WEBVTT
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Hello, I'm Elizabeth, an obsessive backyard gardener, who might be able to offer you a couple of tips.
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And I'm Keith, a landscape consultant, and I'm also passionate about gardening.
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The one thing we both have in common is Muddy Boots.
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Today's Muddy Boots is proudly sponsored by Clyde Compost.
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Premium certified organic compost, soil blends, and potting mix, all trusted by gardeners who want the best results.
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Packed with goodness, free from nasis, and perfect for healthy soil and thriving plants.
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Visit ClydeCompost.com and don't forget to use the code MUDY15 for 15% off your order.
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Now, QA time is here again.
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So let's get straight into this month's questions.
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Keith.
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Yes.
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Question number one is from Joe, who says, I've stumbled across a product here in Perth, which is a byproduct of the wool industry.
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I've attached the website for you to peruse, which is wcw.com.au.
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My question is regarding the lab testing results.
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The chart shows all the nutrient values, which is like reading a science journal.
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I'd like to know if the phosphorus levels are low enough to use in the planting hole when planting natives.
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Yeah.
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This this is this is a real real funny sort of a situation.
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People get so wound up about phosphorus levels in soils or products when they relate to Australian natives.
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And I've got to be I've got to be honest and say that a lot of it is just ridiculous.
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Um people get wound up about phosphorus toxicity and Australian natives.
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And I just want to reaffirm, and I've I've we've said it before in the past, that 82% of Australian natives do not get worried by any level of phosphorus toxicity in the soils.
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The only ones that that really you need to watch out for are things like gravilliers and banxias.
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They're the two that that that are a little bit susceptible.
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So I had a look at the levels of phosphorus in this particular product, and they are really low, and they'll not be detrimental to any level of plants.
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As I said, you know, this misconception that phosphorus and Australian natives, you know, is just rubbish.
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It really is.
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Except for gravillias, though.
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Gravillias are very popular, so maybe she's got a lot of gravillias and she's worried that there.
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Well, but yeah, but uh in WA, you know, there's a whole greater range of plants over there.
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Yeah.
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Um I mean, they've got plants over there that you don't see here in Victoria, you know, beautiful plants.
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Yep.
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Um and uh you know, apart from the the woolly bush, that's one of the biggest things we've got over here.
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But you know, they've got so many plants over there that are not gravilliers and banks.
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Okay.
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That are just stunning and not a problem in the world.
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Okay, great.
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Amy has the next question.
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She says, firstly, thank you for making such a wonderful, practical, easy listening but informative podcast.
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Oh, that's nice.
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I'm sure my husband is sick of hearing on muddy boots I heard Keith say, but I learned something new every time I listen.
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My question is regarding screening using trees and bushes on our property, which is along the rail trail in Gippsland.
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We have a long 166-metre block that is open to the rail trail with only a post and wire fence and a large shed along the fence line.
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We need some advice on what trees we can plant that will grow quickly, look nice, and won't disturb the driveway that runs beside it, Keith.
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Yeah, okay, so there's there's quite a few options that up that that are uh are available for Amy.
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Um and the first one that that I I would suggest is one that we've used here in your place.
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And that's the one beside the the bent the back fence here.
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And it is backfence or the side fence?
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Sicidium, Australia, straight and arrow.
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Straight and arrow, exactly.
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That and and you would plant those roughly 1200mm apart.
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Another one that you'd plant 1200 mil apart would be Escalona Escalonia ivae, which is a fabulous um form with dark greens, it's it's not an Australian native, but it'll it it'll tolerate those sorts of conditions.
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You want to go something a little bit tall, a little bit wider, viburnum odoratissimum, which um you'd plant at 1500 um mils apart.
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Um and if you want to go for an even taller option, then you could go for something like Capressus Toyulosa Arctic Green, and you plant those at 2.2 meters apart, um, and and they will give you a real good, dense, thick screen all the way across.
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Any one of those plants would would certainly work very, very effectively.
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Fantastic.
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Okay, our next question is from Trisha.
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I'm wondering if I should be concerned that the bags of Clyde compost I bought recently tested highly alkaline.
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Keith.
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Yeah.
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Um this and and what I've what I've done is is I've actually emailed Trisha a report that was done by Dr.
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Huey.
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Yeah, from Neutral.
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Yes.
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Uh exactly on this particular subject.
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So when whenever you're measuring pH, sometimes you will get a reaction, particularly if it's organic from organic matter.
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Um and and this is where the whole thing just wavers around a fair bit.
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If you were to go out to your normal soil out in your front yard and dig up a sample and test it, you will get a really straight out good reading on your pH kit.
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But if you go and and and get a heavily composted particle and measure it, you're gonna get a different reading.
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And the reason for that is is that the manures that are within that component will can have a high high pH reaction, but it is a very, very short, weak reaction.
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So it's it's not like hydroclosic, hydrocloc hydrochloric acid, yeah.
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That that has a real low pH, and and and when it gets into the soil, it will just lock itself in there for a long, long period of time.
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These other um reactions come from uh ammonia-based products that will give you a quick high reaction, but it's nothing to worry about because it pulls down and it is affected by the amount of moisture.
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And of course, compost, we know, it gets a lot of moisture in it, but it's not going to have a have a detrimental pro problem with your plant.
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So if you look at the back of the bag of any Clyde Compost product, it will have the accurate reading taken in laboratory by Dr.
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Mary Cole of Agpath.
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They uh uh test, and many, many years ago, I worked with Dr.
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Mary Cole at um Turf Research, um, which was the Department of Agriculture, and I actually did a lot of pH testing.
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And to see the difference between um a kit that you go and buy and you use a barium and a and a and a liquid to get a reaction that you mark off is totally different to the way that it's done in a laboratory.
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In a laboratory, the actual um piece you're testing is put into um pure water, so it's you know, there's no no nothing in it but pure water.
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It's agitated for probably 24 hours, and then they take an electric conductivity test from that, and that gives you then the most accurate reading of its pH that's not affected by any form of moisture that's sitting around in the actual product.
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Sorry if that's a real long way about going about it, but I'm just saying is that She's not worried.
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Don't be worried about one little piece.
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Okay, Rachel is next.
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I love Camellia japonicas, she says.
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Last spring I potted four japonicas in fairly large terracotta pots and kept them underneath my native fig tree constantly in shade.
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They seemed to be going fine until summer hit.
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As soon as the 30 degree plus days arrived, and we get many days of that temperature in Brisbane over summer, they all curled up and died.
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I don't think anything was wrong with the saw because I prepared it well for camellias and I was careful not to overwater.
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I can only assume they died because it was too hot.
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Confusingly, I have a friend who has a japonica bush in her yard and it's thriving with absolutely no input.
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It seems to be able to survive the Brisbane summer, so I'm wondering where I went wrong.
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Pot.
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Being in pot.
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Pot.
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Um, Camellia japonicas, we've got down here in in Victoria in Melbourne, and we get days of 42, 43, 44, 45.
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Hopefully not too many then.
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Well, no, but we do.
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You know, we and and providing that the the camellia has got access to moisture, it's going to survive those temperatures.
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And japonic will do that in full sun.
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So it's nothing to do with with with the extremes of temperature.
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It gets back to the pot.
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The pot will will tend to be it's sitting sitting up in the open.
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It's getting the the warm environment all the way around it.
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The potting mix tends to dry out, and when the potting mix dries out around the outside of the pot, that's where all the root tips of the of the actual plant are all headed to, and they just burn off and that's dead.
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Game over.
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So I would I would suggest that you put your your if you can put your chamellias in the ground in good quality soil, mix a bit of myco gold with it, and I tell you what, you'll have an absolutely fantastic looking chamellia, probably better than your friends.
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I think she is uh I thought she was going to plant them in the soil.
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No, maybe she's not, but she will she will now.
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Hopefully she will now.
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Okay, our next question is from Roy.
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Since attending your QA session at Chelsea Library, I have been selectively going through your invaluable podcasts and spreading the muddy boots word to all my gardening friends.
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Thank you, Roy.
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That is lovely.
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Thanks, Keith, for your thanks, Keith, for your name.
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Got me the discount with Clyde Compost for a stash of 20 bags.
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However, I've not been successful with Neutrog.
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Can you please resend me the code as I need to buy lots from them to prepare my garden beds for new plantings?
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I will grow be growing mainly from seed.
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The anticipation of seeing the first leaves emerge is so joyful.
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Yeah, well done, Roy.
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I'm getting 20%.
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You you won't be getting 20% from now on because uh the costs of of fuel and petrol and all the other bits and pieces have now cut down even our our um wonderful discount down now to 15%.
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But still pretty good.
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It's still a fabulous, it's still a fabulous saving, you know.
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So you've you've saved a lot of money there.
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Um there has never been a code that uh we've ever offered on any new trod products.
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Um we don't get discounts on any of their products.
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You you have to just go and buy them and pay pay the the price that you get from that's that's it.
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Um however if uh if you're after Monash Rock Dust and you go in there and you put in Keith 20, you should get a a 20% discount on that particular product.
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But um I'm glad you're enjoying Muddy Boots and uh happy gardening.
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And we've got a we've got another library event coming up soon at Frankston Library.
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For anyone who's in the area, we'd love to see you.
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Yeah.
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Wow.
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In October, we are in Frankston.
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Well we've died.
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We live near Frankston, and that's the library that we're going to very soon.
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So more about that will come up.
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Okay, Ange has the next question.
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My husband and I live on a two-acre block in a small town in the south southwest slopes of New South Wales.
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I have an existing veggie garden that I've haphazardly been adding beds to over the last three years.
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We are both shift workers and struggle to stay on top of weeding and the constant battle we're having with Kaikuyu grass.
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Therefore, I'm wanting to streamline my veggie patch design and am happy to start over from scratch.
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Do you have some advice on the ultimate layout for functionality, weed suppressant, and aesthetic design that we could adapt and apply to our country home?
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I'm thinking of low-raised beds from Henley's Rustics, of course, with crushed granite crown cover around the beds.
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Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Yeah, hi Ange.
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Um I do remember you from the picture, and Warren was such a wonderful experience, um, we and we thoroughly enjoyed the company of you beautiful country people.
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It was just absolutely sensational.
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With regards to the to the grass, you've got Kaiku, you've got to eliminate that, and the only way to do that is with a systemic herbicide, such as Roundup, unfortunately.
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But once you've sprayed and let it die, it'll be fine.
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You can you can then either use it as a mulch, you don't have to dig it up or anything else.
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Um but you need to spray and leave it for a couple of weeks and see if there's any regrowth and then kill that regrowth.
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I would then cover the area where your vegetables are going to go with weed gunnel.
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Uh, and this is is a product you can you can purchase online from Queensland and it'll be delivered to your front door.
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Follow the installation instructions.
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I would then cover the whole area with granitic sand and then use the the Henley's Rustics raised beds to a pattern that suits what you want with a wide enough pathway to get a wheelbarrow through.
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Um the opportunity here is also to uh think about aspalian fruit trees uh to line the area and to have tunnels connecting the beds to grow up um things like climbing vegetables, like pumpkins and and cucumbers and zucchinis and melons, so you can make a real good feature out of it.
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And you could use something just like concrete reinforcing mesh and create that arch that linked one bed to the other.
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Um that's something that Jo from Henley's Rustic's done in her own garden, so you can see that and how it works.
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Um backfilling the beds is going to be your hardest problem.
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Um, and I just think that you make sure that whatever you're using, you you use quality, great organic materials to get in there.
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Um and if you if you can get hold of any of uh Clyde composts up even up in the the Warren area.
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They're bringing it in up there.
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I know that for a fact.
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Put that stuff on the top and then just mix it through whatever whatever you've used to to fill your beds up with.
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So there you go.
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Sounds beautiful.
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Good luck with that.
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Ange.
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Okay, Hannah is next.
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I have a question about moving some hardened burger plants, which were planted about a year ago.
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I've changed my mind and would like to move them to a different location.
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They're in flower now, so should I wait until they've finished flowering and what also, sorry, and what would be the best way to move them?
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I've already dug new holes ready for them with compost mixed through and would appreciate any recommendations.
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And Hannah did give you a photo, I think, didn't she?
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She did, yeah.
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Um glad you enjoy our show, Hannah, that's great.
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Natives are not the easiest plants to move.
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Um, but then um my suggestion for your hardened berger is that you've got nothing to lose, so therefore I'd give them a good haircut, remove all the flowers and reduce the whole plant by a third.
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Dig up as big a root ball as you possibly can and put into the same size new hole, backfill with a with a majority of good soil, and then water it in with a seaweed solution and keep this up for a couple of weeks.
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If you if you can get hold of some mico gold, then maybe put that in the hole, give it a water before you actually put the plant in, and that might certainly help things get going.
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It's a beautiful plant, and it makes an absolute lovely uh climbing plant as well as a fabulous um ground cover.
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It's a beautiful plant, Hardenbergia.
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And it's a winter flowering, isn't it, mostly, I think.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Okay, now we have a question from Zelda who has also provided photos along with her question.
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I've worked as a horticulturalist and gardener for the last five years.
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My question today is about sooty mould.
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I understand the process.
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Aphids, honeydew, ants, sooty mould.
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If sooty mould is from the honeydew, would the sooty mould only be on the parts of foliage where the aphids had secreted?
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Because I often come across plants that have sooty mould covering every inch of all of the leaves in a certain part of the plant.
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I recently came across a small garden that doesn't receive much light, and every plant had sooty mould, including the oak tree above it.
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They weren't there weren't many aphids to be found, although I suppose I could have missed them.
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I just don't understand how such small amounts of honeydew from such a tiny insect can cause such a prolific amount of sooty mould.
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So the main question is: can honeydew trigger sooty mould which can then spread on its own?
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And the answer to that is absolutely yes.
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So uh honeydew is created by sap-sucking insects, and they include aphids, white flies, and scale.
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So generally, it's transferred, the the honeydew is transferred by ants, tracking it up and down the trunks of the tree.
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And then what happens is the fungal growth is spread by spores from the parent fungus, so it just spreads everywhere and it doesn't walk, it just sprays into the air and attaches itself.
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And it doesn't need a lot of a lot of honeydew in order to start growing and and and then you know getting this sooty mould effect that that's growing over all the plants.
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So one of the best things that you can uh you can you can do for it is to um increase the bricks level, that is Bri X, which is the the the content of of its sugar in the each of the plants, particularly when they're in in a situation like a shady situation where they're they're coming under some sort of stress.
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You really need to to give them as much goodness and opportunity to fight off pest and disease.
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And the best way to do it do that is increase their bricks level.
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And one of the things you can use there is is something like Munash Rock Dust, which will provide these um these these this wonderful trace elements and minerals that the plant probably not getting access to the moment at that at all.
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One of the worst plants to actually spread sooty mould, in actual fact, are oak trees.
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Um I have a I have a neighbour who showed me his back decking from oak trees that run along the back of the fence, and his back decking was black.
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And that's and that's just from the aphids and and the other things that are uh are just spreading it through the air.
00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:20.720
And hitting coming down and hitting the in hitting the decking, even a shower of rain will move move move the honey around.
00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:29.039
So it's you know, it's it's not just you know the tracking of ants, it's it's these all these other elements that will bring that around and bang, what you know, once you go.
00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:49.440
So for treating the actual insects on there, I'd be using at this time of the year eco oil and eco-neem and spraying it on a on a regular basis, uh a weekly basis, and that will then stop those sap-sucking little mongrels from getting the honeydew out of the plant that um is the other ways depleting the health of the plant.
00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:51.119
So good luck with that, Zel.
00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:52.079
That's a mess, isn't it?
00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:55.279
Okay, Manasi has the last question for this QA session.
00:18:55.440 --> 00:19:02.000
She says, What can I do about the soil in my vegetable garden beds that has been littered in by the neighbourhood cats while we were away?
00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:10.880
I've read that the soil will have harmful pathogens, but they but that they aren't taken up by plant roots, so I'm hoping I can get away with just replacing the surface level soil.
00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:14.640
Is this true or should I throw out all the soil and start from scratch?
00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:21.279
I've invested in my soil health with Clyde Compost, etc., over the years, and it would be a shame to throw it all out.
00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:26.559
No, I'll I I wouldn't be I wouldn't be worried about that not one little piece.
00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:42.480
Um you'll find that that most cats that get outside and do and dig in in soft dirt because it's nice and easy of them to dig, um that that they're they shouldn't be outside to start with, but you know, you you you just gotta eliminate that problem.
00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:53.039
So one of the best things you can actually be doing is encouraging um the the the worm growth that's in the soil, and you'll get that from the clide compost.
00:19:53.279 --> 00:20:09.920
Uh and then I would be I'd be applying something like populate on a regular basis, and that's going to be adding all the good microbes that will fight off the narcissist that are in the soil that might be coming from the the the pathogens from the the manures and so forth.
00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:20.559
Um but if you think about it this way, um if the cats aren't being wormed on a regular basis, actually the worms will clean up the cat poo.
00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:23.599
So think about that.
00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:24.319
Perfect.
00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:34.240
I know it's hard to get your minds around, but uh, you know, that the cat poo will be broken down by microbes that are in the soil, and then the earthworms will clean up all that anyway.
00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:41.680
And anything that goes through an earthworm's gut is rendered pH neutral and disease-free.
00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:42.640
Clever little things.
00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:48.640
So they are clever little things, so don't worry one little iota about your your bloody neighbor's neighbor's cats.
00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:51.519
Okay, another QA has come to a close.
00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:54.480
Thank you for all your wonderful questions as always.
00:20:54.640 --> 00:21:00.000
And now we need to find out who our lucky winner is of this month's QA prize from the Plant Runner.
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:01.599
Drum roll, please, Keith.
00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.920
Oh, yeah, well done.
00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:09.200
This month the prize goes to Rachel, who is baffled as to why her camellias have died.
00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:10.640
Congratulations, Rachel.
00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:13.279
We hope your lovely package will brighten your day.
00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:15.119
We'll be in touch with you very shortly.
00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:21.920
To all of our other lovely listeners, take a look at theplantrunner.com for your organic indoor and outdoor plant care needs.
00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:23.119
Happy gardening.
00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:26.240
Thank you for listening to Muddy Boots.
00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:33.599
For more information on today's podcast, please go to muddyboots.net.au and happy gardening.
00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:06.719
Hello, I'm Elizabeth, an obsessive backyard gardener, who might be able to offer you a couple of tips.
00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:11.839
And I'm Keith, a landscape consultant, and I'm also passionate about gardening.
00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:16.399
The one thing we both have in common is Muddy Boots.
00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:20.960
Today's Muddy Boots is proudly sponsored by Clyde Compost.
00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:28.239
Premium certified organic compost, soil blends, and potting mix, all trusted by gardeners who want the best results.
00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:33.200
Packed with goodness, free from nasis, and perfect for healthy soil and thriving plants.
00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:40.320
Visit ClydeCompost.com and don't forget to use the code MUDY15 for 15% off your order.
00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:43.759
Now, QA time is here again.
00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:46.159
So let's get straight into this month's questions.
00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:46.640
Keith.
00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:46.960
Yes.
00:00:47.359 --> 00:00:54.079
Question number one is from Joe, who says, I've stumbled across a product here in Perth, which is a byproduct of the wool industry.
00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:59.520
I've attached the website for you to peruse, which is wcw.com.au.
00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:02.880
My question is regarding the lab testing results.
00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:07.439
The chart shows all the nutrient values, which is like reading a science journal.
00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:13.120
I'd like to know if the phosphorus levels are low enough to use in the planting hole when planting natives.
00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:14.400
Yeah.
00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:22.799
This this is this is a real real funny sort of a situation.
00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:32.000
People get so wound up about phosphorus levels in soils or products when they relate to Australian natives.
00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:38.239
And I've got to be I've got to be honest and say that a lot of it is just ridiculous.
00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:44.239
Um people get wound up about phosphorus toxicity and Australian natives.
00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:57.920
And I just want to reaffirm, and I've I've we've said it before in the past, that 82% of Australian natives do not get worried by any level of phosphorus toxicity in the soils.
00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:05.680
The only ones that that really you need to watch out for are things like gravilliers and banxias.
00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:09.520
They're the two that that that are a little bit susceptible.
00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:18.080
So I had a look at the levels of phosphorus in this particular product, and they are really low, and they'll not be detrimental to any level of plants.
00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:24.560
As I said, you know, this misconception that phosphorus and Australian natives, you know, is just rubbish.
00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:25.039
It really is.
00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:26.560
Except for gravillias, though.
00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:29.840
Gravillias are very popular, so maybe she's got a lot of gravillias and she's worried that there.
00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:35.840
Well, but yeah, but uh in WA, you know, there's a whole greater range of plants over there.
00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:36.159
Yeah.
00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:42.479
Um I mean, they've got plants over there that you don't see here in Victoria, you know, beautiful plants.
00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:42.960
Yep.
00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:47.199
Um and uh you know, apart from the the woolly bush, that's one of the biggest things we've got over here.
00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:51.120
But you know, they've got so many plants over there that are not gravilliers and banks.
00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:51.599
Okay.
00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:54.879
That are just stunning and not a problem in the world.
00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:56.080
Okay, great.
00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:58.000
Amy has the next question.
00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:03.919
She says, firstly, thank you for making such a wonderful, practical, easy listening but informative podcast.
00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:05.120
Oh, that's nice.
00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:11.680
I'm sure my husband is sick of hearing on muddy boots I heard Keith say, but I learned something new every time I listen.
00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:18.159
My question is regarding screening using trees and bushes on our property, which is along the rail trail in Gippsland.
00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:26.560
We have a long 166-metre block that is open to the rail trail with only a post and wire fence and a large shed along the fence line.
00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:33.520
We need some advice on what trees we can plant that will grow quickly, look nice, and won't disturb the driveway that runs beside it, Keith.
00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:39.360
Yeah, okay, so there's there's quite a few options that up that that are uh are available for Amy.
00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:45.919
Um and the first one that that I I would suggest is one that we've used here in your place.
00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:48.879
And that's the one beside the the bent the back fence here.
00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:51.599
And it is backfence or the side fence?
00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:54.400
Sicidium, Australia, straight and arrow.
00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:55.919
Straight and arrow, exactly.
00:03:56.080 --> 00:04:00.000
That and and you would plant those roughly 1200mm apart.
00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:15.039
Another one that you'd plant 1200 mil apart would be Escalona Escalonia ivae, which is a fabulous um form with dark greens, it's it's not an Australian native, but it'll it it'll tolerate those sorts of conditions.
00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:24.399
You want to go something a little bit tall, a little bit wider, viburnum odoratissimum, which um you'd plant at 1500 um mils apart.
00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:42.959
Um and if you want to go for an even taller option, then you could go for something like Capressus Toyulosa Arctic Green, and you plant those at 2.2 meters apart, um, and and they will give you a real good, dense, thick screen all the way across.
00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:46.160
Any one of those plants would would certainly work very, very effectively.
00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:47.120
Fantastic.
00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:49.360
Okay, our next question is from Trisha.
00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:55.279
I'm wondering if I should be concerned that the bags of Clyde compost I bought recently tested highly alkaline.
00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:56.639
Keith.
00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:57.680
Yeah.
00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:08.399
Um this and and what I've what I've done is is I've actually emailed Trisha a report that was done by Dr.
00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:09.040
Huey.
00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:12.720
Yeah, from Neutral.
00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:13.439
Yes.
00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:16.399
Uh exactly on this particular subject.
00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:25.040
So when whenever you're measuring pH, sometimes you will get a reaction, particularly if it's organic from organic matter.
00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:28.879
Um and and this is where the whole thing just wavers around a fair bit.
00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:39.279
If you were to go out to your normal soil out in your front yard and dig up a sample and test it, you will get a really straight out good reading on your pH kit.
00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:47.120
But if you go and and and get a heavily composted particle and measure it, you're gonna get a different reading.
00:05:47.199 --> 00:06:01.360
And the reason for that is is that the manures that are within that component will can have a high high pH reaction, but it is a very, very short, weak reaction.
00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:06.480
So it's it's not like hydroclosic, hydrocloc hydrochloric acid, yeah.
00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:14.720
That that has a real low pH, and and and when it gets into the soil, it will just lock itself in there for a long, long period of time.
00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:27.680
These other um reactions come from uh ammonia-based products that will give you a quick high reaction, but it's nothing to worry about because it pulls down and it is affected by the amount of moisture.
00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:35.519
And of course, compost, we know, it gets a lot of moisture in it, but it's not going to have a have a detrimental pro problem with your plant.
00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:46.079
So if you look at the back of the bag of any Clyde Compost product, it will have the accurate reading taken in laboratory by Dr.
00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:48.319
Mary Cole of Agpath.
00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:54.079
They uh uh test, and many, many years ago, I worked with Dr.
00:06:54.160 --> 00:07:02.560
Mary Cole at um Turf Research, um, which was the Department of Agriculture, and I actually did a lot of pH testing.
00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:14.399
And to see the difference between um a kit that you go and buy and you use a barium and a and a and a liquid to get a reaction that you mark off is totally different to the way that it's done in a laboratory.
00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:24.160
In a laboratory, the actual um piece you're testing is put into um pure water, so it's you know, there's no no nothing in it but pure water.
00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:42.800
It's agitated for probably 24 hours, and then they take an electric conductivity test from that, and that gives you then the most accurate reading of its pH that's not affected by any form of moisture that's sitting around in the actual product.
00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:47.920
Sorry if that's a real long way about going about it, but I'm just saying is that She's not worried.
00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:50.480
Don't be worried about one little piece.
00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:52.720
Okay, Rachel is next.
00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:55.519
I love Camellia japonicas, she says.
00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:02.800
Last spring I potted four japonicas in fairly large terracotta pots and kept them underneath my native fig tree constantly in shade.
00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:05.439
They seemed to be going fine until summer hit.
00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:12.879
As soon as the 30 degree plus days arrived, and we get many days of that temperature in Brisbane over summer, they all curled up and died.
00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:18.240
I don't think anything was wrong with the saw because I prepared it well for camellias and I was careful not to overwater.
00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:20.959
I can only assume they died because it was too hot.
00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:26.959
Confusingly, I have a friend who has a japonica bush in her yard and it's thriving with absolutely no input.
00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:30.639
It seems to be able to survive the Brisbane summer, so I'm wondering where I went wrong.
00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:31.279
Pot.
00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:32.799
Being in pot.
00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:33.279
Pot.
00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:42.159
Um, Camellia japonicas, we've got down here in in Victoria in Melbourne, and we get days of 42, 43, 44, 45.
00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:43.759
Hopefully not too many then.
00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:45.039
Well, no, but we do.
00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:53.360
You know, we and and providing that the the camellia has got access to moisture, it's going to survive those temperatures.
00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:55.679
And japonic will do that in full sun.
00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:59.600
So it's nothing to do with with with the extremes of temperature.
00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:01.440
It gets back to the pot.
00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:06.320
The pot will will tend to be it's sitting sitting up in the open.
00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:09.120
It's getting the the warm environment all the way around it.
00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:20.399
The potting mix tends to dry out, and when the potting mix dries out around the outside of the pot, that's where all the root tips of the of the actual plant are all headed to, and they just burn off and that's dead.
00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:21.360
Game over.
00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:36.960
So I would I would suggest that you put your your if you can put your chamellias in the ground in good quality soil, mix a bit of myco gold with it, and I tell you what, you'll have an absolutely fantastic looking chamellia, probably better than your friends.
00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:40.879
I think she is uh I thought she was going to plant them in the soil.
00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:42.720
No, maybe she's not, but she will she will now.
00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:43.840
Hopefully she will now.
00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:46.240
Okay, our next question is from Roy.
00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:54.799
Since attending your QA session at Chelsea Library, I have been selectively going through your invaluable podcasts and spreading the muddy boots word to all my gardening friends.
00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:55.840
Thank you, Roy.
00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:56.559
That is lovely.
00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:59.279
Thanks, Keith, for your thanks, Keith, for your name.
00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:02.960
Got me the discount with Clyde Compost for a stash of 20 bags.
00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:05.919
However, I've not been successful with Neutrog.
00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:11.600
Can you please resend me the code as I need to buy lots from them to prepare my garden beds for new plantings?
00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:14.240
I will grow be growing mainly from seed.
00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:19.840
The anticipation of seeing the first leaves emerge is so joyful.
00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:21.600
Yeah, well done, Roy.
00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:22.320
I'm getting 20%.
00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:35.039
You you won't be getting 20% from now on because uh the costs of of fuel and petrol and all the other bits and pieces have now cut down even our our um wonderful discount down now to 15%.
00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:36.559
But still pretty good.
00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:39.360
It's still a fabulous, it's still a fabulous saving, you know.
00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:41.440
So you've you've saved a lot of money there.
00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:49.679
Um there has never been a code that uh we've ever offered on any new trod products.
00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:52.720
Um we don't get discounts on any of their products.
00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:58.159
You you have to just go and buy them and pay pay the the price that you get from that's that's it.
00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:09.279
Um however if uh if you're after Monash Rock Dust and you go in there and you put in Keith 20, you should get a a 20% discount on that particular product.
00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:12.799
But um I'm glad you're enjoying Muddy Boots and uh happy gardening.
00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:16.720
And we've got a we've got another library event coming up soon at Frankston Library.
00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:19.120
For anyone who's in the area, we'd love to see you.
00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:19.759
Yeah.
00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:20.240
Wow.
00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:21.759
In October, we are in Frankston.
00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:22.559
Well we've died.
00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:25.360
We live near Frankston, and that's the library that we're going to very soon.
00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:27.759
So more about that will come up.
00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.159
Okay, Ange has the next question.
00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:35.840
My husband and I live on a two-acre block in a small town in the south southwest slopes of New South Wales.
00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:41.039
I have an existing veggie garden that I've haphazardly been adding beds to over the last three years.
00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:46.879
We are both shift workers and struggle to stay on top of weeding and the constant battle we're having with Kaikuyu grass.
00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:52.399
Therefore, I'm wanting to streamline my veggie patch design and am happy to start over from scratch.
00:11:52.639 --> 00:12:00.720
Do you have some advice on the ultimate layout for functionality, weed suppressant, and aesthetic design that we could adapt and apply to our country home?
00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:07.840
I'm thinking of low-raised beds from Henley's Rustics, of course, with crushed granite crown cover around the beds.
00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:09.919
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:11.519
Yeah, hi Ange.
00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:20.399
Um I do remember you from the picture, and Warren was such a wonderful experience, um, we and we thoroughly enjoyed the company of you beautiful country people.
00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:22.240
It was just absolutely sensational.
00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:32.320
With regards to the to the grass, you've got Kaiku, you've got to eliminate that, and the only way to do that is with a systemic herbicide, such as Roundup, unfortunately.
00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:36.960
But once you've sprayed and let it die, it'll be fine.
00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:40.879
You can you can then either use it as a mulch, you don't have to dig it up or anything else.
00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:46.879
Um but you need to spray and leave it for a couple of weeks and see if there's any regrowth and then kill that regrowth.
00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:52.639
I would then cover the area where your vegetables are going to go with weed gunnel.
00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:59.679
Uh, and this is is a product you can you can purchase online from Queensland and it'll be delivered to your front door.
00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:01.759
Follow the installation instructions.
00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:14.240
I would then cover the whole area with granitic sand and then use the the Henley's Rustics raised beds to a pattern that suits what you want with a wide enough pathway to get a wheelbarrow through.
00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:31.519
Um the opportunity here is also to uh think about aspalian fruit trees uh to line the area and to have tunnels connecting the beds to grow up um things like climbing vegetables, like pumpkins and and cucumbers and zucchinis and melons, so you can make a real good feature out of it.
00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:37.279
And you could use something just like concrete reinforcing mesh and create that arch that linked one bed to the other.
00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:43.519
Um that's something that Jo from Henley's Rustic's done in her own garden, so you can see that and how it works.
00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:46.720
Um backfilling the beds is going to be your hardest problem.
00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:55.360
Um, and I just think that you make sure that whatever you're using, you you use quality, great organic materials to get in there.
00:13:55.519 --> 00:14:01.519
Um and if you if you can get hold of any of uh Clyde composts up even up in the the Warren area.
00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:04.639
They're bringing it in up there.
00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:05.919
I know that for a fact.
00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:11.519
Put that stuff on the top and then just mix it through whatever whatever you've used to to fill your beds up with.
00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:12.559
So there you go.
00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:13.840
Sounds beautiful.
00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:14.960
Good luck with that.
00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:15.759
Ange.
00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:17.360
Okay, Hannah is next.
00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:21.919
I have a question about moving some hardened burger plants, which were planted about a year ago.
00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:24.960
I've changed my mind and would like to move them to a different location.
00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:33.679
They're in flower now, so should I wait until they've finished flowering and what also, sorry, and what would be the best way to move them?
00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:38.960
I've already dug new holes ready for them with compost mixed through and would appreciate any recommendations.
00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:41.120
And Hannah did give you a photo, I think, didn't she?
00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:42.399
She did, yeah.
00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:45.440
Um glad you enjoy our show, Hannah, that's great.
00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:49.279
Natives are not the easiest plants to move.
00:14:49.440 --> 00:15:01.840
Um, but then um my suggestion for your hardened berger is that you've got nothing to lose, so therefore I'd give them a good haircut, remove all the flowers and reduce the whole plant by a third.
00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:15.279
Dig up as big a root ball as you possibly can and put into the same size new hole, backfill with a with a majority of good soil, and then water it in with a seaweed solution and keep this up for a couple of weeks.
00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:24.159
If you if you can get hold of some mico gold, then maybe put that in the hole, give it a water before you actually put the plant in, and that might certainly help things get going.
00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:31.039
It's a beautiful plant, and it makes an absolute lovely uh climbing plant as well as a fabulous um ground cover.
00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:32.879
It's a beautiful plant, Hardenbergia.
00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:34.879
And it's a winter flowering, isn't it, mostly, I think.
00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:35.759
Yeah, yeah.
00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:40.399
Okay, now we have a question from Zelda who has also provided photos along with her question.
00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:44.159
I've worked as a horticulturalist and gardener for the last five years.
00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:46.799
My question today is about sooty mould.
00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:48.240
I understand the process.
00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.960
Aphids, honeydew, ants, sooty mould.
00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:57.120
If sooty mould is from the honeydew, would the sooty mould only be on the parts of foliage where the aphids had secreted?
00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:03.120
Because I often come across plants that have sooty mould covering every inch of all of the leaves in a certain part of the plant.
00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:10.240
I recently came across a small garden that doesn't receive much light, and every plant had sooty mould, including the oak tree above it.
00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:14.720
They weren't there weren't many aphids to be found, although I suppose I could have missed them.
00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:22.080
I just don't understand how such small amounts of honeydew from such a tiny insect can cause such a prolific amount of sooty mould.
00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:27.840
So the main question is: can honeydew trigger sooty mould which can then spread on its own?
00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:31.120
And the answer to that is absolutely yes.
00:16:31.440 --> 00:16:40.720
So uh honeydew is created by sap-sucking insects, and they include aphids, white flies, and scale.
00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:49.120
So generally, it's transferred, the the honeydew is transferred by ants, tracking it up and down the trunks of the tree.
00:16:49.279 --> 00:17:00.799
And then what happens is the fungal growth is spread by spores from the parent fungus, so it just spreads everywhere and it doesn't walk, it just sprays into the air and attaches itself.
00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:11.519
And it doesn't need a lot of a lot of honeydew in order to start growing and and and then you know getting this sooty mould effect that that's growing over all the plants.
00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:31.119
So one of the best things that you can uh you can you can do for it is to um increase the bricks level, that is Bri X, which is the the the content of of its sugar in the each of the plants, particularly when they're in in a situation like a shady situation where they're they're coming under some sort of stress.
00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:36.720
You really need to to give them as much goodness and opportunity to fight off pest and disease.
00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:40.160
And the best way to do it do that is increase their bricks level.
00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:52.960
And one of the things you can use there is is something like Munash Rock Dust, which will provide these um these these this wonderful trace elements and minerals that the plant probably not getting access to the moment at that at all.
00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:58.640
One of the worst plants to actually spread sooty mould, in actual fact, are oak trees.
00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:07.119
Um I have a I have a neighbour who showed me his back decking from oak trees that run along the back of the fence, and his back decking was black.
00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:13.759
And that's and that's just from the aphids and and the other things that are uh are just spreading it through the air.
00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:20.720
And hitting coming down and hitting the in hitting the decking, even a shower of rain will move move move the honey around.
00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:29.039
So it's you know, it's it's not just you know the tracking of ants, it's it's these all these other elements that will bring that around and bang, what you know, once you go.
00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:49.440
So for treating the actual insects on there, I'd be using at this time of the year eco oil and eco-neem and spraying it on a on a regular basis, uh a weekly basis, and that will then stop those sap-sucking little mongrels from getting the honeydew out of the plant that um is the other ways depleting the health of the plant.
00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:51.119
So good luck with that, Zel.
00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:52.079
That's a mess, isn't it?
00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:55.279
Okay, Manasi has the last question for this QA session.
00:18:55.440 --> 00:19:02.000
She says, What can I do about the soil in my vegetable garden beds that has been littered in by the neighbourhood cats while we were away?
00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:10.880
I've read that the soil will have harmful pathogens, but they but that they aren't taken up by plant roots, so I'm hoping I can get away with just replacing the surface level soil.
00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:14.640
Is this true or should I throw out all the soil and start from scratch?
00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:21.279
I've invested in my soil health with Clyde Compost, etc., over the years, and it would be a shame to throw it all out.
00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:26.559
No, I'll I I wouldn't be I wouldn't be worried about that not one little piece.
00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:42.480
Um you'll find that that most cats that get outside and do and dig in in soft dirt because it's nice and easy of them to dig, um that that they're they shouldn't be outside to start with, but you know, you you you just gotta eliminate that problem.
00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:53.039
So one of the best things you can actually be doing is encouraging um the the the worm growth that's in the soil, and you'll get that from the clide compost.
00:19:53.279 --> 00:20:09.920
Uh and then I would be I'd be applying something like populate on a regular basis, and that's going to be adding all the good microbes that will fight off the narcissist that are in the soil that might be coming from the the the pathogens from the the manures and so forth.
00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:20.559
Um but if you think about it this way, um if the cats aren't being wormed on a regular basis, actually the worms will clean up the cat poo.
00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:23.599
So think about that.
00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:24.319
Perfect.
00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:34.240
I know it's hard to get your minds around, but uh, you know, that the cat poo will be broken down by microbes that are in the soil, and then the earthworms will clean up all that anyway.
00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:41.680
And anything that goes through an earthworm's gut is rendered pH neutral and disease-free.
00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:42.640
Clever little things.
00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:48.640
So they are clever little things, so don't worry one little iota about your your bloody neighbor's neighbor's cats.
00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:51.519
Okay, another QA has come to a close.
00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:54.480
Thank you for all your wonderful questions as always.
00:20:54.640 --> 00:21:00.000
And now we need to find out who our lucky winner is of this month's QA prize from the Plant Runner.
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:01.599
Drum roll, please, Keith.
00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.920
Oh, yeah, well done.
00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:09.200
This month the prize goes to Rachel, who is baffled as to why her camellias have died.
00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:10.640
Congratulations, Rachel.
00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:13.279
We hope your lovely package will brighten your day.
00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:15.119
We'll be in touch with you very shortly.
00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:21.920
To all of our other lovely listeners, take a look at theplantrunner.com for your organic indoor and outdoor plant care needs.
00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:23.119
Happy gardening.
00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:26.240
Thank you for listening to Muddy Boots.
00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:33.599
For more information on today's podcast, please go to muddyboots.net.au and happy gardening.
