Episodes
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
Winter Savoryvs Thyme in Spice it Up
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
SPICE IT UP
SAVORY VS THYME
Often there’s a couple of herbs that look alike and even have similar flavour profiles.
If you had them growing together in the herb garden, you may even confuse the two because of how closely they look to each other.
If you rubbed both herbs without knowing which was which, you would most likely think they both were the same herb.
- Winter savory, unlike thyme, is not sold as a cut herb in the produce aisle of your supermarket.
- Confusingly there is a 'summer savory' which tends to die off in winter and usually not come back.
- I've never seen the seeds of savory being sold however if you have a pot of winter savory that's overgrown and become leggy, follow these tips to refresh it.
- Dividing the roots in spring, will rejuvenate the plant.
- Start off by trimming about a third of any wrapped or circling roots.
- Divide the root ball into thirds or quarters, making sure that each section has a healthy piece of root and stems with green leaves attached.
- Remove one-third of the top growth, and trim away any dead or damaged stems and leaves.
- Re-pot into new containers and gift some to your friends.
But can you substitute one for the other?
Wild thyme growing amongst a rocky outcrop |
- Did you know there are over 100 varieties of thyme?
- The wild thyme of Provence is known for its strength of flavour. Think 'herbs de Provence' is a blend with this wild thyme.
- You will find winter savory, Satureja (sat-you-rea) montana, as a plant sold in most garden centres.
- So time to get some of your own.
I'm talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au
If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
Control of Fungus Gnats in Plant Doctor
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
PLANT DOCTOR
FUNGUS GNATS
These tiny flying things can swarm around your indoor plants but other than annoyance, are they killing your plants?
Those tiny little flies that hang around your fruit bowl or indoor plants aren’t always that same thing.
Sometimes they’re confused with fruit flies, or even ordinary house flies, but none of those two are correct. Inevitably they’re up to no good but how to tell them apart?
- There are fungus gnats and fermentation flies.
- they are attracted to different things.
- Fermentation or vinegar flies tend to hang around the fruit bowl, especially if you've got overripe fruit because vinegar flies are attracted to sugars.
- Fungus gnats are smaller, flitting around erratically: the adults of which are attracted to moisture.
- the adults are doing much if anything to your plants other than laying lots of eggs, although there is evidence that they can transmit plant diseases.
- The larvae can be the problem because the feed on the roots of your plants.
Fungus gnats -magnified heaps. |
- Remember: Vinegar or fermentation flies are attracted to sugary treats, such as over-ripe fruits, whereas fungus gnats are attracted to moisture such as overly wet potting medium.
- Greenhouses can also have an outbreak of fungus gnats.
- Keep your soil medium a bit on the dry side.
- Drench the potting mix with neem oil which will control the juvenile stages.
- Make a sticky trap using vaseline to trap the adults.
- Use a type of mulch the prevents the adult fungus gnats burrowing into the soil to lay the eggs.
- Worst case, repot with fresh potting mix.
- Greenhouse control can be with predatory insects.
If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Spotting Plant Deficiencies in Plant Doctor
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
PLANT DEFICIENCIES:
But still the plants look sickly, or perhaps a bit yellow, or they’re just not putting on any growth.
Does that sound familiar?
- So what’s the problem?
Basic pH test kit |
- Ideally the ideal pH range that gardeners should strive for is pH 6 - 7.5
- This is the range that the major nutrients of NPK are available to the plant the most.
- Some plants such as rhododenrons and azaleas like a like a low of pH6.
A good tip when taking soil samples from your soil is to get a sample from just below the surface for an accurate reading.
I'm talking with Kylie Last, horticulturist and TAFE teacher.
If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Plant Nutrition: What Plants Really Want in Plant Doctor
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
Wednesday Sep 08, 2021
PLANT NUTRITION UNPACKED
Major Nutrients
Have you ever asked yourself "how do plants take up nutrients when you spread fertiliser around them on the ground or dilute it into liquid ?"
- What went wrong?
- So What Are These Nutrients?
- Nitrogen:Phosphorus:Potassium or NPK:
A selection of fertilisers - Kylie's main mantra is NPK refers to shoots:roots;fruit
Without the major nutrients, your plants may not grow and develop roots, stems leaves and flowers properly.
If you know what and how much to give your plants, the plants will be healthier and more productive.
Just remember to read the NPK amounts on the bag or packet of fertiliser.
Let’s find out more about what plants really need.
I'm talking with Kylie Last, horticulturist and TAFE teacher.
PLAY: Major Nutrients_21stJuly 2021
If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Woolly Tea Tree in Plant of the Week
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Scientific name: Leptospermum lanigerum
lanigerum, is named using the Latin word for wool-bearing, describing the silky hairy leaves and hairy buds, shoots and young capsules.
- Not all tea trees have green leaves, and this one has pewter grey or silver tiny leaves with typical 5 petalled tea tree flowers.
- May be limbed into a small tree. Light summer water though very drought adapted. Excellent background shrub or screen or large informal hedge.
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Aussie Blue Devil in Plant of the Week
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Monday Aug 30, 2021
- When heavily if flower, the plant, not just the flowers turn blue. "By mid summer the flowering stems extend to 60 cm and a mass of crowded bright blue flowers is produced with long, spiky bracts to 2.5 cm in globular, thistle-like heads on rigid branched stems. " (from anbg.gov.au)
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Aussie Coastal Rosemary is Plant of the Week
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Westringia 'Grey Box' |
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Aussie Salt Bush is Plant of the Week
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Monday Aug 30, 2021
pt 2 Silver leafed plants
Scientific name:Rhagodia spinescens
Common Name: Aussie flat bush; spiny saltbush
Ozbreed has a compact form makes a great ground cover and performs better if it is pruned annually or more often if a manicured look is desired. 30-50cm x 1m wide
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Two Silver leafed Eucalypts in Plant of the Week
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Monday Aug 30, 2021
PLANT OF THE WEEK
All About Australian Native Plants with Silver Leaves.
Eucalyptus perriniana |
pt1 A Couple of Eucalypts with Silver Leaves.
- Two great silver leafed gums were our picks:Eucalyptus perriniana and Eucalyptus cinerea
Silver leaves can be so attractive in the garden, in the vase or just in the landscape.
The add texture and structure to a garden. But they also can brighten a dark spot in a garden where dark green would just disappear in the gloom.
Eucalyptus cinerea |
Other fabulous silver leafed eucalypts
- You could also try Eucalyptus pulverulenta, known as the Silver-leaved Mountain Gum.
- There’s a dwarf form of this one called Baby Blue which only grows to 3m.
- The Silver-leaved Mountain Gum is an unusual Eucalypt (especially for eastern Australia) because it hangs onto juvenile foliage into maturity. Plants rarely produce adult leaves.
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
What's The Difference: Garden Snips vs Hand Pruners or Secateurs
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Garden Snips vs Secateurs
You would think that gardening tools would have all the same name pretty much all around the world.
What else would you call a spade ?
Perhaps a trowel may have a few different names, but what about secateurs and garden snips?
Are they the same thing?
- Secateurs are sometimes called pruning shears or hand pruners .
My Toolkit: Felco No8 secateurs - Secateurs can be bypass style, where the cutting blade passes a curved non-cutting 'anvil.'
- Secateurs can also be anvil style where the cutting blade cuts into a 'anvil.'
- Good quality secateurs will cut easily, feel comfortable to hold and spare parts are able to be purchased.
- Secateurs are used for the 'green' wood on plants cutting easily up to the diameter of a person's fingers.
- Garden snips are best used for trimming off spent flowers on plants such as calibroachoa, petunias, and other annuals and perennials. Light trimming of soft 'green' plant material is OK as long as the stems or branches are not too thick. Garden snips don't have the cutting power of secateurs.
PLAY: snips vs secateurs_18th August 2021
Like me, a lot of gardeners would have both types of secateurs-anvil and bypass as well as a pair of snips.
After all, not everything can be pruned with the one tool.