Garden Work, Maintenance, Making a scarecrow, Royal Melbourne Show, Scarecrows, Spring, Spring Gardening

Want to make a scarecrow?

sarahjwrites

Making a scarecrow can be as easy or as complex as you wish it be. It is a great DIY project for the whole family.  All you need are some old clothes, straw and stuffing, a few bits of wood and your imagination.

Great guides are available via these websites:

 

WHAT’S ON IN MELBOURNE: Royal Melbourne Show

22nd September to 2 October 2018

Melbourne Show Grounds

http://royalshow.com.au

Blueberries, Spring, Spring Gardening

Is it starting to feel more like Spring yet?

sarahjwrites

Well, not quite yet. Although there are signs of Spring bulbs and new life in the garden. The birds are actively stealing my neatly laid sugar cane mulch to add to their nests, and the weeds are getting a hold of the garden.

If you’re in the mood for planting, then consider the following:

  • Tomato seedlings and/or seeds
  • Potatoes (seed potatoes)
  • Beetroots
  • Carrots
  • Radishes
  • Spring Onions
  • Melons
  • Beans & peas

Do you want to try you hand at growing Blueberries? Better get them in ground very soon (before the weather warms up). Here are a few tips to help you on your way:

  • Blueberries need a freely draining, acidic and preferably sandy soil.
  • Water regularly but don’t soak out the roots (drip watering is great)
  • They grow best in full sun
  • Plant from late Autumn to early spring. You will be sold a bare-rooted, dormant plant (looks like a stick with roots)
  • For more information download the Blueberry fact sheet: Blueberries Fact Sheet

e-book, Garden Work

“Gardening for Beginners: Hints and Tips for Melbourne, Australia” is out now

sarahjwrites

So you want to start a garden? No idea where to start? Then this may be the guide for you. “Gardening for Beginners” is a handy reference book with basic hints and tips for the new gardener. It contains no fancy terms, no superior expertise, just honest advice from someone just like you. There are sections on what tools to buy, growing vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers, dealing with pests, and working out which fertilisers are best for you.

It is written for a cool climate, but the advice is useful anywhere. The book is based on the quirky and informative blog Sarah’s Melbourne Kitchen Garden.

You can get a copy through Amazon: 

Check out the promotional video at You Tube

Spring, Spring Gardening, Spring has Sprung

Spring has sprung!

sarahjwrites

Spring has sprung! (Apparently). It’s still darn cold, but it’s time to get out there and start planning for the Summer months.

 THINGS TO DO IN SPRING

  • Order summer seedlings
  • Propagate summer seeds
  • Start removing finished winter crops
  • Conduct soil tests on veg beds
  • Mulch veg beds, fertilise (add manure, compost and alike)
  • Weeding
  • Clean and repair outdoor furniture
  • Clean BBQ

Stay tuned for more Spring posts!

Maintenance

Winter Garden Work

sarahjwrites

It’s hard to find the motivation to do any gardening at all, with the weather being a cold, rainy, windy, and generally unpredictable. I use the Winter months to do my maintenance work – tidy the potting shed, repair trellises, weed and mulch. (so not much gets done). This year, I’m hoping to finish painting the side fence in the front yard – it’s only been half painted for the last 5 years!. Wish me luck.