Muddy Boots

Muddy Boots: The Wonderful World of Roses

This week on Muddy Boots, we’re talking all things roses with Stephanie Williams, International Business Development Manager for David Austin Roses.

We explore what makes a great rose, how roses are bred, choosing roses for Australian conditions, soil health, feeding, watering, pruning, pests and disease — and why roses may be much easier to grow than you think.

In this episode

• What makes a great rose — beauty, fragrance, vigour and disease resistance
• How new roses are bred and why it can take 12 years to develop one
• Choosing the right rose for Australian conditions
• Soil preparation, compost, mulch and feeding
• Watering deeply and less frequently once established
• Growing roses in pots and containers
• How and when to prune shrub and climbing roses
• Deadheading and encouraging repeat flowering
• Managing black spot, powdery mildew and aphids naturally
• Why biodiversity and beneficial insects are so important
• Why a rose can be a great choice for beginner gardeners

Roses mentioned

• Constance Spry — Rosa 'Constance Spry'
• Graham Thomas — Rosa 'Graham Thomas'
• Lark Ascending — Rosa 'Lark Ascending'
• Olivia Rose Austin — Rosa 'Olivia Rose Austin'
• Emily Brontë — Rosa 'Emily Brontë'
• Queen of Sweden — Rosa 'Queen of Sweden'
• Tottering-by-Gently — Rosa 'Tottering-by-Gently'
• Princess Alexandra of Kent — Rosa 'Princess Alexandra of Kent'
• Gertrude Jekyll — Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll'

Products & resources

• Clyde Compost — use code MUDDY15 for 15% off
• Neutrog Sudden Impact for Roses
• Seaweed products for supporting healthy plants
• Leaf mould and well-rotted horse manure/pony poo for mulching

Key takeaway

Choose the right rose for the right place, give it healthy soil, adequate water, good airflow and a little regular care — and you can enjoy beautiful blooms and fragrance for years.

Thanks to Stephanie for joining us from the UK — and to Clyde Compost for sponsoring Muddy Boots.

For more information, visit muddyboots.net.au.

Happy gardening!

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
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This episode covers flea beetles, tree borers, climbing pumpkins and melons, soil health, stink bugs, fruit fly, worms, wicking beds and a struggling magnolia.

Plants Mentioned

Vegetables & fruit

• Eggplant — Solanum melongena
• Apple — Malus domestica
• Rockmelon — Cucumis melo
• Pumpkin — Cucurbita spp.
• Butternut Pumpkin — Cucurbita moschata
• Potimarron Pumpkin — Cucurbita maxima
• Wee Be Little Pumpkin — Cucurbita pepo
• Jack Be Little Pumpkin — Cucurbita pepo
• Tomato — Solanum lycopersicum
• Broccoli — Brassica oleracea var. italica
• Cauliflower — Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
• Capsicum — Capsicum annuum
• Chilli — Capsicum spp.
• Passionfruit — Passiflora edulis

Trees & ornamentals

• Elm — Ulmus spp.
• Oak — Quercus spp.
• Pepperina — Schinus molle
• Fig — Ficus spp.
• Magnolia — Magnolia spp.

Questions Covered

• Flea beetles: Managing infestations on eggplants using Eco-Neem, sticky traps and soil treatment.

• Tree borers: What to do when borers attack mature trees, including pruning, aeration and soil health.

• Growing over arches: Delicious rockmelon and pumpkin varieties suited to vertical growing.

• Soil health: pH, compost, rock dust, broadforking and building healthy soil biology.

• Stink bugs: Simple methods to control these persistent pests.

• Worms: Why worms may come to the surface after adding soil amendments and how to distinguish earthworms from compost worms.

• Brassicas: Why broccoli and cauliflower can remain netted throughout the growing season.

• Queensland fruit fly: Netting, attractants and identifying fruit fly damage.

• White grubs: How to distinguish beneficial orange/yellow-headed grubs from damaging black-headed grubs.

• Magnolia: Helping a mature tree recover after extreme heat and drought.

Products & Resources

• Clyde Compost — https://clydecompost.com.au
  Use code MUDDY15 for 15% off.
• Neutrog Go-Go Juice 
• Neutrog Populate 
• Seasol 
• Eco-Neem 
• Eco-Oil 
• MycoGold — https://biostim.com.au/shop/myco-gold
• Digger's Club 
• The Plant Runner — https://theplantrunner.com

Plant Runner giveaway: Congratulations this month's winner.

Live Q&A: Join Elizabeth and Keith at Frankston Library at 1pm on Wednesday 21 October.

For more information, visit muddyboots.net.au.

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

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

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 video is about MBP - October's Garden - RD 22 Sep 2026

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

Website: https://www.muddyboots.net.au/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/muddybootspodcast/ 
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Shade Loving plants.

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

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 

Another Q&A packed with practical gardening advice, from curl grubs and sick olive trees to thrips, blueberries, wicking beds, Boston Ivy and growing your own passionfruit.

🌿 Plants Mentioned

Vegetables & fruit

• Tomato — Solanum lycopersicum
• Cauliflower — Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
• Blueberry — Vaccinium spp.
• Lime — Citrus × aurantiifolia
• Lemon — Citrus × limon
• Black Passionfruit — Passiflora edulis

Ornamentals & natives

• Olive — Olea europaea
• Lavender — Lavandula spp.
• Rosemary — Salvia rosmarinus
• Ornamental Pear — Pyrus calleryana
• Snow Maiden Grevillea — Grevillea 'Snow Maiden'
• Crepe Myrtle — Lagerstroemia spp.
• Banksia — Banksia spp.
• Boston Ivy — Parthenocissus tricuspidata
• Climbing Fig — Ficus pumila

Plants mentioned as companion/mulch options

• Pea Straw — Pisum sativum
• Lucerne/Alfalfa — Medicago sativa
• Pine — Pinus spp.

🐛 This Episode's Questions

Curl grubs: How to tell beneficial yellow/orange-headed grubs from root-eating black-headed cockchafers.

Olive trees: Supporting mature olive trees showing possible signs of Verticillium wilt, including irrigation, soil health and root support.

Cauliflowers: Identifying whether slugs, snails or earwigs are responsible for damaged leaves.

Rice hull mulch: Why Keith doesn't recommend it as a mulch and alternatives including pea straw and lucerne.

Thrips: Why Success isn't effective against thrips and how Eco-Oil and Eco-Neem can be used.

Blueberries: How often to repot, pruning advice and maintaining acidic soil.

Limes: Why ripe limes can turn yellow — and what happens to their flavour when left on the tree.

Grevilleas & Crepe Myrtle: Can they grow together? Plus designing a garden to provide succession of flowering and attract birds.

Wicking beds: Advice for hot climates, reducing watering requirements and automated irrigation.

Boston Ivy: Why it can take a year to establish and whether it can damage a metal fence.

Passionfruit: Growing black passionfruit from seed, protecting plants from frost and why grafted passionfruit can become invasive.

🧰 Products & Resources Mentioned

• Original LOWY No.1 Anvil Pruner – www.backyardbotanist.com.au
• Neutrog Populate – https://neutrog.com.au
• Neutrog Go-Go Juice – https://neutrog.com.au
• Munash Mineral Rock Dust – https://www.munashorganics.com.au
• MycoGold – https://www.biostim.com.au
• Eco-Oil – https://www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au
• Eco-Neem – https://www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au
• Clyde Compost – https://clydecompost.com.au
• Digger's Club – https://www.diggers.com.au
• The Plant Runner – https://theplantrunner.com

🏆 Plant Runner Giveaway: Congratulations to Gerry, this month's winner, for her question about her 18-year-old olive trees.

Happy gardening! 🌱

Where you can find all things Muddy Boots!

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