Sheoak Gardening

01/03/2026

Read about Vasili's IPM solution to citrus gall wasp

Alright folks… gather around for a moment because it’s time to gently correct something before we all start painting our citrus trees white and calling it Mediterranean landscaping.

I heard it mentioned that CGWS is a lime based product. It isn’t, and that distinction matters more than people realise.

CGWS is kaolin clay. A naturally occurring mineral clay. It is not agricultural lime, it is not dolomite, and it is definitely not hydrated lime. It does not raise soil pH, it does not supply calcium, and it does not function as a liming agent in any way.

Lime products are calcium based materials derived from limestone. They are chemically reactive and used to alter soil chemistry. Hydrated lime in particular is highly alkaline and quite aggressive. Used incorrectly it can burn foliage, disrupt soil biology and spike pH levels very quickly.

Kaolin clay works completely differently. It forms a fine mineral particle film over leaves, fruit and young stems. That coating reflects excess UV, lowering fruit surface temperature and reducing sunburn, especially when the fruit surface temperature becomes significantly higher than the surrounding air. That’s when rind damage happens. Kaolin reflects that energy before the damage occurs.

Now let’s talk old school for a second. Some of the traditional European gardeners, God bless them, used to throw hydrated lime around the garden season after season like there was no tomorrow. White trunks, white soil, white everything. Sterilise it all, kill the fungi, knock back the microbes, and then wonder why the soil loses its vitality. So, they would then pump in 40 bags of manure to counteract that. Yes, you can whitewash trunks with hydrated lime for sun protection, and if you want the classic white courtyard look then by all means go for it.

But that is not what CGWS is.
CGWS is a preventative particle film, not a chemical hammer.

When it comes to Citrus Gall Wasp, the female wasp is looking for soft green stems to land on and lay eggs. When those stems are coated in CGWS, the visual cues change, the surface texture changes, and it interferes with the insect’s ability to grip and recognise the host. Egg laying is significantly reduced when CGWS is applied. So, treat it as a prevention, not poison.

And beyond citrus, I’ve personally trialled it against codling moth, pear and cherry slug, and we’ve also been running testing around fruit fly prevention as well. So far the results have been extremely encouraging when applied properly and at the right time. This is about integrated management, not blanket spraying and hoping for the best.

Look, I am always open to gardening conversations. That’s how we learn. But when we speak publicly about products, especially someone else’s product, we need to understand the chemistry and the function before we label it something it’s not.

Because if a gardener hears “lime based” and decides to spray hydrated lime or god forbid agricultural lime over fresh growth thinking it’s the same thing, that could cause more harm than good.

We’re not here to burn things into submission, we’re here to grow properly and of course, safely.

Now, if you want to talk soil, citrus, gall wasp, codling moth, fruit fly prevention and real orchard systems, come and see me.

I’m at the Kalamunda Garden Festival, at Stirk Park, today from 10am to 3pm doing 3 presentations.
Growing Is Forever
How plants reproduce when we stop interfering.

Soil Is the Bank Account
What you withdraw, you must replenish
&
Water Is Memory
How plants learn to survive drought

For our Victorian gardeners.
Head out to Werribee Park Heritage Fruit Tree Festival, Gate 5, “K” Road, Werribee, 10am to 3pm. My good mate Craig and the team will be there to answer all your gardening questions and inspire you to reconnect with Mother Nature.

Two states. Same message.

Know what you’re putting on your trees, understand how it works, and grow with intention.

Otherwise you’ll end up with a backyard painted white and a lemon tree wondering what just happened.

Maresi! 👍

21/01/2026

This rings so true. We need to eat more whole and organic vegetables and less processed food.

18/01/2026

Let's plant some more trees . Let's stop cutting down existing trees for development. Let's work together with developers to keep tree canopy.

WALGA supports the State Government’s finalisation of the Urban Greening Strategy for the Perth and Peel regions.

The much-needed strategy, which was first announced by the State Government in February 2024, outlines the State’s vision for a greener Perth and Peel.

“The release of the strategy represents important progress and WALGA looks forward to working with the State Government to see its implementation across Government and more importantly across our communities,” WALGA President Karen Chappel AM JP said.

Read more: https://ow.ly/Oskt50XXNq7

14/01/2026

Some good gardening tips

3 Jobs to do
1. Apply Eco-fungicide on melon, zucchini and cucumber plants before powdery mildew sets in.
2. Thin out bunches of grapes to get better quality fruit and prevent broken canes.
3. Prune the lower leaves of tomatoes and thin out branches to increase airflow and sunlight.

14/01/2026

I have a few spaces available in my diary for some new clients to do some w**ding, mulching, pruning or hedging at your place. Not just removing old style agapanthus.

Agapanthus are pretty and popular, but many home gardeners are surprised by how easily they can spread. 🌱

Many older varieties self-seed and form dense clumps, gradually overtaking smaller native shrubs and ground-covers, crowding out native plants and contributing to bushfire conditions.

Luckily, there are stunning native alternatives that still deliver on colour, shape and toughness - while supporting bees, birds and biodiversity.

Here are some simple swaps:
https://www.bhg.com.au/garden/gardening/native-alternatives-to-agapanthus/

01/01/2026

Happy New Year to all my clients who have supported my business throughout 2025. In Carol Petterson's words "2026 is a time to have a grateful attitude."

28/08/2025

I'm selling my well loved van. She has served me well. It is now a wreck, just the engine. The body is in great condition. There's a seat in the back which I've never used which I keep folded up. Here is the link https://carsales.com.au/details/SSE-AD-19363587.. Contact me to arrange a viewing.

29/07/2025

Working solidly this week to get on top of the winter w**ds. I highly recommend mulching after you w**d with a thick pine bark mulch. It suppresses them, feeds the soil when it breaks down, feeding all the microbiota and micro organisms and cools the soil in summer. What's there not too like? Are the w**ds getting on top of you? Give me call.

17/03/2025

Now that days are shorter and evenings cooler it’s time to revisit your garden. Try to make changes that not only cool your house down but give back to nature. The watering down of the Environmental Protection laws in Western Australia will see continued destruction of habitat on a massive scale due to proposed extensions of mining leases and housing developments that allow the annihilation of all vegetation.

We are entering a new phase of mass extinctions over the next decade, primarily due to habitat destruction. This crisis is further exacerbated by the shothole borer, climate change, bushfires, and the lack of government action to value and protect the natural Australian landscape and the fauna that depends on it. There is no government intervention or assistance to save our magnificent Baudin and Carnaby cockatoos that are facing starvation and extinction.

It's time to harness the power of the community to protect our incredible species that are on the brink of extinction, while also giving young people hope for a better world. Planting native species is a smart choice: they require less water and fewer soil amendments, attract local wildlife, provide food and shelter for species facing starvation plus local plants withstand harsh summers, and, to top it off, look stunning.

Here are a few tips to help you create a sustainable and beautiful garden that offers a safe haven for wildlife.

1. Know your soil type – many plants like banksias and hakeas that are an important food source for cockatoos are sensitive to soil type.
2. Visit your local plant nursery get good advice because they know your local area and environmental conditions.
3. Choose a variety of plants of plants that flower at different times of the year.
4. Improve the soil for every planting including natives with a little bit of compost, or clay, slow-release native fertiliser, wetting agent, and mulch.
5. Read the label and space plants correctly going by the height and width of the plant when mature.
6. Plant with having a 3-tier garden in mind, an upper canopy, mid-level canopy and ground covers and grasses to accommodate a bigger diversity of fauna that comes to feed and breed in your garden.

23/06/2024

https://bit.ly/MOGS_TinekeWritingWorkshop

06/11/2023

Geraldine Hickey gets agapanthus. Here is a picture of me digging some out

Anyone else endured the pain of agapanthus like ?Recorded on Wednesday 17 March 2021 at the Palais Theatre for ABC – The Gala, proudly suppor...