Archive for the 'Caring for Native Plants' Category

Having watered the young stock with lime water yesterday and given all the new transplants some seaweed solution, I went out to check on everything this morning. My imagination is probably too vivid, but those plants did appear to look happier. I will continue the lime water and seaweed solution next week and then do […]

I have discovered why my new Correa rootlings were not growing as they should. Other plants which like alkaline conditions were just sittting also, despite the warm weather we had. My potting mix is not the pH it should be. It is way too acid at pH 5.5. It was only after hearing the tale […]

I have always been interested in using methods to deal with insect pests and diseases that did not involve toxic chemicals. Although, what is meant by that can be debated. After all when making sprays from such things as rhubarb leaves, which are poisonous, am I making a toxic spray or not?
Using pest plants seems […]

ABC TV’s Gardening Australia programme on the weekend had a session on controlling pests in the garden. It was good to see the recommendations demonstrated, rather than just being talked about. The presenter used an old toothbrush to scrape scale from the stem of plants, when there are not many insects to deal with. […]

The Xerochrysms (Bracteantha, Helichrysm) mentioned before come in a variety of colours. The small hybrids range through shades of pink, yellow, gold, bronze and shades of wine red
One that I have begun to grow I bought in as “Red Hybrid”, the result of breeding, and the seeds come true to colour. I would say […]