(image above) Azalea Leaf Gall

 

….spring has definitely sprung!! And as we find ourselves finishing up on some of our fertilising and pruning duties, we need to start looking forward and planning ahead.

 

We have been lucky with the recent rainfall in and around Sydney over the past few weeks.  This will definitely help our newly fertilised beauties and give them a well needed boost coming into the warmer months.  You should already be working hard to ensure your lawns are kept cut to help minimise the spread of any broad-leaved weeds.  And if re-turfing is on the agenda, then do it soon to give it the best chance of establishing over the Christmas and New Years period.

Pest & Disease…

Azalea’s and Rhododendron’s should now be sprayed to help ward off the fungal attack of petal blight and manually relieved of any leaf gall (Caused by the fungus Exobasidium azalea) that will be starting to pop up around this time.

Keep a wide eye out for caterpillars and slugs that are beginning to attack fruiting vines, cherry trees, and the precious vegetable garden. Picking off or spraying where suitable, and make sure you vigilantly manage them to help stave off a return run!

Petunias and carnations should be watched for grey mould (or Botrytis blight) and the aphids that will start attacking the new growth of many plants.  Squashing or hosing off the latter should be a preference to insecticide with a low-toxic variety used only as a last resort.

For a bit of colour…

Begin thinking of planting petunias, marigolds and other annual/perennial hybrids, together with some early flowering sasanqua’s such as ‘Early Peary’, ‘Dream Lover’, and ‘Bonanza’ for a continued flowering display early in the new year.  Chrysanthemums will be available from March so can be used effectively to “bulk up” any empty spaces in the garden for a bigger impact.

 

“The only way to achieve a low maintenance garden is by fertilising, weeding, and pruning on a regular basis!  A strong, well established plant, will endure drought, pest and disease attacks, and a general lack of care much better than a sickly, struggling specimen!”

 

Written by: Jonathan Barraket