August has rolled around again, and it’s the start of something fresh and wonderful out there in the garden.

Have you started to see things change in the garden?

New buds are bursting on the deciduous plants like the Mulberries and Hibiscus mutabilis (Confederate Rose) and the beautiful Apple and Nectarine blossoms are out already.

Self-sown seeds are starting to pop up too, reminding me that it’s the perfect time to be planting more of the same in the garden. The Cosmos and Marigolds, Calendulas and Love in A Mist self-seeded from previous years and are promising a lovely self sown show again this year.

Bud burst reminds me to get in and make sure the soil is moist and the plants have enough food in the soils to feed the soil microbia and provide for spring growth.

I’ve just had delivered, a large pile of rich organic compost from Rocky Point, and it’s slowly being distributed around the garden. It helps to increase soil fertility, adding nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium as well as trace elements, plus carbon and organic matter to the soil as it breaks down.

Combined with Instant Humus (humates) I find this the absolute best way to create a fertile soil. make a start on soil improvement. If you’d like me to arrange a delivery in the local gold coast, Brisbane or Redlands area, email me or call 0416157470.

I’ve just rifled through my seed bank and done a mass of seed sowing.

I ended up with about 20 packs of seeds to plant, some of which have gone directly into the soil in the vegie patch, like Dutch Baby Carrots, Cherry Belle Radish and Zinnias – (isn’t the one at right just such a cutie?)

Others have gone into trays. These include Sweet Corn and Hawkesbury Wonder Beans and Romanesco Zucchini.

This because although I used to plant them directly into the soil, native bandicoots have been eating the germinating seed. So, I grow them on a little to establish and then transplant them into prepared beds

Long Red Tropea Onions and Snow Peas are going to be up in a week or so and Broccolini will be giving us masses of spring crispy green heads in spring. I also plant Gai Lan, the Chinese Sprouting Broccoli throughout the year as its so hardy and resilient, especially in our warm wet summers. I have added a picture of it to the right. Eat the leaves and stems as well. Eden Seeds  sell packs of Long red tropea onion seeds. Here’s the link. 

Cotton plants, Cleome and lots of Cornflowers and Cosmos fill the trays, and I’m so looking forward to the colour these will bring to the garden. And if you have things that grow from cuttings, start thinking about taking those very soon. Root pieces of Kra Chai and Yakon are starting to sprout leaves and Pelargoniums, which seem to love my slightly acidic soil and hot conditions out the front, ate looking good in the cutting pots too.

The overall aim is to have a garden brimming with food, flowers and free plants. This month, hop into your garden and start sowing and growing some goodies for your garden too.

And if you’d like some help in the garden, remember that I offer Garden consultations both onsite and virtual – The link is here.

And Garden Classes here at Ecobotanica. Click to this link for the latest classes