Garden Club
Meetings are currently held at the Cherry Gardens Memorial Hall at 7.30pm usually on the second Monday of the month February to November.
President; Ray Wise Phone: 0405 273 003 8383 6011
Secretary; Jan Ball Phone: 0432 550 274
NEXT MEETING
Monday 9th Feb – 7.30pm venue yet to be decided
LAST MEETING
The most informative presentation by Mark Smith of Adelaide Veggie Gardens’ of his journey from wanting to grow his own vegetables, through to establishing wicking veggie gardens commercially was our last for 2020.
We saw examples of the various wicking beds Mark had designed and used along the way to reduce time and water usage costs. Like all of us Mark found that one of the drawbacks to the home gardener, when establishing wicking beds, is the sheer effort involved in filling them.
Traditionally one places a lot of rubble below a layer of geotextile to create a useful depth and level below the soil in which vegetables are actually growing in a wicking bed.
We saw many different shapes, sizes and types of materials used to make beds. Mark used gardening knowledge gained during and since childhood, his scientific background, combined with years of research, trial and error.
He finally discovered what he has since found to be the most convenient and productive way of making the perfect wicking bed for growing vegetables. He has found a product called “Waterups”. The design of these recycled, black, plastic, hollow cubes with four “legs” which not only increase their height and stability but also double as “wicks” once the growing medium fills them up. Mark also taught us how to mix the ideal veggie growing soil mixture for wicking beds using, perlite coir and compost and recommended the use of rain water to avoid a build-up of minerals and salts which can result from using Adelaide water.
In keeping with the new Covid “normal” we enjoyed our cups of coffee - sans supper.
GEORGE'S GARDENING SUGGESTIONS FOR January 2021
Well the expected higher rainfall forecast for spring did not eventuate and gardens (especially the trees) will be looking for a deep watering on a regular basis through summer. Water prices have eased a little so you won’t feel so bad about turning on the tap.
Dead-head and fertilise your roses to promote a good show of autumn flowers. Any summer flowering annuals should also be cut back after they finish flowering. Do these tasks when you expect a run of cooler days.
Tough flowers such as vincas, marigold and petunia can still be planted as seedlings but will need watering often in very hot conditions. Remember to mulch!
With care, tomatoes and corn can still be planted
Compost matures quite readily in the warmer months so all of those prunings (finely chopped) and lawn clippings together with some chook poo will make a good brew. If you still have some old compost to hand, your pumpkins, cucumbers and zucchinis will thrive on it at this time of year.
If you have a particularly hot area in your garden at this time of year, now would be a good time to think about a shade tree to plant next spring. There are plenty on offer and the first decision is whether it will be evergreen or deciduous. If you are not so keen on a tree or two, a climber over some sort of structure would also be great to give a cooling effect in your garden.
Jacaranda Trees
Portulaca Grandiflora
