Handy Hints

When you buy a living Christmas tree, the longest you should keep it inside is about ten days or less. If you want to get one earlier, keep it outside near the front door for a few days to be festive, this will help raise its survival rate for later. After Christmas, place it outside in a shady position for …

  There are many types of azaleas suited to a range of lighting conditions from full sun positions to shaded areas. This gives an excellent range of azaleas to choose from to suit almost any area of your garden. Rhododendrons have similar growing requirements and are more commonly grown successfully in cooler regions. Enquire at your local garden centre for …

Many gardeners have annuals they replant every year, and the majority buy seedlings or seeds from stores.  A fun activity that is very cathartic and so easy to do is to collect the seeds from your own plants to re-sow. Start with dry seed varieties with no mushy pulp, which are the easiest to collect and store. Think of the …

  Deadheading is the removal of spent flowers, or ones past their peak, on annuals and perennials.  Deadheading may seem pointless, but it regularly promotes more flowers to develop because the plant does not spend energy producing seeds but concentrates on continual flowering. The plant’s performance intensifies, and a simple task enhances its appearance. To deadhead, you can snap the …

Accentuate a living space or area of the garden with a display of Orchid flowers this Autumn, their bold flowers and colours also making them the perfect living gift for Mother’s Day. 1. Dendrobium Dendrobiums come from Asia and the Pacific, including Australasia. They grow best throughout Qld and northern NSW and have no leaf drop, so they’re pretty easy …

Growing fruit trees in pots allow you to have them in paved areas and unlikely garden spaces. So you can grow your own fruity harvest in the smallest of spaces! Choosing the right pot To grow a decent, fruit-bearing tree, it is recommended that you use a pot at least 40cm in size, depending on the size the tree is …

If you always struggle to come up with a unique gift idea for Mother’s Day, here are our top six (6) gardening gifts for practical mums: 1. Potted fruit tree It’s surprising how many dwarf fruit tree varieties are available at your local gardening expert.  Depending on your climatic zone in Australia, you can pot lemons, figs, apples, mulberry and …

Hanging baskets add beauty and character to any home green space. They are a stunning way to grow plants around the home and add extra dimensions of colour at your choice of height. Choosing your plants for hanging baskets First you will need to decide where you are going to position your hanging baskets, whether it be in full shade, …

The potato originated in the Andes Mountains, where it was cultivated by Pre-Columbian Indians. It was taken to Spain by the Conquistadors, but because of its association with poisonous plants (it is a member of the nightshade family), the potato didn’t come to prominence in Europe until introduced into Ireland in the 17th century. Being so nutritious and easily grown …

They may have a touch of ‘granny’, but African Violets make for marvellous flowering indoor plants and are the ideal choice for terrarium displays.  Location African Violets require moderate to bright indirect light all year round to encourage flowering. A well lit kitchen bench or coffee table is perfect. They also prefer humidity in the atmosphere (thus why they are …