Question Time 51!

Brought to you by The Plant Runner, Keith and Elizabeth answer listener questions on phosphorus levels in wool-industry by-products, fast-growing screening plants, alkaline compost readings, camellias struggling in pots, vegetable garden design, moving Hardenbergia, sooty mould and cat-contaminated garden beds. The episode focuses on practical ways to choose plants, improve soil, manage pests and diseases, and design a productive, low-maintenance garden.Plants recommended in episodeGrevillea spp  - Take extra care with phosphorus levels, as grevilleas can be more phosphorus-sensitive than many other Australian natives.Banksia spp - Another group to monitor when using products containing phosphorus.-Syzygium australe ‘Straight and Narrow’ Recommended for dense screening; plant approximately 1.2 metres apart-Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ - A non-native screening option with dark green foliage; plant approximately 1.2 metres apart.- Viburnum odoratissimum - Suggested where a taller, wider screening plant is required; plant approximately 1.5 metres apart- Cupressus ‘Arctic Green’ - Recommended for a tall, dense screen; plant approximately 2.2 metres apart.- Camellia japonica- Planting in the ground is preferred to growing in pots in hot conditions.- Espaliered fruit trees - Suggested for lining a redesigned vegetable garden.- Pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchinis and melons - Recommended for growing over tunnels or archways between raised beds.- Hardenbergia - Can be moved with care; prune it back by approximately one-third, retain as large a root ball as possible and replant promptly.Products and gardening materialsMycoGoldWeed GunnelClyde's CompostMunash Rock DustECO NeemEco OilNeutrog Popul8Where 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 is a practical guide to growing herbs at home, whether you have a backyard, balcony, or sunny windowsill. Elizabeth and Keith discuss the easiest herbs to start with, where different herbs grow best and how to keep plants productive through regular harvesting.  They also cover perennial and less familiar herbs, herbs that attract bees and beneficial insects, growing basil and coriander indoors, preserving herbs by drying, and using fresh herbs in cooking. Herbs can be rewarding, useful, and adaptable—provided each plant is matched with the right light, drainage, moisture, and space.Expert Recommendations — Plants•  Rosemary•  Oregano•  Sage•  Mint — grow in pots because it can spread aggressively in the ground•  Thyme•  Marjoram•  Common mint•  Chives — divide established plants when necessary and remove old bulbs•  Lemongrass•  Chinese chives•  Vietnamese mint•  Spearmint•  Peppermint•  Basil•  Coriander•  Slow-bolt coriander•  Chervil•  Saltbush•  Lemon myrtle•  Tasmanian pepperberry•  Aniseed myrtle (Syzygium anisatum)•  Borage•  Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)•  Heartsease•  Goldenrod•  Elderberry•  Nettles•  Mullein•  Slippery elm•  Red rose petals•  Burdock root•  Gotu kolaAlso mentioned in this episode:Diggers ClubMorningside LandscapesMudbrick Herb CottageWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/  Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook 

September marks the garden’s transition into Spring across much of Australia. Elizabeth and Keith discuss how to prepare gardens for the growing season, including planting, soil preparation, pruning, feeding, lawn care, dividing plants, and attracting beneficial insects. The episode focuses on practical jobs gardeners can tackle now to encourage healthy growth and prepare for productive Summer crops and colourful spring displays.Plants mentioned in episode:•  Evergreen trees and shrubs, including camellias•  Peas•  Beans•  Berry canes•  Potatoes•  Dahlias•  Horseradish•  Artichokes•  Lily bulbs•  Ginger•  Galangal•  Turmeric•  Violas•  Marigolds•  Alyssum•  Nasturtiums•  Borage•  Comfrey•  Summer-flowering bulbs•  Ornamental alliums•  Crocosmia•  Monarda•  Bottlebrush•  Grevilleas•  Hakeas•  Banksias•  Camellias•  Apple trees•  Pear treesProduct and Tool RecommendationsMycoGoldClyde's CompostNeutrog Gogo JuiceNeutrog “Who Flung Dung”Munash Rock DustGreen HarvestF.D Ryan's BroadforkNeutrog Sudden Impact for LawnsRooster BoosterEE Sea Liquid FertliserCharlie Carp Power FeedMoon calendarWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/  Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook 

Cheryl’s chat with the Muddy Boots crew is really a story about shock, survival, and slowly finding your feet again. She talks through the chaos of the Ruffy bushfires — the scrambled updates, the awful wait to hear what had happened, and the surreal moment of returning to a completely blackened landscape with only her little house still standing. It’s emotional, but she tells it with such honesty that you can almost feel what those days were like.From there, the episode becomes a gentle, hopeful look at how gardening helps people heal. Cheryl explains how she started clearing ash, watering anything that looked vaguely alive, and reconnecting with neighbours who were all trying to rebuild in their own way. When Keith organised donations of compost and soil products, it wasn’t just practical help — it gave the whole community a lift. By the end, you really get the sense that growing even a few veggies or seeing a tree reshoot can be the first step back toward feeling normal again.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/  Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook 

Another Q&A packed with practical gardening advice, from curl grubs and sick olive trees to thrips, blueberries, wicking beds, Boston Ivy and growing your own passionfruit.🌿 Plants MentionedVegetables & fruitTomato — Solanum lycopersicumCauliflower — Brassica oleracea var. botrytisBlueberry — Vaccinium spp.Lime — Citrus × aurantiifoliaLemon — Citrus × limonBlack Passionfruit — Passiflora edulisOrnamentals & nativesOlive — Olea europaeaLavender — Lavandula spp.Rosemary — Salvia rosmarinusOrnamental Pear — Pyrus calleryanaSnow Maiden Grevillea — Grevillea 'Snow Maiden'Crepe Myrtle — Lagerstroemia spp.Banksia — Banksia spp.Boston Ivy — Parthenocissus tricuspidataClimbing Fig — Ficus pumilaPlants mentioned as companion/mulch optionsPea Straw — Pisum sativumLucerne/Alfalfa — Medicago sativaPine — Pinus spp.🐛 This Episode's QuestionsCurl grubs: How to tell beneficial yellow/orange-headed grubs from root-eating black-headed cockchafers.Olive trees: Supporting mature olive trees showing possible signs of Verticillium wilt, including irrigation, soil health and root support.Cauliflowers: Identifying whether slugs, snails or earwigs are responsible for damaged leaves.Rice hull mulch: Why Keith doesn't recommend it as a mulch and alternatives including pea straw and lucerne.Thrips: Why Success isn't effective against thrips and how Eco-Oil and Eco-Neem can be used.Blueberries: How often to repot, pruning advice and maintaining acidic soil.Limes: Why ripe limes can turn yellow — and what happens to their flavour when left on the tree.Grevilleas & Crepe Myrtle: Can they grow together? Plus designing a garden to provide succession of flowering and attract birds.Wicking beds: Advice for hot climates, reducing watering requirements and automated irrigation.Boston Ivy: Why it can take a year to establish and whether it can damage a metal fence.Passionfruit: Growing black passionfruit from seed, protecting plants from frost and why grafted passionfruit can become invasive.🧰 Products & Resources MentionedOriginal LOWY No.1 Anvil Pruner – www.backyardbotanist.com.auNeutrog Populate – https://neutrog.com.auNeutrog Go-Go Juice – https://neutrog.com.auMunash Mineral Rock Dust – https://www.munashorganics.com.auMycoGold – https://www.biostim.com.auEco-Oil – https://www.ecoorganicgarden.com.auEco-Neem – https://www.ecoorganicgarden.com.auClyde Compost – https://clydecompost.com.auDigger's Club – https://www.diggers.com.auThe Plant Runner – https://theplantrunner.com🏆 Plant Runner Giveaway: Congratulations to Gerry, this month's winner, for her question about her 18-year-old olive trees.Happy 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 

Got a sloping block, awkward corner, or challenging piece of land that feels impossible to landscape? In this episode, Keith explains why difficult terrain can become one of a garden’s greatest assets. From creating garden rooms and pathways to making the most of views and natural features, this episode is packed with ideas to help gardeners see opportunities where they once saw obstacles.Plants recommended in this episodeCallistemon spp. — BottlebrushAcacia spp. — WattleEucalyptus spp. — EucalyptProducts & Tools recommended in this episodeGeofabricJute erosion-control mattingWeed GunnelF.D Ryan's BroadforkWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/  Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook 

August is all about getting ready for the spring rush. In this practical seasonal episode, Keith talks through the key jobs to tackle before the garden takes off, from sowing warm-season seeds and planting flowering annuals to improving soil, feeding organically, protecting fruit trees from disease, and staying alert for late frosts. It’s a useful preparation episode for gardeners wanting to build stronger soil, get ahead of pests and diseases, and make the most of the final weeks of winter.Seeds to sow indoors or in greenhouseTomatoChilliCapsicumEggplantBlack PassionfruitCosmosSnapdragonMarigoldSeeds to sow directly into your gardenSnow PeaSweet PeaCornflowerPoppyCarrotPotatoRadishTurnipSeedlings to start in AugustBroccoliCabbageKaleSilverbeetProducts & Tools recommended in this episodeClyde's CompostNeutrog “Who Flung Dung”MycoGoldNeutrog Gogo JuiceNeutrog Popul8Munash Rock DustNeutrog Rooster Booster EE Sea Liquid FertliserLime SulphurCopper FungicideSeasolMoon calendarWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/  Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook 

Looking for quality gardening tools that actually last, or wondering what products experienced gardeners swear by? In this episode, Elizabeth and Keith chat with Jamie Stewart, founder of Backyard Botanist, about turning a passion for plants into a successful business. From heirloom-quality tools to small-space gardening and the growing demand for well-made products, this episode is packed with inspiration for gardeners who appreciate quality, practicality, and a love of the craft.Products & Tools recommended in this episodeLowe SecateursHori Hori KnifeTrugsHaws Watering CansWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/  Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook 

This month’s Q&A brought to you by The Plant RunnerMoving plants, battling persistent weeds, setting up productive veggie beds, or wondering if you're doing things the right way? In this practical Q&A episode, Keith tackles a wide range of real-world gardening challenges submitted by listeners from around Australia. Packed with straightforward advice, seasonal tips, and problem-solving solutions, this episode is ideal for gardeners looking to avoid common mistakes and get better results from their gardens.Plants recommended in this episodeRaphanus sativus — Radish (particularly French Breakfast radish)Pisum sativum — Sweet peaPisum sativum var. macrocarpon — Snow peaPisum sativum var. macrocarpon — Sugar snap peaProducts & Tools recommended in this episodeClyde's CompostManutec pH Test KitF.D Ryan's BroadforkDicamba HerbicideHDPE or LDPE Food-Grade Plastic Liner (for raised garden beds)Neutrog Gogo JuiceWormly Worm FarmsWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/  Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook 

Feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or just needing a reset? In this inspiring episode, special guest Conchi Batson shares how gardening became a lifeline during a difficult chapter in her life. Discover how slowing down, getting your hands in the soil, and reconnecting with nature can transform both your mindset and your garden. If you’ve ever needed a reason to step outside and reset, this episode will leave you feeling motivated and hopeful.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/  Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook