Cluster Caterpillar or Armyworm – Which one is eating your garden? Recently, there has been an outbreak of cluster caterpillar in Perth Gardens, with many people confusing the caterpillar with Lawn Armyworm. So what are Cluster Caterpillars, and how are they different from Armyworm? Cluster Caterpillar (scientific name: Spodoptera litura) is named for the high…
Over the last few weeks, The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in Western Australia has been inundated with reports of Chilli Thrip infestations in roses across the Perth Metropolitan area. The thrips have become so active in Perth due to the rainfall and humidity. Thrips like to feed on the sugars in new…
5 Tips to Improve Your Soil This Autumn Autumn is well and truly upon us, and with it comes the best time for planting and revitalising your garden. Gardeners of all skill levels can surely appreciate the cooler days that we’re experiencing after a long hot summer. When thinking about gardening success, many people focus…
Many people ask: Are chickens good for my lawn? There are many aspects of this question (and garden and lawn care), that need to be considered in order to answer this question correctly. Generally, the answer is yes – chickens can help your lawn to thrive. However, this also depends on how big your lawn…
Why should I use organic products on my garden and lawn? Organic gardening has seen a surge in popularity in recent times – which we love! But have you ever stopped to think about the benefits of using organic products on your garden and lawn? Here are just a few of our favourites: Organic Garden…
Autumn is the perfect time to get into your garden. Your soil will still contain warmth from the summer, and it’s a great time to prune, weed and prepare your plants before winter hits. 1- Pruning Now is the time to neaten up your plants and get them winter ready. This includes pruning off dead…
Want to know which products to use to grow the best roses in Perth – we can help. Backyards to Barnyards has everything you need to get the biggest blooms and the healthiest shrubs. We also have all the advice to help you on which products to choose. Soil Roses prefer a slightly acidic, loamy…
Seed Potatoes are fun and easy to grow. They are great for kids to learn about the fun of gardening, and they taste great! Backyards to Barnyards has all the advice and products you need to get a great crop. When to Grow Autumn and spring. Potatoes do not like frost so if you can…
Stickfast Fleas occur mainly in backyard chickens during the warmer months. Commercial poultry sheds use concrete flooring, so they have mostly eradicated the problem. They are small insects (about 1mm in size) that feed on the blood of poultry and stick to their skin, mainly the comb, wattles and above the eyes. They can also…
Fungus in Lawns mostly occur when humidity is high. Generally they are not common in residential lawns. Fine leafed lawns which are mown low and have high nutrition demands to combat the low mowing, such as bowling greens, are the most susceptible. Occasionally, however, they will show up in domestic situations if the conditions are…
DISEASES OF ROOT AND TRUNK Armillaria Root Rot Citrus trees with root rot show a slow decline with leaf yellowing and leaf drop. It appears under the bark as white, fan shaped mycelia mats with a strong mushroom odour. Long thin black strands spread the infection from root to root and among plants as they…
Citrus Pests control should involve a combination of methods including cultural and biological and when needed, the targeted use of selective pesticides. They fall mainly into two categories, chewing insects and sap sucking insects. Chewing Insects Citrus Leafminer Citrus Leafminer originally comes from southeast Asia and is now common in Perth. The larvae gets into…
There are two main reasons we prune our roses. The first is to rejuvenate your plant. This involves discarding as many old stems as possible and leaving young stems. The young stems will generate lush new growth, which in turn will produce plentiful quality blooms. Secondly, pruning ventilates the bush, allowing more light and air…
Chickens, like all birds, hide their illness from casual observation. This is a preservation technique designed to hide their weakened condition from predators. Unfortunately their illness is also hidden from us and we don’t realise how thin our birds have become until they are handled, or they are about to fall of the perch. To…
Garlic is great for the backyard veggie grower because it goes with anything and you can pretty much plant and forget about it. As a general rule you plant it on the shortest day and harvest it on the longest. Garlic prefers a temperate climate and grows well in Western Australia from Geraldton to the…