Call: (08) 9250 4575
Mon - Sat:
8.30am - 4pm
Closed Sundays
until further notice
166 Wilson Road, Middle Swan
Perth, Western Australia
08 9250 4575
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We've certainly had a taste of summer already - our thoughts are with those who suffered damage in the recent bushfires in Perth's northern suburbs - several commercial nurseries were affected (Arborwest Tree Farm who specialise in advanced trees was one; all those years of nurturing specimens... very sad). Let's hope the rest of the season is fire free and without brutal heat waves! Hotter temperatures put all of our gardens under pressure; so we've got some handy reminders for you of how to beat the heat (and help your garden) this summer. Thankfully December has been a little more gentle ~ at least so far! A couple of weeks ago now, GLSC were involved in the Summer Kalamunda Garden Festival. It was a fabulous day and it was lovely to catch up with so many customers! We'll be involved again in 2024 so keep Sunday, 3rd of March in your diary for the Autumn Festival and don't miss it. (See photos below - Paul with Andrew from Kalamunda Plant Farm & Moi rubbing shoulders with Hannah Maloney from Gardening Australia! Grab a copy of her new book 'Good Life Growing' when you can.) You may have realised that our December newsletter is running late! Paul & I have been pretty much MIA for the last two weeks as we've been moving house. We've downsized from our hills property to a small suburban block - so it will certainly be a change of lifestyle for us, and there was a lot of culling required of accumulated 'stuff' - living in a larger space for the last 20 years! Once we settle in and have a chance to really observe the existing space, we'll look at what we can do to maximise food production, and we'll try and document the journey as we go. It's an exciting time and we're looking forward to a break over Christmas to chill in our new home. Speaking of Christmas, we're closing for a break over the Christmas & New Year period - see the dates below. If you're planning some time off and getting gardening projects done, plan ahead with your deliveries of soil so you're good to go. THANK YOU to the many customers who've supported us this past year - we look forward to seeing you again in 2024!!!
CHRISTMAS TRADING HOURS 2023Last day of trade: Friday 22nd December 8.30 - 4.00pm |
Welcome to December & Summer & Birak!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from all of us @ The Green Life Soil Co!
In this newsletter:
Mulch! If you haven't already mulched your garden, don't delay. Use a good quality soil wetter (Like Eco-wet) on hydrophobic soils, and get your mulch down. If you've laid mulch earlier in Spring, check to see how much has broken down & whether there's areas that need topping up. (Vegie gardens in particular that have been mulched with straw or pea straw may need a top up as the straw breaks down fairly quickly.)
Fruit trees should be netted and protected against fruit fly by now ~ or as fruit is beginning to form. Thin fruit crops - it seems counter-intuitive, but it will result in larger and better tasting fruit. It will mean that you'll likely get a good crop the following year, too. Thinning fruit takes stress off the plant and encourages even fruiting patterns. Bagging grapes will need to happen once they start to flesh out & before the birds find them. Tip prune grapevines to encourage vines to put energy into forming fruit, rather than spreading foliage. @GLSC we've got .JPG)
Basil, Beans (snake beans - pictured right - highly recommended for summer, as they can handle the hot weather), Beetroot, Capsicum, Chilli, Carrots, Chokos, Cucumber, Eggplant, Ginger, Leeks, Lettuce, Malabar Spinach, Okra, Parsnips, Pumpkin, Radish, Rockmelon, Rosella, Silverbeet, Spring Onions, Squash, Strawberries, Sweet corn, Sweet potato, Tomatoes, Watermelon, Zucchini.
Perth's sandy soil can lead to water pooling on the surface, making it difficult for plants to access moisture. Use a good quality soil wetting agent like 
Our plants need help in heatwave conditions to survive! Shade protection can be permanent and highly designed structures; or you can set up something simple and temporary as required. Your plants won’t really care but they’ll be grateful for whatever you can do! Simple & low cost structures can be rigged using wire, garden stakes, star pickets, and/or polypipe. You can repurpose old curtains or sheets if you can’t stretch to shadecloth or shade sails.
Ants, while beneficial to the ecosystem, can be problematic. They’re annoying when they undermine paving, or find their way indoors, and they can spread scale and mealy bug around your garden and fruit trees. Organic control options include diatomaceous earth and eucalyptus-based 
Perth's summer temperatures can be harsh, especially for non-native plants. If you're planning a new garden, or doing a make-over, consider low-maintenance native plants that have evolved to thrive in these conditions. Zanthorrea in Maida Vale and Australian Native Nurseries in Oakford specialize in native plants and can provide expert advice. 
We've talked above about the need to improve your soil structure (especially if you have sandy soil) to hold moisture and nutrients so your plants can cope with the stress of summer. This month, our 15L bags of 
