The black wattle tree is a dangerous alien invader.  It is an evergreen tree and can grow up to 30 meters in height.

These intruders were introduced into South Africa between 1858 and 1864.  it is not sure whether the first black wattle trees were planted in the Cape Town Botanical Gardens (1858) as decorative trees or in the present-day KwaZulu-Natal near Camperdown (1864) as commercial trees. 

Due to its high tannin content (around 30%), the black wattle was planted commercially to be used in tanning leather.  The wood was also used for firewood, building materials and as wood chips.

Unfortunately these exotic trees – native to South-East Australia – have started growing profusely outside commercial plantations, along water courses and roads.  They tend to grow in dense copses, especially after a fire has passed through the area.  Because these trees were planted outside of their natural habitat, they do not have to contend with their natural enemies, which control their numbers.  These trees steal water, nutrients and light from our indigenous plants and trees, and therefore replace our native flora.  Especially our fynbos areas are threatened by the black wattle.

The black wattle has been declared an invader plant throughout South Africa, except in areas where they are commercially planted.    These commercially planted trees should be monitored, however, and be prevented from spreading out of the plantations.

Black wattles reproduce by their seeds, which can remain dormant, yet fertile, for a period of 50 to 80 years.  These seeds do not germinate immediately, and can gather quite thickly under the trees.  Should a wild fire spread through the trees, all of the seeds will germinate simultaneously, which causes an even bigger problem.

These trees also re-sprout rather heartily, adding to the level of difficulty in getting rid of them.  Should you fell a wattle tree, you must ensure that you treat the stump with a herbicide, to prevent it from re-sprouting.  As these trees normally flourish along water courses, you need to ensure that you use a registered herbicide and definitely steer clear of diesel-based products, as this will contaminate the water course.

If the trees are still young – seedlings and saplings – you can pull them out by hand, when the soil is wet.  However, if there are very many of them, it is best to use chemical control measures, as extreme soil disturbance will also promote the germination of seeds.

The bottom line is that you should never plant a black wattle in your garden and you should do your share in terminating these plants responsibly to enhance the growth of our indigenous flora.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

The use of hedges in your garden has numerous advantages.  They can be used to create privacy in your garden; as dividers to create different areas in your garden; to muffle noise and act as a windbreak; to create mazes; to attract birds and butterflies to your garden; to hide ugly walls; to improve your security around your home and garden; and to act as a green background for other plants in your garden.  Hedge plants are relatively cheap and low-maintenance.

The maintenance required once you have planted your hedge plants, involves pruning when the plants are still small.  This will encourage the plant to grow dense.  You also need to pinch the tips, while the plants are still actively growing to promote the growth of side shoots.

If you want to plant a hedge for security – along your border walls – you can use a paper flower bougainvillea (bougainvillea glabra), num-num (carissa bispinosa) or natal plum (carissa macrocarpa).

Other plants that can be used as security measures include aloes, cacti, agaves, and any other plant that has thorns.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

Ultimately the design and type of plants selected depend on the architectural style of the home and the home owners’ preferences.

Spring is the season of regeneration.  You can get the best out of your garden by doing the following during this invigorating time of year.

First of all you should prune all the plants in your garden that have suffered frost damage.  This will promote new growth.

Remove dead leaves and branches from your plants and trees to stimulate growth.

You should divide your perennial plants in order to multiply them and fill your garden beds with more lush growth.

Apply mulch to your plant beds and feed your plants and lawn with fertilizer and compost.

Have your irrigation system checked out and maintained.

You can start to water your lawn and garden more regularly again – two or three times per week.

You can also plant bulbs, which flower in summer, such as arum lilies (zantedeschia species), sword lilies (gladiolus species), and dahlias.  Sow flower seeds and plant seedlings to add vibrant splashes of colour to your garden.

Once your spring flowering plants have finished blooming, you can prune them back to ensure strong growth during the next spring period.

Finally, you should check all of your plants for diseases and treat them accordingly.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner and can provide the home owner with any exterior decorative feature.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

Decorex Johannesburg 2009 – Thank You

Show gardens are boast gardens. These gardens are designed and implemented exclusively for décor and gardening shows to show the public what the landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping we are capable of doing.

You can catch our latest show garden at Decorex Johannesburg from 6 to 10 August 2009 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand. The theme for this year’s expo is New Fusion and aims to promote environmentally friendly designs and products. Our innovative and inspiring stand will be in Hall 3.

Our in-house décor company, Badec Bros Deco, can manufacture any type of trendy exterior décor that your heart desires. Badec Bros Wooden Decking, our in-house wooden decking company, is a highly professional and qualified company, fit to install your wooden decking in a variety of wood types with a range of stylish finishes. Stunning mosaic features can be designed and created by our in-house mosaic company, Badec Bros Mosaic.

Kingfisher Landscaping can design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner. We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service. We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.

You can train your saplings to grow to your liking! 

Should you want your trees to grow as tall as possible, you can guide your trees by trimming the lowest branches off each year.  It will promote strong leader shoots, which will make the tree grow higher in a shorter amount of time.  This is called formative pruning.

Once your tree as achieved the desired height, you can let it grow naturally to form a thick crown and reach its own shape.

The landscaping experts at Kingfisher Landscaping design and implement exceptional and beautiful gardens in a professional manner.  We pride ourselves in providing our clients with excellent, efficient and comprehensive service.  We offer all the products and services associated with creating a peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space which will complement the style of your home and in which you can relax.