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What to do this week: Prune spring flowering shrubs

We are taking the advice of Tony Matson from Cutabove Tools at our recent Garden Clinic class.

Sharp and clean tools make gardening so much easier.

 


Learn how to care for your pruning tools here.

 

Spring flowering shrubs are the backbone of any garden; weigela, deutzia, cistus, viburnum, raphiolepis, rondeletia, spiraea (May Bush) and philadelphus (Mock orange) all need pruning as soon as they finish flowering. This pruning encourages new growth which in turn will flower next year.

 

Stink Bugs are feasting on new shoots of citrus. Be careful how your handle them as they squirt an acidic fluid when they are disturbed. On a hot day they gather at the base of your tree. With a gloved hand and your eyes covered with glasses, pick them up and put into a bucket of water with methylated spirit added. In cooler weather you can spray them with Beat a Bug (Richgro) or Nature’s Way (Yates).

 

Lawn Care: Common lawn weeds are best controlled by spraying once the lawn is dry, with a selective herbicide suited to YOUR grass type. This is critical as a wrong choice could kill your lawn. The most common lawn grasses are buffalo hybrids, kikuyu, couch hybrids, bent and fescue. Look for a herbicide with Bromoxynil and MCPA. Avoid any containing Dicamba and those with fertiliser and weed control in one product. We’ve had hundreds of complaints about this type of lawn product. Follow up the following week with a good lawn fertiliser to encourage a thick, lush green grass cover.

Learn more about controlling Bindii here gardenclinic.com.au/how-to-grow-article/bug-watch-bindii-and-other-annoying-lawn-weeds

A mulberry grows into a delightful and productive shade tree. In full fruit now, they are begging to be made up into jam, mulberry pie and swirled into mulberry ice-cream.

Click here for tips on growing a mulberry tree. gardenclinic.com.au/how-to-grow-article/mulberry