The Birds and the bees - planting to attract pollinators

A garden without birds, bees and butterflies, just isn’t a garden’, says Elisabeth. Today we talk about the importance of attracting pollinators!Australia is home to over 1500 bees and pollinating insects.Here are some of the ‘bee magnet’ flowering plants.SalviasBuddleia (also a favourite with butterflies)Echium (check out the wildpretii variety)PoppiesCosmosAlyssumQueen Anne’s LaceCalendulaDaisiesPenstemonNatives such as wattles, bottle brushes, westringia, grevilleaHerbs such as - borage, rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil, yarrowWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Tomatoes - Australia’s most grown vegetable (or fruit, actually)! Today we learn Keith’s Top 10 tomatoes.Easy to grow as long as they are given plenty of feed and plenty of sun. Lots of top tips today to tomato growing before we hear about Keith’s recommended varietiesBlue BeautyJuane FlammeWapsipinicon PeachSan MarzanoSantoriniTasmanian ChocolateBlack RussianBlack TruffleMortgage LifterTommy ToeSpecial mention too to the Tigerella variety - Keith’s recommendation if you are looking for a prolific fruiter!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month’s lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?Leggy seedlings? Likely your newly germinated seeds are looking for as much light as possibleKeith suggests mowing and hedge clipping by the Moon calendar  (ie during low sap flow period) to reduce growth rateTips for ‘Little Gem’ magnolia - often sparse up to 1.5m. Keith suggests underplanting with shade tolerant plants. Magnolias are heavy feeders so suggest products like Neutrog Gyganics and liquid fertiliser to kick start.Starting a garden from scratch? Keith recommends having a solid plan!Making your own Biochar? Keith suggests storing ‘uncharged’ and ‘charging’ before use.Long and deep watering is best for lawns and shrubs to encourage deep rooting. Vegetables, on the other hand, need more regular watering as their roots are shallowing. Keith works on 4mm per day.Can bee-keepers stop their bees stinging? Aggressive bees are symptomatic of a bigger problem with the hive that should be addressed by the bee-keeper and may require “requeening” the hiveCamelias not thriving - check soil pH (5.5-6).Pond plants - Keith lists some favourites including cycnogeton procerum, ludwigia palustris, mariophyllum, cyperus papyrus and Bog Plants include carex appressa. Keith recommends Kuranga Native Nursery in Mt. Evelyn, VictoriaKeep sending in your questions to Muddy Boots!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

This episode, Elisabeth and Keith provide invaluable insights into all things lavender. From understanding the importance of well-drained soil and ample sunlight to identifying the best locations for successful cultivation, we'll unveil the secrets to nurturing thriving lavender plants.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

The benefits of a plant based diet are well known. Today we meet Samantha Gowing from Food, Health, Wealth, renowned chef and nutritionist who is passionate about the health benefits of plants.A fascinating discussion covering the importance of seasonal produce, the myths of ‘super foods’, the medicinal benefits of many plants and striving for the umami flavour for a satisfying plant based diet.Sam talks about the benefits of some of our basic herbs including parsley, watercress, turmeric, ginger, how to store them for longevity and tips on using the whole plant to reduce waste.Check out the following to learn more about Samantha Gowing’s work:Food Health WealthGwinganna Lifestyle RetreatSavour The TweedHappy gardening!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Needing privacy from neighbours, a wind break or visual separation to divide your garden into rooms or hide a shed? Hear Keith’s Top 10 screening plants for the suburban garden.Laurus Nobilis ‘Baby Bay’ - 1.2 wide x 2m tallOlive - Mediterranean Midget - 1.5m - 2.5m tallSyzygium Australe Straight and Narrow - 1.2m wide x 6m tallThuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’ - 1.2m wide x 2m tallChoisya Ternata (Mexican Orange Blossom) - 1.5m wide x 1.8m tallSyzygium Australe Pinnacle - 1.5m wide x 6m tallCallistemon viminalis ‘Slim’ - 1.5m wide x 3m tallWestringia Naringa - 1.5m wide x 2.2m tallMurraya paniculata ‘Sweet Privacy’ - 1.5m wide x 2m tallCestrum nocturnum - 1.5m wide x 3m tallHappy gardening!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Start of Spring is a great time to get going with planning for your Spring/Summer Veggie garden.Check what climate zone you are in. Keith recommends The Seed Collection’s MapCool Climate Area (most of Vic) - Beans (including Lazy House Wife, Scarlet Runner), Keith will be trialling new dwarf varieties of tomatoes - stay tuned for Keith’s observationsConsider climbing frames for vegetables like cucumbers and pumpkins allowing more space underneath for other plantingRemove finished Winter vegetables and add compost (Clyde's Compost and Clyde’s lignite), MycoGold and Munash Rock Dust and cover with quality mulch like Who Flung Dung. Rest for approx 3 weeks before planting. Water new seedlings in with SeasolTomatoes seedlings can’t be planted until about the end of OctoberSome recommendations for planting now - Carrots, Radishes (try French Breakfast Radish), Sow seeds into paper pots now and keep warm in hothouse or indoors including - eggplant, pumpkin, tomatoes, spring onions, chillis Follow the directions on the packet for seed/seedling spacingMarigold, basil, Spring onions, garlic will all help to deter pestsPea Straw and lucerne are excellent mulches adding nutrients to the soil but will attract birds so best used in beds that will be nettedVegetables need 4mm of water every day. Keith recommends Dan’s Modular SprinklerspH level should be neutral at 7.0Happy veggie gardening!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month’s lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?Organic Weed Killers - follow the directions precisely! Keith recommends Slasher, Bioweed or SlayerBanksia’s not flowering? Banksia’s prefer a sandy soil and may take several years to flowerPrune lavender after they’ve finished flowering. Lightly trim back to 4-6 leaves of new growthLawn vs gravel between garden beds - Keith explains why he has opted for grass.Raised beds - timber or colorbond? Keith recommends ModBOX beds (timber). Corrugated iron or colorbond can be good in cooler months but attracts to much heat in summer and can burn roots. Henley's Rustics have wonderful corrugated iron wicking beds for those who prefer metal lookUsing charcoal from your fire? Breakdown with Gogo Juice to create an activated biochar.Potting mix - does it have a shelf life? Store unopened in cool place and it should last approximately 12 monthsManure best left out on the ground for a month or so before use Hydrangeas - only cut back to the nearest node. If cut back to far, you can risk either killing the plant or no flowers the following summerWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Citrus is one of the most talked about topics on Muddy Boots. Don’t already have a citrus or thinking of adding a new on to your garden? Today we learn Keith’s Top 10 varieties as well as some tips on caring for your citrus.Citrus like lots of heat, full sun and lots of moisture. In areas prone to frost, look to grow near a ‘heat sink’ (such as a brick wall or a body of water like a pond). Leave frost affected leaves on the plant to protect from further frost until the frost period is finished. Citrus can be planted in pots with regular feeding (worm ‘wee’ is perfect) and plenty of water. Feed all citrus regularly with liquid feed Spring/Summer and slow release feed such as Neutrog Gyganics during Winter months. Spray all citrus trees with ECO Neem and Eco Oil to prevent pests like citrus miner. Citrus Gall affected branches either need to be either removed or the area opened with a sharp knife to kill the larvae.Prune regularly to maintain manageable size and shape.Keith’s Top TenMeyer Lemon ‘Prior Lisbon’ LemonTahitian LimeFinger LimeWashington Navel Orange‘Arnold’ Blood OrangeSatsuma Okitsu Mandarin‘Lemonade’ lemonTangelo ‘Seminole’Junos YuzuWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Following on from last week’s Moon Calendar episode, today we hear more about propagating from seed.Keith suggests finding out your ‘cool zone’ and ‘heat zone’ to assist with understanding when to plant your seeds.Seeds can be purchased online via Diggers Club, Seeds of Plenty, Seed Freaks, The Seed Collection, Before beginning, check the moon calendar to guide when to sow the seeds for best results. Seeds can be sown either directly or into punnets (check the packet for recommendations). When sowing into punnets use a seed raising mix and consider sowing into paper pots to avoid root disturbance when transplanting. When sowing directly, the soil should be an open, friable soil with plenty of compost. Hard seeds such as peas, beans, broad beans etc can be soaked for 6-8 hours to speed up germination.Sow seeds at a depth of twice their width. How far apart to sow your seeds will depend on the seed variety - again check the packet and think about the size of the vegetable you’re growing. To sow in optimum warmth, consider a greenhouse or replicate this effect in a sunny spot inside, next to your hot water service or a mini greenhouse. Ensure watering with a soft spray to avoid disturbing seed/seedling (approx 5 minutes every second day). Once germinated and seedlings have 2-4 true leaves, a tonic such as Seasol can be applied. Once the seedling has 4-6 leaves, take them outside to ‘harden off’ before planting into the garden. Again, transplanting is best done during the high growth period, according to the moon calendar. Protect your young seedlings from pests, potentially covering them with netting. Spray weekly with ECO Neem and Eco Oil.Good luck and enjoy the satisfaction of growing your vegetables from seed!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook