Did you know that of all the fertiliser sold in Australia, ~ 1/3 is sold in Perth? 

Did you also know...recent studies have found that, on average, 5 times as much fertiliser is applied to lawns than is actually needed?

Overwatering is one of the most common causes of nutrient deficiency!  Approximately 60% of lawn fertiliser is leached past the root-zone and ends up in our ground water and wetlands.  In fact, many of the agle blooms that we hear of so often can be directly associated with our suburban gardening habits. 

Unfortunately, in our quest for a healthy looking green lawn and garden, we mistakenly apply the theory that 'if some is good, then more must be better!'   

Fertilisers should only be applied to lawns and gardens in early Spring and Autumn (this is also the perfect time to apply granulised soil wetting agents).  Organic fertilisers (e.g. Blood and Bone) should be sparingly applied around the drip line of plants, lightly incorporated into the soil (your plant's feeder roots are only in the first 2 - 3 inches of soil) and watered in.  If you feel you must fertilise your lawn, try to find a fertiliser with low phosphorus levels (i.e. N:P:K  ratio of ~ 10:1:6) and please follow the directions - generally 1 tablespoon full is enough to cover 1sqm.  A list of the levels of phosphorus contained in many of the chemical fertalisers readily sold in Perth can be found at the SERCUL website.

And one quick clarrification...please don't mistake the term 'organic' to mean 'manure'.  Manures are very high in phosphorus and will often turn your soils alkaline and water repellant.  If you are going to use them, please do so sparingly and dig them through your garden - don't use it as a mulch! 

1. Acacia drummondii (Drummonds Wattle) - <1m (H), <1m (W).  Soft foliage and produces masses of dense rod shaped yellow flowers in winter through to spring.
2. Banksia varieties - from prostrate to large sized shrubs to small trees, all bare the large bright flower cones and are spectacular at this time of year.
3. Callistemon x viminalis (Matthew Flinders) - 75cm (H), 50cm (W).  A compact shrub with dense blue/green foliage and masses of bright red flower balls through winter and spring.
4. Correa backhouseana & glabra - 1.5m (H), 1.5m (W).  Also known as the Native Fuchsia.  These varieties posses dark green through to a verigated ovular leaves and produce masses of pendulous tubular flowers (ranging from cream to pink to red) during the winter months.
5. Grevillea preissii (Sea Spray) - >50cm (H), 2m (W).  This is a beautiful groundcover with soft grey/green foliage and produces small bright red flowers that seem to be dripping off the ends of their branches.
6. Grevillea Robyn Gordon, Superb, Moonlight, Misty Pink just to name a few.  There are so many new Grevilleas on the market.  All are great performers and range in size from small shrubs (>1m) to medium and large shrubs.  The 4 varieties that I've named are my all-time favourites.
7. Hardenbergia comptoniana - a versatile spreading climber also known as the Native Wisteria.  Slender dark green foliage with masses of clumped blue/purple, pink or white flowers.  If it's got nothing to climb it has a tendancy to grow into a mounded shape.
8. Protea (Pink Ice) - 2.5m (H), 2m (W).  Typically erect smoth stems with dark green leaves and large showy pink flowers through autumn and winter.  Cut Protea flowers make a beutiful table centre piece and will last for a very long time in a vase.
9. Westringia glabra - 1.5m (H), 1m (W).  Westringia varieties are sometimes referred to as Coastal or Native Rosemary.  This variety possesses dense dark green foliage and small lilac flowers through winter, spring and summer.
10. Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paw) & Conostylis candicans (Grey Cottonhead) - Because I've doubled up on Grevilleas, I'll make special mention of two strap-leafed plants that aren't meant to be flowering now but seem to be doing so quite prolifically.  Typically Kangaroo Paws flower from spring through to the end of autumn, while Cottonheads are supposed to be spring flowering.  Both have been in flower (in my garden at least) since early July!  All of the new hybrid Kangaroo Paws are fantastic performers, but you can't go past our native emblem Anigozanthos manglesii (the red, black and green Kangaroo Paw).

How do you keep your new timber deck looking as good as new?  Regular maintenance!

An exposed deck has to stand up to all sorts of punishment - too much moisture, drying out, ultraviolet light, mold, mildew, bacteria, spills, scrapes and foot traffic. Following a regular maintenance routine will not only enhance the appearance of your deck but also dramatically extend its life.

Sweeping your deck every week or two will help reduce the build up of dirt and grime and will also help to prevent mold and mildew.  Mopping your deck once a month with a wood soap solution will clean up spills and stains as well as enhance the luster of the oil.  As with your carpets, it's important to clean spills quickly to prevent staining.

Oiling twice yearly is the real key to a great looking deck.  Spring and autumn are the best times to do it, so your deck is best able to deal with the extremes of sumer and winter.  But it's not just a matter of slapping on another coat of oil - good preparation is the key to a good result!

The first step is to clean the deck thoroughly.  You'll need a bucket of warm water, wood soap (or bleach/chlorine-free sugar soap), a stiff broom and plenty of elbow grease.  If you've got some particularly stubborn stains you can try lightly sanding the area with a medium grade sandpaper or applying a diluted oxcalic acid solution to the area (often marketed as a 'Spa and Deck Cleaner').

If your deck is prone to developing mould (particularly common in very shady areas), using a deck clean solution that contains mold and mildew inhibitors is a good idea.  These can be found in the deck oil section of your local paint and hardware store.

You'll need to wait until your deck is completely dry before applying any oil or stain - 24hrs is a good rule of thumb.

Now you face a delema...should you use an oil or a stain?

Traditionally, a stain is used to either change the colour of a deck or to bring some life back to a greying deck.  We recommend that an oil with a slight stain is used on all decks.  The school of thought behind this is that the stain acts as a type of sunscreen for the timber and will offer better protection against the harsh summer sun.  It's worth noting that if your deck is a dark timber you should use a light coloured stain.

There are plenty of different brands on the market (some that also contain mould and mildew inhibitors) including environmentally and family friendly plant based oils and stains such as Livos, Ecowood and Bio Natural.

The oil/stain is best applied along the length of the decking boards (usually 4 boards at a time) using a woolen application pad on a long handle (found on the shelves next to the deck oils and cleaners).  It's best to apply 2 thin coats rather than adopt the 'more is better' rule.  Allow each coat to penetrate (each product is different, so please follow the directions on the tin) before wiping off any excess (we use a clean applicator pad for this).  Following the manufacturer's recomended penetration time, apply a second thin coat and wipe off any excess as before. 

After you've packed everything away, it's time for the final, and agruably most important, step in the process...make yourself a drink, sit down and enjoy your deck!

We're often asked, "what's the best fertiliser to use" or, "what type of soil should I be using?"  The answer to both those questions is the same...Compost!

You can buy "compost" from many different suppliers and in many different forms.  But not all "composts" are the same.  A lot of "composts" on the market will contain a mixture of blended manures to add body to peat or topsoil.  We recommend and use, what we call, a "true compost" - only decomposed plant and vegetable matter. 

But why not save yourself some money and help save the environment by making your own?  By far the easiest way is to buy yourself a compost tumbler or two (these range in price from $100 up to $400), pop it in a sunny corner of the garden and fill it with vegetable scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds, garden prunings and lawn clippings.  And there's no need to worry about it smelling.  Composting material will only smell if it is too wet and/or it hasn't been aerated.

You can apply your compost to all of your plants - even natives - and, if it's fine enough, can be lightly dusted/swept onto your lawn in place of a chemical fertiliser.

If you've got a veggie garden, fruit trees or some nutrient hungry exotic plants you might want to also consider a worm farm.  Here you've got a tripple benefit - reduction in what is sent to landfill and the double output - worm "tea" and worm castings.  Both are extremely potent and need be "shandied down" at a 1:10 ratio of "tea" : water and castings : soil.  Be warned though, your worm's outputs will be too much for most of your natives to handle!

You'll be amazed at the difference it makes to your garden!