Free local plants!
Plant of the month is Melaleuca pachyphylla (Wallum bottlebrush) – previously known as Callistemon pachyphyllus – a shrub to 1.5 metres, flowering right now in its green or red form Image Mary Boyce
Free local plants are available at Cooloola City Farm on your latest rates notice, so come in to see our range. City Farm will be open for the Garage Trail Sale on October 22, from 8am-1pm, with lots for sale, so please drop in.
Now is a great time to prepare your garden for the summer, before the weather gets too hot. Summer can be very taxing on even native plants, especially if there is an extended period of dry weather.
Mulching is the best way to help your plants through summer. Some of its many benefits are: it helps retain moisture, replenishes potassium and nitrogen in sandy soils, decays and provides humus which improves the soil, and reduces weed growth.
Keep mulch away from the stem to avoid fungal and other diseases. A good time to mulch is after rain. If your mulching is successful, fertilising should not be required, but if you do fertilise, use an organic fertiliser specifically for natives.
Lastly, encourage deep roots by watering minimally from the beginning. Deep roots will enable the plants to survive on less water.
City Farm, opposite the Community Centre, on Tin Can Bay Road, is open to the public for plant sales on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am-3pm, 07 54862304, ccfni09@gmail.com, www.cooloolacityfarm.org
