6 Strawberry plants for just $7.95 - Jul 31, 2015
Dear Gardening Friends,
Spring isn’t far away now so we are starting to pep up our plants with a top dressing of IGC Planting compost. This is something you can do at home too. Blake has been putting a handful of planting compost around the base of every plant. (For bigger pots you would use several handfuls) This compost contains a wetting agent, an organic fertiliser and compost. The finer particles wash into the cracks and stop the water from just running out the bottom of the pot. The wetting agent simply makes the existing potting mix hold more water.
The compost absorbs the water then releases it slowly back into the potting mix. Gardening is all about maths. The more water you can keep in the soil the better your plants will grow. Of course plants need drainage too or the plants roots will drown.
We had a nice boy named Cameron from Ambarvale High School here this week doing work experience. He was so keen to do the job properly and we only had to show him how to do it once. Cameron is a credit to his School. We try and teach them something about horticulture while they are here. Our Geranium baskets that have been hanging out on our front fence have been looking very tired lately. Over time the potting mix composts and disappears. The potting mix is what holds the water. So even though we are watering the plants almost daily the potting mix can’t absorb the water.
These plants are technically pot bound. Cameron took the geraniums out of the baskets and removed 50% of the roots and trimmed back the foliage. He then put them back in the same baskets using Tim’s Best Potting mix. These geraniums will take off now with fresh new growth and beautiful flowers. If you have tired looking Geraniums repot them now. Repot your Fuchsia baskets too. Next month you can repot all your hanging baskets and pot plants.
So why will these Geraniums grow so much better? This fresh potting mix will absorb the water. It also contains a slow release fertiliser that makes the plants grow faster. It also contains water storing crystals and a wetting agent so the water stays in the soil longer. Gardening is all about math’s! The Geraniums will also be less likely to get fungus spots on the leaves now that they have this new lease of life.
We still have bare rooted Rhubarb crowns here at the nursery for just $7.99. These are adult plants will produce edible stalks this summer. We planted some into pots here at the nursery using Tims Best Potting mix just a few weeks ago. They are growing so fast in this amazing mix. We still have strawberry and Asparagus crowns available. You can get 6 Strawberry plants for just $7.95. We only have about 20 packets left so you will have to hurry. Potted Strawberry plants cost at least $4.00 each in spring!
We have given our front lawn another spray with Richgro Bindi Killer for Buffalo Lawns this week. The weeds were already looking sick from last weeks spray so we just wanted to finish them off. Even the Clover is starting to shrivel up. If you don’t spray the clover in your lawn now then your children will be getting stung by bees during spring and summer. Dogs get stung by bees too! Clover is difficult to kill so you must spray it twice. Don’t mow your lawn for at least 2 days after spraying.
Have you got a shady spot in the garden where nothing seems to grow? We have some beautiful Hellebores here in the nursery. These super hardy small growing shrubs will flower all winter and spring. We have pink and white flowering varieties ready to go. They will even grow under trees. Come and check them out.
It was so windy during the week poor pig got blown off the milk crate. He is back on duty now trying to encourage people not to boo Adam Goodes. Pig can’t believe a celebratory war dance has caused so much trouble. The Kiwis have been doing it for years!
I hope you’re keeping out of trouble in the garden. Come and see us if you need help.
We are getting the holes in our car park fixed next Tuesday so if you notice that our gate is closed simply park your car next door. We will still be open, we just don’t want you or your car disappearing into a hole!
Lots of stock is starting to arrive now so I better get out and help.
Happy Gardening
Tim