Grow A Tree From A Seed For Free! - Jul 06, 2023
Dear gardening friends
There's a beautiful tree growing in Menangle Country Club. You might have seen it. It's the perfect sized shade tree. It's a native tree.
It's called a Kurrajong Tree.
If you go out in the country, you'll see these trees growing wild. They take the heat and the cold. It stores water in its trunk to survive droughts.
When it gets really dry, farmers lop the branches to feed the sheep. Yes the leaves are edible. When it rains, the tree sprouts new growth.
I've seen these getting planted as street trees in Melbourne. I don't know why they don't get planted as street trees here too. They are evergreen and they are the perfect sized tree for street planting.
They are super hardy.
We've collected seeds, so you can grow a tree. Pick some up from the counter. Soak them in water overnight, then plant in Tim's Best Potting mix. Your kids might like to grow their own tree.
We need more trees in Macarthur.
They get the most beautiful flowers too.
I have this amazing Bat Plant.
It started off in the kitchen, but it grew so big, I had to move it into the boy's bathroom.
Indoor plants need bright light to grow well. I have glass bricks and a skylight in the bathroom, so there's lots of light. That's why the leaves have grown so big. It flowers too.
The huge bat like flowers are spectacular!!!
We have plants in the nursery today.
I got asked about indoor plants on the weekend. A customer wanted plants that would grow in a dark room. "Why is it dark" I asked. It has no windows. Was her reply.
"Please don't put indoor plants in a room with no windows, it's cruelty to plants. Plants need bright light to be happy." Was my reply.
The quality of potting mix you buy, will determine how well they grow too. Our recent potting mix trial, has really showed us just how poor the potting mixes are, that are being sold. Come check it out.
When you buy an indoor plant, it's best to repot it straight away. If you pot it up into the next sized pot, your plant will continue to grow and thrive. If you don't pot them, then they often go backwards, and their health declines.
I water my plants once a week.
I fertilise in Spring, Summer and Autumn with Tim's FAST FOOD. It keeps the leaves green and helps plants stay healthy.
Indoor plants remove dangerous toxins from the air. Toxins are given off by paints, plastics, glues and carpets.
Plants clean the air. You need at least 6 big ones like this to make a difference.
I forgot to show you how amazing my Pork Hock Pumpkin Curry Soup turned out. Well I had it for breakfast and lunch the next day. It really was that good. I did forget to tell you about one ingredient which I added just to thicken it up. I added a packet of French Onion Soup.
Wow what a difference.
It made it even tastier.
Here's the ingredients.
Ham Hock, 2x Anchovies, 2x Celery Sticks, 1x Onion, 1x Eggplant, 1x Leek, 1x Spring Onion, 1x Carrot, 1x Big hung of Pumpkin, fill with Chicken Stock, Table spoon of Greenvalley Curry. Handful of Split Chick peas. (Packet of French onion soup)
No green peas!!!!!!!
Cook all day on low.
Stir in Sour Cream before serving. Remove bones and pork skin. P.S I don't peal anything except the onion. (I didn't add the sour cream)
If I choke, it was probably the Pumpkin skin.
I didn't choke.
The Chick peas are amazing. They make the soup chewy. Yes Chewy Soup!!!!
A big thanks to Mark and his team at Engalls Nursery. They are famous for Citrus, but maybe they will be famous for looking fabulous, in their Red Scarves now too.
The entire crew got one.
Even the dog!!!
A love this photo so much.
I love how the nurseries Citrus trees, are covered in winter fruit. It adds a beautiful colourful background.
It also reminds me how fabulous Citrus trees are. Not only do they give you fruit in winter, when there's no fruit fly about, they also can provide privacy from your neighbours. They could be trimmed into a fruiting hedge.
In spring these same fruit trees get covered in perfumed white blossoms. The bees love them. There's so much to love about Citrus trees.
Mark and the Engalls crew are going to be busy in the coming weeks. They have 20,000 rose bushes arriving that all have to be potted up.
We've just potted up 2,000 Rose bushes here, and I know what a big job that was. I'm still potting Rose bushes in my sleep.
A big thanks for Mark and his crew for helping us raise money for The African AIDS Foundation in Elderslie. Warm necks, warm hearts, it just makes everyone feel better!
I've just made 30 more Red Scarfs. Yes we make them here, they are baked fresh.
Happy Gardening
Tim