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SUMMER 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
SummerGet set for
Collecting chillies
Leay saladsto grow now
Petunias that perorm
Watering raised beds
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Good gardening
GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011 5
Have you seen Big Red?
So, you want a tough, easy careplant that will say look at menearly all the year round.
How about Big Red, one o the latest,compact hybrid geraniums?
Reported to be the frst true deep red, itscolour is intense while individual bloomsare best described as huge.
Like many o the new hybrid geraniums,Big Red covers itsel with blooms that areheld high on long stems well above theleaves.
ese are dark green, producing a strongcontrast with the owers.
Big Red produces vigorous semi-trailinggrowth (40 x 60 cm), making it ideal orgrowing in a hanging basket or planterbox. In a container, it produces a moundedcanopy.
Like most geraniums, it has excellenttolerance to both heat and drought.
Geraniums are sun lovers and grow bestout o the wind. ey also need protectionrom winter rosts.
However, plants grown in containers canbe moved around the garden to achieve thebest display.
Once a year, usually late in summer, thebushes should be cut back quite hard toencourage strong, new, vigorous growth.
Plants growing in small containers shouldbe repotted in autumn or spring, using aquality potting mix enriched with the
recommended amount o slow releaseertiliser.TIPBig Red geranium is an ideal plant or
people living in townhouses or where spaceis limited, but it can be grown almostanywhere, so long as it is in plenty o sun.
Big Red and other hybrid geraniums willbe eatured at most garden centres oversummer.
All good gardeners deserve at least one Big Red
geranium or Christmas.
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Good gardening
Long lasting summer colour
Have you noticed how long theowers last on plants that bloomduring summer and autumn?
High on the priority list has to be thebright red and sot pink mandevillas. Largetrumpet-shaped owers appear late inspring and given plenty o light (morningsun and aternoon shade during summer),they will ower continuously through thesummer and autumn months.
Mandevillas resent cold wet eet and arebest grown in a raised bed or even better,suspended in a hanging basket.
Make sure the topsoil dries out completelybeore resoaking the plants root zone.Use a six-month slow release ertiliser inspring but an additional monthly liquidertiliser with a high potash content canproduce wonders. Remember to trim 20
to 30 percent o the canopy once the mainush o owers ades late in autumn orearly winter. Frangipanis are another good
example as they are real heat lovers and areoten seen at their best when planted closeto the western side o a house or brick wall.is way the heat accumulated during theday can be radiated back to the plants atnight.
In some seasons, it may be Christmasbeore they start owering but the blooms
will persist or three or our months.e white and pink orms (Plumeria
rubra var. acutifolia) are the hardiest andower more readily than the very attractivepink and red orms.
Frangipani averages 3-4 metres in height,needs well drained soil and is quite sensitiveto rost. On the other hand, the large thickpointed leaves have good tolerance to saltladen winds. e owers are highly scentedand quite waxy.
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Good gardening
Petunias with wow
e latest breakthrough involves petuniasthat are not grown rom seed but start lie as
cuttings taken rom very high perormingparent material.ese plants can produce spectacular
results particularly i you are prepared toprovide them with a little extra water andertiliser.
However, breeding plants rom cuttingsis very expensive and at this stage, theplants are only available singly in mediumsize (150 mm) containers and generally sellor $11 - $12.
So, what do these petunias with wowoer in the way o perormance?
Long lasting, very vigorous growthwith plants beginning to ower early andin particular, remaining in bloom muchlonger than traditional petunias.
Raspberry Blast and Rhythm and Bluesreleased last summer will ower throughspring, summer and autumn and iconditions remain warm and dry, both are
capable o carrying over and regeneratingin the ollowing spring.
Spreading habit. Both produce a low
(15-20 cm) spreading canopy (65 cm-1metre).is makes them an ideal option i you
are looking or colour in the landscape orto trail down an embankment wall. eyare well suited to container planting orbaskets.
Like all petunias they require regularwatering but once established, grow bestwith a deep soaking once a week (twice insandy soils).
Because o their vigour, its recommendedthese plants should be ertilised regularly
with a liquid ertiliser containing arelatively high potash level.Both plants thrive in the heat and should
not need cutting back to maintain vigourthrough the growing season.
Two varieties have been released recentlyin SA by Ball Australia and are available inmany (but not all) garden centres.
Pink and Blue - thats whats new
ey includeRaspberry Blast vibrant blooms o
pink edged with deep cerise violet.Being a prolifc bloomer, the 5-6 cmowers cover the entire plant rom earlyspring right through to the frst rosts in
winter.e canopy habit is low and spreading
with a height o 15 cm and spread o upto one metre. is makes it an ideal option
where a blanket o colour is required suchas training down an embankment or wall.It is equally well suited or containerplanting and baskets.
Rhythm and Blues described as very
eye-catching, producing jazzy blue owerswith a resh white rim. e canopy ismounded (20-30 cm) and spreading (30-50 cm), owering prousely rom springthrough summer and well into autumn.
Recommended or large baskets andpedestal containers where a spectaculardisplay is required.
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011 11
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There is a very clear relationship between day temperaturesand the amount o water a plant needs. During hot
weather, most o the water you apply is used to keep theplants cool (in essence, moisture is taken in through the plants
roots and drawn out through its leaves, creating an evaporativecooling eect).e aim must be to ensure there is enough water in the plants
root zone to keep your plants transpiring reely.During cool to mild weather, transpiration levels are relatively
low. When these conditions prevail, you may not need to waterat all, assuming the plants root zone has enough moisture romprevious watering.
However in heatwave conditions, it is important that youunderstand the plants water needs.
e ollowing table, produced or e Advertisersgarden column,is a guide to how oten plants in your garden may need wateringassuming the garden is well mulched.
Jon Lamb provides topical, practical gardening information ine Advertisers Trader supplement every Friday.
Temperature Water
rating
Soil Plant water frequency per week
Veg/
small
Medium Large
18-25 Low Sandy 2 1 1
Clay 1 1 1
25-30 Medium Sandy 2 2 1Clay 2 1 1
30-35 High Sandy 3 2 2
Clay 2 2 1
35 + Extra Sandy 3+ 3 2
Clay 3 2 1
Veg = vegetables Shrubs - small under 30 cm Med - 30 cm to 1.5 m
Large - 1.5 - 4 m N.B. Fruit trees in crop and very large ornamental trees have
different watering needs.
Summer water requency guide
Vegetables and small ornamentals
SA Garden & Outdoor Livingsupporter:
www.sawater.com.au
By JON LAMB
Does the garden
need watering?
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12 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Good gardening
Selecting the very bestplants or your garden
The world o plants is one oastonishing diversity and we allhave our avourites there are
so many orms, shapes, habits, textures,colours, owers and scents rom which tochoose. Our preerences may be inuencedby childhood experiences, travels andadventures, art, science or perhaps specialmemories.
One preerence we all tend to share,however, is a thriving garden where plantsare healthy and can ulfl their potential,
whatever that may be.Selecting plants to suit your environment,
including soil and climate, are keydecisions or a healthy garden and yet theyare not always easy decisions. is is why
we have developed the Landscapes AlivePlant Selector and why it is such a useulresource or home gardeners.
is is an online tool or selecting plantsto suit the particular conditions o everysuburb in South Australia. It is the result oseveral years o research and developmentlooking at landscape and soil types, climatepatterns and many other variables.
Currently consisting o more than 2,000species, plants in the database include localindigenous, Australian native and exoticplants that ulfl the two criteria o havinglow supplementary water requirementsonce established and being non-invasive inthe local area where they are recommendedto be planted.
Detailed inormation is providedabout each plant including soil and lightpreerences, size, appearance, attractionor native auna, tolerances, ammability,common landscaping uses and many other
qualities and cautions.All you need to access the Plant Selectoris a computer with an internet connection
and a search program. ere are no specialPC requirements apart rom that.e internet address is:
www.environment.sa.gov.au/plantselectorere are a number o ways to search or
plants using the Plant Selector. You cansearch by choosing your council area eitherby clicking the Flash map or selectingyour council rom the drop down box.
Alternatively you can select your suburb.Once you have selected your council
or suburb, your search will automatically
include only the plants suitable or yourarea.e Plant Selector allows you to flter
your plant list so it includes only plantsthat meet the specifc characteristics in
which you are interested. For example iyou clickCoastin the Landscapefeld andBluein the Flower Colourfeld, the list youreceive will only include blue oweringplants that are appropriate to plant nearthe coast. You can choose any combinationyou like.You can also limit your selections to
plants that are indigenous to your councilarea, plants that are Australian natives or
exotic plants rom other parts o the world.e database includes more Australianthan exotic plants as they are more oten
Sustainable landscape specialist SHERYN PITMAN explains
how you can easily match plants to your gardens conditions.
Natural colour is hard to beat. One o the many native gardens at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.
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14 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
New plants & products
Whats new at your garden centreThe latest new plants and products available rom Nursery and Garden Industry SA centres
Lettuce Mini Ice Cube
An innovative six-pack that contains six advanced mini iceberg
lettuce. Each lettuce will develop into a ull iceberg style head
that is only 10 cm (approx) in diameter. The leaves can be
harvested singly ater 4-6 weeks or let to mature as a ull head.
Great or gourmet summer salads. The plants are slow to bolt and
adapt well to small containers or raised beds. Plant seedlings 20-
25 cm apart in a sunny or well-lit shaded area. Water well. Plants
respond to balanced ertiliser. www.oasishorticulture.com.au
Hydrangea Endless
Summer Twist-n-Shout
Twist-n-Shout is the latest in the very popular Endless
Summer series o hydrangeas that eature eye-catching lace-
cap style owers that repeat bloom through summer and early
autumn. The blooms have a deep pink centre and either pink or
blue petals, depending on soil acidity (pink alkaline, blue acid).
Plants grow 1.2 m high and wide and adapt well to containergrowing. www.emings.com.au
Potunia
Potunias are part o a completely new range o high perorming petunias that are grown
rom cuttings (not seed) to guarantee their quality and perormance. Potunias are a compact
orm o petunia with a round mounding habit. Flowering begins earlier and continues longer
than traditional petunias. They have excellent tolerance to heat and adverse weather. Ideal
or growing in large pots, hanging baskets or or mass planting. Colours include Deep Purple,
Papaya, Blackberry Ice and Cappuccino. Because these are high perorming
petunias, they are only available in individual 140 mm or 200 mm
pots or hanging baskets. www.united-nurseries.com.au
Butterfy Wallart
The buttery is a new addition
to a very popular wallart
series. The artwork is made
rom very attractive coloured
steel, welded and hand
fnished to create attractive
shapes and designs or wall
decoration.
www.brunnings.com.au
Versailles Metal Arch
Sturdy with pre-weathered rust eect fnish
in an easy to assemble pack. Traditional
styled arch designed to suit a range o garden
locations. Side panels included to
provide strong support or climbing plants.
2.4 m x 1.2 m. www.brunnings.com.au
Garden Hose Cart Away
A useul but very attractive portable solution
or storing the garden hose where space is at
a premium. The Cart Away is on wheels and
the handles are retractable. It contains 20
metres o medium density garden hose, hose
fttings and stakes to stable the Cart when
rewinding. www.popeproducts.com.au
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Christmas in the garden
House plants have shape, textureand colour, but they are alsoalive, introducing an important
element when it comes to buying.e key actor to a house plants survival
is light. ere is a big range o plants thatwill grow in bright light, such as a roomwith two or three large windows or a wallo mainly glass.
On the other hand, the number o plantsthat thrive in poor light, such as in ronto a medium size window or two small
windows, is rather limited.House plants with large, thick, dark glossy
leaves are more eective in convertinglimited light into energy and have thegreatest tolerance to low light.
Plants suitable or such conditions
include the Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum),Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema), Aralia(Fatsia Japonica), Happy Plant (Dracaena)and Umbrella tree (Scheera).
Plants with variegated leaves have greaterappeal and are more useul when it comesto interior decorating. But there is lessgreen in the leaves to react with the light.
ese plants are best used in brightly litrooms or placed as close as possible to a
window. ose that do well as indoor plantsinclude the variegated Devils Ivy or Pothos(Scindapsus), Arrowhead (Syngonium)
and variegated orms o Dracanea andAglaonema.
Flowering plants need direct sun or atleast fltered sun during the day i they areto remain owering and in active growth
when they are inside.House plants can be used very eectively
in a room to create a ocal point the aimis to draw your eye as soon as you enterthe room.
I a single plant is to be used make sureit is structurally imposing. Look or plants
with large, interesting leaves that are
carried on strong branches, or example,the Umbrella tree or maybe one o the large
leaved Syngoniums or Philodendrons.An alternative is to use a large weeping
specimen, such as a Weeping Fig (Ficusbenjemina) or maybe place a matureparlour palm in a large ceramic container.
Focal points can also be created bygrouping a number o the same plantstogether.
is is a good technique when the houseplants are relatively small. It is also eectivei the leaves o the plants are relativelysmall and the branch system compact i.e.
Weeping Figs, small leaved Philodendronsor waxy leaved Peperomias.
Grouping is also an excellent way tocreate an eect with owering plants.
Accent plants
I you are using accent plants to create aocal point, remove adjacent objects thatmay compete or attention and i possible,position the plants where they receivenatural light.Accent plants can be used just as
eectively to draw the eye away rom partso the room that are not so attractive.
In most homes, house plants are simplyused to soten harsh lines. e best exampleis to consider the straight line created by akitchen window sill.
Beneath this there is a large horizontal
stainless steel sink. Placing a single mediumsized house plant or maybe two small plantsin suitable containers on the window sill
will immediately break the harshness o thestraight lines and help draw the eye awayrom the sink.
Medium sized plants with dense oliageand a slightly rounded shape are useulor sotening harsh square lines whenplaced on the oor next to a bench or lowcupboard.
Placing another plant with weeping orarching oliage on top o the cupboard
or bench will compliment the one on theoor and add to the sotening eect.
House plantsor Christmas
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Create an outdoor oasis
and enjoy your garden
all year round
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Phone 1300 818 864 weathersafe.com.au
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18 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Recycling
Recycle Right - butbeware o recycling myths
Recycling inside the home andoutside in your garden hasevolved dramatically in the past
decade. As a result, what we may have
thought can and cant be recycled couldnow be quite wrong.
It raises the question - have you allenprey to the recycling myths?
I so, valuable resources may notbe recycled or, just as bad, become acontaminant in your recycling or organicsbin
Recycling myths can create conusion ormisinormation. Zero Waste SA busts fveo these myths or you.
RECYCLING MYTH 1:
Te triangular recycling symbol onplastic containers means I can recycle it.
e triangle with a numberrom 1 to 7 is not a recyclingsymbol but rather a PlasticIdentifcation Code (PIC).
So what plastics can berecycled in your councilrecycling bin?
Rigid plastic bottles and containers thathold their own shape, including plasticsot drink and milk bottles and take-awaycontainers. Just make sure they are rinsedand have the lids removed.
For more inormation, Zero Waste SA hasa comprehensive guide to plastics displayingthe Plastics Identifcation Code at
www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au/at-home/recycle-right/what-do-the-numbers-and-symbols-on-plastics-mean
RECYCLING MYTH 2:
It doesnt matter what I put in myrecycling bin - it all gets mixed with the
garbage bin and ends up in landfll
No! Your recyclables and waste do not
get mixed together. Recyclables go to aMaterials Recovery Facility to be sorted orreprocessing.
In act 2.76 million tonnes o materialwere diverted to recycling activities duringthe 200910 year and every year theamount o recycling diverted rom landfllincreases.
Every day large volumes o recyclablesare separated and sent to industry to be
reprocessed into new products that reduceour demand or raw materials and water.Did you know?
Recycling 20 aluminium cans uses thesame energy as making one new canrom raw materials.Recycling glass saves about 70% o theenergy it takes to make a glass rom rawmaterials.Recycling plastic saves up to 80% o theenergy it takes to make new plastics.
RECYCLING MYTH 3:
Anything recyclable can go into mycouncil recycling collection bin. Someonewill sort it anyway.
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011 19
People do sort recyclables. But placingitems in your recycling bin that dontbelong creates contamination. isincreases recycling costs, put workers inrecycling acilities at risk and can damagemachinery.While South Australians are excellent
recyclers, there is room or improvement.Common recycling mistakes ound in
recycling bins:NappiesSot plastics/plastic bagsBottles and jars contaminated withood (a light rinse is sucient)Lids still attached (please remove theseand place them in your waste bin)Non-recyclable plastic packaging suchas biscuit traysFoam meat traysPolystyrene packaging
ese items should be placed in yourwaste bin.
Contaminants have to be removed romthe recyclables and sent to landfll whereit should have been sent in the frst place.Sometimes these contaminants will havealso ruined what would have been goodrecyclables and consigned them to landflltoo. Please do your bit and Recycle Right.
RECYCLING MYTH 4:
Rinsing your containers to recycle is awaste o water.
Just as recycling saves resources,greenhouse gas emissions and energy, it
saves a lot o water.Water savings rom recycling in the past
year were equivalent to the water used by63,300 average Adelaide households inone year or the water contained in 4,800Olympic-sized swimming pools.
So give those jars, bottles and containers
a rinse to ensure they are ree rom oodcontamination. You will help save water inthe long term.
RECYCLING MYTH 5:
Placing your recyclables in plastic bagsis a neat way to recycle and makes it easier
or the people sorting.
Sot plastics create problems at theMaterial Recovery Facility (MRF) whererecyclables are sorted so do not place themin the recycling bin. Instead place these inyour waste bin.
For more inormation, Zero WasteSA has a comprehensive search tool at
www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au/at-home/recycle-right or what can and cannot go in yourrecycling bin.
Recycling
SA Garden & Outdoor Livingsupporter:
www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au
Yes
paper and envelopesnewspapers, magazines, catalogues and
junk mailcardboard boxes and egg cartonsshredded paper (i contained inside apaper bag or box)cartons such as milk, juice and stockcartonspizza boxes with the ood scrapsremovedaluminium and steel cans and tinsempty and dry paint tinsempty aerosol cansglass bottles and jars (with lids o andrinsed)plastic bottles and containers (with lidso and rinsed)yoghurt and butter containers (with lidso and rinsed)
No
lids rom jars and bottlesplastic bags and other sot plasticsood scrapspackaging contaminated with oodtissues and paper towelclothing and abricspolystyrene packagingoam trays and cupscrockery or drinking glassesmirrors, light globes, oven proo or
window glasscar parts or toysnappiesgarden waste or organic material
Tips or Recycling Right
Remove all lids rom jars, bottles andplastic containers and place these in the
waste binRinse containers - save water by usingletover dishwaterPlace recyclables loose into the yellowbin - do not place recyclables in plasticbagsDo not mix recyclables, or example
putting cans in boxesDo not bundle newspapers andcardboard
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20 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Book reviews
Organic Fruit Growing
Annette McFarlane,ABC Books $35
I youre looking or a really good guideto growing ruit in your own garden,this is it. e act that it explains how to
grow your ruit organically is a bonus.Annette McFarlane is one o Australiasbest organic garden writers and is aregular contributor to ABC gardeningpublications. She also lectures inhorticulture and is able to provide a simplebut technically sound explanation to theprinciples behind organic gardening. efrst part o the book is devoted to gettingstarted and the basics o ruit growingincluding pruning, nutrition, pest anddisease prevention and control, pollinationand ruit set and propagation.
e latter part provides a verycomprehensive profle o sixty ruit orseed bearing shrubs, vines or trees. issection includes many o the sub-tropicalruits that have tremendous potential herein South Australia, given the right kind ogrowing conditions.
Berry Bounty
Allen GilbertHyland House $29.95
At last, an easy to read but very
soundly written guide to growingberries in small gardens.Allen Gilbert, an experienced
horticulturalist and author o a series opractical ruit growing books includingCitrus, Just Nuts, All about Apples andEspalier, has just completed a verycomprehensive book that covers both thetraditional berries we would all like to growin our garden as well as many considered tobe unusual.Allen is acutely aware o the health
benefts associated with growing and eatingruit resh rom the garden particularly i itis organically grown.
From his own experience he knowswhich o the berry plants can be grownin containers and just as important, howto train berry bearing ruits to produceproductive crops in a limited space.
e traditional berries described includeblueberries, brambleberries, currants,mulberries and raspberries with an extra
large chapter on strawberries. In theunusual berry section, you will fnd eijoas,goji berries, guavas, jaboticabas, kiwiruit, passionruit, pepino, pomegranates,tamarillos and more.An excellent reerence book i you are a
keen gardener.
The Garden o Ideas:
Four Centuries o Australian style
Richard AitkenMiegunyah Press, $49.99
This is an inspiring and engaging storyo Australian garden design. It startswith details o our early immigrant garden
makers and works through to those whogardened in the 21st century. Richard
Aitken draws on a ascinating range oimages, paintings, drawings, prints, plansand photographs, many never previouslypublished. ese images carry the story o
Australian garden styles down the years.e Garden of Ideas is a valuable source
book or readers interested in gardenhistory.
Australian Grasses:
a gardeners guide to native grasses,
sedges, rushes and grasstrees
Nick RomanowskiHyland House, $29.95
The search or plants with naturaltolerance to Australias harshenvironment has led many gardeners to
the discovery o ornamental grasses. Whileinitial orays involved exotic species, itdidnt take long or experienced gardenersto realise some o the most attractive butadaptable plants grew naturally in our ownenvironment.
Nick Romanowski, an authority onAustralian native grasses and recognisedecologist, takes us into the ascinating worldo native grasses, sedges, rushes and grasstrees.
He describes how they can be grown andadapted to a garden landscape. ere is alsoa description o more than 200 dierent
species, many illustrated with photos takenrom rainorest wetlands, Mallee scrub andsuburban gardens.
Great new gardening books
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Lawns
New bualo grass wins ansBy STEAN PALM
While Australia has seen manyvarieties o Sot Lea Bualoover the past 10 years, the
latest Kings Pride Bualo is creating a greatdeal o home gardening interest.With so many bualo lawn grasses to
choose rom, it can be a tricky job decidingwhich one is best.
I can assure you the undamentalhallmarks o a good bualo are verysimilar. For example, they are all relativelybroadleaved, they all grow in sun or shade,none o them have rhizomes (undergroundrunners) and they are all classifed as lowmaintenance grasses.
However, each variety brings with it acertain degree o uniqueness which can
make a dierence to the enduser.
National trials o 14 varieties obualo grass demonstrated thatKings Pride Bualo produced asoter, harder wearing, greenerlawn all year round. From amaintenance point o view, thisis likely to result in a saving inboth time and eort.
Kings Pride was shown to have moreshade tolerance and was able to withstandhigher amounts o trac than bualovarieties beore it.Another advantage worth noting is that
in the past, Sot Lea Bualos have beensensitive to selective herbicides. As such,
you couldnt use productslike Weed and Feed on thembecause o their chemicalsensitivity.With Kings Pride Bualo,
you can saely use registeredbroadlea herbicides at labelrates. is is good news ibroadlea weeds begin to growin your lawn.
Kings Pride is available in SA as instanttur through garden centres and specialistlawn outlets.
Stefan Palm is a lawn consultant with PaulMunns Instant Lawn (not Munns & Moreas stated in our spring edition)
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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24 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Good gardening
New patio sized ruit trees thatare both attractive and easy tomanage could be just what home
gardeners are looking or.With house blocks becoming smaller and
houses larger, space or ruit trees is otenat a premium. Yet, interest in home grownruits (and vegetables) has never been higher.
e answer or many is likely to be solvedby growing dwar ruit trees or trees buddedonto dwarfng rootstock.
Recently a very attractive red-leaed dwarnectarine, known as SunsetTM Nectarine, has been released. It hasbeen bred specifcally or home gardeners and oers a number oappealing eatures.Attractive e leaves are deep burgundy in colour with a
canopy that is compact and round.Patio size e trees only grow 1-1.2 metres high and a metre
wide. In spring, they produce a dense group o pink owers,ollowed by a surprisingly large number o ruits.
Fruit e ruit is ull sized with sweetyellow esh. Interstate, these mature in midDecember. However, local trials carried outat Balhannah Nurseries (responsible or itsintroduction in SA) indicate this could be alittle later in SA.
Easy care is nectarine does not needpruning, is sel pollinating and adapts wellto container growing.
Low chill factor is means the trees willset ruit in coastal districts and other regions
where winters are relatively mild.Early spring growth Because o their low chill actor, bud burst
is very early i.e. mid to late August.Peach leaf curl Early bud burst in SA can lead to lea curl
problems, particularly i showers persist. However, this is easilycontrolled by spraying the trees with copper oxychloride in mid
August and again, just as the buds begin to swell.SunsetTM Nectarine dwar nectarines are available rom most SA
garden centres.
New patio sized nectarine
Helping to grow a greener SA
You can play your part
Phone 8406 0500
www.treesforlife.org.au
Join.Volunteer.Donate.
Have you tried out the newWaterRight Gardensweb tool?Developed by SA Water, it is designed to help gardeners work
out how much water they need in dierent parts o the gardenand what happens to water use i you change the garden design.
e tool uses actors including the season, hours o sunlight,soil type and watering systems to help you calculate how much
water to use.It also eatures guides to a selection o plants most commonly
used in Adelaide gardens. In addition, there are a number o key
gardening issues.ese include:Starting rom scratche impact o soilUnderstanding your plantsMicroclimatesIrrigation methodsMulch
e WaterRight Gardensweb tool is hosted by SA Water at www.sawater.com.au
SA Garden & Outdoor Livingsupporter:
www.sawater.com.au
Online tool takes the
guesswork out o wateringyour garden
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Rhythm&Blues
Petunia
RaspberryBlast
Petunia
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26 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Herbs
BBQ herbs - ideal orChristmas giving
This Christmas, I have a cunningplan inspired by a dear riend oours who loves to cook on the
barbeque. e garden is ully landscapedbut he is always looking or excuses toadd something extra. Equally we haveriends with room only or a ew pots. ecommon denominator is that they all liketo cook (and eat) and we all know thatresh is best!
I plan to present my riend with most othe basic (dare I say essential) culinary herbs
which can be planted in pots or troughsnext to the barbeque or anywhere else orthat matter.
I will then download act sheets on eachherb rom the Herb Herbert website whichis available to all, along with some o myavourite recipes using the herbs. Soundssimple - but which herbs!
It is most important to match multipleplantings o herbs according to their waterand light requirements - it just wont worki we plant water loving Vietnamese mintand drought tolerant rosemary together inthe same pot.
So or the low water use herbs, I am goingto use the ollowing:
BBQ Rosemary
is variety o rosemary has strongupright branches that make ideal skewersor meat and vegetables on the barbeque.e leaves and stems will avour the oodand are ideal or Baby Potato Skewers.
Rosemary is an ideal plant or ourclimate. It requires well drained soil and isbest in ull sun - basically a survivor whichhas low water usage and also makes a greatlandscape plant in its own right.
Sage Variegated
is variety o sage is highly decorative andhas avour similar to common green sage.Its common pests are aphids and white y.I believe planting it with the rosemary willhelp combat that problem. To encouragebushy growth, pinch the centres out o theplants when you pick the leaves. Sage will
make a great herb brush with thyme andI can eel a pork, potato, sage and onion
skewer recipe on the horizon, perhaps witha marinade made with seeded mustard,balsamic vinegar and oil.
Lemon Grass
Lemon grass stalks make a great skewerespecially or prawn rolls. I ound thisrecipe years ago using sugar cane.
It was always a big eort to get the canecut to a suitable size and lemon grass works
Herb specialist MARIE COLLETT nds the perfect
Christmas present which shows thought without costing the world.
Herbs should be positioned as close as possible to where they will be used.
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011 27
Herbs
equally as well. Our dogs enjoy grazing onthe leaves, so its an all round avourite.Lemon grass will grow well with the
rosemary and sage and is a worthy additionto the garden.
Thyme
I like to use lemon thyme when webarbeque fsh, especially salmon. yme
will grow well with the other herbs as it isbest not overwatered and kept in a sunnyposition. Pinch out the centres o the plant
when you pick the leaves to encouragestrong bushy growth.
Oregano Hot N Spicy
is variety o oregano has a real kick. Ithas a slightly coarser lea than traditionaloregano vulgare. I love to use it withGreek styled Barbequed Chicken. Pick theowers o the oregano to encourage stronggrowth.Well, that is the trough planted and I
am delighted the plants will look greattogether and they will all be happy in their
environment and, dare I say, we have alsocompanion planted the trough.
However, there are still two more herbs
that we need they are high water usersso I am going to suggest a separate pot oreach o them
Vietnamese Coriander
or Hot Mint
Coriander is an essential but over summerit runs to seed so easily that its hardly
worth the struggle.I always have a pot o Vietnamese
coriander it grows year round and I fndit is an excellent substitute or corianderespecially those bought bunches rom the
supermarket.is plant is very thirsty so put a pot ina sealed bowl and surround it with gravel.
On those really hot days, make sure thereis plenty o water in the gravel.
is way the plant is happy and thedogs are not provided with their very ownswimming pool.
is plant is a gross eeder so I add some
liquid seaweed ertiliser to the water every34 weeks.
Not only does the plant get a eed but the
water will stay clear.Parsley
Triple curled or Italian its up to theindividual.
Both need to be kept moist and out o theaternoon sun.You could plant them in a bowl like
the Vietnamese coriander but let thewater dry out between watering or a deepconventional pot will work provided it isnot allowed to dry out.
is year many o our riends will be
receiving mixed pots o herbs designed orthem specifcally and their environment.Ater all, its the thought that counts.
I cant wait or Christmas.
Marie Collett is co-director at FalgNurseries, SAs rst registered sustainableplant nursery and SA growers for HerbHerbert herbs.l l
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28 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Taste the seasons
Light, rereshing and berry nice
Try these cool ideas from chef KANE POLLARD who
offers some light and easy options for summer eating.
T
he ood we eat during thewarmer months shouldbe light, rereshing and
easy to prepare. Cucumbers,lettuce and tomatoes cool usdown, an abundance o stoneruit means a sweet healthy snack
while berries give us a natural litthat urges us to get back outdoors!
Fond memories o oraging orblackberries on the creek side withmy brother in the Adelaide Hillsremind me that theres nothingquite like resh picked berries.With so many varieties its hard to choose!
Blueberries give us that deep colour andburst o sweetness, raspberries are light andrereshing while strawberries make a greatgarnish to any dessert or drink.
Each type individually or all mixedtogether and served resh beside youravourite dessert add colour and excitement.
Meringue and ice cream are a greataccompaniment or berries as the sweetmeringue cuts through the acidity o theberries and the cool ice cream is perect ona warm summers day.Allowing the partially cooked meringues
to dry out in the oven overnight is greatpreparation or tomorrows BBQ dessertand will give you that perect crispy fnishthat everyone will love!
Meringue with Summer Berries,
Berry Coulis and Ice cream
Makes 6 serves (12 meringue discs)Preparation time is 20 minutes
Ingredients for Coulis and decorationFor Coulis (Berry sauce)
250gm berries, select rom raspberries,strawberries, blackberries or blueberries.Fresh is best.
cup sugar
25gm butter1 Tablespoon water
300ml o cream1 additional punnet o mixed berries todecorate with.6 scoops o vanilla ice cream
Ingredients for Meringues2 ree range egg whites (roomtemperature)65g caster sugar65g sited pure icing sugarSeeds o 1 vanilla pod1teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice
MethodFor Coulis
Bring the berries, sugar and water up to asimmer and cook on a low heat only untilsugar has dissolved
Blend the berry mix in a ood processoror with a stick blender adding hal the coolbutter to the warm berry mix. Allow thebutter to incorporate, then add the rest.
Blend to a puree and then pass the mixthrough a fne sieve to remove seeds.For Meringues
Preheat the oven to 120Whisk the egg whites with an electricmixer or by hand in a spotless bowl until
peaks begin to ormAdd the vinegar or lemon juiceSlowly add the caster sugar by
the spoonul allowing each spoonto incorporate
en slowly add the sited icingsugar the same way until all isgone
Add the seeds rom the vanillapod and continue to whisk untilsugar has dissolved and meringuemix is glossy
Sti peaks should have ormedby now and your meringue mix is
ready to pipe or dollop onto a baking paperlined tray
Once piped, drop the heat o the oven to100 degrees and place your tray o perectlypiped or rustically dolloped meringues inthe oven!
Leave to cook or about 1 hoursI time allows switch the oven o and
leave overnight. I not, check they are lightto lit and crisp to snap, open the ovendoor and allow to cool.Store in an airtight container with papertowel between layers or about three weeks.
Assembly this is the fun part
For that special touch, put a small amounto coulis in a squeezy bottle and make anattractive swizzle on the plate.
Whip cream until sot peaks orm; placea meringue on the plate and dollop with
whipped cream. Place the second meringueon top, decorate with your choice o berriesand fnish o with a generous scoop ovanilla ice cream.Pour a generous amount o coulis over thetop o the ice cream. Serve immediately.
Kane Pollard is the chef at NewmansNursery Topiary Caf at North East Road,Tea Tree Gully.
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Summer!
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011 31
Good gardening
Bougainvilleas tamed but brilliant
New dwar varieties obougainvilleas with brilliantcolours and long lasting owers
(or bracts) are changing the way homegardeners are using these sun lovingavourites.
Gone are the long vigorous spiky canes.In their place are numerous short, thornlessand oten pendulous branches, producinga completely new range o compactcontainer riendly plants.
I the plant you buy is in a small container,repot into something larger i.e. 10-15 cmpot into 30 cm container or a plant in a20 cm container into one that is 30-40 cm
wide.e next thing to do is to pinch out the
growing tips rom all main stems and alsothe main side branches. e aim here is toincrease the number o main stems andside laterals.
en leave the plant to grow naturallyuntil it has owered. At this time o theyear, spectacular ower bracts will soonappear at the end o each stem. On ahealthy plant, these will last or 4-8 weeks.Remove each owering bract as it begins toade. However, it is likely other new bracts
will quickly orm.From then on, its simply a matter
o pruning or trimming your plant toshape. In spring time (usually mid tolate September), give the plants a good
prune. Cut back hard each o the mainside branches and take the opportunity torenourish the plant with an eight-monthslow release ertiliser.
This is what they like
Bougainvilleas are sun lovers and will sitand enjoy the sun all day long. However,they need at least six hours o direct sun.
Bougainvillea plants dislike wet eet. Iyou are growing your plants in a container,make sure you dont over-water them. Givethem a good soak then allow the moistureto all but disappear beore rewateringagain.While the plants are owering, a
ortnightly application with hal strengthliquid ertiliser, particularly one that isormulated to encourage ower growth, is
well worthwhile.I you have a sunny room that supports
indoor plants, you will fnd your oweringbougainvillea will last or three or our
weeks as an indoor decoration.During winter, keep your plants on
the dry side and i possible, position thecontainer in the warmest, sunniest positionpossible.
Dwar bougainvilleas in ull ower aregreat or Christmas giving.
Wild Mulberry Garden CentreWild Mulberry Garden CentreWild Mulberry Garden Centre
G I F T G A R D E N H O M EG I F T G A R D E N H O M EG I F T G A R D E N H O M E117 Park Terrace Bordertown SA 5268 08 87 522722 www.growmaster.com.au/bordertown
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FRUIT HEIGHT HOW EASY COMMENT
Avocado 4-5 m 2 Adapt well in SA
Banana 3-4 m 3 Big potential
Jaboticaba 2-4 m 2 Ornamental worth trying
Longan 3-4 m 2 Needs right position
Lychee 4-6 m 1 Needs warmth and humidity
Mango 3-6 m 1 Good in right position
Sub tropical ruits
The ollowing ruits perorm well in SA.
1 = hard 3 = easy
SUN SEMI SHADE CONTAINER
Alyssum
Aster
Bedding begonias
Coleus
Cosmos
Dahlia
Impatiens
Marigold (African)
Petunia
Portulaca
Salvia
Sunower (Helianthus)
Verbena
Zinnia
Summer annuals
PEST WATCH OUT FOR COMMENT
Ants Often found on plants attacked by scale and aphids Locate nests and spot spray with ant kill products.
Caterpillars Check tip growth and plants with soft leaves Non toxic sprays i.e. Success and Dipel effective. Also pest sprays.
Codlin moth Caterpillars burrow into esh of apples and pears Needs regular spraying with success or try codlin moth lures.
Earwigs Found under mulch, often eat petals and soft fruits Regular trapping is best strategy. A ttracted to vegetable oils in containers.
Leaf minor Minute insects that burrow into citrus leaves causing them to distort. Spray citrus with oil spray but not in hot weather.
Mites Hard to see. Check back of tomato (and other) leaves. Leaves look dry. Spray on rst evidence with soap based product or sulphur on cool day.
Scale Very small paperlike material on leaves and stems Easily controlled with pest oil. Spray on cool days.White y Small white ies. Found on many plant leaves Use systemic sprays containing imidacloprid (Bug Gun).
Pest watch
Lawns
Many new grass lawns are being spoilt by weeds. Broad or at weeds can be
controlled by spot spraying (on a calm day) with a herbicide containing Dicamba
such as Trikombi. However, this spray should not be used on bualo, clover or lippie
lawns.
Lawns that have not been ertilised this season and those that had an application
very early in the season will respond to a light dressing with a balanced ertiliser.
Make sure the ertiliser is watered into the soil immediately. Your best deenceagainst weeds and disease is strong, well ed plants.
Tomatoes
Blossom end rot, a black distortion o the ruit
is a common problem in many gardens at the
moment. It is caused by a calcium defciency
in the plant and usually occurs when the
plants suer a moisture stress. Tomatoes are
deep rooted and preer to be soaked once a
week rather than a daily shallow watering.
Christmas holidays
With only a ew short weeks to the Christmas
holidays, it will pay to spend a ew hours
cleaning up the garden beore you become
too busy. Weeds let to grow over the
next ew weeks will develop rapidly. A quick
spray with the systemic weedicide glypho-
sate is called or.
Nutgrass
This persistent weed thrives in the warm
weather, but it is also a most eective time
to spray it with a weedicide containing
glyphosate. Wait until the plants are mature
beore spraying or wiping with the chemical.
Summer garden guide
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Jon Lambs seasonal checklist
# These will benet from temporary shade during very hot weather medium water high water
VEGETABLE DEC JAN FEB CONTAINER WATER SHADE
Beetroot
Broccoli
Cabbage
Capsicum #
Carrots
Cucumber #
Eggplant #
Lettuce - hearting #
Lettuce - non
hearting
#
Melons
Pumpkin
Radish #
Rocket #
Silverbeet #
Sweetcorn
Tomato
Zucchini
Plant small quantities or a constant supply
Vegetable planting guide
Amount in litres Frequency - Sandy Frequency - Clay
Small under 1.5 m 10-15 2 1
Medium 1.5-2.5 m 15-30 1-2 1
Large 2.5-4 m 30-80 1 1
Extra large 4 m+ 80-200 1 1/fortnightSupplementary watering may be needed during very hot weather.
Summer ruit tree watering guide
Fruit trees need more water than ornamentals i they are to produce a bountiul harvest. They also have
their main moisture gathering roots well below the surace i.e. 15-35 cm. When you water, this is the area
that needs soaking.
Vegetables
Summer growing vegetables
such as tomatoes, capsicums,
eggruit, cucumbers and
zucchinis should be growing
now. However, they should
be dusted with an all purpose
garden dust every two weeks
to prevent disease or insect
attack later in the season.
Scale insects
Can be seen on the leaves and
sometimes the branches o
many trees and shrubs. Theyare usually spread by ants.
Pest oil or Confdor will control
the scale, but it is just as
important to control the ants.
Fertiliser
Keep vegetables and owers
growing quickly by applying a
ortnightly application o liquid
ertiliser. For best eects,
water the plants the day
beore. Never apply ertiliserto plants when the soil is dry.
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A D V E R T I S I N G P R O M O T I O N
According to the Australian guide to healthy eating, an adult should consume over 130kg of
vegetables per year, or approximately 375 grams per day (5 serves). Does this sound like you?
Probably not, as most Australian adults eat on average only half the recommended amount.
Growing from seed is easier than you think
Lets debunk the myth that growing from seed takeslonger than seedlings. When you grow from seedwithout transplanting the vegetable mid-growth, youavoid causing transplantation shock which can slowplant growth by up to a couple of weeks. If you wantto start seeds early on your windowsill, you can stillavoid transplantation shock by using Jiffy peat pots orpellets that are biodegradable and can be planted inthe garden with the plant.
For a detailed guide on growing your own vegetablesgo to www.mrfothergills.com.au
Eat Well and Save Money!
Mr Fothergills Beetroot Grimson Globe 350 15kg $0.19 $4.98Mr Fothergills Carrot All Year 2,000 90kg $0.04 $1.88Mr Fothergills Cucumber Lebanese 75 70kg $0.07 $1.49Mr Fothergills Pumpkin Jarrahdale 25 100kg $0.05 $1.98Mr Fothergills Radish French Breakfast 500 14kg $0.20 $2.98
Mr Fothergills Tomato Grosse Lisse 125 100kg $0.03 $5.98
Mr Fothergills Zucchini Greenskin 25 40 $0.09 $4.98
(Calculations based on average retail price and expected harvest if plant is cared for properly. The cost per kilo is calculated usingestimated average weight per vegetable. Does not include the cost of fertiliser, potting mix or water.) *Prices recorded on 27.7.2011
Seed count Estimated yield Cost per AverageVariety per pack of vegetables kg of supermarket
per pack vegetables price per kg*
ADVERTISMENT
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36 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Waterwise gardening
Isnt it time you thoughtseriously about watering yourplants with a micro-irrigation
system?Micro-irrigation, where water is
either dripped or trickled over theroot zone o individual plants, hasmany advantages.
Installed correctly, it can reducegarden water bills by 20-40 percent.
Once installed, thats it. Nohoses and sprinklers to move.
Installation is easy. Do-it-yoursel kits and a range o spareparts are readily available.
It is a very ecient and eective methodo watering plants.
Micro-irrigation has been used withconsiderable success in many SA gardensor more than a decade.As the name micro suggests, everything
about the system including the hoses,drippers and connecting pieces are smallerthan you would fnd on traditional garden
watering systems. In addition, the wateris emitted by the dripper or trickler at amuch lower rate and at a very much lowerpressure.
Because o this, the amount o timetaken to water your plants is usuallymeasured in hours - not minutes. Despitethe long operating time, water savings areconsiderable as you only wet the root zoneso the plants and not the areas in between.
What type is best
Drip irrigation technology has improveddramatically in the past ew years and thereis now a wide range o systems available tohome gardeners.
In-line drippersin, brown, exible, 4 mm hose.
Available in standard 15 m rolls andsometimes by the metre. e individualdrippers are inside the hose, spaced 15 cm,30 cm and sometimes 50 cm apart. Mostemit two litres per hour.
Very easy to install using standard dripper
fttings or the 4 mm hose. Ideal or mostgardens where plantings are in straightlines or close together.
Tricklers and adjustable drippersIndividual emitters that are usually
connected by thin 4 mm diameter exibledrip irrigation hose (spaghetti tube) to lowcost, black pvc 13 mm or 19 mm irrigationhose. e thin connector tube can be cutat varying lengths, allowing great exibility
when it comes to installing individualdrippers or tricklers.
Drippers come in a range o shapes andsizes. Most are fxed i.e. they are set todeliver a fxed amount o water usuallytwo or our litres per hour. However, somedrippers are adjustable allowing you to varythe ow rom two litres to 20 (sometimesmore).
Drippers are ideal or watering individualplants.Tricklers allow six or eight shortstreams o water to trickle rom an emitterthat is adjustable. is allows you to varythe ow rom a ew drops to 25 (or more)litres/hour.
Tricklers are ideal or random plantedgardens and particularly plants growing incontainers including hanging baskets.
Sub surface irrigationDesigned to improve soil water
interaction and lateral water movementbeneath the ground. is product has aninline drip tube placed between a blanketo geo textile abric (top side) and a plasticbottom. Sub surace irrigation produces alarge water to soil surace area and as theabric absorbs water, it produces a very
ecient wetting ront.However, this product needs to beinstalled correctly, otherwise it will take
water rom the highest point to thelowest and water distribution willnot be even.
Worth considering
Tap timer - essential i youdont want to waste water.
Pressure regulator - dripirrigation operates rom a very lowpressure. I you use normalsprinkler pressure you are likely toblow your dripper irrigationsystem apart. e pressureregulator ($15-$30) is installedclose to the tap (ater the timer),
reducing water pressure but not ow.Filter - the outlets rom most drippers
are very small. Installing a standard waterflter next to the tap or just ater the taptimer will help reduce the likelihood odripper blockage.
Most inline drippers only emit one ortwo litres per hour. is is not very much
water, particularly when you consider thata standard sprinkler with a hole in themiddle can belch out more than 20-30litres per minute.
Remember, with drip irrigation youare watering the plants, not the spacesin between. For maximum benefts, its
worth not thinking how long you waterthe garden, but how many litres o watershould you provide each plant.
Need more inormation?
Some garden centres carry a reasonablerange o drip irrigation equipmentand many provide good how to useinormation. Hardware stores, particularlythe chain operators, usually oer anexcellent range o products and some, butnot all, provide technical backup. Specialistirrigation stores oer both product rangeand technical advice. All three outletsshould oer useul do-it-yourselinstallation inormation.
Drip it to them soon
SA Garden & Outdoor Livingsupporter:
www.sawater.com.au
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011 37
ruit trees
Beyond the ruit harvest
Find them today at Mitre 10 stores & quality indepen-dant garden centres & nurseries across Adelaide.
www.greensmartpots.com
Want to grow morequality herbs &vegetables at home?
Low on space, time orexperience?
Introducing GreenSmartPots.
The smarter way to grow!!
Australian designed self-watering pot system thattakes the guess-work out of growing produce.Eliminates over and underwatering and enablesgardeners anywhere to enjoy growing vegetable &herbs at home.Available in small & large in green, charcoal orbeige.
Early in the new year, homegardeners with deciduous ruittrees can look orward to enjoying
the ruits o their labour. Invariably, someruit alls to the ground. Dont let it staythere. Nature has its own garbage disposalteam, including ants and a small, brownbeetle known as carpophilus. Both
scavenge amongst the decaying ruit,picking up plant diseases, particularly ruitrotting ungi. ese are quickly transerredto ripening ruit as they climb over yourtrees, looking or ruits that are overripe orhave broken skin. Collecting allen ruitregularly will prevent these insects romspreading disease.
Once harvest is over, reward your trees
with a long deep soak. All too oten,deciduous ruit trees, particularly thosematuring their crops in January andFebruary, are neglected. Keep in mind,these trees still have three to our monthso growing season let and rainall duringthis period is oten a scarce commodity.
Trees still laden with ruit should be
encouraged with a weekly soak, applyingbetween 200 and 500 litres to each maturetree.While deciduous ruit trees usually
receive ertiliser in spring, there ismounting evidence indicating signifcantbenefts when you apply at least hal o thetrees ertiliser requirements in mid to latesummer, ideally as soon as possible ater
harvest. is is because between harvestand lea all, the trees are busy storingenergy or next years ruit, lea and growthbuds.
Mature ruit trees should receive one to1.5 kilograms o complete ertiliser or 3-4litres o pelletised chicken manure blendedor ruit trees or roses. Most important,
make sure the ground is moist beore theertiliser is applied and wash it into thetopsoil by soaking the root zone with asprinkler or 10-15 minutes ater spreading.Unused ertiliser applied to the soil in latesummer will also be available during earlyspring when the trees require considerableenergy to break bud dormancy and developnew seasons growth.
www.balhannahnurseries.com.au
Amazing burgundy
foliage. Delicious yellow
flesh freestone nectarine
s
DwarfNec
tarine
GROW YOUR
FRUITIN A POT
Grow your own,
taste the difference
There is more to harvest than simply picking the fruit, says JON LAMB.
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38 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Salvias are perectly suited to SAshot dry summer heat, oweringenthusiastically rom summer
through to autumn as they attract bees,butteries and birds.
Salvia Black and Blue grows to 0.5 mand has striking dark blue owers with ablack calyx on a background o lush greenoliage.
Salvia greggii has aromatic green oliageand is available in bright red, pink, darkpurple, rose and white.
Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) isanother summer lover. Clouds o crepe-likelong-lasting owers smother the trees oversummer in white, pink or mauve.Although traditionally a tree growing up
to 4 m in height, crepe myrtles are nowavailable in dwar orm, some growing to
only 60 cm.For an impressive display o dinner plate-sized owers, hibiscus takes frst prize in hot
Summer heat can make you wilt butKATHY ERREYknows
that some owering plants actually thrive in the heat.
Why not when its hot?
Salvia (above) and Petchoa Supercal neon rose (inset).
Hibiscus moscheutos Penstemon Sour Grapes
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011 39
Good gardening
weather. Although the individual owersare short lived, the plants are generousbloomers. Hibiscus moscheutos is an
herbaceous perennial that is also suitableor the colder areas o South Australia asit produces its canopy o oliage rom rootstock late in spring.
It owers prolifcally over summer, diesback to a root stock again in winter only toreappear the ollowing season.
Penstemons produce long stems otubular bell shaped owers over thesummer in shades o pink, purple and
white. Most are upright growers reaching 1m x 1 m in size, but matt-orming varietiesmake an excellent groundcover.
Penstemons are long owering and can becut back hard once owering has fnished.Petunias are an outstanding perorming
annual in the garden over the summer. Toavoid the need to replant each summer,plant breeders have crossed the petunia
with the perennial summer oweringgroundcover, calibrachoa, producing thebest o each plant in the Petchoa Supercal.
Supercal is available in brilliant colours oneon rose, cherry, purple and velvet, as wellas white and pastels.All these plants thrive in ull sun and heat,
but or best perormance plant in well-
drained soil, mulch over the summer, andwater less requently but more thoroughlyto encourage deep roots.
Kathy Errey runs Outdoor Canvas Plants.
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Aeration Lung - difusing air into the biomass - so no turning o the biomass is required
- no manual intervention. Avoids anaerobic breakdown o the biomass and the harmul
greenhouse gases that are associated with an anaerobic environment (landll sites)
Insulated Walls and Lid - the thermopilic heat generated during the aerobic breakdown
o the organic material is retained within the Aerobin and temperatures within the
biomass are more constant, or year round composting even at sub zero temperatures
Aerobic composting o both Kitchen and Garden Waste
Moisture recirculation system - helps to maintain moisture within the biomass, which
keeps the culture o micro-organisms at optimum levels which again ensures aster,
more efective composting
Leachate reservoir or the collection o the liquid nutrients displaced rom your biomass
materials- dilute what is collected and you have a wonderul natural ertilizer or ree
2 Access Doors or ease o removal o the mature compost and gives you the exibility
in the positioning and location o your Aerobin
Due to the high operating temperatures than can be achieved, most weeds, seeds and
pathogens i present will be killed
And why does this all matter? Because organic waste doesnt have to be sent of to
landll there is a better solution. Aerobin ofers perhaps or the rst time an enabling
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40 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Good gardening
Right plants - right place
Growing the right plants in the right place thats theessence o good landscaping. Selecting the right treeor shrub or dierent parts o the garden is oten a
challenge.All too oten what seems to be a good idea at the time, turns out
to be a visual disaster.In essence, plants are the backbone o any landscape.Basically they are used to
Screen or produce private areasCreate upper canopy or shade and interestProvide character and tie the various sections o the garden
together.I you consider these three principles when selecting plants or
the garden, you are well on the way to success.Screening plants are the workhorses in any landscape.
ese are the dense canopy shrubs that grow rom 2-4 metres inheight and are usually placed in ront o boundary ences, shedsand other visual eyesores. Because their unction is to screen, theyshould be evergreen.
Deciduous shrubs may look attractive and produce an excellentscreen during spring and summer.
But what happens during autumn when the leaves begin to all?Select shrubs that have a dense canopy rom ground level to a
metre or so above eye level.Some shrubs tend to lose their lower leaves as they mature and
the beneft o the screening is lost.is problem can be overcome, where space permits, i you place
lower growing but dense canopied shrubs in ront o them.Suitable screening plants include:
Callistemon. Many species including C. Candy Pink (3 m),Kings Park (3-4 m), Phoeniceus (2-4 m)
Grevillea Winpara Gem (2-3 m)Melaleuca hypericiolia (2-4 m)Westringia Wynyabbie Gem (2 m)Syzgium australe (3-4 m)Citrus - most speciesPhotinia robusta (2-3 m)Murraya paniculata (3-6 m)Viburnum tinus (3 m)
Upper canopy
Trees and tall shrubs have an important role to play in thelandscape as they not only provide shade but help in breaking upthe skyline.
In the average suburban garden, very tall trees should be avoided,as both shade and root growth are likely to be excessive, making itdicult or you and possibly your neighbours to grow other treesand shrubs in the vicinity.
Shade trees are best located on the west or northern boundarywhere they will provide protection rom the aternoon sun.
On the other hand, try and avoid planting tall plants on thesouthern or south eastern boundary as this will block out themorning sun.
In gardens where there is room or upper canopy, give highpriority to deciduous trees as they provide shade in summer but in
winter allow the sun to come shining through.
Character plants
e role o the character plant is to say look at me. It should alsosay something about you as a gardener. In other words, it shouldreect your likes and dislikes.
Character plants should indicate whether you preer a style thatis ormal or inormal, bright colours or those that are subdued andin particular, your interest in gardening.
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Jeffries Forest MulchCertified to NASAA Organic Standard 5125M
Certified to Australian Standards AS4454 (SMK02017)
Key Benefits Cuts evaporation and erosion Insulates plants from hot and cold
Minimises weed growth
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Conditions for goodmicro-organisms
Jeffries Forever Red, Black or BrownKey Benefits Long lasting vibrant colour
Cuts evaporation and erosion
Minimises weed growth
Insulates plants from hot and cold
Slow break down
$6550.76m3
For more information and to find your nearest stockist, visit
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Prices valid until 29/02/12Prices are recommended retail prices andinclude GST and are subject to change0.76m3 is an approx measure only0.76m3 covers approx 10m2 at 75mm thick0.76m3 is approx equivalent to a 6x4 trailer load
Use mulch to shield your soilfrom heat, wind and water erosion... and those pesky weeds!
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Good gardening
It wouldnt be a South Australiansummer without a heatwave or two.However, the garden doesnt need
to turn crispy brown when a sustainedscorcher comes our way.Your best deence against heat damage
is water and there are three importantstrategies worth considering:
Encourage your plants to develop anextensive and healthy root system capableo taking in large quantities o moisture
rom the soilIncrease the plants ability to take in as
much water as possible beore the heatwaveIncrease the humidity around your
plants during hot weather which in turnwill reduce the plants need to transpire.
In very simple terms, plants roots arelike pumps, collecting moisture rom thesoil. At the other end, the plants leaves arelike suction machines drawing moisturethrough the plant and pushing it outthrough the leaves.
is process (known as transpiration)keeps the plants cool and prevents theleaves rom crisping. Problems arise when
water disappears rom the plants leaves ata aster rate than it can be replaced.
Plant roots are also sensitive to heat. Ona hot day, those close to the surace (wherethe best sources o plant oods and moistureare usually ound) are less active and otencease their normal unctions.
e remedy is to cover the soil with alayer o mulch keeping the roots cool andas active as possible on a hot day.
Consider also the amount o rootcompetition some plants ace close to thesurace. Trees, shrubs, annuals and weeds,oten compete or the same ew centimetreso topsoil. On the other hand, there isusually plenty o space and ample plantood and moisture well below the surace.When you water the garden, provide
enough to soak the soil well below thesurace - the plants roots will quicklyollow and you end up with an extensiveand healthy root system.At this stage, mulching and deep watering
should be high on your beat the heatchecklist.
anks to accurate our day orecasts
rom the Bureau o Meteorology, we haveplenty o warning when a heatwave islooming. A plan is needed that will ensureall areas with plants that need regular
watering have enough moisture in the soilprofle to get the plants through the frstday or so o heat.
Start with the trees and deep rootedshrubs. A deep soaking should get them byor a week or more, even during heatwaveconditions, particularly i the ground is
mulched.Vegetables, perennials, annuals and lawns
should be thoroughly soaked the daybeore the heat arrives. It is then a mattero topping these up with a late evening orearly morning watering i the hot weatherpersists.
Take particular care with containerplants. e aim is to soak the potting mixrom top to bottom. Add a thin layer omulch to each container, it really makes abig dierence, but make sure the layer isnot too thick, otherwise it will absorb allthe water and the potting mix below mayremain dry.
Container plants will need to be toppedup with water each day. Make sure youallow enough water to soak well down intothe potting mix.
From a plants point o view, earlymorning watering i.e. between 4.00amand 6.00am is best. But this is not alwaysconvenient. Evening watering is quiteacceptable, the exception being plants thatare prone to ungal disease such as roses,hydrangeas, cucumbers, etc.
I your plants are wilting in the middleo a hot day, dont be araid to cool themdown with a short sprinkle. However, theoperative word is sprinkle, not soak, atleast not during the middle o the day.
e fnal strategy o increasing humidityaround the plants leaves is particularlyimportant i you are growing camellias,erns or other heat sensitive shrubs.
During summer, the air in SouthAustralia is usually very dry. On a hot day,the combination o heat and wind can bequite devastating as the normal humid airaround each lea caused by transpiration isquickly removed.
Beating the heat
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Ph: 85392105Bremer RoadOpen Monday Friday8am-4.30pmSundays
10am 4pm
www.statefora.com.au
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GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011 43
Waterwise gardening
Desalinated waterenters the network
South Australians began receivingdesalinated water through theirtaps or the frst time in mid-
October, signalling a historic milestone orthe $1.83 billion project.
Small volumes o desalinated drinking
water are being mixed with treated waterrom Happy Valley Reservoir in storagetanks beore being pumped into the mains
water pipelines.e water reaches customers across
Adelaide rom Happy Valley to Aldinga,the Adelaide Hills areas o Blackwood,Belair to Coromandel Valley, the westernsuburbs rom Darlington to West Lakes andthe eastern oothill areas rom Clapham to
Wattle Park.e amount o desalinated water entering
the network rom the frst 50-gigalitre
plant was initially between fve and 10million litres per day, which will increase asmore capacity comes online.
Once the water passes through the reverseosmosis membranes at the desalinationplant, it is treated and then stored in theplants two 25-megalitre treated waterstorages at Lonsdale.
From these storages, the water ows bygravity into the suction o the transerpump station where it is pumped thougha 12-kilometre pipeline to Happy Valley.Desalinated water is then combined
with water rom the Happy Valley Water
Treatment Plant beore being distributedinto the SA Water network.
is major milestone was a critical stepin building the desalination plant that willensure South Australians have a secure
water supply completely independent oclimatic conditions or current and uturegenerations. Construction on the second50 gigalitre plant continues and the project
is on track to meet overall completion by
the end o December 2012. You can see SAWater sta talking about this project, howit works, the marine and land environmentand what it means or South Australia at
www.sawater.com.au
SA Garden & Outdoor Livingsupporter:
www.sawater.com.au
SA Water Chie Executive John Ringham received a cup o the desalinated water rom AdelaideDesalination Project Director Milind Kumar, and ADP Deputy Director Mauro Farinola.
Group your plants according to theirwatering needs, especially i you arewatering them with an irrigation system.Grouping will also help keep them cooler.
Use a quality potting mix. Look or theAustralian Standard logo on the bag. A
premium mix is advised or most pottedplants. Compressed coir or coco peatpotting mix bricks that you rehydrate have
very good water storing capacity. ey canbe used on their own or mixed with anotherpotting mix to improve water retentionand air flled porosity.
Larger pots are generally more waterecient than smaller pots. Avoid pots that
are too large or the plant as this may makethe soil water logged.Allow the top 20 mm o potting mix to
dry out between watering. Many pottedplants die rom over watering.
Unglazed terracotta pots are veryporous, losing water readily. Line them
with plastic, ensuring you cut out drainageholes, or treat the inside o the pot with a
sealant.Protect hanging baskets rom dryingwinds.
Water saving tips or plants in pots
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Lawns
Renovating aspongy lawn
I looking or a tough, hard wearing,drought resistant lawn, then couchand bualo are hard to beat.
e trouble is ater a ew years, couch,bualo and also kikuyu tend to becomespongy.
I they are not properly managed they canalso develop a thick layer o thatch on thesurace o the soil.
atch is a mixture o dry grass clippings,dead and decaying roots and topsoil.A small quantity on the surace can
be quite benefcial, acting like a mulch,reducing evaporation rom the root zone othe grasses and reducing soil temperaturesduring summer.
However, over a period o three to ouryears, this thatch can orm a thick layer,2-3 cm thick, preventing both moistureand air rom reaching the plants root zone.It is an ideal place or root rots to begin.As the thatch builds up, the couch,
bualo or kikuyu develops a secondarycrown that sends out new blades o grass aew centimetres above the ground creatingthat spongy eeling when you walk over it.Apart rom being dicult to cut and walk
on, a spongy lawn needs more water tokeep it green and it is very easy to damagethe crown o the grasses i the mower bladesare set incorrectly.
One way around the problem is to havethe area scarifed with a special machinethat moves over the grasses, removing thinstrips o tur.
e alternative is to tackle the problemyoursel, using a rotary lawnmower and astrong steel rake.
Couch, bualo and kikuyu are summeractive grasses thriving in the heat.
ey have a strong underground rootsystem and providing the soil is kept moist,the plants are almost indestructible.
e frst step is to remove the sponginess
by cutting the grass almost down to groundlevel.is is achieved by cutting the grass fve
or six times on the same day with therotary mower, setting the blades lower eachtime until there is less than a centimetre ogrowth remaining.
is may sound drastic and it willcertainly look awul or the frst week.
However, because these grasses have astrong underground root system, it doesnot take long or the lawn to regenerate.
Make sure the ground is soaked three toour days beore the operation.
is will stimulate the roots intomaximum activity.
Once the grass has been cut, take a steelrake and remove any remaining thatch,being careul not to rip too many grassroots rom the ground.
Soak the area immediately ater theoperation.
ree to our days later, apply a completeertiliser using no more than hal a kilogramto 10 square metres.Alternatively, use a liquid ertiliser at hal
strength. e ertiliser must be washed intothe root zone o the plants.When the new growth is 2-3 cm high, it
should be cut very lightly, taking care notto remove more than 20 percent o thegrass blades.
During summer, these summer activegrasses should be kept at 3-3.5 cm. is is
much higher than recommended by somelawn contractors.However, longer grass means longer roots
that are capable o going without water ormuch longer periods than grass that has ashort root system because it has been cutshort.
I you intend to dethatch your lawn andremove the sponginess, dont waste anytime.
e operation has to be carried outduring December, January or February atthe latest to give the grasses time to recover
and build up sucient reserves to surviveduring winter, when they usually becomedormant.
OPEN 7 DAYS - 8264 2661North East Rd, Tea Tree Gully SA
www.newmansnursery.com.au
We stock a comprehensive range
of quality trees and shrubs, a full
range of fruit and nut trees
including vegetable and
flower seedlings.
Specializing in Camellias and
stocking many of the plants you will
need to add color and structure to
your garden all year round. We stock
an interesting selection of practicalgardening tools and unique gifts.
Enjoy a browse in our established
display gardens, relax and enjoy
some of our delicious homemade
food from the Topiary Caf. Isnt
it time that you discovered the
Horticulturists at Newmans
Accredited Garden Centre?
Jon, Dianne, Daniel & the Team
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46 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
G U M L E A F G A R D E N S
Kym Pedler
0402 845 928
- Garden consultation
- Landscape Design
- Landscape Construction
- Project Management
www. gumlea f - ga rdens . com. au
Landscape DesignerBeryl Bredon
39 Maesbury Street, Kensington 5068 SAPh: 8364 1684 | Fax: 8361 3702 | Mb: 0411 694 215
E: beebredon@gmail.com
SAs LEADING LANDSCAPERS
Choose one of our professionals
www.landscapesa.com.au
Shaping the future of landscaping in South Australia
WantedA landscape or garden designer
to provide the magic you deserve.How do you decide?
Local landscapersand garden designersbuy only the bestin South Australiangreenlife from SAaccredited nurseries
Where to find us?Search our online database to fnd the
most convenient place to pick up your
copy o the next edition o
SA Garden & Outdoor Living
www.gardenandoutdoorliving.com
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48 GARDEN& OUTDOOR LIVING /SUMMER 2011
Compost & mulch
Have you mulched the garden yet? Its certainly not too late.
Agood organic mulch is capable oreducing evaporation rom yourgarden by 50 to 70 percent.But that is only the beginning. In many
gardens, large quantities o soil moistureare lost because o weeds. On a hot day,the weeds act like pumps, sucking moisturerom the topsoil and pushing it out throughtheir leaves.
Mulching also prevents weed seeds closeto the surace rom growing as it eliminatesthe light needed or germination.
During summer, when temperaturesclimb into the 30s, topsoil temperaturesoten reach 40C and sometimes exceed50C.When this occurs, any plant roots close
to the surace stop unctioning and i theyare damaged, the plants quickly becomestressed.A layer o mulch acts like an insulation
blanket reducing surace temperatures by10 to 15oC and 10 to 15 cm below thesurace by 5 to 8C.
is may not seem much but it issucient to keep root temperatures withinthe plants root zone within its growth orcomort zone.
In most cases, mulched plants willsurvive an extended heatwave withoutany signifcant heat damage, providing ocourse, there is adequate moisture in thesoil.
Recycling revolution
Right now, South Australia is in themiddle o a green organics recyclingrevolution.
Huge collection depots have been setup on the outskirts o Adelaide withtree branches and plant based gardenmaterial arriving in green recycling
bins rom council collections, and atercareul treatment being returned to thecommunity as organic mulch.
One o the main products generated romthis process is reerred to as orest mulch.
is is largely tree branches and leavesthat have been passed through a machineto produce small chunky pieces o material.is is placed into large heaps or rowsand subjected to a composting processto pasteurise the material and kill o any
weed seeds, insect pests or diseases.Forest mulch is ideal or protecting large
areas o the garden, particularly undertall trees and large shrubs where waterconservation and weed control are themajor needs.
Over a period o time, the chunky piecesare broken down in size by soil microbes,
while the smaller pieces are returned to thetopsoil as compost.
Forest mulch is best spread to a depth ofve centimetres and may need topping up
every year or so as the fne material breaksdown.You can expect to pay around $60 a
cubic metre. A cubic metre spread to fvecentimetres covers 15 square metres. As aguide, a 6 x 4 trailer holds just over twothirds o a cubic metre and should beenough to cover 10 square metres.
Coloured mulches are another way tokeep your garden protected, while giving ita very attractive striking fnish. Made romrecycled timber, the mulch is naturallycoloured with a long lasting colorant,enabling the product to keep its colour alot longer than traditional barks.
Found in varying c