DFB's Greenthumb Project

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

First day of Spring!

These Viola are looking nice in pots on my front door step at the moment -

Happy Spring.

[DFB FGXR6]

When I'm working in the nursery, I'm generally not too far away from my tool bucket. The bucket itself is what I use to collect whatever I'm trimming or weeding......yes, even under my watch, weeds do still pop up here and there.

For about 15 years, my little black bucket has had a small waist pouch attached around the rim to hold a variety of tools. Well, I found something better this week...............

https://sydneytools.com.au/product/m...niser-tool-bag









This offers way more storage for everything I need at an easy reach. Secateurs, weeding tools, tape measure, string lines, pegs, plant ties, pens and markers, irrigation fittings..............all stuff that I use on a daily basis and all at easy access no matter where I am or what I'm doing.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

When I'm working in the nursery, I'm generally not too far away from my tool bucket. The bucket itself is what I use to collect whatever I'm trimming or weeding......yes, even under my watch, weeds do still pop up here and there.

For about 15 years, my little black bucket has had a small waist pouch attached around the rim to hold a variety of tools. Well, I found something better this week...............

https://sydneytools.com.au/product/m...niser-tool-bag

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This offers way more storage for everything I need at an easy reach. Secateurs, weeding tools, tape measure, string lines, pegs, plant ties, pens and markers, irrigation fittings..............all stuff that I use on a daily basis and all at easy access no matter where I am or what I'm doing.

Good use for it .
Bought a Milwaukee M18 Fuel 5 tool pack, wanted a 18v angle grinder for stuff I didn't need to run a genset with.
Ended up with the 1/2 impact gun and driver, the grinder, a circular saw and the rivet gun.
Came with the large tool bag which we use to stick all our clothes in when we move to different house sits. Really useful stuff they make, the tools get a good workout to on truck stuff.

[DFB FGXR6]

The garden I have been tending for over 17 years is bursting with the arrival of spring.

One of my favorite corners, especially so because it's off limits from the two adolescent golden retrievers...............



The Clivia's are in bud and starting to open up now. I have several advanced clumps of these dotted around the front garden.



These Cotyledon have been an accidental success. This large display grew from a tiny cutting and are looking so good with their flower spikes rising proudly into the air.



Close by, an odd pairing it would seem, but this Thryptomene is in full flower and looking great.



Spending the majority of the year as a little green blob, Helleborus always prove their worth when in flower.

[DFB FGXR6]

For some reason, I sold three Queen Elizabeth roses today.

Not that I'm a big royal follower, but I though I would profile this particular rose.

The Queen Elizabeth rose was introduced in 1954, producing perfectly formed soft pink buds on long stems, making it an excellent cut flower.



This is a vigorous grower and is one of the taller growing bush roses with ability to reach 2 meters height. That ability to grow tall makes it a better bush rose rather than a standard.

I have grown this rose a few times over the years, it's only failing is a lack of fragrance. I made sure to dead head it more aggressively to keep it compact.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

That looks like fun work from today (if you enjoy being on the tools)! And why are stringline bobbins never tough enough?

Well, I shouted myself two new string lines today..........in pink for good measure.





Let's see how long the bobbins last.

[Citroënbender]

Speaking of that colour…

25m of azalea hedge blooming nicely. After it was hacked really badly a couple of years ago by the street junkie (“I’ve done four hours of gardening, can you give me $100?”), I’ve gently trimmed it back towards preferred form. No shears, all sécateurs. There’s one gap where root rot smashed a few plants but the rest is shaping up well. Next spring it should be really good.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Speaking of that colour…

image

25m of azalea hedge blooming nicely. After it was hacked really badly a couple of years ago by the street junkie (“I’ve done four hours of gardening, can you give me $100?”), I’ve gently trimmed it back towards preferred form. No shears, all sécateurs. There’s one gap where root rot smashed a few plants but the rest is shaping up well. Next spring it should be really good.

I love Azalia's, especially the two-tone varieties.









They can be hard work though, being especially attractive to a range of bugs, mites in particular. The damage left by mites leaves the foliage looking terrible. That foliage won't repair, the fresh growth will come through clean, so treating plants preventatively with a miticide like Trifend is good practice.



In the most part, Azalea's prefer a shaded position that will protect them from the hot summer sun. There are "sun tolerant" varieties but that will depend on where you live and how hot your "full sun" is in summer. In my area, northern Victoria, I generally don't recommend putting Azalea in the sun, even the sun tolerant versions.

[Citroënbender]

That mostly-white one is beyond stunning!

Everywhere is in the sun here, I need to water them in the dark through hot spells.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

That mostly-white one is beyond stunning!

Everywhere is in the sun here, I need to water them in the dark through hot spells.

That one is called "Candy Stripe"........

[DFB FGXR6]

This was a half impulsive, half practical purchase.........



I went cash in hand to Total Tools a few weeks ago to buy an EGO blower, only to find they did not stock the model I wanted, and nor did Sydney Tool next door.



I'm not sure if this is just limited to living in a regional town, but retailers not stocking high end tools and equipment annoys the crap out of me. I tend to buy things with the intent of not being disappointed down the track for not getting the better tool or product.

Yet, it seems there is not many people like me as 9 times out 10, I end up having to special order what I want. How is a retailer going to upsell and make better profits if they refuse to stock higher end models. I have found this a lot with lawn mowers, but it seems pretty universal across the board for this area. In other words, catering for Beer Bob Boys who want to spend as little as possible, and then complain about how crappy things are these days.



Anyway, back on topic.

I have had a complicated run with blowers over the last year or so, limping along with a wearing Stihl while a virtually brand-new Husqvarna sits unusable in the back shed. The Stihl BGA 56 I also have doesn't have the stamina for commercial work and has been resigned to cleaning down my driveway or garage.

This is where EGO comes in. I learnt about this brand outside of the landscape industry via Obsessed Garage. EGO seem to have a very robust battery and battery charging system in place that powers the usual range of outdoor power equipment. Blowers are what interest me the most here, with several models in varying output levels. Me being me, I went straight to the top and focused on the LB-765. As mentioned, because these are not stocked at either of my local retailers, I had to order this online from Total Tools.

https://www.totaltools.com.au/186598...-kit-lb7654e-2

I liked that this particular kit included two 5.0 Ah batteries along with a Rapid Charger and the tool itself. Considering two of those batteries on their own would cost $698, I think that kit is decent value. I also have intentions of using those batteries elsewhere, the cordless misting fan has my eye........

https://sydneytools.com.au/product/e...-fan-skin-only



The LB-765 is considered the most powerful blower on the market, battery or petrol! Unlike my Stilh BGA 56, these blowers have a variable-speed throttle dial which delivers 440-980 M3/H. The "turbo" mode increases that to 1300 M3/H. The average run time from a 5 Ah battery charge is 90 minutes, 15 minutes on Turbo and 150 minutes on the lowest speed. Weight with a battery fitted is 4.3 kg, about 200g less than a Stihl BG 86C.

The box is well packaged, the two batteries boxed separately from the rest of the components.



The kit comes with a long extension tube which either the tapered nozzle or spread nozzle is connected to. A useless shoulder strap is also included.





I will at some stage order a stubby nozzle to make it suitable for car drying as well.

https://www.obsessedgarage.com/produ...x&_ss=e&_v=1.0





Battery wise, the 5.0 Ah units take 40 minutes to charge via the supplied Rapid Charger. The battery also displays the fuel charge when being used or when pressed. The Rapid Charger is fan cooled, preventing the battery and charger from overheating.





I also love the spring release on the blower, making removal and install of the batteries much easier.



Using the blower while mowing the front lawns this afternoon, the machine is not as loud as I was expecting. The "turbo" mode is very impressive, so powerful it takes a bit to resist the output, straining my arm in the process.

For the most part, this machine will be used for my gardening business, however I will probably use it for drying cars from time to time as well.

[DFB FGXR6]

So, I have a bit of history when it comes to leaf blowers, over 20 years in fact.

Back in the early 2000's, I pestered my father for him to buy me a leaf blower, the deal being I would work it off. Most teenage boys ask for cars, motorbikes ect, not me! :laughing: This was at the very beginning of my gardening business, and in many ways, I owe my father for getting me started. That blower was the then new line of Stihl blowers, the BG 55.



I ran that machine into the ground over many years. I actually still have it down in the depths of the back shed, and still running when I put it away, pretty noisy and clattery though.

I replaced that blower with the updated model Stihl, the BG 86C. For a long time, these were THE BEST blower on the market. Many times, I looked elsewhere to see what would replace it, but nothing really stood out.



At this stage I need to point out these Stihl blowers have one fatal flaw; the main bolts that hold the block together work their way loose over time. These bolts are positioned just behind the flywheel, meaning they actually start grinding on the flywheel and eventually stop the engine from turning over. Of course, the sound and feel of that is pretty disturbing, to the point where it's as if the engine is toast. This very thing happened to my BG 86 mid job. Needing to keep the show running, I simply bought another and put the old one in the shed for parts.

Now, I can't remember how I found out about the loose bolt syndrome; it was a few years down the track. I literally went down the shed, pulled the old machine to bits, and yep, the bolts were loose. Once put back together, I had two working BG 86's. In actual fact, that first BG 86 was an absolute demon, one of the strongest little performers I have ever had, so I was pleased to have it back in working order.

With two of those machines, I set one up permanently with the vacuum attachment.

In about 2016, I was doing a few carpark cleaning jobs, big spaces that required a big blower. Me being a Stihl man, I went and got me the biggest backpack blower available, the BR 600 MAGNUM. I think the name MAGNUM sold it to me more than the actual machine itself. These have the 4-Mix engine, which is still a 2-stroke but actually have valves like a 4-stroke. This particular version has 64.8cc and is way too powerful for most situations..............which means I like it very much!





Not long after, I started to get into battery powered tools. Battery tools don't suit every situation, mowers in particular for the sort of work I do. But they are brilliant for the smaller tools like hedge trimmers and low-duty chainsaws. It's the hedge trimmers that really suit me in battery form, they are lighter and much nicer on the body to use for extended periods. With the battery system set up for hedge trimmer, pole hedge trimmer and a chainsaw, I added the BGA 56 blower into the mix to see what it was like.





I sort of joke that the BGA 56 looks like some alien spaceship from Star Trek. I didn't buy that blower with the intent on it replacing my petrol blowers, rather to use for quick jobs or around the house. It also dried a few cars too.



With two aging BG 86's, one eventually succumbed to the rigors of regular commercial use. The unit set up with the vac attachment blew out part of the fan housing, the added weight of the suction tube most likely contributed.







In fairness, the wear and cracks in the housing had been slowly getting worse over time, so I knew it was only a matter of time. Luckily, I had been looking at all options leading up to that moment. In late 2020, the winner of my cash was the Husqvarna 525BX.







At the time, after using the Stihl BG series for near 15 years, it was a chance to give something different a try. I had already switched over to a Husqvarna line trimmer, and looking over the specs, the 525BX looked very impressive. And yet, after less than a year of use, the thing became so unusable that I threw it in the shed in total disgust. The engine just would not run, constantly bogging down and flooding itself. In most cases, the problem would be a clogged exhaust screen, not in this case. I don't have time for poorly behaved machines, time is money. Having an almost new machine sitting unused is frustrating. At the time, I decided to just repair my older Stihl with a secondhand replacement fan shroud.







That machine is now back to vac duty. The second machine has also had some "surgery", the blower tube needing to be screwed on due to a flogged out securing tab.



I'm still using and plan to keep using both of those machines for now. The EGO was not bought with the intention of replacing my petrol-powered Stihl's, more so supplementing them until I get a gauge on how the battery life will fare with the rigors of commercial use.



This all might sound like dribble, but when you use these all day, every day, you tend to get attached to your tools. You become in tune with them, knowing what they like, what they don't, what they are capable of and what their limitations are. That somewhat explains why I have so many tools, each one does its own thing in specific ways and usage cases. As the old saying goes, "look after your tools and they will look after you".

[DFB FGXR6]

Arrived at one of my commercial clients today to find someone had crashed through the fence and took out a few plants along the way.









The fence must have been put back together but the carnage was left for me to deal with. At least it looks tidy for now, a replacement will go in next week.



This property is on a busy traffic light intersection. It would be easy to blame some meth head P-Plater, but going by the license frame left behind, I think it was more likely a granny getting confused in her Subaru.

[FTE217]

DFB
I’m having this weed trying to take over a section of my grass - if you identify it what product do you suggest I get to spray on it ?



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[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

DFB
I’m having this weed trying to take over a section of my grass - if you identify it what product do you suggest I get to spray on it ?
image


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can't ID that, sorry. I will need to open that up to the greater brains trust, I'm sure Rallye Sport will know what it is.

Being a Buffalo lawn, you will need to use something compatible with Buffalo. This is my default for Buffalo -

https://www.searlesgardening.com.au/...ive-weedkiller

[Rallye Sport]

Hey FTE, can't quite make the weed out on my computer screen. I'd go with the product DFB has suggested, a quick look at the data sheet says it contains MCPA, we use that a bit on delicate bent grass greens so it should pose no threat to your buffalo. If in doubt though do a test spot first.

Have you had any dramas with the 4-mix engines DFB?
We have a new combi tool at work with one thats giving us some grief. Apparently the valve trains are very sensitive. The tappet gap can vary the performance significantly. We've been trying to set it but the area is too narrow to get a conventional feeler gauge into. Stihl sell a specific gauge but we've been waiting months for it too come into stock.
The shop is reluctant to do it under warranty (they probably don't have the right gauge either) and after waiting so long I'm just about done with the brand. Time to start trying some new shops and brands I think.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Have you had any dramas with the 4-mix engines DFB?
We have a new combi tool at work with one thats giving us some grief. Apparently the valve trains are very sensitive. The tappet gap can vary the performance significantly. We've been trying to set it but the area is too narrow to get a conventional feeler gauge into. Stihl sell a specific gauge but we've been waiting months for it too come into stock.
The shop is reluctant to do it under warranty (they probably don't have the right gauge either) and after waiting so long I'm just about done with the brand. Time to start trying some new shops and brands I think.

I have heard of that yes, but not experienced it on my machine. You would be using your machines way more than I do with my BR600 backpack blower.

I'm assuming you have the KM 131R? Considering you already have the Kombi tools, I wouldn't be starting from scratch if the tools are still in working order. Stihl offer two other Kombi engines -

KM 56 RC-E - This is the domestic grade engine, 27.2cc with the traditional 2-Mix two stroke design. I actually have this unit myself, the engine on these are pretty well proven but would be a step down in power (0.8 kW vs 1.4 kW)

https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Produ...M-56-RC-E.aspx

KM 94 RC-E - This is the mid grade unit with a 24.1cc 2-Mix engine. Power sits at 0.9 kW.

https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Produ...M-94-RC-E.aspx

If it were me, I would just go with the domestic version, it's $170 cheaper and by the time the engines on it's last legs, the tool attachments would be at the end of their life also.

[DFB FGXR6]

For those that don't know, the Stihl 4-Mix engine is a hybrid 2/4 Stroke engine that uses valves rather than ports for intake and exhaust.





Valve adjustment -

[GasoLane]

About 6 months ago I posted that we bought one of these 'different' Gardena hoses The Dragon Lady liked it so much being lighter than their normal hoses so easier to move around and hang up I braved Bunnings on a Sunday and bought one for the front garden.

I very much doubt that I'll see out the 30 year warranty but it's definitely worth the money.

[DFB FGXR6]

These Fresia's pop up every year in a pot on the deck, always a nice little surprise when they are in flower.



And my Atropurpureum Maple is looking lush with it's fresh spring foliage. It's even in flower too.......



It's taken a bit of time to find it's feet, but the tree is looking very proportional now and I expect it's growth spurt this season to add some meaningful branching to the overall look. We have already sold out of the Atro variety this spring. I'm glad I grabbed this one when I did as it already had a season on it in the pot before I planted it, meaning it was more advanced compared to first year potted specimens.

[DFB FGXR6]

Malus 'Crab Apples'

Malus or Crab Apple's are small deciduous trees that are prized for their early spring floral display.



The genus 'Malus' consists of about 55 species including fruiting orchard apples, crab apples and wild apples. Malus are part of Rosaceae family, meaning they are related to flowering roses. Today, I'm focusing on Crab Apples as they are currently in flower.

There are many varieties to choose from, with flowers ranging in colour and arrangement. Most Crab Apples feature pink flowers, although some flower white. The autumn foliage ranges from yellow to orange, some turning deep red tones. Crab Apples make excellent small feature tress and can be very tough once established, tolerating heat and poor soils.

A couple of varieties to consider -

Malus ioensis 'Plena' or The Bechtel Crab Apple - This is probably the most popular variety of Crab Apple, growing to about 6 meters in height with a rounded overall shape. The flower buds are soft pink opening, to blushed white double blooms.



Malus floribunda or Japanese Crab Apple - I really like this variety, it's slightly smaller growing at 5 meters compared to Plena, but still offers the rounded habit. Flowers are similar in colour but the petals are single in arrangement.



Malus x domestica 'Tom Mathews' - This is an even smaller growing Crab Apple, it's 3-meter height making it ideal for smaller gardens. The flowers are scarlet red in colour and compliment the red foliage highlights.



Crab Apples are a brilliant tree for small gardens with a spring display that's hard to match. As an extra bonus, their hardiness makes them easy to grow as well.

[DFB FGXR6]

Weigelia florida 'Eva Rathke' -



Weigelia florida Variegated -



These are what a colleague calls a "granny plant". In a technical sense, that means a plant that is old fashioned. More likely it's a plant generally bought by older customers. And why not, these medium to large deciduous shrubs absolutely shine at this time of the year. The variegated variety is one of my favorite plants, the ,colour variation adding some interest into a sea of green.

[Citroënbender]

I hope the Victorian flooding is sparing some of your worksites.

An unrelated note about being a non-ideal nursery customer… The two Elaeocarpus bought early last year, flowered and seeded prolifically. Of course seeds were gathered up and potted. I now have a dozen seedlings started with more likely to come, so my $140 outlay on two plants is heading below $10 each in due course. A former partner’s brown thumb was a real boon to nurseries, they’d sell her the same types of plants regularly.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I hope the Victorian flooding is sparing some of your worksites.

An unrelated note about being a non-ideal nursery customer… The two Elaeocarpus bought early last year, flowered and seeded prolifically. Of course seeds were gathered up and potted. I now have a dozen seedlings started with more likely to come, so my $140 outlay on two plants is heading below $10 each in due course. A former partner’s brown thumb was a real boon to nurseries, they’d sell her the same types of plants regularly.

It's not good. My main job at the nursery is on hold, they had to close it down today until further notice, it's basically isolated now, I'm just hoping the nursey doesn't flood, I put so much effort into that place over the last 18 years. It was looking so good when I left on Thursday.

I can't reach one of my clients on the same side of the river as the nursery, although it looks like they won't flood. Two jobs will be under water now, another I was due to do today but cancelled will be under water tonight, another garden I have made my own over many years now. Two other regulars will have water on the doorstep. My favorite client will be touch and go, another long-term project.

Nothing I can do but wait and see what happens. I have cancelled all my work until further notice, the roads that aren't flooded are very busy, people rushing around trying to prepare. I don't want to be out and about anyway.

As for brown thumbs, those people are in general very unrealistic with what they expect a plant to do, as in water them once and walk away and then wonder why the thing died.

[DFB FGXR6]

A couple of pics from my garden over recent days.

This Magnolia 'White Caviar' has done exceptionally well, growing much faster than expected and is in flower right now. I have not done any formative tip pruning to encourage this bushy growth, save for when it was planted.





Next is one of the new breeds of Indian Hawthorns, Rhaphiolepis 'Snow Maiden'. These flower briefly in spring and seem to very good at self-shaping. Snow Maiden have become a very popular line over the last couple of years due to their compact size, dark green foliage and low maintenance habit.



Lastly, while this isn't mine, this Yellow Broom is flowering it's head off while hanging over my fence. I have a love-hate relationship with Cytisus racemosus, they look absolutely stunning when in flower and sell quickly when they are doing so. However, they are quick growing and easily outgrow their pot in the nursery if not sold when flowering. We then have to cut them aggressively and re-grow them or pot them up. Both actions reducing the profit per plant.

[FTE217]

Very nice and healthy plants.
Perfect time of the year always.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Citroënbender]

Treechange for you, Mr DFB?

https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/20...sale/101556974

$3M asking, plus stock. Kind of seems cheap.

[Tonz]

what
!!!??? and be subject to bunnings?
what the fookin hell, I think our learned guru has a little more intelligence.

[Citroënbender]

You’d run it down and redevelop, cuz. The property is smack bang in the middle of an area that’s going residential gangbusters. $3M for prime residential land is the long game.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/fdmKRa5uas3NL9xs7

[DFB FGXR6]

Hymenosporum flavum or the Native Frangipani.



Another mouthful botanical name, pronounced Hi-mon-no-spore-rum.

These are not actually a Frangipani, but the flowers mimic both the scent and shape of a Frangipani. Growing to 6-8 meters tall, these trees are fast growing but need careful pruning when young to produce a well-structured tree. They are otherwise very open and often straggly looking. They tolerate a wide variety of soils and flower best when grown in a sunny position.