Hello & welcome to February!

Summer has definitely arrived; with HOT days (and nights) - taking a toll on our patience and our gardens!!  It's Bunuru - the Noongyar season of the hottest part of the year, and I think we all feel it!  But the good news is February is the last (official) month of summer and we know that the seasons will roll on.  Autumn is such an exciting time for gardening in Perth and I know you're all looking forward to it.

The first Sunday of March is the next Kalamunda Garden Festival - so make sure you come on up and enjoy this amazing day in the hills.  It's a lovely environment at Stirk Park - plenty of shade, and wonderful stalls to peruse, as well as three (yes THREE) amazing marquees set up with free talks running all day long - you're spoilt for choice with who to listen to and learn from.  Green Life Soil Co sponsors one of the marquees and so we'll be there MC'ing and happy to talk to you about your soil issues!!!  We've got FREE DOUBLE PASSES to give away - we usually do this via our social media but this time you, dear reader, also get the chance!!!  But you'll need to send in a photo of your garden for our monthly competition by Friday 21st February to be in the running.  The good news part is that you're also entered into the monthly draw to win a $50 store credit to spend with us...  Check out more info below (and admire Sandy's cucumbers while you're at it!!)  So get to it & we'll see you in Kalamunda!

For those of you who've had bulk soil deliveries from Green Life in the past, you've probably dealt with Tommy - the contractor driver who's been reliably organising our deliveries for at least the last 10 years?  (Why do we never record these dates?)  The time has come for Tommy to hang up his keys and he'll be retiring to his Stoneville property around the end of this month to perfect his BBQ'ing skills.  So in March, there'll be some changes to the way Green Life does our bulk deliveries.  We're working out details with a new contractor and we'll introduce you to them next month.  The good news is that we will have LARGER truck capacity moving forward - so larger projects may not need multiple deliveries.  It's still a work in progress so our lovely sales ladies will be able to talk you through any changes when you speak with them to place an order. 

We've got a fabulous VIP special offer for you this month.  Last week I realised that the layer of pea straw mulch on our garden had thinned to the point where soil was beginning to be visible through it.  This is a sign that you need to top up your mulch - so I'm guessing that some of you lovely Green Lifers out there will be in the same boat.  So to help you out we're running a special deal on all of our mulch products.  Check out the details below and order in your mulches while stocks last!

Good luck to all the parents & teachers as the 2025 school year begins...  It's a sure marker that the year well and truly underway, don't you think?

 We look forward to seeing you soon @ The Green Life Soil Co!

In this newsletter:

Jobs for the February Garden
What to Plant NOW
More tips for keeping your garden alive in summer
Microgreens - summertime greens to enjoy
VIP Special - Mulch Madness!!
Photo Comp Winner
Retailer Update

February - it's time to get busy:

• Plan & prepare! Consider what your priorities will be for Autumn planting, and start gathering what you need to improve the soil. Do your research on crop rotation & companion planting now, so you can work to a plan as the season rolls on. (Click on the highlighted links to take you to our free fact sheets.)
• Check your compost. Is it cooking nicely, and is it/will it be ready for Autumn planting? If it's dry - turn it & wet it through ~ and keep it up over the next few weeks to make sure it's good to go. With moisture and attention, it will break down quickly.  New to compost? Check out our fact sheet here. 
• Looking for a new way to grow your winter vegies?  Consider a wicking bed - they take out some of the stress of growing in summer.  Check out our fact sheet on planning a new garden.
• Get your winter vegies growing from seed. See 'What to plant now' below for ideas of what you can start off. We recommend our Certified Organic Seed Raising Mix and our range of heritage, organically grown seeds to get you started!  We have a large range of non-hybrid heirloom seeds available - with more stock coming in regularly.  Go through what seeds you have, and make a list of what you'd like to try this season.  See our free fact sheet on growing from seed here.  
• Get ready to fertilise your fruit trees late summer/early autumn. Stone fruits have nearly finished for the season, but are still actively growing; so before they go dormant for Winter, feed them up soon with a good organic fertiliser to encourage healthy growth & crops for next year. Fertilise citrus too - make sure you water well before & after fertilising, and top up mulch if necessary. They're shallow rooted and will appreciate mulching and regular watering. Grow Safe is a WA made slow release fertiliser with trace elements that we recommend - pictured right.
• Propagate! The warmer months of the year (while plants are actively growing) is a good time to try your hand at tip cuttings for many shrubs; including natives. Cuttings don't need to be fertilised until they've grown roots, but they do need regular moisture in the soil. It's a balance between keeping soil too wet (as rot & fungus can be an issue) and too dry ~ but it's worth having a go. See our fact sheet here.
• Protect & persevere. The hot weather isn't over yet, so do keep an eye on the forecast and on really hot days provide some temporary shade (if you haven't got anything more permanent sorted for your garden). Your finger is a convenient moisture meter - use it! Check the soil moisture below the surface from time to time and treat any particularly water repellent areas if plants are suffering. (GLSC has moisture meters in stock if you're chasing one!)
• Green manure. If you've got a summer crop that's spent; whack in some green manure; just make sure you water it well so it can germinate & grow quickly... then chop it back into the soil just before you do your Autumn/Winter planting. The sooner you can get it in, the more 'green' organic matter it can produce for you. We sell 1kg packs - enough to treat about 20m2. (Pictured right.) Check out our fact sheet here.
• Worry about your worms!  Hot weather can overheat the bedding material in your worm farm and stress your worms.  The optimum temperature for worms is around 24°c - so make sure your worms are in a protected spot!  Adding water may not help (although obviously your worm farm shouldn't dry out) - prepare for really hot days & heat wave conditions by filling an old milk or juice bottle with water, and putting it in the freezer overnight.  In the morning, just pop it into the top layer of your worm farm, and replace the lid. The cooling effect as the water thaws will create a cool spot that the worms will gravitate to.  Have a couple of them in rotation - swap them out each day.  Don't over feed your worms - they slow down feeding in hot conditions, so excess scraps will go rancid quickly.  See our fact sheet on keeping worms & worm farms here.

What to Plant Now

There's still time to try for a crop of quick-growing summer vegies if you're keen, plant now & plant from seedlings!  It does depend on whether Summer warmth continues into April - but it often does. TOP TIP! Choose smaller cropping varieties towards the end of the season (eg. Sugarbaby Watermelon, Golden Nugget Pumpkin) - the theory being the smaller fruits mature faster. Things to still plant now include: Beans, Beetroot, Capsicum, Carrot, Celery, Chilli, Cucumber, Eggplant, Leeks, Lettuce, Pumpkin, Rockmelon, Silverbeet, Sweetcorn, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Watermelon, Zucchini.

If you're not ready for autumn planting but not wanting to nurture another summer crop - consider a green manure crop to grow quickly and turn into the soil before your winter seedlings go into the ground. 

Lots of people are asking for Garlic & Seed Potatoes already.  It's a little early to be planting them just now - but watch this space for updates - we'll keep you posted soon!  We'll have Elephant Garlic, Rojo and Italian Purple varieties available in the coming weeks - but you've got aaagggeeeesss to plant them so don't panic!

Your slow growing Brassica crops need to be planted (from seed) as soon as possible. Brussel Sprouts can struggle in our warmer climate; but if you're in the hills or have the perfect spot - if you're wanting to give them a try - now's the time to start them. Cauliflower and Cabbage also do well if you get them off to an early start. Keep them well watered and protected from harsh conditions & pest attack.  We've got seeds in stock (and more autumn seeds on order) so come in and stock up!

If you're yearning for fresh greens but sick of trying to keep leafy things like lettuce alive, consider a batch or two of nutritious microgreens.  You can grow them in a sunny spot indoors or on a patio - and they're quick.  We have a range of microgreens seed available.  Check out our article on growing Microgreens below!

For more 'when to sow' info for vegies & herbs - plus lots of other gardening info check out our FREE downloadable growing guides.  

And remember - we still have a limited amount of 2025 Moon Planting Calendars available (which make a great guide for when to plant!).  Come on in and grab one for yourself & one for a friend - they're $12 ea or $10 ea for 2.

5 Top Tips to Keep Your Garden Healthy in February

1. Top up mulch.  Check the condition & depth of your mulch.  Has it broken down?  Blown away?  Been dug up by your dog?  Exposed areas of soil need protection.  Check that the mulch you applied in Spring is still doing its job.  Top it up if necessary to help your plants get through the last of summer!  (Bonus - if you still have an effective layer of mulch, once the winter rains start, it will help slow down weed germination.)  Mulch can reduce soil moisture evaporation by around 80% - so it's vital!
2. Use a soil wetter.  If you have areas of your garden that are water repellent (it's quite normal to have a few spots around the garden that seem to be stubborn!); a soil wetter applied with a hose on pack or watering can will help.  We recommend the Eco-wet products, which contain humic acids; a building block of soil health to promote microbial activity. Most of the cheaper products on the market are detergent based.  They work by stripping off the waxy coating on sand particles, but otherwise do nothing to build your soil.  If you're wanting to make your own natural version - track down some agar-agar powder.  This is a type of gelatin product that is made from seaweed.  It's available from Asian supermarkets in a sachet. To make a solution to use in your garden, dissolve two tablespoons of agar agar in two cups of hot water, and stir to dissolve. Gradually pour into 10 litres of tepid water, stirring continually.  Apply to soil immediately.  Agar agar will break down in 3-4 weeks, but is completely natural, cheap to make, and is perfect to use when establishing seedlings so they'll get off to a flying start!  Sound like hard work?  Come and pick up some Eco-wet from us @ GLSC.  It's a great quality soil wetter available in 1L & 5L concentrates, or a 2L hose on pack ready to go!
3. Soak pots.  If water is flooding out of a pot as soon as you're watering it, there's obviously issues with water absorption.  Take the pot, and plunge it in a bucket of water - maybe with a weak seaweed/kelp fertiliser added - and submerge the pot until air bubbles stop coming out of the soil.  You can leave the pot in the water for an hour or so - just don't forget completely about it for days or your plant will drown!  If your pot is too large to completely submerge, stand it in a tub to act as a large saucer to catch the water flooding out.  Spend some time watering it little and often over the course of a day and you should find the soil will begin to soak up the water from the bottom up from the water caught in the saucer.  Continue watering a little at a time and check by inserting a finger or trowel into the soil and see that the soil is damp throughout the profile.  (Again - using a soil wetter will help speed this up.)
4. Water slowly, and to the base of the plant.  Use a gentle setting on your hose when hand watering to allow water to penetrate.  Drip irrigation and watering tubes around the base of your plants has the same effect; but make sure that (a) drippers are not blocked; and (b) there's adequate moisture getting to the roots.  A good soil should wick the water rather than allowing it to just drain away.  Biochar and clay will be hugely beneficial to hold water in the root zone.  Drippers should be UNDER mulch & directly on the soil. 
5. Hot winds can cause extra transpiration of your plants - putting them under more stress.  On windy days, your plants may need hand watering (rather than sprinklers, as you can be sure the water is getting to the soil), and consider a windbreak if your garden is regularly exposed to windy conditions.  Rather than a solid fence, consider a decorative screen, slatted fence, or layered gardens/shrubs to slow the wind and reduce its damaging effects.  As a short term solution, rig up a piece of shadecloth as wind protection (as well as sun!) We currently have these sturdy mesh & shadecloth covers made locally in the Hills for sale for $95 (pictured right).  They're double layer galvanised mesh, and strong.  There's two versions - one is a closed circle to use as a tree guard to protect new plantings.  The other sheet isn't connected, so you can use it as a tunnel or bend it over/around a frame to suit your garden bed.  Come on in and check them out!

Microgreens: Fresh, Nutritious Greens in Just Two Weeks!

Microgreens are young green vegetables, lettuces, and herbs harvested when they are 5–10 cm tall. These tiny greens are nutritional powerhouses—a serving of broccoli microgreens, for instance, packs as much goodness as a whole mature broccoli head. Best of all, they’re quick, easy to grow, and perfect for summer gardening.

What Can You Grow as a Microgreen?

Nearly any lettuce, salad green, or herb can be grown as a microgreen. It’s more economical to buy seeds specifically packaged for microgreens since standard seed packets may not contain enough seeds for abundant harvesting. At The Green Life Soil Co., we often stock microgreen seeds like cabbage, broccoli, cress, kale, mizuna, red and green mustard, radish, and tatsoi. 

How to Grow Microgreens

Microgreens are incredibly versatile. You can grow them indoors on a sunny windowsill, outdoors in containers, or directly in garden beds. Here’s how:

•  Choose a container (if using one!  Otherwise skip this step) at least 5 cm deep and as wide as you prefer.
• Fill it with organic potting mix or seed-raising mix (our Certified Organic Seed Raising Mix is ideal!)
• Scatter seeds 5 mm apart maximum (they need to be thickly sown), cover with a thin layer of soil, and water gently.
• Place the container in a spot that receives at least four hours of sunlight daily.

My recommendation is to use a flat seedling tray which is easy to obtain & handle, and makes harvesting easy - you're more able to cleanly snip off the greens without having to deal with being down at ground level in the garden.

Pro Tips:

• Keep the soil moist but not soggy.
• Remove any weeds to prevent competition for water and nutrients.

Fertilizing isn’t necessary if your soil is rich in organic matter.

Pests and diseases are rare because of the short growth period. If caterpillars threaten brassicas like mustard or kale, cover the microgreens with a mesh or old curtain fabric.

Harvesting Microgreens

Harvest your microgreens when they develop their first set of true leaves, about 10–14 days after planting. Use scissors to snip them just above soil level.

Unlike mesclun or baby greens, microgreens don’t regrow after harvesting. Simply scatter new seeds over the soil and water to start your next crop. The leftover roots decompose and enrich the soil.

Why Grow Microgreens in Summer?

Microgreens offer a fantastic way to grow greens out of season. For example, coriander, which often struggles in summer heat, thrives as a microgreen. Additionally, they’re a fun, affordable way to enjoy fresh produce without needing much space or effort.  When it's difficult to keep lettuce fresh and alive in our gardens, microgreens make a great option for salads and sandwiches in summer.

Microgreens vs. Sprouts

While both are quick-growing, sprouts are grown in water and consumed earlier, often when their first leaves appear. Microgreens grow in soil, are allowed to develop slightly longer, and are harvested at ground level. They’re easier to grow and more versatile for salads, sandwiches, and stir-fries.

Final Tips

Grow a small tray of microgreens weekly/fortnightly for an ongoing supply of fresh, nutritious greens. Experiment with different seed mixes to find your favorite combinations. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting, microgreens are a rewarding, simple addition to your summer gardening routine.

VIP Special Offer

We just KNOW you're going to LOVE this offer.

Up until the end of February (or while stocks last) we're discounting ALL OF OUR MULCHES by 20%.  This includes bulk product, bagged mulch, and bales.  Every single mulch product in store.  We've never done this before so take advantage of it before we come to our senses again!!!
Mention the offer in store (or if ordering over the phone) to our team and they'll apply the discount.

This is a perfect opportunity to top up mulch - I know our garden seriously needed it last week, and adding another thick layer of lupin mulch made such a difference.  Speaking of Lupin mulch - we currently have the Dsatco bagged product in store (as per normal) but we have BALES of lupin mulch too - $21.50 normally or now $17.20 each.  (Buy 5 and save even MORE!!!)

February is a super quiet time for us and we need your business - and we know your garden NEEDS mulch - so it's a win:win for all of us.

Shopping online, apply the discount code MULCH20 at the checkout (in the box labelled 'discount' - needs to be uppercase/no spaces) and any MULCH product in your shopping cart should be automatically discounted.  No need to sign in to the members section this time - just apply the code.

Offer is valid while stocks last, until COB Friday 28th February.  Excludes 1000L Dsatco bulkabags.

Photo Competition Winner

CONGRATULATIONS to Sandy S. who we've picked this month as our photo comp winner.  Sandy has sent in pictures of a couple of her cucumbers - the pale coloured one is an Armenian Cucumber.  If you haven't tried them, put it on your list for next year.  They're a very hardy variety, fairly disease and heat resistant, and bear lots of crisp cukes with excellent flavour.  The larger one here is being saved for seed; my advice is always to pick cucumbers smaller/younger as they're sweeter; plus it keeps the vine producing if you regularly harvest the crop.

Sandy has won a $50 store credit to spend with us.  Next month for our March competition, we're including a double pass to the Kalamunda Garden Festival being held Sunday, 2nd March at Stirk Park.  The catch is to be in the winning for this part of the prize, entries must be received by close of business Friday, 21st February.  So hop to it.  Please send in your photos via email with the subject line 'photo competition' to info(at)greenlifesoil.com.au or via Messenger.  Include a short paragraph about your garden, and/or what you're growing, and any other top tips or insights you may wish to share with other Green Lifers!

Sandy had this to say about her garden:

"I’m very chuffed with the cucumbers they’re so crisp and tasty and make superb bread and butter pickles.  The Muncher cucumbers were also very good and have turned this cucumber into bread and butter pickles. The Armenian cucumbers seem to be more resistant to mildew and I never sprayed them with carbonate or milk.  In each case, I grew the seed in a tray and only transplanted out three of each seedling into our wicking beds as I knew from experience the plants would produce many fruits.

We live in Stoneville on five acres and have an extensive vegie patch. We have 16 wicking beds made from IBC and Roger put them together about 5 years ago.

In the summer I mostly grow capsicum, snake beans, various varieties of tomatoes, rock melon, watermelon, garlic and zucchini. There is one wicking bed for just basil and another dedicated to herbs such as Thyme, coriander, oregano, and dill. Occasionally I grow butternut pumpkin but recently they haven’t grown so well and have suffered mildew.

I also grow annual flowers, sunflowers, borage and poppies and have 40% shade cloth covering all the wicking beds. Most of the seed I collect myself from the vegie patch, that way the vegies survive our climatic conditions better.

In the winter it’s the usual lettuce, beetroot, rocket, rainbow chard, potatoes and broccoli, sometimes cauliflower peas, turnip and swede, depending on our needs."

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.)

Aquaponics WA / Hydroponic Xpress - Canning Vale 9455 2133 (Living Soil only)
Bar Botanik - North Perth 9227 6758 (Indoor Potting Mix & Aroid Mix only)
Daisy Field Organics - Fremantle 0450 793 720
Garden 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
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  (Pictured above)
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
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 (Wicking Bed 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!