Young Garden Club Prepares For Rose Pruning

The Young Garden Club has flourished since forming in June 1979.

That is 45 years of activities for members, including monthly meetings, regular outings for lunch or dinner, guest speakers, outings to local and out of town festivals, and open gardens.

Club Secretary, Helen Sheedy said the club served the Young community in a variety of ways, including raising funds for Can Assist, Young Hospital Auxiliary, Margaret House Refuge and Riding for the Disabled Young with raffles, propogating and growing plants to sell, as well as hosting open gardens.

“The Club’s future aims include working with local schools and their gardens, establishment of community gardens and an annual flower show,” Mrs Sheedy said.

“The Club meets on the first Wednesday of most months at 7 pm (6 pm in cooler months), with the occasional social dinner out instead of the general meetin.

“We currently meet at the Old Convent building at 27 Campbell Street, Young.”

While plant growth has slowed during winter, Mrs Sheedy said it was a good time to catch up on hard landscaping tasks such as laying a new garden path or erecting a garden arbour.

“It is also a great time to check your deciduous shrubs and trees, removing any dead or diseased branches,” Mrs Sheedy said.

“Anytime is a good time for mulching, in winter it can also help to protect plants that are a little more sensitive to the cold.

“In the vegie patch, you can prepare beds for planting next month, adding lots of compost and some manure dug in well to loosen up the soil in preparation for planting next month, eg strawberries or asparagus.”

Mrs Sheedy said you could still plant many of the brassica family such as broccoli and cabbage seedlings, or even sow seeds such as lettuce, onions, peas and parsley.

“Next month there will be many seeds that you could get started undercover in readiness to plan out when the warmer weather returns,” she said.

“Reduce water to potted plants, overwatering when the plants aren’t using it can lead to disease and root rot, but don’t let the cool weather fool you.

“Even in the open garden, good strong winds and a period of no rain can still dry out the root balls even on deciduous plants where a lack of ground water could set them back in spring, it’s a balancing act that requires checking soil moisture levels regularly.”

Gardeners are encouraged to continue to fertilise during winter, plants still grow through winter, many are flowering or building stores or to build up soil fertility in readiness for a burst of growth in Spring.

Regular light applications of organic fertiisers will always benefit the garden in general.

“It’s coming up to Rose Pruning time - why not join The Young Garden Club’s Rose Pruining workshop at Bunnings Young this Saturday 27th July starting at 10 am,” Mrs Sheedy said.

“Morning tea will be provided.

“Come along for a very informative and fun morning, meeting like-minded people in Friendship through Gardens.”

All are welcome to join The Young Garden Club to make local connections and friendships with other passionate about gardening.

Call Helen on 0410 010 897 or Joy on 0415 246 680.

• Topics:

• Community Groups
• Gardening