Plant Nutrients

The big three, famous nutrients plants need are Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium, otherwise known as N,P, and K.

Reno Time!

A client wanted to grow veggies in her front garden and dog-proof her back garden.  Her yard had wooden raised beds that were falling part already, so the reno involved some deconstruction as well as construction.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas, it is safe to say, are pruned in spring.  There are two ways to prune hydrangeas, depending on whether they bloom on old wood or new wood.  

Fall 2011

Ahh, Fall

Falling leaves, soaking rains, shorter days, and maybe frost to tip the fallen leaves.  The licorice fern reappear (pictured), as do many different types of birds, which are back to spend the winter here.  You can hear them singing from the trees and bushes and splashing in local ponds. There are flycatchers, wrens, sparrows, hawks, widgeons, geese, woodducks and harlequins..... It is time to dig out compost, trim and prune, rake leaves, mulch, plant bulbs, and divide perennials.  It is also the start of the off season, which is the perfect time to renovate and create new gardens here in Victoria's mediterranean climate.

Organic gardening

Organic gardening can be as simple as pledging not to use pesticides and chemically produced fertilizers.  It can be as complicated as carefully planning the garden so that each plant has the light, soil, water and companions it likes best.  It can also support native ecology.