Hello dear rose friends … without meaning to, we had you all tricked into re-reading the R/R last week! For me it was the funniest joke yet as my email inbox was crammed with notifications like this one: “Aaah OMG, No Joke? I’m having withdrawal symptoms – Kathy “. The lack of Gra’s inimitably silly jokes caused a real flurry and he’s ready to give me the sack – “bring it on”, I say because then I’ll go on a holiday but then Gra would want to come on holidays with me so I would be immediately reinstated I guess?
Here are the jokes missing from last week … This one is to remind you that school holidays are here a-g-a-i-n and we all need to be mindful … Q. Why are adults always complaining? A. Because they are ‘groan-ups’! |
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Here are the jokes missing from last week … This one is to remind you that school holidays are here a-g-a-i-n and we all need to be mindful …
Q. Why are adults always complaining? A. Because they are ‘groan-ups’!
A TESTIMONIAL FOR SHARING …
“I am very impressed not only with the quality of the plants but the way you prepare them for travel, wrapping in damp newspaper and a little soil, it makes such a difference and the extra information is fabulous, I photocopied it and passed it on to a fellow rose lover and highly recommended your farm to my friends and family even “old Grumpy’ (husband} was impressed and that’s no mean feat. Thank you again for your kindnesses and your thoughtfulness and most of All your Beautiful plants ..
Yours sincerely, Gillian
If you still have spaces in your garden where you wish to plant roses, go to rosesalesonline.com.au and ORDER NOW … all prices will increase next week when we cease sending bare-rooted roses!
Q. Why did the runner wear ripple-soled shoes? A. To give the ants a 50:50 chance.
Exactly why we prefer to use a fork rather than a shovel when digging holes in the garden because you slice through worms with a shovel while a garden fork gives worms a really good chance of survival!!!
GRA’S GARBLE …
WORMS ARE THE STOMACH OF THE EARTH –
Worms play a critical role in improving and enriching soil. In the soil their tunnel networks create air channels, optimizing aeration and provide conduits for watering the soil. You may say: “I don’t see many worms in my garden!” Well, worms need moisture to be able to track through soil so, in our hot climate, worms will go deeper into soil where it’s cool and moist – then you may not see them in the upper soil level, hence, the importance of mulch!!!
Earthworms live an inter-linked life with fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes and soil micro-organisms (all good critters!) and scientists say there are still over 60,000 soil microbes to be discovered – WOW! How many worms and microbes are in this handful of compost?
Worms function as premium plant-residue shredders – they turn and churn and their castings (poo and wee) is a great source of plant nutrient. An abundant worm population will produce a ton of castings per acre per year in optimum conditions.
How do you, a ‘back-yard gardener’ encourage earthworms in your garden?
- Continually mulch the soil
- Limit using toxic pesticides and herbicides – any chemicals!
- Only dig soil where planting – don’t dig entire garden beds
- Use only organic fertilizer – compost, animal manures will be a feast for worms
- Walk on pads of mulch to reduce soil compaction
- Be thankful for the natural work worms do in our environment and keeping our plants happy!
Q. What happens if you eat yeast and shoe polish? A. Every morning you will rise and shine!
Here’s a tip: Worms LOVE boiled pumpkin so grow plenty of pumpkins this season and when harvested, boil them up and spread the mash pulp over the soil, cover with mulch to keep it damp. Don’t forget, if mildew is present on the leaves of your pumpkins, spray with Eco-fungicide/Eco-rose (same product, different label) so that you are sure to harvest organically approved pumpkin to feed the worms who will flourish in your garden!
Q. What kind of a person is fed up with people? A. A cannibal.
Here’s one of my choice roses to consider if you want some amazing colour in your garden this season … ASHRAM is a stunning bright orange, perfect blooms for a vase, light fragrance and can be grown in a pot too …
WATERING POTTED ROSES …
Many potted plants succumb due to lack of adequate watering and since many more gardeners are growing roses in large tubs due to smaller garden spaces, it is imperative to know HOW to water potted plants …
It is so, so important to water potted plants adequately and you do it by watering over the WHOLE upper surface of the pot and not just at the neck of a plant since roots are spread over the entire space within the pot!
Always leave a good 3-5 cms of space below the rim when planting into large tubs allowing space for a light layer of milled lucerne mulch and then water over the ENTIRE mulch surface, filling the pot to the rim at EVERY watering to be sure water travels throughout the potting mix and reaching all the roots which will store water.
Watering pots might seem a ‘chore’ – see it as time to be at one with nature, quiet, peaceful time but please don’t water your rose pots after work in the evening with a glass of your favourite beverage in one hand, hose in the other – get up a little earlier and be sure to conduct your watering program to the morning with your cuppa in hand! Wet foliage overnight will definitely encourage disease issues on roses!!!
Have a beaut week in your garden with kids in tow … we’re getting organised for the Festival at Melbourne Showgrounds 9-11 October – be sure and put the dates in your calendar because Diana is on the speaking program – don’t miss her presentations at what we believe will be a spectacular spring event …
~ Graham, Diana & Mooi
