Plant of the week.


Plant of the week.

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Gardening - Rose pruning hints

Roses are dormant at this time of the year in the Southern hemisphere. Winter is the best time to prune roses, usually when leaves have fallen from the plant and there is no sign of any new growth. When preparing for winter pruning, ensure tools are sharp and sterile between cutting each plant. Prepare your spray solutions before pruning so you are ready to spray plants immediately after pruning. Copper sulphate spray and oil based sprays work well in combination to control fungal diseases and insects over winter. There are many copper compounds that are used as fungicides. The most common is Bordeaux mix. This is a combination of copper sulphate and hydrated lime.
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Seasonal Lawn/Turf care.

Autumn / Winter Lawn preparation. Following simple lawn care steps will ensure that your lawn survives even the toughest of winters. The winter season can be hard on lawns and grassed areas. Even though most turf grasses are tough and deep rooted, even the healthiest lawn is vulnerable to fungal disease, compaction from vehicle and foot traffic, un-seasonal dry periods, frost damage and sunburn. Patches of browning and yellowing areas in your lawn are signs of these problems and will become more obvious as spring growth starts and these effected patches refuse to grow. Most of these problems can be avoided by following some easy steps to protect your lawn and prevent ongoing problems associated with poor lawn care. The most important measure to take in winter is the removal of all leaf matter from the lawn area. Leaves left on the ground / lawn will get damp and turn into a mat on the lawn, these wet leaves will kill the grass beneath them, as well as provide an envi...
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Gardening NZ. Composting and Tiger worms. New Zealand landscaping ideas.

Composting is an excellent way to re- incorporate garden waste (leaves fallen from deciduous trees, kitchen waste, and garden trimmings etc.) back into the garden from which it came. Tiger worms are the best kind of composting worm to introduce into your compost pile or bins. With the addition of a hand full of lime from time to time, sprinkle and spread out over the surface of your compost pile. This will encourage the worms to feed more as they like the lime and will be encouraged to eat more to get to the lime. The addition of top soil occasionally will also help introduce healthy bacteria and organisms into your compost, also promoting faster composting. An easy, economical way to start your own worm farm is to gather several polystyrene boxes, stack them on top of each other with a Hessian sack between each layer. Fill the boxes with organic mixture as described above and add some worms and let them turn your waste into worm castings, a prime nutritional addition to your garden.
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