Life begins the day you start a garden.
Problems in our garden
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is with us again. This is a common fungus that affects a wide variety of plants, especially zucchini and cucumber at this time of year. This fungus thrives in dry environments with moderate temperatures and high humidity. In the past month, despite little rain we have had several days with very high humidity. Warm days and cool nights and poor circulation also create conditions that encourage powdery mildew. Beginning as white powdery spots on leaves and stems that very quickly spreads to cover all of the leaves.
Although rarely fatal, if left untreated powdery mildew will eventually cause serious harm to your plants by robbing it of water and nutrients. Most infections cause minor damage such as leaves turning yellow or becoming withered or distorted, but plants can also become weak, bloom less, and grow slower. Never compost any plant debris dropped from infected plants. Spores can survive over winter in leaf piles and on plants so it is very important to discard infected plants.
Preventing powdery mildew
There are some things you can do to try to control powdery mildew before it occurs:
Thin out existing susceptible plants to improve airflow within the plant.
Ensure good spacing between plants and keep them away from walls and fences to maintain good air circulation.
Maintain healthy plants by removing dead or diseased foliage.
New growth tends to be more susceptible, so be careful to not over-fertilize which may lead to a rush of new foliage.
Look for plant varieties that are noted to have improved disease resistance.
Treating powdery mildew
Manufactured products, available at garden stores, for powdery mildew are mostly for prevention.
Treatment is possible through a variety of home-made sprays. These need to completely cover all affected parts both sides of leaves the leaves and them stems. Plants also need to be treated several times for these methods to work. The one that seems to work the best is found in most people’s homes, milk.
Milk: Mix 1 part milk to 2 to 3 parts water and spray liberally. The science behind this solution isn’t fully understood, yet it works rather well, especially on zucchini, melons and cucumbers. There is something in the naturally-occurring compounds in the milk that not only combat the disease, but may also boost the plant’s immune system. Several treatments will be essential and success is boosted if the plants are when the powdery mildew has just begun. Once it is established it becomes increasingly difficult to control
Field Bindweed
The scientific name for this declared weed in SA is Convolvulus arvensis - it’s in the same family as Morning Glory but the trumpet shaped flower is usually white or pink. Also know as Creeping Jenny, Bindweed, Convolvulus. Originating from Eurasia and northern Africa, bindweed arrived in Australia in 1869, has since spread to all states of Australia and is often found along roadsides, railways and on cultivated land where it can form dense mats which compete with other plants for soil moisture and nutrients. Next time you’re having a stroll through the orchard have a look for it around some of the fruit trees. It can have a deleterious effect on otherwise healthy fruit trees, vines and crops - see this photo of one of our nectarines.
There are also patches in the areas around the garden beds. Please remove when you see this and put in the green waste bin.
Bindweed is well adapted to our climate, can survive droughts, propagates by seed and underground rhizomes (which can travel 10m) and is very difficult to eradicate. It is typically spread by cultivation, movement of soil and compost, machinery, mulch, birds and wildlife. The control options include chemical application (not used in our garden), hand weeding, suffocating with weed mat and planting competing crops.
Dos and Don'ts
Do adopt an orchard tree and weed it regularly
Do put the bindweed in the green bin (not the compost)
Do try and get the underground rhizomes out as well
Do persist - bindweed can be controlled by early weeding
Don’t use chemical sprays - it’s against our garden rules
Don’t use spades or trowels - cut rhizomes will still grow
More information
There is a free app called WeedScan which will help you to recognise many weeds and give you information on control etc. The Centre for Invasive Species Solutions also has a website at weeds.org.au that will assist with identification, control, eradication etc.
Weeds, weeds and more weeds
Despite the lack of rain we have an abundance of summer weeds. We have an enormous garden as you’re aware. Weeds are just one of our ongoing issues. If we work together we can at least have a chance of eliminating most of them.
If everyone who comes to the garden digs up 5 weeds each and deposit them into the green bin we would come a long way to our hope of a garden free of weeds. Next time you’re at the garden just pull 5 weeds if this is possible for you.
We can get on top of this issue if we work together and all do our part.
Neutrog Visit
Jan: I know I have been promising this for a while - now I have finally submitted the form required and hope to hear back from the company soon if we are approved. I have asked for the dates of 14/3/25 and 28/3/25. So stay tuned to see when we can do this.
Regular events
Reminder: If the weather is forecast to be over 35 degrees then these will be cancelled.
Orchard Group
Fortnightly Thursdays 9am-11am
If you would like to learn more about our orchard and get hints and tips on growing your own fruit, join the Thursday orchard group with Jennie on alternate Thursdays:
Gardening Social Group
Fortnightly Fridays 9am-11am
Every Friday fortnight gardeners and volunteers meet at the garden to do a few of the regular maintenance tasks, tend their own beds and share gardening stories together over morning tea. Coming dates are:
Weekly Gardening Club
On hold until the Autumn
Fundraising Bunnings BBQs
Once again we have Bunning barbeques booked for the third Saturday of the month with exceptions in February and May (no booking) and June (this will be on the King’s birthday long weekend, Monday 8th June).
The fundraising from our work at these barbeques is used to develop and maintain the garden with several larger items needed for the coming year including a large frame for bird netting over the orchard. Locks and their repairs, hoses, tools, mulch and fertilisers are all more available due to this additional income.
Dates for 2025 are Sat March 22nd, Sat April 19th, Mon June 8th.
Our next Bunnings barbeque is:
Saturday 22nd March
If you are able to assist for a 2 hour shift please let Jan via WhatsApp, phone, email or Facebook.
Driving and Parking cars at the Garden
Please do not drive vehicles on to the garden lease area unless you have express permission from one of the committee to deliver materials or equipment. Please also do not park in the Ambulance/CFS car parks and in Grange and Somerton Courts.
This project was seeded by
Our Committee
Our committee is Rory Fitzsimons (Chair), Kaarin Wilkinson, Jan Brown, Melissa Styles, Jennie Simon and Roger Whiteman. If you have any questions or ideas please contact us via Facebook , on our website, on the Seaford Wetlands Gardeners WhatsApp chat or on the garden email seafordcg@gmail.com.
Comments