January Newsletter

Meredith Nursery Newsletter – Jan / Feb 2008

Vol 2 No 1

Welcome to the Jan / Feb 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.

January/February

In the January garden we are enjoying the recent rain, fruit trees are laden with fruit, roses are blooming and we look forward to another gardening year with a renewed sense of optimism.
Mulching is one of the most important tasks at this time of the year to conserve valuable moisture and to add water holding humus to your soil.

In the vegetable patch continue to harvest vegetables to keep them producing as long as possible.
More recent plantings should be kept growing strongly with fortnightly applications of liquid manure.

Plant seed of beetroot, carrot, parsnip, lettuce, kohl rabi silver beet, swede and turnip.
Plant seedlings of broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and leek.
There is still time to plant more climbing and bush beans, they will grow quickly in the higher temperatures and if you apply a thick layer of mulch and you will be eating beans in a very short time.

In the ornamental garden separate overcrowded clumps of bearded iris and replant the strongest rhizomes in soil which has a dusting of lime added
Firm the roots into the soil and be sure to leave the rhizome exposed to bake in the sun, they will reward you with a beautiful display in spring.
Continue to deadhead roses; water, feed and mulch and you will have a great autumn display.
For a tropical feel in the garden we have some beautiful hibiscus at the moment Hawaiian Skies which is a lovely scarlet, White Kalakua and several others in shades of pink and red.
Dig soil and add some bulb food or blood and bone in preparation for bulb planting in February and March.
Scatter`seed of spent annuals such as foxgloves, poppies and larkspurs around the garden before removing and composting the spent stalks.
Plant primulas, pansies,Iceland poppies, polyanthus, cinerarias and candytuft for a winter display, keep them growing strongly with fortnightly applications of liquid fertiliser.
Time now to fertilise Magnolias, camellias, daphne, azaleas and rhododendrons
Water well before and after fertilising.

Now is the time to take a walk around your garden and identify any shrubs or trees which are unsatisfactory, or areas which may be in need of renovation.
This will allow time to redesign some areas, remove plants which have not performed well and prepare soil for fresh plantings.

If you are looking for a creeper to cover a fence Pandorea Jasminoides Variagated Bower of Beauty is an avergreen climber with pale pink trumpet flowers in sprays during summer and autumn. Ideal for most soils and conditions.
Another striking member of this family is Pandorea “Ruby Belle” which has glossy green foliage and masses of ruby-red flowers with a cream throat in late winter and early spring.
Good where fast cover for privacy is needed, it enjoys a sunny position and tolerates pruning.

In the native garden we have lots of lovely Grevilleas, Pink Midget, to 30cm high and 60cm wide has small attractive pink flowers for most of the year, good in containers rockeries and as a foreground plant.
Grevillea Grassfire adds red tones to the garden where a groundcover is needed, it has dense foliage which suppresses weeds, grows about 10cm tall and attains a diameter of around 2m in 12-18 months. Toothbrush flowers are borne in spring and autumn.
Another good carpeting plant is Grevillea Fanfare which spreads 2-3 m has red tipped foliage and long toothbrush flowers from spring to autumn.
Grevillea “Orange Box” is a versatile plant dense and compact with glossy dark foliage and masses of bright orange flowers for most of the year.
A good container plant, it may also be grown as a low hedge or allowed to grow taller as a clipped screen.
Grevillea Endlicheriana is a medium to tall rounded shrub with soft bluish- green linear foliage, it has whitish-pink flowers in winter and periodically throughout the year.
A highly ornamental small tree with smooth brown bark, Eucalyptus Forrestiana, the Fuchsia Gum has a profusion of pendulous yellow flowers in summer opening from bright orange buds, followed by decorative pear shaped seed capsules.
Prefers a sunny open position and is drought tolerant once established.

For a great garden feature we have a lovely selection of pots, urns, water bowls and birdbaths, in both traditional and modern design. They will add another dimension to the native, cottage or formal garden.

In the home orchard it is time to fertilise citrus, water well before and after applying citrus fertiliser.
Use a pelletised fertiliser for potted citrus to avoid burning delicate roots.
Prepare soil for bare root plantings of fruit trees.
Some preparation now will improve the soil texture and give your trees a great start in spring.

If you are planning on planting fruit trees, a new garden, a rose garden or deciduous plantings, bare root season is only 18-20 weeks away.
We are happy to take orders and discuss your needs with you.
If you would like to receive bare rooted catalogues please click here and leave us a message

Well that’s it for Jan-Feb, we hope everyone had a great Christmas and we look forward to another year in the garden.
Happy Gardening,
Marg and the Team at Meredith Nursery.