In the Garden - Tips Wanted Here.
I planted some corriander and some thyme seeds way before christmas and they are growing not fast though. I water them heaps. I use both grey water and rain water. I have begun to use the dead leaves from my basil bush to mulch my herb plants. I just need advice on how to kick start my rose bush it is kind of in the shade and I've never seen it with flowers on it. I have fertilised it randomly with blood and bone and thrive. I pull the dead leaves off. So I don't waste too much of the herbs I harvest I rinse them off and put them in oil and blitz them. I use this stuff instead of regular oil.

With the roses Smiddy, I'd be thinking of conditioning the soil. By that I mean, get a bag of cow and another of sheep manure. Get your little handheld garden fork and just work it into the surface of the ground around the base of the plants, say around a metre in diameter. They may need a bit of potash to get them flowering....I use a liquid potash solution. A capful in a 10lt watering can should be enough say once a week. Not a huge investment there with what I mentioned, all up a bag of cow manure, sheep, and then a bott of Potash should set you back around $15. My herbs don't go so well in the hotter months, the oregano, basil, parsley etc are really struggling with the heatwave we have here in Adelaide. I have peastraw all over the ground and have worked cow manure through the soil. Lately I've also been using Groundbreaker, a clay breaker liquid concentrate which turns otherwise concrete hard clay into mushy custard. Love using this stuff as it helps to allow the water to go much deeper into the soil, when it does rain. I just aerate the ground around a plant with the pitch pork, then water 4caps per 10litres into the holes. Cover this with sheep manure and peastraw and Bobs your uncle. Seasol relieves stressed plants as well....but I just use Dynamic Lifter because it has fish plus blood and bone. And do the neighbours love the stink???

Smiddy is ur rose in the ground or in a pot,if in a pot ,probably pot bound and needs transplanting to earth or a much bigger pot,

Did'nt know we had so many Don Burkes on line, just be a tad carefull when you give plants grey water some plants don't go to well with it and it can set them back . And thanks Paul for the Potash tip, I'll give it a go and Bob you still owe me a lettuce. I just remembered that I had a good vege patch going in Bomaderry. Plenty of liquid cow manure from the local farms was the go .

Yeah grey water can be pretty high in phosphates so would depend a lot on how much rainfall you get in your part of the world to whether it disperses it a lot throughout the soil? Back when I was a kid, grey water was dynamite for the garden, never say bigger watermelons, rockmelons, sweetcorn, cauli and all the other vegies. Dad had a pump from the septic tank, where it went out into the garden the soil was black and alive with worms. Perhaps it all comes down to what kind of detergents/washing powder you use, some of the soaps would be caustic, as you would all know a big ouch in concentrated amounts.

You're so right Paul

I remember when we used to catch earthworms for bait. (freshwater fishing as kids) The best place in the area was up the road at Mrs Thompsons place (she was big on gardens) Just pour a bucket or two of soapy water into the ground near the Banana Trees and up they'd come. It was a good idea until you ran out of worms, then you'd have to dig for the bastards.

Why does'nt that suprise me Cliff you were always looking for the easy way out. It's bloody hot down this way in the city of poofs and churches, been 40 plus for a few days now, here endeth the weather report. Hope those Cyclones don't cause to much strife up in Banana Bender country, quite afew of the boys live on the coast, so batten down .

Quinny I`m dumbfounded, I only took that lettuce ashore for you cause you said I would`nt get into trouble if I got caught and you promised to never mention it again,so much for trusting next door neighbours.

Forgot to add HAPPY NEW YEAR to one and all

No bob the lettuce i was alluding to was the one you stole out of my vege patch All things considered it was easier to rabbit them .I only had the vege patch a couple of years I couldnt compete with the dog and niegbours cats .Yes bob and all Have a happy new year .

Gotta tell you lot that I'm not gardening expert....oh no! Everything I do know learnt from that fantastic legend, Peter Cundall of Gardening Australia. What a champion that bloke is.

Been busy in the past several months setting up my own little 'farm' in the city suburbs. Yeah some of you have most likely seen these pics in another forum, only in this one now.

What a fine set up. I wonder where my wheelie bin ended up they sent it down to your place in SA. I bet thoses chickens lay some good eggs and the ducks look fat and juicy have you ever tried them? I'll take you advice . Cheers mate.

Smiddy, bought the 2 Peking ducks around 3 months ago and they've laid an egg each per day. So we eat a lot of cake around here lately, apparently duck eggs are ideal for this, also give a heap away of course. The chooks are still young, and the eggs small. Them wheelie bins are temporary, hoping to put a couple of them 3 module galv tanks there instead one day. That'll set me back a grand so won't be in a hurry to get 'em.