What are we doing now it's Autumn ???

What are we doing ?/ Well today i was getting wet. No. don't everybody cheer, it wasn't raining.
I was doing an Autumn job. Getting ready for Summer (Ha Ha, I think Summer is still here somewhere) I have been very industrious putting up the retic hose in the epi/fern houses. I wanted mist sprays along the roof for the hot weather. There is one problem doing this as gravity works well with water. Of course you have to put water in the hose first and then when you put a hole in the hose where is the water going to go ? Yes. all over me. I can tell you that the sprays work well . At least the next Autumn job is on the ground, laying out the hose for the dahlias. .
Today was not as warm as the last few days but I have given up on the rain dances as they seem to frighten the rain away. Way away towards other peoples gardens who don't need it now. How about a few rain dances from you up there to scare it back?/
The weeds are growing well . I have a lovely crop down the back. i sprayed a lot yesterday but it looks like I will have to do a lot over the winter and spring. I see where my dutch iris are already poking their noses up.
Hubby ( the dear ) has made me a cuppa. I will sit and contemplate .
Tomorrow is the clearing sale we are going to so I hope there are heaps of plants and pots. happy gardening everyone.. Have a look at my fern hose friends. Jean.

Awe Jean that is soooo cute ..I love your little friends! I only have a minute ... back later stay away from the hose

Hi Jean, I love your Frogfern house! Its cool and green and serene! Wish you could have some of my rain! Hubby carts water pipe all over the country to dams and rivers for fresh water systems. I wonder if theres anything happening down your way. I'll get a lift with him and bring you a bucket or two!
I'm getting my last lot of pruning done and treating scale and mealy bug with eco oil. Then I'm mulching the beds with different types. Pine bark for the broms, Cypress chip for the pool garden and Sugar cane on any new beds. I'm avaeraging one load a week. I think thats enough don't you?

This message was edited Apr 22, 2008 6:50 PM

Good morning Sue. You sound like you are going to be busy. Don't work too hard, you still have quite a few months til spring. I see my anemones and ranucs already coming up. I may plant more as they give a nice show without any looking after. I'll let you know if I find anything worthwhile today at the clearing sale.
I put half of my froggies down in the new fern house but still have a lot in the old one. I am always looking for them and actually have a few real ones in the old house . I hope some will move into the new house too. Most of our frogs are small and brownish. Better go and get trailer ready for the sale. We take the trailer as you never know what bargains may pop up. Have a great day. Jean

Oh Jean sorry hubby has had me running around for him ...I hope I am not too late to wish you a happy shopping expedition ...we will be waiting for a report :) ...hope you find some real gems!
Sue yes those %^*&# bugs are getting the soapy water treatment but with constant drizzle and rain ...it gets washed away in a few mins ...oh for some blue sky again (sorry to all who only have that) I have just come in from bug inspection and am cold, drenched and dying for a cuppa and a hot shower ...ok you lay abouts out there where have you all gone? ...pop in and say hello!
happy gardening chrissy

So what did you get jean? Do tell!
Lucky I'm youngish and fittish (not skittish, just fittish) I love doing the mulching, especially as I now unload from the ute. No more bending and shovelling! I just bucket, fork, broom, push or whatever! Today I mulched for a man and we just filled his otto bin! It was great! 6 loads and it was done! Took no time at all!
I've already had a shower and am waiting for DH to make dinner (he had the day off) but I'll have to wake him up first! LOL
I had a couple of hours at home this morning and have been cleaning up the golden cane palms. Since visiting the botanic gardens and seeing their beautiful clumps, I've been inspired. So I'm cutting out the small, low shoots and keeping the tall, large canes. It looks so much better and should help with the mealy bugs, by aiding in air circulation.
I've also cut the hibiscus to the ground! If they come back, so be it! I don't care! I'm sick of the bugs they keep attracting. Also I have to keep pruning them to keep them from smothering everything, and never get any flowers 'cause I keep cutting off the flowering wood!
Anyhow, I'm off to wake hubby, 'cause I'm starving!
Sue

I am going to keep on gardening this Autumn as it is gardening all year round here. We have 2 seasons hot and hotter lol.That is what they say anyway.

Hello all. Well Sue the sale was a real disappointment. Not a plant in sight. The property was absolutely gorgeous. I think it sold for a few million $$$s. The view was worth that. Looking across the hills and river. The whole place was immaculate but even though there was a large lawn area with shrubs there were no real plants. Must have been real non plant people.
There was a lot of farm type stuff and some old cars. I ended up being the only bidder on 2 cupboards. Wardrobes actually, but each is only about 20" wide and 6' tall . I want them as pantry cupboards. I don't have enough room in the kitchen cupboards for all the tins and packets. These will be ideal so the day wasn't entirely wasted. There was nothing I could even borrow a cutting from. Oh well ,another time.
Have to go as we are taking a load of rubbish to the tip. Ooops , sorry 'transfer station' We don't have a tip any more.
I still sneak a look though in case there is something I can use.
Have a great day everyone. Today looks like another lovely Autumn day here.


Jean.

Hi Annettte, have you been getting regular rain? My sis is in Woodstock and seems to have alot of trouble with the heat! Do you get Autumn colour up there at all?
Awwww! Sorry it was disappointing Jean! Glad you got something though! I stopped at an antique/junk store today, and manged to find a bridle, complete with bit for $5. I was so happy to find something I could afford! Sad eh? But like you, I wanted to go home with something after making the effort.

Hi Sue,

There has been no rain for ages, the garden is full of flowers, does that count as Autumn colour?

Woodstock is not far from Townsville about a 15min drive I think.

Cheers A.

Good morning everyone ...well if you can call it that into 12th straight day of rain ...but they say we might see the sun on Saturday. Do you miss having seasons Annette? ...I need my seasons although 6months of grey and wet is starting to give me the twitches ...what is the coolest temp you ever get?
Sue I know what you mean about the Hibiscus being bug magnets and it is very annoying to have beautiful green leaves chewed ...couldn't go without them though, there are not that many things that don't have one problem or another, in the next few months I am going to try to get into the companion planting and checking out natural sprays ...always have but now I will do it in a more methodical fashion. An interesting thing I have noticed is no ants have tried to come into my home this last two seasons ...a first and the reason is I think all the mealy bugs etc out there having a ball ...the ants are in all the trees and shrubs milking the sap suckers!
77 isn't it sad when you look forward to something that does not happen ...never mind your new froggy greenhouses are wonderful so just enjoy them ...I have just received the new Treloar catalogue
...so drooling as usual but this year they are selling wonderful ornamental trees and fruit trees as well ...Oh my ^_^ happy gardening ... chrissy
chrissy

I find that some of the other hibiscus species are not bug magnets, I have a red shield hibiscus planted out the front which is fantastic.

No I dont miss the seasons, I am aclimatized here and love it, I hate cold weather, the coldest day in Townsville was recorded last year, cant remember what it was but it was cold, it gets down to about 9 degrees at night in winter but the days are in the low 20's.Love it.

Good morning everyone. we are still in lovely Autumn weather until the end of the week. Chrissy, Treloars are just down the road from us about 30 mins. I have been in there to buy roses. Talk about drool.
There are rows and rows of them and when in flower are beautiful. I cannot fit any more roses in here now. They do well here but this year have gone without water for long periods and are not as good as they would be with rain.
The ornamental grape is ablaze this morning as the sun comes up behind it . I am not going out to take another pic as it is a bit nippy out there yet.
Hubby has a new chain saw so 'we' will be doing a bit of Autumn clearing of a lot of old branches.
I think I may have to put large Xs on the trees ,as you know what boys are like with their toys. A man with a chainsaw can 'accidently' chop something he shouldn't . A bit like like letting them out with the Roundup. There are some things men should not touch I think.
Now I'll have the men on here after me for being sexist but it's true , there are 'Man things' they do.
Better go and look busy so I don't have to go out and admire how he cuts up the branches
snicker, snicker........ Jean..

Stay away from that chainsaw Jean ...my sister in law was helping her hubby in the garden and he manage to chop off the top part of her hand ...hours of micro surgery later it was re attached but is useless.Those chainsaws are very dangerous things make sure your hubby is very careful. It is nice that he is busy around the place though, my fella is a workaholic and I have to make an appointment weeks ahead to get him to do anything around the place here and his customers come knocking on the door looking for him ...probably just as well because he is a killing machine in the garden.
Annette I need my winter but I do envy your days in the early 20's over 25 I am start to feel uncomfortable ...I can work harder in cooler conditions however it has been frustating this year because you get drenched all the time ...never mind I am still grateful for the water and can hardly remember what handwatering once felt like ...our dam here is about to overflow ...I wish you all had a share of the water ...somehow it does not seem fair.
Have a lovely day everyone :)
chrissy

Thanks for the offer Chrissy, but I think I will pass! LOL
We get down to about 5 degrees in winter! Thats cold enough for me, but our daytime temps are high teens. Like you Chrissy, I can get stuck in and warm up while working.
Hey Jean, didn't your hubby recently do a whole heap of tree felling? Is he doing more, or just clearing up the remains?
I passed the Benefields rose farm yesterday, and they have a half price sale on everything for the next week! Hubby offered to stop, and I said, "keep going" 'cause I'm saving myself for the bromeliads!
Annette, is that hibiscus like a Rosella?
I think I probly get more bugs than you chrissy, mostly because of the humidity! I noticed it right away, the first year we moved up. Autumn is the season for them, although they will start to disappear soon. We don't get ants inside either, as they are farming mealy bug, scale and aphids outside! I have companion planted with Nasturtians, Coriander, Achillea(?) garlic, chives and onions aswell as letting my veges go full circle. I notice alot of good ladybirds and also Assasin bugs and preying mantis, so Theres plenty of good guys around, they just can't keep up. The aphids have been alot less though. I figure if I get rid of the bug attracting plants, I may have a chance of reaching a balance in nature.
I'm not getting rid of my Angel though, as its a very reliable repeat bloomer, and I think its the slimeys that chew it.

Hi Sue,

It is closely related to the rosella which reminds me that mine is coming into bloom now, buds are forming all over it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_acetosella

Hello all. Well today so far is fine but there is a forecast for colder days though not necessarily with rain.
It really is an old fashioned Autumn at the moment. Reminds me of kicking up heaps of Autumn leaves on the way to school. Now that was a looong time ago. I still look at the leaves when I go to town and want to take them home . In Hamilton there are large Plane trees in the street and I do pick up a leaf to bring home . Ah, nostalgia !!
Did you have those Plane trees at school and annoy other kids by putting the seed pods down their backs ? They are a round ball with a powdery coating. We used to call them 'itchy balls' because that's what they made you do.
Nice little critters weren't we ?At least our little pranks were done in fun and never hurt anyone.
You are right Sue, we did have a lot of trees cut down by a tree feller friend. What hubby is now doing is mostly trimming of branches that are overhanging the fences ro gardens .Also just taking down a lot of young trees that have come up under the power line.
It is really funny to see him out there cutting up all these trees that he planted when he bought the place. Long before I knew him , or they would not have been planted.
He asked for gum trees to go around the place and I think the man who sold him the trees saw him coming. They must be some of the most ugly of gum trees and have the largest seeds.
We are forever tripping on them and a branch with 3 or 4 on the end would put an ancient mace to shame. The trees grow in a mallee fashion with all the branches coming from the ground and as they grow they lean over with the weight of leaves and nuts, then crunch, branch cracks.
Don't worry. I replace all the trees with others more suited . I hope you are not too wet today Sue ans Chrissy. I see on the forecast that we are most likely in for a dry cold winter. I will keep warm by having some Autumn bonfires of all the tree scraps in the paddock.
Better go and let the girls out now the sun is coming up. Have a great day everyone

Whoo hoo ...Sunshine! and 75F today ...it's just a tease before Winter tip toes up and breathes it's frosty breath upon a sleepy garden ...don't you just love the last roses and deeper coloured blooms all around the place ...makes you want to whisper "please stay ...don't go ...I will miss you". Well I hope you are all enjoying your lovely Autumn Saturday ...wish I could bottle it!
Happy gardening
chrissy

Me too, sunshine all day! Had a wonderful time in Bromeliad heaven! Have a look. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/839497/
Sue