August is a fabulous month in the garden. The signs of spring are beginning to happen around us as the days lengthen and the earth begins to warm.
Boronias are fantastic native plants that announce the promise of spring as brown and yellow flowering varieties are covered in fragrant flowers. These are a great plant to bring indoors as a fantastic natural air freshener while flowering.
Chamelaucium is another wonderful Australian native plant to brighten the winter garden. Two favourite varieties are the Geraldton wax (Chamelaucium uncinatum) and Esperance Wax (Chamelaucium axillare) that bring colour to gardens from late winter to spring. As the common names suggest, these plants come from Western Australia and produce an abundance of pink or white flowers. The long-lasting flowers have stiff and thick pedals and hence, are called ‘wax flowers’.
There are often less appealing areas of the garden that we wish to hide. Beautiful flowering climbers such as Hardenbergia ‘Happy Wanderer’, Pandoreas, Pyrostegia (Orange Trumpet Vine) and sweetly fragrant Jasmine are all beginning to flower and will quickly transform unattractive fences or structures into stunning walls of colour.
Capsicum, Chilli, Eggplant, Pumpkin, Tomato and Zucchini can all be planted in warmer areas of the country. There is a huge selection of different tomatoes to suit every taste and purpose. As well as all the old favourites, there are some exciting gourmet tomato varieties to keep things interesting. Blueberry Tomatoes are free fruiting cherry tomatoes that produce abundant clusters of blueish fruit. These look fantastic on the vine and are ready to eat once they ripen to red.
Small fruits such as blueberries, blackberries, boysenberries, currents, kiwi fruits, strawberries and guavas can all be planted now in suitable regions. Check with your local garden retailer for the best local advice and tips for success.
Growing fresh and tasty herbs at home is very rewarding. There are lots of herbs available to plant now as the weather begins to warm. Dill, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Marjoram, Oregano, Rocket and Mint are some of the favourites to look for.
Rocky Point Sugar Cane Mulch is the perfect mulch for around your vegetable and herb plants. Sugar Cane Mulch looks great, it is weed free, will help to retain moisture, to suppress weeds and help to keep new seedlings warm and protected.
The gardens in southern parts of the country are beginning to wake from their winter slumber as the deciduous trees begin to come to life. The first of the buds are beginning to open and the bare branches will soon be covered with the spring blossoms as the landscape is transformed into a spectacular showcase of spring colour and freshness.
Deciduous Magnolias are a standout in late winter and early spring. There are more than 200 species of magnolias including both deciduous and evergreen varieties. The flowers of the deciduous varieties appear early on the bare branches and trees are covered with a magnificent display of fresh colour as they announce that spring has arrived.
The first buds are beginning to open on deciduous fruiting and ornamental blossom trees. These trees are preparing for the warmth of spring and will soon be covered in bright fresh colours followed with fresh new growth. As the season begins, now is the time to fertilise for abundant results. A generous application of an organic fertiliser such as ActivGrow Fertiliser Pellets is perfect for this task. This goodness packed organic fertiliser is a healthy blend of composted organic Poultry Manure, Natural Gypsum, Sulphate of Potash, Fishmeal, Feathermeal, Meat Meal, Zeolite & Seaweed. All of these ingredients combine to create a balanced nutrient rich growing environment to ensure spectacular colour and growth.
Roses should also be pruned, and this can be completed now if it has not yet happened. Roses are just beginning to produce new growth and pruning will have the rose bushes nice and compact with lots of beautiful blooms to delight the senses. There are still lots of new season’s roses available for planting.
This is also the time to prune and to tidy up Summer flowering shrubs. Give these a good cut back and apply a generous application of ActivGrow Fertiliser Pellets now. They will soon be covered in lots of fresh new growth as the spring arrives.
Diosmas, Brachycomes, daisies and Hellebores are just some of the many shrubs flowering now.
Spring flowering bulbs are pushing their way through the cool winter soil ready to explode into colour. Many garden retailers have a great selection of potted flowering bulbs. These are great potted features indoors while they are flowering. Once flowering is complete, they can be planted in the garden to enjoy for years to come.
Most indoor plants are grown in pots, containers and hanging baskets. Now is the perfect time to repot indoor plants ready for the season of growth ahead. Plants will only grow to the quality of the potting mix that they are growing in. Always use a premium quality potting mix for the best results. Rocky Point Coco Pro Professional Potting Mix contains premium quality slow and controlled release fertilisers and feeds and nourishes plants for over 14 months. Discover the difference that Coco Pro makes to your indoor plant family.
Rocky Point is proudly an Australian family owned, award winning business. Our mission is to make the earth we cultivate, and the earth we live on, better for this and future generations by growing and providing healthy and sustainable products. Discover the Rocky Point difference in your garden this August.