Muddy Boots

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Growing a love of gardening in kids.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Today's focus is perennial plants - which ones can you rely on to thrive in the summer heat?Gardening jobs during the heat of February.Check watering for maintenance and installing additional sprinklers where required Adding  organic wetting agents such as ECO Hydrate. Broadforking for all your garden to get as much air, moisture and goodness deep down into the soil. Keith recommends F.D Ryan's Broadforks for this jobConsider soil improvement with Clyde's lignite Using Seasol  or other seaweed products to help heat-stressed plantsUsing a product such as MycoGold and watering this into holes created with a broadfork will help with moisture retentionFebruary is also a great time for doing some Summer pruning of fruit treesKeeping your eyes out for pest and disease is another very important job for February, particularly powdery mildew and leaf hopper . ECO Neem (best used on its own in Summer, mix with Eco Oil at other times of the year)Make sure your lawns are kept cut on a higher mowing setting over the summer months.If you love eating Brussel Sprouts like Keith does, then this is the month to plant your seedlings into your well-prepared vegetable beds. So there are lots of things you can be doing in the garden in February, and these are just a few.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Today Keith and Elisabeth talk to Sally Pittman, outback farmer and gardener from rural NSW outside of Dubbo. A fascinating conversation learning about Sally's experiences growing up in remote location, her farming enterprises and her gardening ambitions.You can check out Sally's Instagram page HERE Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Today's focus is perennial plants - which ones can you rely on to thrive in the summer heat?What is a Perennial? Generally have a life span of 5-7 years. Once the flowers die off, the plant produces new growth at the base. Perennials are a fantastic choice with long flowering seasons (up to 9 months). Perennials can't be beaten for colour, texture and variety.Before selecting perennials, be sure to check your ‘heat and cold zones' for best performance.Aim to prune before at the end of March before the Autumn Equinox to extend the flowering season. Dead-heading your perennials and regular feeding with products like Charlie Carp will help them to thrive. Common pests - bugs like leaf hoppers can be treated with ECO Neem and Eco Oil (avoid spraying in full sun).Top performing perennials:Verbena bonariensisSalvia mystic spiresAgastache orangeAchillea MoonshineRudbeckia GoldquellePersicaria amplexicaulis Fat DominoHelenium Moerheim BeautyEchinacea Magnus SuperiorAchillea Summer BerriesSedum Autumn JoyPerevoskia atriplicifoliaEuphorbia Arctic BlueScaevola ground coverPigfaceWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month's lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?ECO Neem and Eco Oil - undoubtedly 2 of Keith's favourite plant products. What can we use them for? Keith recommends them for all insect pests in the garden. Be sure to use out of direct sunlightBlack Spot on roses - need to use specific sprays. Ensure affected leaves are removed and put in the binRecommendation for windbreak in dry shade areaLarge shrubs (up to 2-5 meters) Hakea laurina, Pomaderris, Westringia, Correa lawrenceana, Kunzea ericoides, Acacia boormanii, Acacia cardiophylla, Acacia iteaphylla Trees - Acacia cognata, Acacia fimbriata, Acacia implexa, Acacia pravissima, Allocasuarina littoralis, Callitris oblonga, Callitris rhomboidea Corymbia ficifolia, Eucalyptus cinerea, Eucalyptus crenulata, Eucalyptus spathulata. Melalueca linariifolia and Melaleuca styphelioides. be sure to assist plants by adding MycoGold.Hydrangeas not flowering - ensure when pruning, prune only down to the dominant large bud. If planting in pots use a quality potting mix (replace every 3-5 years) and feed with Neutrog Kahoona regularlyFruit fly in stone fruit? Use fruit fly traps and net your trees with 2ml micron black nets. Bin affected fruit.Withered orchids - could be overwatering? Use the finger test! If it's moist, don't water them. Try Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!BRAND NEW WEBSITE: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!BRAND NEW WEBSITE: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!BRAND NEW WEBSITE: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!BRAND NEW WEBSITE: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month's lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?Keith waters 4mm per day based on his particular conditions. Watering amounts will vary depending on soil and weather conditions. Be guided by what works!Best watering for trees is around the drip line - that is at the breadth of the canopy (not the trunk). MycoGold is an excellent addition and can be forced down by using a broadfork For pot planting Keith recommends mixture of quality potting mix (such as Scotts Premium Potting Mix mixed with compost and mulch with Who Flung Dung. Tomatoes would need a pot of at least 40 litres diameter. Shady, clay soil? Check out Macadamia Pinkalicious, Blueberry Ash, Mountain Pepper, Gymea Lilies, Bangalow Palm, Graptophyllum, EvodiaLooking for quality tools? Check out F.D Ryan'sAdvice on potatoes - check out recent episode HEREAdvice on garlic - check out previous episode HEREGrowing seeds in cooler climates. Keith recommends investing in a heat mat and using a Moon calendarAsparagus - do not harvest for 3-5 years! Listen to Keith's other tips!Growing deciduous trees under a large native tree? Apply MycoGold to assist with water retention. Comfrey Boking 14 planted at the drip line deep mines the goodness that then becomes a natural mulchKeep sending in your questions via DM to Muddy Boots or where needed in between episodes, reach out to Keith at ke_landscape_consultant Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!BRAND NEW WEBSITE: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Today we hear Keith's top tips on growing potatoes! Keith assures us that potatoes are the easiest of all vegetables to grow!Potatoes can be grown at any time but they are frost tender so should be planted after the last frost (in Southern States or frost prone areas)Use certified ‘seed potatoes' - this will ensure they are free from disease. Most non-organic potatoes found in supermarkets etc are sprayed with glyphosate 360 so should be avoidedThere are a number of different methods for growing potatoes:Grown in your garden - Keith warns, you will have these together as they nearly impossible to get rid ofUse a designated garden bed - you will harvest approx 8-10 potatoes per plantGrow in a potato bag using a good quality potting mix- Several on the market including Bunnings Potato BagWire frame can be used by layering compost and strawPotatoes need consistent water but avoid being too wet to ensure potatoes don't rotTo ensure a good yield, add plenty of compost and other organic matterKeith recommends planting whole seed potato (not cut) covered with 200mm soil/compost as plants shoots cover with additional soil/compost or straw (indeterminate potatoes only)Indeterminate potatoes include - Brownell, Dutch Cream, Nicola, Up To Date, King Edward, Salad Rose, Pink Fir Apple, Potato SapphireDeterminate potatoes include - Spunta, Kennebec, Purple Congo, Pink Eye, Carlingford, Red Pontiaconce potato plant's flowers have died off, feel through to the stem where you will find ‘new potatoes'  (indeterminate varieties only). Once the plant has completely died off, leave for approx 2 weeks before harvesting.Store in cool dry place in hessian bag or wire basket away from sunlight.Pests include earwigsGood luck with your home grown taties!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!BRAND NEW WEBSITE: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

This week we meet Jo Henley from Henley's Rustics and hear about her garden journey, how she came to meet Keith and the story of her family business creating rustic garden beds.A self described ‘novice gardener', Jo and her father Lindsay now create rustic garden beds using reclaimed corrugated iron from local farms. Hand crafted using recycled materials, each garden bed is unique and the range includes a variety of designs including self watering wicking beds. Made in Ungarie, NSW, Henley's products are delivered across regional NSW and Canberra or can be collected directly from the makers!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!BRAND NEW WEBSITE: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Succulents - a huge number of varieties, succulents are easy to grow and add colour and interest to any garden. Succulents prefer an open, well drained soil and grow well in pots. Succulents are low maintenance and don't require a lot of water.Today we hear what Keith's Top 10 Succulents are:1.Tree Aloe, Aloe Barberae, - grows up to 6-9 metres x 3-6 meters. Long straight trunk with a huge succulent head. Pest and disease free.2. Kalanchoe beharensis, sometimes known as Elephant Ear Kalanchoe or Felt bush. Large felty leaves up to 40cm3.Cussonia paniculata -  growis up to 5 meters with large sculptured and textured leaves. 4.Century Plant, Agave attenuata, has beautiful smooth soft silver foliage in a big rosette. 5. Burbank's Spineless, Opuntia ficus-indica, . This is a non-invasive form of the prickly pear. 6.Blue Chalk, Senecio serpens, is a beautiful grey groundcover with its cylindrical blue chalks that produces branches of fluffy creamy-white flowers.7.Australian Pig Face, Carpobrotus rossii is an Australian native that grows in sand along coastlines. The leaves are dark green and it produces a pinky-purple flower with a yellow center that becomes an edible fig. 8. Cotyledon orbiculate ‘Sliver Waves' is a stunning sculptural plant with large powdery silver leaves and is perfect with pastel coloured plants.9.Aeonium arboretum ‘Schwarzkopf' - a stunning plant of black-maroon leaves. It will produce large heads of yellow which contrast beautifully with the dark leaves.10. Dwarf flowering Aloe - produces masses of single coloured flower stalks. These come in a multitude of colours from yellow, orange, white, red and multi coloured forms. Happy gardening!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!BRAND NEW WEBSITE: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month's lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?What to line our planter boxes with? Any HDPE (High-density polyethylene) is safe for Pinapple guava lining planter boxes. The thicker the better!Where to find Lignite Humate? Keith can't recommend Clyde's Compost and Clyde's lignite highly enough, now available at selected Bunnings stores (in Vic). Failing that, Keith suggests BioChar (try Charman) - 2 litres per 2 sq.m and Neutrog Gogo JuiceLow hedging/edible hedge suggestions - when terracing, low levels can have higher hedges and gradually decrease size as you go up. From bottom up: Pineapple guava, Tasmanian Pepperberry, Goji Berry, Salt Bush, Chilean Guava, Tea Plant, Midyim BerryKeith shares some tips on Rondeletia leucophyliaAs with any herbicide, always follow the directions when using Slasher. Can you add compost over ground covers? Yes, lightly won't be a problem! Also consider Charlie Carp Keith explains how to reduce high pH levels Keep sending in your questions via DM to Muddy Boots or where needed in between episodes, reach out to Keith @ke_landscape_consultantWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

What are the challenges of gardening on a large, rural property? Today we meet Cass Hooke, garden consultant, to tell us more about her experience about building a new garden from scratch.From her family upbringing to her first paid job with gardener Robert Boyle, Cass has immersed herself with landscaping and gardening. With a passion for conservation and the protection of threatened species, we hear about Cass's journey and the creation of her garden with all the challenges of low rainfall, bore water and a harsh climate.Cass share's her journey of the creation of her rural Riverina NSW garden via her instagram @outbackgardens.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

A garden without birds, bees and butterflies, just isn't a garden', says Elisabeth. Today we talk about the importance of attracting pollinators!Australia is home to over 1500 bees and pollinating insects.Here are some of the ‘bee magnet' flowering plants.SalviasBuddleia (also a favourite with butterflies)Echium (check out the wildpretii variety)PoppiesCosmosAlyssumQueen Anne's LaceCalendulaDaisiesPenstemonNatives such as wattles, bottle brushes, westringia, grevilleaHerbs such as - borage, rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil, yarrowWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Tomatoes - Australia's most grown vegetable (or fruit, actually)! Today we learn Keith's Top 10 tomatoes.Easy to grow as long as they are given plenty of feed and plenty of sun. Lots of top tips today to tomato growing before we hear about Keith's recommended varietiesBlue BeautyJuane FlammeWapsipinicon PeachSan MarzanoSantoriniTasmanian ChocolateBlack RussianBlack TruffleMortgage LifterTommy ToeSpecial mention too to the Tigerella variety - Keith's recommendation if you are looking for a prolific fruiter!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month's lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?Leggy seedlings? Likely your newly germinated seeds are looking for as much light as possibleKeith suggests mowing and hedge clipping by the Moon calendar  (ie during low sap flow period) to reduce growth rateTips for ‘Little Gem' magnolia - often sparse up to 1.5m. Keith suggests underplanting with shade tolerant plants. Magnolias are heavy feeders so suggest products like Neutrog Gyganics and liquid fertiliser to kick start.Starting a garden from scratch? Keith recommends having a solid plan!Making your own Biochar? Keith suggests storing ‘uncharged' and ‘charging' before use.Long and deep watering is best for lawns and shrubs to encourage deep rooting. Vegetables, on the other hand, need more regular watering as their roots are shallowing. Keith works on 4mm per day.Can bee-keepers stop their bees stinging? Aggressive bees are symptomatic of a bigger problem with the hive that should be addressed by the bee-keeper and may require “requeening” the hiveCamelias not thriving - check soil pH (5.5-6).Pond plants - Keith lists some favourites including cycnogeton procerum, ludwigia palustris, mariophyllum, cyperus papyrus and Bog Plants include carex appressa. Keith recommends Kuranga Native Nursery in Mt. Evelyn, VictoriaKeep sending in your questions to Muddy Boots!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

The benefits of a plant based diet are well known. Today we meet Samantha Gowing from Food, Health, Wealth, renowned chef and nutritionist who is passionate about the health benefits of plants.A fascinating discussion covering the importance of seasonal produce, the myths of ‘super foods', the medicinal benefits of many plants and striving for the umami flavour for a satisfying plant based diet.Sam talks about the benefits of some of our basic herbs including parsley, watercress, turmeric, ginger, how to store them for longevity and tips on using the whole plant to reduce waste.Check out the following to learn more about Samantha Gowing's work:Food Health WealthGwinganna Lifestyle RetreatSavour The TweedHappy gardening!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Start of Spring is a great time to get going with planning for your Spring/Summer Veggie garden.Check what climate zone you are in. Keith recommends The Seed Collection's MapCool Climate Area (most of Vic) - Beans (including Lazy House Wife, Scarlet Runner), Keith will be trialling new dwarf varieties of tomatoes - stay tuned for Keith's observationsConsider climbing frames for vegetables like cucumbers and pumpkins allowing more space underneath for other plantingRemove finished Winter vegetables and add compost (Clyde's Compost and Clyde's lignite), MycoGold and Munash Rock Dust and cover with quality mulch like Who Flung Dung. Rest for approx 3 weeks before planting. Water new seedlings in with SeasolTomatoes seedlings can't be planted until about the end of OctoberSome recommendations for planting now - Carrots, Radishes (try French Breakfast Radish), Sow seeds into paper pots now and keep warm in hothouse or indoors including - eggplant, pumpkin, tomatoes, spring onions, chillis Follow the directions on the packet for seed/seedling spacingMarigold, basil, Spring onions, garlic will all help to deter pestsPea Straw and lucerne are excellent mulches adding nutrients to the soil but will attract birds so best used in beds that will be nettedVegetables need 4mm of water every day. Keith recommends Dan's Modular SprinklerspH level should be neutral at 7.0Happy veggie gardening!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month's lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?Organic Weed Killers - follow the directions precisely! Keith recommends Slasher, Bioweed or SlayerBanksia's not flowering? Banksia's prefer a sandy soil and may take several years to flowerPrune lavender after they've finished flowering. Lightly trim back to 4-6 leaves of new growthLawn vs gravel between garden beds - Keith explains why he has opted for grass.Raised beds - timber or colorbond? Keith recommends ModBOX beds (timber). Corrugated iron or colorbond can be good in cooler months but attracts to much heat in summer and can burn roots. Henley's Rustics have wonderful corrugated iron wicking beds for those who prefer metal lookUsing charcoal from your fire? Breakdown with Gogo Juice to create an activated biochar.Potting mix - does it have a shelf life? Store unopened in cool place and it should last approximately 12 monthsManure best left out on the ground for a month or so before use Hydrangeas - only cut back to the nearest node. If cut back to far, you can risk either killing the plant or no flowers the following summerWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Citrus is one of the most talked about topics on Muddy Boots. Don't already have a citrus or thinking of adding a new on to your garden? Today we learn Keith's Top 10 varieties as well as some tips on caring for your citrus.Citrus like lots of heat, full sun and lots of moisture. In areas prone to frost, look to grow near a ‘heat sink' (such as a brick wall or a body of water like a pond). Leave frost affected leaves on the plant to protect from further frost until the frost period is finished. Citrus can be planted in pots with regular feeding (worm ‘wee' is perfect) and plenty of water. Feed all citrus regularly with liquid feed Spring/Summer and slow release feed such as Neutrog Gyganics during Winter months. Spray all citrus trees with ECO Neem and Eco Oil to prevent pests like citrus miner. Citrus Gall affected branches either need to be either removed or the area opened with a sharp knife to kill the larvae.Prune regularly to maintain manageable size and shape.Keith's Top TenMeyer Lemon ‘Prior Lisbon' LemonTahitian LimeFinger LimeWashington Navel Orange‘Arnold' Blood OrangeSatsuma Okitsu Mandarin‘Lemonade' lemonTangelo ‘Seminole'Junos YuzuWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

As regular listeners would know, Keith raves about an easy to use Moon calendar.  Today we meet Sheree Scott whose parents developed this handy, easy to use Moon calendar wheel.This traditional agrarian practice of observing the effect of the gravitational force of the moon has many sceptics in the modern world. This handy, easy to use 1 page moon calendar is a simple way to try this for yourself to observe increased germination rates and plan your gardening guided by the moon phases. The calendar wheel is a perpetual calendar meaning it can be used year on year by simply observing the dates provided on the Moon Gardening Calendar website.Be sure to check out and order your Moon Gardening Calendar and observe the results for yourself!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Ornamental grasses are an excellent way to add height, movement, colour and contrast to your year round landscape. This week we hear about some of Keith's favourite varieties and how to incorporate them into your garden.Most grasses are easy to grow and require minimal attention provided they have reasonable soil. Preferring full sun but some will tolerate part shade. Once established they are drought tolerant and rarely prone to pests or disease.Keith recommends cutting grasses back almost to the ground at the end of winter. Can be then easily divided by digging up and dividing with sharp spade.Some of Keith's favourites include:Miscanthus sinensis ‘Flamingo' - tall form growing to 1.2-1.5mMiscanthus ‘Kleine Fontaine' - with vertical stripe through the leafMiscanthus ‘Klein Silberspinne' - compact varietyMiscanthus ‘Zebrinus' - with horizontal stripe through the leafMiscanthus ‘Adagio' - ideal for smaller gardenMiscanthus ‘Giganteus' - grows to over 2mCalamagrostis -tall vertical accentStipa Gigantea  - tidy clump with 2m flower stemsStipa ‘ichu' - smaller varietyPoa labillardierei - small tussock clumping grassFestuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue'- blue grass 30cmWhy not add some interest to your garden with some of these beautiful grasses!Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Mid July and half way through Winter. Plenty of jobs to prepare for the Spring season ahead!Get your soil into great shape - add compost (Keith recommends Clyde's Compost), Munash Rock Dust, MycoGold (added at time of planting) and mulch. Add products like Blood & Bone manure and Rooster Booster now as these take some months to take effectGood time to plant and/or fertilise brassicas. Feed with liquid fertliser like Charlie Carp or Power Feed now to optimise growth. Still time to plant cabbages, lettuce, radish, turnips, peas, beans and herbsClean up your tools - scrub off rust, sharpen and treat with VaselinePrune deciduous plants including apple trees by approximately ⅓ . Avoid pruning apricots (this should be done in Summer). Prune to an outward growing bud. Open out centre to allow light and air.Prevent (or treat) pests like aphids and mealybugs with ECO Neem and Eco OilContinue to water your vegetables (depending on rain). Vegetables need 4mm a day!Get on top of weeds while they are growing less vigorously. Keith & Elisabeth love F.D Ryan's Ho-Mi and Collinear tools. Best to do in the low growth period on the Moon calendarOpen up compact soil with  F.D Ryan's Broad fork to eliminate algae and mossPerfect time to buy and plant bare-rooted trees (in cooler states). Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

We know from Keith's Instagram that he visited the Agrarian Kitchen at Willow Court in Tasmania. Today we hear from Rodney Dunn, the brainchild behind the Agrarian Kitchen - a restaurant, cooking school and garden set in New Norfolk, Tasmania.The kitchen garden is at the centre of everything that happens at the Agrarian Kitchen with fresh produce being grown and harvested to support the cooking school, restaurant and function venue set Keith applauds the companion planting approach used in the garden to promote continuity of supply over the year. The 5000m vegetable garden is set in what was an old prison yard. The productive garden is a closed loop system with minimal waste, converting food waste into compost to maximise soil production.Next visit to Tasmania, be sure to treat yourself to a visit to this incredible placeWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month's lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?Unwanted grass coming up in garden beds try either organic Slasher or the less toxic version of Roundup now available called Roundup NaturalNectarine with gumosis seems unusual to Keith! Possibly grafted onto an unsuitable rootstock?Pots with wheels! A great idea to enable moving them around with the seasons. Check out Omnia Plant Gliders. Potting mix should be replaced every 3-5 yearsPruning crepe myrtle - cut back by ⅓ in Winter monthsDahlia tubers only need to be dug up if you are in areas with heavy frosts. Feed with Blood & Bone, Rooster Booster or try Strikeback for OrchidsEscallonia hedge is hardy. Can be cut back hard. Keith suggests aerating the surrounding soil with a broad fork (check out F.D Ryan's)Hedge trimmers - Keith recommends AEG or EGO battery operated modelsKurrajong trees attacked by the Kurrajong Bag Moth won't usual destroy the tree but where size allows try ECO Neem and Eco OilRose with botrytis? Remove affected leaves/petals and bin them Hydrangea cuttings should be taken late summer for propagationPlanting an Avocado tree? - plant on mound, feed well and mulch with pea straw or lucerne. Plant min 8m from the nearest Eucalyptus tree.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

Landscaping a garden can be overwhelming. Where to start? What to consider? This week, Keith gives us some practical advice.Steps to follow:Start with a ‘wish list' - consider how you would ideally want to use the space. Do you want a BBQ, a pool, outdoor seating, a pond, vegetable garden etc. Look at the paved areas - do you want decking, paving, granitic sand etc. Start a Pinterest Board can be a great way to explore what you like and compile your ideas.Consider zones including those that you don't want to be seen (utility area, clothes line etc)Create your plan (or employ a landscape architect), drawing in your structures, paving, decking and plants. Using the council plan of your house and garden will help you work to scale to work out the quantities of what you need - eg for soil, plants etcBefore commencing, existing vegetation will need to be poisoned and remove any unwanted materials. Slasher is an excellent organic herbicideLay down the paving decking etcBring in the soil and additional materials for soil improvement. Soil improvement is the number one factor to growing a healthy, lush garden. Adding Compost, Clyde's lignite humate to improve the soil and using products like MycoGold will give your plants a great start. Mulch - Keith recommends granitic sand over the top of soil. Irrigation best to go in before the plants. Check out Dan Modular SprinklersPlanting - Autumn when they can get established before the winter.Consider a landscaper to do the initial work of the pathways, decking, soil and irrigation systems if this is too much work.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Struggling to have enough pockets for your secateurs, phone, seed packets etc while you're working in the garden? Well this week we meet Sahra Dixon, who has the solution!Le Sac is a gardening belt designed to be both practical and stylish. Cotton/canvas, machine washable, built for comfort with plenty of pockets for your gardening essentials (even a pocket for your Airpods!). Affordable at $75.95Find out also about Sahra's other venture - The Wool Shed. The Wool Shed is an intimate, farm-to-table experience, situated on a working farm in Burragate on the far South Coast of New South Wales.Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month's lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?Lemon tree with droopy branches from so much fruit? 4 stakes and lightly tying the branches to support them, could help here. Alternatively, remove some of the fruitCut flower bed in a raised bed - Keith recommends a wild flower mix. Look at The Seed Collection Direct or pre-propagate in a greenhouse? Check the seed pack. Peas, beans etc can be sown directlyHibiscus rubra with spots and holes. Could be metallic flea beetle. Treat with ECO Neem and Eco Oil (including the soil and under the leaves), also try Diatomaceous Earth or companion planting with fennel or corianderFicus stipulata (pumila or minima) is a great choice for covering a fence where the soil depth is minimalHear about the benefits of Comfrey and the experience at the Garden of St.Earth. Other crops like lucerne, beans, peas and “Clever Clover” also have benefits to the soil.Keith recommends MycoGold - added at time of plantingThank 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

Citrus trees - a complex and needy tree to grow but worth it when you are well rewarded with abundant fruit. We have regularly discussed their heavy feeding requirements and the long list of pests that can cause problems. Today, instead, we are discussing “root stock”.Grafting is bringing a tree with good root structure together with best the quality and size of fruit. Rootstock is grown then the trunk is cut above the ground and the desired fruiting tree is grafted onto this trunk. The most common root stock is Trifoliata due to its smaller size, disease resistance and tolerance to cold. Troyer is another common rootstock and “Flying Dragon” is another rootstock ideal for pots or smaller spaces due to its slow growing habit.Most rootstocks have a life span of approximately 10 years. Expect to have to replace your tree after this time. Occasionally a rootstock may send up a shoot. This should be removed to ensure it doesn't dominate the fruiting part of the tree.Citrus care - regular (weekly) deep watering, feed regularly with Neutrog Gyganics or Harry's Citrus Food and regularly spray with a mix of ECO Neem and Eco OilWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Whether you have a large rural garden or a small city balcony, creating “zones” will help you make the most out of the space and optimise its functionality.Hedging is a great way of creating different zonesPlants like Syzygium australe (Straight and Narrow) are perfect for a tall narrow screenGrasses like the giant form of Miscanthus sinesis can be used to divide areasAreas can be divided by using different materials and structures such as concrete reinforcing mesh to grow a creeper on or vertical timber screening that can be softened with plants like Festuca glaucaVarying heights can also enhance a feeling of different rooms or zones. Sunken seating areas, raised garden beds or even raised pools for example (check out Plungie Pools)Garden lighting helps create areas at nightCovered seating/pergola areas - consider a deciduous climber to give shade in summer and light and sun in winterWater features such as birdbaths, fountains, showers add interest and a calming elementPaths link the rooms. Paths can be created using bluestone pavers, concrete pavers, grass, sleepersWhere you can find all things Muddy Boots!Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook