Hello & welcome to AUTUMN! 

As I write this, it's a lovely mild day and we even had a teensy bit of rain in the past couple of days!  The nights & mornings are cooler, and day length is shortening.  It seems that Autumn arrived right on time this year.  But don't let it's mild face lull you into a false sense of security...  based on previous behaviour, we can expect some hot weather over the next month.  It's an interesting time to garden - with lots of guesswork as to WHEN to plant things. We know interest is intensifying in winter veg seeds & seedlings - but most seedlings will still be some weeks away.  Wild Gaia Plants (who grow our lovely organic seedlings) grow to season and nothing's artificially forced in greenhouses.  Buying many commercial seedlings that have been raised this way often leads to disappointment; when planted out 'real life' gardens - often they simply can't cope.  So patience is a virtue when it comes to gardening; but I'm sure you already know that.

We're excited to announce that we have a NEW seed supplier - we're now carrying some of The Seed Station's packets of seeds.  There's an interesting range of varieties which adds to our existing non-hybrid seed stock we source from Eden Seeds and Thrive Sustainability.  Come in and check out our range soon - it's arguably the largest in Perth.  Stock turns over very quickly - if there's something in particular you're looking for, feel free to give us a call.  We can set seeds aside for you or do our best to get something in next time we order.  Postage can be arranged.

Things @ GLSC are ticking along as we start to gear up for Autumn, which is traditionally a busy time of year for us.  If you're wanting to get your garden beds revamped or are building new ones, come in and see us soon!  If you're looking for an option to make pathways around your new garden beds - check out our new product; recycled & crushed red brick.  We've trialed it at home and are very happy with it.  Water can permeate, but it compacts well, it's easy to get wheelbarrows, etc. over, and can be lightly raked to refresh/tidy up the surface.  Weeds can germinate in it but as it compacts down so well it's difficult for them to get roots down far, so they're easily removed.  And we think it looks great!  (Photos below/right)

GLSC will be at this year's Perth Garden Festival - planned for 5-8th May 2022 at Langley Park.  It's Mother's Day weekend - so bring Mum along for a day out and come and say 'Hi'. Speaking of meeting people - Paul & recently spoke at the Perth Hills Permaculture group, and next week we're speaking at the Mundaring Garden Club.  It's lovely to get out & about and meet passionate gardeners - we always learn something along the way.  

We look forward to seeing you soon @ GLSC so we can help YOU on your gardening journey, too!

Until next time - happy gardening!
Linda & the Team @ The Green Life Soil Co

In this newsletter:

Jobs to do in the March Garden
What to plant NOW
Getting your soil ready for success
Introducing "Sassy Frass"
Frass/fungi connection & plant health
Photo competition winner
VIP special
Retailer update 

March Jobs in your garden

• Prep your soil! Where you intend to plant your winter vegies, get some OM (organic matter) into the soil. This could be your own compost, or some aged manure, or you can try our one of our Concentrate products - which is made exactly for the purpose of enriching your sandy/depleted soil. If soil is particularly difficult to wet, use a good quality wetting agent (like Eco-wet), and look at incorporating more clay to assist with water holding next summer. Charlie Charcoal is also fabulous for helping gardens hold onto nutrients and moisture. We already use clay and Charlie in our mixes - but both are available as separate products if you choose to add your own amendments.
• Check your compost. It's time to get it into your garden. If it's not quite ready (and you're not ready to use it) give it a good turn, maybe add water (if it's a bit dry) and get it cooking away for another week or two. You can dig in immature compost and it will continue to break down in the soil - but don't plant directly into it; instead use a few handfuls of a good quality potting mix to put around your seeds/seedlings so they can get established.
• Grow a green manure crop. Early Autumn is a great time to throw in some green manure seeds, which you can allow to grow for as long as you like before turning it through the soil. This is an inexpensive way to add organic matter to the soil (just remember the longer it grows, the more OM you get to 'harvest'). Just remember to slash it or dig it through before it sets seeds. Our green manure packs contain a wide variety of plant types - the theory is no matter what the conditions are in your garden, something is going to thrive and produce for you.  1kg will cover up to 20m2.
• Pumpkin & Zucchini might be showing signs of powdery mildew as the nights are getting cooler. This is quite normal and may signify the plant is nearing the end of its seasonal lifespan. You can spray with milk & water (1:9) every couple of days to help slow down the spread; but apart from that avoid overhead watering and keep nurturing the plant to help the last fruit reach maturity.  At the end of the season, pick off new flowers to get the plant to concentrate its energy into fruit that is already forming.
• Save seeds! If plants have been great performers in your garden this summer, leave some fruit to mature and collect the seed to use next year (provided of course you have grown non-hybrid varieties). Remember to allow seed to dry (remove pulp, etc) and store in something like a paper bag or recycled envelope and correctly label it (your future self will thank you!). Store seed in a cool, dark place where mice can't find it! Seeds are very precious - so why not use the resource nature is providing you. 
• Sow your seeds. While it's time to save your summer seeds, it's time to be planting your winter crops.  Use seedling trays (or recycle punnets/small pots - just give them a really good scrub first and leave out in the sun to dry).  This gives you a little more flexibility to move trays around and nurse them if we have any hot/dry spells.  Check out our top tips for growing from seed right here.  (Pictured right - NEW seed supplier 'The Seed Station' - stock now in store.)
• Order bare rooted trees. If you're looking at planting either fruiting or ornamental trees over winter, now's the time to get some advice, and order what you're needing. Our friends at Guildford Town Garden Centre will be able to help you - they bring in a massive order each year; and by putting your name down now, you won't miss out on popular varieties. A good nursery will be able to advise you on ideal location, whether you need a pollinator (for fruiting trees), how suited the variety is to your local conditions, and how large the tree will eventually grow. All things you need to consider BEFORE you buy. A tree is a fabulous asset to your home, and should be treated as an investment - something to treasure, but not rush into without due consideration.

What to Plant NOW

Oooooh, so many things to choose from in Autumn! Check out our when to plant guides (there's one on vegies and one on herbs), plus there's also an extended e-guide 'Top 12 Edible plants for Autumn/Winter' - all are FREE to download.  If you're new to gardening, the Top 12 guide has come very useful info; looking in-depth at popular winter vegies.

To access our free downloads - you must sign up to become a member.  Once you've signed up, you MUST check your email and activate your membership in the link sent to you in order to gain access.  (It is a required security default.)  (Any trouble with downloads?  Let us know if you have any issues, and we can help.  We know there's been a few kinks in the system but we believe they've been ironed out now.)  The member's section has a quick monthly guide of what to grow, plus a reminder of the moon phases for optimal planting out - so why not give moon planting a go and see how it works for you?  (We still have 2022 moon planting calendars available for sale if you want to get a jump on the season.)

A quick list to consider planting includes:

Artichokes (globe), Asian greens, Beetroot, Beans, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Coriander, Endive, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lettuce, Onion, Parsley, Peas, Parsnip, Radish, Rocket, Silverbeet, Snow peas, Spinach, Spring onions, Swede, Turnip.

Plus - it's sooo close to Garlic & Potato season!  Stock will be here in coming weeks - keep an eye on our Facebook page for the announcement once it arrives.

Getting Your Soil Ready for Success

Summer is undoubtedly the hardest time to maintain a garden in Perth.  Especially with the heatwave conditions we've experienced this year - I'm sure (like me) many of you have lost plants and struggled to keep some alive.  The good news is that over Autumn and Winter; it is MUCH easier to get your garden thriving, and to benefit from successful harvests throughout Winter and Spring.

If you have dead & dry zones - it can be a bit of work to rejuvenate them, but it certainly can be done.  It takes a little time, some inputs and probably a whole lot of water but it's not impossible. Do come in and speak with us if you're having issues.  Feel free to bring in soil samples (no more than about half a litre is needed) and we can play with incorporating inputs to demonstrate the difference they will make to your garden.

Here's some step by step things to consider:

1. Remove old dead/dying plants.  Anything diseased - put in the bin.  Other plant material can be composted - why waste it?  If you're not ready to do anything else to the soil, throw on a layer of mulch.  Bare exposed soil will only (a) dry out if we have hot weather or (b) grow weeds if we have a little rain.  Mulch will always help preserve your soil; you'll just need to rake it off when you're ready to do some digging/improvement.
   
   
2. Consider what you want to grow, and plan the best places to do it.  Check out our crop rotation fact sheet and our companion planting fact sheet - they may give you some ideas to plan the position for your crops.  Remember that in winter, plants need about 6 hours of sunlight - so your best producing garden areas may be quite different from those that did well in summer.  Once you have a rough idea of what you want to plant, you can also consider the nutritional requirements of the plants, and think about what you need to do to top up fertility.  It's best to do this before you plant.  Some vegies are 'hungrier' than others. There's more info about this in the crop rotation sheet.  Generally leafy greens and fruiting plants need different nutrients than legumes (peas/beans) and root crops.
   
   
3. Make sure your soil isn't water repellent.  Beds that have been left empty or those that have been exposed over summer may be very hydrophobic - water will puddle on top or simply run off.  You'll need to do some work to fix this - but it will be worth it!  If you've already added clay or biochar (or it's been in the soil concentrates you've bought from GLSC) you may find that using a good quality soil wetter product will help (actually - it will help regardless).  Clay and biochar hold many times their own weight in water - so rewetting is a process that takes time and a heck of a lot more water than you expect.  The trick is to use a hose or sprinkler on LOW - don't aim to flood the soil if it's only going to run off.  Use a pitchfork, spade or trowel to work the water into the surface a little at a time.  It's like making mud pies - or mixing wet & dry cooking ingredients.  It takes time & you may be better off doing it in several sessions.  The good news is that once you've re-wet the water holding minerals in the soil they act like a sponge - and will keep water there where the roots are going to grow.  I cannot stress enough this takes a bit of effort - don't give up!  (We did this when planting out late summer crops in January - and the soil is fabulous now compared to what we started with.)
   
   
4. If your soil is sandy & lifeless you will need to add OM (organic matter) like compost and manure to re-introduce soil microbes and to provide nutrition to your plants.  It's the perfect time to incorporate clay and/or biochar (Charlie Charcoal) too - this will keep the nutrients in the soil longer and greatly improve the soil structure.  Minerals are permanent soil additives; your compost and manure will break down over the season and disappear.  Our concentrate recipes are designed to be incorporated through your garden to replenish nutrients - they contain a blend of compost, manure and a tailored mix of minerals (including clay & biochar) to promote long term growth and water holding; while boosting habitat for beneficial soil microbes.  We've done the hard work for you by creating a ready to use blend of goodies.  Again - if you're not ready to plant out; keep the soil mulched and watered to keep the soil moist.  No need to overdo it, but don't allow it to dry out or the biology will suffer.
   
   
5. Get ready to plant!  If you're using fresh compost or manure you've sourced - don't plant directly into it.  Fresher OM will continue to break down in the coming weeks, but plant out your seeds or seedlings into a little basin of soil or potting mix to get the roots growing.  A handful of worm castings incorporated into the planting hole works really well, too.  Give new seedlings a dose of kelp fertiliser - it helps with transplant shock and once again boosts soil biology.  You may wish to do this every few weeks - particularly with fast growing leafy green crops, which benefit from a bit of extra feeding throughout their life.
   
   
6. If you're growing from seed, keep mulch OFF your garden until seeds have emerged and seedlings are about 10cms tall.  Mulch will prevent germination and may encourage pests like slaters who can damage young seedlings.  Making sure they're a bit established will give them the best chance of success.  Particularly vulnerable seedlings may benefit from some DIY collars - made from plastic bottles or containers over each seedling to help keep pests away.  Iron based pellets like Multiguard or our Certified Organic Protect-us pellets (pictured right) will help with slugs, snails and slaters.  A light sprinkling around new plantings is a good idea.
   Once seedlings are established, mulch is helpful.  It's not as vital over winter (compared to our summer, obviously) but it does add valuable organic matter to the soil over time.

Introducing "Sassy Frass" 

GLSC is excited to work with innovator Future Green Solutions - who have been working to develop a solution to waste issues using black soldier fly.  BSF larvae are voracious eaters; getting through waste more quickly than worms, and they provide some valuable resources. The larvae themselves are very high in protein, and are sought after in aquaculture and pet food products. (Some people farm BSF as supplementary feed for their chickens - you may find some in your own home compost piles in the warmer months as they're attracted to decomposing material.)  Adult soldier fly have no mouthparts - they live a short while to breed, and are not harmful or annoying to humans.

The frass (their poo & skins shed as they moult) are a fabulous resource in agriculture/horticulture.  Future Green Solutions approached Green Life Soil Co some time ago to trial the frass and work with them to find a use locally for it.  The larvae are fed a mixture of food waste from known sources (brewery, cidery and farm) and they've experimented with piggery waste.  Future Green Solutions will be opening a large scale commercial waste disposal site in the future, and their processes will divert a lot of material currently going to landfill and causing potential pollution.  The technology can be replicated in other locations and may be a useful system for many other countries around the globe.  

Frass material provided to GLSC is monitored, and we have had a number of tests done.  I'm pleased to say that the insect frass (which we're going to market as "Sassy Frass"™) is now added to our stable of Certified Organic products, and we've got the green light to use it in our Certified soils & soil improvers.

Watch this space - there's a lot more you'll hear in coming months about this exciting product.

What is Frass and why is it so good for gardens?

Frass is insect manure; and like any other manure, it's a concentrated source of nutrients depending on the original feedstock of the animal (or insect).  There are two standout features of frass.  One is that testing shows it promotes beneficial soil fungi quickly - and small quantities of frass make a difference.  Fungi is one of the harder/slower forms of microbiology to encourage in our gardens.  It forms an underground network that allows plants to not only forage for nutrients and water, but to communicate with each other (weird, huh?  Check out the book "The Hidden Life of Trees").  Fungi is delicate and is easily destroyed by digging in the soil (hence the value of no-dig gardening, once you've worked initial improvement into the soil); and is also rarer in our sandy soils which struggle to hold the moisture fungi needs to thrive.  We've found by looking under the microscope, mixes we've made incorporating frass have higher fungal populations. (Soil fungi under the microscope - pictured right.)

The other interesting thing is that as the larvae grow, they shed their skins.  Insects (and some sea creatures) that have an exoskeleton for protection produce a protein called chetin (pronounced "Kite-in") - used by fungi in its cell walls.  Plants have an interesting relationship with chetin - they have receptors that are thought to detect fungal and/or insect attack by 'sensing' the chetin, so they start to act defensively - thickening cell walls to deter attack.  This strange reaction is actually beneficial - stimulating stronger growth that is less susceptible to pests and disease and creating more robust plants.

Extensive trials by UWA students working with Future Green Solutions have shown the benefits of using frass as a soil amendment in a wide range of plants; showing promising benefits in plant growth & health, and healthier soil life.  Exciting, huh?  If you're buying GLSC soils & soil improvers this Autumn, Sassy Frass will be included as one of our special additives.  It will soon be available separately - we're working on packaging.

Photo Competition Winner

Congratulations to Geoff Sargent - he's the winner of this month's competition for sending through photos of his zucchini garden bed - which has absolutely thrived over summer.  Geoff sent me in a few photos - I've chosen my favourites to share with you here.  He had this to say about his garden:

Every year I grow zucchini, and always struggle with powdery mildew, despite regular spraying.

This summer I have grown them in your Premium Vege mix, neat as purchased. I've sprayed regularly, as usual for powdery mildew, and have a small amount, but they are without doubt, the healthiest zucchinis I've ever grown.  I'll show you a photo which demonstrates the health of the plants. So much so, that my wife complains about the never ending supply of zucchinis!!!

I freely admit that before planting, all the seedlings were soaked in a bacterial solution, and I apply this about every three weeks, along with Mg, but I’ve been doing this treatment for the last three years. This is the first year that I’ve planted into your Premium Mix – maybe it’s just a coincidence – not sure – just impressed with the outcome.

I grew up on a farm in the wheatbelt, but despite my extensive knowledge in growing crops etc, I’m still learning, and confess, it’s very uplifting when things go this well!!! I’ve experienced plenty of failures in my lifetime, but that’s the pathway to learning what works and what does not work.

I forgot to mention that we’ve confirmed the nutrient value of our vegetables by the use of a Brix meter.

Thanks again!!
Geoff Sargent

Thank you Geoff for taking the time to email us & send in your photos. I'd agree that gardeners are always learning from one year to the next - there's always something different to consider.  We're glad that you've enjoyed a bumper crop & hope you enjoy the $50 store credit to use with us.

If you'd like to be in the running next month, send in your photos via email (or send via FB) marked 'photo competition' - we draw somebody at random each month - so keep those entries coming - who knows; maybe it will be you next time!

VIP Special Offer

It's time to revamp garden beds for Autumn planting!  For existing garden beds, it's a great time to feed up plants (fruit trees, roses & just about everything else!)  A great fertiliser to use for your garden is Blood & Bone.  GLSC mixes our own Blood & Bone - using simple ingredients and NO FILLERS.  It's true, old fashioned blood & bone - and we add volcanic rock dust to provide trace elements at the same time!  It's also Certified Organic - so you know it's got no nasties and is fabulous for edible plants.

We sell our high quality blood and bone in tubs (3, 8 & 15kg) - and what's more; you can bring the tubs back for a refill and save money and plastic!

This month, if you spend over $75, we're giving you a free 1kg sample pack to trial.  We know you'll love it!!  Remember to ask in store or over the phone for your VIP freebee - and if ordering online, add "VIP Blood & Bone" to your delivery instructions.  Offer valid one per customer until the close of business Thursday, 31st March 2022. 

Retailer update

Please support your local independent retailer who supports us! The specialist retailers listed here will be happy to give you gardening advice and help you with our products - please call to check what lines they carry as they can't stock all of our products.  (Photos are of our own yard - bulk product is available direct from GLSC for pickup or delivery)

Beaufort Garden World - Inglewood 9271 0585
Evergreen Studio - North Beach 0419 091 095
Garden Elegance - Subiaco 9381 2197
Guildford Town Garden Centre - Guildford 9279 8645
Harbour Plants - South Fremantle 0439967034
Hass & Co Botanics (Indoor Potting Mix) - Leederville 0414001017
Hello Houseplant (Indoor Potting Mix) - Joondalup 0478 704 786 & Perth CBD 0421 058 923
Nibali Stockfeed - Hamilton Hill 9433 2211
Richo's 4 Hydro - Joondalup 9301 4462
Stanbee Stockfeeds - Barragup 9581 2390
Swan Valley Station - Swan Valley 0427 371 001
Tass1 Trees - Middle Swan 0419 988 344
Thrive Sustainability - Lower Chittering 0408 157 301
Urban Revolution - Victoria Park 6102 1068
Waldecks Bentley - Bentley 9458 5944
Waldecks Kingsley - 9309 5088
Waldecks Melville - 6317 0939
Waldecks Stirling - 9254 6730
Zanthorrea Nursery - Maida Vale 9454 6260

Ardess Nursery (Albany) 9842 9952
Australind Landscaping Supplies 9796 1720
Blossoms Nursery (Denmark) 9848 2014
Boyup Brook Co-op (Boyup Brook) 9765 1001
Great Northern Rural Services (Geraldton) 9964 1274
Hillview Garden Centre (Bridgetown) 9761 1672
Margaret River - Nutrient Ag Solutions 9758 7677
Soils Ain't Soils (Busselton) 97515 322

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