Rats in the Garden

It is very disheartening seeing your produce been attacked by rodents just before it is ready. After soil preperation, cultivating and nurturing your veggie garden, a rodent will happily enjoy your hard work and not even thank you. Worse still they often don't finish what they started. They will take a bite or two then leave it behind. As they spread desises on your property, there is no option but they have to go. 

The first step is to be proactive rather than reactive. You can do this by making sure there is no old fruit or vegetables on the ground rotting. Being on the ground makes it easy pray. Having said that, rodents may leave them there are go for the good stuff, the stuff you have your eyes on also. 

Some fruit such as tomatoes will ripen inside. So as soon as they start to show some colour, pick them and put them inside in a warm place away from your attackers. 

Know your edomy

First you have to be sure it is a rodent and try to see what size. You can tell this by the poo they leave behind. It could easily be something else, so be as sure as you can be before you catch the wrong predator. 

Once you are sure it is a rat or mouse, have a look at what they are actually eating. Then for a few days actually feed them that in a place nearby where you can later set the trap. This is far better than getting bait, as the rat is already used to seeing what they are currently eating, but not used to seeing bait in the area. For instance, if it was apples, pick some and put them on the ground in a place so the rats will eat these picked apples, rather than the ones up the tree. Have a rat trap next to them, but do not set the trap at first. 

After a few days, they will have got used to seeing the trap, so set the trap. Rats are clever animals so if you set the trap to early, they may try to work out how to get the food off the trap without it going off. 

Another way is to set some bait without a trap. This poisoned bait will attack the rats organs and kill the rat. From personal experience, I have done this and later heard a rat scream in pain a little while later - not something I forgot in a hurry. 

There are two problems with this method.
1. Depending on the size of the rat, it could take several days, even up to a month to kill the rat. Meanwhile your produce is still being eaten and there could also be new babies born.
2. If the dead rat is eaten by another animal, such as a dog or cat, it also could get very sick. Worse still, a young child could start playing with it as they often seem to die out in the open, rather than underground. Even their urine while they have taken the bait is harmful to your garden.

Citrus leaf miner

Citrus leaf miner is most common during summer and autumn and can affects all citrus. The grub tunnels inside new leaf growth, forming a silvery pattern and distorting the leaves. The new affected leaves look like they have melted a bit and roll up. 

Heavy infestations will stunt growth, but rarely kill a tree. Damage can be controlled by cutting off the affected parts and spraying with homemade oil spray to deter the moth from laying eggs. Put pruned branches in the rubbish bin. 

Container Gardening

Container gardening is the practice of growing plants, fruits, flowers and vegetables, in pots or any other containers available at hand.

Container gardening can be one of the easiest, cheapest, and simplest ways to have your own garden and to grow your own food.

If you are new to gardening, then container gardening is for you. It is as cheap or expensive as you want it to be and doesn't require much room. You can move the plants if they are in the wrong climate. 

 

Some other benefits to container gardening include:

• You only need a container, some soil and seeds or a seedling. You can use an old bucket and punch drainage holes in it for drainage as you don't want to grow your plants in a mud pie 
  
• You don't need to buy land, depending on the plant, it can be on your porch or inside. You may want to try a vertical garden; I made one out of old pallets
• If your soil isn't right in the garden, then it will not effect the plants in the containers. Your garden soil might be contaminated, have the wrong pH or be sand or clay. With containers you can create the correct type of soils for each plant. Some like sandy free draining soil, were others like moisture retaining soil. Containers give you the opportunity to give your plants the best possible soil. With containers, plants with different soil requirements can live happily next to each other 
  
• If your property has existing tall trees, such as gum trees that take a lot of the nutrients from your soil, container gardens are often the only option. Lots of large trees often have roots at or just below ground level, leaving minimal soil for any additional plants. Plants such as citrus trees do not like their shallow roots disturbed
• Container gardening allows you to grow things you wouldn't normally be able to grow in your area. Put your container in a dry sheltered spot with full sun and you might be able to grow a cactus or a vegetable out of season. If you put your container in a wet humid spot, you may be able to grow something tropical
• It is easier to protect your container garden from pests. You can move the pot to a different area if needed. If one tomato plant gets infected, you can move it away from the others. If the soil in the pot gets contaminated, you can empty the pot, wash the pot and plant a new plant, rather than remove all the dirt from your garden. Your neighbours citrus may have gall wasp, so move your citrus away from theirs
• Weeds are a lot easier to remove out of containers. Should they do get a foothold in the container, simply replace the soil for a fresh start 
  
• Containers are effectively raised garden beds. This allows for better drainage and you don't have to bend over down to ground level. Put them on a shelf made of bricks to add a different dimension to your container garden. Or have them off the ground for easy reach
• Container gardens are more efficient as they require less maintaince and time
• You can put your containers out of reach from children or pets.  Especially if you have inquisitive children or a dog that likes to dig in the garden
• Containers stop plants from spreading, such as mint. Mint grown in the garden is very hard to remove and will take over the entire garden, however when grown in a container, it is a lot easier to keep in control. Containers stop plant roots from getting into house pipes or breaking pathways
• You can conserve water by only watering the containers that need it. Add some mulch and the moisture will last longer
• Containers don't have to be huge or ugly. They can be tall, fat, small, colourful, different shapes and made from different materials. The plant may grow from the top, the sides or be a combination. The pot itself can become a feature with the plant as a bonus. The container might be something you have made, been given from someone special or one you bought while on holiday or a favourite place. The pot may be a combination of different pots that together or near each other make a statement. They can fill a gap quickly or add colour. The plant doesn't have to be the only thing admired. You can have containers inside pots, so the special pot stays in the same place, however several different container plants rotate through it 
  
• You can grow a container garden where you choose and not only where garden beds exist. They can add ascetic value around your home. This could be on the decking, by the front door or on paving. It allows you to soften or brighten up a front entrance, shade a window or block the view of something like an ugly heater or hot water service. You can grow herbs from your kitchen windowsill which may inspire your cooking and look good from inside and outside the house. Start a rooftop garden or fill a courtyard to make it more of an attractive or usable place. You can try a vertical garden up a wall. And don't forget hanging baskets which allow the plant to grow in the sky and over the edge and down the side like a waterfall 
  
• Containers have the power to make rapid changes as you can rotate them. Bring bright flowers out just before visitors arrive and put them back to where you like them, or in the climate the plant needs after they leave. Out the back you could have next seasons flowers germinating in preparation to replace the ones already in flower out the front for all to see. Containers give you more options in designing your garden
• Container gardens are very kid friendly. They can first paint the pot, then plant it up, then look after in. My children have potted flowers by the front door. They see them each day, and I was hoping they would remember to water them also. It helps them respect plants, learn how they grow and helping them feel responsible
• If the plant grows bigger than you expected, you can move it so it doesn't restrict you being able to move past it or shelter other plants. If you plant the wrong plant in the garden, it could block a garage entrance, drop a mess on the car, create to much shade on a window or block you from getting to a part of the garden. If the plant is in a container, it's growth will not only be restricted but you can move the plant without any transplant shock
• Should the plant only get light on one side, you can continually turn the pot so every side of the plant gets the same amount of light. This is particularly good for indoor plants and new germinating plants
• Containers can bring the outside indoors, even if it is while you have visitors. For example a stunning outdoor plant in full flower could be brought inside for a few hours or days then rotated with other plants creating an ever changing feel inside 
  
• You can take your containers with you. This is very useful if you are renting or decide to sell up. If your going on holidays, you can move your favourite ones to a friend or relatives house so they can water them for you. You may have trouble getting them back though
• You can garden all year with container gardens. No longer do you have to wait for the rain to stop, simply pick up the pot and do what you need to do undercover in the garage or porch out of the rain or hot sun
• Container gardening allows you to grow young plants in sheltered locations first, such as indoors near a sunny window, or undercover away from frosts or heavy rain. Once established they can then be moved to their next location. Unless the pot isn't movable, or the roots grow through the pot into the dirt, it never needs to be the final destination 
  
• Containers allow you to experiment with different plant combinations. Companion planting is especially good for vegetables, such as basil and tomatoes, as the combination not only helps with pests, but they taste good together also
• You can pass on your container plants to other people as gifts if they are in portable containers
• Propagated plants grown around the edge of the container often grow better and quicker as it can be warmer with the sun on the side of the pot

 

Remember the less soil the container has, the less moisture retention the pot will have. In nature, most plants spread out its roots to try to get as much moisture and nutrition as possible, but in a container this is not possible. So self watering pots may need to be used on plants that don't like to dry out.

You will need to add fertiliers or organic mater as watering will eventually make the soil nutrient free. Some container plants will need repotting on occasion which often gives you a chance to propagate some plants by division. Terracotta and ceramic containers tend to absorb moisture from the soil making the plant dry. To avoid this, you can put a plate of water under the terracotta or ceramic pot so that the water gets replenished and soil stays moist.

Whitefly - What you can do

Whiteflies insects are hemipterans that feed on the undersides of plant leaves. 

Whiteflies rapidly grow in population when they find a good garden. They can suck the life out of a plants leaves leaving the plant stressed and disease prone. They spread viruses and disease and cause havoc in food production which can cost hundreds of millions of dollars. 

You can stop them from landing on your plant by misting the underside of the leaves of the plant several times a day.

But who has the time to do that?

They rapidly grow resistance to chemical pesticides. Obviously these chemicals will detour good insects that you want in your garden. 

They are too small to squash or swat. However whitefly is very attracted to the colour yellow. 

You can see the whitefly attached to my yellow card in less than 5 minutes. 

You can make your own yellow trap with some Vaseline on yellow card, or purchase a set. 

If you bought one, remove the backing paper so the sticky yellow card is reviled.

Hang in a spot near where the whitefly are, but so it won't stick to anything. Either suspended above the area or level with the infected plant. I like to hang it out of the rain if possible. 

Place the cards approximately 2 metres apart from each other. 

Shake the plant every so often so the whitefly will fly. You will be amazed at how they fly directly to the yellow card. 

The card will last about 6-8 weeks when the temperature is below 28 degrees Celsius. You may need to replace more often if it is hotter or they are full.

Any leaves that have been eaten by whitefly should be removed and sealed so re-infestation doesn't happen.

Another method is to grow plants that help reduce whitefly. Nasturtiums are thought to detour whitefly. Zinnias attract predictors that enjoy eating whitefly. 

Whitefly can cause great damage to your vegetables and garden plants such as hollyhocks. But at least they don't bite you. 

Kangaroo Paw

Kangaroo Paw thrives in full sun in well drained soil enriched with organic matter.

They are drought tolerant, however they enjoy a drink every few days during their growing season as it will keep them healthy.

They resemble the paw of a kangaroo, the flowers will light up the garden in spring and summer in vivid shades of red, green, pink, yellow and brown. You can cut them for flesh flowers and then dry for arrangements. 

You can mass plant Kangaroo Paw to attract native birds to your garden. Birds love the nectar rich flowers.  

The above picture is a council traffic island that doesn't get a lot of attention, yet the Kangaroo Paw has done well. The above Kangaroo Paw has finished flowering and needs to be cut back. 

It is easy to increase plant numbers by carefully dividing them after flowering. Try dwarf forms in pots. 

Ink disease, a fungus that appears as black blotches on leaves, is a problem with Kangaroo Paw. Remove diseased clumps and replace them with disease resistant cultivars.

Sunflowers

This flower is guaranteed to put a smile on a child's face, especially if you let them plant them. 

There are over 70 species in the family which are native to southern and central America. 

Early summer and spring is sunflower planting time. They like compost enriched, well drained soil. They need to be protected against slugs and snails until they start to grow. Their young trunks are susceptible to these pests until they get older with brown stems. 

You may need to stake them or protect them if your in a windy position. Don't shade them while protecting them. Keep them happy in full summer sun. 

Watering is important and keep the weeds away. You can add liquid fertiliser every two or three weeks, but I didn't to mine as pictured. 

If you wish to collect the seeds, protect the flowers from birds by putting a stocking over the head until the seeds are mature. Your children may not let you do this though. Might be easier to get one when it has been damaged by the wind, birds or old age. 

Bonsai

There is no doubt that few people that are attracted to bonsai feel that they are starved, tortured trees as correctly grown Bonsai are blooming with health and vitality.

The most popular misconception is that the cutting of the roots keep the tree small. Instead, cutting the root system by a third and replacing it with soil keeps the tree healthy. The tree does not become root bound which would weaken any tree.

 

There are six things to look for when selecting your Bonsai:

1. Your selected plant needs to have a defined trunkline. It is an added bonus if thick bark is present. It should be wider at the base. 
2. To give a better proportion to the new Bonsai, the leaves on the plant should be naturally small.
3. Your tree needs to have the ability to grow new shoots from any position on the trunk or branches after pruned. You will need to know what type of plant it is and what it is capable of.
4. There must be lots of branches so you are able to cut away some to fit your design. This will also help the tree when you later cut the roots away.
5. Look for well developed roots either I the surface, or under the ground.
6. The lower branches should be close to the ground and must be healthy and strong.

Bonsai in Australia by Dorothy & Vita Koreshoff 4th edition 1983