NEWSLETTER – December 2007

Vol1 No9

Welcome to the December newsletter from Meredith Nursery we hope you enjoy it…please let us know if you would like to see any particular areas covered or any comments you have.

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December has arrived and as our thoughts turn toward Christmas and summer holidays we need to attend to some important tasks in the garden before we can relax and enjoy the holiday season. The Vegie PatchIn the vegetable garden there is still time to plant tomatoes, eggplant and capsicum seedlings, plant in the cool of the evening and keep well watered and they will thrive in the warmth.Plant some basil seedlings as companions to your tomatoes both in the garden and on your plate.Climbing and bush beans planted now will reward you with massive crops.Continue to plant or sow lettuce, beetroot and radish in order to maintain a steady supply for the salad bowl.A fortnightly application of liquid fertiliser will keep them growing strongly and prevent them bolting to seed in the higher temperatures.Cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini and sweetcorn can still be planted and will astound you with their rate of growth now that soil temperatures are so high.The ornamental gardenIn the ornamental garden plant cosmos, dahlia, petunia, celosia, cleome, impatiens, nasturtium, phlox, portulaca, salvia, ageratum and aster.If you haven’t already done so it’s time to divide rhizomatous iris such as bearded iris.Dividing now reduces the risk of rot or infection from wet soil for these sun loving plants. Take care not to cover the rhizome with soil, just tuck the roots into the soil.Roses have now finished their spring flush, deadhead to ensure continuous flowering, prune back old canes on once flowering roses, to ensure fresh growth for next years flowers.Remember to prune or clip lightly this month to avoid exposing soft growth to the harsh summer sun, your plants can suffer sunburn too!Remove spent spring annuals which are past their best, leave some like poppies, larkspur and foxgloves to self seed for next year.

Daffodils have died back sufficiently for untidy growth to be removed, they can be left in the ground or dug and stored in a dry airy place until February.

Trim back lavenders which have finished flowering to keep them bushy and promote more flowers.

Oriental and Asiatic lilies are delighting us with their superb flower heads at the moment and Christmas lilies are about to burst into bloom in time for Christmas floral displays.

While spring is the optimum time for planting trees and shrubs it is still possible to plant provided a few precautions are taken.

Plant in the late afternoon or on an overcast day, water well and do not allow the plant to dry out at any stage.

Use a seaweed fertiliser to minimize transplant shock and encourage root growth.

If the weather becomes hot and windy cover with shade cloth during the day.

The Orchard

In the fruit garden liquid feed strawberries, raspberry plants and red and blackcurrant bushes.

Gooseberry bushes can be thinned and the unripe fruit used for cooking, the fruit will not all ripen at once, so you may need to pick the berries several times.

Black and redcurrants will also ripen over several weeks. The simplest method of preserving bush fruits is to freeze them.

Harvest raspberries and other cane fruits carefully as they become squashed and bruise very easily.

Keep strawberry beds free of weeds and check ripening strawberries every day, pick when fruits are red all over.
Cherry and pear slugs will appear this month on pear, cherry, plum and almonds.

Use a pyrethrum spray when the first damage appears.

Cherries will have been harvested in most places by the middle of December and cherry plums are ripening, be ready to net trees as fruits ripen to lessen fruit loss from birds and possums.

Cherries and plums need little pruning apart from the removal of dead or congested growth.

Sour cherries are produced on one year old wood and should be pruned immediately after the fruit is harvested.

Plum and sweet cherry trees produce most of their fruit at the base of one year old and older shoots.

Watch apples for telltale signs of penetration frass indicating the presence of codling moth. Pull off all damaged fruit and destroy.

Pick fruit as soon as it is ripe. Plums can be picked slightly under ripe and stored in the salad compartment of your refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

Nectarines, sweet cherries and peaches do not mature after picking so do not harvest until they have ripened on the tree.

Enjoy!

Waterwise Gardening.

Early summer is the time to set up the garden for the hotter days which are ahead of us.

Lawns should not be cut too short. Cut only the top third of leaf area and save lawn clippings for use as mulch on your garden.

Choose your lawn carefully and go for slow growing, water saving, drought tolerant varieties.

Gardening with the Australian climate in mind is a quite recent phenomenon in this country, the introduction of a user pays system of water usage and the effect of the recent drought on our water storage systems has given us cause to reflect on the way we garden and our use of a scarce resource.

Remember that one dripping tap can waste up to 2000 litres of water a month so check outdoor taps and pipes for leaks.

While we have all been heartened by recent rains and the easing of water restrictions valuable lessons have been learned along the way.

Many Australian plants are excellent and require no artificial watering once established, however as there are many climatic zones within our country ranging from tropical rainforests to snowfields, it follows that we cannot plant any native plant, anywhere, and expect it to survive.

We need to choose plants from our own or a similar climatic zone.

Many of the exotics in our gardens surprised us by toughing out the drought and surviving well, not so surprising perhaps, when we realise that many of them come from climates around the world similar to our own.

With careful planning, a little research, and some preparation, we can create colourful and imaginative gardens which have low water needs.

It is always useful to talk to other gardeners and to observe what grows well in your area.
A water efficient garden does not mean that we cannot enjoy a water feature such as a fountain or pond, a recirculating pump will use very little water and we can enjoy the sight and sound of water on the hottest day.

Grow a waterlily in a large pot if you have limited space and pop in a goldfish or two for added pleasure and to deal with mosquito larvae.

We have a range of attractive and beautiful water plants for a lovely cooling effect on a hot day.

If water restrictions in your area permit, consider installing a drip irrigation system, there is very little wastage and water goes exactly where needed.

Remove weeds as they appear as they will rob your plants of nutrients and moisture.

Use mulch and add compost to your soil, this will add valuable nutrients and humus which will feed your plants and help to retain moisture.

A good layer of mulch will make an enormous difference to the amount of water you use in your garden; it is possible to reduce evaporation from soil by 70 per cent with a thick layer of mulch.

Mulch protects the roots of plants and lower temperatures under the mulch allow tender roots to continue to grow in the topsoil.

Organic mulches allow rain or irrigation to filter through into the soil below trapping the moisture and reducing the rate of evaporation.

Placing drippers under mulch is the most efficient way to irrigate to reduce evaporation.

Plants feed off the nutrients in the mulch as it decomposes, however if the materials in the mulch are of a woody nature it is wise to add a small amount of nitrogenous fertiliser like blood and bone to offset nitrogen loss from the decomposition of these particles.

Organic mulches are very beneficial for the health of your plants however non-organic mulches such as crushed rock and pebbles, are useful in areas where a decorative effect is required, unfortunately they can trap leaves and twigs and become untidy.

Keep mulch away from the stems of plants to avoid fungal diseases and rotting. The exceptions here are sweetcorn and tomatoes which enjoy mulch close around the stems.

Water roots and soil around the plants, watering leaves and flowers wastes water and increases the risk of fungal diseases.

Relax in your garden and water by hand with a trigger nozzle, you can ensure your plants get just the right amount of water and check what is happening in your garden at the same time.

Watering your garden in the cool of early morning, or in the evening cuts down evaporation and water loss.

Water less often, one of the lessons learned from the drought is that many of our plants can get by on much less water than we have been accustomed to giving them.

Create micro climates within your garden; group plants with similar water needs together, different plants need different amounts of water, if you mix them up you are likely to use more water than you need to.

Group your pots together, this creates a moister atmosphere and pots do not dry out so quickly.

Try to avoid windy spots in the garden, this dries your pots out very quickly.

Use a good quality potting mix and a layer of mulch to conserve moisture.

Use water storing crystals and soil wetter, these are different and are used in different ways.

Water crystals absorb and hold moisture and in doing so they change from dry granules to a jelly like substance which needs to be placed in the root area of the plant when planting, or in vertical holes in the region of the roots.

Do not sprinkle them on the soil surface as they will draw moisture out of the ground and that is something you don’t want!

Soil wetting agents are applied to the top of the soil, this ensures that water travels efficiently through the soil to plant roots and minimizes wasteful run off.

For Gardeners At Christmas

With the festive season just around the corner remember the gardener(s) in your life.

We have a selection of beautiful pots, potted roses and oriental and Asiatic lilies and of course it is not Christmas without a poinsettia!

For the native enthusiast we have many beautiful plants to choose from and for that special person a very special plant, A standard grevillea…… beautiful and unusual.

A citrus tree is always welcome and will give fruit and pleasure for many years.

For the really keen gardener, gloves, hanging baskets, water crystals, soil wetter and fertiliser, will always be welcome and a change from socks, ties and soaps.

We are at the end of another year and how quickly it has flown by; we would like to thank everyone for giving the nursery such tremendous support throughout the year.

We look forward to another year in the garden as summer wanes and autumn approaches.

In the meantime, a very Happy Christmas and New Year to everybody,

Enjoy the holidays,

Happy Gardening,

Marg and the team at Meredith Nursery.

November Newsletter

Vol1 No8

Welcome to the November newsletter from Meredith Nursery we hope you enjoy it…please let us know if you would like to see any particular areas covered or any comments you have.

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November is a wonderful month, the garden is full of colour and fragrance, roses are blooming and all the planning and planting done in winter and early spring can be enjoyed.
Now is a good time to visit open gardens, we can be inspired by a different approach to colour and garden design, observe plants growing and flowering in different situations, or simply just enjoy another garden. It is also helpful in planning, as the garden moves on, and even in the midst of a blaze of spring growth and colour we must plan ahead for next season.
Cast a critical eye over the parts of your garden which have not performed as well as you might like and be prepared to make changes.
Gardens by their very nature are constantly changing and evolving as plants grow and mature or simply fail to thrive.
Most gardeners have been heartened by an easing of water restrictions; however we must still continue to use water as efficiently and sparingly as possible.
Mulching is probably the most important task this month and organic mulches such as pea straw, sugarcane, compost and grass clippings will conserve water and improve your soil as they decay.
Pull out weeds as soon as you see them, they compete with your plants for food and moisture and if you can prevent them from seeding you will have less weeding.
Organize watering systems for the hotter days ahead in line with watering restrictions in your area.
Soil temperatures are warmer now and with daylight hours lengthening this is the best time of the year to plant and sow and reap the rewards.The Vegie patch
In the vegetable patch keep plants growing strongly with fortnightly applications of liquid manure and seaweed solution, sow seeds or plant seedlings of sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchini, carrot, pumpkin, beans, eggplant, cucumber, beetroot and capsicum and red hot chillies if you like some heat in your food.
Mulch tomato plants well to ensure an even supply of moisture and prevent the incidence of blossom end rot.
We have managed to procure some good supports for taller tomatoes. They are simple to slot together can be used in the garden bed or pot and can be packed away after use for next year.
Climbing and bush beans planted now will reward you with massive crops, be sure to mulch these well too.
Lettuce and other leafy greens must be grown quickly, so need to be watered and fed consistently, give them a shady spot in midsummer and choose varieties which can be picked a few leaves at a time.
Spring onions are easily grown from seed, give them a handful of dolomite limestone raked into the soil, sprinkle the seeds over this, cover with a thin layer of soil and water well.
Celery is another plant which likes a fertile soil which has been limed, acidic soil is death to celery and it is impossible to over water this plant.
Cabbages are useful salad vegetables and are easily raised from seed. Small, tasty heads should be ready in about 10 weeks. For a faster result try Asian cabbages such as Wong Bok.
For the little gardeners in the family radishes will be up in a few days and ready to eat in a few weeks. Water well and feed weekly.
For those who have limited space, try some of these salad vegetables in pots in a sunny courtyard or outside the kitchen door for easy access.
Ensure compost remains moist as the weather warms up, the micro-organisms which break down the compost need moisture to stay alive.The herb garden
In the herb garden Geranium Citrosa has a superb lemon rose fragrance when brushed or watered. Suitable for desserts and herb teas it thrives in dry exposed sunny positions and grows 70cm high and 1m wide.
Golden oregano is and attractive herb with golden foliage and dainty pink flowers in summer and don’t let us forget those hardy old favourites sage, thyme, rosemary and chives.
The globe artichoke is a great addition to the garden for those who enjoy its unique flavour, for those who don’t it is still a striking architectural plant for the potager or formal garden.The ornamental garden
In the ornamental garden feed hydrangeas and fuchsias with complete fertiliser.
Prune spring flowering shrubs such as viburnums, lilacs and spireas after they finish flowering to encourage compact growth and blooms next spring. Fertilise them with blood and bone.
A viburnum which is most attractive is V. Plicatum Lanarth “Pink Beauty” deciduous, with good autumn colour; it has flower heads which resemble a lacecap hydrangea.
Prune once flowering roses immediately after flowering is finished as they need an entire season to produce flowering wood for next spring.
Deadhead roses to keep them flowering (Watch our video) and watch for aphid attack.
Container grown roses can still be planted, they make great gifts for keen gardeners and for busy people, we will gift wrap them for you.
The David Austin rose ‘The Endeavour” is a medium sized shrub with a beautiful pink flower, typical of the gorgeous roses we have come to expect from David Austin.
For rich colours Burgundy Iceberg and High Society are striking while the aptly named Marilyn Monroe is golden with a pinkish glow. Simply Magic is pink and pretty, a dainty floribunda bush rose.Lightly prune daisies and lavenders which have finished flowering to encourage another flush of flowers and keep bushes compact.
Pick off seed heads on poppies, larkspur, cornflower and other spring annuals to keep them flowering longer.
November is a great time to plant gladiolus corms for late summer colour.
Plant about 10cm deep in fertile soil in a sunny well drained position.
Plant seeds and seedling of viola, verbena carnation, zinnia, statice, gerbera, lavender, dianthus, scabiosa, sunflower, strawflowers, petunias, salvia and snapdragons.

Bloom Master Hanging Baskets
We have obtained the new range of hanging baskets from Bloom Master Australia.
Made of high quality poly-propylene and UV treated and the unique design means that potting mix will not wash out of the holes when watered.
Simply plant the side openings and the top with the plants of your choice.
The result is a huge ball of flowers to hang from verandah or patio. Plant a selection of colours or try red and white petunias for an outdoor Christmas.
Try planting cascade petunias, ivy geraniums, trailing lobelia, nemesia, impatiens, nerembergia and many more.
A variety of mixed vegetables and/or herbs, or strawberries and tomatoes make a great patio garden.
Another great gift idea.

Mediterranean gardens
Mediterranean gardens have become increasingly popular as the need for more drought tolerant gardens has become apparent.
The English plantswoman Beth Chatto has been at the forefront of this of this style of gardening and her gardens at Colchester, Essex, are in an area which has one of the lowest rainfalls in Britain.
Although plants in her garden survive on natural rainfall, the combination of plants such as cistus, diascia, poppy and vervain give a feeling of lightness and delicacy despite their toughness.
The sedums are tough, attractive autumn flowering plants suitable for many different garden situations.
Sedum spectabile has decorative heads of pink flowers, tolerates full sun dry periods and frost, S. Ruby Glow enjoys the same conditions and has rosy red flowers from summer to autumn.
Sedum selskianum has bright yellow flowers over summer and bright green foliage.
Sedum “Stardust” has large creamy / white flower heads in autumn and summer.
All of these sedums look great with other garden plants and make great pot specimens for courtyards and barbeque areas
The tough and colourful Osteospermans have daisy like flowers, grow to 50-60cm and have flowers in a variety of attractive colours.
For something really different try the Cape Daisy Osteospermum ecklonii Aksullo Nasinga Purple, with quaint spoon shaped petals above lush green foliage.
Easy to care for these hardy plants require clipping back hard after flowering to encourage a bushy habit and plentiful flowers.
Agapanthus are tough drought tolerant plants with glossy foliage and tall flower heads in shades of blue or white in summer.
Dwarf varieties make excellent border plants and mingle well in the cottage garden. Remember to prune off flower stems as the flowers fade, to prevent them from setting seed.
The variety “Black Pantha” is sterile and does not set seed.
Cytisus X Dallimorei “Volcano is a small compact growing broom from the U.K. Volcano flowers for many weeks during spring and summer with a display of ruby red and yellow flowers.
Cut back after flowering to keep compact and bushy.
The Proteas and Leucospermums are spectacular plants which have low water needs.
They enjoy well drained soil in a sunny position and need to be given some summer watering until established.
Low phosphorus fertilisers are the safest to use with these relatives of our own native plants.
Leucospermum patersonii “Tiara” is a medium sized shrub which has yellow to orange flowers in profusion in spring.
L. “Moonlight” has vibrant golden flowers in spring and has excellent cut flower properties.
L. thymifolium has small yellow flowers in spring followed by purple-crimson cones
Protea “White Crown” has creamy white flowers, again a good cut flower with a delicate appearance often used in bridal bouquets.
Protea Candy, a hybrid of Protea longifolia is a hardy evergreen shrub with narrow leaves and large pink flowers from autumn through to spring.
For a softer appearance, Protea White Pearl (Protea nerifolia) grows 2.5 m high and 2m wide, the large white flowers are borne in winter.

For a touch of grey in the garden Cheiranthus “Winter Joy” is a great old standby.
Flowering constantly through the duller months of the year, it has attractive mauve flowers against grey green foliage.
Cut back hard after flowering to prevent the plant from becoming woody.
As a foil for old roses, lavenders and other flowering plants, the beautiful Pyrethrum “Silver Lace” is delicate in appearance but hardy and easily grown.
Growing to 90cm high, it likes full sun and looks stunning in a deep pink or black container.
The huge popularity enjoyed by the lavender family is well deserved, lavenders belong to the Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family a group of plants that include the sages (Salvia) and the mints (Mentha), they are shrubby aromatic perennial plants which can be planted as hedges or borders, or massed amongst roses and perennials, where their soft colours and spicy fragrance are a perfect backdrop for other plants.

Lavenders are easily grown; plenty of sunlight and a well drained soil are the most important prerequisites when choosing a site.
They are adaptable to most soil types except heavy poorly drained clay.
Prune after flowering to keep the plant shapely and encourage flowering.
Plants which are not well pruned will become woody and unattractive and will need to be replaced.
It is time to divide rhizomatous iris which should be divided every 3-5 years, or if clumps have become overcrowded and flowering spikes are diminishing.
Lift clump using a garden fork, shake the soil from the roots and cut the leaves `into a fan shape. Divide and replant making sure the roots are planted but leave the top of the rhizome exposed. Water in well.
Echium is another hardy plant for the dry garden. The spectacular blue flower spikes are borne on the plant in Spring.
The waterwise garden does not need to be dull or unattractive, many of our best loved plants were chosen by the early gardeners in our country for their toughness under adverse conditions, then as now, water was sometimes a scarce commodity, yet the remnants of many early colonial gardens still remain.

The native garden
In the native garden Callistemons are putting on a wonderful display this year and most are a blaze of scarlet at the moment.
Prune these immediately after they finish flowering to keep them from becoming leggy and unattractive.
A stunning new plant is Agonis flexuosa “Burgundy”, its graceful weeping habit and strong burgundy new growth will enhance and add interest to any style of garden.
To 5m high and 3m wide it is frost hardy, suitable for coastal planting and enjoys a sunny position in well drained soil.
During mid spring small white tea-tree like flowers bloom on the ends of its branches.
Isopogon formosus “Rose Cone Flower” is an upright evergreen shrub with large pink flowers in spring.
Excellent for cut flowers and can be grown in mixed garden beds.
Prune after flowering to maintain compact growth.
Isopogon anemonifolius “Sunshine” is a selected form of the Broad Leaf Drumsticks from eastern New South Wales and features attractive foliage and new growth with well displayed bright yellow cone flowers in spring.
Drought, frost and coastal tolerant, to 1m in height it is an excellent refuge and food source for native birds.
Grevillea “Lemon Supreme” a hybrid grevillea from G. thelemanniana X G. olivacea has produced an evergreen fast growing shrub to 1.5m x 1.5m.
The masses of lemon yellow flowers are a delight in winter and spring.
Suitable for most soils, coastal planting, drought tolerant and attractive to birds.
Grevillea “Emma Charlotte” is a prostrate Australian native which flowers profusely through winter and spring; flowers are deep pink and highly attractive to birds.
Some summer watering is recommended until established.
Grevillea “Scarlet Sprite” grows 1-2 m tall in a sunny position, has deep green foliage and scarlet flowers in spring.
Grevillea “Firesprite” has terminal brushes 8-10cm on and off throughout the year and is extremely attractive.
An informal hedge or screen makes this a colourful addition to any garden.
Parrots and honeyeaters will flock to its flowers making this an ideal choice for the bird lovers garden.
A truly exotic native Elaeocarpus reticulatus, “Blueberry Ash” is an evergreen tall shrub/ small tree that is native to the east coast of Australia from Queensland to Tasmania.
It is a hardy plant that will grow best in moist well drained soil but will survive well in less favourable conditions.
Blueberry Ash has dense green foliage that responds well to pruning and makes and excellent hedge or screening plant.
Masses of small pink bell shaped flowers in spring and summer are aniseed scented. Small blue berries follow which attract native birds

The fruit garden
In the fruit garden there is still time to plant citrus so why not try one of our Australian native citrus, the Australian Sunrise Lime, a variety developed by the CSIRO.
It has small fruit with a sharp fresh flavour, great in jams or to eat fresh, with seafood or in stir fries and really delicious over barbequed fish.
Grow in a sunny spot with good drainage, excellent in a pot.
Feed with a potassium based fertiliser once flowering commences.
Passionfruit can still be planted, try a “Nellie Kelly grafted black passionfruit in a warm well drained spot, give it something to climb on and you will have delicious passionfruit for many years.
Cherries, plums and other stone fruits are growing larger and our feathered friends will be lying in wait so it is probably a good time to net fruit trees which are prone to attack.

Take time to enjoy the flowers and the birds,

Marg and the team at Meredith Nursery.