Soil

There are many things that go into producing quality plants. One of the most important is media, the mix in which the plant grows. It is critical that we as growers can get exactly the same mix each and every time we pot up specific crops. It may seem that this statement is obvious but many do not understand the reasons behind it.

What is needed to make sure of the basics in which we grow? It needs constant high quality ingredients and is as important to us as recipes and materials are to cooks and bakers. We have to be sure that at all stages we test and evaluate data collected on each and every mix of media we make up.

Our mixes are based on sand, milled bark, sawdust and peat. These raw materials are selected carefully for consistent quality of product. The bark and sawdust are composted and turned 2 - 3 times a week whenever monitoring demands it to be done.

These heaps of composting material develop quite high temperatures so it is critical they be turned over to ensure the ammonium gasses and heat are released. Turning adds oxygen to the heaps which keeps the microflora responsible for the composting active. With daily monitoring of our maturing heaps we can regulate this very well.

Our usage of media in our growing Nurseries averages over 100 cubic metres per week, so you can see it is a major undertaking.

Once we get our ingredients to the right stage we then blend them in varying percentages and incorporate the base fertilisers and trace elements needed for plant growth. On a regular basis through laboratory testing we are able to make sure that we are kept on the right track to achieve good growth rates without overdoing it. This attention to detail allows us to turn out the top quality plants we are known for in the market place.

Saturaid® a rewetting agent, Water Holding Granules and slow release fertilisers are also added before potting.

Mulching

Mulching is important. Many materials can be used for mulching your garden including hay, compost, bark or woodchips and in fact almost any material that will cover the ground with a layer which will inhibit weed growth, keep the soil cool and moist.

Old newspaper and cardboard can be used to cover areas of soil in gardens and then cover this layer with mulch. Raw mulching materials such as woodchips, bark and sawdust can draw down nitrogen from the garden bed. It is beneficial to add nitrogen in the form of blood and bone, animal manure or slow release fertilizer when you lay down the mulch and then at about six monthly intervals for the first year.

When selecting your mulch, consider the plants you are putting it around. Hay is certainly best on smaller plants and annual bedding plants. For shrub gardens, coarser material such as woodchips and bark is good.

What depth should I mulch?
Mulching must be reasonably deep to work. It has to cover the soil so that the light does not penetrate. This stops weed seed germinating. A depth of 5 to 6cm is recommended on average. Use a deeper mulch if it will rot down easily like straw. Other material like bark and woodchips can be used at optimum levels as it does not break down quickly. When mulching, always be sure that you do not mulch up close to the plant. The material should be kept away from the stem to allow healthy bark to develop.

It is no use mulching if your garden bed is not clean, free of weeds and well worked up. The application of mulch will save work into the future but will not clean up garden problems of the present.

To calculate how much mulching material you need, measure the width and length of your garden bed area, multiply these together by 0.06. This will give you the amount of mulching material you need in cubic metres.

Mulches are really a great boost to plant health -

• They break down over time enriching the soil;
• They encourage earthworms which aerate the coil;
• The hold moisture in the soil;
• They restrict weed growth saving you valuable time;
• They certainly always look good so they improve the visual appearance of your garden.

Once you have mulched you will be a convert. It makes gardening so easy and really does improve plant growth enormously.