Succulents - a huge number of varieties, succulents are easy to grow and add colour and interest to any garden.

Succulents prefer an open, well drained soil and grow well in pots. Succulents are low maintenance and don’t require a lot of water.

Today we hear what Keith’s Top 10 Succulents are:

1.Tree Aloe, Aloe Barberae, - grows up to 6-9 metres x 3-6 meters. Long straight trunk with a huge succulent head. Pest and disease free.

2. Kalanchoe beharensis, sometimes known as Elephant Ear Kalanchoe or Felt bush. Large felty leaves up to 40cm

3.Cussonia paniculata - growis up to 5 meters with large sculptured and textured leaves.

4.Century Plant, Agave attenuata, has beautiful smooth soft silver foliage in a big rosette.

5. Burbank’s Spineless, Opuntia ficus-indica, . This is a non-invasive form of the prickly pear.

6.Blue Chalk, Senecio serpens, is a beautiful grey groundcover with its cylindrical blue chalks that produces branches of fluffy creamy-white flowers.

7.Australian Pig Face, Carpobrotus rossii is an Australian native that grows in sand along coastlines. The leaves are dark green and it produces a pinky-purple flower with a yellow center that becomes an edible fig.

8. Cotyledon orbiculate ‘Sliver Waves’ is a stunning sculptural plant with large powdery silver leaves and is perfect with pastel coloured plants.

9.Aeonium arboretum ‘Schwarzkopf’ - a stunning plant of black-maroon leaves. It will produce large heads of yellow which contrast beautifully with the dark leaves.

10. Dwarf flowering Aloe - produces masses of single coloured flower stalks. These come in a multitude of colours from yellow, orange, white, red and multi coloured forms.

Happy gardening!

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
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Q&A time again! Who will be this month’s lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?

• What to line our planter boxes with? Any HDPE (High-density polyethylene) is safe for Pinapple guava lining planter boxes. The thicker the better!
• Where to find Lignite Humate? Keith can’t recommend Clyde's Compost and Clyde’s lignite highly enough, now available at selected Bunnings stores (in Vic). Failing that, Keith suggests BioChar (try Charman) - 2 litres per 2 sq.m and Neutrog Gogo Juice
• Low hedging/edible hedge suggestions - when terracing, low levels can have higher hedges and gradually decrease size as you go up. From bottom up: Pineapple guava, Tasmanian Pepperberry, Goji Berry, Salt Bush, Chilean Guava, Tea Plant, Midyim Berry
• Keith shares some tips on Rondeletia leucophylia
• As with any herbicide, always follow the directions when using Slasher.
• Can you add compost over ground covers? Yes, lightly won’t be a problem! Also consider Charlie Carp
• Keith explains how to reduce high pH levels

Keep sending in your questions via DM to Muddy Boots or where needed in between episodes, reach out to Keith @ke_landscape_consultant

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
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What are the challenges of gardening on a large, rural property? Today we meet Cass Hooke, garden consultant, to tell us more about her experience about building a new garden from scratch.

From her family upbringing to her first paid job with gardener Robert Boyle, Cass has immersed herself with landscaping and gardening. With a passion for conservation and the protection of threatened species, we hear about Cass’s journey and the creation of her garden with all the challenges of low rainfall, bore water and a harsh climate.

Cass share’s her journey of the creation of her rural Riverina NSW garden via her instagram @outbackgardens.

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

A garden without birds, bees and butterflies, just isn’t a garden’, says Elisabeth. Today we talk about the importance of attracting pollinators!

Australia is home to over 1500 bees and pollinating insects.

Here are some of the ‘bee magnet’ flowering plants.

• Salvias
• Buddleia (also a favourite with butterflies)
• Echium (check out the wildpretii variety)
• Poppies
• Cosmos
• Alyssum
• Queen Anne’s Lace
• Calendula
• Daisies
• Penstemon
• Natives such as wattles, bottle brushes, westringia, grevillea
• Herbs such as - borage, rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil, yarrow

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Tomatoes - Australia’s most grown vegetable (or fruit, actually)! Today we learn Keith’s Top 10 tomatoes.

Easy to grow as long as they are given plenty of feed and plenty of sun.

Lots of top tips today to tomato growing before we hear about Keith’s recommended varieties

1. Blue Beauty
2. Juane Flamme
3. Wapsipinicon Peach
4. San Marzano
5. Santorini
6. Tasmanian Chocolate
7. Black Russian
8. Black Truffle
9. Mortgage Lifter
10. Tommy Toe

Special mention too to the Tigerella variety - Keith’s recommendation if you are looking for a prolific fruiter!

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Q&A time again! Who will be this month’s lucky winner of the fabulous prize donated by The Plant Runner?

• Leggy seedlings? Likely your newly germinated seeds are looking for as much light as possible
• Keith suggests mowing and hedge clipping by the Moon calendar (ie during low sap flow period) to reduce growth rate
• Tips for ‘Little Gem’ magnolia - often sparse up to 1.5m. Keith suggests underplanting with shade tolerant plants. Magnolias are heavy feeders so suggest products like Neutrog Gyganics and liquid fertiliser to kick start.
• Starting a garden from scratch? Keith recommends having a solid plan!
• Making your own Biochar? Keith suggests storing ‘uncharged’ and ‘charging’ before use.
• Long and deep watering is best for lawns and shrubs to encourage deep rooting. Vegetables, on the other hand, need more regular watering as their roots are shallowing. Keith works on 4mm per day.
• Can bee-keepers stop their bees stinging? Aggressive bees are symptomatic of a bigger problem with the hive that should be addressed by the bee-keeper and may require “requeening” the hive
• Camelias not thriving - check soil pH (5.5-6).
• Pond plants - Keith lists some favourites including cycnogeton procerum, ludwigia palustris, mariophyllum, cyperus papyrus and Bog Plants include carex appressa. Keith recommends Kuranga Native Nursery in Mt. Evelyn, Victoria

Keep sending in your questions to Muddy Boots!

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

This episode, Elisabeth and Keith provide invaluable insights into all things lavender. From understanding the importance of well-drained soil and ample sunlight to identifying the best locations for successful cultivation, we'll unveil the secrets to nurturing thriving lavender plants.

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

The benefits of a plant based diet are well known. Today we meet Samantha Gowing from Food, Health, Wealth, renowned chef and nutritionist who is passionate about the health benefits of plants.

A fascinating discussion covering the importance of seasonal produce, the myths of ‘super foods’, the medicinal benefits of many plants and striving for the umami flavour for a satisfying plant based diet.

Sam talks about the benefits of some of our basic herbs including parsley, watercress, turmeric, ginger, how to store them for longevity and tips on using the whole plant to reduce waste.

Check out the following to learn more about Samantha Gowing’s work:

• Food Health Wealth
• Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat
• Savour The Tweed

Happy gardening!

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook