Shrubs/Trees Abutilon Alloxylon flammeum Ardisia Azaleas Bauhinia Bougainvillea Brugmansia Brunfelsia Buddleia Calliandra Callistemon Dombeya calantha Echium Eremophila Eupatorium (mist bush) Euphorbia cotinifolia (new leaves) Fiddlewood (turning yellow) Gardenia Graptophyllum ilicifolium Grevillea robusta Grevilleas Hibiscus Jacaranda Lorapetalum Photinia Polygala Pomegranate Raphiolepis indica Robinia Pseudo-acacia ‘freesia’ (new leaves) Rondaletia Roses Ruttya fruticosa Schotia brachypetala Spiraea cantoniensis Viburnum

Perennials Acanthus Mollis Aloes Angelonia Begonia Brillantasia Cleome Coleus Coreopsis Cosmos Daisies Dianthus Digitalis Evening Primrose Gaura Gerbera Heliotrope Impatiens Justicia Kalanchoe Lavender Leonitis Mandevilla Nasturtiums Nicotiana Orlaya Orontium (water) Pansies Papaver Pelagoniums Pentas Plectranthus Russellia Salvias Scutilleria Statice (perennial) Torrenia Turnea Waterlillies

Orchids Arpophyllum spicatum Cattleya Cymbidium Epidendrum Oncidiums Phaius Phalaenopsis Softcane Dendrobiums Zygopetalums Vandas Bulbs Alstroemeria Arthropodium (Renga Renga lily) Bulbine Cliveas Day Lilies Gladioli candidus Hippeastrums Iris Lousiana Iris versicolor Knifofia Lapeirousia grandiflora Lilliums Ornithogalum Rhodophiala Tulbaghia Watsonias Bromeliads Aechmea Billbergia Guzmania Hohenbergia Tillandsia Vriesia Vines Clytostoma callistegioides Cobaea Scandens Banksian Rose Dalechampia Jasminum Mandevilla Maurandya (climbing foxglove) Pandorea pandorama Phaseolus caracalla Tecomanthe ‘Roaring meg’ Wisteria

Clivea miniata

Iris versicolour

 

 

Tecomanthe 'roaring Meg'

 

Hippeastrum

Salvia 'mystic Spires'

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WHAT IS FEATURING IN THE GARDEN IN OCTOBER:

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Because we are in our driest period, it is imperative to keep an eye on the watering.  Make sure the garden beds do not dry out too much.  The subtropical and tropical plants do expect a dry period and although they may look a little languid without water, they will recover well.  It is best to wait until the summer rains come before planting any new plants as they need follow up water until their roots are established.  Even drought tolerant plants need water to establish.

AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION
This is a must for a large garden and is helpful in a small garden if you go away a lot, and allows you to monitor the water.
It is ideal to pump direct from rainwater tanks as this is (or should be) clean water which is essential when using sprinklers or drippers.  So the decision is drippers or sprinklers.  I use sprinklers as I like to see what they are doing and if they stop working, fixing them is easy.
What you need:
· Water supply with a pressure pump coming from a rainwater tank.
· Irrigation Controller with as many stations as you have garden areas of approximately 30 x 2 metres.
· 19mm Solenoids (1 for each station)
· 19mm pipe for the garden which is what the sprinklers are attached to
· Sprinklers with stakes.
· Battery drill with small bit
I do sections of gardens with 30 metre lengths of pipe and it is better that this is circular or joined, so that the water pumps into a circle.  The controller needs to be located at a 240 volt power source and does need to be in a waterproof box or weather protected. 
Each station (garden circuit) has its own solenoid which links the station on the irrigation controller to a valve connection board which then goes to the tank or water source. 
The valve connection board has the 19mm pipe coming from the garden and attaches to the main pipe (25 mm or greater) from the tank.

Once connected you can program each station the length of time and which days you want to water the garden.

The Cliveas are putting on a wonderful show.  They look particularly good planted en-masse as most bulbs should be planted.  They don’t mind our dry spring, in fact they relish in it and are quite happy under trees where they don't mind the competition of tree roots. Last years flowers are showing off lovely red and cream berries which can be left to seed naturally in-situ or potted and put in a bush house or under a shady tree.  The cream berries are indicative of the plants with cream flowers and the red of the orange flowers.  They do take several years to flower but are a good source of new plants and just maybe you will get a new type.  I leave my Clivea plants to clump up rather than divide them as I find they flower better if left undisturbed.  Cliveas are very undemanding plants and are happy with some leaf mould and mulch during the summer months.

Jobs to do:
Cut back Brillantasia, Eranthemums, Senecio petasites, Poinsettias, Spiraea, Photinias, Banksian Rose and Eupatoriums after they have finished flowering. It is always wise to take cuttings of perennials in case you loose them or if you want more plants to put in.  The cuttings can be put in a pot and put in a shady place and keep well watered.  The Poinsettias will strike better if they are left a week to dry out a bit before you put the cutting into a pot of soil.  Early morning is the best time to take cuttings.  Cut a piece of stem about 50 mm below a good node and cut the top off, leaving a cutting about 30 cm long.  Cut any leaves off the stem and place the node about 50mm below the level of the potting mix. 

Vegetables:
Watering is essential in the vegetable garden in this hot and dry period.  It is very rewarding to be able to pick a variety of herbs as well as silver beet, beans, lettuce and tomatoes. 

Orchids:
Repot Cymbidiums, Cattleyas, Dendrobiums Vandas and Oncidiums.
A good sign that orchid media has broken down is if there are weeds in the pot or if you see a white mould in the base of the pot. Roots hanging over the side of the pot or basket is not a problem as the roots of orchids search for food and water.

Good Gardening
Jan

 

THIS MONTH
IN THE GARDEN
with Jan

OCTOBER

Cattleya orchid

Lorraine Lee Rose