Country Cut Flowers With Secateurs

What’s on the show today?

Find out why you really need more than one type of secateurs in Tool Time.; What vegetable is really a fruit and it’s not a tomato in Vegetable Heroes; , plus a exotic plume flower in Plant of the Week and flowers that spell a country theme in Talking Flowers segment with Mercedes.

TOOL TIME

Secateurs times three

Are you a one type of secateurs gardener?
Did you know that you could be doing yourself a disservice by only having one pair of secateurs?
Especially if you’re a keen gardener who’s out there most days doing something in the garden even if it’s only thirty minutes.
Let’s find out what other types you could use?

I'm talking with Tony Mattson from www.cutabovetools.com.au

Anvil vs By-pass vs snips are the three main types of secateurs.

Anvil secateurs: Cut above tools

• The anvil type of secateurs can best be described as having an upper blade that cuts down onto a lower flat area. Much like a knife onto a cutting board. 
• The upper blade can be sharp on one or both sides. 
• Did you know that the majority of ratchet secateurs are anvil based because they need to be able to cut up to 28 - 30 mm thick branches.
• These are best for thicker, harder stems such as chopping up branches to go into the compost bin. Good for either either a right hand or a left hander. 

• For bypass secateurs the blade is going past the anvil at the bottom. More suitable for softer plant tissue and using on live wood or plant tissue. 

  

  By-pass secateurs: Cut above tools

• Note: only sharpen the outside edge of the cutting blade.
• Good for sharp, precise cuts.

Snips are good for florists and those gardeners that like to propagate plants, as well as for cutting flowers. 

If you have any questions, either for me or for Tony why not email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

VEGETABLE HEROES

Capsicum: Capsicum annuum

This weeks Vegetable Hero is the Capsicum or botanically-Capsicum annuum or Bell Pepper or Sweet Peppers if you’re in America and Capsicums if you’re in Australia, and Pimento if you’re from Spain.

Capsicums are from the Solanaceae family,  together with tomatoes and eggplants.

So how did they get to be called Capsicums?

Probably from the Greek word kapto,  which means to "to bite" or "to swallow."

You may already know that tomatoes are classified as fruits by Botany, but so are capsicums.

That’s right, just like the tomato, Capsicums are botanically fruits, but most people would think of them for cooking and eating to be vegetables.

Did you know that fossilized grains of Capsicums were found on grinding stones and cooking pots used in the Americas some 4000 years ago? (that’s Mexico, Central America and northern South America,)

Christopher Columbus of course was mostly responsible for exporting capsicums, along with potatoes to the rest of the world in the 1400’s.

Did you also know that there are 30 species of capsicum in the world, but only five of these have been grown in home gardens?

All of the others are wild capsicums that still grow mainly in South America, such as in Brazil.

Just recently two new capsicum species were discovered in Bolivia.

What do they look like?

Capsicums grow on a medium sized bush with one or two main stems, mid green pointed leaves up to 1 metre, with little white flowers.

The flowers need to get pollinated before capsicums start appearing.

Then as the capsicums grow, they change from green through to red but can be harvested at almost every stage.

When to Sow

Some of you may have already made a head start on sowing the seeds of  Capsicums because they take ages to grow and because of the long lead up time before the capsicum is ready to eat.

But there’s still time.

If you live in temperate zones around Australia, zones you have from August  until the end of December to sow the seeds of capsicums.

If you live in cool temperate districts, September until November, are the times you start your capsicums from seed, preferably undercover somewhere.

In arid areas, September is a good time to sow the seeds under cover, but from then on you can plant them directly into the ground right until next April.

In warmer sub-tropical and tropical areas, you can sow Capsicums almost all year, from June until next March. 

Capsicum seeds may seem harder to germinate than tomatoes but there’s a reason.

All capsicum seeds need higher temperatures than tomatoes to germinate-in the 23⁰C to 28⁰C range.

For some gardeners, capsicum seeds seem a difficult seed germinate, and even if you’re a gun gardener, seedlings grow slowly.

The other drawback is that it takes 70-90 days or 2 1/2 to 3 months for your capsicum to mature, depending on the variety you’re growing.

TIP:

As the bushes start to grow tall and produce fruit, they can fall over causing the stem to break so stake them up using strips of stockings to tie them on.

Have you ever wondered about those capsicums that get crack lines in the skin?

How did they get there?

The fruit of capsicums can grow quite quickly if they’re watered and fed regularly. 

But, if the soil is allowed to dry out too often or they don’t get enough food, the fruit can get crack lines on the skin. 

That’s because the capsicum grew quickly, then stopped, grew quickly and then stopped again! 

Colours:

These are still edible, they just don’t look as nice.

The colour can be green, red, yellow, orange and more rarely, white and purple or chocolate brown, depending on when they are harvested and the specific cultivar.

Green capsicums are less sweet and slightly more bitter than red, yellow or orange ones.

But they take longer to grow of course, that’s why they’re so much more expensive in shops than the green ones.

The sweetest capsicums are those that have been allowed to ripen fully on the plant in full sunshine, while those that are picked when green and ripened in storage are less sweet.

After you get your seedlings going, pick a spot in the got that is the hottest-with the longest hours of sunshine.

Do the usual by, adding plenty of compost, manure, and a general fertilizer.

In cooler districts, transplant young seedlings outdoors after the last chance of frost.

If the weather is still cool, delay transplanting a few days, and keep them in a cold-frame, indoors or next to the house.

Capsicums don’t like to dry out and actually prefer moist but not wet soil and don’t like extreme changes in the weather.

It mightn’t seem important now, but months down the track, water regularly as the weather warms up.

When your capsicum plants start to get bigger and small flowers appear, switch over to a fertilizer higher in Phosphorous and Potassium.

Something like tomato feed should do the trick.

You don’t want just all bush and no plants do you?

 Tip:Capsicums are self pollinators.

Occasionally, they will cross pollinate from pollen carried by bees or other insects.

If you don’t want hot capsicums, don't plant hot chillies too close.

Don't worry though, as it won’t affect the fruit of this year's crop.

The cross will show up in the genetics of the seeds, if you save them.

Capsicums and chilli peppers are almost identical except for the level of Capsaicin which gives chillies and some peppers that “hot”sensation.

Martha has emailed this question about growing Capsicums.

Why are my leaves going yellow and falling off?

Well Martha, leaf yellowing and falling is usually caused by either powdery mildew or bacterial spot. Spray with a mixture of Full cream milk and water for organic treatment of this problem

Why are they good for you?

Red capsicums have very high levels of vitamin C - 1 capsicum has enough vitamin C to meet the daily needs of 10 people and yellow and green capsicums have nearly as much

Did you know that compared to green peppers, red peppers have more vitamins and nutrients and contain the antioxidant lycopene.

The level of carotene, another antioxidant, is nine times higher in red peppers. Red peppers also have twice the vitamin C content of green peppers

Red capsicums are also rich in beta carotene which the body converts to vitamin A, vitamin E and a good source of folate (one of the B vitamins).

One red capsicum contains almost the equivalent of almost 2 teaspoons of natural sugar, which is why it tastes so sweet and delicious.

Yellow capsicums are sweet with natural sugars too, but green capsicums have much less sugar, so they’re a little more bitter.

PLANT OF THE WEEK:

Brazilian Plume Flower: Justice carnea & Justicea carnea "alba"

This plant should be grown more in gardens with it’s tropical looking dark green large leaves and the plume of petals either in white or a sort of cerise pink.

But as always, some plants fall out of favour or are just forgotten, and shunned by big box stores that sell a limited range of plants.
You’ll definitely want to grow this after you hear why it’s so good.
Let’s find out.
I'm talking with the plant panel, Jeremy Critchley of www.thegreengallery.com.au and Karen Smith, editor of www.hortjournal.com.au

• Justicea can be best described as an erect, evergreen fast growing shrub with an open, rounded habit up to 1.5m
• It has large deep green leaves that have deep crinkly veins and are sometimes hairy.
• Lance-shaped dark green leaves, long up to 20 cm and 5 cm broad, with prominent veins.
• If you’re plants drops their lower leaves, get a big feed and prune back hard after flowering.

TALKING FLOWERS

Flowers that make a country theme

Mercedes says that most customers opt for having a country theme for their bouquets when she used to run a florist shop.

So what does make up a country theme when you're thinking cut flowers?

If you went for something  in the cottage garden line, you would be very close to the mark.

Also choosing flowers from the Asteraceae or Daisy family will make your floral bouquet look like a bunch of flowers you picked yourself, albeit, expertly arranged and presented.

I'm talking with Mercedes Sarmini, florist of www.flowersbymercedes.com.au

The video was recorded live during the broadcast of Real World Gardener show on 2RRR 88.5 fm Sydney.

Don't Get Bamboozled In The Garden

SOIL SAVVY

If you want a lush garden where everything grows wonderfully like in this photo, you need to know what type of garden soil you have in your back yard.
How well do you know your soil in the backyard?
No matter how much work you do in your garden, all that careful sowing, weeding and tending could be in vain if the quality of your soil isn’t up to scratch or you’ve been planting things which aren’t suited to your soil.
We gardeners all know that the soil gives your plants vital nutrients, water and air that they need for healthy, but each plot of ground has its own blend of minerals, organic and inorganic matter which largely determines what crops, shrubs or trees can be grown successfully.
Let’s find out how to go about knowing your soil type .
I'm talking with Horticultural Scientist Penny Smith. Penny specialises in soil science.
There are six main soil groups: clay, sandy, silty, peaty, chalky and loamy.
There’s even soil types which are combinations of the main types; sandy clay, clayey sand.
They each have different properties and knowing what type you have lets you make the best choices and get the most from your garden.
PENNY'S TEXTURE TEST
Grab a small handful of your garden soil and make a fat worm with your soil.
Put your thumb into the top of your soil worm and squish it out.
If you soil is sandy the bit that you squeeze out will fall apart; if it's clay soil it will stick together reasonably well with some cracking.
Loamy soil will stick together but won't dirty your hand as much as the clay soil and there should be no cracking.
Remember, soil types can vary from suburb to suburb or even street to street, so don’t always rely on what someone tells you.
If you’re still not sure after doing Penny’s soil test, take a sample of your garden soil to your garden centre.
If you have any questions about finding out your soil type or have some information you’d like to share, why not email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

VEGETABLE HEROES

This weeks Vegetable Hero is the Capsicum or botanically-Capsicum annuum or Bell Pepper or Sweet Peppers if you’re in America and Capsicums if you’re in Australia, and Pimento if you’re from Spain.
Capsicums are from the Solanaceae family, with tomatoes and eggplants.
So how did they get to be called Capsicums: probably from the Greek word kapto, which means to "to bite" or "to swallow."

Just like the tomato, Capsicums are botanically fruits, but most people would think of them for cooking and eating to be vegetables.
Did you know that fossilized grains of Capsicums were found on grinding stones and cooking pots used in the Americas some 4000 years ago? (that’s Mexico, Central America and northern South America,)
Would you believe that there are 30 species of capsicum in the world, but only five of these have been grown in home gardens?
All of the others are wild capsicums that still grow mainly in South America, such as in Brazil.
Just recently two new capsicum species were discovered in Bolivia so discovering diversity is an on-going task.
Capsicums grow on a medium sized bush, up to 1 metre, which produces white flowers.
Capsicum seedlings grow into a bush with one or two central stems and branches that come off the side.

Flowers form which, when pollinated, begin to grow baby capsicum.
As the capsicums grow, they change from green through to red but can be harvested at almost every stage.
When to Sow
Some of you may have already made a head start on sowing the seeds of Capsicums because they take ages to grow and because of the long lead up time before the capsicum is ready to eat.
But there’s still time.
If you live in temperate zones around Australia, zones you have from August until the end of December to sow the seeds of capsicums.
If you live in cool temperate districts, September until November, are the times you start you capsicums from seed, preferably undercover somewhere.

In arid areas, September is a good time to sow the seeds under cover, but from then on you can plant them directly into the ground right until next April.
In warmer sub-tropical and tropical areas, you can sow Capsicums almost all year, from June until next March.

Did you know that commercial growers can either buy in seedlings or sow seed? Container-grown seedlings from commercial nurseries cost about $90 per thousand plus the cost of the seed, and for new hybrid varieties may be up to $9000 per kilogram.

All capsicum seeds need higher temperatures than tomatoes to germinate-in the 230C to 280C range
Capsicum seeds can be a difficult seed germinate, and seedlings grow slowly.
The other drawback is that it takes 70-90 days or 2 1/2 to 3 months for your capsicum to mature, depending on the variety you’re growing.
As the bushes start to grow tall and produce fruit, they can fall over causing the stem to break so stake them up using strips of stockings to tie them on.
The fruit of capsicums can grow quite quickly if they’re watered and fed regularly.
But, if the soil is allowed to dry out too often or they don’t get enough food, the fruit can get crack lines on the skin.
This is because it grew quickly, then stopped, grew quickly and then stopped again! These are still edible, they just don’t look as nice.
The colour can be green, red, yellow, orange and more rarely, white and purple or chocolate brown, depending on when they are harvested and the specific cultivar.

Green capsicums are less sweet and slightly more bitter than red, yellow or orange ones.
The sweetest capsicums are those that have been allowed to ripen fully on the plant in full sunshine, while those that are picked when green and ripened in storage are less sweet.
After you get your seedlings going, pick a spot in the got that is the hottest-with the longest hours of sunshine.
Do the usual by, adding plenty of compost, manure, and a general fertilizer.
In cooler districts, transplant young seedlings outdoors after the last chance of frost.
If the weather is still cool, delay transplanting a few days, and keep them in a cold-frame, indoors or next to the house.

Capsicums don’t like to dry out and actually prefer moist but not wet soil and don’t like extreme changes in the weather.
When your capsicum plants start to get bigger and small flowers appear, switch over to a fertilizer higher in Phosphorous and Potassium.
Something like tomato feed should do the trick.
You don’t want just all bush and no plants do you?
Tip:Capsicums are self pollinators.
Occasionally, they will cross pollinate from pollen carried by bees or other insects.
If you don’t want hot capsicums, don't plant hot chillies too close.
Don't worry though, as it won’t affect the fruit of this year's crop.
The cross will show up in the genetics of the seeds, if you save them.
Capsicums and chilli peppers are almost identical except for the level of Capsaicin which gives chillies and some peppers that “hot”sensation.
Question:Martha has emailed this question about growing Capsicums.
Why are my capsicum's leaves going yellow and falling off?
Well Martha, leaf yellowing and falling is usually caused by either powdery mildew or bacterial spot. Spray with a mixture of Full cream milk and water for organic treatment of this problem
Why are they good for you?

Red capsicums have very high levels of vitamin C - 1 capsicum has enough vitamin C to meet the daily needs of 10 people and yellow and green capsicums have nearly as much
Did you know that compared to green peppers, red peppers have more vitamins and nutrients and contain the antioxidant lycopene.
The level of carotene, another antioxidant, is nine times higher in red peppers. Red peppers also have twice the vitamin C content of green peppers
Red capsicums are also rich in beta carotene which the body converts to vitamin A, vitamin E and a good source of folate (one of the B vitamins).
One red capsicum contains almost the equivalent of almost 2 teaspoons of natural sugar, which is why it tastes so sweet and delicious.
Yellow capsicums are sweet with natural sugars too, but green capsicums have much less sugar, so they’re a little more bitter.
AND THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY?

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Continuing with the series on best fit gardening. Living Fences
Conifers make great living hedges especially in Northern Hemisphere gardens, but may not suit your district.

Fences make good barriers between neighbours and for keeping out undesirable animals but what if you don’t want a hard fence?
A Living Fence is a fence made of living trees and shrubs either made from thorny or non-thorny plants.
It can also be called a green fence, or hedge.
Will a living fence work and what would you grow in your district?
Let’s find out what you can plant. I'm talking with Garden Designer Peter Nixon www.peternixon.com.au

Your living fence can act as a better windbreak that that solid paling fence, plus it also creates a home for beneficial insects.
Peter mentioned Grewia occidentalis ‘Lavender Star or South African Crossberry; Solandra longiflora or dwarf Hawaiian Chalice; Choisya ternata or Orange Blossom and of course rose bushes for cool districts.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Groundcover Bamboo

Bamboo comes from all over the world; from South America, Africa, Asia, Australia. It may surprise you to learn that Australia's got four native species of bamboos.
Have you had a bad experience with growing bamboo?
Perhaps there were invasive bamboo runners coming up through the fence from next door?
You might be surprised to learn that not all running bamboo is bad, but it’s good to know the difference between running and clumping bamboo.
Let’s find out about them by listening to the podcast.

I'm talking with Karen Smith from www.hortjournal.com.au and Jeremey Critchley owner of www.thegreengallery.com.au

Ground cover bamboos are a spreading variety of bamboo, almost like lawns and can be contained with a simple root barrier.

Karen mentioned Dwarf Whitestripe Pleioblastus fortune-is the prettiest of the ground covers, with crisp green and white variegated foliage.

This one grows to 40cm in height and will flush back denser and fresher when trimmed down regularly as recommended.

A tip about bamboo; when planting bamboo in the ground, whether it’s clumping or running types, it's important to know how they’ll behave.

Cultivate the entire area you want covered to a depth of  approximately 15cm.

Or, bring in top soil to a depth of 15cm.
Add mushroom compost through the top soil and plant at 50cm spacings apart in a grid-like fashion or closer for quicker results.

If planting in pots, use a good quality potting mix with added coir peat.

Mainly so that they survive and also so that they don't take over.
Bamboo "Baby Panda" has lime green very dense foliage and only grows to 20cm in full sun.
In a part shade position Jeremey says it can get to 30 - 40 cm.
Baby Panda bamboo is frost tolerant.

The Bird with One Note Visits Your Garden

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
Real World Gardener is funded by the Community Broadcasting Foundation
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.
The new theme is sung by Harry Hughes from his album Songs of the Garden. You can hear samples of the album from the website www.songsofthegarden.com

Wildlife in Focus

with ecologist Sue Stevens
If I said to you there is a group of birds that belong to Megaphidae, would you think that meant that had something big about them? Mega after sounds big.
In fact, this rather imposing name simply means that this group of birds belongs to honeyeaters.
One of the smallest of these honey-eaters sings with one note when it’s perched, and only twitters when it’s flying.
Let’s find out a bit more about the bird with one note.

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Louise who lives in the lower Blue Mountains, wrote in to say that this bird with one note, visits Louise’s garden quite regularly, around 8am in the morning and again in the afternoon around 3pm.
But, being a small bird, she hasn’t been able to spot it.
Did you know that many honeyeaters have is a distinctive brush-tipped tongue, which varies by species in length and is specially adapted to soak up liquids.
These birds lap nectar from flowers much as cats lap milk from a dish, although the birds' lapping movements are much faster.
When the liquid-moistened brush is pulled back into the bird's mouth, the brush is squeezed against the upper mandible to push all fluid out so the bird can swallow it.
If you’ve seen this bird, taken a photo, or want to know more about it, why not drop us a line. to realworldgardener@gmail.com or by post to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675,  or post them on Real World Gardeners facebook page, we’d love to hear from you.

Vegetable Heroes

 

This weeks Vegetable Hero is the Capsicum or botanically-Caspicum annuum or Bell Pepper if you’re from the Northern Hemisphere. And Pimento if you’re from Spain.

 

Capsicums are from the Solanaceae family, with tomatoes and eggplants.

The name probably was derived from the Greek word kapto,  which means to "to bite" or "to swallow."

Just like the tomato, capsicums are botanically fruits, but are generally considered in cooking and eating to be vegetables.

Did you know that fossilized grains of Capsicums were found on grinding stones and cooking pots used in the Americas some 4000 years ago? (that’s Mexico, Central America and northern South America,) Christopher Columbus of course was mostly responsible for exporting capsicums, along with potatoes to the rest of the world in the 1400’s.

There are 30 species of capsicum in the world, but only five of these have been domesticated.

All of these wild capsicums still grow in the wild mainly in South America, such as in Brazil.

Just recently two new capsicum species were discovered in Bolivia so discovering diversity is an on-going task.

Why are we talking about capsicums in the middle of winter?

• Capsicums take ages to grow so we need to give a good head-start.
• If you live in temperate zones around Australia, zones you have from August  until the end of December to sow the seeds of capsicums because of the long lead up time before the capsicum is ready to eat.
• If you live in cool temperate districts, September until November, are the times you start you capsicums from seed, preferably undercover somewhere.In arid areas, September is a good time to sow the seeds under cover, but from then on you can plant them directly into the ground right until next April.
• In warmer sub-tropical and tropical areas, you can sow Capsicums almost all year, from June until next March.
• Did you know that commercial growers can either buy in seedlings or sow seed. Container-grown seedlings from commercial nurseries cost about $90 per thousand plus the cost of the seed, especially for new hybrid varieties may be up to $9000 per kilogram.
• All capsicum seeds need higher temperatures than tomatoes to germinate-in the 23⁰C to 28⁰C range.
• Capsicum seeds can be a difficult seed germinate, and seedlings grow slowly. The other drawback is that it takes 70-90 days or 2 1/2 to 3 months for your capsicum to mature, depending on the variety you’re growing.

The colour can be green, red, yellow, orange and more rarely, white and purple or chocolate brown, depending on when they are harvested and the specific cultivar. Green capsicums are less sweet and slightly more bitter than red, yellow or orange ones.
The sweetest capsicums are those that have been allowed to ripen fully on the plant in full sunshine, while those that are picked when green and ripened in storage are less sweet.
After you get your seedlings going, pick a spot in the got that is the hottest-with the longest hours of sunshine.
Do the usual by, adding plenty of compost, manure, and a general fertilizer.

When to Plant:

• In cooler districts, transplant young seedlings outdoors after the last chance of frost.
• If the weather is still cool, delay transplanting a few days, and keep them in a cold-frame, indoors or next to the house.
• Capsicums don’t like to dry out and actually prefer moist but not wet soil. It might not seem important now, but months down the track, water regularly as the weather warms up..
• When your capsicum plants start to get bigger and small flowers appear, switch over to a fertilizer higher in Phosphorous and Potassium.
• Something like tomato feed should do the trick.
• You don’t want just all bush and no plants do you?

 Tip:Capsicums are self pollinators.

Occasionally, they will cross pollinate from pollen carried by bees or other insects.

If you don’t want hot capsicums, don't plant hot chillies too close.

Don't worry though, as it will not affect the fruit of this year's crop.

The cross will show up in the genetics of the seeds, if you save them. Capsicums and chilli peppers are almost identical except for the level of Capsaicin which gives chillies and some peppers that “hot”sensation.

Why are they good for you?

Red capsicums have very high levels of vitamin C - 1 capsicum has enough vitamin C to meet the daily needs of 10 people and yellow and green capsicums have nearly as much.

 

Did you know that compared to green peppers, red peppers have more vitamins and nutrients and contain the antioxidant lycopene. 

 

Red capsicums are also rich in beta carotene which the body converts to vitamin A, vitamin E and a good source of folate (one of the B vitamins).

One red capsicum contains almost the equivalent of almost 2 teaspoons of natural sugar, which is why it tastes so sweet and delicious.

Yellow capsicums are sweet with natural sugars too, but green capsicums have much less sugar, so they’re a little more bitter.

AND THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY?

 

But wait-What’s eating your plants?

Several insects enjoy your capsicums plants. Spider mites and aphids are the most common. You’ll know when these have been around because the leaves of the capsicum will become deformed. Generally that’s too late to spray with anything.

You can spray early on with an organic oil spray or one that contains potassium soap.

If you get holes in the leaves, it may be small snails, or even loopers.

Snails don’t like copper sprays, but only spray if you have an infestation, otherwise just pick off the snails.

For loopers,-that’s the young of a brown night time moth, use a product that contains Neem oil.

It’s safe, it’s organic and it’s made in Australia. Eco Organic Garden Neem Oil.

 

You can also use products that contain Spinosad, and potassium soap against these loopers.

Yates Success contains spinosad, 

Yates Natrasoap is good for chewing insects too.

 

Design Elements

with landscape Designer Louise McDaid

 

When you look at your garden, can you see the wood for the trees?

Have the trees and shrubs taken over?

This problem seem to sneak up on us, and before we know it, there’s too much shade, and you’ve lost a lot niceness about your garden that you started with.

But before you get out those loppers yourself, take a step back and listen to this.

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Before you go out into the garden, remember lopping big branches is really a job for the experts.

The branch is always heavier than you thought it was, and has a habit of falling in a different direction to what you had planned.

Not to mention that getting up ladders with loppers and side cutters is quite dangerous.

 

Plant of the Week:

Pieris japonica -this plant might also be known as Lilly of the Valley shrub, but I personally haven’t heard it called that, but it does have Lilly of the Valley type of flowers.

From the Ericaceae family, together with Azaleas and Rhododendrons, but the flowers are very different.

Pieris are compact evergreen shrubs with leathery, dark green leaves, often brightly coloured when young, and small white urn-shaped flowers in panicles in spring.

If you hanker after lilly of the valley type of flowers but can’t grow the Lilly of the valley bulb, then this shrub fits the bill.

But there’s a surprise in store when it comes to colour.

Not just those lovely creamy waxy flowers, there’s a new colour out to fit other colour schemes.

 

Plant a Pieris or Lilly of the Valley shrub along with Hostas, epimediums and ferns as partners, oh and of course, Azaleas, Rhododendrons and Camellias.

 

Pieris Japonica “Flamingo”

 

 

NEW

Pieris japonica Flamingo is a superb neat and compact evergreen shrub that is covered in dark pink bell shaped flowers, that fade with age, from late winter through to early spring. 

New growth comes out bronze and turns dark green.

 

Growing Conditions for all Pieris cultivars.

Grow these plants in -Cool, Temperate, Arid, Semi-arid, Mild Tropical, Tropical Climate
Pieris like a full sun to part shade position in cool temperate districts.

A full sun position will yield more flowers but that’s only for cool temperate districts.

Choose a shady location in temperate to tropical areas, because the leaves burn easily in temperatures over 30⁰ degrees C.

These plants grow well in acidic, moderately fertile, humus-rich soil but may need some protection in winter when young.
 

All Pieris are frost hardy when established.
 

 Pieris are low maintenance, and relatively pest free.
They can get white wax scale on their limbs.
Just rub these pests off with your fingers. 

Grows 1.8-2m high x 1m wide

Pruning Pieris is almost never needed.

 

Once established, most evergreen shrubs are fairly low maintenance and need little or no regular pruning.

Pruning, when you need to take out some foliage to shape it to your liking,  is generally carried out in mid to late spring.

 

TIP:

 

Avoid hot locations as the leaves will burn at temperatures above 30⁰ C

PROBLEMS:

If you’ve got a Pieris in your garden and it’s not flowering for you, a common problem is too much shade, planted too deeply (believe it or not, this happens a bit too often), or allowed to dry out too much in late summer/early autumn when the buds set.

 

 

Bell Peppers and Allspice

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
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The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

Spice It Up

with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au

The name Allspice is because the flavour makes you think that you’re tasting nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Did you know that the fruit and leaf oil are also used in men’s toiletries? Ever heard of “Old Spice, I used to buy that for my father for his birthday when I was going to school. Any men’s fragrance that contains the word ‘Spice’ apparently has some allspice oil in it.
You can buy this tree online from a Fruit Tree nursery in NSW that has just about every exotic tree around. Just remember it’s not drought or frost tolerant. They will also send you a mail order catalog for free if you ring or write to them www.daleysfruit.com.au
I’ll put the link to the nursery on my website. By Phone:  (02) 9034 4626 
By Fax: (02) 66 322 585 By Mail: P O Box 154, Kyogle NSW 2474
Allspice is mainly grown in Jamaica and for some reason, no-one has be able to successfully grow it much as a plantation crop, anywhere else. That’s a pity because the bark and leaves are very aromatic.
So what is Allspice exactly and why is it so difficult to grow? Let’s find out…

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Vegetable Heroes:

• This weeks Vegetable Hero is the Capsicum or botanically-Caspicum annuum or Bell Pepper if you’re from the Northern Hemisphere, and Pimento if you’re from Spain.
• Also sometimes called Sweet pepper so as not to be confused with those ones that have lots of bite. Capsicum is also from the Solanaceae or Night shade family that also has tomatoes.  
•  In Cool temperate districts, you have September and October to sow seeds of Capsium.
• If you live in arid, sub-tropical and temperate zones around Australia, sow seeds only to the end of September because of the long lead up time before the capsicum is ready to eat.  After that time put in seedlings  until December. 
• Arid zones however have the added bonus of planting direct into the garden from November until April. Also Sub-tropical areas can plant direct into the garden from December until February. So you guys win again.
• If you’re planting into an existing vegetable garden I urge you to consider crop rotation.. you’ll be planting your capsicums where you last had lettuces, spinach, and parsley, in other words leafy vegetables.
• The capsicum plant is a medium sized bush between ½ -1 metre tall. All capsicum seeds need higher temperatures than tomatoes to germinate-in the 23⁰C to 28⁰C range. Capsicum seeds can be difficult to germinateI suggest soaking them in a seaweed solution for a few hours. A saucer will do, you don't need to drown them , also  seedlings grow slowly. The other drawback is that it takes 11-13 weeks or  about 3 months from when you put in the seedlings to when the capsicum is ready to eat.
• The colour can be green, red, yellow, orange and more rarely, white and purple or chocolate brown, depending on when you pick them. No matter what type of capsicum you grow they like it hot.  
• Capsicum plants prefer moist but not wet soil. Water them regularly in the hot, dry summer. Add mulch around the peppers to keep down weeds, and to hold in the moisture. As the capsicums fruits start to grow, switch over to a fertilizer higher in Phosphorous and Potassium. Tip: Capsicums are self pollinators. Occasionally, they will cross pollinate from pollen carried by bees or other insects. If you save the seeds from the crop, there is the possibility of cross pollination if you plant hot chillies and sweet capsicums too close. Don't worry though, as it will not affect the fruit of this year's crop, but will show up in the genetics of the seeds, if you save them.
• Pests:    Several insects enjoy your pepper plants. Spider mites and aphids are the most common. I've had this happen, and the capsicums grew anyway. You’ll know when these have been around because the leaves of the capsicum will become deformed. Generally that’s too late to spray with anything. However, there is a natural spray derived from potassium soap or Natrasoap from Yates. By the way, these plants just like tomatoes are favoured by the Qld fruit fly, so if you had that problem in your garden last year, you’ll need to  start putting up fruit fly lures to indicate if they’ve arrived in your garden yet. Then, if they have, there is a pheromone spray that is an organic control of fruit fly. Organic control is ecolure from www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au

Design Elements:

with Louise McDaid from Eden Gardens.

You’ve decided to makeover your potted garden one way or another, now how do you put them together? Grouping the pots differently will give you a different look. Trying adding or subtracting just one or two pots to see if it looks better. Another tip, is to change the plant that’s in the pot altogether and next week the Potted Garden discusses different plants for different pots. You can’t go wrong if you listen into Design Elements’ Potted Garden Series. Find out more.....   Podcast Powered By Podbean

 

  Plant of the Week:

with Sabina Fielding-Smith  

• Flannel Fowers-Actinotus helianthi. You'll see them now in bushland around Sydney. Actinotus helianthi "Federation Star" is NSW's floral emblem.
• Flannel flowers Actinotus helianthi are shallow rooted plants with relatively brittle stems that need excellent drainage as well as protection from strong winds to avoid stem breakage. Keep them flowering all season with a tip prune.
• Older leaves on lower areas of stems will naturally die off and stay attached to the plant during the cooler months of the year.
• Flannel flowers can be grown in either full sun or partial shade and tolerate light frost once established. If you don't have good drainange and you want to grow these flowers considera  raised bed. For example, at the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, flannel flowers have been successfully grown in a mix of 40% coarse sand, 40% well composted pine bark and 20% loam. A moderately acid soil mix with a pH of 5.0 to 6.0 is the ideal.
• Species of Actinotus are particularly sensitive to root disturbanceso don't be tempted to  tease out the roots during transplanting into the garden bed or large pot. Recommended plant spacing is 0.5 to 1.0 m.
• In humid areas, as with all grey, hairy leaved plants, Botrytis or fungal rot, attacks the lower leaves. Keep plenty of air circulating around the plants and remove any dead or fungus affected leaves. Avoid wetting the leaves when watering. Fertiliser your flannel flowers with a liquid food for natives.