Nothing gets in the way of a beautiful and healthy garden more than weeds. Controlling weeds is vital for the health of your plants, so it’s no surprise that those weeds in your garden have to go.
The first step in any garden care plan is to identify what you’re dealing with. If you don’t recognize the weeds correctly, it will lead to wrong treatment methods, costing you time and money.
While weeding takes a bit of work, we’ve created this blog to help ease this process for you by telling you exactly how to identify and control the most common garden weeds found in Perth.
How To Identify And Get Rid Of The Most Common Garden Weeds Found In Perth.
1. Clover
Clover is a type of broadleaf weed that grows low on the ground during hot weather.
The most common garden clover that you may deal with is white clover. It grows in patches and can get up to 8 inches tall.
Other common garden clover species include Red Clover, which has narrow leaves and can grow up to 20 inches, and Sweet Clover has yellow or white flowers.
If you know what to look for, clovers are extremely easy to identify.
It has leaves with three small teardrop-shaped leaflets with a white stripe that runs from one side to the other.
One patch can produce multiple flower heads, and each of them can grow to be 0.5 to 1.5 inches in diameter.
You can manually uproot clover when it’s still small by gently loosening the soil around the base with your fingers and plucking it.
For large clusters of clover, you can use broadleaf herbicides to do the job.
You can also use A.D.I.O.S., a non-toxic, odorless, and organic weed killer that is safe to use around kids and pets.
2. Bindii
Bindii is a troublesome garden weed that is mainly found in the Perth metropolitan area.
It first emerges during the winter rains, typically in May, and produces seed capsules that are protected by sharp needle-like spikes. These seed capsules prick your feet if you walk barefoot and can be painful for you and your pets.
The best way to control this garden weed is to tackle it with appropriate herbicide while it is growing. Effective herbicides contain bromoxynil plus MCPA.
If you plan to manually remove this weed (in case of small infestations), make sure that you dig up the root to prevent regrowth.
3. Stinging Nettle
Stinging Nettle is one of the most uncomfortable garden weeds to deal with.
It has small fine needle hair that feels like tiny syringes that irritate and blister even when brushed lightly on bare skin. Nettles are not tough to identify, especially because most people have been stung by them at least once.
It thrives on nutrient-rich soil, so one good thing about finding them is that it indicates that your garden soil is relatively high in nutrients, especially phosphorus.
Stinging Nettle is green, oval-shaped with teeth lining the edge. It has square stems with tiny hairs and can grow up to 2 meters tall.
We recommend using gloves, fully covered clothing, and a spade when you handle them. Simply loosen the soil around the plant with a spade and grab the plant’s base and pull.
4. Soursob
While you can identify bright yellow soursob flowers quite effortlessly, they are challenging to do away with.
Soursob is an almost hairless garden weed that begins its annual invasion during the winter season and grows from May to September.
Unlike the other garden weeds discussed above, Sournob can withstand the herbicide. While it is challenging to get rid of this plant, you can get it under control just before the weed starts to flower.
Simply weaken the roots by mowing over the plant and then pull them out manually.
Bulbils are bulb-like attachments to the roots that detach from the primary plant and produce a new soursob. It would be best if you did this before they flower because that is when it produces ‘bulbils,’ which leads to more weeds.
5. Dandelion
Dandelions are one of the easiest weeds to identify with a large rosette and a long stout taproot. Dandelions are bright yellow fluffy flowers that turn to white puffball of seeds when it’s ready to reproduce.
They grow between 2 to 18 inches tall, and their taproot ranges from 6 to 18 inches in length.
They are notoriously difficult to remove because their roots are long and can extend deep underground. If you don’t remove them the right way, they’ll grow right back and steal nutrients, water, and sunlight from your plants and can also harbor pests or diseases.
Dandelions have a hollow stem and produce milky fluid when you break the stem.
The leaves grow in a rosette arrangement, with the leaf edges pointing inwards. While multiple stalks can grow from a single plant, only one flowering head is on a single stalk.
While you can try to yank them out, it is not an effective long-term solution.
The best way to treat dandelion weeds is with herbicide.
If you’re concerned about the neighboring plants, you can try spraying the weeds with vinegar.
Removing weeds can be a tedious process, but we hope the description and images help you identify and get rid of these common garden weeds in your lawn.
If you need assistance in correctly identifying and controlling your garden weed, get in touch with us, and we’ll help you build a weed-free garden.
There are several ways you can maximise the functionality of your backyard garden area – even if it is a small space.
Building a small garden can often take more effort than a large garden. Why?
Because it requires clever and thoughtful planning to get the most out of compact spaces.
While creating a small backyard garden, the important thing is to ensure that your garden doesn’t feel cramped or cluttered.
In this blog post, we’ll give you ideas, tips, and techniques to build a functional outdoor space that looks breathtaking all year round.
5 Best Small Garden Ideas For Your Outdoor Space
1. Create a plan
A well-designed garden provides beauty and a functional space that can improve your lifestyle. To get the most out of your small garden, in-depth research and planning are the key to a successful project.
There are a plethora of small garden design ideas on Pinterest that you can use as an inspiration to find your preferred garden style.
First, spend some time understanding what you need from your space and what you will use your backyard for – entertaining, kids/pets play area, relaxing, etc – and define your budget and then create your plan around these two key factors.
Visualise your garden plan on paper first if possible -t’s easier and much less expensive to correct a mistake on paper.
Measure your backyard and take note of problems that you may need to resolve. Does your drainage system need to be revamped? Does your garden not include a shaded area large enough for you to build your sitting space?
Survey the area that receives the most sunlight and plan your planting areas accordingly.
If you want more from less space and don’t want to dedicate your small backyard garden entirely to plants and flowers, make it multi-purpose.
You can have your standard dining area and create a romantic setting with a swing chair and string lights.
And, of course, you have your garden, too.
2. Keep Plants Vertical, Not Horizontal
In small spaces, less is always more. So instead of trying to cram plants on the garden floor, spruce up your wall.
Vertical gardens are extremely practical, especially in small spaces.
This gives an excellent illusion of being surrounded by greenery everytime you’re in your garden, and it doesn’t take up the much-needed space.
Try adding one big pot instead of several small potted plants, this helps with reducing visual clutter and makes your small garden landscape look more spacious and elegant.
3. Create a Backyard Focal Point
Creating a sitting space at the end of a narrow garden will create an illusion of a larger area.
Position your furniture at the back of a paved area and build a pathway leading to this sitting space to draw attention to this space.
This is a great alternative to a common method of creating your focal point in the centre of your garden. Use the rule of thirds; plan your focal point on the left-third or right-third of your garden (typically away from the entrance).
One tip to make your garden look bigger is by taking advantage of optical illusions with a contemporary garden mirror panel.
4. Choose the Right Plants
Take advantage of foliage and the texture of tropical plants. Plants with large leaves like the Elephant Ear plant will change the scale of your small backyard space.
You can create a sense of depth in your small garden with your choice of plants. You can do this by simply playing with the heights of different plants to create a layered look.
You can try layering colour, too – you can either include gradations (reds, oranges, and yellows) or go for a classic combination like red and purple.
If you want, you can even stick to one variety when it comes to your flowering plants, for example. It gives your small backyard garden a consistent aesthetic and reduces the work you have to do to maintain your plants.
5. Choose the Right Furniture
Get functional furniture for your outdoor space that helps you save space by doubling as a storage unit for things like your gardening tools.
Use portable furniture that you can effortlessly bring out, put away, and roll around (coffee table on wheels) as and when you need them. Choose flexible pieces of furniture like collapsible tables and foldable chairs that can be easily stored.
Hang furniture to create an illusion of more floor space. All you need is a nook of your garden to mount a hanging chair and make it your own cozy reading corner.
You can even hang a relaxing hammock under shade for a lazy afternoon nap. When not in use, you can simply hang both ends from the same hook and make use of the additional space.
If you don’t have a shaded area in your garden, you can easily create it with a large patio umbrella.
You can also use perspective to add different levels to your garden.
Raised garden beds, sunken fire pits, and a raised platform will open up more creative ways for you to optimise your small backyard garden area.
You can even stack container plants on multiple levels to add dimension. You can integrate large terracotta with slender and tall glazed pots.
Outdoor fireplaces are even more suited for small backyard gardens than large ones because they bring in an element of coziness and intimacy.
And that’s it!
Those are our 5 best small garden ideas to help you get inspired and create a perfect backyard!
If you want someone to help you install your new garden, get in touch with us, and we can supply and install your new plants, garden beds and mulching, etc. Or, get in touch with our sister company at Perth Landscaping Experts to install the entire project! Together, we’ll create a yard that’ll amaze your entire neighbourhood.
Now we understand that not everyone likes to work outside in a cold rainy Perth Winter, and not everyone can afford to spend hours in their garden to keep on top of all the gardening tasks – life gets busy right?
At Perth Gardening, all our Landscape Gardeners are tough (and own sturdy rain jackets!) and are dedicated to create outstanding gardens. Get in touch today to discuss your garden maintenance requirements.
So, you’ve just had a vibrant new carpet of lawn (otherwise known as roll on turf) laid down, and you absolutely love it!
But now of course the worry is – how do you look after it so it grows healthy and doesn’t give up on you – especially in those first few weeks.
We get asked this question by concerned clients all the time, so here we will outline the best practices in taking care of your new lawn.
Watering
This is massively important and if not done properly can cause serious damage to your beautiful new turf.
Take into consideration the attention that your new lawn will need and make sure that you don’t have any holidays planned for the first 2-3 weeks after installation – imagine having a reticulation breakdown and returning to a dead lawn!
Instant lawns, lawn runners (stolons) and seeded lawn need at least a daily watering for the first 2 weeks while establishing roots, which means you need to check with your contractor for their recommendations, as well as having a quality reticulation system installed and set accordingly. Ensure you know who to contact if your system has any problems – you don’t want to be forced to water by hand!
Watering exemptions are available with a new lawn install, for up to 45 days in summer and 35 days in winter, so make sure you have applied for an exemption.
Once the lawn is established watering restrictions apply for both residential and commercial gardens so be sure to check your watering days here.
In order to save water you can try to reduce amount of water applied but make sure to monitor how the lawn looks – if it is dry and wilting increase watering. If you see brown patches check the retic straight away to see if it is simply missing that spot, or if the problem is with the lawn itself.
Mowing
Avoid mowing until you are sure the lawn has taken and its root systems are well established. Check this by gently lifting up on the corner of a turf roll, if it pulls upward leave the mowing for another week or so, if it doesn’t move then it is ready to mow. This may be within the first 2 weeks for instant lawns so organise a gardener to come around if you don’t have time yourself. If your lawn has been watered too much it may have grown exponentially, resulting in a quickly over-grown lawn. When this happens, never cut it right down straight away, cut to around a third of its height to slowly get it back to your ideal length.
Be careful not to cut off too much for the first few mowing’s, cut high until 2-3 months after it’s fully established.
Fertilising
Check if your landscaper provides turf that has already been fertilised, often the case with instant turf, or if they can include a fertiliser when planting. Ask for a 2-month slow release fertiliser, then apply again every 2 months except in Winter June-August. It is very important to apply fertiliser in April to give your lawn an extra boost during winter, as well as at the end of August to help with spring recovery.
Look out for…
Weeds – This indicates a maintenance problem so ensure you have a regular watering, mowing and fertilising system in place
Brown Patches – Like we mentioned before, this can indicates a retic problem and needs to be checked immediately before it’s too late and the lawn dies. It could also be a pest problem or a problem with the soil itself.
The only way to be sure your lawn will survive is by constant attention and care for the first few weeks – if you aren’t able to be there then make sure you find a reliable garden and retic expert to check on your lawn and keep your irrigation system operating perfectly.
Growing vegetables in your own garden is a rewarding experience – it takes a bit more work but going outside to pick your own salads, veggies or herbs for meals makes it all worth it.
It may seem a little daunting if you’ve never done this before, but you don’t always need a green thumb to build a vegetable garden that will thrive in Perth.
In this blog, we’ve included the best practices that will make your process of starting and caring for a veggie garden easier.
What are we waiting for? Let’s dive right in!
Things To Consider When Growing A Veggie Garden In Perth
Plan your Garden
The first decision you need to make is whether you wish to build your veggie garden directly on the ground or on a raised garden bed.
While many choose to dig your garden directly into the ground, there are definite advantages to raised garden beds that we think you should consider.
Raised garden beds make it easier to grow and care for your veggies – much easier on the back and knees! – while keeping your pets from wrecking your garden.
They also allow you to have full control over the soil quality from the beginning, so if your garden soil has sand and gravel or is mostly clay, we recommend you choose raised garden beds so you can create a nutritious, quality soil to grow your food in.
Climate
The month of February is the hottest in Perth, while June to August is the coldest period. Keep this in mind when planning your garden bed installation so you can then plant suitable vegetables at the right time.
Most vegetables, fruits, and herbs will grow best in full sunshine, i.e. somewhere around 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day.
You can then choose to grow cool-season crops like cabbage, spinach, and radishes in the part shade region of your veggie garden.
When you plan your veggie garden, decide what you want to grow before you plan the location to make sure it ticks the right boxes. Plant your tall plants (like corn and vine plants like
Watering
Install a water barrel, tap extension, sprinkler system or other means of ensuring regular water supply to your vegetable garden.
Most plants need 2 to 5 cm of water every week, but that does depend on the warmth and rainfall.
It is preferable if you heavily water your veggie garden once a week rather than a little bit every day. Watering heavily forces the roots to reach further down into the soil, improving self-reliance. A quality mulch will also help to maintain the level of moisture retention while improving the soil – a win win!
Nourishing your soil
The soil here in Perth is often mostly sandy which is not ideal for growing a veggie garden. Sandy soil has poor moisture and nutrient retention; however, you can easily improve and nourish it with organic matter; including garden compost, mulch and animal manure.
It’s best to allow your manure to age for at least six months before using it to avoid potential problems.
Fresh manure may contain weed seeds and harbour diseases. It may also have a high level of nitrogen content which is harmful to plants.
While you can use organic fertilizers, they’re more of a short-term solution. Organic matter helps your soil become a healthier environment for your plants over time.
Equipment
You don’t need to invest too much money in equipment to get started with your vegetable garden.
However, there are four essential pieces of equipment that you will require.
Hoe
Backyard spade
Wheelbarrow
Fork
Once you have these, plus some good gardening gloves, you should be all set.
Choosing the Right Vegetables
It is essential to plan your planting since some plants mature quickly, whereas others take a while.
Crop rotation is also an excellent practice where you don’t grow a crop in the same area for a while to avoid crop diseases.
You can grow your vegetable garden by direct seed sowing or by planting seedlings.
If you purchase seedlings for your garden, get them from reputable nurseries or garden centres and ensure that they were grown in a weed-free environment and are free from diseases.
Here is a list of veggies that you can grow each month in Perth to get you started
Seed packets often come with instructions on the package about the best time to sow and harvest them.
Maintain a journal from the very first week. Keep note of where and when you’ve planted which crop and how well it grows. This will help you recognize any patterns of potential issues and the best practices that will ensure a thriving vegetable garden.
Note of Caution: Avoid accepting seeds and seedlings from your neighbours unless they are experienced gardeners, since one bad plant can create havoc in your vegetable garden.
Companion Planting
Some plants complement each other’s growth when grown together. You can group plants that have the same type of soil, water, and sunlight requirements.
There are also plants that deter insects from your vegetable garden.
Chamomile keeps away flies and strengthens the plants around it. Rosemary and Lemongrass have a pungent smell that works as natural pest control.
Onion is said to repel incest from vegetables like broccoli and beetroot. You can grow tomatoes near Basil since it deters flies and mosquitoes and enhances the growth of tomatoes.
On the flip side, some plants make bad companions. For example, asparagus shouldn’t be grown near garlic and onions.
The bottom line is that you need to do your homework and plan your garden before any other step.
Growing a vegetable garden is a rewarding way to get the most from your outdoors – and encourage you to spend more time outside.
If you would like help with planting or maintaining your ideal veggie garden, we’re just a phone call away!
You may be looking for ways to build a low maintenance garden, but you’re doomed if you don’t design your garden with your dog in mind. How to keep your dogs out of your garden should be your primary concern when you start planning your garden.
But don’t worry.
In this blog post, we’re sharing 9 simple things you can do to keep your pet from mauling your plants.
They help preserve biodiversity because, without native plants, the wildlife, local birds, and insects that have evolved with them can’t survive.
Here is a list of the 7 best native plants that grow in Perth that you should consider while making your landscaping decisions.
1. Encourage Digging!
This is the first tip on our list because of how easy it is to implement.
Your dog can’t wait to dig and trample everything you’ve worked so hard for. But instead of punishing your dog for digging, encourage it!
Create a designated digging area in your garden and cover it with sand and dirt that your dog will enjoy digging through.
You can even hide a few toys in the Dig-zone to make it more fun for your dog.
If your dog has a weird obsession with digging in places you don’t want them to, blow up some balloons and bury them in these areas.
When your dog digs, the balloon bursting will scare them off, and they’ll be wary of digging that area again. Of course, it may take a few tries before the message sinks in.
TOP TIP: Don’t run your reticulation system when your dog is in the yard. They can hear the water running underground and will want to dig to investigate – potentially damaging the retic along with your garden.
2. Garden Edging.
If you don’t want to build random cages and fences around your plants, you can go for a simpler option.
Decorative fencing may sometimes shade small plants that need the sun, so you can surround your flower beds with chicken wire, keeping your dog from ruining them.
Since edging creates a clear, visible barrier, it’s also easier to train your dog that stepping over the edging isn’t allowed – like stepping over the line from the living room to the kitchen!
3. Use Deterrents.
You can grow plants with strong scents that dogs don’t find off-putting to keep them away from your garden beds.
Or you can simply use animal deterrent sprays. Some scents that most dogs don’t prefer are: Hot pepper sprays Coffee grounds Crushed red pepper Orange peels Ammonia Tabasco sauce Vinegar Ground mustard Black pepper Apple bitters Cayenne pepper
You can also plant motion activated sprinklers that sprinkles water when your dog is in the area – this only works if your dog doesn’t like water!
4. Dog-friendly features.
Instead of taking measures to keep dogs out of the garden, create a raised and shaded dog bed where your dog can relax while you work outdoors.
Dogs love playing with water, so build an outdoor pet shower station or a dog fountain that will keep your pet cool, hydrated, and happy.
If you have a large garden, you can even create a designated play area for your dog where they can run and play around.
5. Raised Garden Beds.
Using raised garden beds is not only great if you want to build a low maintenance garden, but it also keeps your dog from ruining your plants.
Raised barriers are harder to reach and uncomfortable for dogs to stand on, so they are less likely to pee on your plants or dig into the soil.
6. Plant Densely.
Grow your plants close together. This reduces the chance of your dog ravaging all over your plants.
Choose sturdy shrubs and hardy perennials that can withstand an occasional stomp from your dog. If you want to grow delicate plants, keep them in containers or go for vertical gardens.
One tip to avoid a mess when your dog overturns a potted plant is to cover the soil in your pot with cardboard and cut out areas for your plant to grow.
7. Double-check the plants you choose for your garden.
While you may be worried about your dog ruining your garden, take a step back and ensure that the plants you select to grow are not hazardous to your dog.
Common garden flowers like daffodils and tulips are toxic to all dogs, but there may be others that your particular pet may be allergic to.
One easy solution is to take advantage of Vertical Gardens to keep these plants out of your dogs reach.
8. Cover Ponds and Pools.
All dogs love playing and swimming in water. If you have a pond or a pool in your garden, it must be a common enough scenario for your dog to march into the house after a session in the garden pond.
To avoid this, simply cover the pool when not in use. This is also an added measure of safety if your dog is small or your pond big.
9. Protect your garden from your dog’s urine.
Your dog’s urine is high in nitrogen which damages plants.
Dead brown patches in your lawn indicate that your pup’s pee is destroying your lawn. But there are simple steps you can take to limit this damage.
Another solution is to dilute the area with water when your dog is done peeing.
Always keep a water bowl outside and encourage your dog to drink more water since this dilutes your dog’s discharge and makes it less harmful to your garden.
Training your dog to pee in a specific spot in your garden will make your life easier in the long run.
And that’s it!
Those are our top 9 simplest ways for keeping dogs out of gardens.
If you would like help planning and building a dog-proof garden, we recommend getting in touch with our sister company, Perth Landscaping Experts. From a Landscape Consultation to provide advice and create a plan, to the full construction, they can help create a garden that both you and your dog will love.
Find out more about our planting services, give our team a call now on (08) 6263 4645.
