Nectarine tree

I re-potted the nectarine tree into a larger pot - a matching white to mirror the trellised bambino bougainvillea by the shed. In the potting mixtures I used coir, soil, sand and manure. I rested the pot on used bricks to give it more height given that it’s a dwarf nectarine tree. Behind it are two purple bougainvilleas I’m trying to espalier or trim them to a standard. I was inspired by the rows of standard bougainvilleas in large pots decorating the streets of Singapore. They are very well kept – trimmed so neat, bright and cheerful.

Succulents

The succulents are certainly thriving from the recent rains. They are flowering profusely and the white statue and terracotta pot are being swamped by the foliage.

Pictured from left to right are:

The Jade Plant (Crassula ovata ) – green with yellow and red margins.
Lavender Scallops (Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi) – green/pink leaves and salmon bell shaped flowers.
Paddle Plant (Cotyledon Macrantha) – I love the big round leaves and magenta margins. The orange/red flowers are a welcome splash of colour in winter.
Pinwheel (Aeonium Haworthii) - Bush with thin woody stems ending in light green triangular leaves forming a rosette.
Lace Aloe, Torch Plant (Aloe Aristata) - Rosette forming triangular succulent leaves covered with white markings.
Pig's Ear (Cotyledon Orbiculata) - leaves have a chalky covering.
Tree Aeonium (Aeonium Arboreum) – green with red edge.

Blueberry bush

Maybe because it’s winter or maybe because it needs more sunlight, but this blueberry bush looks sick. The leaves are yellowing while the veins are still green. I read that it might be iron deficiency (chlorosis). Iron is much more available at a lower soil pH - the recommended soil pH of 4.2 to 5.2. I added some sulfur, but not too much since I also read that manganese toxicity can occur when soil pH is too low or too much acidifying material has been used. Symptoms are similar to those of iron deficiency. I think it’s time to use the pH test kit to be more accurate.

Peach tree

This dwarf peach tree had a terrible bout of leaf curl last year. I sprayed some Yates Leaf Curl Copper Fungicide to try and control it this year. I sprayed it while the peach tree is budding and will again in a few weeks when leaves start to emerge. Pictured is the peach tree after I sprayed it, as well as other plants & surrounds that got in line of fire of my spray bottle. On the information leaflet it mentions that this spray also controls common diseases on vegetables and black spot on roses - http://www.yates.com.au/assets/0000/1803/leaf-curl_copper-inst-sheet.pdf

Coir

Coir or coco-peat is something of a recent discovery for me. I never really paid much attention to them on the nursery shelves until earlier this year. How can something so easy to transport (4.5kg blocks make 60 litres of material), environmentally sustainable (made from coconut fibre which would otherwise be thrown away) and both retains moisture and better drainage at the same time. I have been stockpiling them in my garage. When I need to use it, I simply put a block into a barrel of water and wait for the fibres to expand. I like to mix the coir with compost and manure when I'm re-potting. Due to its light weight nature, coir is a terrific choice for balcony gardens.

Dwarf lemon tree

The two lemons that survived the summer heatwave and wind gusts of last week are almost ready for picking. I want to wait another week until I’m fully satisfied that it’s as yellow as it can get. This is the first time this lemon tree has successfully fruited.

Flapjacks

It’s been raining most days this week in Melbourne. I have sheltered the flapjacks under a cement bench so it doesn’t drown in the pot. The blue pots also brightens the area on a gloomy day.

The flapjack plant is also known as paddle plant, pancake plant, desert cabbage, white lady and by its Latin name, Kalanchoe luciae.

Croydon Community Garden

I love community gardens. The sharing of knowledge and helping each other always brings out the best results with regards to the plants, not to mention the friendships it cultivates. The Croydon Community Garden is over 25 years old and contains over 60 allotments in an area of 3000 square metres. Here are some of today’s pictures. Their website is http://sites.google.com/site/croydoncommunitygarden/home

Cyclamens

My hot pink cyclamens have all flowered and look absolutely glowing against the wall. Some begonia seeds have snuck inside the cracks of the brick wall and have started growing. It has added a softening effect to the hard edges of brick and mortar, and I didn’t even have to lift a finger.

Alyssum

There is a bare/neglected area on the side of the house which is the home of the gas meter and rubbish bin. It gets enough winter sunlight and shade during summer, so it’s ideal. The only worry is that it’s got pipes and wires underneath, so no deep digging allowed! I wanted a hardy ground cover, so I got three dianthus Mars – small silver foliage with red flowers. But they were not going to fill the area fast enough for a decent impact. So I got some alyssum seedlings (mixture of white, mauve, pinks) and repotted them individually, waiting for the day when they outgrow their pots.

Potatoes in bag

My potatoes have chitted and I had no garden space to put them! That’s where the garden bag/vegetable planter came in handy. I can sit them on a concrete area and also aim for a greater yield by “hilling”. Much easier using the garden bags – I simply roll them up and add more soil as the plants grow. In the soil mix are layers of potting mix, coir (cocopeat), manure, sand and pea straw.

Bulbs

I have a small garden and since it’s mainly for fruit and vegies, I can really only afford to have bulbs in pots. A terracotta pot of bulbs, which includes daffodils, hyacinths and tulips is a touch of luxury. They a poking their heads through the soil and I’m giddy with excitement.

Rhododendron

I removed the roses and cleared the way for a rhododendron and azalea bush. There roses were in the wrong place – boggy and dark area of the garden. There was the occasional yellow flower but it just wasn’t worth the attention and care I had been giving it. When I pulled it out it was a relief and I wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner. I discovered a nice clear area that I could “green” up. I would much prefer an evergreen plant to look at rather than to wait for 6 months for some prickly stick to produce one flower. I chose a variegated leaf rhododendron as the centre piece. Nearby are nasturtiums to fill the back, bloodleaf for contrast, an azalea for winter colour and ferns at the front for more green. Pictured are the before and after shots.

Boston ivy

Paid a visit to my friend’s garden and took some pictures of the first week of winter.

Dwarf cyclamens resting on a suspended chair.


A leaning lemon tree is abundant with fruit ready for picking.


The purple wall brings out the vibrant bloodleaf.


Camellia in a pot and Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) creeping up the wall.

Bougainvillea

I purchased this giant white pot and lattice especially for the bougainvillea (Bambino) which is a dwarf type with variegated foliage. This scrambling evergreen climber has a full size of 1.5m x 1.5m, so it’s just enough to hide a shed wall. When I first planted the ‘babyboug’ it looked rather sparse in the pot all by itself so I also included nasturtium seedlings. Well, they have grown expeditiously and I’m now looking for a new home for them.

Bloodleaf (iresine herbstii)‏

The bloodleaf (iresine herbstii) was getting gangly after summer and through autumn it had a massive growth spurt. Despite the red foliage fading (from too much sunlight), I was just glad it survived especially during the extremely hot days. Another reason to trim it back to a compact bush was so I could get some cuttings – so easy propagating them! Just cut and stick the cuttings into some dirt. I love this plant for its rich crimson leaves with beetroot pink veins. It’s perfect for those areas that require a big impact of red. Other common names for this plant are Beefsteak Plant and Chicken Gizzard.