|
A Heathpool reader is concerned with the feral
spread of the blue flowering "Morning Glory" in Burnside City Council’s
area, where it is not a gazetted noxious weed, so residents are not obliged to remove it,
although council does in reserves where they know it could be troublesome. If you have it
‘going bananas’ in your street, it can be controlled by spraying with a
triclopyr-based spray, but not glyphosate (Roundup™).
Triclopyr-based sprays
are sold as "Ax-it™" or any of the various "Blackberry & Tree
Killer" sprays. If you want to spray a fence-line, better contact Council first. Demand for the sensational new Nemesia ‘Cabaret’ has been
unexpected and supplies have scarce, so much so that rather small seedlings are appearing
in nurseries, so I’d advice you buy the small seedlings and grow them on for a week
or two before planting them out.
What’s so special about this new Nemesia? Well it
flowers much earlier than older forms, does not need as much cold to start flowering and
the mix has six vibrant colours on a compact bush only 25cm (10") high, suited for
full sun or slight shade, container or in the ground.
If you are buying bulbs over the next few weeks and want to
get them to flower early, put your Hyacinths, Daffodils and Tulips in to the crisper of
your fridge for 6 weeks prior to planting.
It’s an ideal time right now to feed your pond or
water plants, if you have any. If your waterlilies are in containers make clay-balls with
cow manure and slow release fertiliser in the middle or use a single large the
Agri-form™ tablet thrust into the soil of each container.
If you are growing carrots and want some more seed for next
year, let a few run to seed, since there are no F1 cultivars among carrots and the
open-pollinated seed is as good as that which you bought in the packet. Australia also has
some the only virus-free carrot seed in the world, so keep it that way! |
