We need a decision - Nov 25, 2013
Dear gardening friends
Can you believe how quickly the garden has recovered after that beautiful rain? We have been selling heaps of our Rapid Results lawn food. It seems people were waiting for it to rain before feeding their lawns. You will also notice that your trees and shrubs have fresh new growth again, it is almost like we are getting a second spring. Now is obviously a great time to plant anything in your garden.
Karyn has been busy this week planting marigolds and lobelia in our garden out the front. Karyn prepares the soil first by digging in cow manure, planting compost, with a dressing of Tim's Fast Food fertiliser then she covers this with sugar cane. She plants the seedlings through the mulch. As you can see in the photos non of the seedlings have failed to grow. The mulch keeps the seedlings moist. Preparation is the key if you are going to plant flower or vegetable seedlings.
The hedges here at the nursery were getting very untidy so we gave our apprentice Blake a lesson in hedging this week. He picked it up so quickly and after a slow start he has done a fantastic job. If you have hedges to prune don't waste your money on a battery operated hedge trimmer. My son Bailey got one for his birthday this week and it doesn't have the power to do the job properly. Petrol hedge trimmers are the best followed by the electric models. Charlie my neighbour has cut through the electric cord several times so if you don't have a safety cut off switch in the electrical box then this could be very dangerous. Charlie has now got very spiky hair do.
I saw a small article in The Macarthur Chronicle a few weeks ago about a reserve in Woodlands rd, St Helens park being named in honour of John Lilleyman. You probably have never heard of John but you would have admired much of his work. John originally transformed the former Johnson and Johnsons factory at the back of Blair Athol into a botanical garden. (This land has since been subdivided and the garden was destroyed). Then he became head gardener at the University of Western Sydney and transformed this barren site into another botanical garden. Drive down and have a look at this, it is amazing. From there he became head gardener for Campbelltown Council. He was responsible for designing the planting at the entrance to Campbelltown. He also designed the tree planting in the island between Raby rd and the M5. He planted Raby rd with the dwarf apricot Oleanders and the Crepe Myrtles. He did the planting around Campbelltown athletic track, Koshigaya Park. He did the Moore Oxley bypass planting at the entrance to our nursery. This is only a short list of his achievements. He had a vision for the city. Unfortunately John passed away but he is not forgotten. I hope some of Johns favourite trees have been planted in this reserve.
We have had a few complaints about the new layout of this newsletter. "Cranky Max" has chucked a tantrum because he prints it out and puts it in a book. We have done it this way to control the size. Some of you are having trouble now reading it on your I phones. We would love to hear what you think. Is it better for you this way or should we go back? I have sent both versions today, but to look at the pictures open the attachment above
We have had heaps of enquiries about tomatoes not turning red. They will turn red so don't panic. If you don't want to be eating fruit fly maggots then it is a good idea to pick your tomatoes when they start to change colour. Bring them inside and ripen them on the window sill. If you want them to ripen on the vine then you will need to apply eco-naturalure or Yates Natures Way Fruit Fly control attractant to the leaves every week. These natural products only work if you use them every week. If it rains they have to be reapplied.
The only other solution is to grow Tim's Fruit Fly Resistant Tomato. These apricot sized fruit have a leathery skin that naturally makes them fruit fly resistant. You can still plant tomatoes now. Our display plant in the seedling area is covered in flowers and fruit now so check it out.
Do you remember me telling you about how Hayden made a Vegetable garden out of a recycled pallet? It was only a couple of weeks ago but I was amazed how quickly the veggie plants have grown. Check out the photo. Talk to Hayden on Sundays if you need more info about how to make a Pallet Veggie Garden.
Our Fresh Cut Christmas trees will be available the first weekend in December. So on Saturday the 30th of November and Sunday the 1st of December. This is earlier than first advertised because some of you want to put the tree up in the first week of December. Trees cost $59.99 and garden club members will get 5% off paid back as a voucher. More info next week.
Just checked with Simon about the diet. Lots of wind this week but he has only lost about 500gms(or so). He is now calling me Fatty. I have this theory that when someone looses weight somebody they know gets it.
Happy gardening
Tim