Pittwater Life July 2018 Issue

Garden Life
Jobs this Month
July
Garden Life
We needed the rain in
June – although maybe
not quite so much.
The heavy rain has compacted
the soil. Aerate your lawn
and beds with a garden fork,
before adding new compost
or mulch.
Miner problem
New growth on citrus trees is
a target for leaf miner, so keep
up the regular sprays routine
of Eco oil. It is time to buy a
new leaf miner lure to hang in
the tree.
Snail watch
Cymbidium orchids are
flowering now. Marauding
snails can destroy the
flower spikes overnight. Use
Multiguard pellets to keep the
snails under control. Bring the
orchids inside while they are
flowering to enjoy the display.
Also, tiny snails are climbing
up vegetables and hibiscus.
Pick them off by hand or
entice that back to ground
level with a saucer of beer.
Fruiting tip
Train passionfruit this month.
The fruit is only produced
on new growth. Cut the
vines back by 50 per cent to
encourage new shoots.
Transplant time
It is cold outside but time
to keep busy. This is the
month to move any trees or
shrubs that are in the wrong
place. Spray the plants with
Yates’ Drought Shield the
week before you dig them
up. This will help to prevent
transplanting shock.
Prune roses
Time to prune your roses.
Cut back any weak or twiggy
growth and open up the
middle of the bushes. Always
prune back to an outward
pointing shoot, so that the
bush remains open. This will
reduce the congestion of the
leaves in summer and help
to prevent black spot. After
pruning spray your bushes
with lime sulphur to clean up
any fungal spores from the
previous season.
Buy bulbs
It’s not too late to plant liliums
and hippeastrum bulbs for
Bronze Glow for Xmas
It may be winter but you
can get ready for Christmas
now! Last year the
West Australian Woolly
Bush was sold as an indoor
Christmas tree. It is a
dense pale grey shrub that
responds well to trimming
into shape.
Adenothus Silver Streak
has soft, velvety grey leaves
and the new Bronze Glow
has the wonderful bronze
tips on the new growth.
The natural shape is like
a Christmas tree and with
summer flowers. If you buy
them now make sure that the
bulbs are still firm without any
signs of new leaves.
Lift & divide
Lift and divide gingers,
agapanthus, iris, mondo
grass, liriope, gazanias and
a little help to thicken the
foliage it looks spectacular
when it is decorated.
Buy a plant now and start
to shape it. Like all native
shrubs it is fast-growing.
Feed it with the slowrelease
fertiliser called Bush
Tucker. This is specially
formulated food for native
trees and shrubs. Woolly
Bush won’t do well as an
indoor plant, so make sure
to put it back outside in the
fresh air and sunlight after
the 12 days of Christmas.
any other garden perennials
now. Also, Geranium plants
need a tidy up. Take new
cuttings to replace any plants
that have become woody and
old.
Seeds & seedlings
Tomato seeds are ready to be
planted out next month. Also,
make sure that your sweet pea
seedlings have a strong frame
to climb up.
Crossword solution from page 67
Mystery location: HEADLAND
70 JULY 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991