So why aren’t my plants growing? - Aug 13, 2021
Our Roses are looking for noses!
Dear gardening friends
Yesterday I turned one plant into 5.
It wasn't magic, and it was so simple you'll be kicking yourself.
My potted Spathiphyllum was getting so big I decided to repot it. I took the plant on the left (see photo) outside, and split it up into 5 plants. The plants on the right are two of the new plants. I've got 3 more in smaller pots that I will give away to friends.
So why did I do this?
My Madonna Lily/Peace Lily/Spathiphyllum, had become pot bound. These beautiful, hardy indoor plants multiply over time, until the pot is full of foliage right to the edge.
When this happens your plant becomes so pot bound with roots, that the plant often goes into decline.
I took the mother plant outside on the lawn, and tipped it out of the pot. It was incredible, the pot was full of roots, there was hardly any potting mix left.
I got a pruning saw and cut 25% of the roots off at the bottom. I then gently sawed the plant in half. You could use secatuers, you could just pull the plant apart with your fingers.
I then cut this half in half again.
Now I had four plants of equal size.
I put the nicest clump back in the same ceramic pot. I used Tims Best Potting Mix. I pushed the soil down the sides until it was firm.
I potted up the next biggest clump.
That's it beside the toaster.
I split up the remaining clumps so they could be potted into 140mm pots. It all took 15 minutes.
I watered the plants.
I hosed the dust off the leaves.
I put them back inside.
They look happy this morning.
Life goes on.
Have you got plants that need repotting?
Talking about Spathiphyllum, a new variegated variety called "Domino" has just arrived. This super hardy Peace Lilly, has green and white speckled leaves. It's one of the hardiest indoor plants on the planet and now it's even more colourful.
We've freshly potted these beauties into bigger pots, using Tim's Best Potting Mix, so you won't need to do anything for at least 12 months.
If you put it inside where it gets morning sun for a couple of hours it will soon come into flower. If you put it in a darker room you will still get these beautiful variegated leaves all year round. We only have 20 plants, they cost $16.99.
They will sell out fast.
Indoor plants are great for your mental health. They make you feel good.
They also remove dangerous toxins from the air, that are given off building products and paints etc in our houses.
They make the air cleaner.
A customer came up to me during the week. He lives in one of the fancier suburbs in Macarthur. He's not poor.
Here's our conversation.
"So I hope you can help me. I've been trying to grow Gardenias in pots but they just keep dying."
So have you got the pots close to your house, are they in a rain shadow?
No I've got them out in the open, my indoor plants aren't doing very well either."
So what potting mix are you using?
Are you using Tims Best?
"No I make my own potting mix"
You make it?
"Yes I scrape up leaves from one of my trees, I use the leaves and add soil and fertiliser."
I think we may have found the problem. Why would you make your own potting mix when you can buy the best mix in Australia, for $10.00 a bag?
It's been made by a soil scientist.
It's not a gamble, we know it works.
"OK, thanks, I'll give that a try".
Ten years ago we released a tree called "Goodbye Sunshine". It was an Australian Native Rainforest tree, that nobody knew much about.
I'd found one growing in a park in Manly, got it identified, then found a grower in Queensland who was actually growing it.
When they arrived, we planted two in our gardens, here at the nursery, to see if they would survive our winter.
Both trees have grown beautifully.
So much so, someone tried to pull this one out of the ground, when it was young, and they snapped it off. (See photo)
Trees have an amazing will to survive, and this one just regenerated, and it's grown into this beautiful shape.
"Goodbye Sunshine" grows 5 metres high by 3 metres wide in 10 years, in Macarthur.
It's in upright growing tree with glossy green leaves, coppery coloured new growth, white flowers, and white berries.
The birds eat the berries.
So it attracts nature into your garden.
It's easy to grow. It's native
It's beautiful.
We have tubes here for just $6.99.
This tree is a winner.
A local Golf Course has bought 15 already.
They should look amazing in 5 years.
We are getting beautiful sunny days that makes you feel like it's spring.
It's not spring, so don't plant your tomato seedlings and basil just yet. We've had 100 people looking for Tomatoes this week.
It's still cold at night and you only have to get a frost, and your newly planted seedlings will be dead.
Be patient, prepare your garden now.
We are filling our nursery up with spring stock. It's coming from as far away as South Australia. We love finding you the best plants from the best growers.
Come see.
Our Rose Bushes are looking spectacular.
Many varieties are flowering already.
You can see the flowers and sniff the perfume. It's a great time to buy.
I had a lady complaining during the week that her Roses don't have perfume.
Buy them now and you can choose the most fragrant varieties.
It just makes sense.
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Happy gardening
Tim.