Useful Articles for gardeners of all abilities.
Here you will find lots of plant care articles, projects or videos on a wide range of gardening topics to assist you in creating and maintaining that perfect outdoor space. There are tips on fertilising, pruning, choosing the right potting mix or soil, waterwise gardening, weed control, pest control and much more.
Projects to get you motivated and inspired for a weekend of gardening.
Specific advice to grow and maintain a range of home garden plants.
An extensive range of practical gardening videos and product demonstrations.
Create a potted garden
Almost any plant can be grown in a pot if you follow a few simple rules for their care.
- First choose your pot. Glazed pots look wonderful but they are often poorly drained and heavy. Terracotta pots have an authentic Mediterranean look but dry out easily because their sides are porous and they’re very breakable. Yates Tuscan Edge and Artesian pots are good looking, lightweight and easy to move around. They’re also self-watering, so they don’t dry out.
- Pot size is important. The larger the plant, the bigger the container. For example, for a lemon tree you’ll need something like a 400 mm pot.
- Fill the pot with potting mix (not soil, it can be a bit gluggy in containers). Look for a quality mix, especially if you plan on having a plant in the pot for a few years.
- Potting mix gets hungry more quickly than soil so regular fertilising is important for potted plants. Use a long lasting fertiliser like Yates Acticote â€“ then you’ll only have to fertilise once or twice a year.
- Small plants like herbs can go into a space-saving trough. Tuscan edge or Artesian troughs need less watering. Fill the trough with mix and sow or plant into the top. Again regular feeding’s important – young seedlings can be fed with Yates Black Magic Seedling Fertiliser.
- How long can a plant stay in a pot? Ideally re-pot every three or four years but if you have trouble keeping the potting mix wet, it’s a sign that the plant might need re-potting. Take it out of the pot, loosen and trim the roots and re-pot into fresh mix.
- Watch for pests – have a low toxic House & Garden Spray or a Yates Bug Gun on hand to treat insect pests like aphids and caterpillars as soon as they appear.