Water meters
Anthony McEntee, from Box Hill South in Victoria, saw the segment in which Don talked about a water meter and ball cover. Anthony works for a company that reads water meters. He said that some gardeners make access very difficult for the meter readers by covering the meters and putting plants next to them.
Don agreed that we should give the poor meter readers a fair go and not make things too difficult for them. As shown in our segment, Don cleared the area round the meter. He pointed out that the star jasmine he planted would climb on the arbour, rather than spreading at ground level.
Companion planting
Annette Young, from Glenorie in NSW, wrote to ask Don to do a segment on companion planting for rose, vegetable and herb gardens. Don said that really there was no scientific basis to most companion planting. However, there are a few exceptions. It is well known that dwarf marigolds repel nematodes, and members of the onion family are often planted around roses because they help to repel certain pests. Don said that there will be a future Burke’s Backyard segment reviewing the latest findings on companion planting.
Cleaning tools
Gail Cox of Holland Park in Queensland wrote to tell Don about her husband’s tip for cleaning metal tools used for cutting wood. He recommends using oven cleaner, because it removes the resins without the need for harsh scratching.
Dr Chris
Larissa Denhard sent a quick note to say that she and her girlfriends would love to see more of our new vet, Dr Chris Brown. Don said no, Chris will be keeping his clothes on for the show but we will have him on the show quite regularly.
Letter of the Week
Thank you Gail Cox for your oven cleaner tip. You win Letter of the Week and a year’s free subscription to the Burke’s Backyard magazine. Congratulations!
