‘And every creek a banker ran,
‘And dams filled overtop;
“We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan,
And every creek a banker ran, And dams filled overtop; “We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan, “If this rain doesn’t stop."
“If this rain doesn’t stop.”
Walking round my waterlogged garden, I know how Hanrahan felt. And though for farmers a drenching can be as devastating as a drought, it’s hard for gardeners not to rejoice in a wet spring.
An interesting sidelight for me after weeks of wet has been discovering where the water pools in my sloping garden. Funnily enough the soggiest place isn’t below the pond, it’s directly above it.
Surface water drains down the slope and into the pond, but subterranean moisture evidently comes up against its waterproof lining, sunk to a depth of about 50 centimetres, and this I presume is causing the quagmire.
Had I foreseen this, I would have planted my damp-loving almond tree (Prunus dulcis) here, but naturally I chose a drought tolerant loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) for the boggy spot.
It looks fine at the moment, but loquats need good drainage, so I can see I’ll be out with a tonne of gypsum before long.
Meanwhile I need to get on top of the tidal wave of weeds, or as Hanrahan again gloomily predicted, come summer the garden will be a fire hazard.
Thanks to subsoil moisture they’re easily removed, and I’m spreading mulch as I go, before the rain vanishes and the soil dries out. Subsoil moisture also makes dividing and replanting ornamental grasses and canna lilies (Canna indica) a doddle, October being the ideal time to do this. Trim grasses into a neat mound, they soon recover.
If you have plants bothered by scale – readily visible on leaves and branches – now is the hour to get on top of it. Deal with a small outbreak by removing the affected parts of the plant, otherwise spray with white oil.
This suffocates the insects that are causing the problem; yes I know, but you have to harden your heart sometimes.
White oil is available from nurseries for about $13-$14 or you can make your own. Add four parts vegetable oil to one part dishwashing detergent and shake it up, it soon turns white. Dilute one tablespoon (20 millilitres) to one litre of water. You’ll need a pump-action spray bottle to squirt it (about $17-$18), but if you’re in a hurry, empty your kitchen bench cleaner product bottle and use that. The garden comes before the kitchen on these occasions. Spring is time to get pots ready for summer. Your own compost is ideal, as it drains better than garden soil, otherwise you need to invest in potting mix.
Lots of annuals look lovely in pots, there’s no need to limit yourself to petunias.
Narrandera Open Garden Day on Sunday October 23 features two country and five town gardens. Self-drive, entry of $10 covers seven gardens, light lunch ($8) available at Rivendell garden on the Murrumbidgee; Devonshire Teas and plant stall in the Uniting Church Hall; generous discounts for plant hunters from Shady Gum Nursery. Profits to Can Assist, details from Gwen Nielsen, 02 6959 2228, gwen.neilsen@bigpond.com.au
