Eco-Warriors: Love them Lizards Love them Lizards
Have no fear! Lizards are friends to the garden bringing gifts of goodwill with them. Welcome these eco-warriors into your eco-system and enjoy less pests, more life, and a healthier environment.
Lizards are lovely because…
- They eat other goggas we don’t really like such as slugs, mozzies and ants.
- These guys are completely harmless to humans and will not attack you or become a man-eating reptile (incase your nerves are a little fried from watching Godzilla).
- Some do occasionally munch on leaves, but very small amounts that go unnoticed.
- They are also food for larger predators such as owls (who we also love, bonus!).
- Lizards serve as living barometers and are excellent indicators of your garden’s health. Their presence indicates low levels of pollutants, pesticides, and heavy metals in the garden – isn’t that grand!
Attract lizards by…
- Avoiding chemical pesticides and weed killers – these affect not only lizards, but impact the entire food chain (serious stuff, gardeners).
- Mulching up your beds to give them an insulated, snug spot to spoon at night.
- Providing hiding places like big rocks, small rocks, piles of rocks, broken rocks – pretty much rocks in all forms, and bushes too.
- Speaking of rocks, larger rocks make for the perfect sunbathing beds, as well as any brick or concrete platform.
- Providing a freshwater source, which they can access, such as a pond or water feature. Better yet, make your own lizard watering hole by placing a bowl near their favourite hot spot (don’t forget to give them a way in and out).
Warm up to these reptiles and they’ll reward your garden, gracefully! They are mostly out of sight, busy minding their own business. And lucky for us, their business is bugs.
#LoveThemLizards
January in the Garden Get your garden into shape
What better way to get your garden and health back on track and into shape then by sowing delicious leafy greens for those summer day salads. The following greens can be sown now:
- Lettuce will always be a firm favourite.
- Rocket is a trendy addition to salads and many other hot meals too. Its peppery taste is delicious and mild in the young leaves.
- The baby leaves of both Spinach and Swiss Chard are increasingly being used in salads.
- Baby beetroot leaves are a chic new addition to contemporary salads and cooking. They are just as yummy as they look on the plate.
- Kale is a prized ingredient in many healthy smoothie recipes.
Leafy greens are very easy to grow and will reward you best if you pick the leaves regularly and pinch out flower buds later in the season. Be on the lookout for cutworm, snail & slug damage to plants. Aphids love the hot summer months as much as we do. While you are shopping for "table greens" grab a few "tiny leafy greens" like Mint, Basil and Parsley plants to complement the other leafy greens.
Tip: Last chance: Whilst, not a "green" you can still sow tomato seeds in the first two weeks of January – so rush out and sow.
Did you know that Basil and Tomatoes are great companion plants? This means that when planted next to one another, they both improve each other's flavour. We also know that they are great companions in food too.
What To Plant
January is always a good time to plant up areas with colourful seedling annuals. The "heat is on" so what better way to brighten up the garden and get it into shape than by planting these sun-worshippers. Some great choices to beat the heat will be:
- Salvias will flower throughout the summer and autumn months.