Tilba Nursery

Friday July 3rd

No Thursday Talk again this month but here are a few handy tips for selecting new trees for your garden this winter - from my 'Gardening Gabble' column in the Triangle Community News (July 2020). Keith.

Nature's Air Purifiers

With the recent devastating fires in our area many beautiful gardens were destroyed and along with that, the loss of beautifully established shade trees, the natural umbrellas of our gardens.It is important in the re-establishment of our gardens that we consider the replacement of these essential components of the landscape, and during these winter months many of these trees are available in nurseries.

In making your selection, consideration into the eventual size of the tree must be utmost in your mind. What do you want the tree to provide – summer shade for a particular section of your garden, winter sun or any other reason you might think important. Once the tree has been planted and has started to establish it can detrimental to the tree if you must dig it up and relocate to another location.

There are many trees that can be selected from including : large spreading forms, upright narrow trees for a restricted part of the garden, weeping trees for a central garden position or a range of flowering trees that add a beautiful touch to any spring garden.

Larger spreading trees include Golden Ash, Claret Ash, Manchurian Pear, Gleditsia (several forms) Robinia and Chinese Elm. Upright forms include ornamental Pears (several varieties), ornamental plums (new narrow forms) and many other new varieties that have recently come onto the market. Flowering trees include ornamental Cherries, Crab apples, plums and some magnificent Magnolias.

Most nurseries will now have many of their deciduous trees in stock and, depending on the nursery, the owner would have selected either bare root or container grown forms. With the selection of a bare root tree it is important to ensure that at no stage have the roots been allowed to dry out, as this can cause the tree some difficulty in establishing after it has been planted. Pot grown trees have a more established root system and can be a bit more mature in size and will not have had their roots dry out.

Once your selection has been made the next most important procedure is the planting. If you have selected the bare root form, dig a hole slightly larger than the root size and at least deep enough to cover the roots and no higher than halfway to the graft union. Soak the roots in water and a liquid seaweed base fertiliser and mix some composted animal manure with the soil you have dug out of the hole. Place the tree in at the correct depth and gradually add the soil back into the hole slightly shaking the tree as you go, to allow the soil to fall in amongst the roots. When you have all the soil in the hole slightly compress the soil and water in, to remove any air pockets. Stake if required using two stakes at the side of the plant taking care not to damage the roots.

If you have purchased container grown plants the planting process is the same apart from slightly loosening the roots to allow them to establish. If you are unsure of any of these processes, ask you nursery person.

I previously mentioned in an earlier column that it was important to be patient when making the decision to remove fire affected trees as, depending on the severity of the fires, they might not have been killed but just scorched. I suppose spring will tell as if they don’t shoot, it is obvious they have died. If they are still standing there is hope. If you can reach branches, slightly scrape the bark in a small section and if it is still green, there is still a chance they will recover. If not, remove and start the replacement program.

Good luck!

Keith

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Monday June 29th

Lots of new citrus in stock this week - all regular, tall growing forms. Meyer, Eureka and Lemonade lemons, Valencia and Lanes Late Navel Oranges, Imperial and Daisy Mandarin plus Kaffir Limes. Drop in for a browse if you're after some fresh citrus for you garden or orchard this winter. Keith #news #winter #citrus ... See MoreSee Less

Friday June 26th

Winter-flowering native plants are a great option for colour in the garden at the moment. We currently have a nice selection of these in stock including dwarf banksias, grafted grevilleas, eremophilas and flowering gums, croweas, correas, kangaroo paws and more! We are currently open 10am - 3pm, 7 days a week in Tilba Tilba - so drop in for a browse if you are down our way over the weekend. Keith #news #winter #nativeplants ... See MoreSee Less

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