Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Jul 21, 2008 10:56 pm It is realtively simple.
Basic feeding: twice a year, the best dates to remember is first day of spring and first day of autumn applied to moist soil so you might have to water before feeding if it is dry. After feeding you water well and put mulch on. If your soils tend to get water repellant, you should also apply soil wetting agent. Organic gardeners use horse manure as it contains chemicals that act as wetting agents. More involved feeding, for example roses and other very hungry plants: feed a bit on every month that has a letter R in the name, so you do not feed in May, June, July and Agust, you feed on the first day or weekend of other months. Weeding: you generally should not have "weeding weekends" what you do is walk around the garden with a cup of coffee/tea or a glass of wine, admire your plants and in case you see a weed you dispose of it straight away, so you never have weeds in the garden. "Weeding weekends" only happen if you go away or are indisposed for a while, than you can employ weeding woman or guys to do it for you . Main things to remeber is to choose plants that will be happy in your conditions, this means aspect sun/shade, water requirenments, how much time you want to spend feeding and looking after your garden. Most garden centres will help you with the choices but you have to provide them with the above information. I would also take a sample of your soil to a garden centre, some will do a chemical analysis (pH) and tell you whether your soil is neutral (ph 7), alkaline (pH8 up) or acidic(less than pH 7). Most plants have adapted to specific soil conditions for example azalias, camelias, gardenias hate alkaline/limey soils, they will just turn up their toes. In the wrong pH plants cannot take up nutrients. In most cases it is impossible to change pH permamently, you can add chemicals to change it but usually after heavy rain or watering it will revert to the original pH. Maggie Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 2Jul 21, 2008 11:03 pm Thanks Maggie, just read that to DH.
Good to know about feeding times, just have to make sure none of the pants fall in the "no R month" category. Weeding - yes we are the weekend weeders - well DH is, cant stand to spend hours weeding Will become the daily glass of champagne walk around the garden person - well when the weather is warmer and I shall have a weed free garden. Still need to find out what plants we have - I know we have Gardiner's. Paula Prunning 3Jul 21, 2008 11:06 pm Generally you prune after flowering , however if it is hedges you are after than more often and less taken off is better.
Some plants can only be prunned to the green parts of the branches, this means only a few centimetres, leaving parts that still have green leaves, if you cut into hard wood these branches tend to die, examples: lavender, conifers. Other plants can be prunned very hard, even to ground level and they will reshoot, best to ask garden centre staff for advice. Maggie[/b] Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 5Jul 22, 2008 12:24 am Paula Weeding - yes we are the weekend weeders - well DH is, cant stand to spend hours weeding It shouldn't take "hours" to weed....do the right things (mulching for water retention and weed suppression) and wander around your garden a bit (as Maggie suggests) and you don't need to do hours of weeding. My last garden looked much older than it's 8 years of age......but I spent bugger all time "working it" towards the end....was one of reasons we moved....I'd run out of gardening projects on 650 sq.m...... mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 6Jul 22, 2008 12:27 am to_do_list Paula Weeding - yes we are the weekend weeders - well DH is, cant stand to spend hours weeding It shouldn't take "hours" to weed....do the right things (mulching for water retention and weed suppression) and wander around your garden a bit (as Maggie suggests) and you don't need to do hours of weeding. My last garden looked much older than it's 8 years of age......but I spent bugger all time "working it" towards the end....was one of reasons we moved....I'd run out of gardening projects on 650 sq.m...... Mike I'll have 1638m2 and I hate gardening. You can get stuck into mine if you need something to do on the weekends! I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 7Jul 22, 2008 9:46 am to_do_list Paula Weeding - yes we are the weekend weeders - well DH is, cant stand to spend hours weeding It shouldn't take "hours" to weed....do the right things (mulching for water retention and weed suppression) and wander around your garden a bit (as Maggie suggests) and you don't need to do hours of weeding. My last garden looked much older than it's 8 years of age......but I spent bugger all time "working it" towards the end....was one of reasons we moved....I'd run out of gardening projects on 650 sq.m...... I think this garden has been set up so we don't have to do that - it is only 18months old but look quite established, found out the previous owner had a gardener come in regularly to maintain. I think it may have to become a new hobby of mine, as I want to keep it looking as good as it does now. Maggie, will post pics when it stops raining. Paula Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 8Jul 22, 2008 10:00 am Paula I think this garden has been set up so we don't have to do that - it is only 18months old but look quite established, found out the previous owner had a gardener come in regularly to maintain. If you neglect the weeding it will come back to haunt you now matter how the garden is set up - like the house it's better to clean regularly before the dust bunnies become rabbits.... mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 9Jul 22, 2008 10:01 am If your'e not sure what to plant that will be easy and grow well, a good tip is to walk around your neighbourhood and see what is grwoing well in other gardens, even chat with the owners and ask for cuttings (everyone likes a compliment on their garden).
Even bettter, see what is growing well in neglected gardens or empty houses: then you know it will survive with minimum maitenance I have a large yard, over 1000m2, and a fairly good garden which I established almost from scratch, in an area with rainfall of 7 inches a year. At least half my plants are grown from cuttings (daisies etc) or thinned out stock of other peoples (agapanthus etc). Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 10Jul 22, 2008 10:08 am Helyn Even bettter, see what is growing well in neglected gardens or empty houses: then you know it will survive with minimum maitenance Good tip Helyn.....I've done that a few times.... mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 12Jul 22, 2008 10:19 am maggie I agree excellent tip Helyn, and while you chat to the neighbour about their gardens you gain two things, info about plants and new friends. Reminds me of a story Mum told me. Mum is an avid gardener, and a source of clippings, naturally seeded plants, and also plants that have been separated. She was working on the front garden for several weeks during spring (head down bum up so to speak) there was a lady who passed my every morning on a walk, and they would always say good morning, as Mum was working she never saw the person coming. After a few weeks the lady asked Mum to stand up because she was sick of saying good morning to her behind, they were both avid gardeners, and become quite friendly afterwards, with many chats afterwards. mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 13Jul 22, 2008 11:39 am For Perthites and West Aussies in general, I can't say enough about getting your self along to one of these courses for new gardeners.
Some of the states best Horts giving free seminars on gardening in Perth. These are not corporate influenced either so no ******* in your pocket about particular things like the telle shows do. (except Gardening Australia ) greatgardens.info Never spend money on a plant. Always spend money on soil. A healthy plant has a healthy soil and no mineral fertilser will give you that. In fact, mineral fertilisers can harm the soils health when over used as many do. Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 14Jul 22, 2008 12:48 pm to_do_list Paula I think this garden has been set up so we don't have to do that - it is only 18months old but look quite established, found out the previous owner had a gardener come in regularly to maintain. If you neglect the weeding it will come back to haunt you now matter how the garden is set up - like the house it's better to clean regularly before the dust bunnies become rabbits.... No I meant that it is set up with all the mulch like you said Quote: do the right things (mulching for water retention and weed suppression) I know we have to regularly pull weeds out as we see them..... Paula Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 15Jul 22, 2008 2:19 pm Paula to_do_list Paula I think this garden has been set up so we don't have to do that - it is only 18months old but look quite established, found out the previous owner had a gardener come in regularly to maintain. If you neglect the weeding it will come back to haunt you now matter how the garden is set up - like the house it's better to clean regularly before the dust bunnies become rabbits.... No I meant that it is set up with all the mulch like you said I don't mean to bang on but mulch (unless it's stones) is not dump and forget because it biodegrades, and you need to add to it, something I couldn't explain to my brother.... smart on computers....not on gardens....so you need to keep the mulch up to the garden beds....but again that's not a huge amount of work. mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 17Jul 22, 2008 2:34 pm Quote: I don't mean to bang on but mulch (unless it's stones) is not dump and forget because it biodegrades, and you need to add to it, something I couldn't explain to my brother.... smart on computers....not on gardens....so you need to keep the mulch up to the garden beds....but again that's not a huge amount of work. In other words, every few years, you need to top up the bark chips. Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 18Jul 22, 2008 8:49 pm Oh, Helyn I don't know,
"In other words, every few years, you need to top up the bark chips" more frequently I would say, you should keep it at least 7-10cm thick, and when you feed your garden it is best to rake your mulch away from the soil, apply blood and bone (my favourite ) or other and than rake it back on. You usually find that it is never those required 7-10cm and you need to add more. If you apply b&b on top of the mulch it is used by the mulch to decompose not by plants. Is it correct Fu Manchu? You seem to be a pro, I am just a mad gardener . Maggie Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 19Jul 22, 2008 9:08 pm yes, good point about feeding the plants not the mulch
I guess how often you need to replenish the mulch will also depend on the climate of your area, presumably wetter areas decompose quicker. Where we live it is dry and hot so decomposition probably slower, also I tend to plant hardy low maintenace plants which may not need as much nurturing - at any rate, I have had this garden for 22 years and have found replenishing bark chips about every 3 years is enough here. Re: Garden Basics for new gardeners 20Jul 22, 2008 9:49 pm I use to apply graded bark about every 18 months to 2 years to keep it at about a minimum of 3 inches at any given time.....Western Melbourne bugger all rain. mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Fig Landscapes has produced an e-book and native plant index, available for purchase from their website. It's a great resource, full of inspiration and tips. Another… 1 9166 Our Bondi Greenwall was impressive from day one with advanced lush plants to provide a wow factor to this recently renovated living area. The boundary was less than 1… 0 522 |