Problem Solver
Jane Edmanson "In the Garden"
What's new
Material Safety Data Sheets

Grow Talk with Ian ThomasCompany Information
Home 
Seasonal Snippets

"In the Garden" with Jane Edmanson January 2010  

For the New Year, we have had some encouraging rain in the southern parts of Australia. It is one of those strange weather patterns that we will have to get used to, long dry spells and then sudden down pours. As gardeners we seem to be adjusting quite well to a different regime of rain, in fact the gardens down here look terrific. It is my guess that in the past we have been over watering our gardens and now with a bit more thought, a bit more plant protection, using the right mulch and improving your soil, it is all going to make our gardens successful.

Common Pests on Summer Vegies

If you have planted your vegetable garden, you will be noticing their growth right now, and be anticipating some beautiful harvests. You just need to be a bit vigilant with any problems that may arise.
There is quite a range of pests and diseases that can attack your vegetables, so it is important to identify the problems quickly and treat them appropriately. Chemical pesticides need not always be the answer, and use these products as a last resort, or aim for the lowest toxic products available

Caterpillars
Caterpillars, the larvae of moths and butterflies, are common vegie pests, mostly attacking leaves. Keep a special watch on those in the brassica family, like cabbage and cauliflowers, if you are growing them as seedlings, as they can do severe damage. If you spot the larvae, pick them off. Otherwise use a product such as Amgrow Organix Derris Dust, or Amgrow Organix Pyrethrum to kill them.

Slugs and Snails
Overnight, these creatures can destroy delicious leaves of lettuces, basil etc. Other alternatives are to scatter a thin layer of lime, crushed egg shells or sawdust around prize seedlings. Plastic soft drink bottles cut to fit over young plants will protect them also. Snail bait, used with great caution and in small amounts, or better still one that includes pet deterrent, can be used.

Birds
Birds may only be scratching around for worms, but in the process dislodge your mulch and scatter the earth near and far, birds can be annoying.  Wire, supported above the vegie ground, will mostly do the trick, while on larger plants use bird netting. Scaring them away by plastic streamers, wine cask bladders, anything to waft in the wind will work and need to be changed occasionally.

Aphids
The sap-sucking aphids are one of the worst problems, especially on soft new growth. You can put your faith in lady birds to keep them at bay, or vigilantly squash them between your fingers. A swoosh of soapy water, or a spray of Organix Pyrethrum, or chilli-garlic sprays will knock them, but be ready for the next generation to attack. As with thrip, you will need to repeat every 2 weeks. A systemic insecticide like Amgrow Conquer can also be used.

Whiteflies
These tiny insects live on the backs of leaves, especially tomatoes and beans and fly up in great hordes when disturbed. They are only a bother if in large numbers and spraying with Rogor 100 may be useful.

• It is a good opportunity to prune judiciously, especially from wispy bits of branches that got away from you with the spring rush.

• A good time to take cuttings, to grow new plants for giveaways to friends or neighbours. Propagating cuttings is easy, best done early in the day, take approximately 10cm of top growth, remove leaves apart from a few at the top and put them into a pot with Amgrow Seed Raising Mix and cover with a plastic bag. Cuttings should root in 6 - 8 weeks. Keep them moist, it in a shady spot - azaleas, daphne, fuchsias, just about any plant will grow from cuttings.

• Succulents are all the go, especially look for different leaf colours and textures. Feed with Nitrosol or Harvest and repot if necessary using Amgrow Succulent’N’Cacti Mix, a well drained sandy potting mix. You can pull off small offsets of clump forming succulents and repot.

• Prune any climbing plant that has finished flowering, in particular wisteria with the long wispy stems that become a tangled mess, cut them right back.

• Plants in containers will need to be regularly fed and watered, use Amgrow AquaMagic water saving granules to store water round the roots, and an Amgrow mulch on top of the soil surface to save water evaporation.

• Keep pruning topiary plants such as the conifers, box and figs (Ficus) that keep growing over summer and will need to be clipped back, just spend ten minutes doing this and you will keep the shape of your topiary.

• Look out for some colourful plant to brighten up shady spots. Impatiens are good or hydrangeas. Fuchsias are also long flowering in dappled shaded spots.
• Remember to snip off the spent flowers of roses, annuals and perennial plants as they finish.
• A mown lawn really completes a garden, but do not cut it too short over summer
• Potted colour of plants in large pots already flowering can be dotted around for an instant effect.
• A spectacular hanging basket, or a decorative feature such as a bird bath or lovely pot, will give a special touch to the garden.