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Topic Any
Poplar Alternative I like the look of the poplar tree but as it's roots are invasive can anyone come up with a different species that has similar appearances. It will be planted in a medium sized garden.
Possum poo disposal Hi. I have recently bought a new home with two oak trees and possums that like to climb them. The possums leave a lot of poo near the trees. I swept some of it up today, and I am wondering how to dispose of them. Should they go into the regular rubbish bin, or are they good to throw onto the soil? Thank you
Possums Does anyone have any ideas on how to deter possums for eating all my new plants!? They are stripping them all. Each time I come home from work another plant has been stripped of all it's leaves. If any one has any ideas, can you please email me. thanks Sandi
Preparing Rocky Clay Soil I have recently had some construction done and my back yard, which is mostly shady, is now compacted clay with lots and lots of rocks and pebbles embedded in the soil. What's the best way to clear out the rock and pebbles and amend the soil so I can plant (azaleas, hostas, liriope, and some annuals)?
Propagating Clivias Would someone be able to tell me how to propagate clivias from seed? or can it only be done by division? Do I wait until the seed pod is red, crack it open to dry out the seeds and then plant the seeds in spring? I tried drying the red seed pod (whole) and planting it but it didn't work. Thanks
Propagating Juniperus squamata Prostrata Will they grow from cuttings ?
Propating Xerochrysum bracteatum syn. B Hi I have seen mention of propagation from cuttings , as the flowers are prolific I cannot see any Woody shoots to use. Should I cut the flower off before taking the cutting Thank you David
Pruning Acacia iteaphylla What is the best time & method of pruning Acacia iteaphylla? Can you help please.
Pruning Climbing Roses Can anyone give me advice on how and when I should prune climbing roses? This photo isn't of my rose (its actually in the Botanic Gardens in Hobart) but its very similar.
Pruning Established Fruit Trees We have bought a place with an established garden and many fruit trees - some of which are now 10-15 m high. Most references for pruning start from when you plant it - does anyone know of a good reference for pruning older fruit trees?
Pruning Fruit Trees Hello, we recently bought a house that has a large mango tree, large mulberry tree and several large paw paw trees. I am seeking advice on whether these can be pruned back to a more manageable level as all fruit is too high to pick and is just feeding the birds at the moment. The paw paws and mulberry trees both have early fruit but the mango tree does not. We are located in Lake Macquarie, NSW. Attached is a photo showing the mango tree and several paw paw trees with the mulberry tree located directly behind the mango tree. Any advice is appreciated as I am finding conflicting information on the internet.
Pruning Grevilleas I would like to know if anyone can give me some tips on pruning Grevilleas effectively. I have just started a grevillea garden, with a few different varieties but don't know much about pruning them. Thank you.
Pruning of Azaleas ..when is the best time to prune azaleas? I'd like to do it now (May in Sydney), but unsure if I might be cutting back potential buds at this time of year.
Pumpkin buds This is probably a dumb question, but are these things on my pumpkin plant flower pods?
Pumpkin varieties About 40 years my father was able to buy a type of pumpkin called a Banana Pumpkin. Has anyone heard of them or knows where you can buy the seeds?
Purple-ish stems Hi, I'm trying to work out what THIS pesky thing is that keeps taking over my 'garden'. Does anyone know what it is? And how best to get rid of it? I plan to put weed matting down on the tiers that are hidden underneath it...
Pyracantha - Firethorn Where can I buy pyracantha. Seems this old fashioned shrub is now hard to find.I would like yellow, red and red berry plants.
Pyrostegia venusta Roots I have a fence that is very near to my biocycle system...less than 1 meter. I need privacy on this fence and was thinking of growing pyrostegia on the fence....will it develop a large root system that may compromise my biocycle tanks ??
Pyrostegia Venusta - how hard can I prune Hi, I have bought a home on the Sunshine Coast that has a section of fence about 8m long which has had pyrostegia venusta (orange trumpet vine) growing along the top. Photo attached. The wire support is failing under the weight of ten years of growth. I’d like to prune back the vine hard, to about 6 inches from the ground, install some more substantial support, and regrow the creeper. If I cut the plant back this hard will it regrow?
Radicchio Growing I've just sowed some Radicchio seeds that someone gave me as a gift but I don't know how to look after them once they have germinated. Anyone got any clues??
Raising Garden Soil Levels Hi, We have a long hedge in our back garden at the bottom of a slope. We were thinking of leveling off the garden slope with the addition of a load of topsoil. But this would mean an extra foot or so of soil over the hedge, covering some lower branches and leaves and making it harder for the water to get to the roots. I was wondering if you could give me advice on this. Will the hedge survive? Not sure of the exact variety of hedge, but it is native to Northern Ireland. Thank you very much in advance for your help on this. Peter
Ranuncula Care What is the best way to care for blooming Ranunculas - I have lots of blooms but the foliage is browning and I'm concerned they might not flower again next year.
Ranunculus protection against getting eaten! Hi, I've never planted ranunculus but am looking forward to the results. What I don't want to happen is my precious plants being eaten before they bloom. Need suggestions to protect the young shoots from all invaders. Is netting the best, or wire cages. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks
Really struggling with this weed. Any advice please? Hey everyone. I’m really struggling with this weed! I dug it all out and covered with thick mulch just to find it creeping through again :( Any advice would be hugely appreciated! Thanks, Andy.
Red dots on Angophora costata is my Angophora costata sick or dying? I have a beautiful large Angophora Costata, but I am noticing that it's leaf canopy has become quite sparse and thin and its green leaves are starting to show red coloured spots - is my tree sick or dying? If so any tips on what I can do? or is this a common thing this time of year early Sept? Appreciate your help!
Removal of Camellia Roots Hi there I'm wanting to remove the raised garden bed from around my camellia tree. It's a very old tree and I’m not sure if was planted before or after the garden bed was installed. There are a lot of roots coming from the tree trunk that I would need to remove to bring it back to ground level. Does anyone know if I could safely remove or prune back any of the roots in the below picture?
Removing Mature Shrubs We are currently planning to plant a hedge at the front of our house. At present the front of our property has a number of mature shrubs which need to be removed. What is the easiest way to remove the shrubs and then what is required to prepare the soil for planting the new hedge.
Replanting Bulbs Outside Hello - I am a novice when it comes to gardening, so I am hoping you all may be able to help me. I recently received a basket of spring flowers; daffodils, hyacinth, tulips, crocus - it's just beautiful. The problem is, I don't know how to replant the flowers outside. I live in southern Wisconsin, so it will still be a few weeks before the ground is thawed. In the meantime, the flowers are fading, and I am not sure what to do with it at this point. Will I have to put them in the refrigerator for a while, or can I continue to just keep them watered and replant when it's warm enough? Is there any way possible I can get them to bloom again this spring after replanting outside? Do I separate the bulbs or replant as is? Thanks for your help!
Resilience Lillypilly Hi there I was wondering if someone could help confirm what is eating my lillypilly. Any help would be appreciated. I have attached photos Cheers Sean
Rhapis Palm scale infestation Hi, need advice on controlling a scale infestation on a Rhapis Palm. The palm lives in a large pot on an apartment balcony in full shade. I have been treating the infestation by spraying neem oil once a week for 8 weeks and removing the scale by hand, however the problem is not getting any better. The scale is covered in a white powdery substance that the ants love. Please any suggestions on how to tackle this? and ideal neem oil spray dilution rate. thank you in advance. Rachel
Rhubarb Toxicity I read that rhubarb leaves are toxic. Can they be put on the garden or compost to rot without problems?
Robinia Mop Top Suckers Hey guys, I've noticed a few discussions on this topic on several other sites but thought I would bring it up here again as I'm a recent victim of this problem in my garden.. I had 12 Robinia mop top in my front yard and had them removed and stump ground down 5 months ago – they were established tree about 20 or so years old. I planted established Japanese Maples in its place shortly thereafter. Little did I realise the root system was busy preparing it's resurrection's tactic. Now over the past few weeks I'm noticing massive amount of little suckers showing up aaallll over the place. I should have poisoned the trees before they were chopped down. I just did not know this was a thing and the tree remover promised it won't come back again. Clearly, they were clueless. Has anyone else had a similar experience and did you have any 'success' in keeping them at bay and eventually killing it? It seems like letting the suckers grow a bit, then then chopping and poisoning them is the best way to slowly get rid of it. But this will likely go on for quite a while I think. Digging down and poisoning the larger roots that came off the stump probably isn't going to do anything at this stage as the entire root system has started to do it's own thing so it wouldn't be effected by that I don't think. What poison and what ratio of dilution is the best at getting to these suckers? Any advise would be appreciated.
Root Identification Hi. Hoping someone can help. I have cracks in the cement slab of my outdoor area caused by roots. I have some small fruit trees in my yard. But I also have a large gum plus a large Moreton bay fig in the park adjacent to my property. I would like to identify which trees the roots belong to, without digging all the way back to the trees. Ideally I would like to take a sample of the root and have it “dna” tested to identify its type. Does anyone know if this type of service is available ?
Rose bugs Hi, just wondering if anyone can ID these bugs that invade my roses and other flowers every year. I only see them this time of year but they totally decimate the flowers very quickly. I've attached a photo of the bugs on the rose and the damage they do to the roses. Thank you Sandy
Rotational Planting I have set up a vegetable garden with six raised beds. I am now at the stage of the end of my first season, and would like some comments on rotational planting, with ideas on what to follow on from what. Know some, but not all.
Russel Lupins I am looking for Russell Lupin seeds - any ideas where I might get them? or does anyone have some seeds I can buy? I will pay postage.
Rusty Scale on Apricots As a beginner to gardening I am living on a 5 acre property with an orchard of 33 trees. There are four apricot trees and all are under stress from lack of water and neglect. The fruit has a rusty coloured, hard scale on the skin and the fruit is very small. What is causing it and how can I bring the trees back to health. They also need pruning as it has not been done for some years.
Sandy Backyard I will be moving into my newly built home very soon. The front will be landscaped professionally with waterwise plants and winter green roll on lawn. My question is....what do I do with a back yard of only sand. Where do I start? My preferences are natives and very little lawn. Something nice to look at from the alfresco area and big windows.
Schinus molle My first post so hoping for some help here. We live in Dongara WA and have planted 10 x Schinus molle to create a wind break. They've been in the ground since April and growing well but getting very long branches and we're wondering if we should be trimming them off now or let them just keep growing. We've had to stake them pretty hard against the southerly wind
Seeking advice on how to help struggling bamboo plants Hi All, I am seeking some advice on how to help some struggling bamboo plants. The bamboo on the left of the picture is thriving, the bamboo on the right has lost its colour and is not growing. They are in a type of planter box which may add to the issue. We have insured we have watered it, fertiliser with nitrogen. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Mitch
Shade Good for Fish Too Shade isn't just good for keeping evaporation down - its also vital for your fish. So many folks are making water gardens these days - but they are mostly not deep enough so the water heats up much more quickly - especially if there is little or no shade. I reckon more garden fish die of broiling than any other ailment.
Shadehouse Location I am contemplating putting a shadehouse on the eastern side of my house which does not receive much sun throughout the day. Will this be ok or is it preferrable for a shadehouse to receive as much direct sunlight as possible? Any suggestions would be gratefully received.
Sheenas Gold - losing leaves / dying Hi Gardners, I have a sheena's gold hedge that has been loosing leaves rather badly over the past couple of months. The leaves are getting a dark discolouration and slowly die after a month or so. The regrowth that has replaced it is pretty sparse and the leaves are narrow and spindly. I'd love to hear if you have any suggestions!
Shrub - what plant is this? Hi can anyone tell me what this plant is called? I saved it from a garden that was being ripped out for lawn. It has cane like stems. Thanks, Chrissy.
Shrub Identification Please Hi, First time poster. I am looking to identify this tree/bush. I have three of them that the previous owner had carved into ball tree's. Do you have any idea what they are?
Sick Avocado Tree Hi, my very young avocado tree’s leaves have turned brown and feel really dry and crispy. The soil is moist so it’s definitely getting water. The rest of the plant is green.
Sick creeper? Dear garden braintrust For years we have had this lush and healthy creeper (don’t know the name as it came with the house when we bought to 7 yrs ago) on the corner of our house. All of a sudden it seems to have started to wither with leaves initially turning a lighter pale green and eventually brown and falling off. Large areas of the plant are already completely bare. Any ideas/advice would be much appreciated. Thanks
Sick Cycad I have a cycad that has just replaced all it's old fronds with new growth. These new fronds seem to be diseased. It looks like all the leaves are curling and are kind of white underneath. Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?
Sick Eumundi Quandong Dear members, Help please! Am I overwatering my eumundi quandong or is something else going on? Beautiful and healthy when I planted them in new soil and container has plenty of drainage. Leaf tips are dead on existing growth. There is new growth coming in which is fine.
Sick Photinia New growth on photinia tree/hedge is losing colour. This is then spreading to the whole tree and killing it. Trees are in a well drained area and have been established for a long time. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Sick Quandong I have 12 sick Eumundi Quongdong Trees. They have this weird growth on their leaves. They are still producing new leaves but generally are not healthy. We have had excessive amounts of rain, I am not sure if this has contributed to them not being healthy.
Sickly Quandongs After floods in the first quarter of this year I thought two of my eumundi quandongs had survived. I lost the third one. However in the last couple of weeks they have started dropping their leaves. The leaves are still green and appear to be healthy otherwise. What is happening to them?
Silver Birch - Invasive Roots?? Are Silver Birch trees able to be planted near drain pipes without fear of blocking them up?
Silver birch dying branches I have planted two silver birches in my front garden in sandy soil and in sunny positions. These were planted in the last six months. They have been well watered almost every day. The tree I planted first has branches dying from the bottom up. The second tree is starting to do the same. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening? I live in a bayside area in Melbourne, Victoria.
Silver Birch in Pots What's the best way to grow silver birch tree's to advanced (6'+)stage in pot's to plant out later.?? Any advice would be appreciated. Len. P.S. Is this the best way to grow big/quickly.?
Slugs and Beer Its an old trick but it works very well. Place a saucer of beer in the garden and see all the slugs crawl in and then be too inebriated to get out!! Yay, gottem.
Small white jumping mites all over soil Just looked closely near my carrots and discovered loads of little walking jumping bugs that are tiny as. Anyone know what it may be? And solutions if to get rid of them if they are harmful?
Smooth vs Mophead Hydrangea Hello gardeners! We are keen to plant hydrangeas in our front yard and I like both the smooth hydrangea and the mophead hydrangea. We live in Melbourne, Australia. We have two garden beds. One is under a very large gumtree and gets morning sun and afternoon shade. The other garden bed gets only dappled sun. Which species of hydrangea (mophead or smooth) would be suited to the garden bed under the gumtree (given that the tree will suck nutrient and moisture from the ground)? Which species of hydrangea (mophead or smooth) would be better suited to the garden bed with only dappled sun (mostly shade)? Thank you in advance!
Soft yard We live on very slight sloping 3/4 acre block. It has established lawn of approx 9 years. We have a septic system in front lawn. This appears to be working correctly and is serviced yearly. The front half has quite thick grass but the ground has become very soft to walk on to the point of leaving indents from feet and the rideon mower. The back yard which is the highest point has always been hard with much less thicker grass. It is also soft now to the point it indents also and is covered in small mud mounds from worms. We have used a rideon without a catcher and recently started using a new mower with mulcher. The front has gotten much softer over the years. Any suggestions on why our yard is getting softer.
Soil Suppliers Hi there, I have a soil supply concern that I'd like to share with this forum as I'm unable to source a good landscaping provider in the Northern Sydney area and wondered if others are affected by it. I have attempted to source a premium grade gardening soil from the Hornsby area, including Belrose \ Terrey Hills. ISSUE: Nothing seems to grow in the soil purchased. As it turns out the soil being sold at the moment has an extremely high PH. The first two batch's I bought a year ago from different suppliers had a PH of 8.5 to 9.5. My last hope of purchasing through a large reputable company had a PH of 8-9. Selling soil in these ranges isn't acceptable, as these supplier would know that most plants grow in the PH range of 5 to 7.5. It cost me valuable time and money correcting this problem. This hasn't been a once off issue for me it's been occurring for over a year. Is anyone else experiencing this issue?
Soil Water Retention Is there a way to build up the water-retention properties of a no-dig garden? The water runs through the layers very quickly and the plants wilt each day.
Something eating my Dwarf Canna I've grown my first garden this year of Dwarf Canna & Alstromeria, have already been invaded by whiteflies and other insects but cannot figure out what is eating large holes and even severing half of one leaf? Can anybody suggest what kinds of creatures would do this? I live in Melbourne.
Something eating our Viburnum stems Hi Guys, We need some help with a recent problem, namely, something is eating our established and healthy Viburnum plants - the stems, not the leaves. We took some photos, and asked the local nursery, but no success. Is anyone came across with this problem, and can tell us what is the pest, and how can we stop to destroy the plants.
Sooty mould I have a large established tree in my garden which I think is a bottlebrush of some kind (perhaps you can tell me what it is). Some of the upper branches are covered with a black, charcoal-like substance. Within the charcoal are shiny red bumps that look like sap. Is this a plant disease of some kind? See photo. As far as I know, the tree has not been set on fire or anything. Most of the other branches are fine and the tree seems otherwise healthy. It is currently flowering with fuzzy purple flowers.
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