$1.00 Spring bulb sale has started - Jun 06, 2012
Dear gardening friends
I am a bit disturbed as I write this weeks newsletter. I had heard that everybody was saving so much money buying stuff over the internet so I bought a pair of shoes the other day through amazon. The shoes were so much cheaper and it only cost $13.98 to get them delivered from the U.S.A. They arrived today, they are 2 sizes too big and it just cost me $65.00 to send them back! My online shopping days are over.
I have some better news for you, our $1.00 spring flowering bulb sale starts today. This is an annual event not to be missed. You see Mr Fothergills allows us to liquidate all their excess stock at just $1.00 a packet. The selection can include Daffodils , Jonquils, Freesias, Tulips and Hyacinths to name just a few. Most of these packets were $5.95 last week so they really are a bargain.
We also have jumbo packets that were selling for around $10.00 for just $2.00. We have about 1000 packets in total but at these prices they always sell out fast.
We do not put bulbs aside for people so please don't ring us with a story of woe. It's first in best dressed!
When you get these bulbs plant them in pots or in your garden within the next 14 days. They are guaranteed to flower this spring so you can't go wrong. I like to grow them in pots and then plant pansies on top. The bulbs grow up through the pansies like a big surprise. Remember to use Tim's Best Potting mix to get the best performance from your bulbs.
Had 20 minutes to fill in last friday so I went to Campbelltown Art Gallery. What a great looking building, it looks like a spaceship that just landed in Campbelltown. The Bird of Paradise plants were flowering beautifully in the carpark gardens. These flowers are so arty they really suit this environment. Unfortunately the gallery was closed as they were setting up a new display so I went for a walk in the Japanese gardens.
Not sure if you have visited this but it really is fantastic. The Japanese Maples were an autumn blaze of colour (see photo).
Another plant that was loooking sensational was The Japanese Sacred Bamboo. Don't panic this is not really a bamboo, it is the tall growing Nandina.
Most of you will probably have a Dwarf Nandina growing in your garden. Nandina domestica is the original variety that grows about head height. What I love about this variety is it gets white flowers followed by the most spectacular red berries. The plants in the Japanese garden were covered in these berries. They look so christmassy. I took a photo to share with you.
Nandina domestica is one of those death proof plants that will grow almost anywhere. They will even grow down the side of your house in the shady gap beside your fence. They send up shoots from below the ground and these can be dug up and planted in other parts of your garden. In winter the leaves turn bright red but they don't drop off like other plants. When spring comes the leaves turn green again.
The Ornamental Pear trees growing in The Barn Restaurant next door to our nursery are putting on a spectacular autumn show. I planted these trees in the winter of 2005. The owner of the car yard next door wasn't happy because he was worried they would screen his cars. I promised to under prune the trees so they had a bare trunk. This simply means removing all the lower branches to expose the trunk. As you can see in the picture I kept my word. I always smiled to myself whenever I saw the carsalesman in latter years having a smoke under the shade of those trees.
At Christmas time I under pruned the Chinese Elms growing in the carpark at Mt Annan Pool. I chucked a tantrum one day when the branches were hanging down so low I couldn't get out of the car. Have a look at the shape of these beautiful trees the next time you go for a swim. Perhaps you have a tree at home that needs the lower branches removed? It gives you more room under the tree without loosing the beautiful shade. It also allows your grass to grow, because it gets more sun. You didn't know this before but I am actually a phantom tree planter and pruner. I pruned the Chinese Elms in Camden Woolworths car park too! My wife thinks I am crazy.
Russel repotted our Blueberry plant today. He came into work this morning and the wind had blown the plant over and the terracotta pot was broken. This Blueberry plant has produced at least 4kgs ($240.00) of fresh blueberries since september so it is worth saving. The problem with these very trendy tall pots is they blow over in the wind. Russell also discovered that the roots of the blueberry plant were all at the bottom of the pot. That's where all the water goes when you water the plant. ( check out the photo). What this proved is, the lower traditional shaped pots are much better for your plants and they are less likely to blow over in the wind.
Russell has repotted the plant into an old fashioned terracotta pot using Tim's Best Potting mix. He also removed 20% of the old roots using a shovel. This will give the plant a new lease of life in spring and we are expecting even more blueberries next season.. Talk to Russell for more information. P.S Never fertilise a plant just after repotting or you could kill the plant. Use Seasol, which is a plant tonic instead.
You may have seen Red Hot Pokers flowering in gardens around Macarthur. Botanically known as Kniphofia, these grey, strappy leaved plants have the most amazing spires of orange/red flowers during winter. The plants are almost death proof in any hot sunny position in your garden. They will also grow beautifully in large pots. I took a photo of a clump flowering in Camden during the week. Red hot poker plants can be cut back and divided up after flowering. Once you have one plant, it is so easy to grow more. We usually get them on the bulb stand in about 4 weeks. See Karyn on the counter if you would like to forward order some. They are cheap to buy, bare rooted like this.
It's been freezing this week so you have probably been sitting around the fire. Have you noticed the heavier the piece of wood, the longer it burns?
Hardwood railway sleepers make the best firewood because they burn all night. We have found a guy who is cutting up used sleepers for firewood. He has delivered us 50 bags to sell at the nursery. A 20kg bag costs $14.99. We have it inside the shop so it is always dry. This will be the longest burning wood you have ever used. Russell will put a bag in your car so you don't hurt your back.
Our new season roses and fruit trees will be arriving next week. We will be getting our hands dirty potting them all up.
You may be wondering what does my garden look like? I bet he has weeds growing everywhere?
Well we filmed a couple of youtube videos in my garden on Sunday so if you are interested take a look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsRR3SKh7R0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0SIlud-TFM
Happy gardening
Tim