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.