Is it a Weed?
After filling a bucket with this ‘stuff’ I sit down with a lovely cuppa to catch up on social media and what do I see? Apparently, Purslane (or Portulaca oleracea) is NOT a weed! This ground hugging, fleshy plant with yellow flowers originated from Persia and India and has done an excellent job of spreading throughout the […]
Frogs
Top: A green frog looking very settled in a bromeliad. Frogs are good critters as they eat slugs and other plant pests. If you have frogs in your garden, well pat yourself on the back as you’ve achieved the tick of approval by one of nature’s toughest judges – frogs. When frogs take up residence […]
Fungus Gnat
Fungus gnats are those really annoying little flies that are commonly found in groups just hanging around our indoor plants and bags of potting mix. They are either black or dark grey and about 3mm long and just thrive in moist potting mix or soil. These critters are not benign – they can transmit diseases […]
Cutting Flowers for a Vase
Flowers can say it all – ‘Get Well’, ‘Thank you’, ‘I’m sorry’, ‘Thinking of you’ etc etc these sentiments are expressed eloquently just by extending a blooming bundle of flowers. In this post there will be mention of cutting, preparation, storing and day-to-day care of cut flowers. If we grow these flowers it is a […]
Cicadas
This summer seems to be shaping up to be ‘the season of the Cicada’ as their presence is being heard more stridently this year than most other years – or at least here on the Coffs Coast. Australia has a huge reputation for cicadas with a predicted 700-1000 species. This figure far outstrips South Africa […]
Caring for Soil as Building Relations
An another lesson from Garden Clubs of Australia’s John Kitt – this time on soil.
Dindymus versicolor – Harlequin Bug
CHGC member Sue came to an outing armed with images of this rather pretty critter and wanted to know what it was. It’s a bad guy, commonly known as Harlequin Bug, Dindymus versicolor and can really wreck havoc on succulent new growth – in Sue’s case, her broadbeans. Sometimes these insects are known as Pull me/Push you […]
Common Citrus Problems
A few guidelines for good citrus health with some organic remedies: Keep an eye out for Bronze Orange Bugs – they often give away their presence by their foul smell. The young pale green nymphs appear in winter, their colour changing through orange to bronze as they grow into adults. They can be serious pests […]
Glycyphana stolata – A Good Guy?
Commonly known as the Brown Flower Beetle, Glycyphana stolata is a good guy in that he assist with pollination. I was deadheading my roses this morning and came across this critter on a Seduction rose, so snipped off the flower, shoved it into a plastic bag so identification could be done later. Gave this investigative duty to hubby who […]
Crop Rotation
Garden Clubs of Australia Committee Member, John Kitt has sent an informative and educational ‘lesson’ on crop rotation in our veggie patches.
