Search results

Pruning Native PlantsAustralian native plants are wonderful to have in the garden but they are not maintenance free. If native plants, particularly grevilleas, are not pruned at least once a year they can become straggly, lose vigour and even die....

Pruning Roses To get the best flowers from most roses you must prune them in winter. Roses can be pruned when they are dormant, between June and early August. Prune earlier in frost free coastal districts (usually July) but...

Pruning Tibouchinas Tibouchinas (which used to be known as lasiandras) have purple or pink flowers in late summer or autumn, with some varieties flowering during winter. They range in size from small shrubs (the variety...

In this week's Question Time, Don was asked about white curl grubs and chrysanthemums. White curl grubs Q: Mark from Padstow Vale wanted to know how to deal with large numbers of curl...

Funky fig Don was asked to suggest a funky, modern plant for a large pot. He suggested two, the Kentia palm and the fiddleleaf fig. The kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) has a slender...

Dying tips on agave Don was asked about dying tips on an agave (Agave sp.) growing in the garden. He thought that too much water may have caused the brown tips, or that...

Japonica camellias Jenny asked about the best aspect for japonica camellias (Camellia japonica). Japonica camellias like a position in filtered sun, that is, under a lacy canopy of trees where little...

Question Time - Tasmanian blue gums/black spot/onion weed Tasmanian blue gums Don was asked whether it was a good idea to plant Tasmanian blue gums (Eucalyptus globulus) in the garden. Eucalyptus globulus...

Tulip tree An audience member asked Don about her tulip tree, which is 15 years old and has never flowered. Tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera) are closely related to...

Reliable IrrigationWhen choosing equipment or machinery for your house or garden, it's best to go for something that is simple, with very few moving parts. That way, there is less to go wrong, wear out or break. Home irrigation...