Partiridges in our pear trees - 24/11/2011

Dear gardening friends

I had to go and buy a rain coat today because I was getting so wet hanging the Christmas tree signs on the fence. This has got to be one of the best growing seasons we have ever had. The Manchurian Pear trees in our car park have grown 50 cms since the start of spring. You have probably noticed that everything is growing in your garden too. There is a saying in the nursery industry that the best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago. This season trees will put on 10 years worth of growth. So if you are thinking about planting something stop thinking about it and just do it!

About 20 years ago I planted some Jacaranda trees on the corner of Cordeax and Queen St in Campbelltown. I still remember how hard the soil was that day. While I was planting the trees at least 20 people stopped to tell me I was wasting my time because the trees would just get pulled out by vandals. The trees didn’t get pulled out and I noticed this week that they were covered in beautiful flowers. I have attached a photo so you can see how good they look. Jacaranda trees grow so well in the Macarthur district so I think we should plant more. Simon has found some nice fresh young plants for just $19.99. They grow big so plant them on your nature strip.

Summer is coming so it is a good time to prune your plants. This week we took down our Geranium baskets from along the fence. They were getting fungus diseases on the leaves because the plants are over grown and pot bound. When plants get run down and tired they start to get diseases. Plants are just like people. I cut back the Geraniums by 50% then treated the soil with Wettasoil. I also fed them with Tim’s Fast Food and topdressed the potting mix with Greengold Planting Compost. The Wettasoil will make the potting mix hold more water and the Fast Food will give the plants a nutrient boost. The planting compost reconditions the potting mix and makes it hold more water too. In the next couple of weeks the Geraniums will come back to life with fresh new growth that will be free from fungus attack. Flowers will follow and they will put on a show through summer and autumn.

Perhaps you have plants in pots that are looking a bit tired too.

Poor Monika has gone into hospital to get a knee replacement. She will be off work for 6 weeks or so. She has been limping around for ages so let’s hope the operation is a success.

Thank you to everyone who gave me snake advice last week. Wow it seems everyone loves a good snake story. The snake hasn’t been sighted so I am hoping it has moved on.

I asked Ryan what he had for lunch yesterday. “Slow cooked beef on a fresh bread roll with onion gravy” was his reply. It seems everyone is getting a little bit fancy here with the lunch menu.

Karyn has been busy today in the pouring rain planting more flowers in our garden. She really does deserve a medal. Please tell her how much you love her garden when you see her on the counter.

Happy gardening

Tim

Snakes in the garden! - 19/11/2011

Dear gardening friends

I noticed my recycling bin was full yesterday so I decided to take it out to the street. My bins are just outside the backdoor so they are nice and handy. I grabbed the handles of the bin and spun it around. As I did this I noticed this black thing on the concrete where the bin had just been. My brain realized instantly that the black thing was actually a 1.5 metre Redbelly Black Snake.

As I lept into the air swear words came from my mouth. By the time my feet touched the ground again the snake had taken off. It was trapped in front of a retaining wall so the snake began to panic and it got a puffed up neck that frightened me even more.

My son Bailey came out the door wearing no shoes. Having grown up watching Steve Irwin DVD’s my son thinks that snakes are cool! Well I got Bailey back inside and then I took the bin up to the road hoping the snake would have time to get away. When I returned with my heart still racing the boys informed me the snake had gone between the other garbage bin and the wall. I am telling you this story because it is garbage day and I need someone to take my bin out?

I have had lots of people tell me that it is great to have Redbelly Black Snakes in your garden because they keep the Brown Snakes away. I am failing to see this as great news at the moment.

Wollondilly Garden Club invited me to their November meeting during the week. They always hold their meetings in member’s gardens. This week it was held at Aldo Razzo’s place in Couridjah just past Tahmoor. Wow what a fantastic garden. Aldo has a resort style acreage garden that has been created using all recycled products. He picks up things from the tip and turns them into garden art! I have attached a few photos for you to see. I loved this garden.

One of the Wollondilly garden club members has had trouble getting his Blueberries to grow. He has dug them up a couple of times trying to find a spot in the garden where they will grow. Blueberries like the same acid type soil as Azaleas. As we all know Azaleas can be fussy to grow in the ground but if you plant them in pots they always seem to thrive. I planted a Blueberry plant in a pot last spring and it has thrived in Tim's Best Potting Mix in full sun.. It has around 100 Blueberries on it now just waiting to turn blue. The pot has to be big enough to hold at least 60 litres of potting mix. I feed mine with cow manure every spring and autumn. Cow manure feeds the plant but it also helps make the soil more acid so the plants just seem to thrive. Now is a great time to plant a blueberry plant and they also make great gifts. Nice plants cost around $14.99.

Graham Ross sent me a nice email last week to say that Pig might make a cameo appearance on Better Homes and Gardens in 2012. The episode has been filmed but Pig still has to get past the editor before we see him. Pig has had a name change in the show to protect his privacy. What stage name would Pig have chosen?

This week the new Peter Brock Rose bush arrived at our nusery. It has been released to celebrate Peter Brocks life and also to raise money for "Variety the children charity". They are great looking plants all covered in nice red flowers with a sweet perfume. We expect Brockies Rose to go fast of course.

Simon is hoping to bring his Torana in on saturday to park on our lawn for a bit of Brocky nostalgia. This week his car has been featured in a magazine so he is very excited.

If it rains the deal is off because Simon doesn't take his car out of the garage if it is going to get dirty.

We have beautiful NSW Christmas bush flowering now. These are huge plants all covered in those bright red bracts that help celebrate an Aussie Christmas. We always sell out of these because customers buy them as gifts for friends. We gift wrap them for free and they only cost $29.99. That's much cheaper than a bunch of flowers and better value too. Don't forget as a garden club member you get 5% off these prices as a voucher.

Our apprentice Russel was asking me yesterday why our plants look so much better than Bunnings. There are many reasons but if you sit plants on concrete or on benches that are standing on concrete it is very hard to have nice plants. When you get a plus 35 degree day the reflected heat from the concrete cooks the plants and dries out the potting mix. If those plants don't get watered properly that night then the plants get burnt tips and never recover. The plants at Tim's Garden Centre are mostly displayed on gravel drainage beds. These beds are full of water. During those hot days this water evaporates and helps air condition the plants. It is a simple system that just works. The gravel also cleans the water and removes any toxins. This is great news for the environment. We also have 5 horticulturists who really love looking after plants.

Rang our Christmas Tree Man this week and the trees have never looked better. They have had heaps of rain, all they need is some heat now and the trees will be perfect. The trees are $55 this year less your discount.

Happy gardening

Tim

Time to prune! - 11/11/2011

Dear gardening friends

We have been busy at the nursery this week pruning plants. When you get hot weather and water plants just seem to triple in size. Ryan has been busy pruning roses and spacing them further apart. This allows the sun and air into the plants and helps to prevent black spot. You can't move your roses at home so if they are getting over grown cut them back by 25% and then fertilise with Organic Life or Sudden Impact. They will send out new shoots within days and beautiful flowers will soon follow.

We have also been pruning all our ground covers and shrubs. If we don't prune them they just get all over grown and look terrible. If you have plants at home that have finished flowering give them a prune now. Pruning actually helps to keep plants healthy. It also makes them grow faster so if you are growing a hedge the more often you lightly prune it the faster it will grow.

The new black flowering petunias have not been as successful as we expected. It seems everyone prefers colour in their gardens. We got all excited about white flowering Jacarandas when they were first released and nobody wanted to buy them either. We have reduced the black petunias to $4.50, come in and grab yourself a bargain - they do look great in a pot.

Talking about Jacarandas don't they look sensational. They are flowering on the hills all around Macarthur heralding the start of summer. They can take up to 5 years to flower when you buy one but once they start they will reward you every November.

It won't be long before Crepe Myrtles start to flower too.

Simon got an early delivery of Frangipanis in this week. We have found a grower from Northern NSW who just grows the best Frangipani plants. Frangipanis are so popular and they can be grown in large pots if you don't have room in the garden.

They just love a hot sunny position. They look great around swimming pools and the perfumed flowers are divine.

You will need to start mowing your lawn every week. This will keep it looking good and it will also help prevent fungus diseases and grass fleas. Long grass creates humidity and this is the ideal conditions for fungus. I had a few phone calls this week from customers who had patchy lawns caused by fungal attacks. The disease can be controlled by spraying it with Mancozeb but prevention is always better.

We've had computer problems this week so our poor cashiers have been getting very frustrated. Our customer service may have been compromised during this period. Simon the jack of all trades was able to replace the part that was causing the melt down. We have a terrible work environment for computers with so much dust and dirt around so we kill them pretty quickly.

My lunch challenge is over with Yvonne who just started to take things too seriously. Her meals started to come in on a ceramic plate all beautifully arranged followed by desert served in a ramekin? OK so I don't like loosing!

Poor pig was sweating like a pig during the week . He could smell his own crackle?

He did get into the Fisher's Ghost festival spirit by wearing a white sheet.

We have had lots of calls about cut Christmas trees. We usually get a few the first weekend in December but you are better to wait until the second weekend so your tree is still fresh on Christmas day.

You still have time to give your garden a Christmas make over. A few petunias planted in pots and in any bare patches will get your garden smiling again.

Happy gardening

Tim

Smell the perfume - 11/11/2011

Dear gardening friends

I hope you won some money on the cup. Noreen had some luck with one of those mystery bets but the rest of us lost our money.

We had a few injuries here last week. Poor Simon nearly killed himself mopping the kitchen floor. He was mopping so vigorously the handle on the mop snapped and he went head first into the fridge. He came to work with a massive lump on his forehead. I started to laugh because how many people nearly kill themselves mopping the floor? There must be a pay back god because I tripped over a wire on the shop roof soon after and hurt my leg and shoulder. We are both in recovery mode just now.

I was having a coffee in Park Central this week and noticed these beautiful Native frangipani trees flowering across the road in the retirement village. Native frangipani is one of my favourite evergreen trees because it is small enough for suburban backyards. It only grows about 6 metres high by just 2.5 metres wide. It is one of the fastest growing trees available.. The trees flowers have a lovely fragrant perfume.

With summer fast approaching it is a good time to plant some shade trees.

In the back streets of Camden this week I found a beautiful Brufelsia covered in mauve,blue and white flowers. This shrub is often called a "Yesterday,today and tomorow". The flowers come out mauve then fade to blue and then white. It looks like it has 3 different coloured flowers on the same shrub. Dwarf and tall growing varieties are available. It can be grown in a large pot. The best ones I have seen usually get protection from the late afternoon sun. Brunfelsia has a lovely sweet perfume.

While I am talking about perfumed plants our Chinese star jasmine is flowering on the fence near the exit gate. This is a brilliant fast growing evergreen vine that gets covered in highly perfumed white flowers now. I love the dark glossy green leaves on this plant. Mitre 10 in Camden has used it as a ground cover in the carpark around the base of a Gum tree. Other plants would struggle in dry soil like this but Chinese star jasmine is so tough. Nice plants are available from just $12.99. This vine will also grow in large pots.

Karyn is busy planting more petunias in the garden. If you want Christmas colour in your garden plant some petunias, they are so easy to grow. If you need help with colour selection come and talk to Karyn.

Happy gardening

Tim

Stop and smell the roses - 25/10/2011

Dear gardening friends

It’s great to see some rain falling because the lawn and garden was starting to get dry. I actually treated all my pot plants with Wettasoil on the weekend because I noticed the water was just running out the bottom. When it gets dry the potting mix becomes hydrophobic and so it just repels the water. This rain will help restore the moisture but if your plants are getting pot bound then you should Wettasoil your plants too. I mixed Harvest and Wettasoil together in a watering can and treated all my plants. I discovered Harvest a few years ago when I had a sick Frangipani. The stems were all shriveling up and the plant was dieing. I sent an email to Graham Ross and he suggested I treat the Frangipani with Harvest every couple of weeks. I did this and the Frangipani recovered and it now looks fantastic. Harvest is an organic liquid fertiliser that contains Fish,Seaweed,Trace Elements and Fulvic Acid. You can use it on all your plants including vegetables. It is totally organic so it is safe for the environment too. It is a good alternative to Seasol because it has a few extra goodies in it.

I had a customer bring in a photo of a sick plant during the week. Mobile phones are fantastic because you can use them to take photos and this allows us to get a better idea of what is wrong with your plants. They had a standard Abutilon that just looked tired. It had been in the same pot for 3 years and so the roots had filled the pot replacing the soil as it composted. Eventually there are only roots in the pot so there is no compost to hold the water. I suggested they cut the plant back hard and then repot it into a bigger pot using our Tim’s Best Potting mix. They could also cut 20% of the roots off and plant it back in the same pot. It is important to do this operation before it gets too hot or the plant could die.

When we get a few hot days in a row we sometimes get plants returned to us that have dried out. These plants are nearly always still in their original pots. We recommend that plants should be planted within 24 hours of purchase. Plants in the ground have got a much better chance of survival. If you put pot plants in the sun sitting on concrete then they simply get cooked. The potting mix dries out and then when you do remember to water them the water just runs out the bottom. A couple of days latter and the plant starts to droop and then the leaves go brown and drop off. The plant drops its leaves on purpose as a survival mechanism. If it doesn’t have leaves it doesn’t transpire water. These plants can sometimes be rescued by dunking them in a bucket of water. Wait until the bubbles stop, this removes the air from the soil and replaces it with water. Plant your plant in the garden, water it daily and within a week or two new growth will slowly appear.

Every year when the Melbourne Cup comes around we notice our rose bushes always look there best. Our plants are covered in lovely perfumed flowers now so it is a good time to give them the sniff test. Some of the newer varieties just don’t have the same perfume as the older varieties so that’s why you should sniff before you buy.

We have about 500 plants so the choice is still good. See Ryan our rose expert if you need advice.

I have attached a copy of this week’s ad in the paper. You might like to look at the pictures?

We have the Cera Fruit Fly traps back in stock. These new fruit fly traps kill male and female fruit fly using non poisonous bait. This really is the future of horticulture being able to grow fruit in your backyard without having to use dangerous pesticides. The trap has to be installed early so the fruit fly numbers don’t get a chance to build up.

Hang it on the sunny side of your fruit tree about 1500mms from the ground. One trap will protect 2 fruit trees. The trap costs $24.99 so it is cheaper than chemicals too.

Now is a good time to plant a second crop of tomatoes. These will produce fruit after Christmas. We still have the Taurus Tomato. My one at home has taken off this week with the hot weather.

Happy gardening

Tim

Mortisha gets her wish - 21/10/2011

Dear gardening friends

Beautiful sunny days this week so everybody seems to be gardening again. We have had lots of people coming in wondering if it is too late to spray for bindii. Yes it is because the seeds have already set so your poor dog will be doing it tough all summer long.

It is still worth spraying the clover though so at least your dog isn't getting stung by bees too. You do need to spray your lawn twice in 10 days to really kill clover. If you only spray once the clover just recovers and seems to grow better than ever. We have had great success using Richgro Bindii Killer for Buffalo Lawns. This can be used on all types of grass and it seems to kill most of the broad leaf weeds including clover. Don't spray on windy days or it could damage the new growth on your rose bushes.

Your Tomato plants will be loving this warmer weather and they will finally start to grow. Cucumbers and Basil need warm weather or they just sit their and do nothing too. I have noticed my lettuce seedlings and beetroot are growing fast so they don't mind the cooler nights.

Your grass should be finally waking up and you can start mowing it every week. You can quit the gym now because mowing lawns is great exercise. Make sure you wear glasses when you are doing the whipper sniping. So many people get eye damage from flying sticks etc so wear protective glasses and ear muffs.

Karyn has been busy pulling out all the pansies in our nursery garden. The hotter weather always finishes them off around this time. Karyn always improves the soil before replanting. She likes to dig Greengold planting compost and cow manure into the soil. Then she covers the soil with sugar cane and then plants Petunias. Your pansies are probably looking terrible now too so do what Karyn does.

The Raspberry Blast Petunias are looking fantastic in the baskets at the entrance to our nursery. They have only been planted for a week yet they are covered in flowers already. This really is a winner so come and check them out. New stock has just arrived and they are even bigger plants than last week. The 2 plants for $30.00 has been a popular option.

If you ever watched The Adams Family you will know that Mortisha loved the colour black. She also used to cut the flowers off her rose bushes because they detracted from the thorns. Plant breeders have finally bred a black flowering petunia that will make today's Mortishas happy.

This exciting new petunia is called Black Velvet and it looks fantastic spilling out of a pot or hanging basket. It flowers non stop for 6 to 9 months and it is easy to grow. Black seems to contrast beautifully with other colours in your garden. The plants are available in 150mm pots for $8.99. They are already flowering so you will get instant satisfaction.

Petunia Black Velvet is not available in punnets so it is best used as a highlight plant. We have planted one in a pot and used the white flowering Alyssum as a border and it looks brilliant. Black Velvet stays nice and compact while the Alyssum will spill over the sides.

You could plant Petunia Black Velvet with orange petite marigolds to let everyone know you support the tigers!

We had custard tart day today at the nursery so we are all feeling a little bit fatter. I actually ate two!

I visited Kevin and Ann Barlows garden today in East Campbelltown. Ann wanted me to help identify some of her more unusual plants. Kevin has grown most of the plants in their garden from cuttings. Kevin should have worked in a nursery because he has a green thumb. I took a cutting from one of their Kalanchoes which had a fuchsia like flower. Spring is the best time to try and grow plants from a cutting so give it a try. All you need is some seed raising mix and some cutting powder. Take some small pots from our recycling bin and put at least 10 cuttings in each pot. Put the pot in a shady spot and water daily. If you have a lot of success we may be out of business.

Pig was spotted at Camden pool last week. Apparently he can often be found there doing laps. We have been wondering why he never seems to put on any weight.

Happy gardening

Tim

Tim's gone Daisy crazy! - 14/10/2011

Dear gardening friends

We have had great gardening weather and spring is going to extend into summer if it doesn't warm up soon. I have noticed my tomato seedlings are just sitting their doing nothing. Tomatoes love hot weather so until we get that they are going to sulk.

My lettuce and beetroot seedlings have taken off so they must love this cooler weather. If you are thinking about starting a vegetable garden go to our web site www.timsgardencentre.com.au and click on How to make a vegetable garden.

Karyn has been busy in our garden at work cutting back all the Dianthus. These perennials flower all spring and into summer and the flowers have this amazing perfume. They flower in flushes then the flowers die so unless you cut them back they can look ugly. These Dianthus have grey foliage so they grow best in the hot sun in well drained soil. This is a good thing to remember when purchasing any plants with grey foliage. Lavenders, Gazanias, Grevilleas etc grow best in hot dry positions.

If you ever watched the Adams Family you might remember Mortisha had a fascination for black flowers. She also used to cut the flowers off her roses because she just loved the thorns. Well Mortisha would be very excited about a new plant that has just been released. Petunia Black Velvet has black flowers, it is the first black flowering petunia ever released. They do look very arty and you can plant them in your garden or in hanging baskets or pots. They only grow 30cms x 30cms. The flowers are huge so they really do put on a show. We can gift wrap one for you if you need a flowering plant for a friend. They will be a real talking point.

Every spring I fall in love with African Daisies. These almost weed like plants with black eyes hug the ground and put on a real floral show. They keep changing the botanical name of these easy to grow plants but we just call them African Daisies. Because they are so easy to grow plant breeders are bringing out new varieties for us to enjoy. The latest one is called Osteospermum Voltage. It has bright green leaves and bright yellow flowers. A splash of yellow in your garden makes your garden look happy. Voltage only grows 40cms high so it can be grown in pots too. African Daisies thrive in those hot dry spots that are sometimes hard to fill. Come and have a look at these new plants.

I have noticed Aphids on the new growth of rose bushes where ever I go. These insects such the nutrients out of your plants and make them really look sick. They also spoil the flowers so you need to spray them. Luckily Aphids are easy to control using Pestoil or Eco oil. It is also time to spray your rose bushes to control black spot. We have had great success using Yates Rose Spray. It seems to control almost every pest and disease that a rose can get.

We finally have Cera Traps back in stock. These new release Fruit Fly Traps control male and female fruit fly. Simply hang the trap on the northern side of your fruit tree about 1.5 metres above the ground. The farmers use them in Spain and they don't have to use dangerous chemicals on the fruit any more. This is great news for gardeners who want to eat chemical free fruit.

Cera Traps cost around $25.00 and they should last the fruiting season. They have been selling like hot cakes so come and get one.

Monika's wedding was a success with no rain and cloudy skies so the photos will look fantastic. Wish her all the best next time you are in.

I have lots of gardening jobs to do so I have to get back to work.

Happy gardening

Tim

Gardeners love daylight savings - 7/10/2011

Dear gardening friends

If you are like me then you will be making use of the extra day light to do more gardening.

This week I finally got a chance to fertilise my garden with " Organic Life". I used 105kgs so you can imagine what the place smells like. When I open the door in the morning I get that organic farm fragrance. What I like about Organic Life fertiliser is you can use it on everything. I even put some on my outdoor pot plants. Don't use it on your indoor plants or you will have to sell the house. The smell only lasts for a couple of days and your plants will love it. We have 35kg bags for $42.50.

Yesterday while it was raining I fertilised my lawn with Tim's Rapid Results Lawn Food. I always apply this using a Scott's fertiliser spreader. These are a fantastic investment because they are made from plastic so the fertiliser doesn't rust it out.

While I was applying the fertiliser two mad plovers came out of the sky like spitfires. They must have layed their eggs in the paddock next door. They swooshed past my ears every couple of minutes which was quite unnerving.

Last year they layed their eggs in the middle of my lawn so this year I am happy. The Rapid Results will turn my lawn bright green in 14 days if the weather warms up.

If you have fertilised your lawn recently you may have noticed that the lawn hasn't turned as green as last year. Modern fertilisers are temperature controlled so they won't release while we are having this cold weather. It will get hot soon enough and your grass will go bright green. Make the most of this free water and fertilise your lawn and garden now.

I also had time after work to pot up one of my terracotta urns. I have red geraniums growing in some of them but at this time of year I always plant Oasis Spreading Petunias. These are not like ordinary petunias that grow upright and leggy. Oasis spreading petunias grow one metre wide and they grow flat on the ground. You get 3 plants in a punnet so this will cover 3 metres. They come in pink,white, red, blue and purple. My favourite is the Brilliant Purple because it goes beautifully with the bright red geraniums. If you have ever been to Italy in summer you see these plants spilling out of terracotta pots everywhere.

I only plant one plant in each pot and they flower until the end of Autumn. Check out the photo to see how much these plants spread.

While I am talking about Petunias I should also let you know that Petunia Raspberry Blast has arrived. These have been a sensation ever since they were released a couple of years ago. Raspberry Blast has Raspberry Pink striped flowers for 9 months. They are brilliant pot plants for sunny positions and they will give you the wow factor on Christmas Day if you plant them now. These are more like ground covers and they have thick stems like succulents. We planted them in pots last year on our front veranda. This year Hayden has planted them in hanging baskets too and they are already starting to flower.

We always use Yates self watering Tuscan hanging baskets. These are fantastic because on those really hot days in summer the plants can survive on the water that is in the well. Always buy the biggest basket in the series and use Tim's Best Potting Mix. The water storing crystals and wetting agents make all the difference on those hot days.

Poor Lisa fell off the stairs coming out of the lunch room on Sunday and hurt her back. Luckily she has responded to treatment and she is back at work. We all get sore backs at this time of year because we are moving so many plants around. Luckily we have a couple of young guys like Russell and Hayden to help us.

Monika is getting married on Saturday in a park near Bundeena. Monika is a very colourful character and she often shocks us.

She may shock you one day too. We are hoping they have a sunny day for the wedding. Monika will be back at work a week later so if you get a chance you might like to congratulate her.

Snails and slugs are everywhere after all this beautiful rain so come and get some Multi Guard snail pellets. It is safe to use around children and pets and it kills snails and slugs fast. Lots of people are coming in with plants that have just been eaten by snails.

Just reminding you that we do have umbrellas so you won't get wet when you come and visit.

Happy gardening
Tim

Snails come out to play - 30/09/2011

Dear gardening friends

We have had lots of people complaining about their newly planted seedlings disappearing overnight. It has been some time since these guys have gardened and they have just forgotten that snails and slugs love eating plants too. With so much rain about the snails and slugs have come out to play.

If you are planting seedlings you really do need to use snail pellets to protect your plants. I have a dog so I use Multiguard Snail and Slug Killer. Multiguard is a revolutionary new generation slug and snail killer that was invented in Australia. Unlike the traditional snail pellets which are responsible for poisoning dogs,birds,lizards,earthworms,etc, Multiguard is not a scheduled poison. The best news is Multiguard actually kills snails and slugs faster than the pellets you have been using.

The pellets last one to four weeks depending on rainfall. Get some now because seedlings are expensive food for snails.

I planted up my vegetable garden on Monday morning before I went to work. I had already dug in the cow manure so I just covered the soil with a thick layer of Sugar Cane. This stops the weeds from growing and it also locks in the moisture so you get better vegetables using less water. I always water the Sugar Cane immediately. I once had a terrible experience with Sugar Cane. I mulched a garden and when I returned after lunch the mulch had all been blown away.

To plant my veggie seedlings I just poke a hole through the mulch. This works brilliantly and I almost never loose a seedling.

At the end of summer when my crop is finished I add more cow manure on top and then turn the soil over with a garden fork.

My soil is now full of big juicy worms. I took some to Manly beach last year and caught 5 whiting. Oops that's a sad story for the worms.

It is safe to plant Basil and Cucumbers now. If you plant these too early they just drop dead on the cold nights. I am trying Thai Basil this year too. This is great to use in stir fries.

I was driving up The Parkway in Bradbury during the week and noticed these beautiful Ivy Geraniums spilling over a retaining wall. Geraniums are considered Old Granny Plants by some people but when you see them looking this good in spring it makes you want to plant some. The good news is modern varieties like these flower much better than the ones granny grew. They grow well behind retaining walls because Geraniums love good drainage and they love the heat. Oasis have brought out new varieties in punnets so they are cheap to buy. If you can't grow geraniums give up gardening and get the place concreted.

If you fertilised your lawn last weekend with Tim's Rapid Results then your lawn will be turning bright green before your eyes. Best results are always achieved after rain. If you haven't fertilised yet come and get some.

More rain is expected so don't waste this free water!

Kevin The Lemon got a great write up in this weeks Macarthur Chronicle. I was also interviewed on 2UE about this exciting new lemon tree that can be grown in a pot. We have planted Kevin in a pot at our entrance. You need a pot this big to have success so check it out. We have used Parsley as a border planting. It just makes me smile to think that there is a plant called Kevin.

Someone spotted pig at the Capitol Theatre watching Marry Poppins during the week. Pig has been heard singing " I'm practically perfect in every way" ever since. Marry Poppins is still looking for her umbrella.

We have had so many new plants delivered this week. Our nursery has never looked more colourful so come and see us this long weekend.

Happy gardening
Tim

Kevin the Lemon in the news - 27/9/2011

Click the image below to download this news article in PDF

Sniff before you buy - 25/9/2011

Last week I noticed some cow manure bags had holes in them. People won't buy damaged bags so I decided to take them home to use in my vegetable garden. It was about 2pm so I put them in my car boot so I wouldn't forget them. At 5pm I got in the car to drive home. It had been hot that afternoon and the smell of the cow manure had permeated into the upholstery of my car.

Even with all the windows down I was gasping for clean air. This was actually good news because it means we are selling real cow manure.

When you go to buy cow manure this spring make sure the product you are buying is cow manure. If it is called "Composted Cow Manure" then this means it is actually recycled green waste that has been mixed with some cow manure. The supplier has stopped the cow manure from smelling by simply removing the cow manure. Recycled green waste only has 1% nitrogen while real cow manure has 2.5%. It might not sound like a big difference but in percentage terms cow manure has 150% more nitrogen than recycled green waste. Your plants will really notice the difference.

So before you purchase a bag of cow manure check the label first, and then give the bag the sniff test. If it smells like cow manure then it probably is. When you get it home if the product inside is black and it looks like potting mix then take it back because you have been mislead.

At this time of year I love to topdress all my pot plants with cow manure. Over time, the organic matter in the potting mix composts and you find the water just runs out the bottom. When you mulch with cow manure the fine particles of the cow manure stop the water from just running out, so the soil gets more time to drink the water. You will be amazed how quickly your plants respond to this. The cow manure also fertilises your plant so they will get lovely new green shoots. If you have citrus in pots mulch them with cow manure too. The only plants I wouldn't use it on would be Grevilleas and some of the fussy native plants. Things like Lilly Pilly's love it. I have also noticed that cow manure stops you biting your finger nails.

I drove up Lindsay St in Campbelltown on Monday and I noticed this spectacular looking grey leaved shrub. The plant is called Pride of Madeira or Echium and it had these large spikes of blue-purple flowers.

I took a photo of this unusual looking shrub to share with you. Like all plants with grey foliage it loves a hot sunny spot in the garden and it requires little water once established. Now that you have seen this photo you will notice them flowering now in older gardens. This plant has an amazing structural element to it so it is a piece of art! Simon has just bought some in small pots so if you are looking for "art in the garden" grow one of these.

With this hot weather your spring flowers like pansies and primulas are going to go off. Pull them out now, dig some cow manure into the soil and then plant some petunias. We have beautiful petunia plants already flowering so you will have instant flowers. What I love about petunias is they cope with these hot winds without a fuss. Trim them back by 25% after Christmas and they will flower all Autumn too.

I am planting my Vegi garden up this Sunday. I always leave it a little latter because I live in a very cold valley. I have dug in cow manure and removed any of those white grubs. Now I will mulch with sugar cane and just plant the seedling through the mulch. I had great success with cucumbers last year so I will be growing these again. I am going to try the Heirloom Tomatoes this year plus a Tim's Taurus of course.

I always plant one Sweet Bite tomato because this is resistant to fruit fly. We have some great stretchy stuff for tying them up for just $4.00 a roll. This is brilliant because it doesn't damage the plants stem.

Hopefully we will get some rain this weekend so come and get our Tim's Rapid Results lawn food. Best results are always achieved after rain.

Below is a photo of my lemon tree. It is a new dwarf growing variety called "Kevin The Lemon" that can produce up to 200 thin skinned juicy lemons every year. Named after a former Prime Minister we think it is the greatest lemon ever. We have grafted plants for $49.99 and they are already starting to flower.

Happy gardening
Tim

Kevin the Lemon is back? 20/9/2011

A new dwarf growing lemon tree called Kevin has just been released in time for spring.

Named after a former Prime Minister it is said to be the greatest lemon ever!

Kevin the Lemon can produce up to 200 of the juiciest thin skinned lemons you have ever tasted each and every year!

Kevin only grows one and a half metres high so it’s perfect for small gardens or large pots.

Plants cost just $49.95 and unlike the original Kevin it is guaranteed to survive.

Kevin the Lemon is available exclusively at Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St. Campbelltown (02) 4626 7022

Don't eat maggots! - 19/9/2011

Growing fruit trees is all the rage but when you bite into a piece of fruit and discover you have eaten half a maggot the novelty soon wears off. Chemicals are available from nurseries that control fruit fly but wouldn't it be better if we didn't have to use these.The good news is an organic fruit fly trap has just been released that kills both male and female fruit fly. In the past the traps only attracted the males so they were basically useless.

Cera Trap contains a unique protein based liquid solution that is very attractive to both female and male fruit flies. Once the lid is removed from the bottle, the smell of the liquid lures the fruit flies into the specially designed trap. Unable to escape they simply drown in the liquid. The organic liquid contains no pesticides so it is so safe to use around children and pets.

Simply hang the trap in your fruit tree on the northern side at eye level. It is important to hang the trap up while the fruit is still small.

One trap will protect two fruit trees. If you have tomatoes growing hang the trap above your veggie patch.

Cera Trap will allow you to grow home grown Apples, Apricots, Cherries, Grapefruit, Guava, Lemons, Limes, Mandarins, Mangoes, Oranges, Peaches, Pears, Plums, and Nectarines. Cera Traps are available at Tim's Garden Centre now and they cost just under $25.00. Come and get one this weekend so you don't have to eat maggots this summer.

I went to Junee last sunday to celebrate my uncles 90th birthday. My family comes from Junee so it is always nice to go back to this small country town. Junee is looking so nice at the moment because the drought is over and the crops are looking sensational. The Canola was starting to flower so I took a photo of the beautiful yellow flowers to share with you.

We also saw lots of new born lambs in the paddocks. One of the farmers was saying that many of the sheep are having tripplets which is a sure sign that it is going to be a good growing season. The poor farmers are finally going to make some money. We went into town and had a look at the statue of Ray Warren which has just been unveiled. It is almost opposite my cousins hardware store. Ray warren must be jockey sized in real life because the statue was tiny. If you go to Junee make sure you visit The Licorice Factory in Lord St. I bought back a few samples. The chocolate coated licorice was a winner.

Back at the nusery we have been very busy unloading trucks. At this time of year we can get 10 deliveries every day. We had a nice work experience boy from Thomas Reddall High School help us out this week. His name is Hayden and he was so good we have given him a part time job on Sundays. Hayden helps his Grandma out in the garden so he already knows some of the plant names. If you come and buy potting mix or cow manure on the weekend Hayden will help you load the car.

Poor Simon was off sick for 3 days with the flu. He slept for 3 days and only woke up to eat a can of salmon. I think Simon may be turning into a Bear.

We are happy to have the big fella back.

Russel our apprentice is getting great results at Padstow Tafe. He is always taking plants home and striking cuttings at work which means he really does love plants.

I was watching a guy walking along the foot path last Saturday out the front of the nursery. He had just been in our carpark getting some free pots out of our recycling bin. He suddenly stopped and then walked over to the garden and bent over. I thought he must have seen a weed and he was going to pull it out for us. I was just about to say thankyou when he reached in and pulled out one of Karyns beautiful Pansy plants. He started potting it into one of the free pots he had just got out of our carpark. I gave him a yell and he quickly lost interest in stealing plants. We often get plants stolen at night from the garden but not during the day. The sad thing is these plants would never grow because they are too big to transplant and the soil falls off the roots.

On a happier note the trees we planted at Campbelltown Hospital are growing beautifully. They have all sprouted new spring growth and are looking good. Only one tree has had the top snapped off and this will quickly recover.

We have had a great response to the Heirloom Tomatoes. Lisa has had to order lots more this week to keep up with the demand. Most people are trying a few different varieties. This makes sense because they are less likely to be attacked by disease. That's what biodiversity is all about.

Pig claims to have helped Sam Stosur win the U.S open this week.

Eternal Fragrance Daphnes are back in stock. This new variety of Daphne thrives in full sun or part shade. We have two growing in the garden out the front and they are looking fantastic. They have small white flowers and they have that lovely sweet Daphne fragrance. This plant is much easier to grow that the original Daphne. We have nice plants coming into flower for just $ 17.99 each .

Basil has arrived and it should be safe to plant now that the frost has gone. We have been selling heaps of herbs since the cooking shows became so popular. Grow herbs in pots if you don't have any room in the garden.

Come and see us if you need advice.

Happy gardening
Tim

Time to plant tomatoes! - 2/09/2011

Dear gardening friends

We have been so busy in the nursery again this week it seems everybody has fallen in love with gardening. The weather has been so nice and the soil is still moist from all the rain. But the main reason we have been so busy is that spring has started.

Pig has given his milkcrate a spring makeover and it is now surrounded with lavender flowers.

Maybe it is time you gave your garden a spring make over too. Sometimes the shrubs just get so old and woody they really need to be pulled out and replaced with something more suitable. Most people plant shrubs too close together so when they grow the garden turns into a jungle. We are always horrified how close they plant trees and shrubs on the reality TV renovation shows. Come and see us if you need help with your plant selection.

Great news this week we have found a new seedling nursery that is growing all of The Diggers Club Heirloom Tomatoes.

These tomatoes have only been available by seed in the past but now we have them in seedlings.

Heirloom tomatoes are varieties that have been past down from gardener to gardener for hundreds of years. They are very special because they taste delicious where as modern varieties have been grown because they can be picked green and travel well in a box. Taste doesn't come into it.

These new/old tomatoes look very different. We tend to think that all tomatoes should be red when ripe but these tomatoes are all different colours. We have a Black Russian Tomato. This has black and red coloured fruit that just taste so sweet when ripe.

Green Zebra Tomato has Apricot sized green fruit with yellow markings. The birds don't eat these tomatoes because they never look ripe.

Mortgage Lifter Tomato was bred during the last recession and it is said to produce so much fruit you will be able to sell it and help pay off your house. A beaf steak style tomato it has less seeds and more flesh.

The reddest tomato ever is a variety called Principe Borghese Tomato. It has Apricot sized tomatoes that go the most amazing red colour when ripe.

If you like something a little fancy then the Tigerella Tomato has stripes. It is red with yellow stripes and very prolific.

The good news is these plants are available in single pots so get a selection and see which variety you think is the best.

But don't forget to get one of Tim' Taurus Tomatoes. This tomato has been around for 40 years and it is a beaf steak style tomato with thick sweet flesh and fewer seeds so it just tastes sweeter. Most of these tomatoes are available from $4.25.

We do have some of your old favourite varieties from just $2.99.

Tomatoes can be grown in any sunny position in the garden. Dig some of Tim's Cow Manure into the soil first and mulch with sugar cane to help save water. If you don't have room in your garden then grow your tomatoes in big pots. Use Tim's Best potting mix and you can't go wrong.

You need to stake your tomatoes so they don't blow over in the wind. We have timber stakes of all different sizes.

The builder turned up last week and put on our new roof. Wow what a difference the new sky lights have made to our shop.

Our indoor plants are going to be so much happier with all the extra light and everything just looks so much more colourful.

Come and have a look you won't believe the difference. The new insulation is going to make our shop so much cooler in summer too. Poor Karyn has been working in a crock pot for 20 years. We nearly cooked her.

Yvonne has been having lunch competitions with me for months now. She has an Italian mother in law who helps her concoct all these exotic lunches. It really isn't fair. I am so happy when she's comes to work sometimes with a cheese sandwich.

Too busy to waffle on too much today, come and see us if you are planting up the veggie garden this weekend.

Happy gardening

Tim

Tim gets the bug - 28/08/2011

Dear gardening friends

We have had fantastic gardening weather this week so many of our regulars are popping in to see us. It seems everyone is getting the gardening bug early this spring. Yes I know spring doesn't officially start until next week but have a look at all the blossom trees in flower. My Manchurian Pear trees are covered in white flowers and the kids are sick of hearing me bang on about these trees already.

I have attached a photo of my Almond tree which is also covered in white flowers. This is a fruiting Almond and last year we got at least 300 nuts. This is a self pollinating variety called "All In One". The shell of these sweet nuts is so soft you can break them in your fingers. I don't spray or prune this tree and it still provides me with heaps of nuts. This tree is so good looking it can be planted in your front yard. When I planted mine about 2 years ago they cost $69.99 but Simon bought them from Griffith this year and we have some for just $39.99.

Simon bought in a banana for lunch during the week and he was making out he was really rich. Who would have thought that a banana could replace a BMW as the ultimate show of wealth. Any way I was in Woolies and I noticed Blueberries are $70.00 a kilo while bananas are so cheap at just $13.99. Then the next day we get these huge blueberry plants delivered that have at least $10 worth of fruit forming on them already. I was so impressed I got Russell our apprentice, to model the blueberry plants.

Check out the photo I think Russell does a pretty good job. He even took off his jumper so you could see his big muscles.

We have nick named him "Russell the Muscle" because he is always helping people load their cars.

We have had a Blueberry plant growing in a big pot at the nursery for at least 5 years. This plant produces 5 Kilos of fresh Blueberries every season. Now if you do the maths that's $350.00 worth of fruit! We have plants from just $13.99 so they are the best investment ever. You are welcome to come down and try one of our home grown Blueberries. Come early because the staff seem to hang around this plant a lot.

During the week I mulched the pot with our smelly cow manure. I do this every Spring and Autumn and the plant loves it.

The dogs of Macarthur will be much happier this year because we have reminded everyone to spray their lawns for Clover and Bindii. We are dog lovers down here and some of our customers bring their dogs with them. We don't mind as long as they are on a lead. I forgot to tell you but Lisa was involved with the Cup Cake Day for the RSPCA. She got up early and baked all these delicious cakes which she sold at the nursery. Her cooking skills have improved considerably since she first started a few years ago. Now we look forward to eating the cakes.

The nursery has had a make over this week. Simon and Ryan moved all the potted colour and they have reworked all the plant displays. You have never seen so much colour. We have noticed that flowers are back in fashion while the strappy leaf Cordylines are on the way out. Thank goodness. Bunnings loved these plants because even they couldn't kill them, but they are just so boring! When I was in N.Z trout fishing I came across a Cordyine growing on the side of the river and it was at least 10 metres high by 10 metres wide. The tree loppers are going to be so busy in Harrington Park in 10 years time.

Anyway I hope you enjoy this newsletter it does become a bit of a rant at times.

Best wishes

Tim

Passion back in fasion - 26/08/2011

It's spring, so now is the best time to plant almost everything in your garden. If you have a bare looking pool fence then perhaps you might like to cover it with a passion fruit vine. Passion fruit cost around 50 cents each in the shops and a mature vine will produce between 300 and 400 fruit every year. That's $200 worth of passion fruit every year for free.

Passion fruit are not hard to grow they just need a spot in the garden which gets at least 6 hours of sun a day. They like free draining soil so if you have clay plant your vine on a mound of garden mix. Prune your vine back by 25% every spring after the last frost then fertilise with Blood and Bone.

Now when you go to the nursery to buy your passion fruit vine you will be told that a grafted plant is the best one to get. But after hearing horrific stories for years about how these vines can sucker everywhere now I am not so sure.

If I was planting a passion fruit vine today I would be choosing a seedling grown variety. They may not have as many fruit as a grafted variety and they may not live quite as long but at least I know it isn't going to pop up every where in my lawn and garden.

Seedling grown varieties are at least 50% cheaper to buy so perhaps you can use the money you save to buy another passion fruit vine.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Do you love you dog? - 19/08/2011

Dear gardening friends

It has been so wet lately you may not have been able to spray your lawn for Bindii.

The bad news is time is running out and soon the bindii seeds will have set and then it will be too late to spray. This means your poor dog will be stepping on painful bindii all summer long.

We have had great results using Richgro Bindii Killer for Buffalo Lawns. You use 30mls in 5 litres of water over 50 square metres of lawn. Add a squirt of dish washing liquid and it will make the spray stick to the weeds leaves.

Keep your dog off the lawn for 20 minutes until the grass is dry. A follow up spray 10 days later will help kill difficult weeds like clover.

It is probably going to be too wet to spray this weekend but come and get the product so when the sun shines you are ready to go. Don't spray when it is windy or it could cause damage to your rose bushes.

Talking about rose bushes, Ryan has returned after chucking a sickie last week. We have sprayed him with Seasol so you and I don't catch the bug. Ryan often smells like Seasol because he loves using it on our rose bushes.

We had a customer yesterday who drove all the way to Swanes Nursery at Dural to buy rose bushes but she came back to us because she thought our rose bushes were better.

This is because Ryan looks after them so well and this year we planted them in the most expensive potting mix.

They say you pay for what you get and this is certainly true when it comes to potting mix.

This week we have been very busy filling the nursery up with spring stock. We have to do this over several weeks leading up to spring so we don't kill ourselves. Yesterday lots of new release plants arrived from a nursery in Melbourne.

We love Melbourne grown plants because they just look so much better than plants grown in Sydney. It must be the climate.

They do cost 20% more because of transport costs but they are certainly worth it.

We got a new plant yesterday called "Plum Gorgeous" and it is going to be a real winner. Plum Gorgeous has purple leaves all year and it has hot pink flowers all spring. It only grows 1500mms high which is breast height.

It can be pruned to any height and used as a hedge or just let it grow.

Plants with purple foliage are very fashionable at the moment so if you love fashion make a move.

We also have a new dwarf Lemon Tree called KEVIN the LEMON.

Named after a former Prime Minister it is said to be the greatest lemon ever! Growing to just 1500mms high( About the same size as Kevin) it can produce over 200 thin skinned juicy lemons every year once established. It grows brilliantly in a large pot or sunny garden.

If you're planting it in the garden plant it on a mound of garden mix for best results. Lemon trees hate clay so you need to lift it to get good drainage. KEVIN is sure to be a winner and it is exclusive to Tim's Garden Centre.

Just a foot note, if you are growing citrus trees in pots never use Citrus Food to feed them. If you do the leaves will all drop off and you could kill your tree. It does say this in fine print on the bag but it is often over looked.

We recommend you mulch with cow manure every Spring and Autumn and feed with Tim's Fast Food.

I had a nice time in New Zealand but Pig screamed when I tried to pack him in my bag. I think he must be claustrophobic.

I wasn't going to carry pig under my arm all the way to N.Z so he had to stay home.

As I went through the departure gate they confiscated my tooth paste and deodorant so I ended smelling a bit like Pig.

The staff at Ray's Butcher in Camden recently took possession of a Pig and they have seen Lamb and Beef sales sky rocket.

It seems everybody has fallen in love with Pig and they don't want to eat his cousins.

Karyn is back from her holiday at Fraser Island. She had a lovely time. Karyns garden is looking sensational at the moment.

I especially love the Poppies swaying in the wind.

Monika's knee operation looks like it has been a success so she should be back at work next week just in time for the Spring rush.

Happy gardening

Tim

Get ready for spring! - 11/08/2011

I had my shorts on this week so spring is near. I didn't realize I had so many freckles.

In the next couple of weeks you will get the spring gardening bug. This bug makes you go outside and suddenly realize that your garden has been over taken by weeds. You will find yourself buying weed killers and fertilisers in an attempt to bring back the love in your garden.

You will decide to grow tomatoes because the ones you buy in shops look like tomatoes but they actually taste like cricket balls. You will start to wonder why you know what cricket balls taste like.

You will spray the lawn for bindii when you notice your dog is trying to put on your gum boots. You will have trouble starting the lawn mower because it hasn't been used for 3 months and the petrol has gone off.

You will fall in love with flowers; you will find yourself picking flowers and skipping down the street. You will find yourself sniffing perfumed flowers like gardenias, boronias, roses and jasmine.

Then spring will be over, the bug will be gone, and you go back inside and watch T.V

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Making money is easy? - 8/08/2011

A recent survey has found that a well kept garden can increase the value of your house by a massive 12%.
The report said "homeowners would receive an average 3.6 times more than the amount invested in it, if sold".
It is already well documented that a garden will make you feel better but now we have proof that it will make you richer too.

Since the drought many home owners have lost interest in their gardens. Lawns have been left unmowed until they get over taken by weeds. The gardens have also not been mulched so the weeds end up taking over these gardens too.
Your lawn and garden are the first thing people see when they come to buy your house so all could be lost before they even enter your house.

The good news is a front garden can easily be brought back to life. Weeds are an indication that you have lost control of your garden.Get help from your local garden centres horticulturists to find out the best sprays to kill your weeds safely.
These will need to be sprayed twice for best results. Once the weeds have died they can be wiper snippered back to ground level and then covered with mulch. I always use Termite resistant mulch on my gardens.

Seek advice now on what plants will do best in your area. Ask your horticulturist to help you choose plants that will look good together. Their advice is free so take advantage of their experience.

Tim Pickles is a CNP Horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022.

Join a community garden - 30/06/2011

My wife often takes my boys down to the community garden in Camden. This garden was set up about 12 months ago on the town farm property that was bequeathed to Camden Council by Miss Llewella Davies. The farm is in 40 Exeter st, just below Camden Primary School.
Keen gardeners can rent a raised garden bed for an annual fee and grow their own flowers or vegetables. Their is also a shared garden where you can plant excess vegetables and herbs that everyone who joins the community garden can use.

I have a large vegetable garden at home but what the boys love about the community garden is they can ask all the gardeners what they are growing. The community gardeners share information about what to plant in the different seasons. Good gardeners are able to help the less experienced novices and great friendships are formed.
The gardens look neat and tidy and if you don't use it you loose it and someone new gets your garden. This policy ensures that gardens aren't left to grow weeds.

The Camden Community Garden holds a working bee once a month to take on new construction work and general maintenance. This is a community event that allows all the gardeners to get to know each other over morning tea.
If you are interested in starting a community garden in your suburb visit Camden's Garden first to get ideas that you can take to your local council. It will save you time because this model is a success.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Global warming sceptic? - 9/06/2011

Trees are one of the solutions to combat global warming so I get excited when ever I see a tree that is suitable for small gardens.

A couple of weeks ago I was driving down a street in Balgowlah that had these amazing small trees planted on the nature strip. The trees were about 5 metres high and they were covered in white bottle brush like flowers that made the branches weep down. The flowers had a sweet honey smell that was attracting honey eating native birds.

These Australian native trees are called Ivory Curl Flower or Buckinghamia celsissima. They are a tropical rainforest trees that can be grown successfully in the Macarthur area if you don’t live in an area that gets heavy frost. The flowers are huge up to 200mm in length and they cover the plant in late summer and autumn. The leaves are very attractive too. The new growth is coppery coloured before turning glossy green.

What I like best about this tree is it has a very upright habit so it won’t take up a lot of room in your garden. This is very important with gardens getting smaller. It also keeps its leaves on over winter so you won’t become a slave to the rake. This tree is so ornamental it can also be grown in large pots on patios. Use a good quality native potting mix for best results.

If you’re planting this tree in your garden mix some Green Gold planting compost with your existing soil and plant the tree on a mound. Mulch around the base and water often until it is established. Eventually it will survive on rainfall only.

Trees are a solution to global warming so take responsibility for your piece of the world and plant a few more trees.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tims Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Want real fresh air? - 3/06/2011

Today when people want to freshen up the air in their houses they spray air fresheners. These are no more than manufactured perfumes and they are making the air in your house more toxic rather than fresh.
There is a machine that was made by nature to remove the toxins from the air and these whisper quiet machines are called plants.

Indoor plants are making a come back in the interior decorating magazines because everything from the 80's is back in fashion. But this time indoor plants are being used not just for their beauty. Scientists have discovered that indoor plants remove the toxins that are given off by the paints and plastics that are in your house.
We are being poisoned by the everyday products that we all take for granted.

Indoor plants intercept pollutants such as Carbon dioxide, Nitrous oxide and Methane. Indoor plants give off oxygen making you more alert and productive. Indoor plants generally make people feel happier and less stressed.
Have you ever met a horticulturist that wasn't happy?

The good news is most indoor plants are easy to grow. They require very little water and even less food so they are cheaper to own than a dog or a cat. If they get sick you don't have to take them to the vet and sell your house to pay the bill.

Indoor plants are cheap to buy and self watering pots are available that make looking after them even easier.
Put your indoor plants in bright light but not direct sun or the leaves will get burnt. Water them when the leaves begin to droop.
Fertilise them when you can see new growth appearing in the warmer months.
Look after them because they are looking after you!

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022

Get your dog a milk crate? - 2/06/2011

Your dog may need a milk crate to sit on this summer if you don't spray your lawn for bindii now. The perfect growing conditions have encouraged broadleaf winter weeds like clover and bindii to thrive. Clover is a big problem in lawns because the white flowers attract bees by the thousands in spring and when you tread on the bees they sting your feet. Bindii seeds are designed by nature to stick in your feet so you spread the seeds as you walk.

The good news is these weeds can be controlled using a selective weed killer. We have been trialing a new product that kills broadleaf weeds in all lawns including soft leaf buffalo. It is called Richgrow Bindii killer for Buffalo lawns. It can be used on all lawn types.

Before spraying, you will need to measure your lawn area to determine the square metreage. This is very important because you need to apply 30 ml of chemical in 5 litres of water over 50 square metres.

Most people just mix up the spray and then spray the entire lawn. Often the lawn is over 100 square metres so the product doesn't work because you have used it at half strength. I hear this complaint often in the nursery.

Don't mow your lawn for 7 days before or after spraying or the product won't work either.

For hard to kill weeds like clover you may have to spray again after 7 days. If you are worried about your pets, keep them off the lawn until the spray has dried. This often only takes about 20 minutes.

The best time to kill weeds is when they are actively growing so declare war on weeds this weekend.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and Director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022

How many do you do? - 2/06/2011

My son ate 12 mandarins on Sunday one after the other. He once ate 14 bananas, if he did that that today I would have to mortgage the house.

The mandarins were free because we have a mandarin tree in our backyard. Mandarins are one of the easiest fruit trees to grow.

They look good in the garden because they have glossy green leaves and perfumed white flowers.

The most popular variety is one called Emperor; this has medium sized fruit that are easy to peal. But the best mandarin to grow is a variety called Robbie Engall’s Seedless. You won’t find this one in your hardware store but it is available from nurseries.

Robbie Engall’s was a famous citrus grower who chose this variety because it had huge fruit with no seeds. The fruit have a puffy skin which makes them easy to peal.

The fruit ripen in April and May when mandarins are always expensive in the shops. This will be the sweetest mandarin you have ever eaten.

Mandarins don’t like clay soils so to get them to grow you will need to plant it on a mound of good soil. You could use an old car tyre, simply lay it on the ground then fill it with garden mix. Tip a bucket of water on it twice a week and the fruit will grow big. Fertilise with cow manure in spring and autumn. Spray the leaves with pestoil to prevent citrus leaf miner.

Once the tree matures you will get at least 200 mandarins every season. The kids can take them to school and you won’t care if they eat 12 in a row.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022.

These lollies are healthy! - 30/04/2011

Kids love eating lollies but they hate eating vegetables. Imagine if you could find a vegetable that tasted like lollies.
Well that vegetable does exist and it is called a Snow Pea.

These are extremely expensive to buy in shops but they are so easy to grow at home and it is the easiest way to get your kids to eat vegetables. Snow Peas look like a normal pea pod that has been run over with a steam roller. You don’t shell these peas because the pod tastes just as good as the peas.

They are a great healthy snack for the kids and they taste even sweeter when picked fresh off the vine.

Snow peas are one of the easiest plants to grow so you don’t have to be a gardener to have success. Simply dig some cow manure into your soil until it is friable. Plant the snow pea seeds 5cms apart and water daily until the seeds emerge. This takes 7 to 10 days.

Snow peas are a vine so grow them up some wire that is attached to your fence. If you’re growing them in pots use some stakes and wire to make a teepee. They will grow about 1.5 metres high.

In around 6 weeks the plants will start to produce pretty white flowers followed by peas. The longer you leave them the bigger they will get.

Send your children out to pick them and they will happily eat them. This is a great way to encourage your children to eat other home grown vegetables too.

If you live in an area that gets heavy frosts then postpone your planting until spring. Snow peas can also be bought in punnets from your local nursery if you want to save time.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022.

Pansy people wanted? - 6/04/2011

Pansies are one of the world’s most popular flowers and despite their name they are very tough. Once upon a time gardeners filled their garden beds with pansies every autumn because “they put on a nice show”.

Theses days few people have flower beds but you can still plant pansies in pots and hanging baskets to bring colour into your life.

Oasis seedlings have released a new variety of pansy this season called Pansy Spreading Purple Wink. It’s a big name to remember but these pansies grow like a ground cover so they are better than other varieties.

Last weekend I saw them growing in a display at The Melbourne Flower and Garden Show and I was very impressed. Each plant can grow up to 60cms wide by just 15cms high. The foliage is bright green and the plants were covered with hundreds of flowers. The flowers are white with a yellow centre and they have cat like purple whiskers. The top petal is bright purple and it looks like a cap.

Pansy Spreading Purple Wink can be bought in punnets at your local garden centre. They can be planted as a ground cover in your garden to provide flowers for at least 6 months. Plant them in hanging baskets or allow them to spill over retaining walls. They also look fantastic growing in pots on sunny patios.

Scientists have discovered that flowers make you happy so plant some pansies now and escape the winter blues.

Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022.

We want the best for you! - 21/03/2011

Dear gardening friends

I am writing to you early this week because I am so excited about all this rain. Now is the perfect time to fertilise your lawn so if you are coming to Campbelltown make sure you call in and get some “Rapid Results” lawn food. If you put it on now while it is raining it will release immediately and turn your grass green almost overnight. It will also thicken up your lawn so you get fewer weeds in winter.

A couple of weeks ago I drove down a street in Fairlight that had the most spectacular native trees in full bloom. They are called Ivory Curl Flower or Buckinghamia celsissima. I took a photo of the trees to share with you. They are perfect for small gardens and the flowers attract native birds to your garden. Simon has found some beautiful plants one metre high for just $19.99. We need more trees in Macarthur and this is a beauty.

While I am on native plants we recently ran a trial on native potting mixes to see which brand is the best. A supplier came to us with a new brand so we planted it up with a Grevillea ground cover to see how it would perform. At the same time we planted one in our native potting mix too. Well after 3 months trial the results were amazing.

The plants have grown at least 300% better in the new mix so we have dumped our old brand and we are now stocking Home Gardener Native potting mix. It is the same price as the other brand but your plants are going to grow so much better. We are always looking for the best products for our customers.

Karyn is celebrating 20 years working at Tim’s Garden Centre this week. Karyn has worked in our shop all that time keeping it tidy and ordering the chemicals, fertilisers and indoor plants. She also looks after our garden and makes it look so beautiful for everyone to enjoy. Karyn loves flowers and knows how to grow them to perfection. If you love our garden thank Karyn next time you visit us.

I have had so many emails about my mouse in the house story. Thank you to everyone who made suggestions about the best way to catch a mouse. You will be pleased to know that eventually my mouse trap did go off. I had been feeding the mouse gourmet meals twice a day and eventually this was its down fall. They say that obesity can kill and now we have proof. I have since bought new mouse traps called “Safe and Sure” and these have changed my life. The traps look like a grey version of the Opera House. One trap has caught 4 mice without a miss. I use peanut butter for bait. I am blocking holes in walls with steel wool to stop them getting in.

Happy gardening.
Best wishes
Tim

Patchy lawns a problem? - 14/03/2011

Lawn lovers throughout Macarthur are watching in horror as there prize winning lawns turn brown and die.

Grubs and lawn caterpillars are getting the blame but the patches are actually caused by lack of rain.
First the grass turns grey on those really hot days then it turns yellow and begins to die. When you get a shovel and dig up these patches you will discover the soil below the grass is bone dry. It's so dry in fact the soil has become hydrophobic. This means the soil actually repels the water. This problem can be fixed by aerating the dry patches using a garden fork. Once this has been done treat the entire lawn with "Wetta Soil". This agricultural detergent removes the oily barrier and allows the soil to accept moisture again. Wetta soil is now available in a hose on bottle so there is no messy mixing required.

Next get your lawn sprinkler out and start watering your lawn again. Yes lawn sprinklers can be used any day before 10am and after 4pm. A good soaking once a week will bring your lawn back to life and make lawn lovers like you happy again.

Once it rains fertilise your lawn with "Rapid Results" lawn food and you will soon have the greenest lawn in the street.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Grow your own peanuts! - 28/01/2011

The grow your own fruit and veggie revolution is expanding with the release of peanut plants now available in nurseries. Peanuts are one of the easiest of all plants to grow.

Traditionally you would plant them from raw seeds bought at a heath food shop at the start of spring but nurseries have made it easier for you by producing semi advanced plants already in flower.
Peanut plants are fast growing ground covers that can grow 450mm high by 1200mm wide. They can be grown in pots or gardens in any sunny position. The soil has to be soft and friable. If your soil is heavy clay them grow your peanuts in pots on the patio. Use good quality potting mix and you can't go wrong.

Peanut plants have green stems and oval shaped leaves that look ornamental. They produce 50 or more pretty yellow flowers that are self pollinating. The bright yellow flowers only last for a day and then a few days latter a stem will grow down from the spent flower into the ground. Each flower produces one peanut. The peanuts grow under the ground like potatoes.

When the leaves start to turn yellow dig up your peanut plant and shake the soil from the roots. Hang the plant in your shed for 7 days until the peanuts dry. They can be eaten raw or put them in the oven at 220 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Flowering peanut plants are available in your local nursery now but plant them soon or it will be too late. Peanuts love the heat and the kids will love growing them.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Christmas time is near - 26/11/2010

There is a saying " when the bloom of the Jacaranda tree is here Christmas time is near ". The lilac blue blooms of the Jacarandas can be seen on all the hills in the Macarthur district. This is one of my favourite trees because it is easy to grow in all areas that don't get heavy frost. The trees can grow from 5 metres to 15 metres high depending on soil type. They make a fantastic shade tree.

I was sitting outside a cafe in Camden last week enjoying the view of the Jacarandas in the main street. All these Jacarandas have returned to good health now that the drought has finished and this year the blooms seem more colourful than ever. Camden council has planted red petunias in the gardens nearby and this contrasts brilliantly with the lilac blue flowers of the Jacarandas.

ampbelltown council has planted Jacarandas at the entrance to the city and these have been under planted with blue flowering plumbago plants. They have also planted Jacarandas in Blaxland rd and these have been under planted with blue flowering Agapanthus with great effect.

Perhaps we could plant more Jacarandas in the Macarthur district and become famous for them like Grafton has. They grow well here and they certainly know how to put on a Christmas floral show.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and Director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Give your garden a blast! - 27/10/2010

Last year we trialled a new type of ground cover petunia called 'Raspberry Blast'. This petunia is not sold in punnets and you won't find it on the potted colour bench either. It costs $15.99 in a 180mm pot and if you're a senior you are probably having a heart attack right now.
'Raspberry Blast' looks nothing like the petunias that we have been growing in our gardens for 50 years.

This new variety has thick stems like a shrub and it stays compact and bushy where other petunias grow wild and straggly. A single plant will grow 600mm wide and just 100mm high. It can be pruned if you want to keep it compact and the cuttings can be used to grow more plants.
The spectacular pink flowers edged in deep cerise, violet will make you say 'wow'. The plant is covered in these amazing flowers for 9 months then it has a rest in winter and comes back to life the following spring. Traditional petunias die in winter.
We pruned ours back in the garden at the start of spring and fed them with cow manure. Now they are covered in flowers again and they are looking sensational.
We have had great success growing Raspberry Blast in pots and gardens in sunny positions. If you are growing them in pots use the most expensive potting mix available. They are fast growing so they need lots of food. We use fastfood and they seem to love it.
Mulch around the base to conserve water and water twice a week for best results.
Grow them in pots or hanging baskets to add some colour around your decks for Christmas. Your friends will be impressed.
Tim Pickles is a CNP Horticulturist and Director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Have you got a bald patch? - 19/10/2010

It has been one of the wettest springs for a long time so your lawn at home has probably never looked better. Isn't it frustrating though when you get a bald patch where no grass seems to grow.

I have been fixing the bald patches in my lawn at home this spring by planting a new type of buffalo grass called Matilda.

This fast growing broad leaf buffalo looks a lot like kikuyu but it grows in sunny or shady areas. It even thrives on the south side of your house where traditional grasses like kikuyu and couch fail every winter.

I have been digging up the bald patches with a mattock and then I cut a patch of Matilda turf to the required size and shape using a sharp shovel. If the patch fits tight it is more likely to root.

The turf has to sit level with the existing grass or your lawn mower with simply destroy it the first time you mow. Once the turf is laid I cover it with a thin cover of Tim's topdressing and water it often. The topdressing absorbs more water and keeps the grass protected from the hot sun. I planted turf last year during that heat spell without covering it with soil and it all died.

Don't mow over the patch for at least a couple of weeks or until it knits.

Matilda buffalo grows very fast and it is dark green in colour. It seems to be more drought tolerant than Sir Walter.

Matilda buffalo is available every friday and saturday at the nursery for $6.60 a roll. We do sell out so it is best to pre order and pay.

Topdressing costs $8.99 or buy 2 for $16.00. Tim's Topdressing is available in bulk for $45.00 per cubic metre plus delivery.

Great news, Lisa is back at work and looking slim.

Simon had a rant about young people last week which means he must be getting old.

P.S Start looking for a fast snail, our Melbourne cup for snails is on again on Saturday 30th of October at 11am. This fun event for kids has been postponed for 5 years because of the drought. To enter simply bring a used toy that we can donate to Lifelines christmas toy appeal.

Happy gardening

Tim

Its time to grow potatoes! - 13/10/2010

A mate of mine, Nathan started a vegetable garden last spring. This was ironic because his dog named Dexter would be more likely to eat a vegetable. I got invited for dinner once and we had Sarah Lee lasagna devoid of trimmings. If I had stayed for more than 2 days I would have got scurvy. This spring I am encouraging Nathan to grow potatoes because this is one vegetable he really does eat, although usually in chip form.

Potatoes are the easiest of all vegetables to grow and just like their cousins the tomatoes they taste so much better if you grow them yourself. You don’t even have to have a garden to grow potatoes. They grow beautifully in big pots or just plant them directly into a bag of potting mix. If you have a garden, prepare the soil by digging in some cow manure. This will make the soil hold more water and feed the plants. Purchase certified disease free seed potatoes from your local nursery to lesson the chances of disease. Plant these 10cms below the ground. As the plants grow mound more soil around the stems. This will increase your yield considerably. Each seed potato will produce 10 potatoes and these can be dug up around Christmas time when the leaves start to shrivel.

Dig your potatoes as you need them because they will stay fresher if you leave them in the ground.

Spring is the best time to plant potatoes and they are the only vegetable that all kids will eat.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Rubber plant bounces back? - 21/09/2010

I had a call from an excited friend tonight who had been to an indoor plant shop in Surrey Hills. My mate is only 24 years old and he has just bought a unit in Cronulla. He has been looking for a plant that would make a statement in his living room.

Well today he discovered this new plant that looks absolutely fantastic and it has these great big shiny leaves and it will grow in his unit and you can't kill it and he has to have one and it's called Ficus elastica.

I got a big smile on my face when I heard that name because Ficus elastica is commonly known as The Rubber Plant. This plant is not new and it was big in the 80's when the line "my gardens full of furniture and my house is full of plants" was being heard on the radio.

Gardening follows fashion so it shouldn't be a surprise to see 80's colours, clothes, furniture and now indoor plants coming back.

Rubber plants were one of the most successful indoor plants ever grown. They could survive with little light and they didn't seem to mind being pot bound. The leaves looked great and they looked even better if you sprayed them with " Leaf Shine ". Unfortunately this caused dust to stick to the leaves and over time many of the leaves would drop off as the plant gasped for air.

The straggly plant would then be set free in the garden where it would grow into a massive tree up to 20 metres high!

The roots would seek out sewerage pipes and block them within months and plumbers were able to buy holiday houses near the beach for cash. If indoor plants are coming back it's not just plumbers that are getting excited.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen st Campbelltown 46267022.

Spring herbs are easy to grow? 9/9/2010

I had a lady in recently who wanted to grow some fresh herbs this spring. The popularity of Master Chef and peoples desire to eat fresh has seen an increase in the sale of herbs. The customer was going to grow her herbs on the balcony in tiny 10cm pots.

This was going to be a disaster because the plants would simply dry out on the first hot day in summer and go to god.

I am not a fan of herb pots either, because when the herbs grow they prevent the water getting into the soil.

The best way to grow herbs is to group them together in a large pot that holds at least one bag of Tim's quality potting mix. Quality potting mix costs at least $12.50 a bag.

Choose a pot that is at least 450mm wide. Terracotta pots are much better than plastic pots because they absorb moisture and insulate the plants roots from the heat. A pot this size will allow you to grow 4 herb plants. Grow the herbs you use the most.

I like to grow parsley, basil, oregano and chives. I make a lot of spaghetti sauces for the boys and I can sneak these herbs in without complaint if I chop them up fine. Herbs make the sauce taste better and the goodness helps keep your children healthy.

Put your pot in a sunny position close to the kitchen. If you can see the herbs you’re more likely to use them.

Water it twice a week using 10 litres of water.

We potted up a sample herb pot about 3 weeks ago and it is looking fantastic. Come and check it out if you need inspiration.

Spring is the best time to start a herb garden so visit us soon.

Best wishes

Tim

Its Time to Repot! - 17/08/2010

I have been growing a rosemary plant in a pot for at least 5 years now just outside my back door. In the first couple of years the plant grew vigorously and I had an endless supply of fresh home grown rosemary to use in my cooking.

Last summer I noticed the plant began to get die back and I had to water it much more often or the leaves went yellow.

I decided to topdress the soil with cow manure and this gave the plant a new lease of life.
Over winter the plant has gone backwards again so this morning I decided to repot it into a bigger pot.

The rosemary plant was so pot bound I had to break the old pot with a hammer.
Once the roots were exposed it was obvious why the plant was so unhappy. Over time the organic matter in the potting mix decomposes and the available space is replaced by roots. Organic matter absorbs the moisture and releases nutrients to the plant so once this is gone the plant begins to perish.

I removed at least 25% of the compacted roots with a shovel then replanted it into a much bigger pot using Tim's best potting mix.

If you were to fertilise this plant now it would die from dehydration. Instead I watered it with a seaweed solution to stimulate new root growth.

In the next couple of weeks my rosemary plant will respond to the warmer weather with fresh new growth and the taste of my cooking should improve dramatically.
If you have pot plants that are looking unhappy repot them now and you will be rewarded with lush green leaves and more flowers this spring.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Get your a dog a milk crate? - 04/08/2010

Your dog may need a milk crate to sit on this summer if you don’t spray your lawn for bindii now. The perfect growing conditions have encouraged broadleaf winter weeds like clover and bindii to thrive. Clover is a big problem in lawns because the white flowers attract bees by the thousands in spring and when you tread on the bees they sting your feet. Bindii seeds are designed by nature to stick in your feet so you spread the seeds as you walk.

Most people just mix up the spray and then spray the entire lawn. Often the lawn is over 100 square metres so the product doesn’t work because you have used it at half strength. I hear this complaint often in the nursery.

Don’t mow your lawn for 7 days before or after spraying or the product won’t work either.

The best time to kill weeds is when they are actively growing so declare war on weeds this weekend.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and Director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022

Make a weeping maple happy? - 22/07/2010

A few years ago I saw a Japanese Weeping Maple in a nursery for $3,500. It would have been at least 25 years old with a big thick trunk and it had the most amazing fern like weeping foliage. It actually looked like a giant bonsai plant and I fell in love with it. I went back a month later and it had been sold.

Japanese Weeping Maples are one of the most spectacular plants that you can grow in your garden. They are grown on a standard and the plant looks like an umbrella except the foliage weeps down. The most popular variety is one called Acer palmatum ' Dissectum Atropurpurem'. This variety has purple laceleaf foliage in spring and autumn.

Winter is the best time to buy a weeping maple because they are dormant at this time of year and your nursery will have a big selection. Don't panic about the price because small standards can be bought for around $50.00.

The best news is that they can also be grown in big pots and they look fantastic on patios.
The most important thing to remember is that these are cool climate plants so you must protect them from the hot summer winds or the leaves will get burnt and look brown and withered.
Choose a morning sun position and your weeping maple will be happy.

If you're growing your maple in a pot plant some cyclamen or pansies around the base in autumn and enjoy the pretty flowers while the maple is sleeping.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Put on a Coat and Save - 08/07/2010

Dear Gardening friends

I know it is freezing now but could I temp you to go out in the garden if the plants were half price?

Smart gardeners have discovered that strawberry plants can be bought for just $1.50 in winter but the price goes up to $3.99 in spring. That's because nurseries can sell strawberry plants bare rooted at this time of year so they save money on pots,potting mix and transport. Strawberries are so easy to grow in pots or gardens in any sunny position and home grown fruit tastes so much sweeter than those store bought rocks..

Now is also the cheapest time to buy a rhubarb plant. Two year old rhubarb crowns can be bought in nurseries now for around $5.99.

These will produce fresh edible rhubarb stalks this season. The rhubarb seedlings you buy potted in spring and summer won't produce any thick stalks for at least two seasons.

Grape vines are another plant that can be bought at almost half price at this time of year. The sultana grape is the best variety for the back fence because the green fruit are seedless. Grape vines are fast growing and if you grow them over a pergola they will provide summer shade. To prevent the leaves getting mildew simply spray with Yates rose spray.

Another fast growing vine that will save you money if bought now is the Kiwi fruit. This large leafed fast growing vine can produce several hundred fruit once established. You will need to buy a male and female plant for cross pollination.

Choose a well drained position for best results and feed with cow manure often.

Other popular plants that are cheaper to buy now include roses, fruit trees, spring blossom trees and shade trees.

So get out your warmest coat and make the most of these winter bargains.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Big fruit on small trees - 18/06/2010

There is a backyard revolution going on that is seeing homeowners growing fruit trees again. 50 years ago almost every house had a lemon tree down the back near the toilet. Today the toilets are inside and the backyards are smaller but nurseries have responded by producing dwarf sized fruit trees that still provide normal sized fruit.

The selection is increasing every season so now you can buy dwarf growing Lemons, Limes, Mandarins, Oranges, Apples, Pears, Nectarines, Peaches and Cherries.

The best news is that most of these varieties can also be grown on sunny balconies in big pots. That means if you move house you can take your fruit trees with you. Many of the dwarf fruit trees are sold under the brand name "Trixzee".

These deciduous fruit trees are available in your local garden centre now. They are dormant at the moment so they can be transplanted safely. These are all grafted trees so they can produce fruit in the first season.

Non poisonous sprays are now available that control fruit fry so the fruit you grow at home will be safe to eat.

Ask for advice from a horticulturist when choosing fruit trees because some varieties need cross pollination from another variety or they will never produce fruit.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Jane's rose is worth growing - 15/06/2010

This time last year we were inundated with people wanting to buy the Jane Mcgrath rose. Unfortunately growers had underestimated how many people would be willing to support the Mcgrath Foundation by purchasing a rose.
This year more roses have been produced and $1.00 from the sale of each rose will be donated to the Mcgrath Foundation.

The Jane Mcgrath rose was bred in Australia by Ron and Barbara Inverarity. Trials have proven it to be hardy in even drought conditions and it is one of only a few roses that are truly resistant to black spot.

This is great news for even non gardeners because they can grow this rose without having to spray dangerous chemicals.

Jane Mcgrath is a floribunda rose so it stays nice and compact and it is smothered in clusters of flowers for at least 9 months of the year. It grows 1m high by 1m wide.

The soft pink blooms are old English in style so it will remind you of a David Austin rose. They have a slight perfume and they are perfect for picking.

Roses grow best in gardens that get at least 5 hours of sun a day and they hate root competition from nearby trees.

Improve your soil by digging in cow manure and mulch the surface with sugar cane for best results. Don’t fertilise your rose for at least 6 weeks or it could drop dead.

Best wishes

Tim

Just Another Tree Rant! - 1/06/2010

I have been reading lots of articles in the paper recently about people getting cranky with councils about their street tree selection.

Poplar trees are lifting up driveways in Harrington Park and White Cedar trees are attracting plagues of caterpillars in Mt Annan. In Narellan, London Plane trees are dripping sap on cars and the hairy leaves and flowers are causing respiratory problems. I noticed that there was no mention in any of the articles about how much shade they provided or how they beautified the streets in these suburbs.

There is no escaping the fact that these trees were poor choices for suburban use and if you visit your local nursery you will not find them in stock. The problem with these hysterical stories is that they give all trees a bad name.

In truth if it was left to the owners almost no trees would get planted and those that were, would be a miss mash of varieties that would simply look terrible. People would still be complaining about trees because almost everyone has become leaf phobic. That means we love leaves but we don't want them falling on our driveways or in our pools.

We want the world to be cooler but we want other people to plant the trees and far enough away so we don't have to use a blower.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Caterpillars love broccoli too! - 15/05/2010

Caterpillars love eating broccoli too!

Scientists have discovered if you eat broccoli you will live longer. The problem with growing Broccoli is that caterpillars love eating it too. These caterpillars are the larvae of the white cabbage moth.

Until now you would have had to spray your broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower with dangerous chemicals to control the caterpillars.

Chemical companies like Yates have realized that people are starting to wise up about dangerous chemicals so they are now bringing safer people friendly products onto the market. Yates Success contains Spinosad, which is derived from naturally occurring beneficial soil bacteria. Spinosad moves into the leaf making the active resistant to rain and sunlight once the spray has dried. When caterpillars come in contact with the leaves they die. The product is not poisonous to humans. Yates Success was winner of the 1999 Presidential Green Chemistry Award for its favourable environmental, human and health profile.

Success controls a wide range of caterpillars plus pear and cherry slug. Your local garden centre now has a range of earth friendly products to control insects in your garden. The CNP horticulturists are kept up to date with all the latest products as part of there life learning commitment.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Flowers will make you happy - 15/05/2010

If you're feeling sad, instead of reaching for the chocolate, why don't you go out into the garden and look at the flowers? Scientists have found that flowers in your garden will make you feel happy.

During the drought people stopped planting flowers because they were seen as water wasters. Flowers were replaced by boring strappy leafed Cordylines that now seem to be in epidemic proportions. Take a drive through any of the new housing estates and you will see cordylines and pebbles in almost every garden.

The problem with these "no maintenance" gardens is they require no maintenance. Once upon a time we went out in our gardens on the weekends, we dug up the soil , planted flowers and then nurtured them until they came into flower and made us happy. We knew our neighbour's names and our kids played out in the garden too. Everyone was skinner then and the gym was something we watched at the olympics on T.V.

Today I had a customer who came into the nursery just to look at the flowers, she had a smiling face, " I just needed to get out in the garden, " she said. I thought this was funny because she was in my garden. In the afternoon I took down our hanging baskets and replaced the tired old Petunias with flowering Pansies and blue Lobelias. These will flower for 6 months and make me smile every time I come to work.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Simon's Grevillea Rant - 15/05/2010

I promised myself when I started my native garden 4 years ago that I would Never become a gardening tragic, a collector obsessed with trying to plant as many different plants as possible, Guess what …….I was kidding myself 94 varieties of Grevillea later and I am still going!

I had the pleasure of going to the Illawarra Grevillea Park in Bulli on the weekend and had my ‘kid in the lolly shop’ moment and yes I did not walk out of there empty handed. There was everything there for the grevillea enthusiast. The park was well set out and most of the plants well sign posted. This place is a must see if you love your natives.

By far and away the grevilleas I love collecting are the western Australian varieties with their unusual flowers and interesting foliage my favourite at the moment is Grevillea leptobotrys it has a fierce reputation for dying. The leaves are silvery look like holly and the plant gets pink flowers from spring through to autumn and the smell like lollies to boot! Down at the park I counted 7 different plants growing quite happily. Fingers crossed for mine!

When I got back to work on Monday fresh from my recent visit I got a little over excited and filled the nursery up with all kinds of weird and wonderful Grevilleas and other flowering native plants. I got some great grafted plants to like Grevillea wild Beauty. The flowers on this plant are pink with green tips. Sounds weird I know but they look great and have to be seen to be believed.

If you have not got your mothers day present sorted get your mum a grevillea for something a little different. They will bring the birds to your garden. We have over 100 different varieties to choose from Ground covers to small shrubs up to the 3 metre beauts such as moonlight.

Tim's Doing The Olives - 15/05/2010

A couple of weeks ago I went for a haircut. As I walked into the shop the barbers were in a serious conversation about
"doing the olives ".These guys are all Italians so I was very interested to learn how to pickle olives from the experts.

They told me they buy green olives from the fruit shop for around $40.00 a box. Green olives will turn black if you leave them on the tree to ripen. The variety they like the best is Manzanillo. This is a Spanish variety and it is the world's most popular table olive. To marinate the olives they use fennel, whole chillies and cloves of garlic . They collect the fennel which grows wild beside railway lines. Fennel has a fern like leaf with an aniseed fragrance. Wild fennel has a much stronger taste than commercially grown varieties.

They put the unprocessed green olives into storage jars and place the fennel leaves, chilli and garlic on top.
Next start adding table salt into a bucket of fresh water. They place an egg in the bucket and when it floats to the top, the water has the right salt content. They take the egg out next and then fill up their jars with the salted water. They seal the lids and put the jars in the pantry. The olives are ready to eat in 6 weeks.

I have now "done the olives" myself and for $41.00 (the salt cost 99 cents) I have over $200.00 worth of olives. I will save even more money when my home grown Manzanillo Olive tree starts to bare fruit in a couple of years. Thankyou to the boys from Trevi's for sharing their recipe.
Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and Director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Time to think pink! - 18/03/2010

I have fallen in love with a relatively new plant called Syzygium Cascade. This fast growing pink flowering Lilly Pilly has been planted in a garden just behind Subway in Camden. It has been planted as a hedge to screen the waste bins and it is growing brilliantly despite getting little or no maintenance. This fast growing Lilly Pilly is perfect for small gardens because it has a narrow upright habit. It only grows about 1200 mm wide and up to 3 metres high.

What’s so exciting about this plant is it has pink flowers while most other lilly pilly flowers are white. The flowers are like pink pom-poms and they form on the ends of the branches in spring. They are full of nectar so they attract honey eating birds to your garden.

The pink flowers are replaced by bright pink berries in summer, and they stay on the plant for months. These also attract native birds to your garden.

But apart from the pink flowers and pink berries Syzygium Cascade also has the most spectacular pink new growth. It is worth growing just for the foliage colour alone.

Syzygium Cascade can also be grown in large pots on patios and it looks great all year round. It will thrive in full sun or part shade and it can be clipped to any size and shape. So far it seems resistant to psylids, which is an insect that attacks the new growth of other Syzygiums.

You will find Syzygium Cascade in your local garden centre now.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Vegetables can kill you too! - 10/03/2010

We encourage our children to eat vegetables to stay healthy but a safe food campaigner in N.Z has found that celery had 21 pesticide residues. Other fruit and vegetables found to be on the "dirty dozen" list included cucumber, nectarines, lettuce, apricots, tomatoes, grapes and pears.

Pesticide residues can be found in fruit and vegetables sold in Australia too but because they fall below a certain level they are assumed to be safe.

Scientists have found that pesticides in food can give rise to long term effects such as hormonal cancer, immune system suppression, nervous system damage and birth defects. Pesticides can wipe out wild life too.

The only way to ensure your family is safe from chemicals is to grow your own fruit and vegetables organically at home. Your local nursery now has a range of products that will kill or deter the bugs without killing you.

Autumn is a great time to start a vegetable patch because the summer heat is gone and the soil is moist after all that beautiful rain. Some of the easiest vegetables to grow now include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, beetroot, peas, silverbeet and spinach.

Prepare your soil first by digging in cow manure and blood and bone then mulch with sugarcane to stop the weeds growing. Home grown vegetables really are good for you and you will taste the difference too.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Smell that Grass! - 08/02/2010

Every afternoon as I drive down my street I can here the sound of lawn mowers. I can also smell that fresh cut grass. Lawns have done it tough since the drought started in 2003 and most people gave up on the “perfect lawn dream”. But with the rain, lawns come back so quickly and with a bit of added fertiliser now, and a lot of lawn mowing, the perfect lawn dream could become reality.

Perhaps you have forgotten how satisfying mowing a lawn can be. It’s equivalant to going for a 5km run or doing an aerobics workout at the gym except you get to smell the grass. You will loose weight and save money on gym fees. A freshly mown lawn makes your house look loved again too, and it tells people you care.

Mowing your lawn will also help prevent grass flees from breeding. These tiny black insects bite your legs as you walk across the lawn. They can also end up in your house. They love the humidity that long wet grass provides so get mowing or find someone to give you a scratch.

While you’re mowing your lawn it’s a good time to see what plants need replacing in your garden. The dead ones will be much easier to spot now that everything living is green. Don’t buy the same variety that has just died. It’s time to move on and buy plants that are better suited to dry conditions. Visit your local garden centre and get advice from a qualified horticulturist. They know which plants are tough so use their expertise.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Dear Gardening Friends

Sorry I haven’t been in contact for so long but on the 5th of December I was dumped by a wave at Cronulla beach while body surfing with a mate. I got dumped head and shoulder into the sand and at first I thought I had broken my back. It turned out, my back was OK but I had done massive damage to my shoulder. I got operated on 2 days before Christmas to repair the damage and I am now, back at work on light duties. The boys are helping me out with lifting all the heavy stuff. So, if you have been wondering where I have been, that’s my excuse. I hope you had a healthier break than me.

Yesterday Simon, Ryan and I auditioned for channel 9’s Garden Guru’s. For Simon and I, it was an absolute disaster. We kept forgetting our lines. Ryan went OK so let’s keep our fingers crossed. I have to say I have much more respect now for Neville Passmore and his crew.

Best wishes

Tim

The quickest way to cool your house is to turn on the airconditioner. But with electricity prices about to soar, it’s time to look for smarter ways to cool your house. A shade tree planted on the sunny side of your house will provide you with free air conditioning all summer long.

So what’s the best shade tree for your garden?

Well, one of my favourites is The Indian Summer Crepe Myrtles. These drought hardy trees can flower for up to 100 days in summer and they come in a range of colours to suit any style of garden. This variety is resistant to powdery mildew so you won’t have to use dangerous chemicals.

Indian Summer Crepe Myrtles grow fast, so you won’t drop dead before you can enjoy the shade. They grow 4 to 6 metres high by just 4 metres wide. This is the perfect sized tree for today’s courtyard style gardens.

In autumn, the leaves turn gold and crimson. Then the leaves disappear to allow the winter sunshine in to warm your house.

Another feature of these shade trees is they have the most amazing smooth bark. It’s so beautiful you will want to hug this tree.

You will find flowering Indian Summer Crepe Myrtles in our garden centre now.

Beans beat boredom?

During the Christmas break the kids will get bored pretty quickly if you don't keep them busy. Why don't you get them to help you build a vegetable garden? Scientists have discovered the easiest way to get children to eat vegetables is to teach them how to grow them. Scientists have also discovered if children eat more vegetables they have less behavioural problems.

I have had great success getting my children to eat green beans using this method. We planted the climbing round beans from seed about 8 weeks ago and now the vines are 2 metres high and covered in fruit. The kids love eating them raw picked fresh from the vines.

As a kid I hated cooked beans because they were soft ,soggy and tasteless. Today I cook them Italian style in one cup of white vinegar and 3 cups of water. Boil the beans until they change colour. They should be still a little bit crunchy. Drain off the water then stir in olive oil and 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic . They are delicious hot or cold and my children love eating them.
Beans can be planted over Christmas and you will be eating them in February. If you don't have any wire to support the vines then plant dwarf beans instead.

If you need advice on soil preparation visit your local garden centre.
Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

It's time to grow Mangoes!

You might think the Mangoes you buy in the shop taste sweet but just like tomatoes, home grown taste so much sweeter. In Queensland Mango trees grow up to 20 metres high but in the Macarthur area you will be lucky if it grows 5 metres high in 10 years.

If you have a hot sunny position that is protected from frost then you can grow your very own Mango tree. The beauty of Mango trees is that they can bear fruit from the very first year you plant them.

The tree will be covered in white blossom in Spring and the fruit will be ready to eat in February. The fruit will grow at least twice as big as the ones you buy because the mangoes in fruit shops are picked green then forced to colour.

Mango trees like good drainage so if you have clay soil you will need to dig at least two bags of Greengold Planting compost into the soil. This organic rich soil will break down the clay in time and also allow the soil to hold more water. Yes mangoes love water but they don't like boggy soil.

In spring when they start to flower spray the plant with Mancozeb plus. This fungicide ensures the flowers don't just drop off. The fruit will have to be sprayed with an insecticide as they begin to colour to prevent fruit fly. Because the fruit grow so big you will need to support the fruit when the tree is young or the weight of the fruit will spoil the shape of the tree for ever.

The best variety is Bowen Mango or Kensington pride.These are actually the same tree sold under different names. Grafted trees are more expensive but you are guaranteed to get top quality fruit.
Mangoes and other tropical fruit trees are available in your local garden centre now.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Be cool, green and happy! - 11/11/2009

I think it’s funny that people will go to any length to park their car in the shade on a hot day. The shady spot is the most prized possession in the work car park too.

It’s commonsense that your car will be cooler if you park it in the shade. Why then do many of these same people refuse to plant any shade trees around their own houses.

Trees are one of the simple solutions to help prevent global warming but we find it almost impossible to sell trees at our nursery. We have a buy one get one free offer on a new release shade tree at the moment and the response has been under whelming.

In the older suburbs around Macarthur Jacarandas are in full bloom. These spectacular flowering trees can shade your house from the hot sun all summer and when winter arrives the leaves drop off allowing the sun to warm your house. The older generation used trees to cool their houses while today’s generation turns on the air-conditioned.

Perhaps Kevin Rudd should have paid for people to plant trees rather than providing free insulation. The suburbs would have looked greener, we all would have been much cooler and the birds would be happy too.
Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

It's A Big Thing, Thing! - 11/11/2009

Australia is a big country so perhaps that’s why we are fascinated by big things. Gardeners are fascinated by big things too and that’s why we have competitions to see who can grow the biggest pumpkin. A pumpkin vine can take over your entire backyard so big thing lovers will be happy to hear about a new tomato plant that can produce huge fruit up to 500grams.

The tomato plant is called “ Fatty ” and it is available in your local garden centre now. Proceeds go to the Starlight Children’s Foundation. “ Fatty ” is a select form of an heirloom variety so the fruit tastes much sweeter than those rock hard things you find in fruit shops. When picked ripe from the vine, it will be the sweetest tomato you have ever eaten.

Fatty is a fast growing vigorous variety that will grow up to 2 metres high. Tie the plant to a stake using budding tape. Remove any side shoots so all the plants energy goes into producing huge fruit. Liquid fertilise every week with “Harvest” for best results.

As the huge heart shaped fruit ripen give some to your neighbours. Word will soon spread that you grow the biggest tomatoes in Macarthur. It’s a big thing, thing.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and Director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Pot plants need love too! - 7/10/09

The windy weather from last week has caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to pot plants in the Macarthur area. When the plants blow over the terracotta or ceramic pots get broken. These can be hard to replace because pot colours and styles change with fashion.

If your pot plants are blowing over it is a sign that the plants need repotting into larger pots . It could also suggest the potting mix has become hydrophobic. Modern potting mixes are made from recycled green waste and pine bark. If the potting mix dries out it actually repels water. If the water just pours out the bottom of your pots when you water then your potting mix is hydrophobic. Many potting mixes have wetting agents added to help stop this happening but after 6 months these stop working.

We have had fantastic results topdressing our pot plants with " Greengold Planting Compost ". This organic rich product contains a wetting agent and a slow release organic fertiliser. We use it as a mulch around pot plants to a depth of 20mm. It washes down into the potting mix, filling in any cracks. This slows the water down so your soil gets more time to absorb the moisture. Within 14 days your pot plant will reward you with lush new growth. Plants can't talk so this is their way of saying I love you!

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Veggie Gardening Can Be Dangerous ! 16/09/2009

This week the boys and I dug up the veggie garden. First we had to pull out all the spent winter vegetables including Broccoli, Broadbeans and Brussel sprouts. I've never grown Broadbeans before and after tasting them this year I won't be growing them again. The kids thought they were disgusting and I had to agree.
We spread cow manure and blood and bone over the composted sugar cane mulch then we dug it all in using long handled shovels. My life was in danger with a 4 and 5 year old banging me in the head on numerous occasions.
While we turned over the soil we picked out all the curl grubs. These white grubs with a copper coloured head eat the roots of your vegetables and the only safe way to remove them is by hand.
Once the soil was dug over and nice and soft, we covered it again with a fresh layer of sugar cane.
This weed free mulch keeps the soil cool and moist during the heat of summer.
I have been more selective with my vegetable selection this season. I have given up trying to grow eggplant and capsicum because where I live the season is too short and the frost kills them just when they are starting to fruit.
We have planted cucumbers, zucchini,beans,tomatoes,basil,lettuce,potatoes and garlic.The boys gave up helping when a huge blue tongue lizard came out from under a buxus hedge and wandered across the path. "How fast can they run and do they bite?" was all Dan wanted to know.
Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Hedge your bet with Tomatoes - 2/09/2009

Even today, I still get customers who will only grow Grosse Lisse Tomatoes. This aussie Icon has been around since1938 but it was actually invented by the Germans. Its a great tasting tomato but if you only grow one variety you increase the chances that your entire crop could be destroyed by pests and diseases.
Your local nursery will have at least 25 varieties of tomatoes to choose from and I recommend that you choose at least 4 different varieties to grow in your garden.
The only fool proof tomato is the variety called " Sweet Bite". This cherry sized variety is so tough it often pops up in your compost and simply grows without any help from you. It has a leathery skin that makes it resistant to fruit fly so you will never have to eat this tomato in the dark.
One of the biggest and best eating varieties is one called "Taurus". This old stye tomato looks like your bottom. Yes it has a big crack. When you slice the fruit it has hardly any seeds and the flesh is super sweet and juicy. I grew this variety last year and some nights we just ate salted tomatoes in olive oil on fresh bread. They were delicious.
To guarantee you will be eating home grown tomatoes before Xmas plant an old favourite called "Apollo". This is still one of the earliest fruiting varieties available. Grab a " Grosse Lisse" too, just to keep your parents happy and you are ready to grow your own fresh tomatoes.
Don't forget the cow manure or the tomato stakes. All these varieties will grow at least 2 metres high.
Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

The Best Soap Ever? - 28/08/2009

Dear Gardening Friends
While holidaying in Merimbula last February we went to the famous Candelo markets. This market is held once a month in a sleepy little town called Candelo. One of my friends moved to Candelo about 5 years ago and he loves it. If you ever go there I highly recommend the French toast with ricotta and fresh blueberries at the little cafe opposite the park.
While I was at the market I bought 3 cakes of Lemon Myrtle Soap from one of the store holders simply because I liked the smell of it. They put the soap in an envirobag which I think is made from rice.
Well I bought the soap home stuck it in the bathroom cupboard and there it stayed until several weeks latter we ran out of soap. I got the soap out and gave it a sniff.
Lemon Myrtle soap is made using the oil from an Australian native tree called Backhousia citriodora. The oil is Anti bacterial and anti fungal. The fragrance is a cross between lemon grass ,lemon and lime.
Apart from the great smell this soap lathered more than any soap I had ever used before and yes I'm a bloke so I washed my hair with it too. It made you feel fresh and peppy. The cake of soap lasted at least 2 weeks in our shower.
Eventually we ran out of the Candelo soap so I tried several other brands bought from super markets and other markets but they were always a big disappointment. Too soft, not as many bubbles, not the same colour, not the same great smell.
In frustration I contacted my mate in Candelo and asked him to track down the store holder and see if they could deliver the soap to the nursery. Yes they could but only in boxes of 100 !
Well I was that excited about getting the soap again I ordered the box at a really good price and now I have decided to share this soap experience with all my gardening friends.
We have it at Tim's Garden Centre now for $3.25 or buy 3 like I did for $9.00.
This soap will change your life. I have given it to friends as gifts and its changing their lives too.
Best wishes
Tim

Great legs after 10am? - 20/08/2009

This time last year I made the outrageous claim that spring had started because I was wearing shorts. Temperatures plummeted in the following weeks and my skinny white legs went into hypothermia. This year I am being more careful in declaring that spring is starting but you may need to wear your “tracky daks” until at least 10am.

On the way to work this morning I noticed Flowering Plum Trees covered in pink blossom. These hardy small growing trees are making a come back in the horticultural world because of their beautiful burgundy coloured spring and summer foliage. The best flowering variety is called Prunus x blireana so look out for this in your local nursery.

I also noticed that clover is taking over the lawns of Macarthur’s home owners and beginning to flower. This is great news for the bee keepers in the area because the nectar from clover flowers makes great honey. Unfortunately it also means that lots of children and pets are going to get stung when the bees get trod on this summer.

Clover is difficult to control in lawns and you need to spray at least twice with Chemspray Bindie for best results. Keep your dog off the lawn until the chemical dries. Don’t spray lawns on windy days or the spray will cause the new growth on your Roses, Grevillea’s and Robinnias to grow twisted and distorted.

Water restrictions have been eased so you can now water your garden every day with a trigger hose before 10am and after 4pm.This is great news for the nursery industry but bad news for lazzy husbands because now they have no excuses not to garden.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and Director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

These nuts can be squeezed? - 12/08/2009

When I was a kid we used to go to Junee at Easter time to visit my Nanna. She lived in an old house that was so dark inside, even during the day it terrified me.
My brothers and I would borrow push bikes from my cousins and ride out of Junee towards Wagga Wagga following the railway line. At least 20 Almond trees grew wild beside the railway tracks over a 5 kilometre stretch.
These trees were never watered, fertilised, pruned or sprayed but they were still covered in delicious tasty nuts. We built a box trailer that could be towed by a bike to bring the nuts back into town.
Those childhood memories have encouraged me to plant an Almond tree in my garden. I chose a grafted variety called " All in one " because it is self pollinating and it only grows about 3 metres high.
In Spring the tree is covered in spectacular white flowers before the lovely lime green leaves appear. In Autumn the nuts begin to ripen. They are protected by a leathery sheath that can be pealed away.
This variety of Almond tree is special because the nuts can easily be opened by just squeezing them in your fingers. The nuts on other varieties have to be cracked with a hammer. The nuts are so sweet and crunchy and they will keep for months. They make great gifts and your children will love eating them too. If they can grow wild in Junee without any care you will have no trouble growing one in your backyard.
Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Cherries full of great taste - 6/08/2009

The sweetest fruit you will ever eat is the fruit you grow at home. Cherries are expensive to buy but easy to grow in your backyard. The best variety for small gardens is called Stella. I chose this variety for my garden because it is self pollinating and only grows 3m high. In spring, it is covered in spectacular white blossoms that will take your breath away. At Christmas, the tree is covered in large, dark and red sweet - tasting fruit. The fruit hangs in bunches so it is very ornamental too. Your children will be able to take bunches of home-grown cherries to school for munch and crunch! In autumn, your cherry tree will have the most spectacular gold and crimsoncoloured leaves. These will drop in winter to allow sunshine into your garden. You can buy a grafted Stella cherry tree for under $50 at your local garden centre. For best results buy a bag of planting compost. Dig this into the soil and plant your tree on a small mound. Mulch around the base with sugar cane to stop the weeds growing and to insulate the roots.

Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre, 2 Queen St, Campbelltown. Phone: 4626 7022.

Doom not Bloom

In March I was doing a potting mix trial on the potting mixes we stock at the nursery. I also bought a bag of Bloom Potting Mix from Woolworths to see how their brand would perform.
To test the potting mixes we plant pansy seedlings directly into the bag. We poke drainage holes into the plastic so the water drains. We use the same variety of pansy in each bag and we water them daily with over head irrigation. We don't ad any fertilisers, the plants have to rely on whets in the potting mix to survive.
Over 10 weeks have passed since the trial started and the results have been incredible. The pansies growing in the Bloom Potting mix have not grown at all. They haven't died but they are still the same size as the day they were planted. Perhaps this potting mix should be called Doom not Bloom.
The pansies growing in the other brands of potting mix are up to 30cms across and covered in flowers.
When you purchase a bag of potting mix you assume that plants will actually grow in it. We have the trial on display in the nursery and you are welcome to come and see the results for yourself.
Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Grow your own hot chips? - 21/05/2009

I went to the cricket in January and got stuck behind a huge guy wearing a Mexican hat. It was so hot I began hallucinating about hiring a seagull suit and running onto the pitch with a huge chip under my wing. If security chased me it would look like they were after my chip.

I love chips and they taste even better if they are made from home grown potatoes. Seed potatoes are available now at your local nursery. Potatoes are the easiest of all vegetables to grow. Simply find a sunny spot in your garden. Dig cow manure and blood and bone into the soil. Cut your seed potatoes into quarters and plant these 40cms apart. As the potatoes sprout, mulch around the stems with your lawn clippings. Water them when you see the leaves drooping.

At Chistmas time when the leaves start to go yellow dig up your potatoes as needed. They will stay fresher in the soil than in your cupboard.

Home grown potatoes have a completely different taste than those things you buy at the grocer. Eat your home made hot chips inside or you could be attacked by seagulls.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and Director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

A Gum For Little Gardens - 7/5/2009

I was heading down the coast on a fishing trip in march and we passed through a town called Mogo. As a kid I used to hate Mogo because my mother would always want to stop and look at the pottery studio. At the time we had more mugs and sugar bowls than anyone in Australia.
Now Mogo is famous for it's zoo and the spectacular W.A red flowering gum trees which are planted on the roadside. I stopped and got my photo taken beside one of the trees which was in full bloom. What a sight! Several parrots were busy enjoying the nectar from the flowers.

These red flowering gums are a dwarf form called " Wild Fires". They only grow 6 metres high by 5 metres wide so they are a perfect choice for today's courtyard sized gardens.
The brilliant fire engine red flowers are much bigger than the original variety and it has bright yellow stamens. The tree is suppose to flower in Summer but I have seen it flower throughout Autumn too. When it finishes flowering it has large ornamental gum nuts. Remove these on young plants to encourage faster growth.

Wild Fires is a grafted variety so it flowers within 12 months and it's guaranteed to flower true to label. They need lots of water for the first 3 months or they will shrivel up and die. Once established they require no hand watering. If you don't like red flowers look for the orange, pink or purple forms in your local nursery now.

As with all grafted plants remove any shoots that appear below the graft with a sharp pair of secateurs.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022.

New Wattle is a Winner - 15/4/2009

Last year when I visited the ABC gardening show at homebush I noticed a display of a new release plant called “ Fettuccini “.

It was a small shrub that had very unusual lime green foliage that looked like fettuccini. I am happy to announce that this fantastic native plant is now available at your local garden centre.

Botanically known as Acacia “ Fettuccini “ this cute little plant grows just one metre high. It has a weeping habit and the leaves blow in the wind so it almost looks like an alien.

It will produce yellow wattle flowers eventually but this plant is really grown for its spectacular foliage.

It looks great growing in a large pot on any sunny verandah. For best results purchase a potting mix that is specifically designed for native plants. Feed every spring and autumn with ”Osmocote for Natives” or blood and bone.

Acacia Fettuccini looks fantastic in gardens too. If you have room plant them as a border. Improve the soil by digging in planting compost and water from the base to prevent fungus diseases.

Plants can be lightly trimmed in the warmer months to help maintain a neat , bushy habit.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown.46267022.

The most exciting new Camellia for 20 years.

A new Camellia japonica called “Volunteer “has been described as the most significant new release for 20 years.

Originally released in N.Z for their “Year of the Volunteer“ it is now available at Tim’s Garden Centre in Campbelltown.

Advanced bushy plants in bud are available now from $39.99.

This early flowering Camellia has huge wine coloured, peony form flowers with white markings to the petal edge. It is so spectacular you will want to plant one in your garden. Camellia japonicas grow best on the southern side of your house. This is fantastic news because other plants seem to struggle in this aspect. They can be pruned to any height or width and they also make great hedges.

If your soil is heavy clay you will need to dig in lots of cow manure and planting compost to improve the drainage. Mulch around the roots with sugarcane or termite resistant mulch to protect them from the summer heat.

If you don’t have a garden, Volunteer will grow beautifully in a large pot on your veranda. A large pot should hold at least 2 bags of premium potting mix.

A bucket of water twice a week in summer and once a week in winter will keep your Camellia lush and green. Mulch the roots with cow manure every spring and autumn and you will be rewarded with the most spectacular flowers in the cooler months.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

New Citrus are a winner! - 18/3/2009

A new range of Citrus trees have been released that are perfectly suited for today’s small courtyard style gardens. Citrus Splitzer is two citrus varieties grafted on the one tree. There are 5 combinations available including Lemon& Lime, Lemon & Orange, Orange & Lime, Kaffir Lime & Lime, and Mandarin & Orange.

These trees have proved so popular nurseries are having to forward order them months in advance. Citrus Splitzer can be grown in gardens or in large pots. If you grow them in pots choose a pot that holds at least 3 bags of premium potting mix.

Clip your tree after fruiting so one variety doesn’t take over. Never use citrus food on potted plants because if you get hot weather or you don’t water regularly it can kill your tree. Use Osmocote slow release fertiliser and topdress with cow manure every Spring and Autumn.

Citrus trees are very easy to grow and the occasional spray with Pestoil will keep them pest free and healthy. These new fruit trees make great house warming or baby shower gifts. Look for the fancy lime green pots in your local nursery now.

Tim Pickles is a CNP horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Catch More Fish? - 28/02/2009

With Autumn approaching many people will be looking at replacing all those plants that got killed by the heat. I often see people in the nursery with trolleys full of plants but they buy no soil improvement products. The Macarthur area has a varied soil structure with sandy soils in Elderslie and solid clay soils in most other suburbs. If you dig a hole in clay and plant a shrub it will invariably struggle its entire short life.

A couple of years ago I said to my staff that we should tell people about “ Planting Compost “. My apprentice at the time thought I was just trying to make him sell more product so I could make more money. My response to that accusation was if you were planting a shrub in your garden would you use planting compost? Yes, he replied . Do you think customers would like to know about a product that made their plants grow faster? Yes, he replied. Well don’t sell it to them but just tell them about the product and let them decide I said.

Planting Compost is an essential product if you want your plants to grow well in our terrible soils. It contains compost which helps break down the clay. The compost retains more moisture and releases nutrients that feed your plants. Greengold Planting Compost has added organic fertiliser and a wetting agent. We have had great success with this product in our nursery.

When planting shrubs don’t just fill the hole with planting compost. You need to mix the planting compost with the existing soil. One bag of compost is enough to plant about 3 shrubs. Mulch around the base to help stop the moisture evaporating and your plants will thrive using less water. We want you to have success gardening because like fishing, if you catch fish you are more likely to go fishing.

Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022

We were like monkeys - 19/02/2008

Last week I had a reunion with the Anderson family who lived behind us at Rydalmere. When I was a kid we used to jump their fence in Summer and swim in their above ground pool. Kenny's big brother Brian used to hold us under the water until we almost turned blue. He was like a crocodile.
They had a huge Santa Rosa plum tree that got covered in huge sweet plums just before Christmas. The kids from around the neighbourhood knew when the plums were ripe and we would climb from our fence into the tree and eat fruit all day. Kenny had a huge dog that tried to eat my brother once so we sat in that tree like monkeys and screamed every time the dog came near.
The Plum tree is gone now and so is the pool but the backyard has been transformed into a private oasis with beautiful shade trees. As you step out of the house and onto the lawn you are surrounded by an amphitheatre of trees. The ambience was incredible, it was like being in a forest rather than suburbia. The trees were full of birds including Kookaburras, Magpies, Parrots and Honey Eaters.
An area has been paved under the trees where the grass wouldn't grow and a table and chairs is an inviting place to sit on those hot days. The temperature is at least 10 degrees cooler in the shade.
I came away from Kenny's place wanting to plant more trees in my garden. I have planted a Chinese Elm and a Crepe Myrtle so far. I have found a few places at my sons school where more trees are needed too. Trees are a great legacy to leave your children and they will love climbing them too.
Tim Pickles is a Horticulturist and Director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Insulate your garden now! - 4/2/2009

With temperatures hitting 40+ the best way to protect your plants from the heat is to insulate the soil. Any mulch is better than no mulch but the finer the particle the more water it will hold when it does rain. Mulch is like a big sponge that soaks up the water and then releases it back into the soil over time. Large chunky mulches allow hot air in that dries out the soil . Pebbles are often used as mulch but these absorb the heat and dry out the soil even faster. They don’t absorb any water and they don’t add any organic matter to the soil. If you have children the pebbles will end up all over your lawn and in your pool too.

Mulches like Sugarcane and fine Termite resistant mulches are best. These break down over time adding organic matter to your soil. Organic matter absorbs water helping to drought proof your garden. It also releases nutrients that help make your plants grow stronger. Don’t forget to mulch around all your pot plants too. These are often forgotten and they are nearly always placed in the hottest areas around your house.

After mulching you will notice that sad looking drought affected plants will suddenly sprout fresh new growth. They will also get less diseases like mealy bug and black spot fungus.

Now if only we could get Kevin Rudd to pay for our garden insulation too.

Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and Director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022.

This Bug Stinks! - 1/12/2008

When I was growing up in Castle Hill my neighbour was such a tidy freak she used to vacuum the driveway. Once I even saw her vacuuming the Lemon tree in the backyard. It wasn't until I studied horticulture that I realised my neighbour was using the vacuum cleaner to suck the Stink Bugs off the tree. These cockroach looking bugs are also called Bronze Orange Bugs. They have become a major pest that attacks Citrus Trees throughout late Spring and Summer. They suck liquid out of the leaves and fruit. If you have dry brown patches in your Lemons the damage has been caused by Bronze Orange Bugs. These bugs change colour as they grow bigger. They start off green and at this stage they are hard to spot on your Citrus leaves. Then they turn bright orange before changing to bronze at maturity. If you disturb them when picking fruit they will squirt a smelly liquid onto your fingers that is almost impossible to remove. The stain can stay on your fingers for up to a week. If you're brave you can use your vacuum cleaner to control this insect. Remove the head so you have full sucking power. If your not so brave spray them with Garden King Conquer. This low toxic insecticide also controls Aphids,Mealy Bugs,Scale insects,Thrips and Whitefly. You will find " Conquer " in your local garden centre now.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tims Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022.

Grow your own Blueberries - 12/11/2008

The other day my mother was telling me how she had heard that a certain fruit could help prevent Alzheimer's disease. She couldn't remember what the name of the fruit was so it may be too late to help her. Scientists have discovered that Blueberries don't just taste great but they are good for you too. Blueberries are long lived easy to grow shrubs that can produce up to 5kg of sweet tasting berries every Summer. A 125 gram punnet of Blueberries costs $6.95 so a mature plant can produce $280.00 worth of fruit. A Blueberry plant costs under $15.00 so it could be the best investment you ever make.
Blueberries grow best in a sunny position and they love organic rich soil. They will also grow beautifully in a large pot so you can take it with you if you move house. Dig cow manure or planting compost into the soil before planting. Mulch around the base of your plant with sugarcane. This will add more organic matter to the soil as it breaks down and help keep the soil acid which blueberries love. In Spring your plant will have pinkie white flowers followed by berries. The berries turn blue before they ripe and then start to gain flavour and increase in size. The fruit will ripen progressively over 5 or 6 weeks. Eat the berries as they ripen they are as sweet as lollies but much better for you. Fruiting Blueberry plants are available in your local garden centre now.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Paws can keep you poor? - 23/10/2008

Anyone who has bought a Kangaroo Paw will know that this fussy native plant will be on life support it's entire short life. Numerous new disease resistant varieties have been released over the years but almost all are complete failures unless you grow them in a pot using a native potting mix. The only other way to get a Kangaroo Paw to survive is to plant it in your kids sandpit but if you have been reading this column your sandpit is now a vegetable garden.

About 10 years ago Angus Stewart, a native plant breeder, gave John Doyle, alias Rampaging Roy Slaven a Kangaroo Paw as a gift. John planted it in his garden and It's still alive today. This could be the oldest Kangaroo Paw in captivity . The children of this blessed Kangaroo Paw are now being sold in nurseries under the brand BushGems Landscapers "Rampaging Roy Slaven". Ramm Botanicals who market the plant will donate 50 cents from each plant sold to Autism Spectrum Australia.

"Rampaging Roy Slaven" is the first release in the new Bush Gems Landscaper Series. It is much tougher than other Paws, longer lived,and it flowers repeatedly. It has masses of orangey red flowers and broad strappy foliage. Remove old flowers and leaves at the base of the plant to keep it looking tidy. Feed it every Spring and Autumn with slow release fertiliser for native plants.
You will find 'Rampaging Roy Slaven" flowering in your local garden centre now.

Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022.

Love the colour green - 10/06/2008

I am looking out my window as I write this article. It is one of those perfect Spring days when everything in your garden shines. The Chinese Elms and Manchurian Pears have just come into leaf . The thing that I missed most during the drought was the colour green. Now I see green everywhere.

I walked my dog up the street this morning and as I looked into peoples gardens it was like watching an orchestra only it wasn't the instruments but the plants that were putting on the show. Wisterias are flowering on the fences and the perfume from these hardy climbers wafts through the air. Flowering Peaches are doing solo performances on front lawns. I know these trees have never been pruned but they still get covered in so many flowers.

Tucked in amongst the trees I see Azaleas covered in flowers. It's the original varieties like Magnifica, Alba Magna, Spendens and Exquisite which are doing best. These shrubs are not as fashionable any more because the leaves get attacked by Lace Bug and the flowers get Petal Blight but despite all these problems, they still put on a fantastic display of spring flowers.

I notice the Day Lilies are starting to flower in my garden.These hardy perennials put on a spectacular show of bright daffodil yellow flowers from now to Christmas then they go on holidays before returning in Autumn to put on another show.

I said earlier that my Manchurian Pears have come into leaf. One variety called Pyrus Aristocrat has only just come into flower now. This is my favourite deciduous tree and it gets covered in double white Spring blossom that seems to fill the sky.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

From little things big things grow! - 06/10/2008

A mate of mine since school can only be described as a non gardener. He could quite happily live on the moon as long as he as he could take his lounge,television,coke and chocolate. His wife is even less enthusiastic about gardening having killed every indoor plant I have given them as gifts over the years.
They built a new house on the central coast about 5 years ago and it's still a horticultural blank canvas. I gave them a Frangipani as a house warming present and it sat in the pot for 2 years !
About 2 months ago they came to visit and I gave their son Luke, who is 12, a strawberry plant and a Mandarin tree to take home. I was thinking at the time if gardening is hereditary these plants are in big trouble. To my surprise the plants got planted that weekend and I have had numerous phone calls since from my mate who is now asking gardening questions. The father and son team have now constructed a vegetable garden where they are growing Tomatoes ,Carrots, Corn and Potatoes. I have had 5 phone calls alone on how much the potatoes have grown in such a short period of time.My mate and his son are now visiting garden centres on the weekends to look at plants.
I think Paul Kelly wrote a song with the words "from little things big things grow" perhaps I should give every child in Macarthur a strawberry plant.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022

New garden edge is great value - 9/9/2008

An exciting new garden edging product has been released that will make do it yourself landscaping so much easier and cheaper. Its called Linkedge and it is an aluminium strip that can be bent to create beautiful curved gardens within minutes. It comes in 3 metre lengths that will easily fit on your roof racks so you will save on delivery costs too. The lengths can be joined together easily with the clips provided and stakes are available to support the edge so it doesn't fall over.It comes in 75mm or 100mm depths but I prefer the 75mm and its cheaper.This product is so much better than those flimsy plastic strip systems and it will out live treated pine edging .
If you have just built a new house you can set up your new Linkedge garden edging on top of the soil. On the inside fill up the garden with garden mix and you are ready to plant. On the outside simply spread topsoil and then turf up to the top of the edging. Because the edging is now buried in the ground it will prevent the grass runners from getting into the garden.
The beauty of this edging is that you don't see it so the plants and mulch become the real stars of the garden.
Linkedge costs about $15 per metre so its half the price of concrete edging and you can have fun installing it yourself. Its available at your local garden centre now.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

This Parris Is Classy !

If you have found yourself putting shorts on in the morning it's a good indication that Spring has sprung. It's an exciting time to visit your local nursery because this is the time of year when all the new release plants start to arrive. One of the best plants on offer is an new evergreen shade tree called Magnolia grandiflora ' Kay Parris'. This classy looking tree has huge glossy green leaves that have a wavy margin. The underside of the leaves are coppery velvet.

In Summer to Autumn the tree is covered in highly fragrant white flowers that are the size of a bread and butter plate. These flowers look spectacular against the back drop of glossy green and copper foliage. Florists are starting to sell the foliage of this plant already because it lasts for ages in a vase and it looks so dramatic.
'Kay Parris' should be a winner because this small growing tree is perfectly suited to today's courtyard style gardens. Four metres high by two metres wide in the first 5 to 10 years. It's evergreen so there's no messy leaves to rake up in winter. It can also be used to make an informal hedge.

'Kay Parris' is only available in select nurseries so you will have to hunt around to find it. The advantage of this is you can get one up on your neighbours if you hurry.

Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown. 46267022.

It's Time To Spray Lime Sulphur 1/08/2008

Our Nectarine trees are starting to flower in the nursery, so it looks like we are going to have an early Spring. The leaf buds are starting to swell too, so now is the right time to spray your fruit trees with Lime Sulphur. This fungicide will prevent Leaf Curl from appearing on the leaves of Peach and Nectarine trees but you must use it before your trees start to sprout leaves. Leaf Curl is a fungus disease that causes the leaves on your fruit trees to become twisted and distorted. In severe cases the tree can defoliate. Once the tree has the disease it can't be treated until the following winter so don't put off spraying your trees now.

Lime Sulphur can also be used on your apple trees and rose bushes to help control black spot,powdery mildew,rusts,mites and some scale insects.

Be warned ,Lime Sulphur will make your garden smell like Rotorua so close your windows before spraying. The smell only lasts for about 10 minutes so don't panic.

Just reminding you that you only have a few weeks left to spray your lawn for Bindi or you will be doing the bindii ballet all summer long.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Bindii Ballet Back For One More Season 15/07/2008

It's time once more to treat your lawn to control clover and bindii. This is one of those jobs that you just can't put off or you will be doing the bindii ballet all summer long.
I still believe that 'Chemspray Bindi' is the best product to use on all lawns including soft leaf Buffalo. Before applying this chemical read the instructions carefully. For best results don't mow lawns prior or after application for at least 7 days. Don't spray on windy days or if rain is expected. Wear long pants and shoes so your legs are protected .
Measure your lawn so you know how big it is in square metres. The correct application rate is 30 mls of chemspray bindii in 5 litres of water sprayed over 50 square metres of lawn. If you don't know how big your lawn is then you can't accurately apply the product.
When mixing the chemical add a squirt of dish washing liquid. This will act as a wetting agent and make the spray stick to the leaves much better.
Test your sprayer on the concrete and adjust the nozzle until you get an even spray pattern. Walking slowly move the sprayer from side to side being very careful to avoid spray drifting onto shrubs in your garden. If you finish spraying the 50 square metres go back over the same area until all the spray is finished. This is where most people go wrong. They keep spraying over a bigger area so you are often using the product at half strength.
It takes 10 to 14 days before the weeds start to turn yellow and look sick. A follow up spray now will knock off even the hard to kill weeds.
Its safe to walk on the lawn 10 minutes after spraying on a sunny day.
In Spring fertilise your lawn so the grass grows thick leaving no room for more weeds to grow. Mow weekly so any persistent weeds don't get time to flower or produce seeds.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and a director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Time To Plant Fruit Trees 3/07/2008

This month garden centres will be taking delivery of there new season deciduous fruit trees. Sales of fruit trees have increased by 25% in the last 5 years because people have realised that healthy food means a healthy body.
Backyards might be getting smaller but plant breeders have responded by breeding smaller growing fruit trees that still have real sized fruit. Look for the Trixzie range of Peaches, Nectarines and Apples in your local garden centre now. These small growing trees produce excellent ,sweet flavoured full sized fruit. Because they stay so small they are perfect for compact gardens. If you don't own a garden grow them in large pots on sunny patio's and you will have great success.
If you have a narrow garden check out the range of Ballerina apple trees. These pole like trees only grow about 600mm wide by 3 metres high. There are five delicious eating apples to choose from. You will need to buy at least 2 of these because they need cross pollination to produce fruit. These are the crispiest apples I have ever eaten so I recommend them highly.
The problem with fruit trees in the past is that the fruit get attacked by fruit fly and then fall on the ground. These small growing trees are so much easier to look after and new sprays are available now that kill the pests without killing you.
The supply of fruit trees is very seasonal so once they sell out you have to wait 12 months before they become available again.
Tim Pickles is a horticulturist , CNP and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Make your panties smell fresh! 10/06/2008

Before you put your washing in the clothes dryer think how much energy you can save if you hang it outside instead. You will save money because dryers use an enormous amount of energy. You will also help save the environment and your clothes will smell fresher and last longer too. Wet clothes absorb the fragrances in your garden so if you plant perfumed shrubs near your clothes line even your undies will smell good.

Some of the most fragrant shrubs in the world are available in your garden centre now. Gardenia’s are one of the easiest plants to grow .They have handsome glossy green leaves all year round and the white flowers smell devine. We have had one in a pot for 20 years and it still looks sensational.There are many varieties available but the best is Gardenia florida. It only grows about one metre high and stays nice and bushy.

Daphnes are flowering now and these grow best in a morning sun , afternoon shade position.They are more reliable when grown in pots so don’t give up if you have killed one before.

Osmanthus is my favourite fragrant plant because it’s almost death proof and it thrives in full hot sun or part shade.It can be pruned to any size or let it grow naturally to 3 metres high.The tiny white flowers have the most amazing ripe apricot perfume that will even make your husbands socks smell nice.

Plant Lavender plants close enough to your washing so the towels and sheets brush by them in the wind. This will release the Lavender oils onto your washing for an extra sensory experience.Lavender shrubs must be pruned twice a year by 20% or they turn into woody monsters.

Tim Pickles is a Horticulturist, a CNP,and a director of Tim’s Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Grow Broccoli and catch fish 21/05/2008

A recent scientific report has found you will live longer if you eat Broccoli regularly. Adults don't mind eating Broccoli but kids would rather stick pins in their eyes than eat the stuff.
I have had no trouble getting my boys to eat Broccoli because we pick it fresh from the garden so it tastes much nicer than the stale stuff you buy at the grocers.The secret to growing Broccoli is not to use any chemical fertilisers in the garden. Chemical fertilisers make the leaves grow beautifully but the Broccoli heads are small and very woody.
I have had fantastic results ever since I started digging Cow Manure into the soil. This is the only fertiliser I use in the vegi garden now . Cow manure makes the Broccoli heads grow much bigger and it also attracts huge earth worms into your soil. The more worms you have in the soil the better your plants will grow. The other advantage of having worms in the garden is you can use them as bait to go fishing. The boys and I caught 3 whiting and a bream off the beach the first time we used them.
With the start of Winter approaching It's time to plant Broccoli, Cauliflower,Brussel Sprouts and Cabbage.These are all easy to grow from seedlings but you do have to watch out for caterpillars. If you see holes appearing in the leaves spray with Yates "Success ". This environmentally friendly spray will kill the caterpillars but not you.
Tim Pickles is a Horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

New Rose Is A Winner - 23/04/2008

Flower Carpet Roses have been a huge success since they were introduced more than 15 years ago. They were advertised as the first ever disease resistant ground cover rose. They have lived up to this but in truth they are sprawling small shrubs rather than ground covers. Growing to 80 cms high by 1.2m's wide they don't get that horrible Black Spot fungus disease like other roses if you plant them in your garden in a sunny position. They flower non stop for 10 months of the year. They get at least 50% more flowers if you prune and fertilise them every 6 weeks. Pruning is as simple as cutting off any spent flowers. This encourages more new growth and more flowers.
Over the years new colours of Flower Carpet rose have been released but up till now the original dark pink variety has been the best performing. This Autumn a new generation flower carpet rose called " Amber "has been released. It's too early just yet to say wether it's going to be as good as the pink but wow the flower colour is amazing.Flower Carpet " Amber "has orange buds that open to golden amber then fade to soft apricot pink. The plants are vigorous growers with lush green foliage. I'm so impressed with this new variety I have mass planted them in our garden at Campbelltown. If you have room in your garden plant a few together and the flower display will be much more powerful. Flower Carpet Roses perform best in gardens that don't have root competition from trees so plant them wisely and you will be rewarded.
Tim Pickles is horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Yellow Oleander Arrives - 16/04/2008

I travelled through France and Italy about six years ago and noticed nurseries were selling yellow flowering Oleanders. We didn't have this colour in Australia at that time so it was very exciting. I was surprising last week when Yellow flowering Oleanders arrived at our nursery without any fanfare. Usually when a new release plant is coming it is advertised in all the gardening magazines first .

But now that I think about it Oleanders have always been the quiet achievers in our gardens. They thrive without hand watering even during the drought and they flower non stop for at least 9 months. The new yellow flowering variety is just as good so you will need to find room for one in your garden too.

The problem with Oleanders is that most people plant them and don't prune them for the next 10 years. This causes them to grow into massive big shrubs 3 metres high by 3 metres wide. In Italy they prune them every season so they stay neat and compact. They even standardise them so they look like colourful lollipops popping up in the garden. Oleanders can also be grown in large pots and they are almost death proof.

Oleanders are poisonous if you eat the leaves or inhale the fumes if you burn the timber so you have to be sensible.

The new Yellow flowering Oleander is Called " Sunshine" and you will find it sitting quietly in your local garden centre now.

Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022

Much Confusion About Zero - 9/04/2008

Lots of weeds start to grow in Autumn so you may be planning on purchasing a weed killer soon. Ready to use weed killers are proving popular with customers because there is no messy mixing. The leading Ready to use weed killer is " Zero " but be careful there is also a Zero ready to use " once a year path weeder " and it's in exactly the same coloured bottle. The packaging and labelling are very similar so sometimes customers are purchasing the wrong product by accident. Ready to use Zero is made from Glyphosphate and you can safely spray the weeds in your garden with this and it doesn't poison the soil.

Zero " once a year path weeder " however is made from Amitrole and Simazine. Amitrole is absorbed by the foliage and kills existing growth. Simazine is a long term soil poison which is absorbed by the roots. Simazine can stay in the soil for up to 12 months. This product was designed to be used on paths and pavers only. If you use this product in your garden by mistake it can kill your much loved trees and shrubs.

If you have bought a Zero Ready To Use weed killer recently read the bottle carefully before you use it . If this is all to confusing talk to a horticulturist at your local garden centre for expert advice.
Tim Pickles is a Horticulturist and Director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Small Tree Is A Winner!

With blocks of land getting smaller people are looking for compact growing trees that are safe to plant near houses.One of the best small growing trees ever is called " Forest Pansy " and it's available now at your local garden centre .

"Forest Pansy" is a spectacular looking tree with huge heart shaped purple leaves. It only grows 5 metres high by 5 metres wide.

The large heart shaped leaves open up in Spring to a brilliant eye catching shade of reddish purple with a velvety appearance. The colour deepens to a purplish black in late Spring then to purplish green in Summer. In Autumn the leaves turn brilliant orange and yellow. In Winter the leaves drop to allow the sunshine into your house and garden.

Its then that you will notice that this trees young branches have a distinct zig zag habit. In late Winter through to early Spring the bare braches are covered in hot pink coloured pea shaped flowers.

This tree is always changing colour so it will add interest to your garden. It grows about a metre a year so in a few years you will have a beautiful shade tree. Young trees can be damaged by hot winds in the first Summer so mulch around the base and water often on those really hot days.

I have an advanced tree growing in my home garden and I have under planted it with the Dwarf Purple Fountain Grass and it looks sensational. " Forest Pansy " trees are botanically known as Cercis canadensis but we may think you have a disease if you ask for one of these.

Tim Pickles is a horticulturist and director of Tims Garden Centre 2 queen St Campbelltown 46267022.

Bringing Birds To Your Garden

When I first built my house there was only one tree on the property.The only birds I ever saw were Cockies, Parrots and Magpies.These made their nests each year in the old Gum tree.

There were no little birds like Wrens , Finches and Willy Wagtails. I planted hedges around the boundaries of the land to give me privacy from the neighbours and protection from the westerly winds. I planted native plants where possible including Waterhousia floribunda and a Lillypilly called Goodbye Neighbours. These hedging plants grow very fast and I clip them often with a Tanaka Hedge Trimmer.

Over time the hedge has become a thick wall of foliage 2.5 Metres high by 1.2 metres wide. As the hedge became thicker I noticed more and more little birds began to live in my garden.They were building their nests inside the thick hedge as it provided protection from predatory birds, Cats and Goannas. These little birds are the ones who feed on insects and I often see Wrens searching for Caterpillars in my vegetable garden.

Now my garden is home to at least 50 birds plus thousands of Frogs and Blue tongue lizards.

So if you love birds and privacy plant a fast growing hedge and you can have both.

Tim Pickles is a Horticulturist and Director of Tim's Garden Centre 2 Queen St Campbelltown 46267022

Tims Garden Centre

Navigation

Partiridges in our pear trees - 24/11/2011

Snakes in the garden! - 19/11/2011

Time to prune! - 11/11/2011

Smell the perfume - 11/11/2011

Stop and smell the roses - 25/10/2011

Mortisha gets her wish - 21/10/2011

Tim's gone Daisy crazy! - 14/10/2011

Gardeners love daylight savings - 7/10/2011

Snails come out to play - 30/09/2011

Kevin the Lemon in the news - 27/9/2011

Sniff before you buy - 25/9/2011

Kevin the Lemon is back? 20/9/2011

Don't eat maggots! - 19/9/2011

Time to plant tomatoes! - 2/09/2011

Tim gets the bug - 28/08/2011

Passion back in fasion - 26/08/2011

Do you love you dog? - 19/08/2011

Get ready for spring! - 11/08/2011

Making money is easy? - 8/08/2011

Join a community garden - 30/06/2011

Global warming sceptic? - 9/06/2011

Want real fresh air? - 3/06/2011

Get your dog a milk crate? - 2/06/2011

How many do you do? - 2/06/2011

These lollies are healthy! - 30/04/2011

Pansy people wanted? - 6/04/2011

We want the best for you! - 21/03/2011

Patchy lawns a problem? - 14/03/2011

Grow your own peanuts! - 28/01/2011

Christmas time is near - 26/11/2010

Give your garden a blast! - 27/10/2010

Have you got a bald patch? - 19/10/2010

Its time to grow potatoes! - 13/10/2010

Rubber plant bounces back? - 21/09/2010

Spring herbs are easy to grow? 9/9/2010

Its Time to Repot! - 17/08/2010

Get your a dog a milk crate? - 04/08/2010

Make a weeping maple happy? - 22/07/2010

Put on a Coat and Save - 08/07/2010

Big fruit on small trees - 18/06/2010

Jane's rose is worth growing - 15/06/2010

Just Another Tree Rant! - 1/06/2010

Caterpillars love broccoli too! - 15/05/2010

Flowers will make you happy - 15/05/2010

Simon's Grevillea Rant - 15/05/2010

Tim's Doing The Olives - 15/05/2010

Time to think pink! - 18/03/2010

Vegetables can kill you too! - 10/03/2010

Smell that Grass! - 08/02/2010

Dear Gardening Friends

Beans beat boredom?

It's time to grow Mangoes!

Be cool, green and happy! - 11/11/2009

It's A Big Thing, Thing! - 11/11/2009

Pot plants need love too! - 7/10/09

Veggie Gardening Can Be Dangerous ! 16/09/2009

Hedge your bet with Tomatoes - 2/09/2009

The Best Soap Ever? - 28/08/2009

Great legs after 10am? - 20/08/2009

These nuts can be squeezed? - 12/08/2009

Cherries full of great taste - 6/08/2009

Doom not Bloom

Grow your own hot chips? - 21/05/2009

A Gum For Little Gardens - 7/5/2009

New Wattle is a Winner - 15/4/2009

The most exciting new Camellia for 20 years.

New Citrus are a winner! - 18/3/2009

Catch More Fish? - 28/02/2009

We were like monkeys - 19/02/2008

Insulate your garden now! - 4/2/2009

This Bug Stinks! - 1/12/2008

Grow your own Blueberries - 12/11/2008

Paws can keep you poor? - 23/10/2008

Love the colour green - 10/06/2008

From little things big things grow! - 06/10/2008

New garden edge is great value - 9/9/2008

This Parris Is Classy !

It's Time To Spray Lime Sulphur 1/08/2008