Solve a problem, find a plant or look for a design inspiration
Lawns in many areas of Australia are being attacked by armyworms (Spodoptera mauritia). These caterpillars are brown, greenish brown or black, sometimes with striped or triangular markings along the body. They feed on lawns in large groups then when the food...
Six weeks ago Don planted a new lawn. Part of the lawn was planted with cell-grown grass, and the rest was sown with runners. In our segment Don checked on the progress of the two lawn areas. Both areas were sown with a shade-tolerant variety of soft buffalo called...
The November edition of the Burke’s Backyard magazine includes a 20-page guide to creating gardens that really are low maintenance. The guide goes through all the elements of a garden, distinguishing those that are easy-care from those that mean work such as...
Don showed how to mount a staghorn on a wall. This particular plant had been growing on a dead tree trunk, but had fallen off. Elk or stag? Don used a staghorn to demonstrate the mounting process, but an elkhorn could be substituted equally well. The difference...
Natural Defences of Plants Don demonstrated that diagnosing sick plants is not as straightforward as it seems. Also, that something as simple as watering the garden is actually one of the most complex arts in horticulture. Caterpillar problem? One plant in a row of...
Don loves peeping over fences and looking into neighbouring gardens. In fact, there is no better way to find out which plants grow best in your area. If the owner of the garden comes out, take the opportunity to ask for information about any plants you are interested...
Even gardeners with green thumbs are sometimes at a loss when it comes to sick plants. Some plants fail to thrive or simply die, even though they receive the best care and attention. The good news is that there is a diagnostic service offered by the Sydney Royal...
This is an important time of year for your lawn. Give it some TLC now and it will stay green and healthy through the winter. Don suggested that you don’t leave it any longer – prepare your lawn for winter this weekend (the last weekend of April). Soil...
A few years ago on ‘Burke’s Backyard’, Don propagated some azaleas (the single, salmon pink, tall-growing variety ‘Splendens’) from cuttings. Those cuttings have now grown into strong, healthy plants. Growing plants from cuttings is a...
Protecting Plants From Frost – The French Alternative Many plants are difficult to grow in cold areas because they are sensitive to frost when young. As they grow larger and older these plants become more frost tolerant, so it is important to protect young...