Golly, welcome to NOVEMBER!

Things seem to be speeding up as we head towards the end of another year - and Christmas and summer just around the corner!

But we've enjoyed a lovely Spring - the odd hot day but also some welcome October rain and some mild weather too - perfect for getting out and prepping the garden.

As always, there's lots going on around Green Life!  We've recently said goodbye to Samara in sales, and sad to be losing Brodie & Kobe (from production) and Tess (admin/accounts) this month.  We've recently appointed new team members who will be starting with us in coming weeks and I'm sure they're all eager to greet you in store soon.

How's your Spring garden coming along?  I hope you've had a chance to get your Summer crops in the ground.  If not - you'd better get cracking!  Remember we're stocking The Greenhouse Organic's seedlings again - so if you're after healthy seedlings to get a jump start on growing; come on in!  We receive our deliveries Wednesdays - top tip!

As I mentioned in last month's newsletter, supplies of woody mulch (like the tree prunings/arborists mulch) are very limited - due to polyphagous shot hole borer quarantine issues.  So far our supplies of economulch are not impacted; but if you're looking at mulching your garden beds for summer - don't leave it much longer, as we don't know what's around the corner.  See our article on mulch below!

If you're coming in to borrow one of our courtesy trailers, remember it's first come first served; and we do request you return them in a 2 hour window - in Spring we get very busy and can have people waiting on their return; so please do the right thing and bring the (free) trailer back asap.  If you're needing more time, it might be more convenient for you to find a local (to you) service station that hires them for the day - it's quite inexpensive and as a bonus you don't have to come a long distance to return the trailer when you're done!  Our trailers hold 2 scoops (660L/two thirds of a cubic metre) - but you can find larger trailers that can hold 3 scoops (a full cubic metre) if you require it.

Remember the next Kalamunda Garden Festival is coming up on Sunday, 1st December.  Buy tickets online and save...  And keep an eye on our Facebook & Instagram pages for the opportunity to win tickets a little later this month.  It's always a fabulous day out & as always there's heaps of knowledgeable guest speakers on a myriad of gardening topics.  I believe Costa's coming over again for this one - he always adds to the shenanigans when he's around!

Being Spring there's lots of open gardens to visit too - including the Guildford Festival of Open Gardens, and Ecoburbia in Fremantle...  Plus the West Leederville Community Garden is having an open day (Paul & I will be giving a talk) - so get on out there, and explore some fabulous gardens and get lots of good ideas!!!

Until next time, happy gardening from Linda & the Team @ The Green Life Soil Co!

In this newsletter:

Jobs for the November Garden
What to Plant NOW
Mosquitoes & the summer garden
Magic Mulch - save your soil!
VIP Special Offer
Photo Competition Winner
Retailer Update

Jobs for the November garden

• Refurb your lawn for summer.  Check your retic, get rid of any weeds, aerate your lawn and top dress it.  Now's the time as your lawn will be putting on growth with the warmer weather.  GLSC makes a great top dress mix that with its range of permanent soil building ingredients (including Charlie Charcoal biochar), will help get your lawn green and more resilient for the coming summer.  It's available in 25L bags if you only have the odd spot to 'fix' - or if you have a larger area, pick some up (or have it delivered) in bulk.  You only need a thin layer spread over the top, and thoroughly water it in.  Not sure how much you need?  Take some measurements of your lawn area and give us a call - we can help you with the volume required.
• Check your garlic!  It is getting close to harvest time (and I've seen on Facebook many have harvested their crop already). Depending on what variety you planted, and when, the tops may well be yellowing and have fallen over.  Ideally, about a quarter of the leaves are still green.  Do carefully run your fingers down the stem to check on the bulb development. 'Wet garlic' is when the bulbs are picked too soon.  They need to dry off a little in the ground; it's this drying off process that allows the papery walls to form between the individual cloves.  By carefully digging around your garlic (or harvesting one plant) you can gauge where your crop is at.  Once harvested, don't wash the bulbs; hang or place on a wire rack and allow to dry (brush off the excess dirt) in an airy place out of the sun for a couple of weeks.
• Get your herbs going! Many herbs respond to the warmer weather; plant them into improved soil and water regularly to be enjoying fresh & flavourful herbs for your summer entertaining & Christmas cooking. If you're wanting to give potted herbs (or potted colour) for Christmas gifts - now's the time to select your pot, choose your gift, and pot it up. Look after it and by the time Christmas comes along it will have settled into its new pot, and be looking lush and lovely - ready to give away.  It's the PERFECT time to plant Basil - fabulous companion plant and flavour partner to your tomato crop.  See our fact sheet on Basil here. 
• Re-wet your soil.  If soil appears dry, 'hard', and/or hydrophobic, rewet it - either use a good quality soil wetter (we love Eco-Wet) and/or spend the time to work the water into the soil. Remember if you've used clay (or it was in our mixes) it will take a lot to rewet it as clay holds many times its own weight in water.  The good news is once you've rewet the soil (I explain the method like making 'mud pies') you've topped up the moisture bank; so mulch it and protect it.  
• Mulch. Now is the perfect time to get some mulch down on your garden - before we have too many hot days is the perfect opportunity. If your soil is very sandy, consider incorporating Sand Remedy, Cassies Clay, Charlie Charcoal (or a combination - we're happy to give advice) as these mineral elements are permanent ways to increase the water holding ability of your soil. The Water Corporation recommends using a chunky, coarse mulch ("one that would hurt to walk on with bare feet") at a depth of about 75mm. For vegetable gardens, most people prefer using a straw based mulch (because it's easier to use in regularly maintained gardens, and breaks down to add organic matter to the soil after a season). Talk to us about what your requirements are & we're happy to suggest options.  Besides bales of pea straw and wheat straw, we have bagged products like Chaffed Pea Straw, Sugar Cane Mulch - WA grown, and Lupin Mulch.  Not sure what mulch?  See our free fact sheet here.
• Once you start back with regular retic, remember that regular watering is important to prevent stress (where plants may drop their forming fruit) and fruit splitting from over watering. It's true we can't do much about rain at inopportune times of fruit growing (ask any orchardist) but we can prevent the same result from inconsistent watering. Blossom end rot is also a condition many summer vegie crops get (especially Tomatoes and Capsicum) - also caused by irregular watering - so whatever your regime is, stick to it as much as possible.  Make sure all your retic is working - sprinklers aren't blocked, etc.  Don't wait until the hot weather hits to discover something's wrong or your plants will suffer. You'll also find it MUCH harder to get a specialist out if you need some help - they'll be flat out; so get in early.
• Thin your stone fruit - it's tough to do, but it means you'll end up with larger and better quality fruit with the ones you leave on the tree.  Organise your fruit fly netting or exclusion bags now so that fruit is protected by the time it starts to soften and be vulnerable to fruit fly strike.  If you use baits and Eco-Natural Lure - now's the time to get those prepared too.  We sell insect netting packs at GLSC and individual mesh bags.
• Crops in pots - if you have miniature fruit trees or vegies in pots, remember to feed them regularly; but little and often is the best way. Use a light dose of a slow release or granular fertiliser every 3 months (don't be heavy handed! - use way less than the recommended annual or 6-monthly dosage), and you can give it a light liquid feed with kelp, worm wizz or fish once a month. Mulch pots in summer and check regularly to ensure that your watering regime is adequate.

What to Plant Now

You're definitely not too late to plant summer crops from seed - so if you're keen to get seeds going - give it a try!  It's the perfect time of year for many vegetables and herbs - check out our When to Sow guides available on our website (we've got one for vegies & another for herbs - scroll to the bottom of the linked page).  Here's what we'd suggest to try:

Globe artichokes, Asian greens, Basil, Beans (Snake beans are a heat loving variety), Beetroot, Capsicum, Chilli, Carrots, Celery, Choko, Cucumber, Eggplant, Ginger, Leek, Lettuce, Melons, Mint, Okra, Parsley, Parsnips, Pumpkin, Radish, Rocket, Rosella, Silverbeet, Spring onion, Squash, Strawberries, Sweet corn, Sweet potato, Tomato, Zucchini.

Whether you're after seeds or established seedlings, we have fresh stock arriving weekly.  Come and see us for advice and all you need to have a fabulously productive garden.

Don't forget to include some flowering plants/annuals with your vegies - they add lovely colour and help with attracting all the good bugs & pollinators to your patch.  A tip I received from a biodiversity specialist is to plant lots of yellow and blue flowering plants - insects seem to prefer these; and it will help build the food chain.  (Did you know that most insects can't see red?)

Loofah Growing Competition

Remember we've got a competition going over the Spring/Summer for kids!  Come in and grab a packet of free Luffa seeds (while stocks last) for your kids or grandkids and get them growing Loofahs!  Get them to send in photos/pictures and we'll have some prizes along the way for the biggest and weirdest luffa grown. There's an article on growing these strange but useful plants (relatives of zucchini) in our September newsletter here.  If you can't make it in, send us a stamped self addressed envelope with a note asking for the loofah seeds & we'll pop them in the post for you.

Mozzie-proof your Garden

What's more Aussie than sitting outside on a warm summer evening - the flies have gone to bed, but then out comes the evening shift of little buzzy blighters; and this time they're out for blood!

Mosquitos really ruin an outdoor event.  As someone who's always been mossie-prone it's struck me as strange how some people (like me) are a human pin cushion, while others (like Paul) are relatively untouched.  I guess some of us are just sweeter.  :-D

As well as annoying bites, there's the real risk of disease carried by mosquitoes - so we need to seriously look at how we can minimise coming into contact with them outdoors.  Is there anything you can do around your garden to help discourage mosquitoes? Let's take a look at some common recommendations:-

Bug Zappers

These emit ultraviolet light that attracts a wide range of insects - some of them beneficial night time pollinators, or at least neutral insects that are part of the food chain.  Mosquitos make up a small proportion of the kill, but at the end of the day is it worth it?  Personally it makes you feel like you're doing SOMETHING - but the jury's out how effective they really are.
I have tried the high frequency emitting ones and have found them totally ineffective.

Mozzie coils

There's a range of coils and incense-like sticks on the market that if used around the perimeter of your outdoor entertainment area can be effective to keep mozzies away.  Some of them smell very 'chemical-ly' - if you don't like those ones, look for more natural alternatives using citronella.  They are still quite effective but you may need to burn more of them.  The smell of citronella is thought to mask the smell of us - it's the carbon dioxide we breathe out that attracts mozzies to us.

Repellent

There are sprays, creams and impregnated rubber/plastic wrist bands you can buy to wear and patches to put on clothing to keep away mosquitoes.  While these do work, again many contain heavy duty compounds that you may not like to apply to your skin - which after all, is your body's largest organ.  It's personal preference, but if you like a more natural product, we do sell the Vanilla Mozzi cream which smells lovely as well as being safe for kids.  Wear loose long sleeves and pants to help keep mozzies off your skin, and cover up your ankles and feet (which are prime targets based on my own experience!).

Moving air

Mosquitoes are poor flyers, so keeping fan on outside, just on enough to keep air moving, will make it harder for the mosquitoes to make a direct bee-line for our flesh.  This is simple - but effective!

Plants

Some plants are marketed as being effective 'mozzie repellers'- unfortunately, don't believe the hype!  While many plants have strongly scented oils that can help keep away mosquitoes, the plants growing quietly in the garden don't have this effect, and in fact dense shrubs may provide the perfect shelter for mozzies during the day.  For the plants to do their thing, you need to crush the foliage to release the oils.  I have found citronella geranium leaves rubbed on the skin can be effective - but I believe some people are sensitive to compounds found in the plant and it can cause a rash.  (Talk about damned if you do & damned if you don't!)  However, if you're committed to try natural methods and can come up with a fresh potpourri of leaves, try:  citronella geranium, mint, rosemary, lavender, sage, ageratum, basil, catmint, catnip, marigold, wormwood and eucalyptus.  You can grow some of these as edging plants along pathways and steps.  As they spill over, when you walk past and brush against them, you'll crush the leaves and release the scent.

An ounce of Prevention...

The best way to keep mosquito numbers down is to eradicate their breeding grounds - which are any quantities of stagnant water.  Check any pots or plant saucers that have collected water over winter, clean out gutters (you'll be surprised to see what water may accumulate), and regularly clean out birdbaths and wildlife/pet water bowls.  Any tiny quantity of water will attract them. Bromeliads are not good plants to have around your entertainment areas for this reason - keep a close eye on any you have.
Any water storage tanks - make sure you have screens on the inflows and overflows to make sure that mosquitoes can't gain access.  

Fish

If you have a pond, introduce fish.  While all fish would enjoy mozzie larvae, if you're trying to attract frogs into your backyard, native pygmy perch are ideal.  These are a small fish (only growing to about 6cms) - not showy like koi, but they've evolved in our creeks and waterways and co-exist with or native frogs.  They LOVE mozzie larvae!  We normally stock them @ The Green Life Soil Co.  Do check in with us before coming in, as they sell out quickly. We obtain them from a licensed breeder - it is illegal to catch them from our waterways; and you may be inadvertently catching the non-native (and invasive) gambusia - a fish introduced to our waterways a hundred years ago to deal with mozzies - when ironically the native ones we already had did a better job - but the non-native fish outbreed the natives and have become a pest, threatening frog populations.  If you have fish of any kind you no longer want, never release them into the waterways - find somewhere to re-home them, please!

If you have a pond or water feature that isn't suitable for fish, run a bubbler or fountain regularly.  Even a small solar fountain will keep the water surface moving which tends to discourage mozzie breeding.

Microbats

Perth is home to several species of bats - but many people NEVER see them!  Our microbats are very small - the size of your thumb; but have a voracious appetite, reputed to get through 1,000 - 1,500 mosquitoes a night (although I'm not sure who counted!).  We see these just after sunset - once you get your eye in, you'll be able to spot them; they're very fast and erratic flyers.  We frequently saw them in when we lived in the hills, and now we're in suburbia we see them a bit less - but they're still around.  Microbats need mature trees to roost and nest in hollows - so this is another reason why tree canopy is so crucial. There are occasional workshops run around Perth that you can attend to make bat boxes if you're interested in trying to support the population in your area - Google is your friend.  

Plant trees and encourage biodiversity!

As well as native fish and microbats, small birds, spiders, lizards and frogs - and even other insects will help you with mosquito control.  Mozzies are part of the food chain so encouraging their predators will serve you well.  The more we encourage natural systems, the less we will need to rely on heavy duty chemicals in our homes and gardens.

The Magic of Mulch: How to Choose the Best for Your Spring Garden

As spring arrives and our gardens start to come alive, it's the perfect time to think about mulch. Not only does mulch enhance the look of your garden, but it also plays a critical role in maintaining healthy soil and supporting plant growth. There are many types of mulch available, from decorative to organic, and it can be tricky to know which one is best for your garden. At Green Life Soil Co, we’re here to help you choose the right mulch for your needs.

Types of Mulch

When selecting mulch, you’ll come across various forms, including:

- Decorative glass, stone or pebbles 
- Woodchips and pine bark  
- Straws like lucerne, pea straw, hay & sugar cane
- Leaf mulch and grass clippings  
- Composted food scraps 
- Recycled vegetation (green waste)  

Each of these options has its pros and cons, but it's essential to think about what you want your mulch to do for your garden. Let’s dive into some key benefits of a good, organic mulch.

What to Look for in a Good Mulch

1. Covers the soil 
Bare soil is dead soil!  It can quickly dry out and lose its health. A thick layer of mulch protects the soil, keeps it alive, and prevents it from becoming "hydrophobic" (unable to absorb water).

2. Allows water infiltration
Your mulch should help water soak into the soil, slowing run-off and allowing it to infiltrate between particles to reach the soil below.  The old fashioned "Karri & Peat" actually HOLDS water rather than allowing it to percolate through.

3. Moisture retention
One of the main benefits of mulch is how it keeps your soil moist. Healthy mulch also encourages the growth of mycorrhizal fungi, which extend plant root networks and help your plants access water and nutrients more efficiently.  Soil microbes help increase water retention too by improving soil structure.

4. Reduces evaporation 
Mulch prevents water loss through evaporation, keeping your plants hydrated for longer. As it breaks down, it adds organic matter to your soil, further boosting its ability to hold moisture.

5. Weed suppression  
Mulch acts as a barrier, preventing sunlight from reaching weed seeds, and making germination harder which means fewer weeds for you to deal with! A good layer of organic mulch also creates better conditions for desirable plants to thrive, and a dense garden will further reduce the opportunity for weeds to thrive.

6. Soil insulation  
Mulch helps regulate soil temperature, keeping it cooler in the hot midday sun and warmer on chilly mornings. This is vital for maintaining healthy plants and protecting them from temperature extremes and heat stress.

7. Food for soil microbes
Mulch feeds the billions of living organisms in your soil. Healthy, living soil is the foundation of a thriving garden.  Building soil health will in time reduce the need for fertilisers and irrigation.

Replenishing Your Mulch

Different types of mulch break down at different rates depending on the material and weather conditions. Be sure to replenish your mulch regularly to prevent the soil from becoming exposed. If you can see bare soil it's DEFINITELY time to top up!  Ideally, mulch should be between 5-10cms thick.  You can also use your garden’s plants as natural mulch—leaf drop from healthy plants can help maintain a functioning ecosystem in your garden.

Sustainable Mulching – Why Waste When You Can Reuse?

Before you toss garden waste into your green bin, think about how you can reuse it. Why bin all those leaves and grass clippings when they make fantastic, free mulch (and/or compost)? Reuse what’s healthy (bin any diseased material) and you can shred it, compost it, or try the ‘chop and drop’ method by cutting your plants and leaving the trimmings to break down naturally in the garden. By choosing the right mulch and reusing organic material, you’ll create a healthier, happier garden that supports the environment.

Happy mulching, and enjoy your spring gardening!

VIP Special Offer

This month, we've got a special deal on Sassy Frass!  You may have seen this product in store - it's one of our secret ingredients in our mixes but it makes a fabulous soil additive on its own.  If you haven't tried Sassy Frass in your garden, it's our VIP special this month so now's the perfect opportunity to give it a go!

What is Frass and why is it so good for gardens?

Frass is insect manure (From Black Soldier Fly - farmed for their role in processing organic waste); and like any other manure, it's a concentrated source of nutrients depending on the original feedstock of the animal (or insect).  There are two standout features of frass.  One is it promotes beneficial soil fungi quickly - and small quantities of frass make a difference.  Fungi is one of the harder/slower forms of microbiology to encourage in our gardens.  It forms an underground network that allows plants to not only forage for nutrients and water, but to communicate with each other. Fungi is delicate and is easily destroyed by digging in the soil (hence the value of no-dig gardening, once you've worked initial improvement into the soil); and is also rarer in our sandy soils which struggle to hold the moisture fungi needs to thrive.  We've found by looking under the microscope, mixes we've made incorporating frass have higher fungal populations.

The other interesting thing is that as the larvae grow, they shed their skins.  Insects (and some sea creatures) that have an exoskeleton for protection produce a protein like substance called chetin (pronounced "Kite-in") - used by fungi in its cell walls.  Plants have an interesting relationship with chetin - they have receptors that are thought to detect fungal and/or insect attack by 'sensing' the chetin, so they start to act defensively - thickening cell walls to deter attack.  This strange reaction is actually beneficial - stimulating stronger growth that is less susceptible to pests and disease and creating more robust plants.

NOW is the perfect time to incorporate Sassy Frass into your garden and/or pots.  It may help your plants be more resistant to pest attack and more drought tolerant over the coming months.

A 1kg pack of Sassy Frass normally retails for $19.95.  This month for VIP's the price is reduced to $12.00.  If buying online, you'll need to log into the Members section to find the special pricing and add it to your shopping cart.  In store - please ask our team member to apply the members pricing.

Valid until COB Saturday, 30th November 2024.

Photo Competition Winner

Thank you to everyone who sent in photos of their gardens this month!  You've got to love the abundance of Blueberries at the moment - they're cheap in the shops, and if you're growing your own, hopefully you're harvesting your own wonderful fruit (or will be very soon!).

A lot of people are growing blueberries - and our Blueberry Mix is a popular choice for them to use in pots.  On Facebook recently, a couple of ladies shared their photos of blueberries they've grown in our soil; so we've picked Pam D. who shared photos of her healthy blueberry, a quick harvest AND some home made goodies using her blueberries - YUM!

Thanks Pam - you're this month's winner of our photo competition; so there's a $50 store credit with your name on it waiting for you to come shopping!!

Next month it could be YOU - take a photo (or two) around your garden, let us know what you're growing and a few other bits of info about your garden (suburb, successes, failures, top tips!) to share with our Green Life tribe to be in the draw.  We pick someone at random every month.  You can send in photos via email ('photo competition' as the subject line) or via Messenger.  Or, perhaps upload them onto a relevant Green Life FB post - like Pam did!

Retailer Update

Please support your local independent retailer who supports us! The specialist retailers listed here will be happy to give you gardening advice and help you with our products - please call to check what lines they carry as they can't stock all of our products (but may be willing to get stock in for a custom order - if you ask nicely!). Some of these fabulous retailers also offer a home delivery service (marked with *) - so why not go local?  (Please contact the store directly for details.)

Bar Botanik - North Perth 9227 6758 (Indoor Potting Mix & Aroid Mix only)
Daisy Field Organics - Fremantle 0450 793 720Garden Elegance - Subiaco 9381 2197
Guildford Town Garden Centre* - Guildford 9279 8645
Harbour Plants*- South Fremantle 0439 967 034 
Hydroponics Guru (Living Soil only) - Wangara 0430527575
Kambarang Garden Centre* - Bentley 9458 5944 (pictured right)
Lighthouse Fruit Tree Nursery - Parkwood 0411 166 034
Miaflora - Inglewood 9343 6334
Newstead Outdoors* - Greenwood 9334 6334
Nibali Stockfeed* - Hamilton Hill 9433 2211
Richo's 4 Hydro - Joondalup 9301 4462
Stanbee Stockfeeds* - Barragup 9581 2390 
Supreme Plants - West Swan 0499 887 275
Swan Valley Station - Swan Valley 0427 371 001
Tass1 Trees - Middle Swan 0419 988 344
Urban Revolution* - Victoria Park 6102 1068
Utopia Nursery - Bullsbrook 0455 659 622
Waldecks Kingsley* - 9309 5088
Waldecks Melville* - 6317 0939
Waldecks Stirling* - 9254 6730
Zanthorrea Nursery - Maida Vale 9454 6260

All Things Stock (Muchea) 0480 740 638 
Ardess Nursery (Albany) 9842 9952
Australind Landscaping Supplies 9796 1720
Boyup Brook Co-op (Boyup Brook) 9765 1001
Extracts Landscaping Supplies (Toodyay) 0417 202 718
Great Northern Rural Services (Geraldton) 9964 1274
Handy Hands Nursery (Karratha) 9413 1801
Hillview Garden Centre (Bridgetown) 9761 1672
Margaret River - Nutrient Ag Solutions 9758 7677 (Premium Potting Mix & Compost)
Mitre 10 Margaret River 9757 2455 (Square Foot Mix & Veg Concentrate)
Naturaliste Landscape Supplies (Busselton) 9754 8081
Soils Ain't Soils (Busselton & Dunsborough) 9751 5322 

THANK YOU for being part of our Green Life family!  We hope to see you in store soon.  Check out our newsletter next month & stay up to date with our Facebook and Instagram pages for announcements, stock arrivals and general good gardening vibes!