The Bower

26/10/2024

Wow. Just….WOW!!
Hippeastrum Appleblossom. 21cm across.

20/10/2024

Do you thin out your fruit? My Satsuma plum has so much fruit this year that I’ve decided to thin out the crop. I’m hoping the result will be bigger, juicier fruit. I think I removed nearly half the crop, but there will still be plenty for jam and fresh picked plums. 🤤

23/09/2024

The galls just keep coming!

🍋 Attention Citrus Lovers! Important Information on Controlling Citrus Gall Wasp 🐝

Are you battling citrus gall wasp in your garden? Jon Lamb's latest Good Gardening newsletter provides valuable insights on integrated control methods.

Here's what you need to know:

1️⃣ Don't rely on a single control strategy - aim for a 90% control rate using multiple methods.

2️⃣ Effective control strategies include:
• Smearing galls with horticultural glue
• Spraying foliage with kaolin clay or horticultural oil

3️⃣ Timing is crucial! Most wasps emerge in October, laying eggs over a 4-week period.

4️⃣ Pruning tips:
• Remove galls in September (if few and not on main branches)
• Dispose of prunings properly (microwave or green waste bin)

5️⃣ Horticultural glue: Messy but effective when applied before wasp emergence

6️⃣ Kaolin clay: Easiest and most effective method, preventing egg-laying

Stay tuned to Jon Lamb's Good Gardening newsletter for specific wasp emergence dates this spring!

📅 Want to receive these valuable tips directly? Sign up for Jon's newsletter here: https://gardenandoutdoorliving.com/

Remember, an integrated approach is key to keeping these pests under control. Happy gardening! 🌱🍊

Credit: Information provided by Jon Lamb in his weekly Good Gardening emails.

15/09/2024

‘What’s on your mind?’ Asks FB - Quiche!

29/08/2024

Dendrobium falcorostrum. First flowering for me. I’m astonished at the intensity of the scent. A delightful surprise.

20/08/2024

I wish you could smell my hyacinths. This is their second year, planted In a tub at the base of sweet peas.

20/08/2024

My mistake - underpruning the lavender. It’s become very woody and over grown. Time to replace.

DON'T make these common lavender mistakes that I see waaaay too often >>>

18/08/2024

I can confirm that Spring has arrived in Adelaide. All six of the girls agree!

28/05/2024

Sue Gaardboe is a member of the South Australian education community, working both as a teacher and for the Department for Education.

She has built a beautiful and productive garden located on a steep slope on Kaurna Country in Belair, South Australia, that offers some great solutions for those who want it all.

Featured recently on Gardening Australia, The Bower is a space for people, pets, and wildlife. Sue said she chose the garden’s name, The Bower, because it means ‘a private place for a woman to go; a place of quiet comfort and solitude’, and that is what her garden is for her.

To watch the video of The Bower featured on Gardening Australia, visit here: abc.net.au/gardening/how-to/bower-on-a-hill/103583948

26/05/2024

Growing garlic leaves in the kitchen window for a garnish. Thanks Lillian Ang Cordell for the brilliant idea.

26/05/2024

Cymbidium Summer Pearl ‘Mothers Day’. 💕

26/05/2024

I’m going to have to get the ladder out! These galls were all I could reach, but the ones up high in the tree are even bigger. If I prune them out now it will stimulate new growth and more fruit, while removing the baby wasps that will burst out of these galls and attack my citrus trees. Win, win!