Potted plants make bright and long-lasting gifts at Christmas. Seedlings that are planted out now into attractive pots will make good growth during the coming weeks.
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Herbs used in this way will provide an attractive, as well as most useful gift. Parsley, basil, sage, oregano and different varieties of thyme will provide different leaf shapes, colours and textures. Pots that have been developed specially for use with herbs will allow the plants to spread over the edges.
Pots containing brightly-coloured annuals such as petunias are also ideal to use in this way and would be most suitable for well-lit porches, courtyards or front verandas. Dwarf marigolds, pansies or impatiens would also be suitable choices for growing in pots.
People who have enjoyed gardening for many years, but now cannot manage tasks because of different disabilities will then be able to enjoy the bright colours displayed in these pots. Elderly relatives and friends, including those in hostels and nursing homes, will appreciate the efforts you have made.
Seedlings should be planted into a premium potting mix as this will help to ensure prolonged flowering. Water saving crystals that have been added to the soil mixture will help with water retention, thus reducing the frequency of watering required, particularly during periods of hot temperatures.
WHEN TO PRUNE
Pruning plants, shrubs and trees is a necessary task for gardeners. It is used to remove unproductive or dead parts of plants.
The shapes of plants can be maintained by pruning, preventing them from becoming very large and unmanageable. Pruning will also encourage the production of new shoots, reinvigorating the plants and making them more productive.
But it is important to prune plants at the correct time, otherwise the normal growth patterns of the plant, including flowering and fruiting, may be disrupted.
Shrubs that flower in late winter and spring, such as the Japanese flowering quince, camellias and some grevilleas can be pruned at this time. A light prune is preferable, as cutting back into thicker wood may cause stress and eventually kill the plant.
Lavender plants also benefit from a light prune now and growth will be encouraged. This will also lead to more abundant flowering later in the year. Lavenders benefit from regular pruning.
Plants grown as a hedge or dividing fence can also be trimmed at this time as they will be producing their new spring growth and will soon form a thicker plant mass.
Plant materials that have been cut during the pruning process can be used to raise new plants. The cut pieces should generally be shortened to between 5 and 10 cm in length.
Dipping the base of the cutting into a hormone powder designed for plant propagation prior to planting it into a free-draining, rather coarse soil material will assist the material to develop a good root system. A number of cuttings can be placed into the one pot.
Once the root system has formed the young plant can be transferred into its own small pot. The pot size should be increased as the plant grows and its root system fills the pot.
INVASIVE TYPES
Numbers of plants that have been commonly grown in gardens over many years have become invasive in the bush close to residential areas. Many of these plants then become established in the bush, to the detriment of plants endemic to the area.
Alternative plants, that will not become invasive, are available and might be considered by gardeners when planning new garden areas or rejuvenating older areas.
Morning glory is a creeper vine that has been popular in gardens in years past. However, it has become an invasive plant, particularly in coastal areas. An alternative is Kennedia prostrata, a native Australian twiner, also known as Running Postman. It produces red flowers and is useful as a groundcover Fishbone fern, Nephrolepis, is a true fern that originates from areas of Queensland and northern New South Wales. However, when it is used in suburban gardens, it can spread to moist sites such as those around creek beds. It is spread mainly by underground runners. An alternative fern is the Prickly Rasp Fern, Doodia aspera. Its new growth is a bright pink-orange colour. This fern is quite tolerant of a wide variety of garden situations and is one of the most drought-tolerant local native ferns.
White-flowered arum or calla lilies can become very invasive in wet areas where they form dense stands that exclude most other plants. A native lily, the Swamp Lily, also grows in wet and saline areas, requiring moist soil in full sun or part shade.
Ochna, or Mickey Mouse Plant, so called because of the fleshy black fruits, surrounded by red sepals that it produces, has become a fairly common weed in bush areas. Additionally it appears in domestic gardens as it is usually spread by birds eating the seeds. Gardeners do not always recognise the plant as being invasive, because of its attractive nature. Ochna is a very tough plant, growing with a strong tap root, making it more difficult to remove from the garden. An alternative plant would be one of the many varieties of leucospermums, or smaller growing lillypillies (Acmena and Syzygium species).