What goes in the veggie patch this winter

Hi Girls and Guys,

Just because you can’t grow your tomatoes anymore doesn’t mean you can’t grow anything. For the last couple of years I’ve been very lazy, leaving my veggie patch to become weed infested throughout the winter then spending a few day preparing it for the summer and letting it go again. Heres a list of things that will go great in your veggie patch over winter making it productive 12 months of the year!

Carrot – great with roasts, salads or in stew

When it comes to the cooler months, and what to plant think of all your winter favourites! What goes well with a roast chicken or a leg of lamb??? Things like Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Broad Beans, Red Onions and all the different types of peas, snow peas, snap peas and podded peas.

But these aren’t the only herbs and veges that love the cooler months, don’t forget all your leafy vegetables such as Rainbow Chard, Spring Onions, Leeks, Beetroot, Kohlrabi, Cabbage and all the different Asian greens such as Pak Choy and Bok Choy. Lettuce loves winter too so maybe get experimental and try growing some Cos, Mini Cos, Varying colours of Coral and Butterhead and my favourite the peppery taste of Rocket!

Its all the colours of the rainbow with Rainbow Chard

Garlic bulbs are a good idea to plant if you use a lot of garlic in the kitchen amongst Bolognese or over your Prawns split the bulb into individual cloves and they should be ready for harvest late spring early summer look for the foliage dying back and remember to keep the biggest and best one to replant next year!

Herbs can be hit and miss over the cooler months with cold wet feet and cold nights sounding the death kneel for herbs such as most basil’s (perennial and greek will still grow okay but lack the flavoursome punch of sweet basil) and others such as oregano, BUT maybe try growing Chervil, Fennel and now is the best time to grow the sometimes troublesome Coriander.

Many of these winter favourites now are available in dwarf varieties as well for those of you who are planting in smaller garden beds or in pots on balconies or for the adventurous using them in a wall gardens!

Don’t forget the Seasol

As its cools you may want to also think of using a liquid food to fertilize as it is available for the plants to use straight away. It is also a good idea to apply it over the foliage of the plants and at the same time mixing your liquid foods with seasol (a plant tonic) to increase pest and disease resistance!

On the topic of pest and diseases over winter you may want to keep an eye out for snails, slugs and caterpillars. For the slugs and snails a liberal sprinkling of snail bait (available now in child and pet friendly forms) or for those of you who use pots using a copper barrier tape around the top of the pot will stop the pesky buggers from getting in their. For your caterpillars, aphids and other insects that appear in the garden over winter try using a natural pyrethrum spray, which is made from the pyrethrum daisy and is safe for us, but will stop them dead!

Until next time happy gardening and happy eating 

Steve

Grow Like a Pro no. 1: Cymbidium Orchids

Few plants can boast as devout a following as the Orchid, and with so many different types and such incredible variation between them it’s easy to see why. Every major city in Australia has a number of Orchid Societies, and any green thumb will tell you that Orchids are, for many, very serious business. This can be, for the more casual gardener, pretty intimidating; enough  to put you off growing Orchids altogether.

While it’s true that some species require a great deal of attention in order to perform, confounding any casual gardener’s attempts to get them flowering, there is one species that’s so eager to please that many gardeners claim they actually thrive on neglect: Cymbidiums. In this post, the first of the brand new “Grow Like a Pro” collection, I’ll show you how easy it is to care for Cymbidium Orchids, and how to ensure you get as many of their amazing flowers as possible.

The first thing to remember is to keep your Cymbidiums in pots: they will live in the ground but they will not flower. Orchids love being all cramped up (it’s how they grow in the wild), thus the “thrive on neglect” comment earlier. You must use an Orchid Potting Mix, which has a higher bark quantity than normal mix: Orchids may like being squashed but they do need a small amount of air around their roots. Four Seasons Nursery has a variety of suitable potting mixes available, include a range endorsed by the Orchid Society of Australia.

The right amount of light is crucial for good flowering. Cymbidiums are tolerant of cooler areas but their origin is tropical, and it’s important to bare this in mind when selecting a position for them. Filtered light all day or morning sun with late afternoon shade is perfect. Full sun all day will burn the leaves, full shade all day will cause the foliage to be a lovely deep green but you won’t get any flowers.

When watering the key is to keep your Orchids moist but not wet. During summer this means a drink every couple of days, and only once or twice a week in winter. A friend of mine, whose Cymbidiums produce some of the most spectacular floral displays I’ve ever seen every year, swears by using your washing machine’s grey water instead of normal tap water; I’ve never tried this but it is something to consider. Using a specialised Cymbidium potting mix, with its higher bark content, will ensure the orchid stays moist but is never flooded.

And that’s it! Cymbidiums are generally pest free, though they may get scale and snails do like to eat the flowers. Both of these pests are, however, very easy to deal with. Feed your Cymbidiums with an orchid specific fertiliser, such as “Strike Back For Orchids” or “Feather and Fins” (available at Four Seasons Nursery), every 3-6 months and you’ll be smothered in flowers come winter. The flowers last 6-7 weeks and come in an incredible variety of colours. The stems can be cut for brilliant indoor arrangements, or left on the plant to brighten your winter garden. Four Seasons Nursery will be carrying a heap of Cymbidiums all winter; come in to see them, and our friendly (and extremely knowledgeable) staff, any time.

-Mike P.

Purple- Autumn’s other colour.

The Autumn Show is in full swing this week, and with the air temperature cooling and the sun setting around six it’s the perfect time of year for after-work walking. You’ll see Pears and Maples blushing blood red, Liquidambars ablaze in shades of crimson and gold. But as the deciduous shrubs and trees all do their bit, flushed from competing for your “oohs” and “aahs”, another contender steps up in a brilliant cloak of purple to steal the show- the Tibouchina.

Originating from South America and comprising of more than 350 different species, the genus Tibouchina (“ti-boo-chee-nah”) is famous for its flowers: rich and vibrant shades of purple and pink, with clusters of claw-like stamens jutting out from the centre. They open en masse from March through to May, creating a truly eye-catching display that dramatically complements a garden’s autumn foliage.

There is considerable variation in size between the most commonly available cultivars, allowing you to choose the perfect Tibouchina for your garden, in spite of any height or width restrictions.  Tibouchina “Alstonville” will grow into a six metre high tree, as will the “Kathleen” variety, whose flowers are a delicate shade of pink. Tibouchina “Jules” is a small shrub, growing roughly one metre high and one metre wide, while the fairly new cultivar “Groovy Baby” is even smaller.

Tibouchinas thrive in a neutral to slightly acidic soil. They love the full sun, and will grow quickest when in an open, warm spot, with excellent drought-tolerance once established. They require very little maintenance and are highly resistant to pests and diseases, though frosts are to be avoided.

Four Seasons Nursery has a great range of the above-mentioned Tibouchinas in stock now, all covered in buds and looking for a new home. They, and we, hope to see you soon!

-Mike P.

Stay warm this winter with our firewood

As some of you know, we run a firewood business along side the nursery. We sell seasoned Ironbark from Queensland. Ironbark is one of the hottest, slow burning woods there is, so you will use less and stay warmer. On our Australian Firewood site you will find all the info you need about our firewood, pricing and pick up rates.

Please give us a call on (02)9986 1223 if you have any questions and we can help you stay warm and dry all winter long.

Matt Macri

What to do with all this rain?

Hello to all,

If your anything like me you will probably be fed up with all this rain. All summer long and with no end in sight. However, this doesn’t mean that their isn’t anything left to do in the garden. Rain may save you some work in the yard, like watering your plants, but it can also create a lot of new work. Below is just some of the many things you can do for your garden during the rain that wont break the bank and when the rain does stop, give you a great head start in the garden so you can start enjoying the sunshine faster.

1. Mulch – as my colleague Steve pointed out in our last blog, mulching is a great way to retain moisture in the soil. With all the wet weather about make the most of it because as soon as we get a nice sunny day the soil will dry out and it is no good for the plants. This will also help prevent the weeds that are going to spring up after a good rain period. Make sure you use a weed mat for extra protection.
2. Fertilize – the lawn, the garden or where ever its just a great time to do it. Watering after fertilizing is a good idea to avoid fertilizer burn on your plants and lawn and Mother Nature is going to do it for you for no extra charge. But be careful not over do it. Fertilizer run off is no good for our waterways and our native bushland.
3. Put indoor plants outside – instead of watering your indoor plants, place them outside. They’ll get a good clean from the rain and will reward you with beautiful shiny foliage and the rain water and fresh air  is beneficial to them.
4. Don’t Spray – Even if we get a few hours of sunshine, if it looks like its going to rain then don’t spray. Most herbicides/fungicide’s and insecticide’s need a 24 hour period without rain for results. Its a waste of both time and money because you are going to have to respray later to get the treatments you need.
5. Plant new Plants – Just after the rain, when the soil is still moist, is a great time to plant your new plants. The soil is moist and the plants wont need to be watered in to much (It’s also easier to dig in a moist friable soil). Also if you use a product like Seasol, it will be easier for the plants to take it up.
6. Visit the nursery – A rainy day is the perfect time to visit the Nursery. There are less people around meaning you get the best pick of the plants and staff can generally spend a few extra minutes with you to discuss any problems or ideas with your garden. Bring your brolly and take a leisurely stroll around the nursery, its one of the best times to see it.

So make sure you’ve got some good wet weather gear  at home and get on out there in the garden so when the sun does decides to show up for summer you can spend more time enjoying it.

-Happy Gardening-

Matt M

The positives of mulch

Hi Guys & Girls,

Make the most of the recent rains! It’s an ideal time to be mulching your garden beds. An ideal thickness for your mulch is between 40-60mm thick. A cubic meter (1m³) will cover approx 16m² at this thickness or if you have a smaller garden bed a 60L bag will cover 1m².

Mulch not only retains the moisture in your soil, it also regulates the soil temperature keeping it cooler in summer and warmer in winter which will lead to better plant growth and plant health. Mulch has great quality’s in suppressing the weeds and it will also be making your gardens more attractive!

Looking forward to seeing you in the nursery soon.

Steve