Shade Loving plants.

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Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
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Brought to you by The Plant Runner, Keith and Elizabeth answer listener questions on phosphorus levels in wool-industry by-products, fast-growing screening plants, alkaline compost readings, camellias struggling in pots, vegetable garden design, moving Hardenbergia, sooty mould and cat-contaminated garden beds. The episode focuses on practical ways to choose plants, improve soil, manage pests and diseases, and design a productive, low-maintenance garden.

Plants recommended in episode

Grevillea spp - Take extra care with phosphorus levels, as grevilleas can be more phosphorus-sensitive than many other Australian natives.

Banksia spp - Another group to monitor when using products containing phosphorus.

-Syzygium australe ‘Straight and Narrow’ Recommended for dense screening; plant approximately 1.2 metres apart

-Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ - A non-native screening option with dark green foliage; plant approximately 1.2 metres apart.

- Viburnum odoratissimum - Suggested where a taller, wider screening plant is required; plant approximately 1.5 metres apart

- Cupressus ‘Arctic Green’ - Recommended for a tall, dense screen; plant approximately 2.2 metres apart.

- Camellia japonica- Planting in the ground is preferred to growing in pots in hot conditions.

- Espaliered fruit trees - Suggested for lining a redesigned vegetable garden.

- Pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchinis and melons - Recommended for growing over tunnels or archways between raised beds.

- Hardenbergia - Can be moved with care; prune it back by approximately one-third, retain as large a root ball as possible and replant promptly.

Products and gardening materials

MycoGold

Weed Gunnel

Clyde's Compost

Munash Rock Dust

ECO Neem

Eco Oil

Neutrog Popul8

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

This episode is a practical guide to growing herbs at home, whether you have a backyard, balcony, or sunny windowsill. Elizabeth and Keith discuss the easiest herbs to start with, where different herbs grow best and how to keep plants productive through regular harvesting. They also cover perennial and less familiar herbs, herbs that attract bees and beneficial insects, growing basil and coriander indoors, preserving herbs by drying, and using fresh herbs in cooking.

Herbs can be rewarding, useful, and adaptable—provided each plant is matched with the right light, drainage, moisture, and space.

Expert Recommendations — Plants

• Rosemary

• Oregano

• Sage

• Mint — grow in pots because it can spread aggressively in the ground

• Thyme

• Marjoram

• Common mint

• Chives — divide established plants when necessary and remove old bulbs

• Lemongrass

• Chinese chives

• Vietnamese mint

• Spearmint

• Peppermint

• Basil

• Coriander

• Slow-bolt coriander

• Chervil

• Saltbush

• Lemon myrtle

• Tasmanian pepperberry

• Aniseed myrtle (Syzygium anisatum)

• Borage

• Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

• Heartsease

• Goldenrod

• Elderberry

• Nettles

• Mullein

• Slippery elm

• Red rose petals

• Burdock root

• Gotu kola

Also mentioned in this episode:

Diggers Club
Morningside Landscapes
Mudbrick Herb Cottage

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

September marks the garden’s transition into Spring across much of Australia. Elizabeth and Keith discuss how to prepare gardens for the growing season, including planting, soil preparation, pruning, feeding, lawn care, dividing plants, and attracting beneficial insects. The episode focuses on practical jobs gardeners can tackle now to encourage healthy growth and prepare for productive Summer crops and colourful spring displays.

Plants mentioned in episode:

• Evergreen trees and shrubs, including camellias

• Peas

• Beans

• Berry canes

• Potatoes

• Dahlias

• Horseradish

• Artichokes

• Lily bulbs

• Ginger

• Galangal

• Turmeric

• Violas

• Marigolds

• Alyssum

• Nasturtiums

• Borage

• Comfrey

• Summer-flowering bulbs

• Ornamental alliums

• Crocosmia

• Monarda

• Bottlebrush

• Grevilleas

• Hakeas

• Banksias

• Camellias

• Apple trees

• Pear trees

Product and Tool Recommendations

MycoGold

Clyde's Compost

Neutrog Gogo Juice
Neutrog “Who Flung Dung”

Munash Rock Dust

Green Harvest

F.D Ryan's Broadfork

Neutrog Sudden Impact for Lawns
Rooster Booster

EE Sea Liquid Fertliser

Charlie Carp

Power Feed

Moon calendar

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Cheryl’s chat with the Muddy Boots crew is really a story about shock, survival, and slowly finding your feet again. She talks through the chaos of the Ruffy bushfires — the scrambled updates, the awful wait to hear what had happened, and the surreal moment of returning to a completely blackened landscape with only her little house still standing. It’s emotional, but she tells it with such honesty that you can almost feel what those days were like.

From there, the episode becomes a gentle, hopeful look at how gardening helps people heal. Cheryl explains how she started clearing ash, watering anything that looked vaguely alive, and reconnecting with neighbours who were all trying to rebuild in their own way. When Keith organised donations of compost and soil products, it wasn’t just practical help — it gave the whole community a lift. By the end, you really get the sense that growing even a few veggies or seeing a tree reshoot can be the first step back toward feeling normal again.

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

Got a sloping block, awkward corner, or challenging piece of land that feels impossible to landscape? In this episode, Keith explains why difficult terrain can become one of a garden’s greatest assets. From creating garden rooms and pathways to making the most of views and natural features, this episode is packed with ideas to help gardeners see opportunities where they once saw obstacles.

Plants recommended in this episode

• Callistemon spp. — Bottlebrush
• Acacia spp. — Wattle
• Eucalyptus spp. — Eucalypt

Products & Tools recommended in this episode

• Geofabric
• Jute erosion-control matting
• Weed Gunnel
• F.D Ryan's Broadfork

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook

August is all about getting ready for the spring rush. In this practical seasonal episode, Keith talks through the key jobs to tackle before the garden takes off, from sowing warm-season seeds and planting flowering annuals to improving soil, feeding organically, protecting fruit trees from disease, and staying alert for late frosts. It’s a useful preparation episode for gardeners wanting to build stronger soil, get ahead of pests and diseases, and make the most of the final weeks of winter.

Seeds to sow indoors or in greenhouse

• Tomato
• Chilli
• Capsicum
• Eggplant
• Black Passionfruit
• Cosmos
• Snapdragon
• Marigold

Seeds to sow directly into your garden

• Snow Pea
• Sweet Pea
• Cornflower
• Poppy
• Carrot
• Potato
• Radish
• Turnip

Seedlings to start in August

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Silverbeet

Products & Tools recommended in this episode

• Clyde's Compost
• Neutrog “Who Flung Dung”
• MycoGold
• Neutrog Gogo Juice
• Neutrog Popul8
• Munash Rock Dust
• Neutrog Rooster Booster
• EE Sea Liquid Fertliser
• Lime Sulphur
• Copper Fungicide
• Seasol
• Moon calendar

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/
Facebook: Muddy Boots Podcast | Facebook