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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Grevillea – a plant for all seasons

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Keith Mundy

The genus of Grevillea has plants that suit a wide range of uses from groundcover to screening and from bird attraction to animal deterrent (prickly forms).

Much work has been done in the breeding of new varieties by hybridisation of certain parent plants that have a particular attribute like size, flower type, drought tolerance and so on. By crossing two plants with different special features a new variety is developed that has all the good features of its parents thus giving us a plant of exceptional value.

… Read more »

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A living carpet: ground covers

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Keith Mundy

With winter well and truly here and with those cold and blustery winds that seem to come directly off the snow chilling us to the bone, what better time to sit by the fire and do some planning for the upcoming warmer months in the garden.

This month and next I will look at some individual categories of garden plants that not only add beauty to the garden … Read more »

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