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Garden Radio Round Up July 1 - 2

A very chilly start to July in the south, and maximum temps of only 20 degrees for Brisbane.

We're moving delicate plants inside to avoid frost damage, and waiting a few more weeks to prune the roses. It's time to protect your garden from the winter chill.

This week we continue the 2017 Winter Master Gardeners’ Eco-Organic Pack, including the new battery-powered sprayer from Swagman. It's the best one we've seen yet, and it's yours with a Platinum level membership this weekend, while stocks last.

If you would like to join or renew your membership to the Garden Clinic this week you recieve the 2017 Winter Master Gardeners’ Eco-Organic Pack including the Swagman 8L sprayer, and all the ingredients to make our Magic Mix spray.

Join today and see for yourself why we just love this fantastic sprayer.

 

Don't miss out on the new 8L Swagman sprayer. Join or renew your membership today.

 

It's time to

Learn

Learn from the experts. Attend a pruning workshop held at specialist rose or fruit tree nursery to gain knowledge and confidence before its time to pick up the pruners at your place. See the 'Events' page for Garden Clinic Class dates and to book. Remember that a free garden class or workshop every year is one of the benefits of your Garden Clinic Platinum Membership.

 

In the subtropical garden

Admire little kurrajong, Brachychiton bidwillii, below. This small, elegant tree makes a great winter show. Flowers may be pink, red or orange and size and form may vary depending on provenance. Trees look stunning when planted in informal groves.

 

Want more winter jobs to do in your garden? Check out the full articles here - It's time to: Temperate gardens, and In the Subtropical Garden

 


Little Kurrajong, Brachychiton bidwillii. Photo - Arno King 

 

Bugwatch

Diseases of oak leaves

When the leaves of large trees like eucalypts, conifers or oaks become infested with disease it's often impossible to spray or treat the tree effectively.

This old English Oak is suffering from oak leaf miner, an insect and a fungal disease, anthracnose, caused by the fungus Apiognomonia.

The leaf miner tunnels into leaf leaving a blister which inevitably bursts and can cause sticky sap to drop onto pavement, plants or your car below. The latter can be a nightmare to remove.

When sap drops onto plants it often results in black sooty mould fungus occurring.

The weakened tree and foliage most likely attracts the secondary disease, anthracnose, to occur.

There's little you can do with large trees apart from raking up fallen leaves and 'hot' composting them or alternatively place in the garbage bin.

Keeping trees free of vehicular traffic on the root zone, feeding in spring and keeping the tree vigorous and healthy is the best preventative measure.

 

Bush Garden

Coastal Rosemary, Westringia dampieri

A small and dense growing shrub with attractive silvery foliage, native to coastal Western Australia. It naturally grows on limestone cliffs, so it suits very alkaline soils. A very hardy and low water use plant to a metre and a half high, it is great for low maintenance landscaping. Withstands salt laden winds. It has pink buds and white to mauve flowers. A good formal or informal low hedge plant and great for coastal gardens.

 


Coastal Rosemary, Westringia dampieri

 

Come away with us

Passage to Northern India

The opulent palaces, towering forts, beautiful gardens, vibrant colours and incredible bazaars of India have cast their spell on Libby Cameron. She invites you to join her on a wonderfully luxurious adventure to Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore, Udaipur and Jaipur.

Come along and join in the adventure. The Passage to Northern India leaves next February, and seats are limited, so go to the Ross Tours website, or call Royce or Roslyn at Ross Tours on 1300 233 200 before the we sell out.

 


The peacock, India's national bird, adorns elaborately decorated walls everywhere. Photo - Brett Cole

 

Garden News

Romance in the Air for Powerful Owls

The famous Powerful owls in Byles Creek valley in the north western suburbs of Sydney have continued their family growth.

Now another generation has appeared and even more owlets on the way.

This time its Sheba and Fishcake that have mated. Sheba is on the nest and Fishcake is outside keeping guard. The egg/s should hatch in around 2-3 weeks, so by mid-July we should be hearing the trilling of another chick. Local experts, watching from below, are quietly confident there maybe twins again as late last year.

Images courtesy of Micheal Bianchino.

His book, co-authored by Georgina Cameron, that I launched previously called , ‘Mikey The Powerful Owlet: Saving Byles Creek Valley’ is still available in limited numbers from The Children’s Book Shop Beecroft. 02 9980 7361

 

Fishcake, the powerful owl, outside the nest keeping guard. Photo - Michael Bianchino.