GARDENING TIPS

Cedfacts Garden Information Sheet

Recommendations for mulch material

Consideration should be given to the following before buying any mulch:

• Mulch material should be for the benefit of the plants, not for appearance.
• Mulch should be a combination of coarse and fine material.
• Mulch should be dense enough to prevent weed growth, ideally about 75mm deep. Keep back from stems/trunks of plants to prevent collar rot.
• Mulch should allow good water penetration (i.e. rain or hand watering). Some mulch material can be impervious to water.
• Mulch should break down over a period of time to improve soil. This is the result of decomposition and worm activity. Periodically the mulch will need topping up.
• The mulch must be economically viable, especially for large gardens.
• Thoroughly wet the ground before applying mulch.
• For small courtyard/townhouse gardens and vegetable gardens lucerne hay is also recommended. However, it is not economically viable for the large garden.

My recommendation for mulch is Canberra Organic Mulch, which I use on all landscaping projects and is specified for my garden designs. This is recycled green waste that has been composted for between 6-8 months. It is a dark colour that will suit all gardens and breaks down for the ultimate improvement of your garden soil. It fits all the above criteria and is available from Canberra Sand and Gravel.

Discover the pleasure of plants with Cedric Bryant

This spring we have certainly seen weather extremes. The good news is regular rain and dam levels are now over 50% and rising. The talk is we have had less rainfall than ever before. However, it is interesting to look at rainfall in this area from 1870 in Queanbeyan (records did not start in Canberra until 1940). There have been more years with less than the mean annual rainfall rather than above the mean. The countryside is looking verdant green and good moisture penetration in to the soil, so let us take advantage of a great spring.

Garden centres are experiencing record sales, especially with vegetable seedlings. More folk than ever before are growing their own fresh vegies using organic methods and moving away from the use of chemicals sprays and fertilisers. This is excellent for the health of the whole family. So what should we be planting at present? With limited space here I suggest you refer to my Cedfacts Information Sheet ‘Growing Vegies for a Healthy Life’ included on this website. This provides all the answers what to grow when according to the seasons and notes on special requirements.

Feeding is one of the most neglected aspects of gardening. Folk start with the best intentions and then lapse. New plants are like babies and need the right formula to get them off to a good start. Not just at planting time, but for the first few months at least and then each spring and autumn on a continuing basis. I recommend using liquid seaweed such as Maxicrop Plant Nutrient for several very good reasons. Firstly, seaweed specifically promotes strong root growth. The top growth will look after itself, providing the roots are well established. Secondly, liquid seaweed moves through the soil more efficiently than granular fertilisers, which rely on either extensive hand watering or rain to dissolve. Thirdly, the stronger and deeper the roots the more drought resistant the plant. And lastly seaweed assists in reducing frost damage. Feed at planting time and now is the time to feed all existing plants.

A light prune will be in order for spring flowering shrubs after they have finished blooming. This includes both Australian and exotic shrubs. Reduce the growth by up to, but not more than, a third at any one time. At the same time check for ties that may be cutting into plant stems. Green plastic coated wire used to tie on labels and tie the plant to stakes is one of the worst offenders. This can literally ring bark the stem. Take a glass of chardonnay and go for a walk in your garden to check this out now.

Mulch, mulch and mulch is the most important task before summer. The weather bureau is predicting a long hot summer. Are you mulching for the benefit of the plants or because it looks good? There is a distinct difference. On the other hand any mulch is better than no mulch. Personally I use and recommend Canberra Sand and Gravel’s ‘Canberra Organic Mulch’. Refer to my Cedfacts Information Sheet on ‘Mulching’ and important points to consider before buying mulch.

Now is a great time to:

• Plant citrus trees either in the ground or if space is limited in a container. Did you know that leaves of Kaffir Limes are great in Asian cooking?
• Core the lawn, apply liquid Multicrop ‘Ground Breaker’ to penetrate the holes and improve water to the roots. Follow up with Canturf Lawn Food available from Canberra Sand & Gravel.
• Plant a Malus or Crabapple tree, these are looking spectacular in flower now and almost pest and disease free. For Crabapple jelly plant Malus ‘Gorgeous’.
• Mulch the veggie bed with high nitrogen Lucerne Hay from Canberra Sand and Gravel.
• Apply Epsom Salts to Gardenia, Daphne and Azaleas if leaves are yellowing. A heaped tablespoon full dissolved in water in a standard nine litre watering can.
• Trim all hedges including conifers now. Make the shape narrower at the top and broader at the base to allow sunlight to reach all parts of the hedge.
• Plant annual flowers now for summer. Remember it takes about eight weeks from planting time to full flower, providing the plants are regularly fed.