How To Prevent Weeds In Your Garden
Weeds pertain to the grasses or plants that grow where they are not wanted and needed. Often, they are considered harmful and are unattractive to look at. Because actual weed control and management are more expensive and more difficult to perform, prevention is the most effective method of dealing with weeds.
But before you can do preventive measures, it is also best that you know how weeds spread and grow in order to prevent them from entering or invading your property.
There are various possible ways that weeds are spread:
Airborne Seeds
Airborne weed seeds find their way to your garden through wind. The most common types are thistle, flatweed, and dandelion.
Creeper and Runner Seeds
These weeds find their way to your property by creeping and climbing into garden beds. The most common types are couch grass, pigweed, wandering jew, and kikuyu.
Hitchhiker Seeds
Some seeds are easily transported by insects and animals. These weeds usually have spiky or hairy seeds that can quickly adhere to the fur of animals. The most common types are burr medic, bindies, blackberry, and bidgee-widgee.
Weed Prevention Methods
- Check if the existing plants in your garden are free from weeds.
- Remove plants that will potentially become weeds.
- Avoid planting plants that will likely become weeds.
- Dispose of garden waste properly and carefully.
Weed Control Methods
- Mulching
Mulch helps prevent and control weeds while retaining the moisture and temperature of the soil. If the weeds are already thick and mature, it is best to cut them off or mow them first before you apply mulch.
Lay sheets of newspaper or weed mats on dampened soil and top it off with mulch. Most weed seeds will rot and some may survive but would unlikely be able to force their way through the mulch. Ensure the mulch is thick enough to block the sunlight and prevent the weed from pushing its way up.
- Chemical Weed Control
When the weed problem is too difficult to handle, the use of a chemical spray is necessary. Commercially made herbicides are toxic and should be handled with care. If you want to use safer, more environmentally friendly solutions, you may create homemade herbicides. The most frequently used homemade weed killers are salt, vinegar, and soap.
- Weeding
Remove weeds the moment you see them. Regularly pulling out weeds will prevent them from further germinating and spreading. This will also eliminate the need for more thorough and more expensive control methods.
For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
Top 3 Autumn Garden Pests
Autumn, the season between summer and winter, is the time of the year when the leaves change colour. The sun’s heat mellows down and the days become more soothing. It is considered one of the most enjoyable times to engage in gardening.
Autumn is an excellent time for planting fast-growing herbs and plants, fertilising, pruning, and aerating. However, it is also the time of the year when pests become troublesome. While there are insects and animals that are beneficial to the garden, there are also some that are quite destructive. Control and eradication measures are necessary to keep your garden and plants healthy.
Some of the most common autumn garden pests are:
1. Aphids
With more than 4,000 species, these pests come in white, yellow, green brown, black, and pink colours. You can identify these critters through their pear-shaped bodies, a pair of abdominal tubes, and long antennae. The most prevalent species in Australia are the cotton aphid and the cabbage aphid. They attack fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals by sucking the sap from the plant’s vessels.
How to identify an aphid infestation
- Unusual leaf drop or stunted growth
- Curled yellowing or browning leaves
- Presence of ants because of a sticky substance called “honeydew”
- Presence of black spots, also known as sooty mold
Control Measures
- For a minor infestation, you can prune the affected area and spray with homemade garlic spray or systemic insecticide.
- For a severe infestation, the use of a more potent insecticide is needed — usually, sprays with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap are effective.
2. Snails and Slugs
- Garden snails and slugs are a huge threat to garden plants. They attack seedlings, leaves, and fruits. The most common among their species are the brown snail and the grey field slug. They avoid the sun and are most active during the night. They thrive well in moist places.
How to identify a snail or slug infestation
- Shiny silver trails on plants
- Big holes on leaves
Control Measures
- Use homemade organic sprays made of garlic and wormwood.
- Create a snail bait with the use of beer.
- Place copper tape around pots and garden beds.
3. Caterpillars
The cabbage moth and the cabbage white butterfly lay caterpillars that are harmful to cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflowers. They feed on the leaves or fruits of these vegetables.
How to identify a caterpillar infestation
- Large holes on the outer leaves
- Discolouration of the head of cauliflowers and broccoli
Control Measures
- Use a vegetable mesh around your plants.
- Pick the caterpillars and squash them.
- Plant herbs with a strong smell such as basil, coriander, and sage.
For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
Preparing To Plant Winter Vegetables
One of the best things about living in New Zealand is that even if it’s winter, you can still grow and harvest your own delicious produce on your own garden. Regardless of the zone or province you’re in, you have a variety of vegetables you can choose from to plant and grow in your outdoor space.
However, the success of your winter vegetable planting venture will depend greatly on your preparation of your garden bed. To prepare your veggie patch for winter gardening, follow the tips below:
Harvest all remaining crops.
The first step to prepping your garden bed is to pick all of the remaining crops. If you can’t eat or use them now as ingredients for meals, you can preserve them instead so that you can enjoy them in the future.
For instance, if there are still herbs such as oregano and marjoram in your garden, trim them and hang the clippings in a warm, dry spot indoors. Use an airtight container to store the dried leaves.
Prep the garden bed.
If there are still some plants and even weeds on the garden patch, make sure you remove them completely, down to the roots. You can put them on the compost heap and use them later on. Once done, dig the whole patch using a fork or spade. You can mix mulch into the soil while doing this. If there are clods, break them up so that you get nice, crumbly soil.
Condition the bed soil.
Before planting, you need to condition the soil with mushroom compost or cow or chicken manure. Lightly dig the compost or manure into the soil then rake it, making sure it is crumbly, level, and smooth. The conditioner you placed will eventually break down and supply the soil with beneficial organic matter. If you’re looking for a type of conditioner that is free, opt for compost. It will help regenerate the soil and increase its water-holding capacity by at least 30%.
Water the bed properly.
Give the patch a good watering at least one day before you plant. By doing so, you will help the manure and compost break down and settle sufficiently.
Spread mulch on the bed.
Lastly, before sowing the seeds, add mulch, such as sugar cane or pea straw. Mulch will help the soil conserve moisture since they it reduces evaporation and prevents weed growth by restricting light and modifying the temperature of the soil by keeping it cool or warm when necessary.
Plants to Grow
If you live in Auckland, and other parts that have temperate weather conditions, the best plants to grow are Chinese greens such as Pak Choi, Brussel sprouts, peas, cabbage, and turnips. If you want to grow some herbs, you can plant garlic bulbs, sage, parsley, thyme, and coriander.
Gardeners living in areas located in the cool and southern such as Christchurch and Dunedin have a variety of vegetables to choose from. These include asparagus, artichoke, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, lettuce, peas, radish, and spinach.
Once you have chosen your vegetables, sow the seeds and water them deeply but frequently. Be on the lookout for weeds, pests, and other invaders that can cause you to lose your produce.
Need help preparing to plant winter vegetables? Call Jim’s Mowing on 0800 454 654 or book online. For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
Growing Fruits And Vegetables In Autumn
Autumn is the perfect season to spend a lot of your time on your garden. This is because it isn’t too hot or too cold yet that you would feel uncomfortable out under the sun, spending several hours outdoors doing the usual gardening chores.
Autumn is also the perfect time for you start a fruit and vegetable garden on your outdoor space. If you don’t have one yet and you always keep putting off this project, then this season is the right time for you to try this out.
What Should You Plant?
Choosing the right varieties of fruits and vegetables to plant is crucial if you want to be sure you will have something to harvest during and before the end of autumn.
If your garden is located in the subtropical area (Southeast QLD and Northern NSW) or in the wet and dry tropical region (North Queensland, NT, and WA), the fruits and vegetables you should be planting include:
- Capsicum
- Carrots
- Celery
- Melons
- Tomatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Spinach
- Spring onions
- Turnips
For those living in temperate areas including Sydney, Victoria, and NSW’s coastal area, here are some of vegetables you should be planting:
- Broad beans
- Green beans
- English spinach
- Peas
- Garlic bulbs
Garden Care
The usual garden care and maintenance steps are essential to ensure the healthy growth and yield of your vegetables and fruits. Watering them frequently with the right amount of hydration is essential. Spreading organic fertiliser and compost is crucial as well. Weeds have to be prevented from crowding your plants, too.
Aside from these, you need to make sure you protect your plants from pests. Without the right pest control strategies, you will lose all your fruits and veggies to insects, aphids, and fungal diseases.
Here are some safe, organic pest control and prevention tips you can implement in your garden:
- Water the soil instead of the foliage to prevent leaf fungal diseases.
- Control aphids with the use of pyrethrum.
- If you notice some tomatoes have the spotted virus wilt (which is caused by nematodes), remove them immediately so that this disease won’t spread to the other yield.
- Hang sticky yellow insect traps throughout the vegetable patch to attract and trap flying insects such as fruit flies and thrips.
- Place old, unused pantyhose over the growing tomatoes to prevent fruit flies from ruining the fruits.
If you want to spend more time outdoors during autumn, do something worthwhile like starting a garden kitchen in your lawn. Although this can be a hard and time-consuming project, everything will be worthwhile once you start seeing and tasting the fruits (and vegetables) of your labour.
For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
Why You Should Consider Hiring a Landscaper
There are many possible reasons you can think of as to why it is far better to work with someone when planning a garden for your property rather than do it on your own. You might have your own reason, too, such as having no time to do it (either to start or maintain it) or no skill for gardening, but you still would love to make your green property much delightful.
Whatever your reason is, opting to hire a contract landscaper is no doubt very beneficial. A seasoned contract landscaper would have the required know-how to complete the project for you. They would have the needed equipment and manpower to get the job done on time and without hassle. They would also have the expertise on almost every aspect of your lawn or gardening needs.
Here is a summary of the benefits you can get from hiring a seasoned contract landscaper.
They provide premium quality work. From basic landscaping, garden rejuvenation and clean-ups to doing regular maintenance work like mowing, weeding, hedging and trimming, you are certain that they can get all of it done with flying colors. In most cases, they would have someone on-site (the owner, ideally) at every job to oversee and ensure quality of work. From the moment you asked for a free no-obligation quote to the time the project is completed, someone is there acting as your client care specialist, making certain to deliver exceptional customer service.
They are honest and reliable. Seasoned contractors are very sensitive about delivering what they promise – and that is peace of mind. They are not just fully insured against public liability but are also registered and OHS compliant. It is also important to note that reliable landscapers are members of the Independent Lawn mowing Association of Australia, which is a respected organisation ensuring the security and credibility of individual contractors.
They have decades of professional work experience. There is no other way to prove their reliability than to see examples of their work. And they would be more than happy to provide references from previous clients. With years of experience, they know the ins and outs of every aspect of the gardening industry. They are completely aware of all the tasks required for each client’s gardening and lawn mowing needs because they have worked with different clients from various agencies such as real estate, schools, hotels, and government agencies. They know the difference between maintaining unit complexes around Melbourne and servicing commercial gardens around Brisbane.
They offer superior service at a price you can afford. One of the best benefits of working with a contract landscaper is that they are able to customise almost everything in consideration of your budget requirements. Most seasoned contractors are small family businesses, which means you directly and personally work with them. They are able to provide excellent results at very affordable costs because you are not paying for royalties.
For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
What Do Commercial Landscapers Actually Do?
Landscaping can address aesthetics, air quality, biodiversity, local food production, water management, climate modification, and habitat creation. It can also help cool and warm your property.
Benefits of Commercial Landscaping
Commercial property owners can greatly benefit from commercial landscaping, which is a complete landscaping service that will include planning, designing, installation and maintenance of landscapes for both small and big businesses.
Studies have shown that with a well-maintained landscape, your business can attract new clients. Also, this will boost worker productivity. Investing in attractive landscaping is a great way of showing your ecological values to your customers. Let your customers know you are doing so by installing native plants and watering gardens, and using sustainable hardscape materials. Advocating the use of earth-friendly practices is also a smart move.
Sustainable Landscaping
Sustainable landscaping refers to designing and constructing the landscape around the building and enhancing the natural landscapes. It means putting back much of what might have been in place prior to development. It also means presenting things that weren’t there before to make sure that the landscape is economical and eco-friendly.
Plants that perform well in the area are very crucial. Sustainable plants include native and indigenous plants. Native plants are those from Australia while indigenous plants are those specific to a certain place. Ideally, these plants must perform well even without the need for soil modification, excessive watering, and thorough maintenance regimes.
What Can Commercial Landscapers Do
Commercial landscapers do more than just mowing the lawn.
First, they can help you plan as well as install an inviting workplace frontage based on your set budget.
Second, they can see what must be done so that your business is always looking its best.
Lastly, they can offer seasonal or regular maintenance services for mowing, trimming, plant replacement, pruning, and weeding.
Characteristics Commercial Landscapers Must Have
- Excellent communication skills – They must contact you through email or phone regularly and always inform you of what must be done and how long it will take.
- Proactive – They must anticipate possible landscape problems and opportunities.
- Transparent – The invoices they give you must be clear and understandable. They must clearly show where your hard-earned money is going.
- Experienced – They must have plenty of years of experience when it comes to performing commercial landscaping. Check the properties they have landscaped before.
- Resourceful – They reuse existing site materials, like excavated rocks. Also, they use recycled materials like crushed concrete and recycled glass wherever possible.
There are no such things as maintenance-free landscapes. Everything created artificially for human purposes will require on-going maintenance. And this means investing in commercial landscaping services.
For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
Benefits Of Hiring A Contract Gardener
A garden is supposed to be an area in your home where you can relax, have some peace and quiet, and commune with nature. But with all the work that comes with maintaining and enhancing your garden, often, you can hardly find the time to enjoy the benefits that your outdoor space has to offer.
Hiring a contract gardener is often the best decision you can make if you want to have a beautiful, thriving garden yet still have the time to actually enjoy it. Although many people think that this is an expensive option that best suits only the most affluent property owners, this is a misconception that is slowly being corrected.
This is because hiring a professional gardener for occasional jobs or on a contractual basis offers several benefits that even the average income earner will easily notice and enjoy.
Below are the top five benefits that come with hiring a contract gardener:
- They provide industry expertise and experience.
Most gardens require a unique kind of care. This is because a lawn has particular types of soil and water requirements and varying degrees of soil pH; the plants growing or that must be cultivated are usually different as well.
If you’re new to gardening, or if you’re an old hat but still can’t seem to understand why some plants are dying quickly, or don’t know which ones you should grow in your lawn, professional gardeners will offer their best insights and advice that come from their years of experience, training, and stock knowledge.
When you hire a pro, you won’t have to waste time researching and choosing which plants you should grow. For instance, if you live in Melbourne, gardening pros already know that the best plants to grow in autumn include the English daisy, French marigold, pansy, primula, and viola.
- They have the right gardening tools and equipment.
A lawn mower, pruners, rake, trowel, and shovels are just some typical gardening tools and equipment that gardeners have. Owning all of them can be a costly investment. It can also be a useless one if you don’t actually garden with them because you don’t have the time to do so.
A gardening contractor will show up at your home bringing all the tools and pieces of equipment he will need to maintain or spruce up your garden; as such, you won’t have to buy any new gardening items.
- They’ll come when you call, regardless of the season or weather condition.
It can be easy to feel too lazy to work on your garden when it’s too hot or too cold outside. A professional gardener, however, will push through and finish the job regardless of the season. Whether you need to keep your garden free of leaves and other debris during autumn or to have it aerated during spring, you can rely on your gardener to do this — and to do it right.
- They can help build your own organic produce garden.
If you want to have vegetables and fruit-bearing plants in your garden in addition to flowering ones, you’ll have an easier time achieving this goal with the help of a professional gardener. They will know which plants would work or thrive best in your garden’s conditions and when to plant them. You won’t have to waste money and time experimenting and getting nothing.
- You’ll have an effortlessly healthy and beautiful garden.
Finally, if you truly understand the benefits that having a thriving a garden offers to your property, you know that a lot of hard work will have to go into maintaining and enhancing it. Mowing, watering, fertilising, mulching, weeding, over-seeding, and tree and bush pruning are just some of the tasks that have to be done regularly and properly. If you want to get away from all these tasks yet still have a garden you can enjoy and be proud of, hire a contract gardener.
For more garden and landscaping tips, tune in for more Jim’s Mowing NZ blogs.
