Barrow & Bench Mitre 10

04/06/2026

We loved having Hayley from Hello SA in store severral weeks ago to chat all things pruning .... in particular, pruning fruit trees in winter, and were blessed with the best, most sunshiny day when she visited our own garden to do a little pruning of her own. Disclaimer here, that when the filming took place it was still quite warm and our plum tree which would normally have lost most of its leaves at that time, still had plenty on it 🙂 The process however, remains the same. Deciduous fruit trees are almost always best pruned in winter using clean, sharp snips. (see exceptions below)

We think these tips will help you get started in your pruning journey:

^ reduce the chance of disease by pruning on a sunny day, avoiding if possible, doing this job in the rain

^ in winter remove spindly or damaged branches (look for branches which have been rubbing against each other, or which have partially snapped under the weight of summer fruiting)

^ remove any branches growing towards the centre of the tree (aiming to 'open up' the tree to a vase type shape - this improves the air flow (reducing disease) and allows sunshine into the centre of the tree (fabulous for helping to ripen fruit evenly in summer)

^ reduce the height of the tree to a size you can manage or which you can net if thats what you do

^ prune to outward facing buds (this helps reduce inward facing branches)

^ keep your cuts neat and sharp, aiming to cut about 1/2cm above a node rather through the node, and keep cuts close to a branch when removing a secondary branch. For any branches thicker than your thumb consider using a pair of loppers rather than snips

^ remove any obviously annoying growth, for example branches growing across pathways or which are rubbing against buildings

^ apricots are best pruned in summer to prevent infection and disease

^ clean your snips and saws between trees - isopropyl alcohol is excellent (this reduces the chance of spreading disease between trees)

^ and don't forget, we offer a tool sharpening service - drop your snips, loppers and saws into the store and we will have them professionally sharpened for you.

^ dogs when pruning are optional, but we guarantee they are great gardening companions and make long days in the garden more fun

03/06/2026

As a local business we have many opportunities to support local groups, schools and clubs, and the fabulous group who run the local Community Shed from the Royal Adelaide Show Grounds is one of the nicest.

The group started life as the Rosefield Men’s Shed and is now known as the Rosefield Community Shed. They offer skills, learnings and companionship from their workshop at the show grounds. If you spot timber bird and possum houses or dibbers in store, they are the work of the community shed. Funds raised from the sale of these hand crafted goods is used to help keep the group financial and free from seeking government grants. It’s a credit to the voluntary team and the many hours they put into supporting others. And we are thrilled to learn today that over $2000 worth of goods has been sold through our store in recent years. If you’ve purchased a dibber or a bird house you’ve been part of that story too.

That stunning dove cote as you enter our store (and in the images) is their latest creation. It’s absolutely beautiful and would look superb in a large garden. As with the other items, the funds from the sale of the dove cote go to the Community Shed.

02/06/2026

LONG WEEKEND ON YOUR MIND?
The good news is we are open all weekend.
Saturday: 8am-5pm
Sunday: 9am-5pm
Monday: 9am-5pm

Plenty of bagged firewood, fire lighters, buckets, folding tables, gumboots, bottled gas and all the 'built for the wild' YETI goods you might require.

01/06/2026

Add a little wonder to your shed, your living room, sport club rooms or kids bedroom … I adore these sweet projectors with their starry magic. You will find them in our electrical and lighting aisle.

26/05/2026

Chainsaws on your mind … Power G 18” 45cc petrol chainsaws for $99.

You’ll find them on the end of our main aisle.

15/05/2026

It’s that time of the year to be sowing winter seeds and seedlings, reading gardening books, planning spring plantings, and with this weekends rain it’s also the perfect time to be sitting by the fire. Locally bagged firewood and kindling along with eco fire starters, matches and more in store now. The perfect way to keep you warm and the at home ambience happening, and of course fabulous for occasional fires when you don’t have an enormous wood stack at home (ps … the bagged wood is a fabulous way to keep your car clean when transporting the bags home.)

13/05/2026

It’s always a good day when we have Hayley and Tom from Hello SA in the store and today we had the pleasure of having them back in our own garden to talk all things winter pruning … and it is true, it’s not quite winter and our fruit trees, with this unseasonally warm weather, are still holding their leaves, but you will get the gist of it. We talked about opening up trees to allow sunlight (aka natures fruit ripening agent), as well as airflow into the trees. We talked about simple things like pruning to an outwards facing bud, about pruning on dry days like today and keeping trees manageable. They are little things you can incorporate into helping manage your precious fruit trees. Oh, and we also fed cows and were loved to bits by the golden dogs. It’s been fun, and it will go to air in a few weeks time.

Mitre 10

12/05/2026

Pop past on Unley Road tomorrow for your donut fix. We will be waiting for you 😊🍩

📆 Wednesday 13th May
⏰ 11am - 4pm
➡️
📍 321 Unley Road, Malvern SA 5061

12/05/2026

08/05/2026

Elegant. White. Calming. Beautiful. You can’t go past cyclamen at this time of the year. Such a gorgeous plant for indoors or out and absolutely lovely as a gift for Mother’s Day. Lots of cyclamen in store. Some fabulous chrysanthemum as well. And just coming off the trucks as I left last night are azalea (many of them blooming) and if you’re patient with us today we will get the camellia on the shelves too. It’s going to be a beautiful weekend of planty goodness. Open 8-5 Saturday. 9-5 Sunday. See you soon.