How do you select a block of land? Well, last time we looked at the best blocks, the ones that face NORTH. But nature can tell you more! If you drive or walk around the block you may see some existing bushland trees. IF you see paperbarks – that is Melaleucas, DO...
These days buying a house can be very difficult financially & needs to fit in with your lifestyle re schools & transport. But when you are looking at potential purchases, for me getting a north-facing house is essential. In other words, a house that catches...
How do you attract frogs?… Well ponds won’t do it! Why? Because frogs don’t live in water, nor do they eat things living in water. They don’t eat mozzie larvae, they don’t eat algae, what do they eat? Well I never really understood until I stayed in a motel...
Most plans would not give a tinker’s cuss if you never fertilised them, but there are a few that really do need fertilising. Citrus need it badly. August & February are the months to feed citrus: a full dose in August (now) and a half dose in February. ...
For those of you cursed with the dreaded prickles from bindii in the lawn, now could be the time to spray with bindii killer. If you choose to spray, do it now, before Spring. Spraying, however, doesn’t work all that well as the bindii will return next year. Far...
Frangipanis are one of the world’s greatest plants: they grow into attractively domed small trees, they produce flowers coloured red, or orange or yellow or white or multi-coloured. But it’s their perfume that is sublime… oh, and best of all, they are free! … Well...
August is the last month for safely moving large trees or for re-potting bonsai plants. If you don’t do it now, you have to wait until next June to do it. To re-pot a bonsai, remove it from its pot and gently tease out the outer 1/3 rd of the root ball with a...
Most people want privacy – particularly if they live on a busy road. … So they go to plant nurseries and ask for “something that grows really fast to give them privacy”. This is a sensible request that usually produces disastrous results. Most rapid-growing plants...
There is some wonderful outdoor furniture these days for the deck or patio or under the trees. No longer do you have to sit on an uncomfortable wooden bench. If you put cushions on the bench you had to put them inside and back outside all of the time to avoid rain...
Many people feed wild birds and in general there is nothing wrong with this. Most native parrots and finches would die out in many areas if people didn’t put seed out for them. The truth is that their native food plants are long gone. But what sort of seed? Well...