Q&A time again! Who will be this month’s lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?

• Granitic sand and Decomposed Gravel - what’s the difference? Granitic sand is crushed rock under 4mm. Keith thinks “Deco Gravel” as the listener refers to, is essentially the same.
• Carrot seeds where tomatoes have previously been, good or bad? Good! “Carrots love tomatoes”
• NPK - Potassium helps with flowering and fruiting. Apply organic potassium alongside Munash Rock Dust to improve productivity
• pH - very Alkaline results. Hear what Keith thinks is going on!
• Strawberry with a lot of runners and not so much fruit. What’s going on? Use only the first runner (best genetics). Cambridge Rival and Chandler varieties are what Keith would recommend. (refer to our Berry episode on 23.4.24)
• Repot lemons or put them in the ground? Do either. Remove by tipping on its size and use hose to loosen soil. Either put into the ground (hole twice the size of the root ball or into a pot larger than the last)
• Roses? Where to buy and what to look for? Look for reputable growers. David Austin roses come with Keith’s recommendation
• Black volcanic soil is highly reactive and can crack. Can be improved with addition of Clyde’s lignite and Clyde's Compost. Gypsum and Rooster Booster may help for the lawn in these conditions
• WA listener looking for screening plants as a wind break - Keith recommends checking out Domus, Hortbiz and Frenchams. Take a look at their range.

Thank you for your great questions 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

Perennials 30.4.24

With Elisabeth busy with garden and house renovations this week, we have decided to replay one of our listeners favorite episodes.

Perennials. Elisabeth thinks these are a “must have” in every garden.

What is a perennial? A plant that persists for several years producing stems and flowers and dying back (or becoming dormant) in Winter. Herbaceous perennials completely die back in Winter (like a peony for example).

Perennials often have long flowering periods. Cut back before the Autumn Equinox for another flush of flowers. Many perennials are Mediterranean and drought tolerant but there are a huge variety of plants with differing requirements.

Numerous online retailers include Woodside Perennials, Woodbridge Perennials, Antique Perennials, Treasured Perennials

Top 10 of Elisabeth and Keith, gives us a total of 20 (or 21!).

1. Hydrangea Macrophylla
2. Hydrangea Quercifolia
3. Allium
4. Salvia Mystic Spires
5. Salvia Leucantha including the purple, white velour and pink velour varieties
6. Sedum Autumn Joy
7. Achillea including Moonshine, Terracotta, Cerise Queen, Hela glashoff, Parchment
8. Digitalis (Foxglove) and Digiplexis
9. Liatris Spicata
10. Hellebore
11. Sisyrinchium Striatum
12. Geranium Rozanne
13. Echinacea
14. Buddleia
15. Rudbeckia Goldsturm
16. Lavender
17. Helenium dunkle pracht
18. Stachys byzantina (Lambs Ears)
19. Scabiosa Midnight
20. Crepe Myrtle
21. Lilac

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

With Elisabeth busy with garden and house renovations this week, we have decided to replay one of our listeners favorite episodes.

Delicious berries. Maybe you already grow your own or maybe you don’t know where to start. This week’s episode looks at 4 main berry types - raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries

Raspberries - 3 types
3 main varieties - Summer fruiting, autumn fruiting and the “dual cropper”
- Primo cane cultivars such as ‘Autumn Bliss’, ‘Heritage’, ‘Bogong - suited to warmer or coastal areas (require less chilling to produce new canes)
- Floricane are earlier fruiting producing fruit on cane from last year’s growth require a cold winter. Include ‘Chilliwack’, ‘Chilcotin’’Golden Raspberry’.
- Dual croppers produce fruit on both old and new canes so have fruit in Summer and Autumn. Include ‘Lloyd George’, ‘Willamette’, Sandford.
- Available in Winter as bare-rooted canes or in pots in other seasons. Full Sun

Blueberries
- Buy in pots
- Number of varieties with different climactic requirements. Cold loving varieties include Denise, Northland, Brigitta , Milder areas should look for Sunshine Blue or Blue Rose
- Full sun to part shade in slightly acidic soil
- Tip prune after fruiting
- regular feeding required

Blackberries
- Look for non-invasive varieties like the thornless ‘Chester’ and ‘Waldo’. Produce fruit in Summer on last year’s canes. They are vigorous growers up to 10m.

Strawberries
- Bush Alpine is an easy, runnerless variety. Keith recommends ‘Cambridge Rival’ ‘Chandler’ along with Japanese variety Hokawase. Will yield for 3-4 years of production.
- Great to grow in baskets, pots, raised beds. Full sun and lots of organic matter
- Plant in April-May

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook