I would never have bought a collapsible garden container myself so I'm very thankful that my daughter surprised me with one for Christmas. To me, this product seemed as useful as a keg at a teetotalers party.

My normal gardening activity sees me move around the garden deadheading, pruning and weeding leaving little piles of refuse everywhere. Sometimes I cart around my wheelbarrow but more often than not it's full of compost or soil or some other project resource. So the little piles grow and remain until I can be bothered returning to pick them up - or my wife gently nudges me with "When are those rubbish piles going to move, Stuart?"

So, I took my new collapsible container for a test run in the garden yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. Not only was it easy to maneouvre and carry it was also incredibly sturdy and strong enough to carry my edgings and summer prunings. At the end of my gardening tasks it was just as easy to carry the container over to the compost bins and empty - a vast improvement on trying to lift it out of the wheelbarrow with a garden fork.

As I was testing it out, I contemplated the features that impressed me most about this new garden tool. Obviously the "collapsible" thing was a standout winner. Being able to collapse the container when storing it makes it ideal for my limited garden shed. Plus, another neat bonus was that as I was kneeling on the ground picking out weeds, reaching into the bag was effortless - it just collapsed and folded down and then instantly sprang back.

What would I look for if I were going to buy one of these?

1. A handle at the bottom - this is such a helpful addition when you're trying to discard the waste into your compost bins.
2. Solid woven spring - it's the quality of the springed wire woven into the side of the bag that makes it the useful container that it is.
3. Buy one without a lid - I honestly can't see the purpose of this tool having a lid. It would make it too easy to zip up and leave laying around without emptying it, which kind of defeats the purpose - right?
4. Colour - very, very important! Presently, they only seem to come in khaki or black but I'm hoping that some manufacturers may produce these in fashionable prints or at least some more individual colours. Is that too much to expect?
5. Solid base - mine only has a canvas base which should be more than adequate for how I plan to use it. However, if you wanted to get more from your container then I would suggest that a solid base might be a good idea.
6. Canvas/Woven sides - if you're hoping to get a few years out of this garden tool then I would steer clear of the cheap plastic options. Woven sides should last the distance and if looked after may even give you 5 - 10 years at a minimum.

If you don't have a collapsible container for your garden yet then I would seriously suggest you consider it. It is probably the best tool to emerge in the garden over the past few years and will come in very handy for years to come.

Posted in Garden Tools Gardening Gardening Tips & Ideas at 6:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Hebes are one of those plants that possess the "girl-next-door" looks. In fact, most gardeners may have a hebe plant or two but grow them as fillers rather than the focal plant in their beds. And it's no surprise, they're just one of those plants that go about their growing business without too much fuss.

But, don't make the mistake of writing them off either. The Hebe, sometimes bundled in with the Veronica family, is a plant that deserves far more attention than it receives.

The reason for its omission on the front cover of gardening magazines is due primarily to its ovate foliage. Can you recall the last stunner that possessed ovate leaves? They're the shape that kids draw when they first start depicting plants with leaves and, quite honestly, hold very little appeal to the masses.

Hebe flowers aren't anything to write home about either. While they're certainly pretty enough and hold some attraction for bees and butterflies they don't last long and look hideous when they've finished performing against many of the other stunning blooms. And dead-heading them to encourage a second flourish just doesn't seem worth the time, or the effort.

No, hebes were destined to be the "poor cousin" to your standard, floribunda roses, fragrant gardenias and impressive magnolias.

Yet with new hybrids starting to enter the market, the plain-Jane hebe may see a rejuvenated acceptance, possibly - dare I say it - desire, amongst gardeners. Their foliage is improving with more elongated ovate leaves and some, like my H. "Mary Antoinette", offering burgundy undersides which look amazing contrasted against the deep green leaf. Even the flower colour is deepening from vivid whites through magenta pinks and dark purples.

Hebe Plant Care & Management Tips

If you've gone ahead and put a couple of these in the garden or ordered a few varieties through your local nursery, you will need to know how to keep them looking their best.

• They will grow great either in containers or directly in garden beds
• Apart from frost-prone areas, you can grow hebes in almost any climactic region - even tropical
• They aren't susceptible to many pests or disease and are virtually maintenance free
• The hebe plant's one major drawback is its inate desire to become 'leggy'. After each flourish of blooms it's recommended that you cut it back by about a third for it to retain its compact shape.
• Hebes prefer well-drained, slightly acidic soil but still do well in those coastal alkaline sands - go figure!
• Propagating hebes can easily be achieved through semi-hardwood cuttings taken at the end of summer

Posted in Annuals, Shrubs & Perennials How to at 6:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Garlic is usually considered in the same moment coupled with halitosis - smelly breath. In fact, in most conversations that centre around this wonderful vegetable/herb, bad breath will most certainly be raised as a reason for its distaste. Yet there are so many other uses of this distinctive plant.

Culinary Uses

1. Infused oils - garlic oil is so easy to make yet it is such an amazing resource to have in the kitchen. Peel 2-3 cloves, pressing them gently against the back of your knife on a chopping board to release their flavour, and drop them into a small glass jar with about 500ml of extra virgin olive oil.


2. Garlic bread - it's incredible how popular this item is in restaurants and kitchens all over the world. All it takes is some pre-softened butter with a few crushed cloves of garlic, lemon juice and finely chopped parsley and you're onto a winner. Spread it onto some bread and throw it in the oven or on a char griller and in moments you will have a delicious entree.


3. Flavouring for sauces and dishes - there aren't too many dishes that can't accept garlic as a flavour enhancer. Pasta, roasts, casseroles and their accompanying sauces can all lift with the addition of this herb.

Garlic for Health
4. Acne problems - supposedly, rubbing your skin with cloves off garlic can reduce pimples and acne problems.


5. Regulate blood - it has also been shown that regular intakes of garlic can regulate the blood helping to improve coronary issues


6. Ward off and fight the common cold - while it's never actually been proven, there are certainly enough 'old-wives -tales' to consider at least trying it.

Garlic as a Decoration
7. Braiding - braided garlic hanging in your kitchen is such a great ornament - and useful too. Here's a post on how to braid garlic.

Planting Garlic
8. Companion planting - obviously garlic is best when it's in the garden and it excels when used as a companion plant for roses and other vegetables.


9. Growing garlic as a vegetable/herb - here's a post on planting garlic

Garlic Sprays
10. Organic pesticides - garlic's natural repelling tendencies leans itself to being a great pesticide that you make at home. Here's a recipe that you can use in your own garden.


11. Insect repellants - the above link also offers some ideas for how to use garlic as an insect repellant to spray on yourself and your family and pets.

De-Ice Roads
12. Melting snow and ice - mixed with salt, garlic can be used as powerful de-icer

Aphrodisiac?
13. Improve your love life - while halitosis and odorous sweat glands are worth considering when conusing too much garlic, tests in rats have proven to increase testosterone levels so maybe there is some correlation with garlic and your love life.

Posted in Herbs & Vegetables at 7:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)