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Written and edited by Tammy 30th October 2023 Powdery mildew on Zucchini leaves image of powdery mildew on Zucchini leaves curtesy of gardenerspath.com Written and edited by Tammy 30th October 2023 - Updated Nov 2025 Powdery Mildew — How to Spot It, Stop It, and Stay Ahead of It This Summer ☘️ They say you should 'never look a gift horse in the mouth' and Mother Nature has certainly gifted us with some beautiful rain here in the SE this Spring. It's been not only wet, but very mild, grey and gloomy overall, with below average warmth and sunshine, creating the perfect conditions for powdery mildew to thrive. Ongoing rain events, cool nights, low light, and sluggish air movement tick all the boxes for a fungal paradise! As we head into summer and our warm-season veggies really start firing, it’s the ideal time to keep an eye out and put a few prevention steps in place before powdery mildew becomes the uninvited guest. Identifying Powdery Mildew Powdery mildew is a fungal disease, and one of the easiest to recognise once you know the signs. You’ll typically notice: • White, powdery-looking spots on the surface of leaves • Mycelium (fungal tissue) spreading into a dusty coating • Foliage becoming yellowed, washed out, distorted, crispy, or wilted around the margins The tricky part? Spores live on old plant debris in the soil and hang around quietly until conditions are favourable. From there they’re spread by wind, insects, tools, clothing, pets… everything, really. Favourable Conditions Powdery mildew absolutely thrives when we get: • Cool, humid nights, followed by • Warm, dry, breezy days Think of mushroom-growing kits, cool, dim, low-airflow environments. Because powdery mildew is also a fungus, it loves the same conditions: reduced airflow + shade + lingering humidity. And that’s exactly what this spring has delivered. Most Susceptible Plants Plenty of plants are vulnerable, especially those we’re growing right now at the end of spring. The most common ones you’ll likely have in your garden include: Cucurbitaceae — zucchinis, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, melons Solanaceae (Nightshades) — tomatoes, eggplants, chillies, capsicums Strawberries Fabaceae (Legumes) — beans and peas Roses Hydrangeas Prevention As always, prevention is better than cure. Put these small steps in place and you’ll dramatically reduce your risk: Allow maximum light and airflow through the foliage Avoid overcrowding — give each plant its own breathing space Remove old, damaged, or diseased lower leaves Choose a sunny position — 6–8 hours of light is ideal Water in the mornings so foliage dries before evening Apply Seasol Health Treatment to strengthen plant immunity Why not have a go at training your veggies up off the ground and over a mesh arch supported by 4 star droppers? The concept ticks all the boxes for keeping them off the damp ground and allowing maximum light and air circulation. I've watched a few tutorials recently and thought I'd have a go a setting one up for my Spaghetti Squash seeds. A few have germinated so I'll see how I go!! 😁🤞 Treatment If you do spot any tell-tale signs of powdery mildew, it's vital to act early: Remove affected leaves and dispose of them (don’t compost) Treat with Eco-Neem, Lime Sulphur, Liquid Copper, or any fungicide of your choice, always follow label directions Prefer a natural approach? Use a 40/60 milk-to-water spray (milk has natural antifungal properties) Or try the classic bicarb mix: 1 tsp bicarb soda + 1 L water + a few drops of biodegradable dish liquid (the soap helps it stick) Just remember: these treatments won’t repair leaves already damaged, but they will stop the spores and protect all the fresh new growth. Watch the newest leaves, if they’re clean and healthy, you’ve turned the tide. A Final Word Follow a few of these little hints and you’ll hopefully avoid powdery mildew altogether or, at least know exactly how to deal with it when it appears. Have a wonderful week, and enjoy your gardens 😘🌸

Picea pungens Blue star Christmas tree Written and updated by Tammy 8th November 2024 A Real Christmas Tree-My Blue Star Tradition As kids growing up, the excitement of Christmas always became real when we were packed into the family station wagon and taken for a Sunday drive out along the back roads, looking for that perfect Christmas tree to lay claim to. A quick look around to make sure the coast was clear, then snip! a lower branch was chopped off and away we went, loaded up with our tree engulfing every corner of the car. The smell of fresh pine needles would fill the house, and even today that fragrance brings back the happiest memories of Christmas. These days, when you walk into stores, Christmas trees line the shelves in every shape and colour from tiny fibre-optic novelties to tall imitation firs almost convincing enough to pass for the real thing. But what if I told you that, for not a lot of effort or dollars, you could have a real  Christmas tree of your own complete with that unmistakable pine fragrance? 🌿My Blue Star Christmas Tree The tree in the image above is my Picea pungens  ‘Blue Star’. I bought it as a tiny little thing, barely a foot tall, for $12.95 about seven years ago. Every spring, it bursts out with fresh new blue-green foliage just in time to come indoors for a few weeks to be dressed in tinsel and ornaments. 🎁 About the Blue Star (Colorado Spruce) Native to North America and commonly known as a Colorado Spruce, Picea pungens  ‘Blue Star’ is a relatively slow-growing conifer, reaching heights of no more than 1.5–2 metres in ten years. (As you can see mines about 1.5 m tall now) In their natural habitat, they can exceed 25 m, but rest assured that potential is easily contained in a pot or controlled garden setting. 🌞Care and Growing Tips Light:  Full sun to part shade. Soil:  Rich, free-draining, and neutral to slightly acidic. Water:  Give a deep drink before bringing it inside for Christmas. Keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy. Pests:  They’re tough rarely bothered by much at all. When bringing your tree indoors for the festive season, choose a bright position and avoid over-decorating heavy branches. After Christmas, transition it back outdoors gradually over several days, first to shade, then part shade, then back to its usual sunny spot. 🌲 Other Options If the Blue Star isn’t your style, try Picea glauca , a lovely emerald-green conifer with classic Christmas colour. You can really make a Christmas tree out of almost any plant, let your creativity run wild! Most garden centres and nurseries will soon have Picea  varieties available as living Christmas trees. ❤️ Why I Love a Real Tree My kids laugh at my sentimental ways, but I think a living tree is so much nicer than a plastic one. And who knows, maybe my little tree will still be around long after me, and my children’s children can bring it inside each year and proudly say, “This was our great-grandma’s tree.”  ❤️🎄 Happy gardening😘🌸 My Tree in all her glory Other related posts you may enjoy Gardening Inspired gift ideas Stuck for last minute gift ideas for the gardening enthusiast loved one? Look no further! https://www.tjsgardeningworks.space/post/gardening-inspired-gift-ideas  The Perfect Christmas Garden Made Simple Make your garden the perfect place to celebrate Christmas and make memories with your family. https://www.tjsgardeningworks.space/post/christmas-colour-in-the-garden

Sunrise over a vineyard Written and edited by Tammy 3nd February 2023 Daylight savings, you’re either a lover or a hater. And those that hate it will tell you loud and clear, but me….I’m a lover! I literally count down the sleeps till ‘that time of the year’ when I can still have hours of playtime out in the garden after work. While we’re adjusting alarms, coffee breaks, and morning routines, our gardens carry on as if nothing’s changed. Long before humans fiddled with time, plants were quietly tuned into the sun, the seasons, and their own inner clocks. They don’t care if we flip numbers forward and backward to suit ourselves season after season, they respond to light, temperature, and day length. Their circadian rhythms (yes, plants have them too!) mean leaves unfurl, flowers open, and sap rises in tune with sunrise and sunset, not our human schedules. That’s why you’ll see your sunflowers still turning their heads with the sun tomorrow, even if you feel groggy from losing an hour’s sleep. Photoperiodism, one of those big fancy words, it’s the terminology given to a plants ability to regulate its development based of the hours of daylight. A chemical within plants called Florigen tells the plant 'The days are getting shorter, time to hurry up and stop putting on foliage and focus on reproduction before time runs out'. With deciduous trees, we get all those beautiful Autumn colours .....that's a direct result of the chlorophyll in the leaves breaking down as the days shorten. The pretty colours were there all along, you just couldn't see them because of the chlorophyll. Without leaves, the tree loses its ability to photosynthesise and keep doing its thing, so it shuts down (becomes dormant) and goes to sleep for the season. As soon as the ground begins to warm, and the days begin to lengthen it signals the plants to wake up and the cycle begins all over again. As gardeners, we can learn something from this: Nature keeps time better than we do. Plants don’t rush, they adapt gently to seasonal changes. Our role is to notice these cues: bud swell, sap flow, soil warmth, leaf drop. So when you’re out in the garden this week, adjusting your own clock, take a moment to watch how your plants adjust to the real timekeepers: the sun and the seasons. Happy gardening😘🌳

Written and edited by Tammy 11h October 2025 It can be hard sometimes keeping up with all the latest fads, fashions and concepts, they seem to come and go quicker that Christmas. It's easy to feel left behind, scratching your head in bewilderment. (That's why I try to stick to gardening!🤪) Do you know what Permaculture or Regenerative Gardening are? No? Neither did I, I honestly thought they were the same thing, but after digging a little deeper, (pardon the pun) turns out they're not. So, let's break them down, and see what all the noise is about. Regenerative Gardening Regenerative gardening is all about healing and rebuilding.  It focuses on improving soil health, restoring ecosystems, and creating long-term sustainability, not just for our gardens, but for the planet too. It’s a process-based  approach, which means it’s about what you do season after season: feeding your soil, boosting biodiversity, and encouraging natural resilience. Every time you compost, mulch, or leave those fallen leaves to break down naturally, you’re feeding life back into the system. Think of it as gardening that gives back more than it takes. Instead of working against  nature, you’re working with  it, rebuilding the soil’s web of microorganisms, trapping carbon, and supporting pollinators and beneficial insects along the way. Core focus:  soil biology, carbon capture, organic matter, and ecosystem repair. Typical practices include: 🌱 No-dig gardening  — letting the soil structure and microbes stay undisturbed. 🍂 Composting and worm farms  — turning waste into nutrient gold. 🌾 Cover crops and green manures  — adding organic matter and preventing erosion. 🌼 Living mulches and groundcovers  — keeping soil cool and protected. 💧 Natural fertilisers and water-wise practices  — feeding and hydrating gently, without synthetic inputs. Over time, a regenerative garden becomes richer, healthier, and more alive, a self-sustaining mini ecosystem where every bug, root, and handful of soil plays a part in the bigger picture. Permaculture If regenerative gardening is about healing, permaculture  is about designing , creating a space that mimics how nature already works, so everything supports everything else. It’s a holistic way of thinking about your garden (and even your lifestyle), where each element, from plants and water to animals and people, plays a role in helping the whole system thrive. At its heart, permaculture is guided by three core ethics: Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share.  Those principles remind us to look after the land, nurture our communities, and only take what we truly need, giving the surplus back to nature and others. While regenerative gardening focuses on soil and seasonal practices, permaculture zooms out a little wider, it’s about designing  the whole layout of your garden or property for long-term harmony and efficiency. Core focus:  landscape design, natural systems, resource efficiency, and human connection to the environment. Typical practices include: 🌳 Zoning and layout design  — grouping plants and features based on how often you use or visit them (like putting your herbs close to the kitchen). 💧 Rainwater harvesting and greywater use  — catching, storing, and reusing water where possible. 🐔 Integrating animals  — using chickens for pest control and fertiliser, or bees for pollination. 🌿 Polyculture planting  — mixing species that help each other rather than relying on monocultures. 🍅 Perennial food systems  — growing long-lived plants that keep producing year after year. A permaculture garden becomes a living system that practically runs itself, productive, low-waste, and resilient. It’s the perfect blend of creativity and common sense, where thoughtful design makes hard work easier and sustainability second nature. Still scratching your head? here’s a little comparison table to make it all crystal clear 👇 🌻In Short-Regenerative Gardening vs. Permaculture Aspect Regenerative Gardening Permaculture Focus's on Healing and rebuilding the soil Designing whole systems that work with nature What is all about Soil and garden health Lifestyle and landscape design Ethics Naturally focussed on caring for Earth Guided by three clear principles: Earth Care, People Care & Fair Share Example Building soil with compost & cover crops Designing a veggie garden with water catchment zones So, Which One Should You Start With? If you’re already composting, mulching, and focusing on soil life, congratulations, you’re practicing regenerative gardening! If you’re ready to look at how every part of your garden (and life) fits together as a self-sustaining system, that’s when you step into permaculture. They’re not rivals; they’re different layers of the same philosophy. You can start regeneratively and naturally evolve toward permaculture thinking as your garden (and your mindset) grows. At the end of the day, gardening isn’t about ticking boxes or following trends, it’s about connection. The more we nurture the soil beneath us, the stronger our bond becomes with the world around us. Start small, stay curious, and let nature do the teaching. Happy gardening 😘🌸💚

Lawn care 101 Written and edited by Tammy 28th September 2025 Alright, hands up who hasn't stood in the aisle full of weed 'n' feed in the last few weeks and rolled their eyes thinking "**** what type of lawn do I actually have?"🙄 Lawns are the green canvas of our backyards, but not all lawns are created equal. From soft barefoot-friendly buffalo to tough, drought-resistant kikuyu, knowing what type of lawn you have (or what you should choose if you're starting out) can make all the difference in how you care for it. To put to rest some of the confusion, I've created a guide for you to the most common lawn varieties grown in Australian gardens, including their features, pros and cons, and a few care tips to boot. (And if you’re here because you’re trying to choose a weed ‘n’ feed? Pay close attention, the type of lawn you’ve got will decide which one you should be using.) 🌱 Lawn varieties: top left Kikuyu, top right fescue blend, centre Buffalo, bottom left Couch, bottom right Clover. Buffalo Grass (including Sir Walter Buffalo ) Features: Broad, soft leaves, lush and green. Tolerates shade better than most warm-season grasses. Stays green most of the year in mild climates. Pros: Soft underfoot and child-friendly. Low thatch build-up compared to older buffalo types. Good shade tolerance (especially Sir Walter). Cons: Slower to repair if damaged. Can be more expensive to establish. Tips: Mow to around 40–50mm high. Fertilise in spring and autumn for best colour. Avoid scalping, as buffalo doesn’t have underground runners. Kikuyu Features: Fast-growing, hardy, and bright green. Loves full sun and warm weather. Self-repairs quickly. Pros: Budget-friendly and tough. Excellent for high-traffic lawns (kids, pets). Rapid recovery from wear. Cons: Can become invasive into garden beds. Needs regular mowing to stay tidy. Doesn’t cope well with shade. Tips: Mow weekly in summer to keep it in check. Fertilise more often due to its fast growth. Use garden edging to stop it spreading into beds. Couch (e.g. Santa Ana Couch ) Features: Fine leaf texture, dense carpet-like growth. Prefers full sun. Popular for sports fields and golf courses. Pros: Hardwearing and fast repairing. Creates a manicured, “bowling green” look. Drought tolerant once established. Cons: Poor shade tolerance. Loses colour in winter in cooler climates. Can build heavy thatch if neglected. Tips: Best kept short (12–25mm). Needs dethatching every few years. Over-sow with ryegrass in winter for colour if desired. Tall Fescue Features: Cool-season grass with a soft, fine blade. Stays green year-round in southern Australia. Tolerates shade reasonably well. Pros: Lovely soft feel and lush appearance. Handles cooler climates better than warm-season lawns. Doesn’t spread aggressively (clump-forming). Cons: Slow to repair bare patches. Higher water requirements in summer. Not as tough as kikuyu or couch. Tips: Mow a little higher (40–60mm) to reduce stress in summer. Keep up regular watering during hot weather. Patch bare spots with seed each autumn. Ryegrass (often used in blends) Features: Cool-season grass, germinates very quickly. Fine texture and deep green colour. Commonly mixed with fescue for instant coverage. Pros: Fast establishment, great for patching. Stays green year-round in cooler climates. Provides winter colour when warm-season lawns go dormant. Cons: Shorter lifespan in hot summers. Needs more mowing and water. Can thin out quickly without reseeding. Tips: Use as a blend rather than stand-alone for longevity. Reseed in autumn for winter coverage. Fertilise regularly to maintain colour. Drought-Tolerant Varieties (e.g. Drought Master blends ) Features: Usually mixes of couch, kikuyu, or specialty drought-hardy grasses. Bred for low water use. Pros: Excellent choice for water-restricted areas. Hardwearing and resilient. Requires less irrigation. Cons: May not be as soft underfoot. Some blends have coarser textures. Tips: Still water deeply during establishment. Use wetting agents in summer to reduce dry patches. Fertilise lightly to avoid excessive growth. Clover Features: Small-leaved groundcover, soft and cool underfoot. Stays green with minimal watering. Fixes nitrogen naturally, enriching the soil. Pros: Very low maintenance. Self-fertilising and resilient. Attracts bees and pollinators. Cons: Doesn’t cope with heavy foot traffic. Can stain clothes. Some people prefer the traditional “grass look.” Tips: Leave it unmown or mow lightly for a soft carpet effect. Ideal for low-traffic areas or mixed lawns. Water sparingly – clover thrives in ordinary conditions. Naturalised “Lawns” – Clover, Violets, Dichondra & Friends It’s worth remembering that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a naturalised lawn either. Clover, violets, dichondra and other creeping groundcovers create a beautiful, meadow-like effect that many gardeners prefer over the manicured look of turf. These varieties of plants often need less mowing, less watering, and little to no fertiliser, making them an eco-friendly choice. They’re also wonderful for pollinators, bees adore clover flowers, while violets and other small bloomers add seasonal colour. A naturalised lawn may not be the best option for kids to run barefoot across (as clover bees will happily remind you!) but for low-maintenance gardeners wanting beauty, biodiversity, and a softer environmental footprint, they’re a fantastic alternative. Where Do You Find These Lawn Types? If you’re starting out fresh, most of these lawn varieties are easy to source in a couple of different ways: Instant turf (roll-out): Available through turf farms and garden centres. Great if you want that instant “green carpet” look without waiting for seeds to grow. Common with buffalo, kikuyu, couch, and specialty drought-tolerant blends. Boxed seed mixes: Found in nurseries, hardware garden aisles, and online. Perfect for ryegrass, fescue, clover, and lawn blends. Good for patching existing lawns too. Punnets or trays of groundcovers: For naturalised options like dichondra or violets, you’ll often find them in the groundcover section of nurseries. They can be planted to spread into a soft, low-maintenance carpet. Which option you choose really depends on how quickly you want results, your budget, and whether you’re patching up bare spots or starting a whole new lawn from scratch. A Quick Word on Weed ’n’ Feed Products Weed ’n’ feeds aren't 'one size fits all', and choosing the wrong one can do more harm than good. Buffalo caution: Buffalo grasses (including Sir Walter) are sensitive  to certain herbicides. Many “all-purpose” weed ’n’ feeds contain dicamba the number one culprit for burning or killing buffalo lawns. Always check the label for “safe for buffalo”  before buying. ✅ Safer active ingredients for buffalo lawns  include: Bromoxynil MCPA  (at lower rates, when blended with bromoxynil) 2,4-D (amine salt form) Bentazone  (less common, but buffalo-tolerant) Broadleaf weeds vs grasses: Weed ’n’ feeds are designed to knock out broadleaf weeds (like bindii, clover, and dandelion) without harming grass. But if your “lawn” is actually clover, violets, or dichondra, avoid using them altogether, they’ll wipe out your groundcover. Granular vs liquid: Liquids work faster and give even coverage, while granular products are often gentler and longer-lasting. Right timing: Apply when weeds are actively growing (spring and autumn). Avoid using on heat-stressed lawns in summer, or just before rain. Bottom line:  Always flip the pack over and check the “Active constituents” panel. If it lists dicamba avoid it . If it lists bromoxynil, MCPA (at safe rates), or 2,4-D amine, you’re in safer territory for buffalo lawns. Final Thoughts The best lawn for your garden depends on your climate, lifestyle, and how much time you want to spend on maintenance. For busy families:  Kikuyu or Sir Walter Buffalo. For cooler climates:  Tall fescue or ryegrass blends. For hot, dry regions:  Couch or drought-master blends. For eco-conscious gardeners:  Clover, violets, or dichondra. Choosing wisely at the start will save you hours of work down the track and give you a lawn you’ll actually enjoy walking barefoot on. 🌱 Happy Gardening!😘☘️ ✨Bonus✨Buffalo v Kikuyu, which is which🤷‍♀️ Leaf width & texture: Buffalo : Wide, flat, soft leaves with smooth edges (nice under bare feet). Kikuyu : Narrower, slightly more pointed leaves with a coarse feel. Growth habit: Buffalo : Grows with above-ground runners (stolons)  only. This means it tends to stay where it’s planted and doesn’t creep aggressively. Kikuyu : Grows with both above and underground runners (stolons + rhizomes)  — it’s a spreader! That’s why it creeps into garden beds if not edged. Colour tone: Buffalo : Deep, darker green. Kikuyu : Brighter, almost lime-green in summer. Shade tolerance: Buffalo : Handles shade very well (Sir Walter especially). Kikuyu : Hates shade, thins out quickly if it doesn’t get sun. Repair rate: Buffalo : Slower to bounce back from damage. Kikuyu : Very fast repair, often described as “invasive.” ( If your lawn is forever trying to creep into your garden beds, it’s kikuyu. If it politely stays put, it’s likely buffalo 😁👍)

The Littlest Things Bring the Biggest Joys 🌞 Sunflowers, sunshine, smiles & spring holidays! When I think back to my earliest childhood memories of things I loved about gardening, hands down it would have to have been growing sunflowers. I loved the excitement of watching how much they would grow every day, almost right before your eyes. Standing so tall and proud, bright and cheerful, turning their heads to follow the sun. Sunflowers are like the happy faces of the spring garden. And the best part? They’re one of the easiest flowers to grow straight from seed, making them the perfect project for the spring school holidays! I've got some on my kitchen bench right now for my little grand-daughter Ivy to grow. Why Sunflowers? Why not! Sunflowers are some of the easiest flowers you’ll ever grow. Pop a seed into the soil, add sunshine and a splash of water, and before long they’re up and away. They germinate quickly too, which is perfect for kids (or the young at heart!) who don’t like waiting long to see those first little shoots push through the soil. And while once upon a time a sunflower was just a sunflower, today they’ve become a whole world of their own. Plant breeders have been busy creating hundreds of named cultivars. Some are bred for towering height (taller than Dad!), others are compact little dwarfs that fit neatly in pots, and many have been chosen for their colour, from the classic golden yellow through to rich reds and soft creamy whites. Tips for growing sunflowers 🌱 Soil Sunflowers aren’t fussy, but they’ll be happiest in loose, well-drained soil, enriched with compost and a sprinkle of organic fertiliser. Sunshine True to their name, they need full sun, at least 6 hours a day, for the best blooms. Water Keep the soil evenly damp while they’re germinating. Once established, water deeply once or twice a week. (Shallow watering encourages shallow roots, and we want strong, deep ones!) Fertiliser When planting, give your sunflowers a balanced organic fertiliser such as Rapid Raiser to set them up with the nitrogen they need for strong leafy growth. Think of it as “fuel for the stalks and leaves.” Once the buds appear, switch to a liquid feed that’s richer in phosphorus and potassium, this is the “food for flowers”, exactly what they need to create those beautiful big, bright blooms. Pests & diseases Watch out for slugs and snails when seedlings are small and keep an eye on the leaves for aphids or powdery mildew in humid weather. Harvesting seed Once the flower heads start to dry and the back turns brown, cut them off and let them finish drying in a sheltered spot. Then you can rub the seeds out, some for roasting and snacking, some to save in a paper bag ready for planting again next spring. 🌻Holiday fun with the kids Encourage the kids to have their own little sunflower patch. They can: Measure them weekly and keep a “tallest sunflower” chart. Try different varieties side by side, giant's vs dwarfs, yellows vs reds. Snap photos to create a “sunflower diary” of their progress. Harvest and save the seed to make a 'bird seed ball' or 'bird seed cake'. By summer, those tiny seeds sown in the holidays will be standing tall, busting with colour, offering a feast for the birds and bees. Bird Seed Balls Ready to have some fun with the kids making bird seed balls to hang out for the birds to eat? I've created a downloadable pdf for you to print off and keep on hand for sunflower season. Where to Buy Sunflower Seeds Mr Fothergill's Mr Fothergill’s is one of Australia’s most trusted seed brands, known for reliable quality and a wide range of sunflower varieties. Whether you’re after towering giants, cheerful dwarfs for pots, or something special for the kids to grow, there's a variety to suit every occasion. 🌻Browse their sunflower collection here.”   Mr Fothergill’s Sunflower Seeds 🌻 Here's hoping you're all enjoying the first month of Spring. Happy Gardening 😘🌻

Written and edited by Tammy 13th September 2025 If you’ve ever stood beneath a waterfall of wisteria blooms, you’ll know the magic these vines bring. And the perfume? Don’t get me started, it drifts on the breeze, light and airy, a sweet almost-vanilla floral note that really is unforgettable. As beautiful as they are, wisterias aren’t shy about taking over. Left to their own devices, they’ll tangle their way through fences, roofs, even trees! There're pros and cons with everything in life though so don’t let that deter you; with the right prune and tidy up at the right time, they’re easy enough to tame, and you’ll be rewarded with those dreamy cascades of blossom year after year. I’ve just finished pruning a rather 'free spirited' one for a client a couple of weekends ago and found it to be a rewarding challenge. While it’s still fresh in my mind, I’ll share a few tips with you. ⸻ When to Prune Wisteria Vines Summer prune (January-February in Aus / July-August in the Northern Hemisphere): After flowering, cut back the long whippy shoots that have grown that season to about 5–6 leaves from the base. This keeps growth in check and encourages flower bud formation instead of just leafy chaos. Winter prune (July-August in Aus / January-February in the Northern Hemisphere): Go back to those same shoots and cut them down further to 2–3 buds. This tidies things up and really focuses energy into spring flowers. This is the pruning I've just done recently for a client (last week of August) and it really was made easy by the fact that I could see the swollen leaf buds, and more importantly, see the soon to unfurl flower racemes. ✨Tip: Always go slow, take your time, enjoy the process and look for those little clues. Is that a swollen leaf bud, or where flowers are going to be. Let that help guide you. ⸻ Goals of Pruning •Encourage more flowers: Wisteria blooms best on short spurs, not long whippy growth. •Keep the structure supporting your vine sound: old vines can get heavy, so keep the main framework clean and strong. •Prevent takeover: If left unpruned, it will happily eat gutters, roof tiles, and any unsuspecting trees nearby! ✨Tip: The vine I just tackled, was gleefully meandering along inside the gutter, and making its way across the roof. I took most of the whippy long stuff off and only retained a few canes securing them in a different direction where I wanted to encourage growth. I retained all the little, short bloom spurs, knowing they were my flowers for this season. ⸻ Step-by-Step for an Established Vine Identify the framework (the thick, woody stems you want to keep for life). Leave these as your “bones.” Summer: Cut back the current year’s thin shoots to 5–6 leaves. Winter: Re-cut those same shoots to 2–3 buds. These become next season’s flowering spurs. Remove suckers or tangled growth from the base or where stems cross/rub. Tame the monsters: Any runners heading into roof gutters, under tiles, or into other plants, off with their heads! ⸻ Extra Tips • If it hasn’t flowered well, it could be because it’s too vigorous. Don’t overfeed with nitrogen (especially lawn fertiliser). • Give it potash (potassium) instead to encourage flowers. • Be patient with older vines, sometimes they need a couple of seasons of consistent pruning before they really show off. ⸻ Pruning a wisteria isn’t as scary as it looks, don't let it intimidate you. Think of it as giving your plant a regular haircut so it can strut its stuff each spring. 🌸 By keeping to the summer and winter rhythm, you’ll not only enjoy a tidy and well-behaved vine, but also an abundance of blooms come spring. Happy Gardening 😘🌸

Written and edited by Tammy 3rd Sept 2025 Planting Partners in Crime – The Secrets of Companion Planting Remember the days when celebrity couples got those mash-up names? Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie became Brangelina, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were Bennifer… Well, if we did the same thing in the plant world, the star couple would hands down be tomatoes and basil. What would we call them? Tomasil? Basato? 😂 Whatever the name, they’re a match made in 'garden heaven' and on the dinner plate too. That’s the magic of companion planting: some plants just click. They look after each other, boost each other’s growth, and keep pests at bay. Think of it as matchmaking for your veggie patch, and the results are delicious. ⸻ 🍅 Basil & Tomatoes – The A-List Couple The power couple. Basil brings the pest-repelling fragrance, tomatoes bring the juicy harvest, and together they make foodies swoon. Gardeners also swear basil improves tomato flavour (and I’d agree!). Pop basil plants around the base of your tomatoes and you’ll have flavour-packed salads, sauces, and pest protection all season. A true red-carpet duo: Tomasil forever. 🌿🍅 ⸻ 🥕 Carrots & Onions – Odd Couple, Perfect Match Carrots and onions might not look like they belong together, but trust me, they’re great mates. Onions fend off carrot flies, while carrots help loosen the soil around onion roots. A little bit quirky, but it works. Like the garden’s version of an unlikely rom-com pairing. ⸻ 🌽 Beans, Corn & Pumpkins – The Original “Squad Goals” Known as the Three Sisters, this Indigenous growing method is a lesson in teamwork: • Corn stands tall as the trellis. • Beans climb up and feed the soil with nitrogen. • Pumpkins sprawl across the ground, shading weeds and locking in moisture. It’s the plant equivalent of a band where everyone plays their part perfectly. No divas, just harmony. ⸻ 🥬 Lettuce & Tall Crops – The Cool Kids Lettuce hates the summer scorch, so give it a little shade by planting it between corn, sunflowers, or even tomatoes. They throw just enough shade to keep lettuce crisp and happy. Think of it as the little sibling tagging along under the wing of the big kids. ⸻ 🌸 Flowers – The Party Guests Who Steal the Show Add flowers among your veggies and you’ll never look back. • Marigolds are the bouncers, keeping pests and nematodes out. • Nasturtiums act as decoys, luring aphids away. • Calendula brings in the pollinators and adds a pop of cheer. They might not be the “main crop,” but they sure know how to light up the garden party. ⸻ 🚫 Garden Frenemies Not all plants are meant to be together (just like certain Hollywood splits 🙈). • Beans + onions or garlic = bad vibes, they stunt each other. • Tomatoes + potatoes = drama, with diseases that spread easily between them. Sometimes it’s best to keep the exes apart! ⸻ 🌿 Quick Companion Planting Tips • Mix herbs throughout the patch, they confuse pests and attract the “good guys.” • Layer tall, medium, and low growers to make the most of your space. • Keep notes! Every garden has its own personality, and your best pairings will reveal themselves over time. ⸻ Companion planting isn’t just a fad, it’s clever, sustainable gardening that works with nature’s rhythm. Start with the celebrity couple of the veggie patch (tomatoes and basil, forever Tomasil 💚), then branch out into other partnerships. Before long, your garden will be a thriving, balanced community where every plant has a role. Because honestly, who wouldn’t want a veggie patch full of happy plant couples? Enjoy your gardens and the first days of spring! Happy gardening😘🌱🍅

Sweet Basil Written and edited by Tammy 30th August 2025 If there’s one herb that earns its keep and steals the show in summer, it’s sweet basil. Lush, fragrant, and downright bossy in the veggie patch. And let’s be honest, it was made to hang out with tomatoes. From the garden bed to the dinner plate, they’re the ultimate tag-team. But even stars need a bit of pampering, basil can be a bit of a diva if it doesn’t get the conditions it loves. So, let’s go over some of the tips and tricks for growing sweet basil successfully, and have you blissfully picking fresh leaves all summer long! How To Grow Sweet Basil🌱 Location, Location Basil is a sun-lover. It needs at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight each day to really thrive. Choose a warm, sheltered spot in your veggie patch, (perhaps close to your tomatoes) or like me, plant some up closer to the back door for quick picking in containers. If you’re in a cooler climate, growing basil in pots you can move into a warm, protected position is a great option. Soil Secrets Basil loves a rich, free-draining soil. Think loose, crumbly, and full of organic matter. Work in a bag full of chockablok compost or well-rotted manure before planting. A handful of pelletised organic fertiliser (like Rapid Raiser or Blood & Bone) will give it a great start. Keep soil consistently moist but never soggy, basil hates “wet feet.” 💦Watering Wisely Water deeply a couple of times a week rather than shallow daily sprinkles. Basil likes to stay evenly moist, but wet leaves can invite fungal disease. Always water at the base of the plant, not over the top. 🪲Pests Basil can be a bit of a bug magnet at times, and whitefly seem to think it’s their personal buffet. If you notice clouds of the little critters lifting off when you brush past, that'll be white fly. Don't fret, cover it with some insect mesh or even some fine netting to keep them off the leaves, and for a natural spray, try mixing up a garlic or chilli solution in the kitchen. A quick spritz on the undersides of the leaves is often enough to send whitefly packing without leaving anything nasty behind. Another trick? Encourage ladybirds and lacewings into the garden, the beneficial bugs will happily do the clean-up job for you. Pinch, Don’t Just Pick This is the real secret to bushy basil. From the time your basil has 4–6 sets of leaves, pinch out the top growing tips regularly. This encourages side shoots and prevents it from growing tall and leggy going straight to flower. Harvest it often, the more you pick, the more it grows! 🌸Stop the Flowers As pretty as the little white flowers look, once basil blooms, the leaves turn bitter. Pinch off flower buds as soon as you spot them. If you want to save some seeds, let one or two plants bloom at the very end of the season. ✨Companion Planting Magic Basil isn’t just for the kitchen; it’s a clever little helper in the veggie patch too. Pop a clump beside your tomatoes and it’ll work as a living decoy, drawing some of the attention away from your prized crop. Then keep a separate patch (or pot) for picking, so you’ve always got fresh handfuls ready for pesto and salads. Practical and  pretty, basil really earns its spot in the garden. 🌿 Quick Tips for Success Basil thrives in warm weather, so don’t plant it out until frosts are past. Grow a few small batches rather than one big planting. This way, if one plant bolts to seed, you’ll have backups ready. Mulch around plants to keep soil moisture even and roots cool. For endless basil, try striking a few cuttings in water, they’ll root easily and give you new plants for free. 💚Tams Tip: I keep my fresh herbs handy in pots right by the back door. As the summer heat really ramps up, I pop saucers beneath the pots, topped up with water so they maintain moisture and utilise what they need as they need it. My basil always booms this way. From Garden to Plate There’s nothing like tearing fresh basil leaves straight into a salad, tossing them into pasta, or layering them with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella on a homemade pizza or bruschetta. If you’ve got a bumper harvest, blitz up a batch of pesto and freeze in small portions, to keep you going throughout the off season. ✨ With these simple tips, you’ll have an abundance of basil all summer long. Plant it, nurture it, and enjoy the endless taste of summer, because life really is better with basil and tomatoes on the plate!

Lebanese Zucchini Written and edited by Tammy 28th August 2025 Who else has picked a zucchini for dinner, then two nights later found its sibling out in the veggie patch the size of a submarine! No other vegetable grows as fast as a zucchini, honestly you can't turn your back for a minute! With the right tips up your sleeve, I promise you'll find zucchinis to be one of the easiest (and most rewarding) crops in your backyard. The Best Zucchini Varieties to Grow When it comes to choosing which variety of zucchini to grow, stick with reliable winners to guarantee a bumper crop. Choose varieties known not just for yield but for toughness too. Black Jack, is a classic that shrugs off most common garden stresses, Lebanese, smaller, growing with their tender pale fruit, boast strong disease resistance and popularity in smaller gardens, and Golden Zucchini, are a hardy performer that bounces back quickly from powdery mildew. Feeding & Nurturing Your Zucchinis Soil Prep: Improve your soil with some compost like Chockablok prior to planting, then water the seedlings in with Seasol Health treatment or Seamungus to ease transplant shock and give them a boost to get going. Once they're settled in mulch around them with a generous layer of Who Flung Dung . Early Growth: Feed them with Rapid Raiser and a handful of Blood & Bone every 3–4 weeks. Blood and Bone gives that nice little boost of added Nitrogen that powers lush leaves early. Flowering & Fruiting: Ease off the nitrogen but continue with the Rapid Raiser or switch to a phosphorus & potassium-rich fertiliser tailored to fruit and vegetables. Keep soil moist, mulch generously, and water regularly. Flowers & Pollination Zucchinis produce male flowers first, then females (the ones with baby zucchinis). If you begin noticing small, shrivelled zucchinis, is a sign of a poor pollination success rate. The best way around this is to hand pollinate them yourself. Pick a male flower, peel back petals, dust the pollen from the male flower into the female using a paintbrush. Best time to do this is in the morning while the blooms are fresh. Common Zucchini Problems As with anything you grow in the garden, zucchinis can face their fair share of challenges. Sudden extremes of heat or cold can easily stress the plants, while an overload of nitrogen often results in an explosion of leafy growth but little to no fruit. Poor pollination is another common culprit behind empty flowers or small, misshapen zucchinis. And of course, no gardener is a stranger to powdery mildew, the classic enemy that often strikes just as plants are hitting their stride. Beating Powdery Mildew Give plants space Water soil, not leaves Mulch well DIY Spray: 1 tsp bicarb soda + 1L water + a few drops of liquid soap Rotate crops yearly Tam’s Tip 🌱 Don’t turn your back on zucchinis! Pick daily once fruiting starts, or you’ll end up with giants. Smaller zucchinis are sweeter, more tender, and perfect for the pan. Harvest As with most things in the garden, zucchinis are no different, smaller really is sweeter. Pick them young, around 15–20 cm, for the best flavour on your plate. Don’t be shy about harvesting often either; the more you pick, the more they will keep on giving. If you miss a few and end up with a monster zucchini (we’ve all been there!), just grate it into muffins, slice it for the freezer, or sneak it into a hearty soup. And just remember, two plants are more than enough to keep your kitchen well stocked all summer long, so unless you’re feeding a small army, you really don’t need a whole row! So, there you have it, zucchinis care 101 made simple. With steady feeding, water, and a little pollination help, you’ll be dishing up fritters, pasta, and slices all season long. Happy gardening😘🌱

Fresh Harvested Pumpkins Written and edited by Tammy 23rd Aug 2025 Ok, let’s be honest…who hasn’t just quietly got a tad excited dreaming of a freebie pumpkin after sneaking a casual peek over the fence at the neighbour’s pumpkin patch while doing the evening watering? The pumpkin vine envy is real! 😩 Well now it’s your turn, grab your gardening gloves and let’s dig in for the best varieties to grow, tips on pollination, disease prevention and more! Growing Pumpkins- Varieties Worthy of a Spot in Your Patch Now, before you go throwing in every pumpkin seed you can get your hands on (we’ve all been tempted), stick to a few tried-and-true winners: Butternut – Sweet, nutty, and hands-down one of the easiest to grow. Roast it, soup it, mash it, it’s the all-rounder of the pumpkin world. Queensland Blue – A true Aussie legend. Blue-grey skin on the outside, rich golden goodness inside, and it keeps for ages. Jarrahdale – Kind of like Queensland Blue’s cousin, with dense, sweet flesh and that gorgeous heritage look. Kent (Jap) – Speckled skin, golden flesh, and flavour that’ll win anyone over. Great for roasting, baking, soups and salads, the Kent never disappoints. Hot tip: Pumpkins are space hogs (seriously, they’ll take over if you let them), so maybe just pick one or two favourites unless you fancy turning your whole backyard into a pumpkin jungle. 🌿 Feeding and nurturing your pumpkins Pre-sowing soil prep Start your pumpkin patch off right by feeding the soil first. Work in a quality compost such as Chockablok   to boost nutrition and improve texture, then top dress with Who Flung Dung   about a week before sowing or planting out. This sets the stage beautifully for your hungry little vines. When planting day comes, give them a good watering with Seamungus  or Seasol Health Treatment. This not only reduces transplant shock but also gives their immune systems a kickstart and encourages strong, active root growth from the get-go. Early Growth (Pre-Flowering Phase) Once your pumpkin seedlings are up and running, feed them with Rapid Raiser every 4–6 weeks , and add a light sprinkling of blood and bone . At this stage, vines are all about building muscle, lush leaves and strong roots, so that extra nitrogen from the blood and bone gives them the kick they need. As the plants shift gears and start to form flowers, their priorities change too. Nitrogen takes a back seat, and their demand for phosphorus  ramps up, ready to support flowering and fruit set. That’s when Rapid Raiser really shines. Flowering through to Fruit Development (Fruiting Stage) From flowering onwards, keep up with Rapid Raiser  applications to meet your pumpkins’ growing demand for phosphorus and potassium , this gives them everything they need to set flowers and swell those fruits. As summer heat kicks into full gear, water becomes just as important as fertiliser. Keep the moisture up, and don’t be shy about giving your vines a refresher top-dressing of Who Flung Dung . Not only does it feed gently, but it also acts like a cool blanket, insulating the soil and helping it hold onto every drop of water. Tammy’s Tip 🌱 Pumpkins are tough old things. As long as you give them room, water, mulch, and a steady feed of organic goodness , they’ll usually repay you in spades. Fancy fertilisers make it easier and give better results, but don’t let not having the exact product stop you, pumpkins will happily grow on whatever TLC you can spare. Pumpkin flowers, too much of one and not enough of the other 🌸 Female Pumpkin Flower Pumpkins are self-pollinating, they produce two kinds of flowers, male and female. The males are usually the first to appear, the tall skinny stems, pretty obvious. Females on the other hand, are a little slower to the party, but you’ll spot them straight away, they’ve got a cute baby pumpkin tucked in behind their petals. Now, sometimes your patch will look like a “boys club” with nothing but male flowers. Don’t panic! That’s just the plant getting warmed up. The girls will show up when the vine’s ready to get serious. On the flip side, if you’ve only got female flowers but no males in sight, it’s usually the plant sulking because of stress, like wild weather, poor soil, or too much nitrogen. Keep your watering steady, ease up on the lush green fertilisers, and things usually even out. Why Baby Pumpkins Start… Then Drop Off 😩 Few things are sadder than seeing a cute little pumpkin start to grow, only to shrivel up and fall off. Nine times out of ten, that’s down to poor pollination. Without enough pollen from a male flower, the girls just can’t carry a pumpkin to term. Other culprits? Hot, dry weather that stresses the plant. Crowded vines with no airflow. Or powdery mildew sucking the life out of the leaves. The Hand-Pollination Hack ✋🐝 When the bees are off busy carrying out their business elsewhere, or you just want to play Cupid, hand pollination is your secret weapon. It’s easy: Spot your male flower (thin stalk, pollen centre). Gently pluck it, peel the petals back, and dab the pollen onto the centre of a female flower (the one with the baby pumpkin). Too squeamish to pluck? Use a soft paintbrush or cotton bud to play matchmaker. Best time is in the early morning while the flowers are fresh and open. Do this and you’ll be loading up the wheelbarrow with pumpkins in no time. Keeping Pumpkins Happy & Healthy (a.k.a. Outsmarting Powdery Mildew) If there’s one thing pumpkin vines are famous for, apart from taking over the backyard, it’s falling victim to powdery mildew. That white powdery stuff on the leaves looks harmless, but it can slow your plants down big time. Here’s how to keep your patch in tip-top shape: Let them breathe – Give your vines space to sprawl and train them to ramble instead of tangling into one big leafy mess. Water smart – Aim the hose at the soil, not the leaves. Wet leaves = fungal playground. Mulch magic – Thick mulch keeps moisture steady and stress low. DIY leaf spray – Mix 1 tsp bicarb soda with 1L water + a couple drops of liquid soap. Spray it lightly over leaves to help ward off mildew. Rotate the patch – Don’t keep planting pumpkins in the same spot year after year, mix things up with other crops to keep soil healthy. Final Pumpkin Patch Wisdom 🎃🌱 Pumpkins are greedy for space, give them room to ramble and they’ll reward you. Once flowers kick in, switch to a potassium-rich feed (think fruit & flower fertiliser) to help the vines pump out those pumpkins. Harvest when the skin hardens and the stalk goes woody, then cure them in the sun for a week so they store well. And most importantly, don’t overthink it! Pumpkins are tough, and a little backyard love goes a long way. So, no more pumpkin envy over the neighbour’s patch, it’s your turn now. With these tips up your sleeve, you’ll be serving up roast pumpkin, pumpkin soup, and yes… maybe even my pumpkin scones in no time. 😉☕✨

Written and edited by Tammy 14th July 2025 There’s just something exciting about digging up your own homegrown potatoes, that anticipation of how many treasures lay hiding beneath the soil! And the good news is, they’re actually super easy to grow with a bit of know-how and the right timing. I've compiled an easy step by step guide, so there's no excuse for you not to be in on the fun too. I've even included my favourite potato and leek soup recipe! ⸻ How to Grow Seed Potatoes: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide Step 1: Choose Your Seed Potatoes These aren’t the ones from the bottom of your pantry that started sprouting. You want certified seed potatoes, reason being, these are disease-free and bred for healthy yields. Pop in and see me at our Naracoorte K&B Mitre 10, I've still got plenty available in stock, or you'll find them at any garden centre or nursery. Pick a variety that suits your cooking style. Popular varieties include Kipflers, Dutch Cream, Pontiac, Sebago. 🌟HINT: If you're a newbie to growing spuds and aren't sure what variety to get, there'll be some suggestions for the most suitable use for each variety on the packaging. Waxy, firmer varieties are great for roasting as they hold their shape, starchy, creamier types are perfect for mashed spud! ⸻ Step 2: Chit Them (aka Pre-Sprout-optional) Lay your seed potatoes out in a tray or egg carton, eyes facing up, in a cool bright spot out of direct sunlight. Wait a couple of weeks for little stubby sprouts to form. This gives them a head start once they’re in the ground. (You're not a bad spud parent if you've skipped this step, they're still going to sprout and grow regardless, they may just take a tad longer in cooler zones like ours in SA). 🌟TIP : If your potatoes are big (about the size of a lemon or larger), you can cut them into chunks. Just make sure each chunk has at least one strong eye and allow the cut surface to dry for a day or two before planting to prevent rot. ⸻ Step 3: Prepare the Soil Choose a sunny, well-drained spot in your garden or use a large container or grow bag. Potatoes love rich soil, so dig through some compost or aged manure. (Reach for a bag of Neutrog Chocka blok 😁👍) They also like slightly acidic soil, around pH 5.5 to 6.5. I've planted some in a grow bag at work so we can watch them grow. They've just began to sprout in the last week, I'm super excited, pop in for a look! ⸻ Step 4: Plant Them • Dig a trench or hole about 10–15 cm deep • Place your seed potatoes in, eyes facing up • Space them about 30 cm apart • Cover lightly with soil, don’t mound fully yet! ⸻ Step 5: Hill Them Up As the green shoots pop through the soil and grow to about 15–20 cm tall, mound soil or straw around them, just leave the tops poking through. Doing this protects the developing tubers from sunlight (which turns them green and toxic) and encourages more potatoes to form up the stem. Repeat hilling every couple of weeks as the plants grow. ⸻ Step 6: Water & Watch Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Too much water and they rot, too little and they sulk. Once flowering begins, the tubers are forming, so get excited! ⸻ Step 7: Harvest Time! • For baby new potatoes, gently dig around the base once the plant flowers. • For full-sized spuds, wait until the plant’s foliage yellows and dies back. • Then dig them up with a fork (carefully, don’t stab them!). Let them dry off in a cool, airy spot before storing in a dark cupboard. ⸻ 🌟Tip: Rotate Your Crops Don’t plant potatoes in the same spot year after year, they’re greedy feeders and can attract soil-borne diseases. Rotate with legumes or leafy greens next season. ⸻ And it's as simple as that! Whether you’re planting them into garden beds or big pots out in the patio, growing your own potatoes is fun, rewarding, and super satisfying come dinner time. As promised, here's a downloadable recipe for my favourite potato and leek soup😁 Keep warm and enjoy your gardens 😘🪴 Hearty winter warmer Potato and Leek Soup Other posts you might be interested in How Frost Affects Plants & Tips for Preventing Frostburn When our plants are exposed to frost, this is what happens:  1. Plant Tissues Freeze:  The sub-zero temperatures cause the water within the plant cells to freeze.  2. Cell Damage : The cell walls and membranes of the plant then become physically damaged due to the formation of ice crystals within those cells. Composting - the Beginners Guide! Thinking about starting a compost pile but not sure where to begin? You’re in the right place! Composting is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to turn kitchen scraps and garden waste into rich, nutrient-pack ed soil food. Whether you’ve got a sprawling backyard or a tiny balcony, composting is totally doable and surprisingly fun. In this beginners guide I’ll break it all down step-by-step so you can start transforming your kitchen and garden waste into garden gold. Adapting to Drought Tolerant Gardening: Thriving in the Dry. Gardening during dry times isn’t about giving up and accepting defeat, it’s about getting smart and creative. By embracing some simple alternatives, our gardens can become more resilient, sustainable, and beautiful than ever. What is eating my seedlings The biggest question on every gardener's lips right now is “what is eating my seedlings!?" Working out the answer requires a bit of simple detective work, some Sherlock Holmes. It's a case of looking for clues and putting the puzzle pieces together. Bare root season -It's all here!! Bare root season is one of the busiest times of the year for Balhannah Nurseries .  It's when they lift their young trees from the ground while they're dormant, the process doesn't shock, stress or upset them because they're asleep, they're not actively growing.