September 2010 Garden News

I gave a presentation to the Geranium Society at New Farm and although I am not a fan of these plants my talk was well received, a very nice friendly club.

I also gave a presentation to our local Neighbourhood Watch group.

We had a bus tour from the ‘Sunshine Coast Bromeliad Society’ who all enjoyed the garden and most went home with some new plants.

Channel 7s ‘The Great South East’ filmed here and by all accounts it should be a good segment. It will be shown on Sunday 24 October at 5.30pm (only in Quensland) and will highlight our open garden.

Our local Elders produce store has just closed what a shame as we had a very good relationship with the owner and it was a great place to buy our garden needs.

We have had some great rain this month; not having to use any tank water on the garden or waste hours watering.

I went around the whole garden with watering cans of mixed kelp soil conditioner mixed with blood and bone and micro nutrients that I had mixed in a 200 litre drum of rainwater, in all I used about 2500 litres (lot of watering cans)

This year’s open garden should be good as it will be our first NOT IN DROUGHT what a difference from previous years especially last year when we went almost seven months without a drop of rain.

We deserve good weather this year as the last two openings were plagued with bad weather.

We have another three bus tours before open garden, plus a new grand-daughter somewhere in between.

I have put my name down to be an open garden selector, more work but it’s in a good cause.

This year has flown, it’s been so busy and next year looks like being the same, I already have garden talk bookings for 2011.

My new website 'Garden Product Reviews' is doing well, getting lots of hits, found at: http://www.gardenproductreviews.com/

Fruit Trees in the Garden

I have been asked what sort of fruit and nut trees we have growing in our yard, so here goes.

Front Yard

Macadamia x 2

Black Sapote x 2

Ambarella

Dragon Fuit

Avocado

Pecan Nut x 4

Jaboticaba x 4

Mulberry

Wax Jambu (pink)

Cumquat

Carambola x 2

Longan x 1
Pawpaw

Back Yard.

Carambola x 2

Mango x 3

Soursop x 2

Pumello

Grumichama x 5

Jaboticaba  x 2

Yellow Jaboticaba

Avocado

Cherimoya

Lychee x 3

Longan x 2

Sapodilla

Jakfruit

Custard Apple x 5

Orange x 2

Yellow Sapote

Cherry of the Rio Grande

Star Apple

Monstere Deliciosa

Lemon

White Wax Jambu

White Sapote x 2

Grapefruit

Rose Apple

Cherry Guava Green

Cherry Guava Red

Coffee  x 3
Brazil Cherry
Ceder Bay Cherry x 2
Pitomba

That makes a total of 73 (43 different) which provide the shade canopy for the garden.

August 2010 Garden News

To start off I have a new web site, my wonderful Daughter in law has bought me a domain name where I can review my favourite garden products. The site can be found at http://www.gardenproductreviews.com/.

This will help keep my brain active otherwise it’s all physical work in the garden. I have already reviewed ‘Sub Tropical gardening’ magazine and ‘Natrakelp’ and intend to do some ‘Fiskars’ products shortly.

My very first day of official retirement was 2 August 2010; it’s a strange feeling not having a job because I have been constantly employed since leaving school at 14, that’s 51 years at work.

The great thing is that I have a passion for plants and gardening, this will keep me active and hopefully healthy in my retirement.

I gave my ‘Smart Sub Tropical Gardening’ presentation to ‘Indooroopilly Garden Club and the ‘Northern Districts Horticultural Society’ both were well received.

I have finished the expanded garden in the back yard and decided to plant it with ‘Cordylines’, I did this for the colour effect.

I also grassed the bare area under the ‘Neem Tree’ with ‘Sweet Smother’ turf; this is supposed to be suitable for shaded areas.

The really big news is that it has rained three times in August with over 100 mills falling. This time last year we were well into the seven month drought.

The garden should look great for this year’s ‘Open Garden’, in fact it should be the best ever with five projects completed, loads of new plantings and enough stored water to see us through any dry spells.