Trees Plants Shrubs and Ornamentals

A plant nursery is where young plants are started off growing from seeds and cuttings. for the first couple of years, these young plants require protection from the elements, ie frost and wind. also from being swamped by weeds and protected from pests.

They may also require potting on into larger pots and pruning to acquire a good shape. from the nursery they are then sent to be sold through garden centres and mail order. The word nursery is derived from the word nurture.

This Industry Market Research report provides a detailed analysis of the Plant Nurseries in Australia industry, including key growth trends, statistics, forecasts, the competitive environment including market shares and the key issues facing the industry. ( http://www.bharatbook.com/Market-Research-Reports/Plant-Nurseries-in-Australia.html )

Industry Definition

The Plant Nurseries industry consists of businesses mainly engaged in propagating and growing ornamental plants, plants for transplanting into gardens (such as seedlings or young fruit trees) or bulbs.

This includes the collection and planting of seeds or bulbs, the growing of plants and the sale to retail or wholesale establishments, landscapers, or to production horticulture (such as orchardists). This industry also includes units mainly engaged in growing turf.

The Plant Nurseries industry does not include businesses involved in growing nursery stock for forests (included in industry A0303 – Services to Forestry in Australia) or those involved in growing flowers for seed collection (included in industry A0112 – Cut Flower and Flower Seed Growing in Australia).

Drought tolerant is now the buzz word in plants but it takes time to develop a whole new range of plants, in fact years of trial. One of the challenges facing the nursery industry is to have a specific plant that will grow in a whole range of different Australian conditions.

To overcome this, the nursery industry has been developing what has been around for hundreds if not thousands of years in exotic plants; grafting tough root stock onto more temperamental plants. Here we have some examples of grafting Australian natives onto suitable root stock.

What is Grafting?

Grafting is a method of plant propagation widely used in horticulture, where the tissues of one plant are encouraged to fuse with those of another. It is most commonly used for the propagation of trees and shrubs grown commercially. In most cases, one plant is selected for its roots, and this is called the stock or rootstock.

The other plant is selected for its stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits and is called the scion. In stem grafting, a common grafting method, a shoot of a selected, desired plant cultivar is grafted onto the stock of another type. In another common form called budding, a dormant side bud is grafted on the stem of another stock plant, and when it has fused successfully, it is encouraged to grow by cutting out the stem above the new bud.

For successful grafting to take place, the vascular cambium tissues of the stock and scion plants must be placed in contact with each other. Both tissues must be kept alive till the graft has taken, usually a period of a few weeks. Successful grafting only requires that a vascular connection takes place between the two tissues. A physical weak point often still occurs at the graft, because the structural tissue of the two distinct plants, such as wood may not fuse.

Grafting Methods:

Cleft: The easiest and most common form of grafting is cleft grafting. This method simply splits the stock and inserts the scion. The stock can be cut in a wedge shape and inserted into the tree with the cambium. Use grafting compound to cover the bare stock. This must be done because otherwise the cambium layer will quickly dry out and the graft will be unsuccessful.

Awl: Awl grafting takes the least resources and the least time. Awl grafting can be done by using a screwdriver to make a slit or T-shaped incision in the bark but just so far as the cambium layer. Then inset the shield or wedged-shaped scion into the incision. Awl grafting is commonly used to graft buds.

Renewing fusion: Another great way to graft is something called Renewing fusion in which new species of plants can be easily created. The basic method is to graft a small branch (a least a centimetre wide) from one plant to a larger main branch of another, by carefully shaving a proper amount of bark from the large branch and inserting the small branch into a cut whole.

I decided that I would set 5 simple categories of plants and list five species within those categories.

Drought Tolerance is relative and what I have chosen are plants that are drought tolerant in an area with less than 14 inches (350mm) of annual rainfall (winter wet). Other issues which can make a difference are severe frosts, drying winds, the amount of rainfall the previous winter and whether mulch is used or the amount of shade available.

Ground Covering Plants

1. Hardenbergia violacea (purple, pink, white) Native wisteria (Also a climbing plant)
2. Chrysocephalum apiculatum (suckering plant with small yellow pom pom heads.
3. Kennedia prostrata (Running Postman – because of red and black flowers and very flat form.
4. Eremophila glabra (Emu Bush) (various prostrate forms, different colours)
5. Myoporum parvifolium vigorous flat ground cover with white flowers

Small Shrubs to 1 metre

1. Eremophila macdonnellii (large deep purple flowers)
2. Eremophila macdonnellii (large deep purple flowers)
3. Prostanthera magnifica (Mint Bush with very large flowers)
4. Thryptomene saxicola (Pink or white small flowers)
5. Grevillea lavandulacea

Tufted Plants

1. Dianella revoluta (Purple nodding flowers and purple berries)
2. Orthrosanthos multiflorus (Native Iris) (Mauve Blue flowers)
3. Wahlenbergia communis (native Bluebell) (perrenial with blue star flowers.)
4. Calostemma purpureum (Native Lily) (Pink-red flowers)
5. Anigozanthos flavidus (Kangaroo paw)

Shrubs to 3 metres

1. Acacia drummondii (yellow rods)
2. Banksia ornata
3. Melaleuca wilsonii (red bottle brush flowers)
4. Chamelaucium uncinatum (various colour forms)
5. Hakea leucoptera (Honey Suckle) (Prickly bush with cream flowers)

Trees

1. Eucalyptus campaspe
2. Melia azedarach (White Cedar)
3. Callistemon viminalis (Weeping Bottlebrush)
4. Agonis flexuosa (Native Willow)
5. Melaleuca lanceolata (White bottle brush flowers)

These are some of my favourite plants and ones that I know to be successful. These are all growing in garden conditions. Growing the same plants in the field is another matter altogether and another list would need to be generated.

http://www.vimeo.com/6898122

As a home owner, you should pay careful attention to the trees that surround your house. Dead limbs and some smaller “roughage” can pose a danger to you and your family, as well as your home, if your trees are not cared for properly.

Essentially, proper pruning is essential for a healthy and aesthetically pleasing tree. Pruning is needed when first planting a tree to control its growth and to help develop its shape.

Pruning can help spur growth in foliage, fruit and flowers as well as remove diseased and damaged areas. Late winter and early spring offer good tree and shrub pruning opportunities because it’s far easier to see the shape of the tree and the branch patterns without the foliage.

A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of institutions or private estates. Some retail and wholesale nurseries sell by mail.

Some nurseries specialize in one phase of the process: propagation, growing out, or retail sale; or in one type of plant: e.g., groundcovers, shade plants, fruit trees, or rock garden plants.

Nurseries often grow plants in a greenhouse, a building of glass or in plastic tunnels, designed to protect young plants from harsh weather (especially frost), while allowing access to light and ventilation. Modern greenhouses allow automated control of temperature, ventilation and light and semi-automated watering and feeding. Some also have fold-back roofs to allow “hardening-off” of plants without the need for manual transfer to outdoor beds.

Most nurseries remain highly labour-intensive. Although some processes have been mechanised and automated, others have not. It remains highly unlikely that all plants treated in the same way at the same time will arrive at the same condition together, so plant care requires observation, judgement and manual dexterity; selection for sale requires comparison and judgement.

An Australian nurseryman has estimated (in 2003) that manpower accounts for 70% of his production costs. The largest Australian nurseries have moved to minimise labour costs by the use of computer controlled warehousing methods: plants are palletised, allocated to a location and grown on there with little human intervention. Picking merely requires selection of a batch and manual quality control before dispatch.

In other cases, a high loss rate during maturation is accepted for the reduction in detailed plant maintenance costs.

Business is highly seasonal, concentrated in spring and autumn. There is no guarantee that there will be demand for the product – this will be affected by temperature, drought, cheaper foreign competition, fashion, among other things.

Annuals are sold in trays (undivided containers with multiple plants), flats (trays with built-in cells), peat pots, or plastic pots. Perennials and woody plants are sold either in pots, bare-root or balled and burlaped and in a variety of sizes, from liners to mature trees.

Balled and Burlap (B & B) trees are dug either by hand or by a loader that has a tree spade attachment on the front of the machine. Although container grown woody plants are becoming more and more popular due to the versatility, B & B is still widely used throughout the industry.

Plants may be propagated by seeds, but often desirable cultivars are propagated asexually by budding, grafting, layering, or other nursery techniques.

Something a little different.

http://www.vimeo.com/5011987

Garden sheds are small buildings usually built apart from a house that are used to store all the necessities for growing a garden. From keeping soil to seeds, tools to gasoline, rakes to weed eaters, depending on its size, a garden shed can have a variety of uses. Some sheds are exclusively built for storage. Other sheds are little retreats that the garden-lover in the family has made into a cozy space for the cultivation and enjoyment of nature.

History

The word “shed” comes from the Old English word “shadde” or “sceadu” meaning shade, shadow or darkness. It was first recorded in 1481. The current Oxford English Dictionary refers to a shed as “a slight structure built for shelter or storage, or for use as a workshop, either a separate building or attached to a permanent building as a lean-to; often with open front or sides.”

Function

A garden shed is used for storing large gardening tools and equipment like lawn mowers, shovels, rakes, wheelbarrows and weed eaters. A garden shed may also house soil, fertilizer, seeds, pots, watering cans, trash bags, gloves and hand spades. The shed may have a greenhouse aspect and be used for cultivating seedlings in pots. The second function of a garden shed is not unlike a tree house for kids–a shed that is comfortable and big enough can become a separate space for the happy gardener to be away from the house, forgetting all troubles and indulging in the gratifying hobby of gardening.

Types

Small storage sheds made of galvanized metal or plastic are the cheapest sheds to put up and are fairly durable. Wooden sheds are usually larger and may be constructed to match the look of the house, painted with the same trim, and may have porches, furniture and windows. Vinyl-sided sheds are also built to look like little houses, and are the most durable of the sheds, but also more expensive.

Features

A garden shed may have a potter’s bench, where the gardener can sit at a counter and plant seedlings in pots. The walls of a garden shed has hooks to hang tools, saving counter space. A deluxe garden shed has running water and electricity, skylights and windows for ventilation, and plenty of storage areas. On the outside, a shed may have a porch, a ramp, benches or a greenhouse attached.

Benefits

The main practical benefit of having a garden shed is having a central location for all things relating to the garden, away from the clutter of a garage or regular storage shed. This makes it easier when it comes time to do chores around the yard and garden, and to retrieve, use and then store the various tools for lawn maintenance. A garden shed can also be a decorative outbuilding on the property, providing space for the serious gardening hobbyist.

Considerations

When constructing a garden shed, keep in mind the weather of the area in which the shed will be standing. Heavy snow will dent a light metal framed shed. Wooden sheds will rot, warp and mildew over time and must be protected. Plastic sheds are lightweight, durable and require little upkeep, but they aren’t as attractive to the eye or made of a natural material.

This is a great project to do over Christmas with the kids.

Do you like tomatoes? They’re great for making lots of foods kids like, such as pizza, salsa and tomato sauce.

Tomato seeds need warmth and moisture to germinate.

To get a head start, you can plant your tomato seeds in little mini hothouses in early spring and then transplant them into the garden when the weather is a bit warmer. Home grown tomatoes taste SO good!!

You will need: some 12cm pots, the same number of 2 litre soft drink bottles, potting mix, fertiliser, tomato seeds.

What to Do:

1. Almost fill the pots with damp potting mix. (Use your gardening gloves when handling potting mix.)

2. Plant a couple of seeds in each pot. Plant them about half a centimetre deep. Water gently and well.

3. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the sloping parts off the plastic drink bottles.

4. Turn the bottom pieces of the soft-drink bottles upside down over the top of the pots. Your seeds and seedlings will now have their own little hothouses.

5. Place the mini-hothouses in a warm, brightly light area, but not in full sun. A brightly lit window sill is perfect. If the potting mix appears to be drying out, add water. You will need a saucer to catch the drips, but don’t let the pots sit in water.

6. When the seedlings have developed two healthy leaves, remove the tops and place the pots outdoors, first in a brightly lit area and gradually move them to a sunny spot.

7. Add some fertiliser to the pot.

8. Choose the healthiest seedling and very gently pull the other ones out.

9. When the plants look sturdy enough, transplant them into the garden (or into bigger pots.)

10. You can use these mini-hothouses with lots of other seeds too.

Planting trees is an easy and effective way to beautify your property, provide shade in summer and wind protection in winter and enhance privacy all while increasing real estate values at the same time.

Since a tree is such a visible part of the landscape care must be taken to ensure proper growth conditions are maintained. A tree is far more difficult – and expensive – to replace, once mature in the landscape, than most shrubs. However, with some advance planning, trees too can be easily maintained.

The first step in tree selection is to determine the type of tree appropriate for your property and your needs.

Climate and soil play big roles.  A date palm might have a tough time surviving a Minneapolis winter, for example.  And a water-hungry willow would starve in the desert sands.  Make sure that the tree species you are considering can flourish in your local climate and soil conditions (designated hardiness zone).  And don’t forget some of these other important factors:

Matching tree to site is a key part of the tree selection process.  What is the size of the site on which your new tree or trees will be situated?  How big will that spindly three-foot sapling be in 30 or 40 years?  Is an oak or a willow, either very large when fully grown, the best tree for a small front lawn in a city?  On a large suburban lot, on the other hand, will a single small tree or bush be lost in a vast expanse of lawn?

A crucial factor to consider is proximity to buildings, sidewalks, driveways, streets, utility lines, overhead and buried, and septic systems.  Trees spread out both above and below ground and branch overhang and root growth can cause considerable damage and incur considerable expense if a tree is poorly situated. Consider the planting location with respect to foundation, concrete and asphalt structures,  and drainage structures.

Trees can play an important role in climate control. Deciduous trees planted on the south, west and east perimeters of a lot will provide shade during the summer while allowing scarce sunlight through in the winter when leaves have fallen. Evergreens, on the other hand, planted on the north and west sides of a property, can reduce winter heating costs by serving as windbreaks.

Drainage is yet another issue to consider. Young trees do best when planted in good-quality, well-drained loamy soil. Heavy clays in poorly-drained sites present particular problems as many species of trees including white firs, yellowwoods, beeches, red oaks and yews will not tolerate ‘wet feet.

In all cases, stagnant water pooling around roots can lead to ‘root rot’ caused by lack of available oxygen. You can do a general test for soil drainage by digging a hole in the planting area and filling it with water. If the water hasn’t drained away in a couple of hours, drainage may be an issue. In areas where drainage is a particular problem, planting in raised beds of 12 to 18 inches of well-drained quality topsoil may be a solution.

Soil quality in new subdivisions often presents tree-planting problems. Construction materials, in addition to creating unsightly and difficult-to-work rubble, can alter the soils fertility by raising or lowering pH. Chemical and petroleum spills, which often occur during building construction, pose additional concerns. In cases where soil contamination is severe, the only solution may be to scrape away the contaminated soil and replace it with good quality topsoil at a depth associated with your planting objectives.

Personal taste is another key consideration. Think of how different kinds of new trees can enhance the attractiveness of your property. Make a list of the kinds of trees you admire and think about how they would look. Consider how your selection will fill in to the planting area over time. Make a few sketches or, if you don’t trust your own artistic talent, consult available landscape design software, or a landscape designer.

Trees purchased from wholesale and retail nurseries and garden supply stores generally come in one of three forms:

Balled and Burlapped
The roots of the tree and the ball of soil containing the roots are bound in burlap.

Container-Grown
The plant is sold in the container in which it was grown.

Bare-Rooted
The plant is sold with the roots exposed.  Not very common with trees.

Spring weather has been quite erratic across Australia, and planting will have to be adjusted to suit local microclimates rather than a general climate zone.

As the best phase to sow corn in November is from the 26th this year, advice to sow sweet corn in Warm climates this month will apply only to those areas that do not have almost continual rain in January. Pollination of corn is poor in wet weather, and the crop could be lost.

Grey water is not recommended for vege patches.

If water is in short supply, grow only what you can manage to irrigate or grow some vegetables in pots or foam boxes, because water-stressed plants are prone to pest and disease attack.

Warm Climate – North of Rockhampton

Sow a green manure crop of adzuki bean, cowpea, lablab, pigeon pea, soybean or millet.

During First Quarter phase, sweet corn can be sown directly into beds, and capsicum, eggplant, , tomato and watermelon can be sown or planted out.

During Full Moon phase, radish and sweet potato can be sown directly into beds. Banana, passionfruit, pawpaw, pineapple, and lemongrass can be sown or planted.

Temperate climate

Before the Full Moon, cabbage, grain crops, lettuce, rocket, silver beet, NZ spinach, dill, nasturtium and sunflower can be sown directly into beds, as well as a green manure crop of cowpea, mung bean, pigeon pea, soybean, millet, Japanese millet, or sorghum. Leek, spring onions, basil and parsley can be sown or planted out.

During First Quarter phase, bush and climbing beans and sweet corn can be sown directly into beds, and capsicum, cucumber, eggplant, pumpkin, rockmelon, rosella, summer squash, tomato, watermelon and zucchini can be sown or planted out.

During Full Moon phase, beetroot, carrot, potato, radish and sweet potato can be sown directly into beds, and banana passionfruit, passionfruit, pawpaw, and watercress can be sown or planted out. Asparagus seedlings, banana suckers, mango, pawpaw, mint and lemongrass can be planted.

Cool climate

Before the Full Moon, cabbage, headed and open Chinese cabbage, bulb fennel, grain crops, mizuna, rocket, silver beet, NZ spinach, tatsoi, dill, nasturtium and sunflower can be sown directly into beds, as well as a green manure crop of mung bean, soybean, barley, cereal rye, millet or Japanese millet. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, leek, lettuce, parsley, silverbeet, spring onions and chamomile can be sown or planted out.

During First Quarter phase, bush and climbing beans and sweet corn can be sown directly into beds, and cauliflower, cucumber, suitable pumpkin and rockmelon varieties, summer squash, tomato, watermelon and zucchini can be sown. In warmer areas, capsicum and eggplant can also be sown. In colder areas, sow suitable broccoli varieites.

During Full Moon phase, beetroot, carrot and radish can be sown directly into beds. Asparagus seed, chives, oregano, pyrethrum, rosemary, sage, thyme and watercress can be sown or planted out. Blueberry, cherry guava, mint, and evergreen shrubs, trees and vines can be planted. In colder areas, parsnip and lawn seed can be sown.