is because at some stage they’ve been too dry or not fertilised adequately or both Gardinia and citrus are all heavy feeders let’s face it they both produce prolifically So feeding regularly is important, how often will depend on your soil conditions and your area I believe it’s best to err on the generous side as long as you’re using organic fertiliser Not Chemical fertiliser ( Chemical fertiliser are man made and are usually white or blue pellets) Organic fertilisers are made from animal manure so they’re usually brown and a bit smelly but the smell usually disappears in a day or two especially if you put it out just before rain One of my favourites is dynamic lifter I just buy a big bag monthly and do the whole garden it’s not the nicest product to have sitting in the shed so buy the size that suits your garden Any left over is great on the lawn too If you’re tight on budget you can buy powdered cow manure for about a quarter of the price and it’s awesome too just a little more difficult to handle, just make sure that the bag is marked pure cow manure Not blended or composted manure See more

03.01.2022 Setting up Automatic Sprinkler System I’ve done / fixed heaps and I’d never install any on or in the ground sooner or later you will have problems But a set up above the garden works. I’d run the line along the top of star pickets it works great and you can instantly see if one of the heads is blocked or leaking you can add taps to direct where to go or to close off an area not currently in use ... No one puts a spade or fork through them when they’re high and you can still get the mower between the beds and not cut through the line If you want to water down low you just add a thin spaghetti line to direct the water where you want it just make sure that the length is longer than you think you’ll need so that it can easily be lifted up out of the way of planting and weeding if it’s not needed later on you can pop a bing in the whole or change it to another sprinkler head The advantage is really being able to see what’s happening and fix problems early Also suggest that you’re dilligent to put the bung in the end when not in use to stop lizards and ants getting in the line. See more

02.01.2022 Creating a new Garden More and more people are suddenly realising the importance of growing your own food Especially fresh fruits and vegetables. So how do we get started ? Sometimes people try without really understanding and get disheartened when things don’t go so well, so hopefully a few pointers will have as experts in no time....Continue reading