PICTURES: ALAMY, GETTY IMAGES
Do you have a gardening question? Charlie can’t wait to answer it!
4 Are grass clippings good
to use as garden mulch?
Elaine,Launceston,Tas
Occasionally disposing of
grass clippings in your garden
beds is just fine, but I don’t
recommend doing it every
time you mow the lawn as
you’ll overload the soil with
nitrogen-rich organics. It’s
a much better idea to put
your grass clippings in your
compost bin and allow them
to break down properly over
time as you’ll get a much
more rounded nutrient
benefit for your plants.4 Can you change
the colour of flowers
on particular plants
by using different
soils? For example,
my roses were white
and five years later
they’ve turned pink!
Rebecca,Parramatta,NSW
You can change hydrangeas from
purpleto blue by altering the pH
in the soil, but the colour of roseshas absolutely nothing
to do with soil pH. I’ve
only noticed the colour
of roses transform
during a drastic change
in the weather – this
can make white roses
turn pink. Alternatively,
your rose may be
and the root stoc
might be taking o
altering the hue.Grass half fullAsk CHARLIE
4 How often should you
dig up dahlias and split
the bulbs?
Mary,viaemail
If you’re in a really chilly
region of Australia you’ll
need to dig up your dahlia
tubers each year to protect
them from the cold in the
ground. If you’re looking
to divide your plants then
this needs to be carried
out in winter, too, and should only really be done with mature plants as smaller
ones will yield less babies. When lifting and splitting, ensure each new plant
has an “eye” which is generally found on top of the tuber ridge, close to where
the tuber meets the stem of the plant.Dahlia bulbsDo you have a gardening issue or question for
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Australiaon Foxtel’s
Lifestyle channelan eye on the
nasturtiums – you want them to be
the trap but you’ll need to pull them
out and get rid of them as soon as
you see eggs forming on the leaves
so the aphids don’t multiply and then
jump to your vegies.
Marigolds are also terrific companion
plants as they attract aphids, as well
as adding a welcome splash of bright
colour to your garden. They can also
be used to protect against nematodes,
which are worm-type creatures that
devastate the root systems of plants.
To keep these nematodes away,
mass-plant your marigolds and let them
mature to a solid block, then in autumn
dig them through the soil and leave
them to compost down over the winter.
The following spring, plant directly
into your soil-and-marigold mix and
you won’t have to worry about
nematodes for a long time.TOP TIPS
Cloches or
tunnels made
from shade fabric
will protect your
precious seedlings
from pests and
also speed up new
seedling growth by
creating a pocket
of warm air around
plant leaves.The simplest and
most effective way
to get nasties out
of the garden is to
keep it clean and
tidy. Removing
spoiled fruit and
spent plants gets
rid of excess food- and breeding
grounds for pests
and diseases.
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Wasp