GARDENING
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Time to mulch but which is the way to go? Kevin Redd chats about just what we need in this season’s column.
Is it spring yet? By Kevin Redd Hello Queensland gardeners- here we are in that time between our mild winter and the brief subtropical spring. This can be a challenging time in the garden where temperatures are fluctuating between quite cool and genuinely warm and there are plenty of drying winds and relatively low rainfall to help our soil and plants to thrive. So what should we be doing in the garden now? First and foremost- now is a great
time to get out to apply a fresh layer of mulch to both the ornamental garden as well as the food producing patch. This will suppress those weeds and hold in the precious soil moisture. It’s not too hot to get out and do this job and besides- it’s ‘lockdown’ time for many of us- so do your plants a favour and give them some mulch! What sort of mulch is best? This is a great question and it depends upon what you are growing and how easy it is to access your garden.
At our site on the Sunshine Coast with lots of edibles and lush tropical foliage plants, we are big fans of sugarcane mulch - as it is light and easy to apply. Cane mulch is produced locally in our region and many long term cane farmers in SEQ have kept their properties going by shifting to the production of this valuable material. Ask around and we’re sure you will find a local farmer who sells the big wheels or smaller bales in your area. Many of these farmers will deliver for a small fee and it’s a wonderful way to meet some primary
9. What is the subject of an artists’ self-portrait? 10. What is the most common sedimentary rock in caves? 11. What does the French phrase “merci beaucoup” mean? 12. What large muscle is found at the front of the thigh? 13. What major line of latitude crosses the Coral Sea? 14. In the old Imperial System, how many pounds were in a stone? 15. In the Boy Scout movement, what section is intended for boys and girls from 8 to 10 years of age? 16. What kind of living thing is a bandy bandy?
17. What song by Roger Miller begins, “Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents”? 18. What free-to-air TV network shows Anh Do’s Brush With Fame? 19. Who became the UK Prime Minister in July 2019? 20. In the children’s nursery rhyme, who “kissed the girls and made them cry”? Answers: 1. Japan 2. White 3. Six 4. Crept 5. 24
producers and to know the person who produces your mulch. Alternatively there are some great bagged sugarcane mulch products (check out Rocky Point) available for those with smaller gardens or for gardeners who cannot easily bring in the bigger quantities. Sugarcane mulch breaks down relatively quickly and does a great job of suppressing weeds and feeding the soil, but it’s not always the best for pathways and where neatness is important.
Trivia Time By Allan Blackburn Seniors Today Trivia 1 1. The island of Shikoku is part of what nation? 2. In chess, what colour moves first? 3. How many pockets does a standard billiard table have? 4. What is the past tense of the word “creep”? 5. What is 4% of 600? 6. What is the only day of the week with an “o” in its spelling? 7. In which Century did the Spanish Civil War occur? 8. What is the most common gas in a human’s expired breath? 36 SENIORS TODAY SPRING: SEPTEMBER 2021
6. Monday 7. 20th 8. Nitrogen 9. The artist 10. Limestone 11. Thank you very much 12. Quadriceps 13. Tropic of Capricorn 14. 14 15. Cubs 16. Snake 17. King of the Road 18. ABC 19. Boris Johnson 20. Georgie Porgie
