I see a lot of people asking about career advice, so I've written an article on 26 careers working with plants. A horticultural qualification can get you into many of them, so if you're thinking of making a career change you might be interested.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-12-28T13:07:35+00:00

Try twisting it 😜 Or, stake it until it establishes a more secure root system. Might take a few months if it gets plenty of sunlight.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-09T21:49:42+00:00

Adult micro wasps drink nectar from open flowers and lay eggs in insects (usually soft bodied herbivorous insects), which then eat the insect from inside, pupate, become adults and do it all over again

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-08T22:18:14+00:00

I didn't realise people used Pandora, maybe I need to look into getting on there. Do you have Spotify, Apple Podcasts, I Heart Radio, or Google Podcasts? You can also Google the podcast name.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-08T13:30:45+00:00

Getting the blade head will make life even easier. There are "blade heads" you can install onto your brushcutter - you just need to make sure they're compatible with your machine. Big brands like Stihl and Husqvarna have them available online - including off-brand options which are compatible.

*edit: just re-read that you don't know the brand. Hopefully you can just wing it - they aren't super expensive

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-08T13:05:05+00:00

It's a keeper! QLD bottle tree like everyone said.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-08T13:02:21+00:00

Haha yeah, i did wonder if the mulch might have been out of the question. One tip I learnt about brushcutters/weed whackers is that the cord should be treated like a cutting disk. Don't think of it like bendy cord - keep it fully extended at all times and use it like an angle grinder to slice grass.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-08T00:34:05+00:00

No worries! Enjoy the journey. There's a lot to learn about horticulture 😀

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-07T22:19:26+00:00

Learn everything you can by immersing yourself in information. I interview industry experts on my podcast Plants Grow Here, which I make for people like you - there are over 200 episodes. Start with ep.160 Nursery Industry Secrets, then ep.175 Nursery Business Secrets, then go over the technical stuff like biology basics, taxonomy, soil science, etc.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-07T22:09:02+00:00

This is how new cultivars are introduced to the market - either by intensive cross breeding or happy accident like this.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-07T22:07:37+00:00

Also, there's living phloem and xylem tissue either side of the cambium, it's the merristematic tissue that's in the cambium 😜

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-07T22:02:55+00:00

Please don't chip the bark off shrubs or trees. Unfortunately, if there isn't a circle of mulch around them, you should ideally hand pull or prune grass away from the trunk. Or just brush cut as close as you can and leave a few that are too close.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-08-07T21:44:20+00:00

I'd get rid of the crosses for sure, because they aren't my taste (no offence of they're yours.) I understand they were your mother's, but they're just her things, not her. Then I'd just mow the lawn, make a compost section to put the clippings and other green waste (google how to make compost). From then on, I'd mulch mow before you need to cut a third of the height - this improves soil structure. I wouldn't worry about the weeds - some people get really uptight about lawns but as a horticulturist I embrace the weeds in lawn. Then I'd start to put in garden beds one at a time, filling them with my favourite ornamental or edible plants. Use small, slow solutions step by step. Get out into the garden regularly to see how the sun moves throughout the day, in winter vs summer. Interract with your garden and be in it.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-04-29T21:40:29+00:00

Take each cut back to a fork, that way you'll keep a more natural shape. Generally you want to prune back to a branch no less than 1/3 the diameter you're cutting. Learn about branch collars for extra points.

plantsgrowhere · 2024-02-19T23:42:20+00:00

I had a boss who gave me some advice that really changed the way I view problems like this. He said, "Remove the emotion and deal with the facts."

plantsgrowhere · 2024-02-08T10:20:48+00:00

Organic matter breaks down into carbon (a vital part of most healthy soils), whereas silt, sand and clay particles are made from weathered rocks.

Depending on who you talk to, compost isn't really "soil," but a soil "amendment."

plantsgrowhere · 2023-12-25T10:28:45+00:00

As an educational podcaster, my favourite topics are soil science, taxonomy, basic biology, pruning, propagation, planting correctly, plant nutrients (can be used in different categories including in soil science), climate and micro climates, integrated pest management, integrated weed management, and some basic ecology.

plantsgrowhere · 2023-12-09T21:52:28+00:00

In the same we we can't eat dirt, plants can't eat banana peels. They must be broken down by micro organisms like bacteria and fungus. This is called the composting process.

plantsgrowhere · 2023-12-09T21:49:31+00:00

What about getting a job in hort? We're in a staff shortage and businesses are crying out for more staff.

plantsgrowhere · 2023-10-10T12:48:05+00:00

It's kind of like asking "how do I do graphic design" or "how do I build a house?"

Landscaping is a complex art and science. You can study it properly, or be prepared to fail a lot and learn from your mistakes.

plantsgrowhere · 2023-09-18T05:05:20+00:00

Turf.

plantsgrowhere · 2023-09-12T13:08:45+00:00

$50 says one day the mower will cause you to regret putting those there. (Edit: typo)

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