Autumn—a time of change

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Keith Mundy

With autumn well and truly with us there are plenty of things to do with new plantings of trees, shrubs, perennials, and vegetable and flower seedlings.

Autumn is the most desirable season for planting as the day temperatures are lower therefore lower transpiration rates but the soil is still warm enough to allow the roots to establish before the winter sets in. The plant will then rest through winter and when the first warm days of spring arrive … Read more »

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Gardens for the cool amongst us

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Keith Mundy

With the cooler months of the year fast approaching, our gardens can become somewhat drab. Consider adding some colour to the garden—this not only makes the garden look great but also encourages us to get outside, now the heat of summer is over.

There are many plants that can brighten up any garden and warm our hearts with their beauty, and good nurseries will be full of colourful plants just waiting to get out there.
You can … Read more »

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Mulching … a must

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Keith Mundy

In my opinion as a horticulturist, nurseryman and gardener, mulching garden beds, whether shrub or vegetable, is one of the most beneficial tasks that you can undertake. The benefits are many, from weed suppression to moisture retention and, just as important, as an insulator against frost and heat.
There are many products available and the type we use depends on several factors.
Do you want the mulch to be a short or long term solution? The decision comes down to whether the garden or plant you are mulching is something like a vegetable or flower garden … Read more »

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A citrus for all reasons

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Keith Mundy

Citrus are presently one of the most popular categories of fruit trees available in nurseries. This is mainly due to the work that has been done in recent times to provide dwarf growing forms that are more suitable to pot culture or for our ever decreasing house block sizes.
We now have many varieties that are on much improved root stocks, which in turn give the plant a better ability to survive under many different climatic conditions and soil types.
In growing … Read more »

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A pot or two

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Keith Mundy
With the ever-increasing use of our outdoor space, pots as a growing solution are becoming far more popular. So here are some hints on how to successfully manage this form of gardening.
First decide what you actually want the pots and the plants to achieve. Are they to be used for growing vegetables, annual colour, perennials or shrubs? Or perhaps a screening plant to hide a shed or some unsightly part of the landscape?
The … Read more »

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C’mon, spring into it!

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Keith Mundy

Spring has arrived and with it the start of the gardening year. New growth appears on deciduous plants, perennials wake after their enforced winter hibernation and bulbs pop up everywhere.

This month commences with many tasks in the garden including the preparation and planting of the spring vegetable garden, planting of flowering annuals and the completion of late winter and early spring chores before too much new growth on plants appears.

Pruning of deciduous fruit trees and roses should be well completed. Winter spraying must have been … Read more »

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