What to Do
Episode: # 9 02/06/07
Presenter: Sue McDougall
In WA we are so lucky, yes its winter but someone forgot to tell the guy who organises the weather. Many sunny days means you can find time to do some gardening, in fact out of the wind in the garden can be one of the best places to be at this time of the year.
The garden loves the extra attention at the moment as well. Dichondra (Dichondra repens) is a vigorous no mow alternative to lawn, it looks very stylish planted between paving to soften hard landscaping or for paths. It does occasionally respond to fertilising and a little Dynamic Lifter spread around at the moment will ensure it will stay healthy through the cold months.
While we are on the subject of fertilising, a rainy day is your friend at the moment. At the first sign of rain grab the pure blood and bone and spread around all the native plants you have in the garden.
Blood and bone is one of the best fertilisers to use in winter, because it is so good for the soil as well. If your tree is surrounded by lawn then ensure to remove about 30cm of it from around the base of your plant otherwise any fertiliser that goes on it will be taken by the lawn; the plant will miss out.
Colour can easily be added to the garden now with some strategically placed pots filled with annual colour.
Fill terracotta pots with a Premium Potting Mix and a few water storing granules, these will hold extra water for the plant if there happens to be a few weeks with no rain.
Pansies (Viola, Hybrid Cultivar) are a favourite with their colourful smiling faces and will keep flowering for months yet. Violas (Viola, Hybrid Cultivar) have smaller flowers and are massed with colour that will keep flowering up until Christmas time.
You may also like to choose from Ornamental Kale (Brassica oleracea, Acephala Group) as these have brilliantly coloured leaves and the colder it is, the better the colour.
The key to gorgeous, coloured winter pots is to mass plant the seedlings. There is no use having a pot with only a couple of plants and it takes forever to fill. Jam them in and they will get any nutrients they need from fortnightly applications of liquid fertiliser.
A group of three or so pots will always create a focal point and the added bonus is because it is winter you will not have to give them any extra water.
Featured Products
Yates Waterwise Premium Potting Mix
Thrive Concentrate Flower and Fruit
Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food
Blood and Bone
Presenter: Sue McDougall
In WA we are so lucky, yes its winter but someone forgot to tell the guy who organises the weather. Many sunny days means you can find time to do some gardening, in fact out of the wind in the garden can be one of the best places to be at this time of the year.
The garden loves the extra attention at the moment as well. Dichondra (Dichondra repens) is a vigorous no mow alternative to lawn, it looks very stylish planted between paving to soften hard landscaping or for paths. It does occasionally respond to fertilising and a little Dynamic Lifter spread around at the moment will ensure it will stay healthy through the cold months.
While we are on the subject of fertilising, a rainy day is your friend at the moment. At the first sign of rain grab the pure blood and bone and spread around all the native plants you have in the garden.
Blood and bone is one of the best fertilisers to use in winter, because it is so good for the soil as well. If your tree is surrounded by lawn then ensure to remove about 30cm of it from around the base of your plant otherwise any fertiliser that goes on it will be taken by the lawn; the plant will miss out.
Colour can easily be added to the garden now with some strategically placed pots filled with annual colour.
Fill terracotta pots with a Premium Potting Mix and a few water storing granules, these will hold extra water for the plant if there happens to be a few weeks with no rain.
Pansies (Viola, Hybrid Cultivar) are a favourite with their colourful smiling faces and will keep flowering for months yet. Violas (Viola, Hybrid Cultivar) have smaller flowers and are massed with colour that will keep flowering up until Christmas time.
You may also like to choose from Ornamental Kale (Brassica oleracea, Acephala Group) as these have brilliantly coloured leaves and the colder it is, the better the colour.
The key to gorgeous, coloured winter pots is to mass plant the seedlings. There is no use having a pot with only a couple of plants and it takes forever to fill. Jam them in and they will get any nutrients they need from fortnightly applications of liquid fertiliser.
A group of three or so pots will always create a focal point and the added bonus is because it is winter you will not have to give them any extra water.
Featured Products
Yates Waterwise Premium Potting Mix
- Ideal for all container grown and garden plants.
- Contains Dynamic Lifter Organic plant food for plant nutrition & to encourage beneficial soil mico-organisms and earthworms.
- Contains Nutricote controlled release fertiliser to feed for up to 9 months.
- Waterwise Water Storage Crystals store water and release it to the plant over time.
- Wetting agent allows the mix to absorb water quickly and thoroughly.
- Contains coir peat which stores water and nutrients and improves the structure of the mix.
- When added to potting mix or garden soil, the crystals absorb up to 500 times their own weight in water.
- The water is released over a period of time as the plants require it.
- Reduce water usage and increase the times between watering.
- Effective for up to five years and biodegrade harmlessly.
- Prevents the soil from drying out, improves soil aeration and drainage.
- Potassium based.
Thrive Concentrate Flower and Fruit
- Fast acting, complete, liquid fertiliser ideal for feeding a wide rage of flowering and fruiting plants.
- Feeds through foliage and the roots.
- Specially formulated blend of nutrients, rich in phosphorus and potassium and trace elements to encourage prolific flowering and fruiting.
- Easy to measure and mix.
Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food
- This is a versatile feed for all garden, potted and Australian native plants.
- Slow release nutrients improving structure and retention of the soil.
- It also encourages earthworms and is beneficial to soil micro-organisms
Blood and Bone
- An organic fertiliser suitable for all gardens including Australian natives.
- Provides nitrogen for healthy leaf growth and phosphorus for stron root development.
- Organic nutrients are released slowly to the plant, improves soil structure, promotes beneficial soil micro-organisms and encourages earthworms
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