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Written by Tammy 9th December 2022 Updated 11th September 2024. Soil health is vital to the success of our garden. Have you ever felt frustrated thinking why does everything die or why can't I get things to thrive? You've heard the expression 'from the ground up'? When it comes to gardening it really is quite literally from the ground up. Like ourselves, soil is a living thing, it needs nourishment. Without good nutrition we become unwell, susceptible to illness, sickness and disorders and we fail to thrive. The principles are exactly the same for our soil. For our gardens to thrive and be productive we need to first focus on the health and nutrition of our soil. Plants take in nutrients from the soil to be able to grow, and somewhere along the line those nutrients need to be replenished. If you kept eating everything out of the pantry it would eventually be empty, there'd be nothing left to eat leaving you hungry, it would need to be restocked. Feeding our soil, like restocking our pantry is easy and needs to be done regularly. It's as simple as spreading a good layer of organic matter like animal manure, composted veggie scraps and green waste, or some bales of straw mulch around the garden. Meat meal-based products like Blood and Bone are fantastic too. Don't forget Legumes. These amazing little plants have the clever ability to fix nitrogen back into the soil, throw in a crop of soybeans, peas or broad beans, let them mature then dig them back through into the soil. Doing any combination of these things is going to pay you back ten-fold. Feeding the beneficial insects and microbials within your soil is what keeps the soil nourished and in turn allows it to feed your plants. Healthy soil equals a healthy garden. 😘🪴

Watch my short video to find out what to look out for and how to treat Pear and Cherry Slugs on your fruit trees. Yates Success Ultra Insect control should be available from most leading outlets and should be applied as per the rates and directions on the label. Yates 200mL Success Ultra Insect Control | Yates Gardening Australia

Written and edited by Tammy Dec 22 Scale are a small sap sucking insect that feed on the sugars of a plant. Like any other creature on our planet...'what goes in, must come out', in terms of scale secretion, you may hear it referred to as Honeydew'. like when you leave honey or jam on the kitchen bench...ants miraculously appear, the same thing happens when the plant is covered in sticky sweet honeydew, thus the ants will come marching! Not only can an infestation of scale look unsightly on your plant as the honeydew becomes covered in a sooty mould, but it can actually advance quickly to the point of making your plant very sick even potentially killing it left untreated. Be on the lookout for it on your indoor plants too, as scale isn't just a problem outside in the garden, unfortunately they are known to be a pest associated with indoor plants too. If the plant is small enough and the infestation is minor, as always, try to physically remove it before resorting to any chemical. The little black mounds will scrape off easily enough with your fingernail of a blunt object. If the infestation is larger or more advanced there are numerous products out there on the market, they're predominantly oil-based products that will successfully get it under control. They work by means of suffocation, with the oil coating the scales breathing pores. A few reputable products you can try are the Yates Scale Gun, comes in a 750ml RTU. For treating a larger infestation Yates also do a 500ml concentrate White Oil, or finally another one I like personally like is the Eco-Neem Oil, comes in a handy little 100ml concentrate that mixes up to 50Litres. You'll be able to find these products through most leading major outlets. Always follow and apply them as per the manufacturer's instructions and rates on the labels. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas and enjoying time with family friends and loved ones. Happy Gardening!😘🪴

Written and edited by Tammy 30th December 2022 You're looking for an Australian Native, evergreen shade tree, a pop of colour that's hardy and will thrive almost on neglect?? Look no further, this gorgeous girl ticks all the boxes! Brachychiton populneus discolor Kurrajong tree, also known as a lacebark or bottle tree. I had the privilege of seeing this one yesterday right here in our corner of the globe and was just gob-smacked at how stunning it was. Just a mass of vibrant pink flowers and buds amid glossy green foliage. Kurrajongs are native to Eastern Australia, you'll find them growing along the coastline and inland in dryer climates. They need a full sun location in relatively fertile soil to do well. Don't plant them in a wet damp or shady spot. They're tolerative of alkaline or acidic soils, preferring a sandier free draining environment. Frost isn't really an issue for them either. Their water requirements aren't excessive, they'll be happy with a regular, long, deep soak in the hot weather. You are going to need to allow for an area 10-20 meters in height and 3-6 in width. Kurrajongs really do make for a speccy, talking point feature tree and will definitely bring in the butterflies, birds and bees. They're low maintenance, hardy and best still they're an Australian Native. Honestly, I think you can move one of these up to the top of your wish list.

Written and edited by Tammy 7th January 2023. Do you want to know my favourite thing about walking into my bathroom every morning?... Revelling in the sheer beauty and vibrance of my Hares-foot fern! I still don't entirely understand my infatuation with them, I have the gravest phobia of spiders and the furry Rhizomes that crawl out of the centre of the plant closely resemble that of a huntsman spider.... Nevertheless, they're one of my favourite indoor plants that I seem to be successful in growing. Davallia canariensis commonly known as hares-foot fern or deers- foot fern is native to the Canary Islands hence the name. They have the daintiest fine dark green fronds, that grow on the furry little crawling appendages called rhizomes. They can potentially grow up to 50cm in height and spread to cover an area of 100cm. (Mine pictured here is still happily growing in a 15cm pot and is approx. 20cm tall by 30cm wide). In their natural habitat these ferns are epiphytic meaning that they grow on other host plants, or in rock crevasses with their rhizomes deriving moisture and nutrients from the air, so it's important not to trim back or disturb them. In actual fact, these plants don't like to be disturbed or be given too much attention at all. They like a bright filtered light (not direct) and need to be kept moist at all times but not sodden. Misting the fronds to create humidity is favourable or if you've got room in your bathroom that gets steamy, better still. Mine is in the bathroom on the Northern side of the house where it's always nice and bright and it's thriving in there. As with most indoor plants, feed them with a soluble plant food that's specifically for indoor plants now, throughout the warmer months while they're actively growing. I've used the Yates Thrive indoor plants liquid food and found it to be a good product. I've also just recently found and bought another product I'm keen to try, Munash Organics Indoor plant soil food. It's natural rock minerals sourced from volcanic rock in Victoria and made right there in Ballarat. It'll be interesting to see how my plants respond to it. As always, please make sure you use the products as per the manufacturer's instructions on the labels. I wonder how many others are scared of spiders yet love these plants like me🪴😍 Happy Gardening!

Written and edited by Tammy 12th January 2023 White Fly if in large enough numbers can cause extensive damage. They are a sap sucking insect closely related to other sap sucking insects such as aphids, mealybugs and scale. Adults resemble little white moths while the juveniles' (lavae) are a flattened out round shape very similar to scale. You'll find them throughout your vegetable garden on anything lush and leafy green. Ornamentals aren't immune to them though either. They hide and feed on the underside of the foliage, and as you brush past your plants or disturb them, they'll take flight into the air and be a buzz all around you. I've noticed them to be particularly bad in my own yard this season. By the time an infestation is advanced, the foliage will more than likely be yellow, discoloured, or silvery and even distorted in shape. You might remember I spoke about treating scale in a previous post, I mentioned the sticky secretion left behind by scale was called honeydew, and that a black sooty mould proceeds to grow it.... you could quite possibly see the same symptoms here with the white fly because as I stated, white fly too are a sap sucking insect. How do we treat it? There are a number of things you can try. Sticky insect traps are a quick and easy natural treatment, just hang them in the location of the infestation, nothing to spray or apply. White fly are drawn to the colour yellow making these very effective. They're readily available online and in store at most leading major outlets. You'll get between 5-10 traps per pack and they're generally double sided. You could also try companion planting. The idea is to plant something else nearby that the insects are drawn to (a bit like a decoy) so they are drawn to that instead of your prize plant. I have Hollyhocks growing in my yard, I love them, they're so pretty but I've noticed the why fly love them too so perhaps try planting some hollyhocks throughout your veggie garden. Along with using the sticky traps, spraying a horticultural spray is probably going to be the quickest most effective way to deal with them. Try Eco Neem oil that I previously suggested for dealing with scale. It's an all-natural organic product. But honestly don't rush out and specifically buy it if you've already got some form of white oil product, any white oil will work just fine. Whichever product you choose, the most important thing to remember is to make sure you thoroughly treat the underside of your plants, that's where the white fly and their little nymphs will be. Also, be sure to use the product carefully, follow the manufacturer's instructions on the label. At the end of the day, no gardening comes without its share of pests, diseases and disorders. Half the fun of gardening is the satisfaction of successfully dealing with the challenges it throws at us. It's a matter of constantly being on the lookout for them and dealing with them as quickly and efficiently as possible when the need arises. Keep cool and enjoy your garden!

Written and edited by Tammy 16th January 2023 I walked around my garden tonight after work watering a few things, enjoying how nice the lush lawn felt under my bare feet, and I pondered what I wanted to share with you. Lost in my own thoughts as I often am, I absentmindedly yanked on the garden hose, snapping the connector off it as it followed me around the corner of the house. My favourite coffee cup was sent flying off the spot I had sat it for safe keeping, smashing it to pieces on the footpath. Frustrated and heartbroken I walked inside to look for a spare connector, my beautiful partner looked up from preparing tea and asked me as he does most nights, "where are your shoes?" to which I replied "I just broke the hose connector AND my coffee cup in one foul swoop. 😩 I walked back outside without a connector (still with no shoes on) and proceeded to tread on a piece of broken coffee cup ending up with glass in my foot. Now had I have been wearing shoes (PPE) this most definitely wouldn't have happened. I still would've broken the hose connector and my coffee cup but at least I wouldn't have had to eat humble pie whilst admitting I needed help getting glass out of my foot. The moral of the story is .... "Do as I say, NOT as I do". Always wear enclosed protective footwear whilst in the garden to prevent bites, stings or glass in your foot. Wearing gloves not only prevents splinters and blisters, but the sap from some plants such as Euphorbia are poisonous and can actually cause nasty reactions if they come in contact with the skin. Wear a hat, long sleeves and pants, to prevent sunburn and once again avoid exposure to any skin irritants. Wear a high SPF sunscreen on any exposed skin. Protective eyewear in a must to prevent eye injury from irritants or sticks, stones and debris. In all seriousness, these are a few of the things that you really should wear when you're outside in your garden for your own safety. And perhaps don't leave coffee cups laying around outside either, we all have lessons to learn every day, and today this was mine. Happy Gardening!

Written and edited by Tammy 19h January 2023 There's nothing better than walking into a beautiful nursery full of fresh plants, but if you're a 'newbie' to the world of gardening it can be a bit daunting not knowing where to begin. So I'm going to give you a few tips that will be really helpful to you. Firstly, do a little bit of homework before you go, have a few notes jotted down in your phone or in a notebook about the part of your garden you're wanting to plant out. a) Is it a sunny or shady spot? and what percentage of the day is sunny or shady? b) Is your soil heavy black soil, sticky or hard clay or non-wetting sand? c) How much room do you actually have to work with? For example, 2 meters by 6 meters. You can even have a picture already drawn that you can pencil ideas into. Most garden centres are set out 'user friendly' with signage to point you to their different sections. there'll be designated areas for edibles such as fruit trees and vegetable seedlings, Australian natives, shade loving plants and more. Take your time and study the description on the back of the plant identification tags as you wander around amongst the plants. Look at the example I've included above for a strawberry plant, at the top you'll find the common name, the name that you will most likely be familiar with, and beneath this will be the botanical name, kind of like the scientific name. (We'll go a little bit more into depth on plant names another day). Beneath the name you'll find a detailed section about the requirements of the plant. It'll tell you if the plant needs full sun or shade, and how big it is going to grow. Just a tip though, don't take the height and width as gospel, it really is just a guide. In other words, in an ideal situation it could potentially reach...... With this information you might be able to have a go at working out how many of this particular plant you can fit comfortably within your space. The tag will also tell you if the plant needs to be kept moist and requires a lot of water, or if it's drought hardly and happy with minimal water. Some tags such as the strawberry one above, will even go into a bit more detail about, how to plant it, what type of soil it likes, and even what type of fertilizer to use and how often. You don't have to rush and walk out with hundreds of dollars' worth of plants that same day, take your time, take some photos of the plants you like and the back of the tags too, or if you prefer to write down the details on your notebook so you can make a few more decisions at home. And if you're really unsure, don't be afraid to approach the nursery staff, if you explain to them what you'd like to achieve and describe to them a bit more about you garden, the notes we discussed earlier, they should be able to help you. They are trained in this, it's what they do. (What I myself pride myself on being qualified to do 😜) So there we have it, I hope this has enlightened you a little as to how much information is right there within your reach next time you go to the nursery. Happy gardening.

Written and edited by Tammy 24th January 2023 Have you ever experienced the sheer bliss of eating a Plumcot? Sunday afternoon I popped out to my girlfriends' place for a coffee, she has the most beautiful gardens and a 'to die for' fruit orchard that's the envy of all. Standing out to the side in a section of ornamentals stood what I thought was any other Prunus ornamental plum.....but it wasn't. It was a Plumcot, a Plum x Apricot called Plumscrumptious and oh my goodness they taste divine! 'Plumscrumptious' is a product of Flemings Nurseries. They are an interspecific variety, meaning they are the end result of two different species of fruit trees being pollinated by hand, now that's kind of cool! This particular tree in my girlfriend's yard is about 6 years old and stands around 3 meters tall. Like most fruit trees there's no real advantage of letting them get any taller than that, as you can't reach the fruit anyway without messing around climbing up on ladders. You're just creating a feast for the birds. As you can see by the one in my hand that I promptly made short work of, they have a lovely deep rich cherry red coloured skin and similar coloured flesh. The flavour is something really quite special, it honestly has characteristics of both an apricot and a plum. Now unless you can be certain that there are plum trees close by in your neighbour's yard, you are going to need a companion tree for it as a pollinator. Flemmings recommend a Mariposa. Fruit trees are always best sourced and planted in the Winter months, which is known as 'Bare root season' when they are dormant (asleep). Most fruit trees with the exception of Citrus are deciduous. If you're thinking you'd love to own one of these wonderful little trees, it's a good idea to go into your nearest stockist and pop your name down on a waiting list for one now. Often these newer varieties of trees are in hot demand, so it avoids the disappointment of missing out. **Keep an eye on my posts or better yet subscribe to my website to be kept up to date as I'll go into a bit more detail about bare root season in the coming months as it gets closer. In conclusion, I think if you're planning an addition to your collection of fruit trees you most definitely will not be disappointed with one of these. Go and put your name down for a Plumcot today. Happy Gardening! 🪴🍑

Written and edited by Tammy 26th January 2023 I can't think of anything more fitting to share with you today on Australia Day than one of our best kept secret tourist attractions....' Big Red'. A sleepy little town just 15 minutes out of Naracoorte, called Kybybolite (or Kyby as we all know it) is home to the largest living River Red Gum Eucalyptus Camaldulensis in the South East of South Australia. It simply doesn't get more beautiful, iconic and Australian than that. From the strongest and longest standing fence posts to the stunning focal point slab kitchen benchtops, and the warmth thrown out of a winter nights warm wood fire, we can all relate to the Red Gum. The ABC together with Greening Australia ran a competition back in 1996 to create awareness of the importance of protecting our country's oldest majestic giants, and the dimensions of Big Red seen it take out the title of 'The largest living River Red Gum in the South East of South Australia. In 2008 the tree was measured again and found to be still growing strong at a whopping 42 meters tall with a circumference of 12.2 meters. Absolutely breath taking to stand beneath, this tree truly is a giant amongst the giants with neighbouring trees being of similar stature. A good wet year like we've just experienced, has seen its home the Mullinger Swamp full to the brim looking spectacular in itself, and consequently the replenished underground aquifer will see the trees deep roots quenched of thirst now for a while. The iconic 'Big Red' Mullinger Swamp by Tammy When you're out driving around our country roads next, take an extra couple of moments to stop and appreciate the beauty of the amazing big old trees. Honestly what is a few moments out of our busy lives when you put it back into perspective of the age of some of these trees. I hope Big Red is still around for my grand-children's children to appreciate. Happy Australia Day!🌳💚

Written and edited by Tammy 3nd February 2023 The sun peeped up over the vineyards shortly after 6am yesterday morning as we left for work, I went from pondering harvesting and the pending rain, to the fact that it was lighter earlier this time last week, then, how plants know that the season is about to change. Do they get a memo that the next season is fast approaching? No, they don't get a memo, they determine what time of the year it is based on the length of the days, hours of daylight. There's a fancy word for it, called 'photoperiodism'. It's the terminology given to a plants ability to regulate its development based of the hours of daylight. A chemical within plants called Florigen tells the plant 'The days are getting shorter, time to hurry up and stop putting on foliage and focus on reproduction before time runs out'. With deciduous trees, we get all those beautiful Autumn colours .....that's a direct result of the chlorophyll in the leaves breaking down as the days shorten. The pretty colours were there all along, you just couldn't see them because of the chlorophyll. Without leaves, the tree loses its ability to photosynthesise and keep doing its thing, so it shuts down (becomes dormant) and goes to sleep for the season. As soon as the ground begins to warm, and the days begin to lengthen it signals the plants to wake up and the cycle begins all over again. So, plants are actually smarter than us, we look at a Calander, the time on the clock, or we notice the colour of the leaves on the trees, and we think 'wow the season is changing' but in reality....... plants are all over this way before you and I realise what is going on. What's the lesson in this, other than me getting out of a warm bed in the dark? listen to your plants, watch for the little clues, the changing colours of the leaves, vegetables bolting quickly to seed, or them simply slowing down with their rate of growth. They will let you know what is going on. Enjoy this beautiful drop of rain, 'liquid gold' and have a wonderful Friday. Happy gardening😘🌳

Written and edited by Tammy 7th February 2023 Has anyone else noticed how amazing and glorious the Golden Elms throughout our region look right now? I couldn't help but notice quite a few of them around Mt Gambier on the weekend, there's an Avenue of them lining the main street of the Millicent township making it look an absolute picture, and of course home here around Naracoorte there's some stunners! I was lucky enough a couple of days ago to have a local lady allow me the privilege of sitting on a park bench beside her beneath her lovely big sprawling Golden Elm for a few moments just to appreciate the view. It was so hard not to get lost in moment looking up into the enchanted branches above. Ulmus glabra Lutescens Golden Elms are a deciduous ornamental. They lose all their leaves becoming dormant over the cooler months, allowing the winter sun to shine through, then the vibrant almost iridescent lime green leaves reappear in the Spring. Evident by their popularity, Golden Elms grow well here in our cool climate. They prefer a full sun to part shade position in a free draining soil and once established, their water requirements are low. They are by no means a small tree for the faint hearted, they can reach heights of up to 15 meters tall and 18 meters wide making for a beautiful big feature shade tree. If you're trying to decide on an attractive shade tree to plant this season and space isn't an issue, you really don't need to look much further than the Golden Elm. Add this one to your wish list. Happy Gardening!💚🌳💚🌳