Julia Wilson

Julia is a writer and landscape consultant from Wollongong with a love of horticulture. She had been an avid gardener for over 30 years, collects rare variegated plants and is a home orchardist. Julia is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge of plant propagation and plant toxicology. Whether it’s giving advice on landscape projects or sharing tips on growing, Julia enjoys helping people make their gardens flourish.

Soil Solarisation: The Eco-Friendly Way to Prep Your Garden

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Soil solarisation

Solarisation is a broad-spectrum, chemical-free technique used to kill weeds, weed seeds and pathogens (fungi, bacteria, plant parasite nematodes, mites) utilising solar energy and clear plastic sheeting to trap heat in the upper soil layers. Studies have found several fungal pathogens have been almost completely eradicated using solarisation including Fusarium spp., Phytophthora spp., Pythium spp., Sclerotium spp.

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Is Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) Toxic to Dogs?

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Is balsam fir toxic to dogs?

Is balsam fir toxic to dogs?     What is balsam fir?     What should I do if my dog chews balsam fir?     Safety     Toxicity of common Christmas plants

Is balsam fir toxic to dogs?

Balsam fir is non-toxic to dogs, however, ingestion of needles can cause gastrointestinal upset and mild dermatitis if it comes into contact with the skin.

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Is Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) Toxic to Dogs?

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Is peace lily toxic to dogs?

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) is toxic to dogs. The toxic principles are insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that penetrate the oral mucosa causing intense burning and pain and an irritant sap.

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Tomato Blight (Phytophthora infestans)

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What is tomato blight?

What is tomato blight?  Ι   Transmission   Ι  Reproduction   Ι  What does tomato blight look like?   Ι  Treatment  Ι   Killing tomato blight in pots and soil   Ι  Difference between early and late blight  Ι   Prevention

What is tomato blight?

Also known as late blight, tomato blight is a highly contagious and destructive disease caused by Phytophthora infestans, a fungus-like organism (Oomycete) within the Kingdom of protists. Affected plants include potatoes, tomatoes and to a lesser extent eggplant and petunias.  Tomato blight was responsible for the Irish Potato Famine in the 1800s which killed 1 million people and is one of the most significant plant diseases, with a worldwide economic cost of US $5 billion annually.

There are three types of blight in tomatoes. Septoria leaf spot, early blight and late blight. This article refers specifically to late blight.

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Is Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri) Toxic to Dogs?

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Is Fraser fir toxic to dogs?

Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) is non-toxic to dogs and is safe to keep in homes with pets as long as precautions are taken.

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Flower Seeds That Need Light to Germinate

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Which flower seeds need light to germinate?

Growing at the wrong time of year could be fatal to sensitive seedlings, so mother nature ensures they don’t grow until the right conditions are met. Some seeds need a period of darkness before they emerge, while other seedlings need light to germinate. Seeds contain enough food in order to feed the embryonic plant during germination. Once the newly emerged seedling reaches the light, photosynthesis takes over.

As a rule, small seeds need light to germinate as the seed doesn’t contain enough nutrients to sustain the emerging seedling long. Therefore, it is critical that the seedling reaches a light source as soon as it emerges from the shell.

When sowing seeds on the surface, ensure the soil is already moist and press lightly to prevent the seeds from being blown away.

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Is Poinsettia Toxic to Dogs?

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Is poinsettia toxic to dogs?

Poinsettia is mildly toxic to dogs, the toxic principles are diterpenoid euphorbol esters and saponins which cause mild dermal and gastrointestinal irritation.

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Is Lily of the Valley Toxic to Dogs?

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Is lily of the valley toxic to dogs?

Is lily of the valley toxic to dogs?  Ι   What is lily of the valley   Ι   Toxicity   Ι   Clinical signs  Ι    First aid   Ι    Treatment  Ι   How much lily of the valley is toxic to dogs?  Ι    Is lily of the valley related to the Lillium species?

 

Is lily of the valley toxic to dogs?

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is toxic to dogs. The toxic principles are cardiac glycosides, (primarily convallarin and convallamarin) and saponins. Cardiac glycosides are plant steroids that affect the heart and saponins are steroid or triterpene glycosides that cause gastrointestinal upset. All parts of lily of the valley including the leaves, flowers, berries, stems and bulbs are toxic.

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Is Purple Oxalis (Shamrock Plant) Toxic?

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Is purple oxalis (shamrock plant) toxic?

Purple oxalis (Oxalis triangularis) is toxic, the toxic principle is oxalic acid that binds to circulating calcium, leading to hypocalcemia and deposition of calcium oxalate in the renal tubes which can cause acute renal failure. Poisoning in humans and household pets is unlikely as a large volume must be consumed to cause toxicity.

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Scarification, Stratification and Soaking Seeds

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Pre-treating seeds

Many seeds require pre-treatment before they are sowed. The three most common treatments are scarification, stratification and soaking. These treatments mimic the type of exposure seeds would experience in the wild.

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