Here gardening writer JACKIE WARBURTON looks a topiaries, codling moths and maple trees.
Topiaries, or living sculptures, can be a statement; while they look terrific in a large garden on a grand scale, topiaries are also well suited to pots and can break up a hard surface in a small courtyard garden.
Topiaries are generally small-leaf plants that are horticulturally clipped to desired shapes.
There are many types of topiaries to choose from such as a living pergola, clouds, shapes and spheres.
Living pergolas need to be pruned to maintain shape, but it’s an easy solution for privacy to high neighbouring windows and also provides shade as well.
Topiary cloud pruning is all the rage. With some online research and a little imagination, any shrub can potentially be a cloud-pruned piece of art.
NOW that overnight temperatures have warmed, the nets need to be put over apple and pome fruits to stop codling moths entering the fruit.
Codling moths come alive when night temperatures are around 15C. Moths lay their eggs on the leaves and then the larvae burrow into small fruits and spoil them.
This year I am having success with spraying kaolin clay over the trees. It’s a natural insect barrier and suitable for all fruit and vegetable trees.
Kaolin clay has also been found to protect plants for heat extremes and help retain moisture. I plan to reapply every few weeks through the growing season.
MAPLES now are in full leaf and if they are in shade they will be attractive to aphids.
These small trees are suitable for all small gardens, courtyards, pots and oriental-themed gardens.
They are shallow rooted and need moisture in the summer. Their flowers are insignificant, but it is the foliage for which they are grown. In spring and summer the foliage comes in all shades of green and there are some spectacular red varieties, such as rubrum and Bloodgood.
Their size can be from four metres to dwarf small variants grafted on to small rootstock. Plant maples in early spring or autumn and, in both cases, plant into prepared soil.
Mature maples can be pruned now they are in their growing season. Remove branches back to a main trunk to keep the shape of the tree and prevent water shoots or fast-growing shoots from the branches.
Removed any dead, diseased or damaged wood when the weather is warm and dry. Maples need a little protection from the hot winds in summer but overall, a great tree for a courtyard or small garden.
SUMMER vegetables can be planted now, but if you missed raising seed yourself, there’s an annual seedling sale at the COGS garden, Springett Street, Kambah, 10am-3pm on November 1. There are market stalls and Fiona Buining from Ainslie and Urban Farm and I will be there for talks and workshops.
Jottings
- Cut bulb leaves once they have withered.
- Plant runners off old strawberry plants in new compost soil.
- Sprinkle dolomite lime to prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes.
- Plant blue flowering plants for the bees.
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