Aphids abounded in extraordinary numbers this year because they
had a head start on their predators ... the ladybirds! We had those
early hot days and gardeners who didn't have a monthly spray/feed
program in place were inundated by aphids. If that happened in your
garden, we suggest you remove the damaged buds so that the plants can
get going to produce another round of flowers.
For guaranteed and reliable protection from aphids, we recommend a
year-round program of monthly spray/feeding with the Eco-oil (organic
insecticide) and Natrakelp (Australia's own and best!) liquid seaweed -
if you notice an extraordinary number of aphids or other insects which
you need to control, increase your spray/feed program to every 7-10 days.
Doing this keeps the pests under control and allows the predators to get
their act together and breed rapidly. Some customers have reported the
fattest ladybirds they've ever seen - they're having a ball right now!
FROST DAMAGE ...
If you had any frost damage, now
would be a good time to trim or pinch back withered foliage and give the
bushes an extra dose of Natrakelp liquid seaweed - toughen them up and
give them a treat for tolerating such horrid weather conditions!
SPRAY FEED & MAINTENANCE PROGRAM ...
A subtle reminder to those who have the products as ornaments in the
garden shed ... it's time to get your Eco-Oil, Natrakelp and Eco-Rose
and use them monthly as follows:
To 10 Litres of Water ADD:
¼ CUP NATRAKELP LIQUID SEAWEED
¼ CUP ECO-OIL - BOTANICAL OIL CONCENTRATE INSECTIDE
¼ CUP ECO-ROSE - ORGANIC FUNGICIDE
Every 8 weeks feed the soil directly with about ½ handful per
bush of high quality, balanced organic fertilizer which has trace elements
added - you'll have the most lush, healthy roses and be the envy of all
your friends and neighbours ... do share your program with them - happy
roses: happy people!!!
RULES OF SPRAYING YOUR ROSES ...
- Always make sure your spray container has NEVER been used for
Roundup or other weedicides or chemical sprays;
- Complete your spraying by around 10.00am - especially in hotter
weather;
- If using larger quantities of products, ideally mix them together
by swilling them between two buckets and then add to spray unit -
smaller quantities can be added to water and then vigorously shake
the spray unit;
- Thoroughly rinse out the spray unit and nozzle so that the unit
never becomes blocked with old product;
- When using our products, follow our application rates - if using
other products, always follow the label instructions on those
products!!
ON THE HOME FRONT ...
Our son Benjamin, Head Chef in the Rose Café and his lovely fiancé,
Nicole, have chosen to be married on 10th November, 2007 - a year of
exciting planning ahead of them!
Our son Luke and his wife, Angela, have a beautiful baby son ...
we welcome with much love and joy, Levi Jesse Sargeant!
A lot of you will remember the days when the Dingos, 'Chienne' and
'Bonnie' were here at the Nursery ... they were great times for all of
us! Sadly, Chienne was bitten by a tiger snake and after a very brave
battle, she died in my arms on Monday, 10th October ... she was 8½
years young and our lives are all richer for having shared her beautiful
life ... she's resting in our garden with the RSPCA rose "BEST FRIEND"
close by.
As gardeners, we need to be constantly vigilant - this season is
reported to be a particularly bad time for snakes!
BIODYNAMICS IN THE HOME GARDEN ...
Biodynamics is spraying the soil with microbes to allow humus to
develop in the soil - in turn, you'll conserve up to 50% of water
applied, have much healthier plants and fantastic tasting vegetables
and fruits! And, that's only part of the story!! We recently held a
number of seminars at the Nursery on this topic ... extremely
interesting and unfortunately, there was no time to advise you all
through this Newsletter. However, the great news is that we will be
holding a series of seminars in March/April, 2007 and we will advise
the dates closer to that time.
The seminars were interesting in the extreme!!! There is a general
perception that Biodynamics is very complicated and difficult - this
myth was dispelled immediately and the presenters, Hamish McLean and
John Priestly gave us the absolute truth about Biodynamics and how
truly necessary it is that all of us take up the challenge to
incorporate Biodynamic preparations into our garden management.
To any of you who have an interest in Biodynamics and the use of
preparations in your garden, we have a small number of preparation
packs available now at the Nursery. You will hear us talking more
about Biodynamics because we are very keen to spread the word about how
vitally necessary it can be in our home gardens! Stay posted!!!
WHAT IS A 'BLIND SHOOT' ...
Blind shoots are common in Spring when a normal flowering shoot gets
caught by a spell of cold weather while it is developing and instead of
a flower bud forming, you see a sort of husk where the flower should be
- some rose varieties are more prone to blind shoots and they are very
easy to identify on closer inspection of the bush. When you identify a
blind shoot, you can simply pinch (finger pruning we call this!)
approximately 5cm from the top of the stem, thus removing the blind
shoot and the regrowth will be a normal flower bud. Nothing to worry
about but the sooner you identify it, the sooner you pinch back the
growth and the sooner you have a flower bud developing!
A FEW GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD ...
- Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional!
- Forget the health food .. I need all the preservatives I can get!
- When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're
down there!
- It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers
to ask you the questions!
- Time may be a great healer but it's a lousy beautician!
- Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held it's ground!
- Wrinkles don't hurt!
- Laughing is good exercise .. it's like jogging on the inside!
Have you been jogging today? Keep jogging and gardening and we'll
grow old together .. the healthy way!!
CLEMATIS ...
Boy, has my passion for these beauties
increased! All around my frost-tip-burned roses the Clematis buds
didn't even wilt under a succession of -5 degrees frosty nights in our
home garden and that leads me to thinking again, these magnificent
plants are incredibly tough … they laughed at the frost and are already
flowering!
When planting Clematis, always plant them at least 5cm deeper than
the pot level and don't be afraid to heap cow manure and mulch, even a
large rock at the base of them - they love their roots to be cool!
They can be watered at the same rate as the rose they're planted with
- 1 x 10 litre bucket of water per week, delivered at the same time, i.e.
10 litres of water on Monday,
not 5 litres on Monday and 5 litres on
Friday!!!!
There is a beautiful range of hybrid Clematis at the nursery NOW!
THE WATER SITUATION ...
"Did you know that if all Melbourne gardeners stopped
watering their gardens today, Victoria's total water use would drop by
only 1%."
The Nursery & Garden Industry Victoria, placed a full-page advertisement
in the Herald-Sun newspaper on 14th July, 2006 making that statement and
we encourage you all to be inventive, creative, conservative and most
importantly enthusiastic about watering your gardens!
It is imperative to the health of the environment and the people of
this great nation that we all continue gardening with absolute
enthusiasm … go out and buy your veggie seedlings, plant a tree and a
few more roses for colour and fragrance! It's a well known fact that
green surroundings reduce mental tiredness while enhancing concentration
and attention, leading to an improved ability to cope and make positive
decisions. Green spaces bring people together more often, promoting
chance meetings and encounters; residents get to know one another,
producing strong, more cohesive neighbourhoods.
We need gardeners to keep gardening and to keep gardening, we need
water! Get creative with all the water that usually goes down the drain
at your house and grow a beautiful garden this season - imagine yourself
on a warm summer evening, a few friends over for a barbeque and you land
the salad on the table; it's got your home grown lettuce and tomatoes,
a few herbs and a waft of magical fragrance from your beautiful roses
gets everyone talking about how you do it! Tell them you collect the
water before the shower gets hot and that's how you grew all this
magnificence ... they'll go home and do it too because they've shared
the rewards of your persistence! You can do it ... you will do it!!!
CHRISTMAS IS NEAR ...
As if I need to remind you!!
The shops are already laden with gifts and decorations and it's a
timely reminder that a potted rose is a beautiful, lasting gift so come
and do your shopping at our nursery … the gardens are a delight!
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Regards from all of us at Silkie Gardens Rose
Nursery & Café
Previous Newsletter - WINTER 2006
 |
