BetterHomesAndGardensAustraliaDecember2015_

(singke) #1

wellordered


Quick prune
New growth will spring
up when warm weather
arrives, but not all that
growth will be consistent
and you’ll end up with
a few awkward-looking
stragglers poking
out. Get on top of the
troublemakers with a pair
of secateurs – they’re
ideal for a quick tidy up.

Uniform light trim
Is your hedge looking
slightly unruly? It may
need a light once-over
to even it out and keep
it looking tidy. Hedge
shears with long blades
offer more coverage than
secateurs, letting you cut
more of the hedge and
straight across. You’ll
get the hang of pruning
by eye, but if you’re
not confident, hammer
in stakes at each end
of the hedge and run
a stringline as a guide.

Heavy prune
If it’s overgrown, you
may need to take drastic
action and cut it right
back. A hedge trimmer
will do the job quickly,
but you need to be
careful as it’s easy to
go too far. Wondering
whether to get electric
or petrol-powered?
An electric weighs less
and is ideal for smaller
bushes, whereas petrol
machines are heavier but
more powerful and good
for large, fast-growing
hedges. Always wear
ear protection when
using them, as they
can be quite loud.

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CONDITIONS OF ENTRYVisit
bhg.com.au for full terms & conditions.
Competition opens 13/10/15 9am AEDT
and closes 12/11/15 at 5pm AEDT.
Winners judged at Promoter’s premises
30/11/15 11am AEDT. Winners notified
by mail & published at bhg.com.au from
04/12/15. Total prize value up to $3270.
The Promoter is Pacific Magazines Pty Ltd,
8 CentralAve, Eveleigh NSW 2015
(ABN 16 097 410 896).

These quality
shearswill be
your best asset
while trimming
hedges and
bushes. The
light but strong
aluminium body and
precision ground blades
will make cutting quick
and easy, while the comfortable
cork-padded handles add style.
Also, its patented PowerGear
mechanism makes cutting three-
and-a-half times easier than
standard mechanisms! We have
30 pairs of Fiskars shears to give
away, valued at $109 each.
For your chance to win a pair,
tell us in 25 words or less why
your garden needs this handy
piece of equipment. Write your
answer, name and address on the
back of an envelope and send to:
BH&GFiskars Quantum Hedge
Shears Competition, GPO BOX
7812, Sydney, NSW, 2001.

WIN!


b
l

FISKARS
QUANTUM
HEDGE
SHEARS

Jason’s big tip – Vegemite!
Don’t let cuttings go to waste!Strike
future hedges from semi-hardwood,
softwood or tip cuttings. Dip bottom of
cutting into rooting hormone, honey or
Jason’s favourite – Vegemite, then bury
stems in potting mix. Leave in a well-lit
spot out of direct sun and water once
a week or when soil is dry.

Keep your hedges in
shape and not a twig
out of place with
these tool tips:

11 4

TRIM


AND TIDY


Photography Phil Aynsley, Brent Wilson
Free download pdf