There were plants galore on our trading table this month. One of the benefits of being a garden club member is being able to purchase, at a greatly reduced price, plants from our Trading Table. The plants are either donated by generous club members or potted surplus from garden owners. There is always such a variety & it is a great way to inexpensively expand your garden. There are plant varieties that are not often found in nurseries any more as well as old favourites. With bulb planting time just around the corner, there is always a good supply as owners thin out their own patch.
Our guest speaker this month was Tony Matson from Cut Above at Seven Hills who spoke to us about the importance of caring for your existing gardening tools and selecting the right tool for the right job.
We all had a different answer when Tony posed the question “What is the most important tool you have in your Garden”? Some cited their shears whilst others mentioned their wheelbarrow or secateurs, when In fact it is the gardener themselves. Each person is different and needs tools to suit their hand size and ability to lift weight. We all gained an insight in how to make our tasks easier and more enjoyable. Various tools were circulated to make a comparison and note the difference. It is much more comfortable to hold the right size secateurs for your hand and the difference between loppers that weighed 1kg and another 2kg was apparent. Finding the one that suits you best would certainly decrease the time it takes to get a job done and increase pleasure in the task. Tony spoke about the variety of materials that tools come in and the differences in materials such as steel, stainless steel and Teflon coated. Each one has different features and benefits. On the topic of tool maintenance Tony shared his advice on how to easily sharpen tools, make a simple cleaning mix and oil our tools to extend their life.
Many of us will be going home to evaluate our tools and give them some additional care.
Next month we are having a garden clinic where a panel consisting of Elizabeth Swane, Judy Horton and Sue Montgomery will be available to answer your questions about plants, flowers and pesky bugs. Each of them has their own specialty and they bring a wealth of knowledge to the club. Come and get that unidentified plant’s name, find out how to rid your garden of those bugs and especially fungal diseases after all the rain and humidity. That flowering plant not flowering? Then ask one of our panel, it will be an interesting night.
Save the date for the Galston Open Gardens Weekend Fri 20th, Sat 21st and Sun 22nd October 2017.
Garden Club meets on the 2nd Weds of the month at the Galston Community Centre 37 Arcadia Rd., Galston 8.00pm, new members are warmly welcomed. For other information, visit our website: www.galstongarden.com.au
