| Advice
For Growers
Late
Winter Early Spring
Troubles you may encounter during this time are:
BIRDS
Doves and parrots love to pick seed
from pots, or snip off new green shoots. To scare them you can
hang up empty wine bladders, wind chimes, scarecrows or eagle
shaped decoys. Or protect your pots with mesh such as wire mesh
or mosquito netting. Acacias
are particularly susceptible.
NO GERMINATION
This could be due to a number
of factors:
- Many seeds need a soil temperature
over 25C, so move your pots to a sunnier site.
- Your pots may be drying out too
much - the top 1cm of soil needs to remain moist while the
seedlings are very small.
- Birds or rats might be getting
to your seed.
- The seed you were given may have
poor viability.
Don't leave it too late.
If your seed hasn't come up in the allotted time ask your coordinator
for some more seed.
Late
Summer Early Autumn
Troubles you may encounter during this time are:
MILDEW
AND FUNGUS
Watch out for your grey leaf
eucalypts!
If fungus does occur chemical sprays
can be used. See your local garden nursery and explain the problem.
APHIDS
Watch your Calothamnus, Callistemons,
Melaleucas and Agonis flexuosa!
- Control ants in your greenhouse
as they 'farm' aphids and spread them from pot to pot.
- Remove all the ladybirds and
treat with a spray suitable for chewing and sucking insects.
Alternatively, see your local garden nursery and explain your
problem.
Autumn
Troubles you may encounter during this time are:
SLOW
GROWTH
Some seedlings may be growing
so slowly that they will not be ready for winter.To increase
their growth rate you can:
Increase the sun and heat the seedlings
are exposed to.
Apply liquid fertiliser (use a
solution twice as dilute as what is recommended on the product).
Apply a top dressing of slow release
'Osmocote for natives'. This will not be suitable closer to
winter as the rate of fertiliser release slows down in cold
weather.
FUNGUS
Watch out for your grey
leaf eucalypts!
- Adjust watering to suit the
colder temperatures.
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