Time to prune roses - Jul 03, 2014
Dear Gardening Friends,
We are getting cold nights and beautiful warm days. Our Blushing Pink Iceberg rose bushes are still covered in flowers. We will have to prune these soon so we get more roses in spring. Remember how I pruned these back using the hedge trimmer in January?
Most gardeners are terrified of pruning roses because when rose experts tell you how to do it, it just sounds too confusing. I remember when Don Burke chopped some down using a chainsaw once and they grew just as many flowers as the ones that were pruned by an expert.
So don't panic, the most important thing is, that you do prune them.
Once they are pruned spray the bare stems and around the base with Lime Sulphur mixed with water. This controls scale insects and black spot fungus. We have Lime Sulphur now so come and get some.
P.S If you have a peach tree spray this with Lime Sulphur too. Spray again just before the flowers burst open.
Karyn is busy in the garden today pruning things as well. She is attacking the Crepe Myrtle out the front.This variety is call Tuscarora and it is my favourite. Back in the olden days gardeners used to cut these beautiful trees in a vase shape down to about 1.5m of the ground the trees would then shoot like crazy and send growth skyward. Although this technique encouraged alot of new growth and flowers it ruined the shape of the tree and made it more like a shrub.
What Karyn does is lightly prune by trimming back all the last seasons flower heads and shape it a little. The prune with still encourage new growth and loads of flowers in summer but the biggest bonus is that you end up with a beautiful and colourful shady spot in summer.
You can still plant winter vegetables now so if your garden is sitting idle get stuck into it. My Beetroot plants are looking sensational. You can even pick the smaller leaves for a salad.
My peas are starting to produce pods now. The boys always eat these raw so I never get to cook them but I never complain because raw vegetables are better for you anyway. And who is going to complain about kids eating vegetables.
Bailey has been a bit disappointed with our Emperor Mandarin tree this year. Sometimes if you had a bumper crop the year before you don't get much the year after (Mandarins/Grape fruits).
Speaking of citrus were you lucky enough to sample a Kevin the lemon fruit last week if not keep an eye out i will bring some more in when i am back in the nursery.
Our turf supplier dropped in a box of oranges the other week they were Navel oranges and they were absolutely sensational tasting.Simon can not get enough of them he has a couple every day for morning tea. One thing is for sure he wont get scurvy. Navel orange is a great variety if you love eating oranges and we have both full size growing and dwarf types in stock now
One of my favourite ground cover plants is the Variegated Chinese Star Jasmine, it is also known around the traps as Tri-colour Jasmine. This super hardy low spreading plant is almost death proof. It will grow in full sun or part shade. The new growth comes out pink then changes to white and green as it ages. It looks fantastic mass planted as a border. In spring it has highly perfumed white flowers that smell devine. Check out the photo, I think you will love it too!
We have one in the garden at the Nursery. It is in the toughest dryest spot in the garden, competing with large palms and a
Little Gem Magnolia it is still looking fantastic. So if you are or know someone that can kill a stick shoved in the ground then this could be the plant worth trying.
Pig has had a bad start to Dry July.
He didn't do much better in Junk Free Food June either. Which makes us think that pig is only human!
Speaking of dry July the recent winds and lack of rain is really starting to dry things out around the place. So remember to get the hose out it is best to water early morning at this time of the year so you plants do not stay wet overnight.
Put your beanie on and come and see us. If you need a flowering gift we have beautiful Cymbidium orchids and Cyclamen ready to go! We can even pot them up and gift wrap for you.
Happy Gardening
Tim