Bindiis, the small, ferny green patches that appear in lawns, cause great inconvenience and pain during summer months.
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Various methods of treatment are available and the winter months are the ideal time for these to be carried out, before the sharp seeds have formed.
Lawns that are cut low will encourage the formation of bindiis, while leaving the mower blades at a higher setting will encourage the grass plants to grow and choke them out.
If the area of bindiis is not too large, then digging out the plants by hand will be the most successful.
Sprays can be applied to help eradicate the plants.
While commercially available chemicals can be used, an environmentally friendly solution can be made by dissolving two tablespoons of iron sulphate in 4.5 litres of water and spraying the solution on to the plants.
PROTEAS
Proteas are often admired in floral arrangements and are bought for their ability to last several weeks in a vase.
Because they are related horticulturally to a large group of Australian native plants – including banksias, grevilleas and waratahs – they require similar growing conditions.
They have a low tolerance for artificial fertilisers. Applications of superphosphate will kill proteas.
However, they require magnesium and this can be applied as Epsom salts, scattered over the root areas and then watered in well. Spring is an ideal time to do this.
Proteas produce a range of flower styles and colours, on plants that vary from quite small through to large shrubs. Flower colours are predominately shades of pink, although whites, creams and yellows are also available. Flowers are produced from May through to mid-September.
An application of mulch will benefit a protea plant, although mushroom compost should be avoided as it contains fertilisers high in phosphorous.
Keep the mulch away from the stem, as proteas are susceptible to infections – such as collar rot – if the lower stems are buried in moist mulch.
Mulching will help to avoid the production of weeds below the plant, as proteas resent having their roots disturbed.
Pruning a protea allows the gardener to shape the plant.
This can initially be done through the cutting of flowers for indoor use.
Tip pruning in spring and summer will help establish a good shape in a young plant. More mature specimens should be pruned immediately after flowering, leaving about 10cm of healthy stem.
This will encourage the plant to produce shoots from above the cut and these will produce flowers the following season.
Leucadendrons and leucospermums should also be pruned in the same manner.
A selection of proteas might include pink ice, king protea and pink mink, all growing to 2 metres; peach protea and queen protea, growing about 1.5 metres; and honey protea, which grows to 2.4 metres in height.