KYABRAM GARDEN CLUB

The Kyabram Garden Club’s events for the rest of 2021 were the main item on the agenda at the August committee meeting.

Because of the ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns the club has postponed its 60th birthday celebration until next year. The proposed bus trip to the Melton Botanic Garden in September has been cancelled.

The annual Flower Show for October 22 has also been postponed until next year.

The three-day bus trip to the Hamilton Botanic Gardens is still subject to numbers and COVID-19 restrictions; if the trip does not go ahead, the club will attempt to run it next year.

The committee apologises to members for these actions, but under the circumstances it had no choice.

Our gardens: After a chilly winter in our gardens pruning, fertilising and other tasks done especially for our roses, it’s always a lovely time now to see the lush growth buds and blooms for this beautiful spring season.

Rose hints: Aphids rear their ugly heads in spring. They multiply rapidly to suck the sap out of the new growth. There are a number of strategies to reduce the harmful effects of these pests. If aphids are only in small numbers, they can be squashed using your fingers, or you can use a jet of water to dislodge them.

If the insects are present in large numbers, Pyrethrum is an environmentally friendly spray that works well when sprayed directly on to the aphids. As October and November approach, roses can be inundated with thrips; continued spraying with Pyrethrum will help keep them under control.

wwhen black spot symptoms appear, it can be too late to spray the foliage, as the disease may have already entered the tissue of the leaf. When it comes to black spot, the best course of action is to spray regularly.

Eco-fungicide is an environmentally safe sprays for controlling black spot and powdery mildew — spray every seven to 10 days.

Stay well and remember to take time to smell the roses.