FTFADIA........!!

Hi

FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY - Pruning

Feel the fear and do it anyway,   I really like that phrase and it was coined by Chris whose words of wisdom appear in many places on our web site. She is absolutely right though as so many are scared of pruning and I quote "
We want to assure you that very few plants die from being incorrectly pruned. In fact if you never pruned anything in your garden the plants would still grow - it's just that you may find after a few years that the neighbours might be starting to use the word ‘jungle' when referring to your property'

There are so many theories and myths out there that I think that most are scared of doing anything and its really all quite simple.  Now it is the month to be thinking about doing some pruning and there really is still time and as long as its done before bud burst then all is good.

Limbing up  trees is a nursery expression for the removal of the lower branches  on trees to take the truck to the desired height. A good thing to do if you need to get the lawn mower around underneath without taking your head off.   As trees age they can tend to get lower and lower and so I like to keep layers in my garden so I keep them above the shrubs or high enough to get those trucks down the drive.

Now the principles are all the same really no matter what you are pruning and whilst there are a few basic skills you cant really go wrong.
To make it really simple these following points are what we are aiming for:  removal of diseased or dead wood,  removal of cross over branches, to enhance the plants natural shape and form, allow light in and through and to encourage new flowering growth. No matter if its roses or apple  trees or even raspberrys the theme is usually to remove older flowered wood back to good strong  young bits that will flower well again.

Prune only in warm dry weather as rain or general moisture can carry spores that will infect through the pruning wound.

Raspberrys

Last week for bare root canes  If you have a hankering to plant some of these, the now is the time to get in on a good deal and to get them in the ground. Bare root plants for $3.00 a cane, will make an order to suit though minimum of 10 canes.

Choose from Heritage, Skeena Willamette or Nookta but email me with what quantities you require and will make up the order but you have to email me by return as its not an on line order. Again minimum of 10 plants. Collection or get us to courier them.

Raspberry Muffins and Coconut Raspberry slice, 

The team love the Raspberry and white chocolate muffins that Pete Makes and I just had to include this slice recipe that Anthony made the other day.   Tony found the recipe in his new cookbook 'Ripe Recipes" ( an awesome cook book) and it was so easy to make and just yum.  We used frozen raspberries but you could equally use your fresh home grown ones or even sub with other berries.

MEET DAPHNE and "her ??" cousins

Now we all know the classic pink shrubby one with its delicious fragrance and most probably are well aquainted with the white form. But there are a few others that are well deserved a place in the garden.  Odora leucanthe is the bushy one that most know and Rubra is known by us more mature ones with its more sprawly growth habit. Now Daphne bholua has a very similar flowers dusky in shade and the bearest hint of pink and superbly fragrant. Much taller growing than the Daphne that we are all familar with growing up to  two metres. Now there is a bit of a deal going on with bholua and they are awesome plants, click here for more.

Daphne Genkwa is  the surprise one in the family being a shrub that loses its leaves and has purple flowers. Now for those that just love to collect, meet also Daphne Cneorum Eximea and I just cant leave out D burkwoodii and D burkwoodii variegata. Again these are different from the Daphnes that we all know so well. While Im here I should mention again about the Yellow Daphne which is not a Daphne at all but has gorgeous yellow daphne like flowers that are also fragrant.

Rose Pruning

This Saturday at 3pm and or again 14th July same time.  Afternoon tea with a demonstration and questions and answers. Please register your interest by return email so that we have an indication of numbers. For those that get this tonight or in the morn, youre more than welcome to join us at 3pm.

Thanks to all those that send comments and encouragements, it makes my day especially when I get  laugh. Its all set to be a fabulous first weekend of the school holidays so make the most of it. Have fun

Cheers, Lloyd and Harry and the team