Gerbera Garvinea - Winter hardy perennial Gerbera

We're finally there, or here... I'm not sure which.  But we have shipped our first Gerbera Garvinea plants. The pictures above are promotional shots from the breeders (Florist bv.) but I'm happy to report that results like this are easy to achieve. Just find a sunny spot and make sure their roots are in well drained soil, they really do like to be grown dry.

Unfortunately I don't have a photo but Garvineas have been used beautifully in the Tree & Shrub Growers of Victoria's Gold Medal winning display at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. Our plants have been released to nine independent retail Garden Centre outlets around Melbourne and we are looking for more quality retailers to partner with us to give this terrific plant the presentation it deserves. There's also a great chance ("99%") that Graeme Ross will feature Gerbera Garvinea on tonight's Better Homes & Gardens Flower & Garden Show showcase (Channel 7, 7.30pm).

Keep in mind that these plants have been bred for garden performance, they make great pots and the long slender stems produce beautiful cut flowers. Only don't cut the flowers off, give them a gentle twist and fold so that the stem breaks off right down at the growing point at the base of the plant. Pick the flowers often it encourages fresh growth and prevents the spent flowers getting tatty. All potted Gerberas prefer a sunny position so if you bring pots inside, make it short term then send them back outside to recover.

By the way I'll be at the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria's Great Victorian Hanging Basket Competition display (site B59) at the Flower Show on Sunday. Carlton Gardens, 9.00am-5.00pm please come and say hello if your coming in and if you get any inspiring photos, please send some my way.

What's Hosta?

Hosta undulata

Mad as it sounds I had to look Hostas up to find out anything about them. The name has been there, probably since childhood but I've never grown them or taken any interest. However amongst the assorted stuff I've been trying this year is Hosta undulata and we have some ready to sell.

We had them growing under light shade at first but found they preferred a darker position, so there's tip one.  The first book I checked recommended well drained soil but Stirling Macoboy (always a great fallback) recommends "shady, moist positions" which fits better with my limited knowledge.  I imagine them growing in moist shady gullies and planting around swimming pools seams to be popular. Hostas originated in Japan and China and are great for a tropical look. They will die down over winter and bounce back afresh in spring.  The curvaceous, undulating leaves provide great colour over a long period and they are apparently very tasty to slugs.

Hosta undulata "Erromena"

We have small batches of H. undulata which has the very distinctive cream streaked foliage and H undulata "Erromena" which has the more solid green colouring. Both these plants have relatively insignificant mauve flowers on tall, slender stems through summer.

I went to check our Hostas prior to starting this Newsletter and had a very pleasant surprise. In our shady igloo under the gum tree we shuffled last year's complete failure, Kalanchoe Queen. By chance we purchased plugs around March last year but they were a disaster. The young plants just refused to develop any roots and very promptly started budding.  The winter/spring flowers were stunning but the plants just weren't good enough to support them. Well surprise, surprise they are now luxurious and glossy and waiting to set a new set of buds. OK an 18 month crop in 125mm pots can never pay for itself, but my faith in our ability to grow has been renewed, just have to work out the proper timing now.

What should I plant in March?

Hi Peter

I love sweet peas are they ready to buy & are they at any of the garden centres near Kilsyth.

what flower seedlings & veggie seedlings would you recommend to plant at the moment.
Because of the humid weather I have had a lot of mildew & sap sucking insects, any hints to control them?
My tomatoes are terrible this year except for the small varieties.
I read in one of your news letters that you used, the winter version of sudden impact for roses what was it called as I want to buy some.
Thanks
Maureen

Wow, that's a month's worth of newsletters in one query.

Unfortunately having sown our Sweet Peas in the early hours of St Patrick's Day, 17th March (Cath emailed to say it's also traditional to sow your seeds naked!  Can you imagine how cold it is in Ireland at this time of year? Sorry, but we'll only go so far for our art) they will not be ready for another week yet.

What are we planting now?  Primulas! I think March is the ideal month for Prims.  Anything earlier won't produce flowers any quicker and planting after the end of April generally encourages flowers too quickly before the plant has had a chance to develop properly. Without a big strong plant to support the flowers the display suffers. Same is actually true for Cinerarias, Stocks and Ornamental Kale is great for colour in the cold of winter.  Planting now produces flowers late in the winter (starting July) and peaking in the early part of spring.  If you can't wait that long the palette of flowering varieties is diminishing, Pansy and Viola will still flower 6-8 weeks from planting and give good colour through Melbourne's winter. Although it eventually frustrates many gardeners we're nearly exclusively Violaceae from now until September.

Vegies are interesting. Ideal time for Brassicas; Cauli, Broccoli, Cabbage and depending on the gardener Brussels Sprouts. Oh, don't forget the Oriental Brassicas: Chinese Cabbage, Chinese Broccoli (Kailaan) and Broccolini which despite its Italian sounding name is a Kailaan/Broccoli, sweet & a little nutty. crossPlanting in March and April is ideal for a burst of vigorous growth before cold weather helps ripen the vegies in winter and early spring. Of course in our mild climate there's still time for a Lettuce crop, especially the open headed picking types: Salad mix, Baby Combo, Red & Green Oak Leaf. And we can plant beets, spring onions, leeks an carrots pretty much year round. Herbs like Thyme and Oregano can be planted now but be aware they will die back somewhat over winter before they flush again in spring.

I think Sucking insects deserve a whole newsletter to themselves, but I have previously written about controlling aphids on Broccoli. Sadly there is little we can do about Tomatoes in a season like this, they started so promisingly with warm, moist conditions but all that January rain was just too much. Kerry is still picking some at home but the real flush has passed. No doubt the cherry types are the most reliable for cropping but I think we had the best return from Pricipe Borgese this season, sort of a cross between a Roma and a large cherry. Sweet, tangy fruit and lots of them.

Unfortunately for Maureen, I have never written about Sudden Impact for roses. Sounds a little odd to have a rose fertilizer for their dormant period but I don't know the product so I'd best not make smart comments. If you do know anything about Sudden Impact, let me know and Ill pass it on.

PS. Last week I posted a list of Professional Gardeners willing, even enthusiastic about gardening as distinct from lawn mowing or paving. The response has been great and I've added 3 or 4 new names since.  Let me know if this suits your business.

How do I control Downy Mildew in my vegetables?

The weather is humid and I've had some reports of Downy Mildew in Brassica Vegetables. Brassicas are terrific vegetables and easy to grow so long as you can control 2 significant problems: Grubs, mostly an issue in hot weather but constant observation and control measures are still important and Downy Mildew. I feel that Downy is mostly an issue for young seedlings, generally plants in the ground or established in pots are less dramatically affected.

The best control is cultural, make sure plants are in a sunny position and in a spot where air can move freely around the foliage. The other trick is to not allow the foliage to remain wet around mid morning. Apparently the Downy Mildew fungi germinates around this time of day and needs water to do so. So, water early, like 7.00 or 8.00am or in the early afternoon to restrict the development of the disease spores.


Chemical control is hard to avoid with this disease. Yates offers "Anti Rot" which looks quite safe. It is described as a "Phosacid systemic" fungicide so I guess it is closely related to the Phosphonic Acid we use in commercial quantities. Yates does recommend spraying at the first signs of disease but I suggest controlling Downy Mildew requires preventative sprays as it's really difficult to get rid of once established. Anti Rot is also a very good root rot disease control and I am more confident recommending this than Fongarid which has been the only option in retail packs until now. Don't quote me but I think this type of product is accepted under organic farming regulations, it is an acid though so make sure you dilute it properly. It is certainly certified as NON-Hazardous.

PS. I haven't done this previously but Ray sent me a great link to a "viral videos". If you like great pop songs arranged and played really well, turn your speakers up and follow this link.

PPS. Around Christmas I asked for contact details for Professional Gardeners willing, even enthusiastic about gardeing as distinct from lawn mowing or paving. I have finally posted a list on our web site, if you would like you name added, please let me know.

When can I plant Sweet Pea

Michael at Cultivate Cultivate Nursery and Gifts asked me 2 years back if we had any Sweet Pea punnets. Each year on St Patrick's Day he plants a narrow bed along the front of his nursery backed by a tall chain wire fence with Sweet Pea. I had to say no. Last year he repeated the request with a plea for us to sow even enough just for him. Um, I forgot. To my shame Michael has not given up so I have the chance of redemption this year.  (Thank you Michael, you are too generous) The Sweet Peas on the fence at Cultivate generate lots of discussion and of course inspire gardeners to grow the same.


Unfortunately I don't have a pic of Michael's fence.

The tradition of planting Sweet Peas on St Patrick's Day fascinates me. I like planting traditions: plant your Tomatoes on Cup Weekend is wonderfully Melbournian. Planting Sweet pea on St Pat's day is clearly ingrained here in Victoria but it's origin is Irish!?  According to the Gaelics sowing your Sweet Peas in the wee hours the night before St Pat's day will ensure more, larger and more fragrant flowers. So the Irish have a tradition of sowing their Sweet Peas early in their spring and we have transported the named day but we ignored the reversal of season.

While Sweet Peas are nominally late Spring-early Summer flowering we find we can flower them through most of the year in Melbourne, they cope with the heat of Summer, but don't like it and the winter cold slows flowering but our mild climate is not cold enough to kill them off. Planting Sweet Pea on St Patrick's Day produces strong plants that are ready to flower as soon as they recognize the weather warming in Spring.

So we will have Mammoth Sweet Pea (punnets only) ready for St Pat's Day plus Bijou the dwarf variety in punnets and 200mm pots, all tied up in Tee Pees.  Plant now and you should have plants flowering just as the true early Spring sowing time comes around, imagine the interest that would generate.