Site Overlay

August Activities

Maintenance

  • Spray insecticide to kill any eggs or remaining bugs that will multiply in spring. Suggest at this time to use lime-sulphur spray as per instructions on the bottle. Cover soil and water off excess from pots and soil
  • Collect moss and keep for surface of pots.
  • Clean and oil tools.
  • Clean on prepare pots for repotting. Get and sift soil ready for repotting.

Watering

  • Maintain moisture levels in pots. Probably need to water every other day. Check soil moisture before watering.

Fertilising

  • Because in SE Queensland there is still some growth even in winter fertilise at least once a month in winter.
  • Only light fertilisation with liquid fertiliser at least once during the month.

Pruning:

  • In Southeast Queensland sometimes it doesn’t get cold enough for deciduous trees to drop their leaves normally. So, remove any remaining leaves from deciduous trees.
  • After removing leaves deciduous tree leaves then you can prune thinner branches.
  • Remove old needles from pines and shape.
  • Wire Junipers for shape
  • Remove any old flowers including pistils and calyx.

Potting:

  • Start repotting deciduous trees with the goal of completion by the end of August. It the trees are health they can be bare-rooted, and any large roots cut off. After re-potting put out into the garden in an area with good morning sun
  • Repot during July to September. Start with deciduous then figs, natives, and conifers. Be guided by when the sap starts to flow, and buds are swelling.

Wiring:

  • As they are more brittle at this time don’t rewire until the sap is flowing and the buds are formed in spring
  • Only wire conifers and evergreens.

Location:

  • All appreciate morning sun. Protect all trees from bursts of cold weather and strong winds.