Mild weather conditions to continue
What a difference a few degrees drop in the temperature can make to gardens and heat-stressed gardeners.
Rain last weekend was most welcome, with most suburban gardens receiving 10 to 15 mm (a little more in the Hills).
But, with the current evapo-transpiration rate of 5 mm a day, most of this moisture has already disappeared.
Weather models suggest our present run of mild to warm weather should continue through February and possibly well beyond, with occasional spikes into the mid-thirties.
Ideal weather for salad vegies
The current weather outlook for mild to warm weather is great news for gardeners who have already established a late planting of summer vegetables.
However, it also provides a planting opportunity for barbecue lovers and those who enjoy eating garden-fresh salad greens.
Take a look at the wide range of non-hearting lettuce now available as seedlings.
Popular lines include butternut, cos, mignonette (available with green or red leaves) and green baby iceberg.
Salad greens worth considering include spinach, mizuna,mibuna, red mustard and pak choi.
Avoiding bitter lettuce
The secret to fresh, tasty lettuce leaves is to grow the plants as quickly as possible. Make sure the topsoil is moist at all times, while a fortnightly, application of a liquid organic fertiliser is also beneficial.
Eight easy-to-grow kitchen herbs to plant
If you have never grown your own kitchen herbs, right now, while conditions are mild (not hot or cold), is an ideal time to begin.
The following herbs are easy to grow and adapt well to container growing or raised garden beds.
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| Basil |
February and early March only. Full sun, don’t overwater. Resents cold weather. |
| Chives |
Easy to grow, slow to start. Provides great onion flavour to many foods. |
| Coriander |
Seedlings established now the heat has gone are less likely to run to seed. Spicy flavours for salads and Asian foods. Harvest leaves regularly. |
| Mint |
Big range of flavours worth trying. Grow in a container as plants can become invasive in the garden. |
| Oregano |
Easy to grow. Many flavours. Sun lover. Trim often if plants are not been harvested regularly. |
| Parsley |
Full of vitamin C. Many interesting types worth growing. Locate in full sun during winter. |
| Sage |
Easy to grow. Very strong flavours. Must have good drainage |
| Thyme |
Another herb with very strong flavour. Many different forms worth growing. Needs full sun and well-drained position. |
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Make room for a raised garden bed
You don’t need much room to install a raised garden bed, yet you may be surprised at the amount of fun, food or flowers a small structure can sustain.
Because the beds are raised they provide ideal aeration and drainage – essential for healthy plant growth.
Ready-to-assemble kits in a range of shapes and sizes are available from larger garden outlets.
Make sure the bed is placed in a sunny location and it’s quite okay if it is assembled on pavers or cement.
Fill the bed with a blend of two parts potting mix and one of compost – not garden soil, which results in poor aeration and drainage.
Feeding summer vegetables
Keep a particular watch on the leaves of mature tomato, cucumber, zucchini and capsicum plants.
These vegetables are all capable of producing heavy crops and often run short of nutrients soon after producing their first flush of fruits.
Leaves losing their natural bright green appearance is a good indicator the plants are running short of essential nutrients, particularly nitrogen.
When this happens, subsequent fruit set and fruit size is likely to be reduced.
Action: Provide crops with pale green leaves with a fortnightly application of a quick-acting soluble fertiliser.
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Fusarium wilt
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Why tomato plants suddenly wilt
After a slow start to the summer vegetable-growing season, tomato plants in many gardens are now laden with ripening fruit.
However, it can be very frustrating when a heavily laden plant suddenly wilts and slowly dies.
The likely cause is verticillium or one of the fusarium wilts.
These are soil-borne fungal diseases that attack plant tissues responsible for moving food and water around the plant.
They basically block the plant's plumbing system and, on a hot day, the bush is unable to draw sufficient moisture from the soil and literally collapses.
If you cut through the stem, you will find the inner tissue is quite discoloured.
Sadly, there is no effective treatment.
Diseased plants should be removed (including the main roots) and relegated to the rubbish bin, not the compost heap unless you want to spread the problem around the garden.
Download PIRSA fact sheet on fusarium »
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Spring onions are easy to grow
Don’t overlook the value of growing spring onions, as they are very easy to grow and can provide you with mild onion flavour all year round.
Spring onions are basically onion-flavoured leaves with a slightly swollen bulb-like base.
Both the leaves and the bulbs are great when used as an addition to salads, stir-fries, soups and sandwiches.
Seedlings, readily available from garden centres, can be planted all year round with the plants adapting readily to large containers or raised garden beds.
The plants will thrive in full sun through autumn, winter and spring but respond to light shading in summer.
Keep the planting soil moist through the warmer weather and the plants growing steadily with a monthly application of liquid organic fertiliser.
Spring onions grown by Living Colour include:
- Two red bulb varieties, Red Legs and Heirloom Selection
- A raditional green type
- Red-and-green bulb combo
 Spring onions are in stock at Heyne's Garden Centre, Beulah Park, Semaphore Pets & Gardens and Barrow & Bench, Malvern and should be available at other good gardening centres.
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New roses provide a wide selection
Many gardeners will soon be trimming their rose bushes to encourage a magnificent display of blooms through autumn.
Late summer is also an excellent time to consider what new release varieties will be available during the winter planting season.
This week’s Good Gardening new release rose selection from Brian Wagner includes two varieties that are very different – but both would make a perfect addition to your garden.
This beautiful hybrid tea rose has centred, slightly cupped yellow blooms of good size, with a lovely fragrance.
It is heat-resistant and it’ll be a perfect cut variety. (Height approx 120cm).
It is named after Australia’s most awarded horticulturist.
In 2011 Graham Ross AM was presented with the prestigious Gold Veitch Memorial Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society in recognition of his contribution to gardening and horticulture in Australia.
$2 from the sale of each rose will be donated to NextSense, to help support children and adults with hearing or vision loss.
A bright yellow and cherry red floribunda rose, with double blooms. These are produced abundantly over the entire bush.
In turn these become bright orange decorative rose hips.
Bee Scene is a very strong and healthy plant, heat-resistant and loved by bees.
Ideal for landscaping, pots and public areas. Height: approx. 80cm.
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Talkback program live at Harvest festival
ABC Saturday TalkBack Gardening will be broadcast live from next weekend’s Harvest Garden Festival.
The festival is being organised by Open Gardens SA and involves 12 productive fruit and vegetable gardens across Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills.
 These will be open on February 11 & 12, giving gardeners an opportunity to explore a selection of Adelaide’s most productive gardens.
The outside broadcast will be located at the Rudkin garden “Bellevue”, 9 Bellevue Place, Unley Park, with ABC radio weekend presenter, Deb Tribe broadcasting her morning program from 6 am through to 11 am.
The public is invited to be part of the outside broadcast, with fruit and vegetable gardeners particularly encouraged to be part of TalkBack from 8:30 am to 10 am.
Entry will be free during the broadcast.
More information about the festival »
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Zepiti
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New rose with a stunning difference
Zepiti is an exciting, eye-catching small rose bush with top disease resistance and an ability to flower continuously for 9 to 12 months of the year – depending on the climate.
The bushes only grow 40 cm high and 30 cm wide but they are continually covered in masses of attractive fire engine red blooms.
The canopy is upright, very compact and covered in small, disease free, dark green glossy leaves.
It is seen as the missing link between a garden rose and a garden hedge
Zepiti has also been developed to tolerate heat, humidity and frost with an ability to thrive in practically every climate zone in Australia.
This rose is sure to find a place on balconies, decks and patios as well as many locations in the garden.
It will also perform indoors for up to 2 weeks.
Zepiti will be available at most garden centres.
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Avoid using toxic sprays
The current spell of mild weather is likely to see the emergence of leaf-eating and sap-sucking insects.
Resist any temptation to spray the first insect pest you see with a toxic chemical.
You may succeed in eliminating a few harmful caterpillars, aphids or scale.
But the chemical you use is also likely to destroy natural predators in the vicinity.
Furthermore, the source of food for remaining predators will be removed, reducing their ability to keep insect pests under control. .
To do nothing is often a good short term option.
Consider a longer-term strategy
If you have the space, why not encourage birds to live and feed in your garden, particularly the small honeyeaters, wagtails and silvereyes, as they have an almost insatiable appetite for insect pests.
Birds can be encouraged by planting a range of small and medium sized flowering shrubs to provide feed and shelter.
The taste of home-grown strawberries
Healthy strawberry plants established now should see you harvesting your own red ripe berries in time for next Christmas.
Strawberries adapt to a wide range of growing conditions, although plenty of sun and very good drainage are essential.
Established plants are readily available from the herb section of most garden centres.
Some varieties only produce their fruits during spring and early summer while those called ‘ever-bearing’ produce waves of fruit from spring through to early winter.
This information should be stated clearly on the label.
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Efficient watering for your garden
As we near the end of summer and continue to experience beautiful warm days, it is important to keep your plants hydrated.
Micro irrigation is still one of the most efficient ways of watering your garden and choosing the right products can make all the difference.
South Australian-made Asta® Drip PC Spike Dripper is an all-in-one stake and dripper which allows you to place the dripper directly into soil, exactly where you need it.
Combined with its pressure-compensating abilities (it drips a pre-set amount of water each hour), the Asta® Drip PC Spike Dripper provides greater control of where and how much water you put on your garden.
More information »
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Passionfruit with little pulp
Passionfruit develop a very extensive root system that is very close to the surface.
If the plant becomes dry as the fruit matures, its capacity to produce pulp is significantly reduced.
Lack of pulp may also be the first sign of a virus that affects fruit quality.
Keep the plant well-watered and mulched during the growing season.
Apply a complete fertiliser for fruit trees now (late summer) and again early in spring.
If the problem continues the plant should be replaced.
Reducing codling moth problems
It is likely last Friday night's very warm conditions encouraged a wave of codling moths to lay eggs on the leaves of apple and pear trees.
These will hatch in 7 to 10 days and look for maturing fruit to “sting”.
An application of a very low-toxic insecticide such as Spinosad Ultra applied this weekend should provide good protection for your current crop and help reduce the carryover of this pest into the following season.
Don’t forget to pick up and dispose of windfalls, as they are likely to contain live codling moth grubs.
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Lawn care
Stefan Palm, Paul Munns Instant Lawn
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Why lawns sometimes flower and set seed
Summer is about to merge with autumn and all kinds of warm-season garden weeds are setting seed.
Controlling weeds that grow in garden beds is hard enough but what to do when the seed heads being formed are being produced by grasses that make up your lawn.
The three main lawn grasses grown in South Australia are couch, buffalo and kikuyu.
All three are capable of flowering and now is when they are likely to flower and set seed.
In this week’s lawn blog, turf consultant Stefan Palm provides some excellent images that will help identify what to look when your lawn does produce seed heads.
He then comments on why they run to seed and explains how to manage the problem.
More information »
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Don’t encourage mosquitoes
As temperatures begin to fade in February, mosquito numbers can build rapidly in any available source of still water.
It’s a good time to search the garden for unnecessary water-filled containers, drainage saucers under pot plants and, in particular, water in open, outdoor drainage sumps.
Empty the containers and drop a little light oil down the drainage sumps.
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Broken fruit tree branches
If the branches of heavily-laden fruit trees have snapped but remain attached to the tree, leave them until the fruit has matured.
After harvest, cut the branch back hard to a vigorous growth, or remove it completely.
Protect the cut area by swabbing with a garden fungicide.
Try growing plants from cuttings
Late summer is an excellent time to propagate new plant from semi-hardwood cuttings.
Try fuchsias, daphne, camellias, lavender, coleus and a wide range of indoor and native plants.
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Please keep your questions
for Talkback Gardening
Good Gardening is unable to answer individual reader's questions via email. If you're looking for specific advice please give me a call on ABC Radio Adelaide's Saturday morning Talkback Gardening or ask at your local garden centre.
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Talkback Gardening tomorrow
 ABC Radio Adelaide Talkback Gardening this Saturday, 8.30 am to 10 am – phone Deb Tribe and me on 1300 222 891 and have your own gardening question answered.
After a warm but not extremely hot start to the year and with summer rainfall now well below average, many gardeners are wondering what lies ahead.
Don’t miss what consulting climatologist Darren Ray has to say when he presents his three-month weather outlook.
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Garden centre directory
Leading Adelaide garden centres recommended by Good Gardening newsletter.
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Heyne's Garden Centre
283-289 The Parade, Beulah Park. (08) 8332 2933
Take your plant to work!
Are you returning to the office after the summer break? Why not take a couple of your favourite indoor plants with you?
We have plenty of plant pals for you to choose from and we’re happy to help you find the right one for your desk!
South Australia's oldest established garden centre. Huge range. Expert staff on hand for personal advice. Visit online »
Semaphore Pets and Garden
119 Semaphore Rd, Semaphore. (08) 8242 7302
Extensive range of indoors, outdoors, natives, fruit trees, ornamentals, flowering shrubs, veggie and herb seedlings grown here by our amazing local growers.
A great range of espaliered fruit trees perfect for any small backyard. Horticulturist working everyday from 10 am.
Always a great selection of plants, pets and giftware – all under the one roof. Open 7 days.
Facebook »
Barrow & Bench Mitre 10
321 Unley Rd, Malvern. (08) 8272 8566
Growing your own citrus is easy and now is a great time to plant them. Fabulous range of citrus in store including dwarf varieties, limes, mandarins, Cara Cara oranges, cumquats, native finger limes and more. Open 7 days. See you in store soon.
Specialising in providing quality plants and expert garden advice. Follow the Instagram feed »
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Coming soon
Thursday, February 9
Indigenous Garden Exhibition Launch
Unley Museum 80 Edmund Avenue Unley, 5 pm - 7pm.
Discover the plants that have grown naturally in South Australia for thousands of years and learn about their many uses by aborignies, incuding in cooking and medicine. Free admission. Book here »
Saturday & Sunday, February 11 &12
Harvest Garden Festival 2023
Gardens in Adelaide and the Hills will open their gates, giving you a rare chance to talk with the owners about what they grow and how they grow it. Presented by Open Gardens SA with proceeds to OzHarvest.
More information »
Saturday & Sunday, April 15 &16
Rose Society of SA autumn rose show
Noel Lothian Hall, Adelaide Botanic Garden, Hackney Road entrance, and National Rose Trial Garden of Australia, Sat. 11 am to 4 pm and Sun. 10 am to 4 pm.
People’s Choice rose judging weekend at the Rose Trial Garden, also at the Adelaide Botanic Garden from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday, May 13
Australian Plants Society (SA Region) autumn plant sale
Urrbrae Agricultural High School, Fullarton Road, Netherby. 10 am – 4 pm.
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Regular garden attractions
Check with each venue's web site for any Covid-19 restrictions on opening hours.
Adelaide Botanic Gardens – free guided walks
Friends of the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide guided walks for the public at Adelaide, Mount Lofty and Wittunga Botanic Gardens, and Botanic Park.
More information »
Carrick Hill
Heritage house museum and garden, the former home of Sir Edward and Lady Ursula Hayward. Open weekends & public holidays. Free admission into garden and grounds. 46 Carrick Hill Drive, Springfield.
More information »
Cummins Historic House and gardens
23 Sheoak Ave, Novar Gardens. Gardens open and plant sales on 1st & 3rd Sundays of each month (except Dec & Jan) 2 pm - 4.30 pm. Plant sales also available every Friday morning 9 am to noon. More information » | Facebook »
Heysen - The Cedars
The historic home of two of Australia’s most noted artists, Sir Hans Heysen and his daughter Nora. This unique, 60-hectare heritage estate features the original family home, two artists’ studios and the celebrated cottage-style garden, planted chiefly with exotics, including the massive Himalayan cedar trees.
Heysen Road, Hahndorf. Open 10 am - 4.30 pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and also open on public holiday Mondays. Ticketed entry, including guided tours at 11am and 2 pm.
More information »
Old Government House, Belair National Park
The former vice-regal summer residence of some of the early governors of South Australia. An excellent example of Victorian architecture, set amongst one acre of magnificent gardens. Features cottage plants and flowers cultivated in Victorian times, heritage roses and mature trees.
Tours and afternoon tea on the first and third Sundays each month and public holidays, 1 pm – 4.30 pm. Free entry into Belair National Park if you are visiting OGH - tell the info office staff as you drive in.
More information »
Urrbrae House historic precinct gardens
At the end of Walter Young Avenue, off Fullarton Road, Urrbrae, or from the Urrbrae House gate, Claremont Avenue, Netherby.
Open from dawn until dusk every day. Free entry.
More information »
Waite Arboretum, Fullarton Road, Urrbrae
Open free to the public every day of the year from dawn to dusk, except on fire ban days. Free guided walks on the first Sunday of every month, 11 am to 12.30 pm.
Meet at the West lawn (Croquet Lawn) of Urrbrae House. Bookings not necessary.
More information »
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Disclaimer: Although all reasonable care is taken in preparing information contained in this email, neither Jon Lamb Communications (JLC) nor its officers, staff or suppliers involved in the editing and production of this email accept any liability resulting from the interpretation or use of the information set out in this document. Information contained in this document is subject to change without notice and is of a general nature and should not take the place of professional personal advice. No responsibility is accepted by Jon Lamb Communications for the accuracy of information contained in web sites linked from this email. Publication of an advertisement does not constitute endorsement by JLC of any product or service, or warrant its suitability.
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