Insects. The Good, The Bad And The Beneficial

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Today’s focus is perennial plants - which ones can you rely on to thrive in the summer heat?Gardening jobs during the heat of February.Check watering for maintenance and installing additional sprinklers where required Adding  organic wetting agents such as ECO Hydrate. Broadforking for all your garden to get as much air, moisture and goodness deep down into the soil. Keith recommends F.D Ryan's Broadforks for this jobConsider soil improvement with Clyde’s lignite Using Seasol  or other seaweed products to help heat-stressed plantsUsing a product such as MycoGold and watering this into holes created with a broadfork will help with moisture retentionFebruary is also a great time for doing some Summer pruning of fruit treesKeeping your eyes out for pest and disease is another very important job for February, particularly powdery mildew and leaf hopper . ECO Neem (best used on its own in Summer, mix with Eco Oil at other times of the year)Make sure your lawns are kept cut on a higher mowing setting over the summer months.If you love eating Brussel Sprouts like Keith does, then this is the month to plant your seedlings into your well-prepared vegetable beds. So there are lots of things you can be doing in the garden in February, and these are just a few.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Today Keith and Elisabeth talk to Sally Pittman, outback farmer and gardener from rural NSW outside of Dubbo. A fascinating conversation learning about Sally’s experiences growing up in remote location, her farming enterprises and her gardening ambitions.You can check out Sally’s Instagram page HERE Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Today’s focus is perennial plants - which ones can you rely on to thrive in the summer heat?What is a Perennial? Generally have a life span of 5-7 years. Once the flowers die off, the plant produces new growth at the base. Perennials are a fantastic choice with long flowering seasons (up to 9 months). Perennials can’t be beaten for colour, texture and variety.Before selecting perennials, be sure to check your ‘heat and cold zones’ for best performance.Aim to prune before at the end of March before the Autumn Equinox to extend the flowering season. Dead-heading your perennials and regular feeding with products like Charlie Carp will help them to thrive. Common pests - bugs like leaf hoppers can be treated with ECO Neem and Eco Oil (avoid spraying in full sun).Top performing perennials:Verbena bonariensisSalvia mystic spiresAgastache orangeAchillea MoonshineRudbeckia GoldquellePersicaria amplexicaulis Fat DominoHelenium Moerheim BeautyEchinacea Magnus SuperiorAchillea Summer BerriesSedum Autumn JoyPerevoskia atriplicifoliaEuphorbia Arctic BlueScaevola ground coverPigfaceWhere 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?ECO Neem and Eco Oil - undoubtedly 2 of Keith’s favourite plant products. What can we use them for? Keith recommends them for all insect pests in the garden. Be sure to use out of direct sunlightBlack Spot on roses - need to use specific sprays. Ensure affected leaves are removed and put in the binRecommendation for windbreak in dry shade areaLarge shrubs (up to 2-5 meters) Hakea laurina, Pomaderris, Westringia, Correa lawrenceana, Kunzea ericoides, Acacia boormanii, Acacia cardiophylla, Acacia iteaphylla Trees - Acacia cognata, Acacia fimbriata, Acacia implexa, Acacia pravissima, Allocasuarina littoralis, Callitris oblonga, Callitris rhomboidea Corymbia ficifolia, Eucalyptus cinerea, Eucalyptus crenulata, Eucalyptus spathulata. Melalueca linariifolia and Melaleuca styphelioides. be sure to assist plants by adding MycoGold.Hydrangeas not flowering - ensure when pruning, prune only down to the dominant large bud. If planting in pots use a quality potting mix (replace every 3-5 years) and feed with Neutrog Kahoona regularlyFruit fly in stone fruit? Use fruit fly traps and net your trees with 2ml micron black nets. Bin affected fruit.Withered orchids - could be overwatering? Use the finger test! If it’s moist, don’t water them. Try Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

What's a wicking bed? Today we explore all there is to know about wicking beds. They are becoming more common but do you know enough about them to maximise the benefits of having one?Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Summer Heat. How can you get the best out of your garden with these long, hot and dry days.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook