6. Good Organic Gardening - November-December 2016 AvxHome.in
6. Good Organic Gardening - November-December 2016 AvxHome.in
6. Good Organic Gardening - November-December 2016 AvxHome.in
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
grow naturally, eat fresh, live susta<strong>in</strong>ably<br />
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER<br />
MELISSA<br />
KING<br />
HERITAGE<br />
ZUCCHINI<br />
+ FRUITS TO<br />
PLANT NOW<br />
Meet the<br />
glamorous<br />
Gardenettes<br />
CLAIRE BICKLE<br />
MORE BENEFICIAL BUGS<br />
MEGG MILLER<br />
WHEN CHOOKS<br />
WANT TO BE MUMS<br />
Garden<br />
to table<br />
BASIL, CHILLI,<br />
BABY SPINACH,<br />
STRAWBERRY,<br />
CAPSICUM<br />
JENNIFER<br />
STACKHOUSE<br />
CAROB, GOURDS<br />
+ VEGIES TO<br />
PLANT NOW<br />
Vol. 7 No. 4<br />
NOV/DEC <strong>2016</strong><br />
AUS $7.95*<br />
NZ $7.90<br />
(Both <strong>in</strong>cl. GST)<br />
HOW TO<br />
Create a<br />
natural<br />
frog pond<br />
CAN ROSEMARY<br />
HELP YOU LIVE LONGER?<br />
PLUS SUMMER SHADE SOLUTIONS | WATER WISDOM
Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s<br />
Selection<br />
Australia’s lead<strong>in</strong>g production nursery has developed a<br />
comprehensive guide to the best fruit trees to grow at home …<br />
Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s Pick of the Crop ® collection has been hand-picked to<br />
deliver on everyth<strong>in</strong>g from space sav<strong>in</strong>g to taste!<br />
Get yours grow<strong>in</strong>g this bare root season – order from<br />
your local Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s stockist:<br />
For more <strong>in</strong>formation visit<br />
flem<strong>in</strong>gs.com.au<br />
(03) 9756 6105
CONTENTS<br />
18 16<br />
Contents<br />
8 Editor’s Note<br />
A roundup of what’s <strong>in</strong> our<br />
<strong>November</strong>/<strong>December</strong> issue<br />
10 The Grapev<strong>in</strong>e<br />
Jo Immig reports on the Eat<br />
Stockholm Food Forum <strong>2016</strong> and<br />
how food might save the world<br />
— and more<br />
12 What’s Hot<br />
Horticulturist Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g<br />
profiles new-release plants to<br />
give your garden a lift<br />
14 & 16 Clever Crops<br />
Jennifer Stackhouse presents<br />
two <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g clever crops:<br />
carob and gourds<br />
18 Plant Profile<br />
Kerry Boyne looks at crunchy,<br />
colourful, captivat<strong>in</strong>g capsicums<br />
for summer garden bounty<br />
22 Power Plant<br />
It’s one of the most commonly<br />
used cul<strong>in</strong>ary herbs, but does<br />
rosemary have superpowers?<br />
asks Kerry Boyne<br />
24 Family Heirlooms<br />
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i is among the most<br />
productive vegetables <strong>in</strong> the<br />
summer garden and <strong>in</strong>credibly<br />
versatile <strong>in</strong> the kitchen, says<br />
Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g<br />
28 <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Folk<br />
A bountiful vegie patch and<br />
pretty cottage gardens give a<br />
former dairy farm a new lease<br />
on life, writes Carrol Baker<br />
32 <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Folk<br />
Sandra Tuszynska meets a<br />
gardener who loves wildlife so<br />
much he has created 36 frog<br />
ponds on his productive property<br />
36 <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Folk<br />
With rich food traditions on both<br />
sides, this garden<strong>in</strong>g couple<br />
would make their forbears proud,<br />
says Jana Holmer<br />
40 Time to Plant<br />
The vegie beds: taro, scarlet<br />
runner beans and celery; the<br />
orchard: tamarillo; the melon patch:<br />
honeydew; and the herb garden:<br />
parsley, by Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
50 Weekend <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> —<br />
Waterworks<br />
Carrol Baker looks at all the ways<br />
to be waterwise this summer<br />
54 Weekend <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> —<br />
Shade<br />
Claire Bickle covers the other<br />
hot weather issue: the need for<br />
protection from the hot sun for<br />
some plants<br />
6 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
72<br />
58 Pest Patrol — <strong>Good</strong> Bugs<br />
Part II<br />
More t<strong>in</strong>y garden helpers and why<br />
you’d want to encourage them to<br />
visit your patch, by Claire Bickle<br />
62 <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Community<br />
Future Feeders is a movement<br />
based <strong>in</strong> northern NSW that’s<br />
about opportunities for smallscale<br />
farm<strong>in</strong>g, writes Jo Immig<br />
66 Onl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong><br />
The Gardenettes <strong>in</strong>spire us<br />
by shar<strong>in</strong>g their grow<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
cook<strong>in</strong>g knowledge via various<br />
digital platforms<br />
68 The Shed<br />
Sandra Tuszynska offers a howto<br />
guide to build<strong>in</strong>g a naturallook<strong>in</strong>g<br />
frog pond <strong>in</strong> your garden<br />
72 Feathered Friends<br />
As many people th<strong>in</strong>k about<br />
breed<strong>in</strong>g chicks at this time,<br />
Megg Miller passes on some<br />
good advice<br />
76 Short Shoots<br />
Innovative and imag<strong>in</strong>ative ideas<br />
for your garden from Er<strong>in</strong> Starkey<br />
78 Th<strong>in</strong>gs to Do<br />
Jennifer Stackhouse does a<br />
roundup of what needs do<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> your warm-weather garden<br />
right now<br />
82 Garden to Table<br />
Cook<strong>in</strong>g and preserv<strong>in</strong>g five<br />
seasonal edibles, with chef<br />
Joanna Rushton<br />
93 Books<br />
New books for gardeners<br />
and cooks<br />
96 What’s Hot From Our<br />
Advertisers<br />
Our Pick of the Crop of products<br />
and services<br />
66<br />
28<br />
62<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 7
grow naturally, eat fresh, live susta<strong>in</strong>ably<br />
Editor Kerry Boyne<br />
Designer Connie Leung<br />
Contributors Carrol Baker, Claire Bickle,<br />
Jana Holmer, Jo Immig, Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g, Megg<br />
Miller, Chris Stafford, Er<strong>in</strong>a Starkey,<br />
Jennifer Stackhouse, Sandra Tuszynska<br />
National Advertis<strong>in</strong>g Manager<br />
Miriam Keen<br />
Ph: 02 9887 0604 | Fax: 02 9878 5553<br />
Mob: 0414 969 693<br />
Email: mkeen@universalmagaz<strong>in</strong>es.com.au<br />
Advertis<strong>in</strong>g Production Co-ord<strong>in</strong>ator<br />
Heather Smith<br />
Cover Photo Getty Images<br />
Chairman/CEO Prema Perera<br />
Publisher Janice Williams<br />
Chief F<strong>in</strong>ancial Officer Vicky Mahadeva<br />
Associate Publisher Emma Perera<br />
Associate Publisher Karen Day<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ance & Adm<strong>in</strong>istration Manager<br />
James Perera<br />
Circulation Director Mark Darton<br />
Creative Director Kate Podger<br />
Editorial & Production Manager<br />
Anastasia Casey<br />
Market<strong>in</strong>g & Acquisitions Manager<br />
Chelsea Peters<br />
Subscription enquiries: 1300 303 414<br />
Circulation enquiries to our Sydney head office: (02) 9805 0399<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Vol. 7 No. 4 is published by Universal Magaz<strong>in</strong>es,<br />
Unit 5, 6–8 Byfield Street, North Ryde NSW 2113. Phone: (02) 9805 0399,<br />
Fax: (02) 9805 0714. Melbourne office: Suite 4, Level 1, 150 Albert Road,<br />
South Melbourne Vic 3025. Phone: (03) 9694 6444, Fax: (03) 9699 7890.<br />
Pr<strong>in</strong>ted by KHL Pr<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g Co Pte Ltd, S<strong>in</strong>gapore. Retail distribution: Gordon<br />
and Gotch. UK Distributor: KLM Partnership, Phone: +44 019 9244 7544.<br />
S<strong>in</strong>gapore & Malaysia Distributor: Carkit (F.E.) Pte Ltd, 1 Charlton Lane,<br />
#01-02, S<strong>in</strong>gapore 539631, Phone: +65 6282 1960, Fax: +65 6382 3021,<br />
Website: www.carkitfe.com.<br />
This magaz<strong>in</strong>e may have some content that is advertorial or<br />
promotional <strong>in</strong> nature. This book is copyright. Apart from any<br />
fair deal<strong>in</strong>g for the purpose of private study, research, criticism<br />
or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be<br />
reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries<br />
should be addressed to the publishers. The publishers believe all<br />
the <strong>in</strong>formation supplied <strong>in</strong> this book to be correct at the time of<br />
pr<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g. They are not, however, <strong>in</strong> a position to make a guarantee<br />
to this effect and accept no liability <strong>in</strong> the event of any <strong>in</strong>formation<br />
prov<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>accurate. Prices, addresses and phone numbers were,<br />
after <strong>in</strong>vestigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, up<br />
to date at the time of pr<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g, but the shift<strong>in</strong>g sands of time may<br />
change them <strong>in</strong> some cases. It is not possible for the publishers<br />
to ensure that advertisements which appear <strong>in</strong> this publication<br />
comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility<br />
must therefore be on the person, company or advertis<strong>in</strong>g agency<br />
submitt<strong>in</strong>g the advertisements for publication. While every<br />
endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy, the<br />
publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.<br />
This magaz<strong>in</strong>e is pr<strong>in</strong>ted on paper produced <strong>in</strong> a mill which meets<br />
Certified Environmental Management System ISO4001 s<strong>in</strong>ce 1995<br />
and EMAS s<strong>in</strong>ce 199<strong>6.</strong><br />
Please pass on or recycle this magaz<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
ISSN 1837-9206<br />
Copyright © Universal Magaz<strong>in</strong>es MMXVI<br />
ACN 003 026 944<br />
universalmagaz<strong>in</strong>es.com.au<br />
We are a member of<br />
Welcome<br />
to the issue<br />
Late spr<strong>in</strong>g/early summer has to be the<br />
best time of year <strong>in</strong> the garden. For me,<br />
anyway. Maybe it’s because I can grow my<br />
favourite th<strong>in</strong>gs, most especially zucch<strong>in</strong>i.<br />
You can honestly never have too much because<br />
you can use it <strong>in</strong> so many ways: roasted, <strong>in</strong> frittatas<br />
and fritters, lend<strong>in</strong>g lovely moisture to cakes and<br />
bread, and — my current favourite — as zoodles.<br />
I’m mad for them, especially piled with prawns<br />
cooked with chilli, garlic, lemon and parsley.<br />
Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g has the many faces of zucch<strong>in</strong>i<br />
well covered <strong>in</strong> Family Heirlooms and she also<br />
looks at honeydew melon and tamarillo as fruits<br />
to plant now. Meanwhile, Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
covers celery, scarlet runner bean and taro to<br />
plant <strong>in</strong> the vegie patch, along with parsley for<br />
the herb garden. Plus, she s<strong>in</strong>gs the praises of<br />
Clever Crops, carob and gourd.<br />
Capsicum is another summer essential, so we<br />
take a closer look at this very colourful vegie that’s<br />
such a w<strong>in</strong>ner <strong>in</strong> both cooked dishes and salads.<br />
The other herb garden item we look at this<br />
issue is our Power Plant, rosemary. It’s l<strong>in</strong>ked<br />
to a fasc<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g story of a small Italian seaside<br />
village that will make you want to plant some<br />
immediately, if you haven’t already, and put it<br />
<strong>in</strong> all your cook<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
And what are we cook<strong>in</strong>g this issue? Jo<br />
Rushton has some easy-to-make recipes<br />
featur<strong>in</strong>g basil, strawberries, chillies, capsicum<br />
and baby sp<strong>in</strong>ach that are as wholesome as<br />
they are delicious.<br />
As this is a time when many chook lovers<br />
th<strong>in</strong>k about breed<strong>in</strong>g their own, Megg Miller<br />
expla<strong>in</strong>s what you need to know to keep mother<br />
and babies healthy and happy, rang<strong>in</strong>g from<br />
how to choose which eggs to let her to sit on,<br />
to look<strong>in</strong>g after new chicks until they can hold<br />
their own — with Mum’s help, of course.<br />
Claire Bickle has more friendly, pretty <strong>in</strong>sects<br />
to showcase — it’s always nicer to talk about<br />
the ones we like rather than those we need<br />
to get rid of — plus she discusses the need<br />
for shade <strong>in</strong> the summer garden, someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
we don’t always give a lot of thought to. Some<br />
plants love that hot sun but a lot really don’t,<br />
so Claire looks at both sides of the ledger.<br />
Speak<strong>in</strong>g of hot sun, water is the other big<br />
issue <strong>in</strong> summer as both <strong>in</strong>sufficient and too<br />
much can wreak havoc on the vegie garden.<br />
When chooks want to<br />
be mums, page 72<br />
Carrol Baker provides an overview of good<br />
water management for your plants.<br />
It’s not only plants that need water, either. All<br />
the other life of the garden has to dr<strong>in</strong>k and some<br />
creatures need to immerse themselves <strong>in</strong> water,<br />
so Sandra Tuszynska has a step-by-step guide to<br />
build<strong>in</strong>g a natural-look<strong>in</strong>g frog pond — not just for<br />
frogs, though. It’s perfect for attract<strong>in</strong>g all k<strong>in</strong>ds of<br />
small wildlife to your backyard.<br />
Our <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Folk this issue hail from<br />
Queensland and Victoria, with Sean Morrow<br />
from the Sunsh<strong>in</strong>e Coast h<strong>in</strong>terland <strong>in</strong>stall<strong>in</strong>g<br />
36 frog ponds on his property. (Our how-to<br />
pond was built at his place, <strong>in</strong> fact.) In addition<br />
to the <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Folk, Jo Immig <strong>in</strong>troduces us<br />
to a movement, and the people beh<strong>in</strong>d it, that’s<br />
all about sett<strong>in</strong>g up small-farm<strong>in</strong>g opportunities<br />
<strong>in</strong> northern NSW. The group is called Future<br />
Feeders and, as the name suggests, they have<br />
some great ideas for the future of food grow<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Then there are all the other regular items,<br />
of course: what needs do<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the garden<br />
right now, clever tips to use <strong>in</strong> your home and<br />
backyard, environmental news plus new-release<br />
plants to consider for your garden. So enjoy the<br />
read and happy garden<strong>in</strong>g until next time.<br />
Kerry<br />
See us on facebook at www.facebook.com/<strong>Good</strong><strong>Organic</strong><strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>Magaz<strong>in</strong>e<br />
or contact us via email : <strong>in</strong>foGOG@universalmagaz<strong>in</strong>es.com.au
THE GRAPEVINE | News<br />
the grapev<strong>in</strong>e<br />
Environmental news and updates compiled by Jo Immig<br />
<strong>Organic</strong> farm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
tax credit now law<br />
<strong>in</strong> Hawaii<br />
In a first for the USA, Hawaiian lawmakers<br />
have <strong>in</strong>troduced a state-funded tax credit for<br />
certified-organic food production designed to<br />
complement exist<strong>in</strong>g programs by offsett<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the f<strong>in</strong>ancial barriers to organic certification.<br />
The new tax credit covers a wide range<br />
of costs associated with organic farm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
not covered under exist<strong>in</strong>g cost-share<br />
programs and will extend to items such<br />
as equipment, materials and supplies<br />
necessary for organic certification.<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g the legislative debate, speakers<br />
recognised the need to support a new<br />
generation of farmers to grow food and jobs<br />
<strong>in</strong>to the future. Speakers noted a vibrant<br />
organic farm<strong>in</strong>g system is a vital component<br />
of a healthy, susta<strong>in</strong>able food future.<br />
centerforfoodsafety.org<br />
<strong>in</strong>novation across the food <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
Forum organisers propose the next 15<br />
years will be decisive for people and the<br />
planet. If we are to address the enormous<br />
challenges we face, such as climate change,<br />
we need to muster <strong>in</strong>novative solutions that<br />
cut across current silos of knowledge and<br />
power. While organisers praise <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
agreements and policies already <strong>in</strong> place,<br />
they cite the lack of action, implementation<br />
and accountability as the miss<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>gredients<br />
to gett<strong>in</strong>g us to where we need to go.<br />
Alessandro Demaio, a participant of<br />
the forum and blogger for the Huff<strong>in</strong>gton<br />
Post, summarised some of the key<br />
game-chang<strong>in</strong>g ideas that emerged<br />
from EAT Stockholm.<br />
Accept complexity. The world is complex<br />
and <strong>in</strong>terconnected <strong>in</strong> ways that are beyond<br />
our imag<strong>in</strong>ation. We don’t have endless<br />
time to get to grips with the complexities of<br />
everyth<strong>in</strong>g before we act. This th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g leads<br />
to a paralysis and endless discussions about<br />
complexity. Rather, we need to embrace it and<br />
thrive <strong>in</strong> a complex environment.<br />
Seek simplicity. It seems ironic but<br />
with<strong>in</strong> the complexity and endless noise of<br />
“super-wicked” problems such as climate<br />
change, focus<strong>in</strong>g on <strong>in</strong>ter-l<strong>in</strong>kages presents<br />
opportunities for converg<strong>in</strong>g solutions. S<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
th<strong>in</strong>gs are <strong>in</strong>terconnected, it’s likely there are<br />
common opportunities to address multiple<br />
problems. Simple goals such as “zero waste”,<br />
for <strong>in</strong>stance, encapsulate multiple, complex<br />
challenges, but set the compass <strong>in</strong> the right<br />
direction and the rest will follow.<br />
Leverage connections. The food system is<br />
a complex network of farmers, processors,<br />
marketers, retailers, transporters and<br />
consumers. An action done <strong>in</strong> one l<strong>in</strong>k of<br />
the cha<strong>in</strong> has effects elsewhere. We need to<br />
work with the whole food system if we are<br />
seek<strong>in</strong>g to fundamentally change it. We are<br />
7.4 billion people on the planet who eat every<br />
day, so our collective impact is big. Similarly,<br />
Can food save the<br />
world?<br />
This was the question on everybody’s lips at<br />
the EAT Stockholm Food Forum <strong>2016</strong>, the<br />
third <strong>in</strong> a series of forums designed to br<strong>in</strong>g<br />
together experts across multiple discipl<strong>in</strong>es to<br />
consider how to shift food systems “towards<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability, security and equity with<strong>in</strong><br />
the boundaries of our planet”. The forum<br />
zeroed <strong>in</strong> on consumption and production<br />
patterns, cities, accountability, technology and<br />
CanStockPhoto, Johan Lygrell<br />
10 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
News | THE GRAPEVINE<br />
small changes taken up by millions of people<br />
can amplify solutions. Cutt<strong>in</strong>g back on meat<br />
consumption, wast<strong>in</strong>g less food and cutt<strong>in</strong>g<br />
out s<strong>in</strong>gle-use plastic bags, if done by enough<br />
people, will have a significant effect.<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ally, it’s time to move from the<br />
contemplative phase <strong>in</strong>to action. Food is our<br />
most powerful narrative, so vote with your<br />
fork. Start today, there’s no time to waste and<br />
you will make a difference. Psst. Pass it on.<br />
eatforum.org<br />
Plants’ fungi and<br />
their ability to slow<br />
climate change<br />
An important piece of scientific research has<br />
quantified what has long been suspected: that<br />
some plants take <strong>in</strong> extra carbon dioxide levels.<br />
Due to human activities, carbon dioxide<br />
levels <strong>in</strong> the atmosphere are <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
creat<strong>in</strong>g a planet-wide greenhouse effect,<br />
stimulat<strong>in</strong>g plant growth. Plants are currently<br />
absorb<strong>in</strong>g about 30 per cent of human CO 2<br />
emissions. If the levels of CO 2 keep ris<strong>in</strong>g, can<br />
plants keep absorb<strong>in</strong>g it?<br />
Scientists from the Imperial College<br />
London <strong>in</strong> the UK have revealed the answer<br />
lies <strong>in</strong> understand<strong>in</strong>g the microscopic fungi<br />
that associate with the roots of a host plant.<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs, plants fall <strong>in</strong>to<br />
two categories: those that take advantage of<br />
ectomycorrhizal fungi, ECM plants, and those<br />
that associate with arbuscular mycorrhizal<br />
fungi, AM plants. ECM plants can take<br />
advantage of the higher carbon dioxide levels,<br />
whereas AM plants cannot because the<br />
fungus affects how much nitrogen a plant can<br />
access from the soil.<br />
Grassland plants typically associate with<br />
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, so have a limited<br />
role <strong>in</strong> tak<strong>in</strong>g up excess carbon dioxide, while<br />
coniferous forest plants typically associate<br />
with ectomycorrhizal fungi and can take up<br />
more carbon dioxide.<br />
The <strong>in</strong>corporation of mycorrhizae <strong>in</strong> global<br />
carbon account<strong>in</strong>g is feasible and will more<br />
accurately project ecosystem responses and<br />
feedbacks to climate change.<br />
science.sciencemag.org/<br />
content/353/6294/72<br />
Did you know?<br />
The Environmental Toothbrush<br />
TM is a simple solution<br />
to help save our planet.<br />
In Australia we put over 30 Million<br />
Plastic toothbrushes (1000 tonnes)<br />
<strong>in</strong>to landfill each year. The plastic<br />
they are made from will not break<br />
down <strong>in</strong> your lifetime nor <strong>in</strong> the<br />
lifetime of your children.<br />
Made from bamboo, they are biodegradable and environmentally<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>able.<br />
Available <strong>in</strong> Adult Soft, Adult Medium and Child Soft<br />
A better way to do the wash<strong>in</strong>g!<br />
We all know that laundry detergents are<br />
toxic, for us and for the environment. But,<br />
did you know that Soap Nuts will do an<br />
outstand<strong>in</strong>g job clean<strong>in</strong>g your wash<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with no need for fabric softeners or other<br />
additives? Or use them as soap for<br />
personal use, or an outstand<strong>in</strong>g general<br />
cleanser. Say goodbye to those sk<strong>in</strong><br />
allergies caused by your detergents!<br />
From 100g to 1kg<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 11
THE SEASONAL GARDEN | With melissa k<strong>in</strong>g<br />
WHAT’S HOT RIGHT NOW<br />
Present<strong>in</strong>g some of the latest and greatest plants that will make<br />
excellent additions to your garden at this time of year<br />
Tomato ‘Genuw<strong>in</strong>e’<br />
The plant: Try<strong>in</strong>g a new variety of tomato is always<br />
irresistible and this one is jam-packed with flavour.<br />
‘Genuw<strong>in</strong>e’ is the perfect cross between two heirloom<br />
favourites: the rich Italian tomato ‘Costoluto Genovese’<br />
and the beautiful p<strong>in</strong>k ‘Brandyw<strong>in</strong>e’. The result is a big,<br />
p<strong>in</strong>k-hued tomato with fabulous flavour, high yields, fewer<br />
fruit blemishes and superb disease resistance. A musthave<br />
for the summer vegie patch.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g: Plant tomato seedl<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g or summer for<br />
a bountiful summer and autumn crop. Plants will perform<br />
best <strong>in</strong> a sunny spot with good dra<strong>in</strong>age, so prepare the<br />
soil first with organic matter and liquid feed regularly<br />
to promote a bumper crop of fruit. Add dolomite lime to<br />
acidic soils before plant<strong>in</strong>g. Tomato ‘Genuw<strong>in</strong>e’ grows<br />
152–215cm tall, so stake plants at plant<strong>in</strong>g time.<br />
Design: Give ‘Genuw<strong>in</strong>e’ pride of place <strong>in</strong> the summer<br />
vegie patch and plant it alongside basil, which makes a<br />
great companion both <strong>in</strong> the garden and on the plate. You<br />
can beg<strong>in</strong> harvest<strong>in</strong>g fruit just 9–11 weeks after plant<strong>in</strong>g<br />
as seedl<strong>in</strong>gs. The fruit is burst<strong>in</strong>g with flavour and perfect<br />
for fresh summer salads or tasty bruschetta.<br />
oasishorticulture.com.au<br />
Protea ‘Australis<br />
Ruby’<br />
The plant: If you’re look<strong>in</strong>g for a plant<br />
that’s both bird-attract<strong>in</strong>g and beautiful,<br />
this is it! Protea ‘Australis Ruby’ is a real<br />
stunner, with masses of strik<strong>in</strong>g darkp<strong>in</strong>k<br />
blooms. It flowers twice a year <strong>in</strong><br />
autumn and spr<strong>in</strong>g, so you get plenty of<br />
blooms to enjoy <strong>in</strong> the garden or cut for<br />
attractive <strong>in</strong>door displays.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g: ‘Australis Ruby’ thrives <strong>in</strong><br />
sunny garden beds with well-dra<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
soil, or grow it <strong>in</strong> a native pott<strong>in</strong>g mix<br />
<strong>in</strong> colourful conta<strong>in</strong>ers. Pick flowers<br />
for the vase or dead-head any<br />
fad<strong>in</strong>g blooms to keep growth nice<br />
and compact. Give plants a good<br />
dose of slow-release native fertiliser<br />
<strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g to promote masses of<br />
colourful blooms.<br />
Design: It grows to just 1.5m tall, so it’s<br />
the perfect choice for decorative pots<br />
on a sunny balcony or as a feature plant<br />
<strong>in</strong> small gardens. It can also be shaped<br />
<strong>in</strong>to a beautiful flower<strong>in</strong>g hedge.<br />
proteaflora.com.au<br />
12 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
With melissa k<strong>in</strong>g | THE SEASONAL GARDEN<br />
Marigold<br />
‘Strawberry Blonde’<br />
The plant: I’ve got a soft spot for<br />
marigolds. Their vibrant blooms always<br />
rem<strong>in</strong>d me of summer — and this one<br />
is extra special. ‘Strawberry Blonde’ is<br />
p<strong>in</strong>k and fabulous! The flowers start out<br />
a pretty strawberry-blonde colour and<br />
change from p<strong>in</strong>k to bronze and yellow as<br />
the season progresses, so you get multicoloured<br />
blooms on the one plant.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g: Plant ‘Strawberry Blonde’ <strong>in</strong> a<br />
sunny spot now and you’ll be enjoy<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a parade of vibrant blooms <strong>in</strong> six<br />
to eight weeks. Liquid-feed and<br />
remove spent blooms regularly to<br />
encourage more flowers.<br />
Design: It’s a compact plant<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g to just 20–25cm high<br />
and wide, so it’s perfect for<br />
pots on a sunny patio or massplanted<br />
<strong>in</strong> garden beds for a<br />
splash of cheery colour.<br />
oasishorticulture.com.au<br />
‘Crimson Red’<br />
‘Red Hot’<br />
‘Pure White’<br />
‘Blush’<br />
Diamonds <strong>in</strong> the Dark Crepe Myrtles (Lagerstroemia)<br />
The plants: If, like me, you are already<br />
a fan of crepe myrtles, you are go<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
love the Diamonds <strong>in</strong> the Dark series of<br />
Lagerstroemias. Plants <strong>in</strong> the collection<br />
boast near-black foliage, which provides a<br />
wonderful contrast to vibrant warm-season<br />
flowers. Look out for ‘Crimson Red’, ‘Best<br />
Red’ and ‘Red Hot’ with flam<strong>in</strong>g red blooms,<br />
the gorgeous light-p<strong>in</strong>k ‘Blush’ and ‘Pure<br />
White’ with snow-white flowers that stand<br />
out beautifully aga<strong>in</strong>st the dark foliage.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g: Grow them <strong>in</strong> full sun with<br />
good soil dra<strong>in</strong>age. Water well for the first<br />
month to help plants establish. Once they<br />
are off and grow<strong>in</strong>g, they are remarka bly<br />
dry tolerant. Give plants a boost with<br />
complete organic fertiliser <strong>in</strong> early spr<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and late summer.<br />
Design: Diamonds <strong>in</strong> the Dark crepe<br />
myrtles grow to just 3m tall, so they<br />
make perfect feature trees for a small<br />
garden or, for maximum impact, try massplant<strong>in</strong>g<br />
them. They also make colourful<br />
flower<strong>in</strong>g hedges. You can even plant<br />
them <strong>in</strong> big decorative pots to place on<br />
a sunny patio or deck.<br />
diamonds<strong>in</strong>thedark.com.au<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 13
CLEVER CROP | Carob<br />
Choc imposter<br />
Whether you want this drought-tolerant<br />
tree for the shade it gives or for its<br />
chocolatey pods, it can meet your needs<br />
Words Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) is best<br />
known as a chocolate substitute.<br />
The 30cm, curved, dark-brown pods<br />
have a chocolatey flavour when<br />
they are ground <strong>in</strong>to a cocoa-like powder.<br />
The seeds are removed from the pod before<br />
it’s ground up. Carob pods can also be eaten<br />
fresh (but don’t eat the seeds).<br />
Just because this tree is a substitute<br />
for someth<strong>in</strong>g as universally loved as<br />
chocolate doesn’t mean it isn’t a first-class<br />
tree with lots to offer.<br />
Carobs grow <strong>in</strong>to large, spread<strong>in</strong>g shade<br />
trees that can reach 8m across. The trees<br />
are long-lived and drought-tolerant. They are<br />
useful <strong>in</strong> large gardens, paddocks or as street<br />
trees, especially <strong>in</strong> dry or arid areas.<br />
The leathery foliage is also useful for<br />
fodder when other feed is scarce. The<br />
pods, too, can be given to stock as feed.<br />
They aren’t just chocolate flavoured but also<br />
rich <strong>in</strong> sucrose and prote<strong>in</strong>s. The seeds<br />
What’s <strong>in</strong> a name?<br />
The carob’s common names of<br />
St John’s bread and locust bread<br />
have been attached to the tree as it<br />
was erroneously considered to be the<br />
“locust” eaten by John the Baptist <strong>in</strong><br />
the desert, as mentioned <strong>in</strong> The Bible.<br />
The name carob is derived from<br />
“carat”, as the seeds, which are highly<br />
uniform <strong>in</strong> size and weight, were once<br />
used to weigh gold. Each seed weighs<br />
around 2g. A metric carat is 0.2g.<br />
are processed and used as a gum.<br />
Carob comes from the Mediterranean,<br />
where it’s thought to have been cultivated<br />
for more than four millennia. It’s now grown<br />
around the world, particularly <strong>in</strong> dry climates.<br />
Flowers and fruit<br />
The pods and pea-shaped flowers are<br />
po<strong>in</strong>ters that show this tree is a legume, part<br />
of the large pea family. Carobs have separate<br />
male and female flowers on different trees.<br />
Both are required for poll<strong>in</strong>ation and the<br />
production of beans.<br />
Some trees produce both male and female<br />
flowers on one tree and are self-poll<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g, but<br />
trees grown from seed may be either male or<br />
female. The variety ‘Clifford’ is a hermaphrodite<br />
with both male and female flowers.<br />
Trees can take eight years to beg<strong>in</strong> to<br />
form flowers and fruit and up to 15 years to<br />
produce a worthwhile crop.<br />
Look for the pale greenish-purple flowers<br />
<strong>in</strong> clusters on female trees <strong>in</strong> autumn. The<br />
male flowers are <strong>in</strong>significant. Trees are highly<br />
attractive to bees and flies when <strong>in</strong> flower. As<br />
legumes, they also fix nitrogen <strong>in</strong> the soil.<br />
Propagation and<br />
availability<br />
If you can locate a carob tree, harvest the<br />
pods <strong>in</strong> w<strong>in</strong>ter to propagate. Carobs can also<br />
be grown from cutt<strong>in</strong>gs taken <strong>in</strong> late summer.<br />
Take cutt<strong>in</strong>gs from both male and female trees.<br />
Plant trees <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g. For potted plants, ask<br />
at your local garden centre or look onl<strong>in</strong>e for<br />
carob trees. Grafted and seedl<strong>in</strong>g plants are<br />
available from Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery at<br />
daleysfruit.com.au<br />
Carob label<br />
Common name: Carob, St John’s<br />
bread, locust bean<br />
Botanical name: Ceratonia siliqua<br />
Family: Fabaceae (pea family)<br />
Requires: Full sun<br />
Dislikes: Waterlogg<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Suitable for: All areas<br />
Habit: Evergreen tree 8–12m tall<br />
Needs: Dry summers, wet w<strong>in</strong>ters<br />
Propagation: Seed, cutt<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
potted plants<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
The similarity to cocoa is apparent<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
14 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
CLEVER CROP | Gourd<br />
Oh my gourd<br />
Here’s a way to perhaps<br />
comb<strong>in</strong>e craft or <strong>in</strong>terior<br />
decorat<strong>in</strong>g with your garden<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Words Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
Gourds are squash-like vegetables<br />
but they’re not grown to be eaten.<br />
Although you can eat them when<br />
they’re small, as they grow and<br />
mature, they become bitter. Rather than<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g grown as an edible vegetable, the<br />
long, hard fruit is grown to be used. Gourds<br />
are fashioned <strong>in</strong>to utensils such as bowls,<br />
decorated or carved as ornaments, and even<br />
turned <strong>in</strong>to musical <strong>in</strong>struments such as<br />
drums, maracas and rattles.<br />
Gourds are native to Asia and Africa and<br />
have been used as objects for more than<br />
10,000 years. The gourd also spread to<br />
America where it has been grown and used<br />
for millennia.<br />
Propagation and<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Gourds are started from seed planted dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
spr<strong>in</strong>g and grown through summer and<br />
autumn. The v<strong>in</strong>e grows quickly and uses its<br />
green tendrils to climb onto a trellis or across<br />
a pergola. For strong growth, plant gourds<br />
<strong>in</strong> a sunny spot and water them regularly,<br />
especially where summers are hot and dry.<br />
As the summer progresses and the v<strong>in</strong>e<br />
grows, it produces large, white, trumpetshaped<br />
flowers, which then form long, green<br />
Did you know?<br />
The American Gourd Society was<br />
established <strong>in</strong> 1937. The society<br />
produces The Gourd Magaz<strong>in</strong>e<br />
quarterly and runs awards for gourd art.<br />
fruits. As the fruit matures, it changes colour<br />
from green to light green or yellow. The fruits<br />
are picked when they are mature and left to<br />
dry and harden over many months until they<br />
are ready to be used.<br />
To transform the hard-sk<strong>in</strong>ned fruit <strong>in</strong>to<br />
a utensil or ornament, the shell is carved,<br />
<strong>in</strong>scribed, pa<strong>in</strong>ted or polished. Those who grow<br />
and work with gourds are called “gourders”.<br />
Shapes and varieties<br />
The gourd fruit is highly variable <strong>in</strong> its mature<br />
shape. Gourds range from club-shaped to<br />
large, swollen bottle shapes. Some gourds<br />
have curved necks known as a “dipper”.<br />
Another favourite shape is the so-called<br />
“birdhouse”, which has a round, swollen form<br />
that when dried with a circular hole cut <strong>in</strong> one<br />
side can be hung as an ornamental birdhouse.<br />
Availability<br />
Gourd seeds are available from specialist seed<br />
merchants as mixed seed or as varieties that<br />
produce certa<strong>in</strong> decorative shapes. Suppliers<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude Australian Seeds (australianseeds.<br />
com), Eden Seeds (edenseeds.com.au) and<br />
The Gourdfather (thegourdfather.com.au).<br />
Musical <strong>in</strong>struments made from gourds<br />
Other gourds<br />
The common name gourd is also<br />
used for the bitter melon (Momordica<br />
charantia) and luffa (Cucurbita pepo).<br />
Gourd label<br />
Common name: Gourd, calabash<br />
Botanical name: Lagenaria siceraria<br />
Family: Cucurbitaceae (pumpk<strong>in</strong> family)<br />
Requires: Full sun<br />
Dislikes: Frost, cold<br />
Suitable for: All areas<br />
Habit: Annual climber 3–9m tall<br />
Needs: Climb<strong>in</strong>g support<br />
Propagation: Seed<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
16 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Built extra tough<br />
for Aussie backyards<br />
POPE’S NEW GARDEN<br />
HOSE COLLECTION<br />
Super strong PermaFit<br />
connection<br />
New hose end fitt<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
Superior k<strong>in</strong>k resistance<br />
UV treated<br />
Like us at:<br />
popeproductsaustralia<br />
popeproducts.com.au
PLANT PROFILE | Capsicum<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
18 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Capsicum | PLANT PROFILE<br />
The<br />
sweeter<br />
pepper<br />
Capsicum, though a close relative of the<br />
fiercer chilli we use <strong>in</strong> curries, is a mild,<br />
tasty fruit with more tang than st<strong>in</strong>g<br />
The history of the capsicum — that<br />
summer garden star of salads<br />
and ratatouille, second only to<br />
the tomato — is one of confusion,<br />
not least because, like its nightshade cous<strong>in</strong><br />
tomato, the capsicum is botanically a fruit but<br />
<strong>in</strong> the kitchen is regarded as a vegetable.<br />
Capsicum annuum, known down under<br />
and on the Indian subcont<strong>in</strong>ent by its<br />
botanical name (from the Lat<strong>in</strong> capsa or box,<br />
<strong>in</strong> reference to its shape), is called a pepper<br />
almost everywhere else — and there<strong>in</strong> lies<br />
even more confusion.<br />
When Christopher Columbus <strong>in</strong>troduced<br />
this New World delight to Europe <strong>in</strong> 1493,<br />
any pungent condiment was called “pepper”,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g of course Piper nigrum, also known<br />
as the peppercorn, which had already found<br />
its way west via the Spice Routes.<br />
Here’s where it gets <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g. Columbus’s<br />
orig<strong>in</strong>al <strong>in</strong>tention had been to f<strong>in</strong>d an<br />
alternative sea route to Asia and its precious<br />
spices. With the mild, sweet capsicum, he also<br />
brought back the Mexican chilli, an ancient,<br />
fiery relative of the capsicum that was little<br />
enjoyed <strong>in</strong> Europe but found an enthusiastic<br />
welcome <strong>in</strong> Asia and North Africa. Now here<br />
was a pepper that out-peppered pepper.<br />
So what the Americans know as bell<br />
pepper or sweet pepper and the Europeans<br />
call pimiento or paprika is <strong>in</strong> fact the very<br />
un-peppery capsicum, so “cool” it rates<br />
only 0–600 units on the Scoville scale of<br />
heat. Compare these other members of<br />
the Capsicum family: Jalapeño comes <strong>in</strong> at<br />
3500–10,000, Habanero and Birds Eye reach<br />
an eye-water<strong>in</strong>g 100,000–350,000 and India’s<br />
Naga Jolokia soars northwards of a fearsome<br />
million units.<br />
Varieties<br />
We’re all familiar with green and red<br />
capsicums but the fruit comes <strong>in</strong> many<br />
colours, from yellow and orange to purple<br />
and even brown. Most capsicums are fat and<br />
bell-shaped — hence the name bell pepper<br />
All <strong>in</strong> the family<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the website of the Royal Botanic Gardens <strong>in</strong> Kew, the Capsicum family<br />
comprises “a bewilder<strong>in</strong>g variety of colourful and spicy fruits” with more than 200<br />
common names and possibly several thousand varieties and cultivars: “Nobody<br />
knows exactly how many ... because exist<strong>in</strong>g varieties cross-poll<strong>in</strong>ate easily.” While<br />
varieties are classified on their fruit shapes, the website notes, “Capsicum annuum<br />
can be difficult to separate from the cultivated C. ch<strong>in</strong>ense (the hottest pepper) and<br />
C. frutescens (Tabasco pepper) and their morphological features can overlap. These<br />
three species share the same ancestral gene pool and are sometimes called the<br />
‘annuum-ch<strong>in</strong>ense-frutescens complex’.” The best rule of thumb is: if you can’t stand<br />
the heat, keep them out of the kitchen.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 19
PLANT PROFILE | Capsicum<br />
— but some, like the green or red bull’s horn<br />
and the tapered ‘Cubanelle’, which varies from<br />
yellow-green to a shock<strong>in</strong>g fuchsia hue, are<br />
elongated and curved.<br />
Generally speak<strong>in</strong>g, the warmer the<br />
colour (and the more mature the fruit),<br />
the sweeter the flavour. To add yet<br />
another note of confusion, sweet, red<br />
capsicums are actually v<strong>in</strong>e-ripened green<br />
peppers, though there is a variety called<br />
‘Permagreen’ which, not surpris<strong>in</strong>gly,<br />
rema<strong>in</strong>s green when fully ripe.<br />
‘Sweet Mama’ is a modern variety with a<br />
heavy crop of green, bell-shaped fruit that<br />
turns sweet and red, while ‘Sweet Red’ is a<br />
compact variant for the patio pot. ‘Hungarian<br />
Sweet Yellow’, also known as ‘Sweet Banana’<br />
or ‘Yellow Wax’, has long pods that vary from<br />
lemon-yellow to gold.<br />
Among the heirlooms are the classic<br />
‘Ch<strong>in</strong>ese Giant’, with large, red, bell-shaped<br />
fruit, and ‘Purple Beauty’, the colour of<br />
eggplant. ‘White Diamond’ has strik<strong>in</strong>g<br />
translucent fruit that ripens to a creamy<br />
yellow, while ‘Gilboa Orange’ and ‘Sweet<br />
Chocolate’ add even more colour to a salad<br />
or stir-fry.<br />
‘Purple Beauty’<br />
White, green and<br />
chocolate capsicums<br />
from Diggers Club<br />
The redder the sweeter<br />
Long varieties <strong>in</strong>clude<br />
‘Hungarian Yellow Wax’<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
As their Central and South American orig<strong>in</strong>s<br />
might suggest, capsicums like it hot. They<br />
are frost-sensitive, so they do best <strong>in</strong> a cooler<br />
climate when planted <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g. If it’s cold where<br />
you live, the seeds will benefit from hothouse<br />
germ<strong>in</strong>ation but, <strong>in</strong> tropical and subtropical<br />
climes, capsicums are true perennials.<br />
Choose a sunny spot, dig <strong>in</strong> some organic<br />
matter and rotted manure before plant<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and perhaps add a bit of dolomite lime, as<br />
capsicums enjoy good levels of calcium. Feed<br />
through the grow<strong>in</strong>g season with an organic<br />
fertiliser that has the right balance of nitrogen<br />
for leafy growth and phosphorous and<br />
potassium for roots and fruit.<br />
It’s a good idea to stake seedl<strong>in</strong>gs as the<br />
branches of the mature plant can split or snap<br />
with the weight of a ripen<strong>in</strong>g crop. For the<br />
same reason, harvest with secateurs rather<br />
than handpick<strong>in</strong>g, which tends to break the<br />
brittle branches.<br />
Nutrition<br />
Capsicums are a rich source of antioxidants<br />
and vitam<strong>in</strong> C. The levels are even higher <strong>in</strong><br />
red peppers, as are the amounts of carotene<br />
and lycopene common to most red, orange<br />
and yellow fruits and vegetables. Though the<br />
jury’s still out on the supposed anti-cancer<br />
benefits of lycopene, both red and green<br />
capsicums are high <strong>in</strong> para-coumaric acid,<br />
whose antioxidant properties have shown<br />
Generally speak<strong>in</strong>g, the warmer the<br />
colour (and the more mature the fruit),<br />
the sweeter the flavour.<br />
beneficial results <strong>in</strong> stomach cancer.<br />
Capsicums also conta<strong>in</strong> small amounts<br />
of calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiam<strong>in</strong>e,<br />
riboflav<strong>in</strong> and niac<strong>in</strong>.<br />
Choose fruit that is firm, glossy, richly<br />
coloured and heavy for its size. Capsicum<br />
can be used raw <strong>in</strong> salads, cooked <strong>in</strong><br />
ratatouille or sautéed, baked, grilled or<br />
steamed <strong>in</strong> various other dishes. It can be<br />
ground <strong>in</strong>to powder as paprika, preserved <strong>in</strong><br />
oil or v<strong>in</strong>egar, or milled <strong>in</strong>to a pesto.<br />
The arrival of Columbus <strong>in</strong> the Americas<br />
might have been bad news for the Aztecs but,<br />
as <strong>in</strong> the case of the tomato, it’s impossible<br />
to imag<strong>in</strong>e European cuis<strong>in</strong>e — or ours —<br />
without the capsicum.<br />
Capsicum label<br />
Common name: Capsicum, bell<br />
pepper, sweet pepper<br />
Botanical name: Capsicum annuum<br />
Family: Solanaceae<br />
Requires: Warm weather; moist soil<br />
(but not too wet)<br />
Dislikes: Frost or any temperature<br />
extremes<br />
Suitable for: Most vegetable<br />
gardens, pots<br />
Habit: Upright shrub with umbrellalike<br />
fruit clusters<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
20 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Australia’s largest and very best Alum<strong>in</strong>ium<br />
Greenhouses supplier for Hobbyists, Professional<br />
Gardeners, Commercial Growers, Schools and<br />
well known Television <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Programs.<br />
NEW<br />
ORANGERY<br />
WINTER<br />
HOUSE<br />
Australia<br />
Wide Delivery<br />
SAVE<br />
UP TO<br />
40%<br />
IN ASSEMBLY TIME<br />
A NEW and excit<strong>in</strong>g range has arrived at Sproutwell Greenhouses!<br />
Visit www.sproutwellgreenhouses.com.au for more <strong>in</strong>formation!<br />
The ‘Amateur Stone<br />
Mason’ at work Must be level! Internal steps Time to put <strong>in</strong> the glass panels Time to start fill<strong>in</strong>g it up Front view<br />
• Extend your grow<strong>in</strong>g season • Grow & Eat fresh from your garden all year round<br />
• Share the experience with your children • Save Money!<br />
www.sproutwellgreenhouses.com.au<br />
NEW DISPLAY CENTRE NOW OPEN IN GEELONG<br />
14 Crown Street, South Geelong, 3220<br />
Geelong open 9am - 4pm Monday - Friday<br />
408-410 Pr<strong>in</strong>ces Hwy, Officer VIC (5m<strong>in</strong> from Berwick)<br />
Officer open 10am - 4pm Tuesday to Saturday<br />
1300 657 174 I <strong>in</strong>fo@sproutwellgreenhouses.com.au<br />
www.sproutwellgreenhouses.com.au
POWER PLANT | Rosemary<br />
w<strong>in</strong>e o’clock, when they switch to alcohol.<br />
Many are overweight but you rarely see them<br />
exercis<strong>in</strong>g (<strong>in</strong>tentionally).<br />
On the other side of the ledger, be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Italian, they follow a Mediterranean diet; they<br />
are very active (when not dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g coffee or<br />
w<strong>in</strong>e) <strong>in</strong> gett<strong>in</strong>g about their hilly landscape;<br />
they lead an unstressful, clean-air lifestyle;<br />
and there are two th<strong>in</strong>gs they eat at almost<br />
every meal: anchovies and rosemary.<br />
The herb of<br />
remembrance<br />
Well known to the ancient Greeks and<br />
Romans for its health benefits and<br />
cul<strong>in</strong>ary magic, rosemary is now gett<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the attention of modern-day scientists<br />
Words Kerry Boyne<br />
In southern Italy, on the beautiful western<br />
coast nestles the small seaside village of<br />
Acciaroli. Of its 2000-odd residents, 300<br />
have reached the great age of 100. If that<br />
doesn’t impress you enough, it’s estimated that<br />
about 20 per cent of those centenarians have<br />
actually achieved the age of 110. In addition,<br />
the <strong>in</strong>cidence of heart disease and Alzheimer’s<br />
is comparatively very low <strong>in</strong> Acciaroli.<br />
The village is now the subject of ongo<strong>in</strong>g<br />
study to determ<strong>in</strong>e what it is about its<br />
people’s genetics and/or lifestyle that has<br />
caused this. What is known already is that<br />
many of them smoke and spend a large<br />
part of their day dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g coffee until it’s<br />
Health benefits<br />
Scientists have been <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong><br />
Rosmar<strong>in</strong>us offic<strong>in</strong>alis, a member of the very<br />
large m<strong>in</strong>t family Lamiaceae, for a while and<br />
their <strong>in</strong>terest has paid dividends.<br />
One human study to determ<strong>in</strong>e the effect<br />
of the essential oils from rosemary and<br />
lavender on cognitive performance and mood<br />
found that it led to enhanced memory and<br />
significantly better performance <strong>in</strong> answer<strong>in</strong>g<br />
questionnaires. The control group and the<br />
lavender group were also significantly less<br />
alert than the rosemary group — and these<br />
results were just from the fragrance.<br />
Another study us<strong>in</strong>g powdered dry leaf<br />
showed a significant beneficial effect on<br />
cognitive function <strong>in</strong> elderly people while,<br />
conversely, a high dose had an impair<strong>in</strong>g<br />
effect. In other words, the dose closest to<br />
normal consumption through diet was the<br />
beneficial one.<br />
An animal study undertaken <strong>in</strong> Iran showed<br />
that carnosic acid, one of the ma<strong>in</strong> active<br />
<strong>in</strong>gredients <strong>in</strong> rosemary, can fight free-radical<br />
damage <strong>in</strong> the hippocampus region of the bra<strong>in</strong>.<br />
A Japanese study on mice had similar f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
Other studies have shown rosemary to<br />
have a preventive effect aga<strong>in</strong>st certa<strong>in</strong><br />
cancers, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g ovarian and breast<br />
cancers as well as leukemia. The Journal<br />
of Food Science reported that rosemary<br />
extract added to beef <strong>in</strong> the cook<strong>in</strong>g process<br />
A daily dose<br />
Here are a few ways to take some<br />
therapeutic rosemary on a daily basis.<br />
Make rosemary oil: Lightly bruise a<br />
few sprigs to release essential oils and<br />
place <strong>in</strong> a bottle or jar of olive oil. Seal<br />
and store <strong>in</strong> a dark place for a couple of<br />
weeks, shak<strong>in</strong>g occasionally. Make sure<br />
the rosemary does not poke above the oil<br />
level. Stra<strong>in</strong> and use with v<strong>in</strong>egar of your<br />
choice on salads. For a stronger flavour,<br />
replace the herbs after one week with a<br />
new lot. Make rosemary v<strong>in</strong>egar the same<br />
way, substitut<strong>in</strong>g oil with a good whiteor<br />
red-w<strong>in</strong>e v<strong>in</strong>egar.<br />
Make a rosemary t<strong>in</strong>cture: Chop up your<br />
rosemary and place <strong>in</strong> a clean, dry jar. Cover<br />
completely with alcohol, seal with a tightfitt<strong>in</strong>g<br />
lid and place <strong>in</strong> a warm sunny spot<br />
to macerate for four to six weeks. Shake<br />
occasionally and add more alcohol if needed<br />
to keep herbs well covered. Stra<strong>in</strong> liquid <strong>in</strong>to<br />
another clean jar with a tight-fitt<strong>in</strong>g lid and<br />
store <strong>in</strong> a cool, dark place. Add a few drops<br />
to teas, water or other dr<strong>in</strong>ks.<br />
Make a rosemary tisane: Cover one to<br />
two teaspoons of chopped fresh or dried<br />
rosemary with a cup of boil<strong>in</strong>g water<br />
and allow to <strong>in</strong>fuse for five to 10 m<strong>in</strong>utes<br />
before stra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g. To achieve a<br />
more complex flavour, mix <strong>in</strong> some<br />
lavender, lemon thyme, m<strong>in</strong>t or other<br />
herb of choice. For a stronger brew,<br />
make a decoction by simmer<strong>in</strong>g<br />
six to eight tablespoons of the<br />
fresh herb <strong>in</strong> a saucepan of water<br />
for 30–40 m<strong>in</strong>utes. Cool, allow<br />
to <strong>in</strong>fuse further overnight, then<br />
stra<strong>in</strong> and dr<strong>in</strong>k a cup daily.<br />
Caution: Rosemary<br />
may <strong>in</strong>teract with some<br />
pharmaceutical drugs such as<br />
blood th<strong>in</strong>ners, ACE <strong>in</strong>hibitors,<br />
diuretics and lithium. Consult<br />
your healthcare pr actitioner.<br />
BigStock, CanStockPhoto<br />
22 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Rosemary | POWER PLANT<br />
reduced the formation of cancer-caus<strong>in</strong>g<br />
compounds. There’s a great reason to add it<br />
to as many dishes as you can.<br />
Of course, none of these f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
would surprise herbalists. Rosemary didn’t<br />
randomly get its image as the herb of<br />
remembrance — it earned it by be<strong>in</strong>g used<br />
to improve memory for centuries. The<br />
epithet offic<strong>in</strong>alis <strong>in</strong> its name tells you it had<br />
an established medic<strong>in</strong>al use <strong>in</strong> traditional<br />
herbal medic<strong>in</strong>e; <strong>in</strong>deed, the German<br />
Commission E scientific advisory board<br />
approves it for the treatment of dyspepsia.<br />
It was also once thought to promote hair<br />
growth, boost the immune system and help<br />
with muscle pa<strong>in</strong>. More recently, it has been<br />
identified as one of the diabetes-fight<strong>in</strong>g<br />
cul<strong>in</strong>ary herbs along with marjoram and<br />
oregano, plus it may be looked at for potential<br />
to ward off macular degeneration due aga<strong>in</strong><br />
to the carnosic acid content.<br />
Cul<strong>in</strong>ary use<br />
If all that isn’t wonderful enough, the flavour<br />
and aroma it can add to meats — particularly<br />
lamb and pork — and fish make it an essential<br />
herb. And that’s most likely the reason the<br />
people of Acciaroli use so much of it.<br />
Ideal for pot grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
A very common use is to put t<strong>in</strong>y sprigs<br />
of it along with slivers of garlic <strong>in</strong>to small<br />
pockets <strong>in</strong> a lamb leg or shoulder. Mix f<strong>in</strong>ely<br />
chopped rosemary with crushed garlic and<br />
Dijon mustard and smear over the meaty side<br />
of a rack of lamb before roast<strong>in</strong>g. Add some<br />
chopped herb <strong>in</strong> bread mixes if you bake your<br />
own and use it to make herb butter. Spr<strong>in</strong>kle<br />
over potatoes before roast<strong>in</strong>g, or make potato<br />
and rosemary pizza.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
As a native of the Mediterranean, rosemary<br />
is pretty hardy, though it doesn’t like to be<br />
too wet. It doesn’t like to dry out, either. A<br />
light spritz<strong>in</strong>g a couple of times a week is<br />
enough. It’s a perennial, so can be placed<br />
anywhere <strong>in</strong> the garden. It can even make a<br />
good hedge plant but be prepared to have<br />
lots of bees around because they love the<br />
flowers. The prostrate form also makes a<br />
good groundcover.<br />
Choose a dwarf or prostrate variety for<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a pot. If you live <strong>in</strong> a very cold<br />
climate, pot grow<strong>in</strong>g is probably best so you can<br />
move it to a sheltered sunny spot with reflected<br />
warmth from a wall or fence <strong>in</strong> cold w<strong>in</strong>ters.<br />
Grow from seed <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g, or cutt<strong>in</strong>gs or division<br />
<strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g or autumn. Feed <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g or spritz<br />
with a diluted seaweed solution once a week.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 23
FAMILY HEIRLOOMS | Zucch<strong>in</strong>i<br />
Top<br />
performer<br />
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i are easy to grow, crop abundantly<br />
and are endlessly versatile <strong>in</strong> the kitchen<br />
Words Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i are generous plants to<br />
have <strong>in</strong> the summer garden,<br />
with their abundance of<br />
glossy fruit. They are easy<br />
to grow and such good croppers that<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g harvest time you can be out <strong>in</strong><br />
the vegie patch pick<strong>in</strong>g zucch<strong>in</strong>is, not<br />
only for your own use but for friends<br />
and family as well.<br />
With fruit <strong>in</strong> such abundance, it’s<br />
nice to know they are surpris<strong>in</strong>gly<br />
versatile <strong>in</strong> the kitchen, used to make<br />
everyth<strong>in</strong>g from classic zucch<strong>in</strong>i bread<br />
to muff<strong>in</strong>s, pastas and frittatas — even<br />
sweet zucch<strong>in</strong>i cake. The bright-yellow<br />
flowers can also be stuffed with exotic<br />
<strong>in</strong>gredients such as olives, anchovies,<br />
basil and ricotta, then battered and fried.<br />
And what a choice of proven varieties.<br />
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i ‘Black Beauty’ has been a<br />
summer staple <strong>in</strong> the vegie garden s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
the 1950s, grown for its glossy, darkgreen<br />
fruit with creamy flesh. Harvest<br />
the fruit when it’s roughly 15cm long for<br />
tender, flavoursome zucch<strong>in</strong>i.<br />
Or br<strong>in</strong>g a splash of sunsh<strong>in</strong>e to the<br />
garden and plate with Zucch<strong>in</strong>i ‘Golden’.<br />
‘Golden’ zucch<strong>in</strong>i are fast-grow<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
prolific, produc<strong>in</strong>g a bumper crop of<br />
long, slender fruit <strong>in</strong> just n<strong>in</strong>e weeks.<br />
They are delicious raw or cooked and<br />
added to ratatouille, salads and stir-fries<br />
for a burst of cheery colour.<br />
The Italian heirloom ‘Costata’ is<br />
another variety that’s quick to harvest,<br />
produc<strong>in</strong>g attractive heavily ribbed<br />
fruit just six weeks from sow<strong>in</strong>g, with<br />
up to 25 zucch<strong>in</strong>i per plant. For extra<br />
impact on the plate, try slic<strong>in</strong>g ‘Costata’<br />
zucch<strong>in</strong>is before serv<strong>in</strong>g — the cut,<br />
ribbed slices resemble stars.<br />
You’ll also love Zucch<strong>in</strong>i ‘Cocozelle’,<br />
another heirloom from Italy with long,<br />
light-green fruit with dark-green stripes.<br />
Harvest 50 days from sow<strong>in</strong>g for tender<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
24 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i | FAMILY HEIRLOOMS<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 25
FAMILY HEIRLOOMS | Zucch<strong>in</strong>i<br />
fruit that’s full of flavour or allow them to grow<br />
larger and serve them stuffed with a delicious<br />
comb<strong>in</strong>ation of rice, m<strong>in</strong>ced lamb, gardengrown<br />
tomatoes and herbs.<br />
Plant Zucch<strong>in</strong>i ‘Trombonc<strong>in</strong>o’ <strong>in</strong> the garden<br />
and you’ll be pick<strong>in</strong>g for months on end. The<br />
pretty light-green and cream fruit can grow<br />
up to a metre long, but for best flavour pick<br />
it when it’s around 25cm <strong>in</strong> length. The v<strong>in</strong>e<br />
is vigorous, too, and best grown up a trellis or<br />
wigwam that allows the fruit to hang down.<br />
If you’re a fan of stuffed zucch<strong>in</strong>i flowers,<br />
keep an eye out for another Italian favourite,<br />
‘Long Florence’ (Zucca Lungo di Firenze).<br />
This variety can take up to four months to<br />
produce a good crop of beautiful ribbed<br />
zucch<strong>in</strong>is (well worth the wait, though), but<br />
the big brightly coloured flowers are also<br />
perfect for stuff<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ally, complet<strong>in</strong>g the list of varieties you<br />
might like to grow is Zucch<strong>in</strong>i ‘Grey’, which<br />
has a more tapered shape than other types,<br />
with sh<strong>in</strong>y grey-green sk<strong>in</strong>, firm flesh and a<br />
sweeter flavour.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i are tender annuals that can be<br />
sown direct <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g (after the risk of frost<br />
has passed) or <strong>in</strong> summer. They love to be<br />
grown <strong>in</strong> a sunny spot with rich, well-dra<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
soil, so prepare the area first before plant<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with plenty of compost and organic matter.<br />
They prefer a pH of around 6–7.5, so add lime<br />
to acid soils if necessary. Plants will benefit<br />
from consistent water<strong>in</strong>g and regular organic<br />
liquid-feeds to promote a bumper crop of<br />
flowers and fruit.<br />
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i are normally poll<strong>in</strong>ated by bees,<br />
so plant blue-flower<strong>in</strong>g beauties such as<br />
catm<strong>in</strong>t, salvia and lavender as companion<br />
plants around your vegie patch and watch the<br />
bees buzz <strong>in</strong>to your garden. Forget-me-nots<br />
and nasturtiums are bee magnets, too, along<br />
with fragrant herbs <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g thyme, basil,<br />
borage and sage.<br />
‘Golden’ and ‘Black Beauty’<br />
‘Black Beauty’<br />
‘Cocozelle’<br />
‘Long Florence’ have the<br />
biggest flowers for stuff<strong>in</strong>g<br />
‘Trombonc<strong>in</strong>o’<br />
‘Grey’<br />
CanStockPhoto, Nadiatalent CC<br />
26 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i | FAMILY HEIRLOOMS<br />
They can get too big very quickly<br />
Harvest<br />
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i are best harvested when they are<br />
roughly 15cm long, when the sk<strong>in</strong> is tender<br />
and the seeds are small. To harvest, cut the<br />
stem about 2–3cm above the fruit us<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
sharp knife or pair of secateurs. Avoid the<br />
temptation to pull fruit from the v<strong>in</strong>e because<br />
you can damage the plant.<br />
Oversized zucch<strong>in</strong>i can be tough but still<br />
good for stuff<strong>in</strong>g and bak<strong>in</strong>g. The best time to<br />
pick zucch<strong>in</strong>i blossoms is when they have just<br />
started to open. Just bear <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d, if you pick<br />
the flowers, you won’t get the fruit.<br />
... they are surpris<strong>in</strong>gly<br />
versatile <strong>in</strong> t he kitchen,<br />
used to make everyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
from classic zucch<strong>in</strong>i<br />
bread to muff<strong>in</strong>s, pastas<br />
and frittatas — even<br />
sweet zucch<strong>in</strong>i cake.<br />
Moist, delicious zucch<strong>in</strong>i bread<br />
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i label<br />
Common name: Zucch<strong>in</strong>i, courgette<br />
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepo<br />
Family: Cucurbitaceae<br />
Aspect and soil: Sun to light<br />
afternoon shade (warm climates<br />
only); well-dra<strong>in</strong>ed soil<br />
Best climate: All<br />
Habit: Annual vegetable, 100cm high<br />
and wide<br />
Propagation: Sow seed or plant<br />
seedl<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g and summer<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
Zoodles are the perfect<br />
virtually carb-free ‘pasta’<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 27
GARDENING FOLK | Ann & Steve Robertson<br />
food &<br />
flowers<br />
Once part of a dairy farm, this picturesque property comb<strong>in</strong>es<br />
a productive vegie patch with pretty cottage gardens<br />
Words Carrol Baker<br />
Photos Carrol Baker & Steve Robertson<br />
In the lush, leafy Sunsh<strong>in</strong>e Coast<br />
H<strong>in</strong>terland is a charm<strong>in</strong>g country garden<br />
that’s a pure delight to the senses.<br />
Stroll<strong>in</strong>g around the beautiful gardens,<br />
everywhere you look there’s someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
wonderful to discover: sweet, fragrant roses,<br />
rows of strappy agapanthus, mature exotic<br />
trees, tactile earthy timber bails that tell a<br />
story of a bygone era, and sweep<strong>in</strong>g park-like<br />
gardens with archways that frame majestic<br />
mounta<strong>in</strong> views.<br />
Owners Steve and Ann Robertson bought<br />
a 10-acre (four-hectare) parcel of an old<br />
dairy farm 34 years ago, after the magical<br />
mounta<strong>in</strong> views sealed the deal for the<br />
couple from Townsville <strong>in</strong> North Queensland.<br />
“We had to wade through knee-high<br />
kikuyu grass to view the property, but we<br />
knew right away it was for us,” says Ann.<br />
A blank canvas<br />
The sprawl<strong>in</strong>g rural block was dotted with<br />
coral trees, amid the old bails and yards of<br />
the once thriv<strong>in</strong>g dairy farm. With a vision<br />
to create a beautiful liveable space, the<br />
couple quickly rolled up their sleeves and<br />
went to work.<br />
These days, the property has a large<br />
selection of ra<strong>in</strong>forest and exotic trees, four<br />
acres (1.6 hectares) of lush lawns, cottagestyle<br />
gardens and an organic vegie patch.<br />
The resident cows graze on the other six<br />
acres (2.4 hectares) of grassy paddocks.<br />
There are multiple garden beds and<br />
cottage-style gardens with delicate blooms;<br />
a pastel colour palette <strong>in</strong>terspersed with<br />
pops of colour, with roses, camellias and<br />
magnolias also featur<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Embrac<strong>in</strong>g learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Ann and Steve have a strong love of the land<br />
and nature, and an organic philosophy that<br />
supports all the projects they undertake on<br />
their property. Ann regularly attends various<br />
workshops and is an avid reader, eager to<br />
embrace a holistic, earth-friendly way of<br />
garden<strong>in</strong>g. “We prefer organics because it’s a<br />
healthy and susta<strong>in</strong>able way to live,” says Ann.<br />
Now retired, the former real estate<br />
salesperson and civil eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g draftsman<br />
have two daughters and three grandchildren,<br />
and love noth<strong>in</strong>g more than work<strong>in</strong>g side by<br />
side on their rural patch.<br />
Ann has many fond memories of garden<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with her grandparents, who had a cane<br />
28 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Ann & Steve Robertson | GARDENING FOLK<br />
The ma<strong>in</strong> reason<br />
for opt<strong>in</strong>g for raised<br />
beds was the resident<br />
bandicoots that<br />
regularly pilfered<br />
from the exist<strong>in</strong>g<br />
patch. Ann adds that<br />
raised beds are also<br />
k<strong>in</strong>der on the knees —<br />
you don’t have to bend<br />
to harvest or weed.<br />
Raised garden beds can be purchased or you may be able to<br />
source an old water tank and give it a new lease on life<br />
farm <strong>in</strong> Ayr when she was a child, and she<br />
<strong>in</strong>troduced that love of garden<strong>in</strong>g to Steve,<br />
who is <strong>in</strong>strumental <strong>in</strong> the build<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
plant<strong>in</strong>g for many of the garden projects.<br />
The vegie patch, however, is primarily<br />
Ann’s doma<strong>in</strong>. “I really enjoy my vegie<br />
garden and love f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g new seedl<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
that have popped up overnight. It’s very<br />
satisfy<strong>in</strong>g each day to pick fresh vegetables<br />
for our meals,” she says.<br />
Ann advocates a three-bay<br />
compost heap<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 29
GARDENING FOLK | Ann & Steve Robertson<br />
Round garden beds<br />
The vegetable garden is a series of <strong>in</strong>ground<br />
beds and raised corrugated iron<br />
rounds that are approximately 1.5m <strong>in</strong><br />
diameter and 800m high. Two of the round<br />
corrugated garden beds are repurposed<br />
water tanks. Steve filled the rounds twothirds<br />
up with crusher dust (even when<br />
compacted it dra<strong>in</strong>s well), added quality<br />
sandy loam soil on top, to around 300mm,<br />
and then dug <strong>in</strong> compost.<br />
The ma<strong>in</strong> reason for opt<strong>in</strong>g for raised beds<br />
was the resident bandicoots that regularly<br />
pilfered from the exist<strong>in</strong>g patch. Ann adds<br />
that raised beds are also k<strong>in</strong>der on the knees<br />
— you don’t have to bend to harvest or weed.<br />
Pest control methods <strong>in</strong>clude natural<br />
products such as pyrethrum, eco fungicide<br />
and grow<strong>in</strong>g flowers nearby to attract<br />
beneficial <strong>in</strong>sects.<br />
A shady difference<br />
Ann and Steve’s vegie garden is dist<strong>in</strong>ctive<br />
from many others <strong>in</strong> that it’s only <strong>in</strong> full sun<br />
from sunrise until about 2pm. “Our garden<br />
is <strong>in</strong> part-shade so, <strong>in</strong> summer, I can work <strong>in</strong><br />
shade <strong>in</strong> the afternoon,” says Ann.<br />
A sense of history rema<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong><br />
the old cow bails<br />
A garden arch frames a<br />
glorious view of farmland and<br />
the distant mounta<strong>in</strong>s<br />
30 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Ann & Steve Robertson | GARDENING FOLK<br />
A wisteria v<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> full bloom br<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
colour and life to the garden<br />
Comfrey leaves make a great<br />
tea to give plants a boost<br />
Agapanthus clump well to form<br />
an attractive border<br />
After attend<strong>in</strong>g a workshop by<br />
biodynamic gardener Jade Woodhouse,<br />
Ann learned that for vegetable garden<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
Queensland’s climate, you only need six or<br />
so hours of sunlight.<br />
Ann and Steve grow a diverse selection<br />
of vegetables, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g salad greens, bitter<br />
leaves and mustard greens, shallots, red onions,<br />
leeks, Asian greens, kale, cauliflower, beans,<br />
snow peas, celery, beetroot, sp<strong>in</strong>ach, rhubarb,<br />
asparagus, zucch<strong>in</strong>i, capsicum, various herbs,<br />
comfrey, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet<br />
potatoes, g<strong>in</strong>ger, turmeric and garlic.<br />
To add nutrients to the soil, Ann uses<br />
comfrey tea, worm juice, green manures,<br />
occasional sheep manure and organic fertilisers<br />
conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>erals and beneficial microbes.<br />
Cuppa anyone?<br />
Here’s Ann’s comfrey tea recipe. Comfrey is a<br />
shade-lov<strong>in</strong>g, deep-rooted plant that’s rich <strong>in</strong><br />
nutrients and high <strong>in</strong> nitrogen. It will give your<br />
vegetables a real boost.<br />
Fill a bucket with hand-torn or chopped<br />
comfrey leaves and cover with water. Give<br />
it a stir each day and leave to ferment for<br />
two weeks. Dilute the result<strong>in</strong>g brew 1L to a<br />
bucket of water and pour on plants.<br />
Ann’s tips<br />
Have a knife handy blade-down <strong>in</strong> the<br />
vegie patch so you can easily take<br />
a snip of what you’d like to harvest<br />
for d<strong>in</strong>ner (a tip passed on by Ann’s<br />
grandfather).<br />
Collect leaves — these can be mown<br />
up and gathered to use <strong>in</strong> the compost<br />
heap, or use unmown.<br />
Don’t overplant — if you have a small<br />
family, don’t plant whole punnets of<br />
any vegetables at the same time. Swap<br />
seedl<strong>in</strong>gs with family and friends or<br />
As well as beds burst<strong>in</strong>g with<br />
blooms there’s also plenty of<br />
open grassland<br />
eat the plants when they are quite<br />
young (works well with leaf crops).<br />
Then you’re left with a manageable<br />
number, giv<strong>in</strong>g you some room for<br />
successive crops and a longer period<br />
of productivity.<br />
Use green manures to revitalise beds.<br />
A compost heap is a must — for lawn<br />
clipp<strong>in</strong>gs, vegie scraps, crop surplus<br />
and leaves. Three bays are ideal to<br />
allow turn<strong>in</strong>g of the heaps and addition<br />
of moisture and other organic matter.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 31
GARDENING FOLK | Sean Morrow<br />
wildlife<br />
warrior<br />
It’s <strong>in</strong>spir<strong>in</strong>g to meet a homeowner<br />
who encourages fauna of all k<strong>in</strong>ds<br />
to call their garden home<br />
Words & photos Sandra Tuszynska<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce mov<strong>in</strong>g to his six-and-a-half-acre<br />
(two-and-a-half-hectare) property<br />
15 years ago, Sean Morrow and his wife<br />
and daughter have transformed it from a<br />
mostly grass-covered, empty block <strong>in</strong>to a haven<br />
for wildlife. As a landscape and permaculture<br />
designer, Sean is able to envision what the<br />
place will look like years down the track and<br />
is constantly creat<strong>in</strong>g ever more gardens and<br />
habitats for wildlife to achieve his vision.<br />
Sean has been a passionate gardener s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
he was eight, garden<strong>in</strong>g and weed<strong>in</strong>g for his<br />
neighbours as a child. He has always had a<br />
fondness for nature and its wildlife, especially<br />
lizards and frogs. He looked all over Australia to<br />
f<strong>in</strong>d the perfect place to establish productive<br />
gardens and a fruit and bush tucker orchard for<br />
his family; one that would also attract, feed and<br />
house an abundance of creatures.<br />
The property <strong>in</strong> Pomona, Queensland,<br />
adjo<strong>in</strong>s two nature reserves and <strong>in</strong>cludes<br />
Six Mile Creek fed by Lake McDonald Dam,<br />
which provides Noosa’s water supply. “Before<br />
we bought the property, I came down to<br />
the creek and saw a platypus <strong>in</strong> the water,”<br />
remembers Sean. “I knew immediately this<br />
was what I’d been search<strong>in</strong>g for.”<br />
<strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> with<br />
the moon<br />
Sean experiments cont<strong>in</strong>ually with<br />
biodynamic grow<strong>in</strong>g. He stresses the<br />
importance of garden<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> harmony with<br />
the moon cycles, especially when it comes<br />
to annual crops. “I always plant fruit and<br />
vegetables <strong>in</strong> the afternoon, as this is when<br />
the Earth’s energy comes back down <strong>in</strong>to it<br />
and helps the plants become established.<br />
“I plant leafy vegetables when the moon<br />
is <strong>in</strong> a water sign phase, root vegetables <strong>in</strong><br />
the earth signs, fruit<strong>in</strong>g vegetables <strong>in</strong> the<br />
fire signs and flower<strong>in</strong>g vegetables <strong>in</strong> the air<br />
signs,” expla<strong>in</strong>s Sean.<br />
He has noticed that when a lettuce is<br />
planted dur<strong>in</strong>g the air phase of the moon,<br />
it bolts really quickly. He also says plant<strong>in</strong>g<br />
should occur dur<strong>in</strong>g the first, second and<br />
third quarters, while the last quarter is a time<br />
for compost<strong>in</strong>g weed<strong>in</strong>g, clear<strong>in</strong>g, controll<strong>in</strong>g<br />
of pests etc.<br />
32 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Sean Morrow | GARDENING FOLK<br />
Broccoli, lettuce, kale and cabbages<br />
Sean makes sweet chilli sauce<br />
from the not-so-hot bell chillies<br />
Japanese parsley<br />
Self-sown perennial coriander<br />
The garden supplies the family<br />
with vegies year round<br />
To create his raised garden beds, Sean<br />
uses soil excavated from his landscap<strong>in</strong>g jobs<br />
and adds cow and chicken manure, blood and<br />
bone, NatraM<strong>in</strong> and 5IN1. “The animals that<br />
visit our gardens are an essential pest control,<br />
so I value their <strong>in</strong>put,” says Sean.<br />
The quarter-acre (one-tenth-hectare)<br />
garden supplies Sean and his family with all<br />
their needs for leafy vegetables year-round<br />
and a variety of other produce <strong>in</strong> season.<br />
At the time of writ<strong>in</strong>g, there was lettuce,<br />
cauliflower, snow peas, beans, parsley and<br />
other herbs. Two <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g herbs are<br />
sawtooth coriander and Japanese parsley,<br />
both self-seed<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Sean suggests, “If you want to add nitrogen<br />
to your soil and an abundant prote<strong>in</strong> supply,<br />
grow Madagascar beans. They produce big<br />
pods with purple seeds high <strong>in</strong> prote<strong>in</strong>. We<br />
make mad bean patties from them.”<br />
Sean has planted several varieties of tropical<br />
and subtropical fruit trees, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g jackfruit,<br />
banana, mango, white and black sapote, star<br />
apple, starfruit, three varieties of mulberry, two<br />
varieties of passionfruit, ice-cream bean, carob,<br />
jaboticaba, grumichama, p<strong>in</strong>eapple, mandar<strong>in</strong>,<br />
orange, lemon, Acerola cherry and macadamia.<br />
He allows his passionfruit to climb up trees, as<br />
this simulates fruit production.<br />
As a keen bushfoods cultivator, Sean is<br />
always learn<strong>in</strong>g about new varieties as he adds<br />
them to his garden. Some of the plants <strong>in</strong>clude<br />
Davidson’s and Burdek<strong>in</strong> plums, lime berry,<br />
midyim berry, lemon myrtle and milla milla v<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
In the past 14 years, Sean has planted<br />
a melaleuca forest, a bunya forest, which<br />
will eventually provide bunya nuts, and a<br />
bamboo grove from cutt<strong>in</strong>gs, which is now<br />
huge and harvested for construction.<br />
Water is supplied to Sean’s dams from<br />
eight acres (three hectares) of neighbour<strong>in</strong>g<br />
properties, which is then pumped up <strong>in</strong>to tanks<br />
and gravity fed throughout his land. When the<br />
ra<strong>in</strong>s come, Sean and his 13-year-old daughter,<br />
Luna, bodyboard across the property.<br />
Sean is mad about seed collection and<br />
cultivation. He always collects seeds from his<br />
trees and grows them <strong>in</strong> his nursery by the<br />
hundreds, which he then sells or gives away. His<br />
property is full of all k<strong>in</strong>ds of <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g plants,<br />
such as cycads. “As I do landscap<strong>in</strong>g, people<br />
always give me plants or ask me to get rid of<br />
plants for them. I rehome them here,” he says.<br />
Wildlife haven<br />
With a passion for wildlife, Sean is always<br />
creat<strong>in</strong>g habitat for various creatures. He<br />
has <strong>in</strong>stalled 36 frog ponds <strong>in</strong> total, most<br />
permanent but some ephemeral, fill<strong>in</strong>g up<br />
with water only when it’s ra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g. “These<br />
ponds attract only certa<strong>in</strong> species of frogs,<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 33
GARDENING FOLK | Sean Morrow<br />
which we can hear only when the ponds have<br />
water <strong>in</strong> them,” he says.<br />
The frogs provide Sean and his family<br />
with a beautiful orchestra each even<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
“Although we have two dams, there were<br />
hardly any frogs breed<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> them when we<br />
first arrived,” says Sean. “Now we have a large<br />
number of different frog species and we see<br />
lizards, snakes and marsupials such as the<br />
antech<strong>in</strong>us liv<strong>in</strong>g near and around the ponds.<br />
Frogs and other animals require habitat<br />
around water <strong>in</strong> order to thrive.”<br />
To create this habitat, Sean builds up the<br />
banks of the dams with rocks and branches,<br />
and leaves piles of mulch for sk<strong>in</strong>ks to lay<br />
their eggs <strong>in</strong>. Perhaps his favourite creature<br />
is the water dragon. “I create ash mounds for<br />
them to breed <strong>in</strong>,” he says.<br />
Sean happily shares his produce with<br />
birds, bats and possums, which have plenty<br />
of flowers and fruit to feed on as well as<br />
nest<strong>in</strong>g boxes to live <strong>in</strong>. Sean elaborates,<br />
“When mulberries are <strong>in</strong> season, we have fig<br />
and cat birds here for 4–6 weeks, depend<strong>in</strong>g<br />
on how good the crop is each year; this is<br />
the only time we see them here.” He creates<br />
mounds made of soil and a concrete blend<br />
that excludes cement and covers them with<br />
leaf litter. Pardalotes dig tunnels <strong>in</strong>to these<br />
mounds and lay their eggs to nest <strong>in</strong> them<br />
over w<strong>in</strong>ter.<br />
Sean regularly supplies logs to<br />
the edge of the dam to create<br />
habitat for wildlife<br />
“I came down to<br />
the creek and saw a<br />
platypus <strong>in</strong> the water.<br />
I knew immediately<br />
this was what I’d<br />
been search<strong>in</strong>g for.”<br />
Luna and Darcy<br />
The eight chooks have a large<br />
enclosure to scratch around <strong>in</strong><br />
34 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Sean Morrow | GARDENING FOLK<br />
Banksia sp<strong>in</strong>ulosa supplies nectar to<br />
birds, gliders and small marsupials<br />
and seed to black cockatoos<br />
Sean replanted cycads which<br />
were dest<strong>in</strong>ed for landfill<br />
Educat<strong>in</strong>g the public<br />
Sean shares his knowledge and experience<br />
through workshops and talks on various<br />
topics, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g propagation and prun<strong>in</strong>g<br />
for beg<strong>in</strong>ners, organic garden<strong>in</strong>g and food<br />
production, and frog pond and wildlife habitat<br />
creation. “I teach people how to breed and<br />
look after tadpoles and other animals to<br />
<strong>in</strong>crease their numbers,” he says.<br />
Sean runs regular pond-build<strong>in</strong>g<br />
workshops and talks all over the Sunsh<strong>in</strong>e<br />
Coast, at the Nambour <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Festival<br />
and, recently, at the Plant<strong>in</strong>g Festival, giv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
participants the opportunity to learn through<br />
the hands-on build<strong>in</strong>g process. Sean was also<br />
featured on the television series Totally Wild,<br />
build<strong>in</strong>g a pond with his daughter, Luna.<br />
Turn to page 68 where a step-by-step pondbuild<strong>in</strong>g<br />
process is described <strong>in</strong> The Shed.<br />
Sean grows ‘Panama Red’ and<br />
‘Panama Gold’ passionfruit<br />
Popcorn cassia, a legume<br />
that smells like popcorn<br />
when you crush the leaves<br />
A baby jackfruit, the world’s<br />
largest fruit<br />
‘Lots of Lemons’ is a prolific<br />
dwarf Meyer<br />
Sean’s garden<strong>in</strong>g tips<br />
Plant your annual vegetables and<br />
herbs accord<strong>in</strong>g to the moon cycles<br />
for <strong>in</strong>creased plant vigour and yield.<br />
Allow your plants to go to seed. You<br />
can spread this seed around the<br />
garden or let it naturally germ<strong>in</strong>ate.<br />
Propagate your own plants (where<br />
possible) from cutt<strong>in</strong>gs, seeds, root<br />
division, layer<strong>in</strong>g etc.<br />
Attract an abundance of wildlife<br />
<strong>in</strong>to your garden and create a liv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
ecosystem where pest imbalances<br />
are taken care of by natural elements<br />
with<strong>in</strong> the system.<br />
Observe what is happen<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the<br />
garden on a daily, weekly, monthly,<br />
seasonal basis. Take note and act on<br />
these observations.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 35
GARDENING FOLK | Frank & Anita Vella<br />
Follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
tradition<br />
With rich food traditions on both sides, this<br />
garden<strong>in</strong>g couple would make their forbears proud<br />
Words & photos Jana Holmer<br />
Is a gardener born or made? In the case<br />
of Frank and Anita Vella, from Wall<strong>in</strong>gton,<br />
Victoria, you could say it’s a bit of both.<br />
Wall<strong>in</strong>gton is a rural township on the<br />
Bellar<strong>in</strong>e Pen<strong>in</strong>sula near Geelong, the sort of<br />
place where the local school runs an annual<br />
strawberry fair. For 150 years, Bellar<strong>in</strong>e Shire<br />
has been a patchwork of farms and market<br />
gardens, thanks to waves of immigrants.<br />
Frank himself arrived <strong>in</strong> Australia from<br />
Malta <strong>in</strong> 1963; his father, John, had a farm<br />
<strong>in</strong> Rockbank <strong>in</strong> outer Melbourne. “Frank has<br />
always loved garden<strong>in</strong>g,” says Anita. “He was<br />
brought up with vegetables, chooks, rabbits<br />
and canaries.”<br />
Frank loves goat’s milk, especially when<br />
his mother, Mary, used to make gbejniet, a<br />
Maltese cheese that’s a bit like ricotta. “It goes<br />
<strong>in</strong>to a basket, water comes up, it dries out.<br />
Add oil and pepper and store <strong>in</strong> a jar. It’s that<br />
easy to make.”<br />
As for Australian-born Anita, she has fond<br />
memories of her father Col<strong>in</strong>’s Ch<strong>in</strong>ese aunts<br />
<strong>in</strong> the Melbourne suburb of Essendon, near<br />
the airport.<br />
“Auntie Flo and Auntie Mo wore traditional<br />
red Hanfu costumes,” she remembers. “I recall<br />
visit<strong>in</strong>g them as a little girl and I couldn’t<br />
believe my eyes. These two aunts dug up the<br />
entire front and backy ards and replaced our<br />
lovely lawn and flowers with weird-look<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>ese vegetables. I really don’t know how<br />
they kept their silk gowns so clean.<br />
“They must have planted a complete<br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>ese market: mung beans, pak choy,<br />
g<strong>in</strong>ger, luffa, soy beans, water chestnuts and<br />
more. It eventually grew <strong>in</strong>to a jungle and they<br />
were so happy. They were the first people to<br />
grow bok choy <strong>in</strong> their front yard. No one had<br />
ever heard of it.<br />
“I was so embarrassed. They would chatter<br />
away <strong>in</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese, flail<strong>in</strong>g arms <strong>in</strong> the air, and<br />
dig and throw and plant. They said, ‘Plants will<br />
tell you where to grow.’ Frank and I follow that<br />
same pr<strong>in</strong>ciple to this day.”<br />
Light-bulb moment<br />
Among the plants that take pride of place on<br />
the couple’s 11-acre (4.5-hectare) property<br />
are fruit trees such as lemon, peach, apricot,<br />
apple, pear, tamarillo and fig. “We’re very<br />
proud of our fig tree,” says Anita. “It has the<br />
largest leaves you’ve ever seen.”<br />
Frank and Anita Vella<br />
36 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Frank & Anita Vella | GARDENING FOLK<br />
Peach, apple and the giant<br />
fig that fruits twice a year<br />
But the centrepiece has to be the two<br />
raised 5×3m vegetable garden beds, built with<br />
railway sleepers and conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g sandy loam.<br />
“<strong>Organic</strong> material has to be applied with hay<br />
to break down the chook poo,” says Anita.<br />
Despite Wall<strong>in</strong>gton’s low ra<strong>in</strong>fall, the garden<br />
is rife with potatoes, tomatoes, zucch<strong>in</strong>is,<br />
cucumbers, wild pumpk<strong>in</strong>s and — with a<br />
nod to Anita’s great-aunts — bok choy.<br />
Particularly abundant is silverbeet, which<br />
grows year-round, as well as garlic, lemon,<br />
parsley, thyme and sage.<br />
“We also grow a traditional broad bean,<br />
called fazola wiesgha <strong>in</strong> Maltese,” says Anita.<br />
“Frank’s mother would dry these beans and<br />
mash them to make a traditional dish: bigilla.”<br />
This hummus-style mash orig<strong>in</strong>ated as a<br />
dish for hard times. Laughs Frank, “My mother<br />
says the beans went to the goats once and<br />
now we eat them as a traditional dish!”<br />
With their traditional backgrounds, it’s not<br />
surpris<strong>in</strong>g the pair is committed to organic<br />
methods. Anita had a light-bulb moment years<br />
ago <strong>in</strong> a Shepparton fruit warehouse where,<br />
she says, “They sprayed white chemical foam<br />
on their fruit and vegetables and it would sit<br />
These two aunts dug up the entire front<br />
and back yards and replaced our lovely<br />
lawn and flowers with weird-look<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>ese vegetables. I really don’t know how<br />
they kept their silk gowns so clean.<br />
Noth<strong>in</strong>g is wasted here<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 37
GARDENING FOLK | Frank & Anita Vella<br />
there for weeks. It would then get placed <strong>in</strong> a<br />
chill room for six months; then it would sit <strong>in</strong> a<br />
truck and be transported to stores.<br />
“It was a real eye-opener for me and<br />
ever s<strong>in</strong>ce that day, I prefer to grow my own<br />
vegetables. This is why people get allergies<br />
and diseases.”<br />
Among other steps towards susta<strong>in</strong>ability,<br />
says Anita, “We chop our own wood and use<br />
our fireplace. We collect water and recycle<br />
it. Our shower and bath water goes onto the<br />
vegetables. We have a compost b<strong>in</strong> that we<br />
place leaves <strong>in</strong> from our trees.”<br />
They don’t employ any pest control,<br />
preferr<strong>in</strong>g to use garlic spray and pick bugs<br />
by hand. They compost us<strong>in</strong>g kitchen scraps<br />
and pea straw and their fertilisers are, of<br />
course, all natural, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g chook and alpaca<br />
poo. Frank also makes his own fertiliser from<br />
bran and mealworms.<br />
They don’t pull weeds, either. Adds Anita,<br />
“We let our weeds grow wild, especially milk<br />
thistles. Frank breaks off the plant to reveal<br />
white sap for his exotic birds to dr<strong>in</strong>k. They<br />
go crazy over it.”<br />
A former builder and renovator, Frank is<br />
passionate about breed<strong>in</strong>g chickens as well<br />
as rare birds <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Gouldian f<strong>in</strong>ches and<br />
Indian silverbills, which he feeds with his<br />
mealworms. He also supplies mealworms to<br />
pet stores by the kilo.<br />
“You can dry-roast mealworms and<br />
refrigerate them,” says Frank. “Roast<strong>in</strong>g<br />
removes the moisture while reta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g its<br />
nutritional value and prote<strong>in</strong>.”<br />
No waste<br />
As for what the humans on the property eat,<br />
Anita’s specialty is ghag<strong>in</strong> il forn (Maltese for<br />
“pasta <strong>in</strong> the oven”). Similar to macaroni, it’s a<br />
pasta bake with lots of vegetables, m<strong>in</strong>ce and<br />
leftovers. She also makes another traditional<br />
Maltese dish, a bread pudd<strong>in</strong>g called pudd<strong>in</strong>a,<br />
with day-old bread, sultanas and cocoa.<br />
Compost under the tree<br />
Elvis the rooster and his lovely wife<br />
Quail <strong>in</strong>cubation<br />
38 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Frank & Anita Vella | GARDENING FOLK<br />
Carrots<br />
Frank & Anita’s<br />
top tips<br />
Use mealworms <strong>in</strong> your sandy soils.<br />
Keep grow<strong>in</strong>g vegetables; they’re<br />
great for you.<br />
Grow companion plants such as<br />
roses to attract bees to your vegies.<br />
Don’t ever use weed mat.<br />
Keep your garden tidy.<br />
How to make<br />
gbejniet<br />
Ingredients<br />
• 5L fresh, unhomogenised milk<br />
• 50mL water<br />
• 3 tsp rennet powder<br />
• Salt<br />
Banana tree<br />
Zucch<strong>in</strong>i<br />
Staked<br />
tomatoes<br />
What you need<br />
• Thermometer<br />
• Large pot<br />
• 15 cheese baskets<br />
• Dripp<strong>in</strong>g tray for cheese baskets<br />
• Cloth<br />
• Stra<strong>in</strong>er<br />
• Small cup<br />
• Wooden spoon<br />
Frank tend<strong>in</strong>g to a beehive<br />
Method<br />
In a large pot, place milk on the stove on<br />
warm heat. Once it reaches 38°C, turn off<br />
heat. Place water and rennet powder <strong>in</strong><br />
a small cup, stir quickly and gently stir<br />
<strong>in</strong>to warm milk. Allow to rest for about 3<br />
hours. At around 1½ hours, use a wooden<br />
spoon to lacerate the coagulat<strong>in</strong>g milk<br />
and leave for a further 1½ hours. Curds<br />
and whey will separate. After 3 hours,<br />
scoop up curds and fill one basket. Place<br />
it on a dripp<strong>in</strong>g stray. Fill the rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
cheese baskets until all trays are full<br />
to the top with curd. Pour excess whey<br />
that drips on the tray <strong>in</strong>to the baskets.<br />
Spr<strong>in</strong>kle salt on baskets of curd before<br />
plac<strong>in</strong>g them <strong>in</strong> the fridge overnight.<br />
They give away some of everyth<strong>in</strong>g they<br />
produce, especially lemons, honey and eggs,<br />
and preserve what’s left. They freeze dozens<br />
of lemons, dry figs on a rack and soak olives<br />
<strong>in</strong> salt for weeks.<br />
Frank and Anita are particularly zealous<br />
about avoid<strong>in</strong>g waste. “Don’t throw away<br />
onion leaves,” says Anita. “They give colour<br />
and flavour <strong>in</strong> cook<strong>in</strong>g. And never pull onions<br />
out by the root. Cut the bulb close to the<br />
root and leave the rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g cut bulb <strong>in</strong> the<br />
ground. The onion will grow aga<strong>in</strong>. The same<br />
with spr<strong>in</strong>g onions: never uproot!<br />
“And when you buy spr<strong>in</strong>g onions and cut<br />
roots off to cook, don’t throw the roots <strong>in</strong><br />
the kitchen b<strong>in</strong>. No! This is a waste. Plant it;<br />
it will grow. See, Frank has many good ideas,<br />
don’t you th<strong>in</strong>k?”<br />
Anita also cuts off small tomato shoots and<br />
puts them <strong>in</strong> water, where they grow roots<br />
and can then be planted.<br />
“Frank went to Bunn<strong>in</strong>gs one day and<br />
bought a tomato plant for $20. How can<br />
people afford $20? That’s a lot of money for a<br />
tomato plant. What I do is throw tomato seeds<br />
<strong>in</strong> the compost and — boom! — you get a lot<br />
of plants. It’s cheap and it’s easy to grow.”<br />
As someone once said, plants will tell<br />
you where to grow. Aunties Flo and Mo<br />
would be proud.<br />
One more th<strong>in</strong>g, Anita says: “Buy lots of<br />
garden magaz<strong>in</strong>es. You get a lot of ideas.” We<br />
can’t argue with that.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 39
TIME TO PLANT | Celery<br />
- <strong>in</strong> the -<br />
vegie patch<br />
Crunch time<br />
This crisp vegetable is used <strong>in</strong><br />
many dishes, especially <strong>in</strong> Italian<br />
cuis<strong>in</strong>e, and is great for crudités<br />
Did you know?<br />
Celery was found <strong>in</strong> the tomb of<br />
Tutankhamun, which dates to<br />
1325 BCE, and its leaf decorated<br />
an ancient Roman co<strong>in</strong>.<br />
Words Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
Frequently dismissed as “rabbit” food<br />
or food to eat to stave off hunger<br />
pangs when you are on a diet, celery<br />
is actually one of the healthiest of all<br />
vegetables. It has lots of vitam<strong>in</strong>s, m<strong>in</strong>erals<br />
and abundant antioxidants and is low GI<br />
but high <strong>in</strong> fibre. It may also be useful as<br />
an anti-<strong>in</strong>flammatory.<br />
Celery is very versatile as it can be eaten<br />
raw or cooked. It’s one of those vegetables<br />
that is handy to have <strong>in</strong> the garden because<br />
it’s the basis for so many recipes from stocks,<br />
sauces and meat dishes to salads. A celery<br />
stick is also a vital garnish for a bloody Mary!<br />
Although it’s sold as a bunch (actually<br />
one plant), it doesn’t need to be harvested<br />
all at once from the garden. Celery can be<br />
used gradually, pick<strong>in</strong>g it stick by stick.<br />
Technically, each stick or stalk of celery is a<br />
petiole or leaf base.<br />
Varieties<br />
Varieties to grow for green, crunchy celery<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude ‘Green Crunch’, ‘Str<strong>in</strong>gless’ and ‘Tall<br />
Utah’. ‘Dorata D’Asti’ is a variety that has<br />
pale-green stems on a large plant that weighs<br />
up to 1.1kg when mature. It’s well suited to<br />
grow to pick <strong>in</strong>dividual stems. ‘Red Stalk’ is an<br />
heirloom variety with red-t<strong>in</strong>ged green stems.<br />
It grows quickly and crops early (<strong>in</strong> just<br />
12 weeks) and can be prone to bolt<strong>in</strong>g. It’s<br />
best grown with blanch<strong>in</strong>g as it can be bitter.<br />
A close relative of common celery is<br />
leaf or Ch<strong>in</strong>ese celery (Apium graveolens<br />
var. secal<strong>in</strong>um), which is also known as<br />
“smallage”. It has a looser structure and<br />
th<strong>in</strong>ner stalks than celery but has celery-like<br />
foliage. It can be used <strong>in</strong>stead of celery <strong>in</strong><br />
stocks or add the chopped leaves to salads<br />
or other dishes as a garnish.<br />
Plant<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Celery is usually grown from seed planted <strong>in</strong><br />
spr<strong>in</strong>g and early summer. It can take several<br />
weeks to germ<strong>in</strong>ate and is best started <strong>in</strong> a<br />
punnet with seed-rais<strong>in</strong>g mix. The seed needs<br />
to be just lightly covered for best germ<strong>in</strong>ation<br />
rates. If germ<strong>in</strong>ation is slow, soak the seed<br />
overnight before sow<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
After three or four weeks, the t<strong>in</strong>y<br />
seedl<strong>in</strong>gs can be transferred <strong>in</strong>to small,<br />
<strong>in</strong>dividual pots to grow to a size that’s safe to<br />
transplant <strong>in</strong>to the garden.<br />
Stagger plant<strong>in</strong>gs over several weeks to<br />
prolong the harvest through summer and<br />
autumn. In warm to hot areas, it can also be<br />
sown <strong>in</strong> autumn and grown through w<strong>in</strong>ter<br />
or <strong>in</strong> very late w<strong>in</strong>ter or very early spr<strong>in</strong>g as a<br />
spr<strong>in</strong>g-to-summer crop.<br />
40 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Celery | TIME TO PLANT<br />
Celeriac<br />
If celery is grow<strong>in</strong>g well, without stress, it’s a very<br />
easy crop to grow. Let it dry out and it will become<br />
str<strong>in</strong>gy and bitter. The stems may become hollow.<br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>ese celery<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
Celeriac<br />
Grown for its bulbous root, celeriac is<br />
a variety of celery (Apium graveolens<br />
var. rapaceum). It’s grown much<br />
like celery but, once harvested, the<br />
stems and leaves are discarded.<br />
Use celeriac <strong>in</strong> soups or grate or<br />
chop f<strong>in</strong>ely <strong>in</strong> a salad. It’s also good<br />
mashed, especially 50/50 with potato.<br />
It needs full sun but afternoon shade is<br />
beneficial <strong>in</strong> very hot zones. Most important,<br />
though, is regular water — <strong>in</strong>deed, copious<br />
water is the key to success when grow<strong>in</strong>g celery.<br />
Wild celery, which is found grow<strong>in</strong>g naturally <strong>in</strong><br />
parts of the Mediterranean, grows as a plant of<br />
marshlands, which is why it needs moist, wellwatered<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g conditions <strong>in</strong> the garden.<br />
Improve the soil before plant<strong>in</strong>g by<br />
digg<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> compost and blood and bone.<br />
Soils that are highly acidic may benefit from<br />
the addition of some lime.<br />
Celery is traditionally planted <strong>in</strong>to a trench.<br />
As the plant grows, soil is hilled up to cover<br />
the stems and exclude light. This process is<br />
known as “blanch<strong>in</strong>g” and is done to produce<br />
a sweet, tender stalk. An alternative method<br />
of blanch<strong>in</strong>g is to wrap cardboard around the<br />
clump of stems. Older varieties are more likely<br />
to require blanch<strong>in</strong>g than modern varieties<br />
such as ‘Green Crunch’.<br />
Transplant seedl<strong>in</strong>gs after eight to 10<br />
weeks. They should be spaced about<br />
15–30cm apart to allow room for the plant to<br />
develop and to avoid water stress through<br />
overcrowd<strong>in</strong>g. Use closer spac<strong>in</strong>g to enable<br />
the plants to “self” blanch by exclud<strong>in</strong>g light<br />
from their neighbour’s stems.<br />
To reduce water loss from the soil and to<br />
keep weeds away, mulch around the plants<br />
with organic mulch spread about 2cm thick.<br />
As well as keep<strong>in</strong>g celery well watered, it<br />
also needs to be kept grow<strong>in</strong>g vigorously with<br />
regular applications of organic fertiliser. Apply<br />
a liquid feed every 10–14 days.<br />
If grow<strong>in</strong>g celery <strong>in</strong> a conta<strong>in</strong>er, select<br />
a 30cm pot and fill it with good-quality,<br />
moisture-retentive pott<strong>in</strong>g mix. Liquid-feed<br />
and water well throughout the grow<strong>in</strong>g period.<br />
Troubleshoot<strong>in</strong>g<br />
If celery is grow<strong>in</strong>g well, without stress, it’s<br />
a very easy crop to grow. Let it dry out and<br />
it will become str<strong>in</strong>gy and bitter. The stems<br />
may become hollow. Pests that attack celery<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude snails, which may be a problem for<br />
seedl<strong>in</strong>gs, and leaf m<strong>in</strong>ers. To protect aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
snails, check plants regularly and use a snail<br />
trap. Remove leaves that have been attacked<br />
by leaf m<strong>in</strong>er and dispose of them <strong>in</strong> a sealed<br />
bag <strong>in</strong> the rubbish b<strong>in</strong>.<br />
If celery bolts <strong>in</strong>to flower <strong>in</strong>stead of<br />
develop<strong>in</strong>g thick stems, it has probably been<br />
dried out or is grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> adverse climate<br />
conditions (for example, high temperatures).<br />
Harvest and storage<br />
Celery takes about 12–16 weeks to harvest<br />
from sow<strong>in</strong>g. It can be cut off at the base or<br />
picked as stalks that are harvested from the<br />
outside <strong>in</strong>wards. Many cooks discard the leafy<br />
celery tops but these can be used chopped<br />
as a garnish, added to food or used to flavour<br />
both meat and vegetable stocks.<br />
Store celery for up to seven weeks<br />
wrapped <strong>in</strong> plastic <strong>in</strong> the fridge or break <strong>in</strong>to<br />
An essential for crudités<br />
stalks and store <strong>in</strong> a plastic conta<strong>in</strong>er <strong>in</strong> the<br />
fridge. Celery, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the tops, can also be<br />
frozen to use later <strong>in</strong> stock.<br />
Celery that has bolted can be left to<br />
produce seed. Celery seed adds a celery<br />
flavour to food.<br />
Celery label<br />
Common name: Celery<br />
Botanical name: Apium graveolens<br />
Family: Apiaceae (carrot family)<br />
Requires: Full sun<br />
Dislikes: Heat, dry<strong>in</strong>g out<br />
Suitable for: Cool to mild conditions<br />
Habit: Leaf vegetable to 60–90cm high<br />
Needs: Regular moisture<br />
Propagation: Seed, seedl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Difficulty: Easy to moderate<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 41
TIME TO PLANT | Parsley<br />
Words Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
Parsley is more than a herb to use as a<br />
garnish for mashed potato, it’s a leafy<br />
vegetable that can be used <strong>in</strong> abundance<br />
to make pesto, tabouli and a host of other<br />
delicious dishes.<br />
There’s always parsley to be found<br />
somewhere <strong>in</strong> my garden as it self-seeds<br />
readily and grows year-round, even through<br />
the coldest of w<strong>in</strong>ters.<br />
Parsley is part of the huge carrot family<br />
and comes orig<strong>in</strong>ally from the Mediterranean<br />
region. It’s now grown around the world and<br />
most cooks wouldn’t be without fresh parsley.<br />
Left to grow to maturity, the normally leafy<br />
plant produces a tall, thick stalk and heads of<br />
green-yellow flowers. This is your cue to pull<br />
up the plant and replace it with someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
else. Don’t remove every parsley plant, though;<br />
leave some to form seed to ensure self-seed<strong>in</strong>g<br />
occurs so there’s always parsley grow<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Flat or curly?<br />
There are two ma<strong>in</strong> types of parsley grown<br />
<strong>in</strong> gardens: curly and flat-leaf, which is also<br />
called Italian or Cont<strong>in</strong>ental. Many cooks<br />
prefer to use flat-leaf parsley, claim<strong>in</strong>g it<br />
has better flavour and softer texture than<br />
the tougher curly form. Curly-leaf parsley,<br />
however, is more decorative <strong>in</strong> the garden.<br />
Don’t th<strong>in</strong>k of parsley as just a plant for a<br />
herb garden. It makes a dense, bright-green<br />
edg<strong>in</strong>g plant, particularly around boldly<br />
coloured summer annuals or beds of lettuce.<br />
Parsley can also be grown <strong>in</strong> a conta<strong>in</strong>er <strong>in</strong><br />
any sunny spot. As it’s a herb that’s used so<br />
much <strong>in</strong> the kitchen, have some handy <strong>in</strong> a<br />
pot close to the kitchen door.<br />
Both Italian and curly parsley are rich <strong>in</strong><br />
potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron<br />
along with vitam<strong>in</strong>s A and C and they also<br />
conta<strong>in</strong> antioxidants.<br />
Actually, there is another type of parsley<br />
found <strong>in</strong> gardens. Although parsley is ma<strong>in</strong>ly<br />
grown for its leaves and stalks, one variety<br />
forms a large tuberous root. This is Hamburg<br />
- <strong>in</strong> the -<br />
herb garden<br />
The great garnish<br />
Probably the first herb most gardeners<br />
would th<strong>in</strong>k to plant, parsley is ubiquitous<br />
<strong>in</strong> food presentation and easy to grow<br />
Parsley label<br />
Common name: Parsley<br />
Botanical name: Petrosel<strong>in</strong>um crispum<br />
Family: Apiaceae (carrot family)<br />
Requires: Rich, well-dra<strong>in</strong>ed soil<br />
Dislikes: Dry conditions<br />
Suitable for: Herb gardens, vegie garden<br />
Habit: Small biennial branch<strong>in</strong>g herb,<br />
30–50cm high<br />
Needs: Regular water<br />
Propagation: Seed<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
42 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Parsley | TIME TO PLANT<br />
parsley (Petrosel<strong>in</strong>um crispum var. tuberosum),<br />
which is not well known or widely grown <strong>in</strong><br />
Australia. The edible root resembles parsnip.<br />
It is harvested after the plant matures to<br />
add to soup or to roasts like a parsnip. While<br />
wait<strong>in</strong>g for the root to grow, the leaves can be<br />
harvested just like regular flat-leaf parsley.<br />
Plant<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Parsley grows easily from seed but is also<br />
sold <strong>in</strong> punnets as seedl<strong>in</strong>gs. It does best<br />
<strong>in</strong> a rich, moisture-retentive soil <strong>in</strong> a sunny<br />
position. Although it’s usually grown as an<br />
annual that’s planted <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g and harvested<br />
through summer <strong>in</strong>to autumn, parsley can<br />
power on through w<strong>in</strong>ter to keep grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to<br />
the follow<strong>in</strong>g spr<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
To keep it grow<strong>in</strong>g well, regularly apply an<br />
organic liquid plant food and make sure it<br />
doesn’t want for water. Parsley can be liquidfed<br />
every two to three weeks.<br />
The appearance of a flower<strong>in</strong>g stem<br />
<strong>in</strong>dicates the parsley plant has reached the<br />
end of its life cycle and it’s time to replant.<br />
Water stress may also cause the plant to<br />
beg<strong>in</strong> flower<strong>in</strong>g and w<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g down. When it<br />
beg<strong>in</strong>s to form a flower<strong>in</strong>g stem, the leaves<br />
lose their flavour and looks.<br />
This herb has few pests or diseases but<br />
one that can be annoy<strong>in</strong>g, as it disfigures the<br />
leaves, is leaf m<strong>in</strong>er. Leaf m<strong>in</strong>er larvae create<br />
damage as they burrow through leaf tissue,<br />
caus<strong>in</strong>g silver trails to form.<br />
The pest is more likely to be noticed <strong>in</strong> the<br />
flat-leaf forms. To control it, simply pick off<br />
the affected leaves as this removes the pest<br />
along with the damage. Water and fertilise to<br />
encourage new pest-free growth.<br />
Whitefly also attack parsley plants. These<br />
are small, white-w<strong>in</strong>ged pests that fly up<br />
from the back of the leaves when they are<br />
disturbed. They are sap-suck<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>sects that<br />
can be trapped on sticky yellow boards to<br />
reduce their numbers. Water affected plants<br />
extra well to keep them grow<strong>in</strong>g strongly<br />
when pest numbers are high.<br />
Any gardener who receives regular<br />
nocturnal visits from possums also knows<br />
that possums love parsley. To beat possums,<br />
either cover pots at night or plant parsley <strong>in</strong><br />
clumps throughout the garden <strong>in</strong> the hope<br />
that some go unnoticed and survive.<br />
More welcome visitors to parsley,<br />
Curly parsley<br />
Parsley can also be grown <strong>in</strong> a conta<strong>in</strong>er<br />
<strong>in</strong> any sunny spot. As it’s a herb that’s<br />
used so much <strong>in</strong> the kitchen, have some<br />
handy <strong>in</strong> a pot close to the kitchen door.<br />
Flat-leaf parsley<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
Hamburg parsley root<br />
particularly when it is <strong>in</strong> flower, are poll<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>sects <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g native bees and hoverflies.<br />
The seed heads may also provide food<br />
for small seed-eat<strong>in</strong>g birds, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
goldf<strong>in</strong>ch, which is naturalised <strong>in</strong> parts of<br />
Victoria and Tasmania.<br />
Harvest<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
storage<br />
Harvest parsley as it’s needed by just pick<strong>in</strong>g<br />
or cutt<strong>in</strong>g off leafy stalks. Excess can be kept<br />
wrapped <strong>in</strong> a plastic bag <strong>in</strong> the crisper section<br />
of the refrigerator, stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> water (like a<br />
cut flower) or chopped and frozen <strong>in</strong> ice-cube<br />
trays. To freeze parsley, place the chopped herb<br />
<strong>in</strong> an ice-cube tray and fill it with water. Once<br />
the cubes are frozen, store them loose <strong>in</strong> sealed<br />
bags <strong>in</strong> the freezer to add to soups, stews or<br />
stock when there’s a dearth of fresh parsley.<br />
Parsley is often plentiful <strong>in</strong> summer and<br />
there are many recipes that call for lash<strong>in</strong>gs of<br />
parsley, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g salsa verde, gremolata and<br />
persillade. Parsley sauce is a white sauce with<br />
added parsley that’s often served with fish.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 43
TIME TO PLANT | Scarlet runner bean<br />
- <strong>in</strong> the -<br />
vegie patch<br />
Bean there<br />
If you live <strong>in</strong> a cooler<br />
area, the scarlet runner<br />
could be the bean for you<br />
Words Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
When we moved <strong>in</strong>to our coolclimate<br />
Tasmanian garden<br />
<strong>in</strong> w<strong>in</strong>ter, the ornamental<br />
garden was dormant, but the<br />
large vegetable garden was well stocked<br />
with leftover summer crops. We were able<br />
to harvest potatoes, Brussels sprouts<br />
and silver beet, and collect eggs from the<br />
chook shed. Enough for a meal <strong>in</strong> itself, but<br />
there was one more <strong>in</strong>gredient the garden<br />
provided: beans. Four tall bamboo tripods<br />
were hung with dried bean pods filled with<br />
handsome violet and black beans.<br />
The summer’s crop of scarlet runner<br />
beans had been left to dry and we were the<br />
beneficiaries. We’ve enjoyed dried scarlet<br />
runner beans each year s<strong>in</strong>ce. The beans<br />
grow up dur<strong>in</strong>g summer, sprout<strong>in</strong>g from<br />
large tubers that rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> the ground,<br />
and I replant seeds each year, sow<strong>in</strong>g one<br />
or two at the base o f each leg of the bean<br />
tripod. Over time, the older beans are less<br />
productive, which is why it’s a smart move to<br />
re-sow some new ones each year.<br />
The v<strong>in</strong>es tw<strong>in</strong>e up their supports, soon<br />
reach<strong>in</strong>g the top. By mid-summer, they are<br />
covered with clusters of decorative red<br />
flowers, which form thick, green runner<br />
beans. They could be harvested at this stage<br />
and eaten as green beans, but I prefer to<br />
leave them to swell and dry on the v<strong>in</strong>e then<br />
harvest the pods <strong>in</strong> autumn and w<strong>in</strong>ter.<br />
The v<strong>in</strong>es tw<strong>in</strong>e up<br />
their supports, soon<br />
reach<strong>in</strong>g the top. By<br />
mid-summer, they are<br />
covered with clusters of<br />
decorative red flowers,<br />
which form thick,<br />
green runner beans.<br />
The scarlet runner bean is best suited to<br />
areas with cool summers. In warmer climes,<br />
they grow strongly and may flower but may<br />
not form pods and won’t develop a thick,<br />
starchy root. Late sow<strong>in</strong>gs may set beans <strong>in</strong><br />
autumn <strong>in</strong> temperate zones but not reliably.<br />
The lush green leaves and scarlet<br />
flowers make this productive v<strong>in</strong>e very<br />
attractive. It can be grown on an arch or<br />
trellis where its flowers can be enjoyed. In<br />
gardens <strong>in</strong> the United States, the scarlet<br />
runner bean attracts humm<strong>in</strong>gbirds.<br />
44 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Scarlet runner bean | TIME TO PLANT<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
Although we have small nectar-eat<strong>in</strong>g birds<br />
<strong>in</strong> the garden here, such as yellow-cheeked<br />
honeyeaters, I’ve not yet seen them feed<strong>in</strong>g<br />
on bean flowers.<br />
Varieties<br />
Scarlet runners are native to elevated parts of<br />
southern Mexico and Central America. There<br />
are several varieties of the bean, which is very<br />
popular <strong>in</strong> the UK and Europe. ‘Pa<strong>in</strong>ted Lady’<br />
has red and white bicolour flowers, while<br />
‘Sunset’ has orange flowers. There are also<br />
forms with white pods and beans.<br />
Care and<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>tenance<br />
Sow the large beans around 1–2cm deep <strong>in</strong><br />
moist soil, plac<strong>in</strong>g each seed at the base of<br />
a climb<strong>in</strong>g support. The beans are quick to<br />
germ<strong>in</strong>ate <strong>in</strong> warm soil.<br />
Other than tw<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g wayward beans onto<br />
Scarlet runner<br />
beans label<br />
Common name: Scarlet runner bean,<br />
seven-year bean<br />
Botanical name: Phaseolus cocc<strong>in</strong>eus<br />
Family: Fabaceae (pea family)<br />
Requires: Full sun<br />
Dislikes: Heat, humidity<br />
Suitable for: Cool climates<br />
Habit: Perennial v<strong>in</strong>e, 2–3m high<br />
Needs: Climb<strong>in</strong>g support<br />
Propagation: Seed<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
their support, they need little extra care.<br />
Give the plants regular water and add more<br />
fertiliser <strong>in</strong> the form of well-rotted manure,<br />
pelletised chicken manure, blood and bone or<br />
a slow-release organic fertiliser.<br />
Green vegetable bugs can attack the<br />
leaves and pods, but little else appears to<br />
harm these robust vegetables. To control<br />
the bugs, simply squash the black speckled<br />
ladybird-sized juveniles or the larger green<br />
adults, which hide among the leaves.<br />
They have an acrid smell when squashed.<br />
Alternatively, knock them <strong>in</strong>to a t<strong>in</strong> or bucket<br />
filled with soapy water.<br />
Keep the pods off the ground by tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
the stems onto a support. Pods ly<strong>in</strong>g on the<br />
ground may rot.<br />
Harvest, storage and<br />
preparation<br />
If the beans are to be eaten green, harvest the<br />
pods while they are small and tender. Large<br />
pods quickly become fibrous. Alternatively,<br />
leave the beans to dry on the v<strong>in</strong>e and pick<br />
the brown pods <strong>in</strong> autumn. The v<strong>in</strong>es and<br />
pods withstand early frost.<br />
After harvest<strong>in</strong>g the dry beans, remove the<br />
rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g dry growth, which can be cut up<br />
and added to the compost heap.<br />
The pods are easy to shell and each<br />
produces five or six large, sh<strong>in</strong>y, colourful<br />
beans, which store well. Discard any beans<br />
that are soft or mouldy.<br />
The dry beans are best soaked and boiled<br />
before use <strong>in</strong> a bean casserole or other dish<br />
that uses dry beans. They are delicious<br />
teamed with garlic, tomatoes or pork.<br />
The dried pods are easy to shell<br />
Just as good dried as fresh<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 45
TIME TO PLANT | Taro<br />
- <strong>in</strong> the -<br />
vegie patch<br />
Taro<br />
Colocasia esculenta<br />
Both ornamental <strong>in</strong> the garden<br />
and good to eat, taro is a great<br />
alternative to other starchy vegies<br />
Words Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
Gardeners who want to be self-sufficient<br />
and eat as much as possible from their vegie<br />
patch need to th<strong>in</strong>k long and hard about<br />
starchy crops — the vegetables that yield<br />
carbohydrates and that make up an important<br />
part of everyday eat<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
For most gardeners, potatoes are the<br />
easiest starch crops to grow. In many parts<br />
of the country, it’s possible to grow two<br />
crops each year. Potatoes are relatively<br />
easy to store and can be used <strong>in</strong> a wide<br />
variety of dishes.<br />
They’re not the only starchy vegetable to<br />
grow, though. Other options <strong>in</strong>clude sweet<br />
potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes and yams.<br />
For those liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> tropical and subtropical<br />
zones, there are even more options to<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestigate. One of these is taro, a traditional<br />
starch crop grown and eaten throughout<br />
Asia and the Pacific region. Its other common<br />
names <strong>in</strong>clude dasheen and cocoyam and<br />
it’s thought to be native to India but has now<br />
spread around the globe.<br />
Taro is much more than a starchy root<br />
vegetable. It’s a very handsome plant with<br />
large, green, heart-shaped leaves held on<br />
slender black stems. Plants grow to around<br />
1–1.5m tall. There are ornamental forms of<br />
taro often called elephant’s ears. Some of<br />
the ornamental forms have handsome black<br />
leav es. While these plants are a good-look<strong>in</strong>g<br />
addition to a garden, most don’t produce<br />
edible tubers.<br />
Did you know?<br />
Water drops roll off taro leaves and<br />
have led to a say<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Mauritius, dilo<br />
lor bredsonz or “water off the taro”,<br />
which <strong>in</strong> English could be translated<br />
as “water off a duck’s back”.<br />
Varieties<br />
Although taro is not a crop that’s commonly<br />
grown <strong>in</strong> Australian gardens, a number<br />
of named varieties are available. <strong>Organic</strong><br />
supplier Green Harvest recommends ‘Bunlong’<br />
(also sold as Purple Spot) for tropical<br />
zones. The flesh of this form of taro is white<br />
with purple flecks. For subtropical and warm<br />
coastal zones, ‘Ch<strong>in</strong>ese’ performs well.<br />
Other varieties <strong>in</strong>clude p<strong>in</strong>k taro, sold as<br />
‘Talo Niue’, and ‘Alafua Sunrise’. These are<br />
very starchy varieties that come orig<strong>in</strong>ally<br />
from the Pacific region, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Hawaii,<br />
Samoa and Fiji.<br />
To buy taro, visit local grower markets <strong>in</strong><br />
tropical and subtropical areas or order from<br />
onl<strong>in</strong>e suppliers <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Green Harvest<br />
(greenharvest.com.au).<br />
Plant<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Taro can be grown year-round <strong>in</strong> hot, frostfree<br />
climates, but the ideal plant<strong>in</strong>g time <strong>in</strong><br />
the tropics and subtropics is at the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />
of the wet season. In other areas, plant this<br />
crop <strong>in</strong> late spr<strong>in</strong>g as the soil warms and all<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
46 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Taro | TIME TO PLANT<br />
threat of frost or a cold snap has passed.<br />
It takes six to 12 months to harvest from<br />
plant<strong>in</strong>g, which is why plants can only be<br />
grown successfully <strong>in</strong> warm zones. In cold or<br />
<strong>in</strong>land areas with a short warm-season grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
period, taro can be grown <strong>in</strong> a large (40cm<br />
or larger) conta<strong>in</strong>er and moved <strong>in</strong>to a warm,<br />
sheltered spot dur<strong>in</strong>g autumn and w<strong>in</strong>ter.<br />
Taro grows <strong>in</strong> a wide range of soils and<br />
tolerates both well-dra<strong>in</strong>ed and wet soils. In very<br />
wet areas, plant taro <strong>in</strong>to a raised mound to<br />
reduce waterlogg<strong>in</strong>g. Although it tolerates wet<br />
soils and is grown <strong>in</strong> paddy fields <strong>in</strong> some parts<br />
of the world, it doesn’t thrive <strong>in</strong> stagnant water.<br />
It’s best <strong>in</strong> full sun but grows <strong>in</strong> part<br />
shade, especially <strong>in</strong> hot regions. Most<br />
commercial production of taro <strong>in</strong> Australia<br />
occurs <strong>in</strong> northern Queensland but crops<br />
are grown south to northern New South<br />
Wales and <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>land areas.<br />
To prepare the ground for plant<strong>in</strong>g, remove<br />
all weeds. Dig <strong>in</strong> well-rotted organic matter<br />
before plant<strong>in</strong>g, to enrich the soil and improve<br />
its water-hold<strong>in</strong>g capacity. Also work <strong>in</strong> a<br />
high-potash fertiliser, which helps the large,<br />
starchy tubers to develop.<br />
Taro is grown from offshoots taken from an<br />
exist<strong>in</strong>g plant or from pieces of tuber. Tubers<br />
can be cut <strong>in</strong>to segments before plant<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Plant the pieces of tuber 5–8cm deep.<br />
Offshoots (also called setts) <strong>in</strong>clude several<br />
centimetres of tuber and a leaf shoot. Roots<br />
grow quickly from the base of the shoot once<br />
the offshoot is planted.<br />
They can also be started off <strong>in</strong> pots and<br />
transplanted <strong>in</strong>to the soil as conditions warm.<br />
To produce a crop of taro, plant it <strong>in</strong> a<br />
row for ease of ma<strong>in</strong>tenance and water<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Space plants around 60–90cm apart to<br />
allow room for the leafy growth and for the<br />
tubers to mature. Where smaller amounts of<br />
taro are wanted over a longer period, plant<br />
it <strong>in</strong> small clumps throughout the year to<br />
stagger harvest times.<br />
Taro is much more than a starchy root<br />
vegetable. It’s a very handsome plant with large,<br />
green, heart-shaped leaves held on slender<br />
black stems. Plants grow to around 1–1.5m tall.<br />
Edible leaves?<br />
While wait<strong>in</strong>g for the tubers to grow,<br />
the young leaves and stalks can be<br />
harvested to add to soups and stews.<br />
They should not be eaten uncooked<br />
due to high concentrations of calcium<br />
oxalate, which causes st<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
discomfort <strong>in</strong> the mouth and throat.<br />
Taro is a handsome leafy plant grown<br />
for its starchy underground tuber<br />
Taro can also be grown <strong>in</strong> damp areas such<br />
as beside water features or <strong>in</strong> areas that may<br />
get periodic <strong>in</strong>undation.<br />
Ongo<strong>in</strong>g care<br />
Taro has few pests or diseases but doesn’t<br />
tolerate dry<strong>in</strong>g out. Keep plants grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
strongly with regular water, particularly over<br />
the dry season, and the occasional addition<br />
of a high-potash fertiliser or top dress<strong>in</strong>g<br />
of aged manure and compost. Plants that<br />
are moisture-stressed show slow growth<br />
and produce smaller, less starchy tubers.<br />
Mulch helps to suppress weeds and reta<strong>in</strong><br />
soil moisture as well as supply<strong>in</strong>g extra<br />
nutrients to the soil.<br />
Harvest<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
storage<br />
Taro crops need at least six to n<strong>in</strong>e months of<br />
growth and can take longer <strong>in</strong> cooler zones or<br />
if the plants are moisture-stressed. The tubers<br />
are ready to lift when the foliage beg<strong>in</strong>s to<br />
yellow. Tubers can push to the surface.<br />
Mature tubers can reach 1–1.5kg <strong>in</strong> size and<br />
are usually round or slightly elongated. They<br />
need to be harvested by hand, first disturb<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the soil. R<strong>in</strong>se to remove soil before us<strong>in</strong>g or<br />
stor<strong>in</strong>g taro tubers.<br />
Taro tubers can be left <strong>in</strong> the ground until<br />
they are needed but, once harvested, they<br />
need to be used <strong>in</strong> around two to four weeks.<br />
They can be stored wrapped <strong>in</strong> a plastic bag<br />
<strong>in</strong> the fridge.<br />
Taro must be cooked before it can be<br />
eaten. This is because it conta<strong>in</strong>s crystals of<br />
calcium oxalate, a mouth irritant. As a result,<br />
taro is peeled and cooked by bak<strong>in</strong>g, boil<strong>in</strong>g<br />
or steam<strong>in</strong>g. It has a starchy, nutty flavour. It’s<br />
often served mashed or as a casserole and can<br />
also be made <strong>in</strong>to cakes or served as a dessert.<br />
Slices of taro can also be fried as chips.<br />
Taro is fairly sweet, high <strong>in</strong> carbohydrates and<br />
fibre, and provides a good source of vitam<strong>in</strong>s<br />
and m<strong>in</strong>erals, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g vitam<strong>in</strong>s B and E.<br />
Taro label<br />
Common name: Taro<br />
Botanical name: Colocasia esculenta<br />
Family: Araceae (arum family)<br />
Requires: Full sun<br />
Dislikes: Cold<br />
Suitable for: Tropics, subtropics,<br />
warm coastal<br />
Habit: Clump<strong>in</strong>g perennial, to 1–1.5m tall<br />
Needs: Heat, humidity, shade<br />
Propagation: Tuber, offshoots,<br />
potted plants<br />
Difficulty: Easy<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 47
TIME TO PLANT | Honeydew melon<br />
- <strong>in</strong> the -<br />
melon patch<br />
Honeydew melon<br />
Cucumis melo <strong>in</strong>odorus<br />
Its pretty green colour and sweet flavour<br />
make this melon a favourite <strong>in</strong> fruit salads<br />
Words Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Ripe garden-grown honeydew melons<br />
are as sweet and delicious as their<br />
name suggests, with th<strong>in</strong> white r<strong>in</strong>d<br />
and gorgeous green flesh that adds<br />
colour and variety to fruit salads, cheese<br />
platters, smoothies and summer cocktails.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g: Honeydew melons grow on an<br />
annual v<strong>in</strong>e that flourishes <strong>in</strong> warm soils. They<br />
enjoy a sunny spot, with rich well-dra<strong>in</strong>ed soil,<br />
so dig <strong>in</strong> plenty of compost before plant<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
They like a soil pH somewhere <strong>in</strong> the range of<br />
<strong>6.</strong>5 to 7.5 so if your soil is too acidic, add lime<br />
before plant<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Honeydew melons need a long, warm<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g season and can be slow to take off<br />
when the soil temperature is low. Seed can<br />
be sown direct <strong>in</strong>to warm soil <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
summer for a summer and autumn harvest.<br />
Plant<strong>in</strong>g is often done <strong>in</strong> w<strong>in</strong>ter <strong>in</strong> tropical<br />
areas. In cooler areas, choose a warm spot and<br />
look out for fast-matur<strong>in</strong>g varieties.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g tip: Be sure to keep the water up<br />
when the young fruit is develop<strong>in</strong>g, then<br />
reduce water<strong>in</strong>g to sweeten the honeydew<br />
flavour before harvest. As the melons start<br />
to mature, try slipp<strong>in</strong>g a bit of wood or straw<br />
mulch under the fruit to prevent it rott<strong>in</strong>g<br />
from contact with wet soil.<br />
Sav<strong>in</strong>g space: Honeydew melons grow on<br />
vigorous v<strong>in</strong>es that need room to roam but<br />
if you’re look<strong>in</strong>g to save space, they can be<br />
grown on a trellis or vertical supports. Grown<br />
<strong>in</strong> this manner, v<strong>in</strong>es get better air circulation,<br />
so are less prone to disease. Just be sure to<br />
anchor the supports well so they don’t fall<br />
over with the weight of the fruit, and support<br />
the mature honeydew melons with mesh bags<br />
if you are concerned.<br />
Harvest: Honeydew melons usually mature<br />
15–20 weeks from sow<strong>in</strong>g. Fruit is ready to<br />
pick when the melons pull away easily from<br />
the stem. The fruit will also smell sweet and<br />
ripe. Honeydew melons store well and can be<br />
kept uncut for several months.<br />
Honeydew melons<br />
grow on vigorous v<strong>in</strong>es<br />
that need room to roam<br />
but if you’re look<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
save space, they can<br />
be grown on a trellis or<br />
vertical supports.<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
48 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
tamarillo | TIME TO PLANT<br />
- <strong>in</strong> the -<br />
orchard<br />
Tamarillo<br />
Cyphomandra betacea<br />
This South American beauty can be a<br />
revelation if you’ve never tasted it before<br />
Words Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g<br />
If you’ve never eaten a tamarillo, you’re really<br />
miss<strong>in</strong>g out on a special treat. The pulp is<br />
rather tangy and tastes a bit like a cross<br />
between a tomato and passionfruit, so it’s a<br />
unique fruit that’s as at home <strong>in</strong> a savoury dish<br />
as it is <strong>in</strong> a sweet one.<br />
Not surpris<strong>in</strong>gly, tamarillo is closely<br />
related to the tomato, potato, eggplant and<br />
capsicum and, like the tomato, boasts a high<br />
vitam<strong>in</strong> C content. In fact, it’s from the same<br />
family (Solanaceae) and you’ll often hear it<br />
called the tree tomato.<br />
The tamarillo grows as an evergreen<br />
shrub to around 3m tall with attractive big<br />
heart-shaped leaves and pretty red new<br />
foliage. It displays soft p<strong>in</strong>k flowers through<br />
spr<strong>in</strong>g and summer, followed by a crop of<br />
glossy red, amber or yellow egg-shaped<br />
fruit. The pulp of the fruit is the bit you eat<br />
because the sk<strong>in</strong> tastes bitter.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g conditions: Tamarillos are native<br />
to Central and South America, so they enjoy<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a warm, frost-free area, but you can<br />
grow them <strong>in</strong> cooler areas if you protect them<br />
and expect that you may get a bit of dieback<br />
through w<strong>in</strong>ter. They like full sun and a fertile<br />
well-dra<strong>in</strong>ed soil, so <strong>in</strong>corporate plenty of<br />
organic matter <strong>in</strong>to the soil before plant<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Tamarillos are fast-grow<strong>in</strong>g plants that<br />
enjoy a consistent supply of water and regular<br />
liquid feeds to susta<strong>in</strong> growth, flower<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
fruit<strong>in</strong>g. They are also shallow-rooted, so<br />
The pulp can be eaten fresh with a spr<strong>in</strong>kle of<br />
sugar and a dollop of ice cream, made <strong>in</strong>to jam,<br />
sauces or chutney, or used to add exotic flavour to<br />
fruit salads, pizzas, casseroles and muff<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
mulch plants to help conserve water.<br />
Prun<strong>in</strong>g tip: When plants are young, nip out<br />
the grow<strong>in</strong>g tips to promote branch<strong>in</strong>g. This<br />
makes it easier to pick the fruit and helps<br />
prevent the tree from fall<strong>in</strong>g over or break<strong>in</strong>g<br />
when it’s laden with a heavy crop. You should<br />
also lightly prune annually after fruit<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g tip: Tamarillo plants have brittle<br />
branches, so it’s wise to protect them from<br />
w<strong>in</strong>d, and stake where necessary.<br />
Harvest: Plants can yield as much as 20kg<br />
of fruit per year. The pulp can be eaten fresh<br />
with a spr<strong>in</strong>kle of sugar and a dollop of ice<br />
cream, made <strong>in</strong>to jam, sauces or chutney,<br />
or used to add exotic flavour to fruit salads,<br />
pizzas, casseroles and muff<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 49
WEEKEND GARDENING | Water wisdom<br />
WATERWORKS<br />
In summer more than any other time,<br />
your garden needs adequate water, but it<br />
can also be exactly when Mother Nature<br />
is unoblig<strong>in</strong>g, hence the need to use wisely<br />
50 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Water wisdom | WEEKEND GARDENING<br />
Words Carrol Baker<br />
Pure H 2<br />
0. For farmers, it’s like liquid<br />
gold. For the city hobby farmer<br />
or backyard gardener, turn on a<br />
tap and it’s there <strong>in</strong> abundance.<br />
However, that does not make this natural<br />
resource any less valuable.<br />
Healthy gardens need water. It’s arguably<br />
the s<strong>in</strong>gle-most important factor for plant<br />
survival. There are ways you can make the<br />
most of this f<strong>in</strong>ite natural resource so you<br />
can have a thriv<strong>in</strong>g organic garden, while still<br />
mak<strong>in</strong>g every precious drop count.<br />
So how much water do plants need? That,<br />
of course, depends on the plant, where the<br />
plants are positioned <strong>in</strong> relation to the sun<br />
and w<strong>in</strong>d, and the soil type.<br />
Soil has three types of particles — sand,<br />
silt and clay — and the comb<strong>in</strong>ations of these<br />
determ<strong>in</strong>e the soil type. If you aren’t sure what<br />
your soil type is, there’s a simple way to work<br />
it out. “Add water, mould it <strong>in</strong> your hand and if<br />
it crumbles, it’s sandy; if it’s silty, it will form a<br />
ball; and if it’s clay, you can p<strong>in</strong>ch it between<br />
your foref<strong>in</strong>ger and thumb and ribbon it out —<br />
the longer the ribbon, the more clay you have.”<br />
Loam, which is around two parts sand and<br />
silt and one part clay, is the optimum soil type<br />
for healthy plant growth. There’s another way<br />
to test for silt particles, says soil scientist<br />
Jade K<strong>in</strong>g … if you’re game. “Rub it gently on<br />
the front of your teeth. If it’s silty, it will feel<br />
silky smooth; if it’s sandy, it will feel gritty,”<br />
says Jade. “Personally, I prefer to rub it on the<br />
back of my nail,” she adds with a laugh.<br />
Go with the flow?<br />
Do you know your H 2<br />
0 flow rate? You can simply<br />
test it by measur<strong>in</strong>g how much water comes out<br />
of the hose <strong>in</strong> a set time. For example, measure<br />
how much water goes <strong>in</strong>to a bucket <strong>in</strong> 15<br />
seconds. Multiply the recorded amount by 240<br />
and that equals your hourly flow rate.<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
The art of hos<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Spr<strong>in</strong>kler systems can work extremely well if<br />
they are well-designed; if not, they can waste<br />
water. The benefits of a good spr<strong>in</strong>kler system<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude the ability to water deeply over a long<br />
period without you hav<strong>in</strong>g to stand hold<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the hose for a couple of hours. You can turn<br />
on your spr<strong>in</strong>klers — or have a timer do that<br />
— and do other th<strong>in</strong>gs while they water the<br />
garden. Deep water<strong>in</strong>g doesn’t have to be<br />
done as often, either.<br />
If you like to hand-hose, make sure you<br />
use a trigger nozzle to restrict the flow.<br />
A strong blast will not penetrate and can<br />
wash soil away from the roots. Water deeply<br />
so the water penetrates. A light spray of water<br />
daily can <strong>in</strong>advertently prompt root systems<br />
When hos<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
water deeply<br />
to stay close to the surface of the soil, where<br />
they can be burnt or damaged by the sun.<br />
Move the hose <strong>in</strong> a slow, sweep<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
sideways motion, walk<strong>in</strong>g backwards and<br />
forwards, and enjoy the beauty of your<br />
garden. I remember when I planted my first<br />
garden, the pure joy of see<strong>in</strong>g each new<br />
seedl<strong>in</strong>g spr<strong>in</strong>g to life, watch<strong>in</strong>g new growth<br />
on plants flourish and witness<strong>in</strong>g the first<br />
bloom of spr<strong>in</strong>g flowers. To water the garden,<br />
Soil water<br />
requirements<br />
Clay needs less than sand, but keep<br />
moist and don’t let it dry out.<br />
Sand needs frequent water<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>in</strong> small<br />
amounts, to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> moisture.<br />
Loam can just be watered as needed,<br />
especially silty loam.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 51
WEEKEND GARDENING | Water wisdom<br />
I’d take a stroll around <strong>in</strong> the late afternoon,<br />
hose <strong>in</strong> one hand and the occasional glass of<br />
w<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> the other. It was wonderful therapy<br />
after a hard day <strong>in</strong> the office.<br />
How often and<br />
when to water?<br />
“For plants, it can vary depend<strong>in</strong>g on their<br />
<strong>in</strong>dividual needs but <strong>in</strong> summer, water every<br />
day if you have shallow-rooted vegetables;<br />
for shrubs and trees, deep-water every week,”<br />
says Jade. “In w<strong>in</strong>ter, knock that back to every<br />
two to three days for vegetables, and a deep<br />
water every month for shrubs and trees.”<br />
Not sure if it’s time to water? To see if the<br />
garden needs moisture, poke your f<strong>in</strong>ger<br />
<strong>in</strong>to the soil and if it comes out the colour<br />
of the soil, it still has moisture. Or buy a<br />
device that tells you when water levels need<br />
topp<strong>in</strong>g up.<br />
It’s not just how much but also when you<br />
water that counts. Water<strong>in</strong>g at the optimal<br />
time reduces stress on plants, maximises<br />
moisture uptake and uses less water. Water<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> the morn<strong>in</strong>g or early even<strong>in</strong>g gives the<br />
droplets of water time to work their way <strong>in</strong>to<br />
the soil before the sun dries them out.<br />
Harvest<strong>in</strong>g water<br />
These days, you don’t need a lot of space to<br />
fit a tank, which is good news with shr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g<br />
house blocks. Sliml<strong>in</strong>e tanks can fit <strong>in</strong>to small<br />
spaces, and even a 2000L water tank is<br />
enough to supply a small garden. If you have<br />
no available space outdoors, go under the<br />
house with a bladder tank.<br />
Soil savers<br />
Aside from establish<strong>in</strong>g a water<strong>in</strong>g regime, the<br />
best way to keep moisture <strong>in</strong> the soil is to add<br />
plenty of organic matter and mulch well to reta<strong>in</strong><br />
moisture. You can also add soil-wett<strong>in</strong>g agents,<br />
but read labels carefully and use spar<strong>in</strong>gly. Some<br />
aren’t designed for organic gardeners.<br />
Irrigation systems<br />
Many garden<strong>in</strong>g gurus will happily extol the<br />
virtues of irrigation systems and timers. Once<br />
you have established the water needs of your<br />
plants and garden, they make life simpler and<br />
reduce water wastage and time spent water<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Drip irrigation systems are easy to DIY or, if<br />
budget allows, you can choose pop-up irrigation<br />
systems with multiple l<strong>in</strong>es, computerised soilmoisture<br />
sensors and more.<br />
In small and potted gardens a<br />
water<strong>in</strong>g can is very targeted<br />
Water tanks can be<br />
compact enough to fit at<br />
the side of most houses<br />
Upended bottle<br />
drip feed<strong>in</strong>g<br />
water to plant<br />
Water<strong>in</strong>g tips<br />
Create a moat around a plant so, when<br />
it ra<strong>in</strong>s, the water soaks <strong>in</strong> deeply.<br />
Fill a plastic water bottle with water,<br />
pierce a few holes <strong>in</strong> the lid, and<br />
upend it near thirsty plants or newly<br />
established shrubs so it drip-feeds<br />
an <strong>in</strong>dividual plant.<br />
Soaker systems are a cheap<br />
alternative to drip irrigation systems.<br />
Create natural w<strong>in</strong>dbreaks of<br />
hedg<strong>in</strong>g plants such as lilly pilly or<br />
clump<strong>in</strong>g bamboo to moderate the<br />
effects of dry<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
CanStockPhoto, Kerry Boyne<br />
52 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Wobble-Tee<br />
Waters a large area up to 15m<br />
diameter, but can be adjusted at<br />
your tap to water smaller areas.<br />
Applies water slowly and evenly<br />
with a consistent droplet size<br />
at pressures from 15 to 40psi.<br />
Will also operate effectively<br />
from as low as 5psi.<br />
Will operate from a town<br />
water supply, pressure pump,<br />
overhead water tank, gravity<br />
fed system, recycled water,<br />
envirocycle system, effluent<br />
re-use, dam, bore or grey water.<br />
No mist<strong>in</strong>g on low-medium<br />
pressures.<br />
Average flow rate of 10 LPM.<br />
<br />
Add-On-Ability allows you<br />
to operate more than one<br />
spr<strong>in</strong>kler from the same tap.<br />
WINNER<br />
Smart Approved WaterMark<br />
2012 Product of the Year<br />
PRESSURE P.S.I 5 10 15 20 25 30 40<br />
APPROX DIAMETER<br />
IN METRES<br />
<strong>6.</strong>2 12 13.8 14.5 14.8 15 16<br />
USAGE L.P.M 4.1 6 7.3 9.1 10 10.7 13<br />
Available from<br />
AGnVET, Bunn<strong>in</strong>gs, CRT,<br />
Dahlsens, Elders, Home<br />
Hardware, Hunter Irrigation,<br />
Landmark, Mitre 10, Plants Plus,<br />
Pursehouse Rural, Thrifty-L<strong>in</strong>k,<br />
Total Eden and True Value.<br />
Ideal for small lawn areas<br />
and gardens with a water<strong>in</strong>g<br />
diameter of up to 8 metres.<br />
Low angle of trajectory<br />
reduces w<strong>in</strong>d drift.<br />
<br />
Operates on low and high<br />
pressure from 5 to 50psi.<br />
Average flow rate of 4 LPM.<br />
Adjustable angle base for<br />
uneven surfaces.<br />
Purpose shaped base for<br />
roof cool<strong>in</strong>g on work sheds<br />
and bird aviaries.<br />
Pressure regulat<strong>in</strong>g discs are<br />
provided for use <strong>in</strong> areas of<br />
high water pressure.<br />
Add-On-Ability allows you<br />
to operate more than one<br />
spr<strong>in</strong>kler from the same tap.<br />
Drip irrigation is waterwise<br />
but ensure there are<br />
dippers at each plant<br />
DISC USED DISC DISC<br />
WATERING<br />
DIAMETER<br />
APPROX.<br />
LITRES/MIN<br />
1.5M<br />
TO 3.0M<br />
2.5M<br />
TO 4.0M<br />
1.75MM<br />
DISC<br />
3.5M<br />
TO 5.0M<br />
2.0MM<br />
DISC<br />
4.5M<br />
TO <strong>6.</strong>0M<br />
WITHOUT<br />
DISC<br />
EFFECTIVE<br />
UP TO 8M<br />
2.5 3.0 3.5 4.5 <strong>6.</strong>5<br />
T. 02 4975 3222 | www.wobble-tee.com.au<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 53
WEEKEND GARDENING | Summer shade<br />
THE HEAT IS ON! ...<br />
YOUR VEGIES<br />
The heat of the summer sun can be a real challenge<br />
<strong>in</strong> the garden, particularly the edible garden<br />
Words Claire Bickle<br />
Depend<strong>in</strong>g on your climatic zone, <strong>in</strong> the<br />
summer months, you may experience long<br />
periods of drought accompanied by scorch<strong>in</strong>g<br />
temperatures, or you could see heavy ra<strong>in</strong>fall<br />
with high temperatures and humidity.<br />
Both high humidity and strong, radiant<br />
heat from the sun can damage plants and<br />
make them vulnerable, especially those you<br />
may be try<strong>in</strong>g to establish.<br />
Most softer-leafed edibles will be grateful<br />
for some protection from the midday sun’s<br />
rays. In my experience, even summer-lov<strong>in</strong>g<br />
crops such as pumpk<strong>in</strong>s, cucumbers and<br />
melons can have their leaves scorched<br />
beyond recovery.<br />
However, most of the edibles we like to<br />
grow do need a sunny location for healthy<br />
growth and to come to fruition. If you th<strong>in</strong>k<br />
plant<strong>in</strong>g your crops <strong>in</strong> a shady spot will<br />
resolve all the summer heat problems, you’ll<br />
soon f<strong>in</strong>d that’s not the case. They will stretch<br />
for the sun, be prone to fungal problems and<br />
<strong>in</strong>sect attack and, because of the ambient air<br />
temperature, still bolt to flower.<br />
Common problems<br />
caused by too<br />
much heat<br />
Bolt<strong>in</strong>g: This is where plants prematurely<br />
send up flower spikes, flower and then set<br />
seed. High temperatures have this effect<br />
on many edible favourites such as lettuce,<br />
Asian greens, coriander, fennel, dill and<br />
more. A lot of edibles can also become<br />
quite bitter when deprived of adequate<br />
water dur<strong>in</strong>g dry periods.<br />
Scorch<strong>in</strong>g and bleach<strong>in</strong>g: This is where the<br />
tissue of the plant is damaged, which can<br />
then lead to fungal and bacterial problems<br />
and, of course, if hot enough, scorch a plant to<br />
the po<strong>in</strong>t of no return.<br />
Failure to form fruit: Sometimes the<br />
flowers of tomatoes, for example, may drop<br />
from heat stress, or fruit development<br />
can suffer. Plus, extreme heat favours<br />
development of more male flowers on some<br />
plants, such as pumpk<strong>in</strong>.<br />
GettyImages<br />
54 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Summer shade | WEEKEND GARDENING<br />
Shade options<br />
Shade cloth: This can be used <strong>in</strong> the creation<br />
of a semi-circular shade tunnel, propped up<br />
and hung over on garden stakes or simply<br />
carefully placed on top of the crops if sudden<br />
extreme weather temperatures are forecast.<br />
You may wish to experiment a bit with which<br />
shade percentage <strong>in</strong> the various shade cloths<br />
suits your location, but I recommend keep<strong>in</strong>g<br />
it to light shade. I personally th<strong>in</strong>k 30–50 per<br />
cent shad<strong>in</strong>g is better than 70 per cent.<br />
Other plants as nurse plants: There are many<br />
plants that can act as a w<strong>in</strong>dbreak or sun filter<br />
<strong>in</strong> the garden. Know<strong>in</strong>g exactly where north is<br />
on your property and the track<strong>in</strong>g of the sun<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the day means you can strategically<br />
plant certa<strong>in</strong> taller-grow<strong>in</strong>g, tougher edibles or<br />
ornamentals to cast shadow and shade onto<br />
softer, more delicate edibles. Some options<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude rows of sunflowers, fast-grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
pigeon pea shrubs (Cajanus cajan), beans<br />
such as snake beans grow<strong>in</strong>g up a tepee, and<br />
trellises with plants such as passionfruit or<br />
chokos grow<strong>in</strong>g on them.<br />
Even underplant<strong>in</strong>g larger vegetables, such<br />
as eggplants or corn, with lettuce, rocket or<br />
squash can be effective. You may need to<br />
experiment — garden<strong>in</strong>g is very much about<br />
trial and error and f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g out what works for<br />
you <strong>in</strong> your climate and location.<br />
Most softer-leafed edibles will be grateful for<br />
some protection from the midday sun’s rays.<br />
Protection from hot sun is<br />
essential for some plants<br />
Jana Holmer<br />
Water stress: A sudden need for water<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g heatwave conditions with heavy<br />
loss of moisture through evaporation can<br />
lead to blossom end rot, especially on<br />
tomatoes and capsicums. This blacken<strong>in</strong>g<br />
at the bottom of the fruit is due to calcium<br />
deficiency when the plant lacks water.<br />
Higher susceptibility to pest and<br />
disease: Heat- and water-stressed plants<br />
are weakened and more prone to disease<br />
issues and attack by pests.<br />
As you can see, <strong>in</strong>adequate protection<br />
from <strong>in</strong>tense rays, especially coupled with<br />
poor nutrition and thirst, will dim<strong>in</strong>ish and<br />
even h<strong>in</strong>der crop productivity, mak<strong>in</strong>g all your<br />
efforts before this po<strong>in</strong>t virtually wasted.<br />
A semi-permanent<br />
shade structure<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 55
WEEKEND GARDENING | Summer shade<br />
Summer protection<br />
tips<br />
Choose site-appropriate plants <strong>in</strong> the first<br />
place. There are varieties and cultivars of<br />
many species that are specially bred to<br />
cope with particular conditions.<br />
Know plants’ water needs and plant those<br />
with similar needs together so you can<br />
water accord<strong>in</strong>gly.<br />
Improve your soil with organic matter so it<br />
holds moisture with<strong>in</strong> the soil.<br />
Mulch to protect roots from temperature<br />
extremes and to help soil reta<strong>in</strong> moisture<br />
and suppress weed growth. Mulch will<br />
also help prevent erosion and slow heavy<br />
ra<strong>in</strong>fall so it soaks <strong>in</strong>to the soil <strong>in</strong>stead of<br />
runn<strong>in</strong>g off.<br />
Plant <strong>in</strong> pots. That way, you can move plants<br />
around accord<strong>in</strong>g to plant species’ cultural<br />
requirements and the weather conditions.<br />
Create shade and w<strong>in</strong>dbreaks with either<br />
liv<strong>in</strong>g or non-liv<strong>in</strong>g options.<br />
Install or build a pond. This will help create<br />
a microclimate with<strong>in</strong> a garden and have<br />
a cool<strong>in</strong>g and moisture-creat<strong>in</strong>g effect,<br />
especially if prevail<strong>in</strong>g w<strong>in</strong>ds and airflow<br />
cross over it. (See The Shed, page 68.)<br />
Use antitranspirants. These products stop<br />
plants from transpir<strong>in</strong>g and los<strong>in</strong>g water<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g periods of high temperatures. They<br />
also protect plants from frost and aid <strong>in</strong><br />
reduc<strong>in</strong>g transplant shock. I am not aware<br />
of any certified-organic options on the<br />
market, though.<br />
Sometimes the flowers of tomatoes, for<br />
example, may drop from heat stress, or fruit<br />
development can suffer.<br />
Establish<strong>in</strong>g new<br />
plants<br />
When try<strong>in</strong>g to establish new plants such<br />
as shrubs and fruit<strong>in</strong>g trees, aim do to so <strong>in</strong><br />
the cooler months if possible — spr<strong>in</strong>g at<br />
the latest.<br />
If this is not possible, the use of water<br />
wells, water bags, water tubes and even<br />
water bottle spikes are good options for<br />
ensur<strong>in</strong>g regular water dur<strong>in</strong>g summer.<br />
Inconsistent water dur<strong>in</strong>g plant<br />
establishment can lead to poor growth<br />
and even death. Drip irrigation is always a<br />
better option and far more effective than<br />
mist<strong>in</strong>g irrigation <strong>in</strong> any situation.<br />
Applications of seaweed and fish<br />
emulsion will not only reduce transplant<br />
shock but also strengthen the plants’<br />
vascular systems and cell walls, mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
them more tolerant of weather extremes<br />
and less likely to succumb to pest and<br />
disease attack.<br />
Liv<strong>in</strong>g shade: a wall of<br />
sunflowers<br />
Underplant corn with plants<br />
that need a little shade<br />
Lemongrass is happy <strong>in</strong> the heat<br />
Brassicas like kale tolerate<br />
some shade<br />
Summer performers<br />
Plants that cope with <strong>in</strong>tense sun<br />
Look<strong>in</strong>g to Southeast Asian or<br />
Mediterranean crops can be helpful<br />
for know<strong>in</strong>g what will cope with our<br />
hot summers. It just depends on what<br />
type of summer you have: hot and<br />
humid subtropical–tropical or hot, dry<br />
Mediterranean-type summers. Asian<br />
natives that like our tropical summers<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude kang kong, amaranth, snake bean,<br />
New Gu<strong>in</strong>ea bean, luffa, Ceylon sp<strong>in</strong>ach,<br />
Sur<strong>in</strong>am sp<strong>in</strong>ach, Ok<strong>in</strong>awa sp<strong>in</strong>ach,<br />
lemongrass, perennial or sawtooth<br />
coriander, taro, cocoyam and rosella.<br />
Capsicum, tomato, eggplant and chilli<br />
love a Mediterranean-style summer, while<br />
pumpk<strong>in</strong>, melons, cucumbers and sweet<br />
corn also thrive <strong>in</strong> the heat but, if extremes<br />
are expected, even these warm-season<br />
crops may suffer.<br />
Plants that cope with low water<br />
If you need to ration water, plants that<br />
won’t m<strong>in</strong>d too much <strong>in</strong>clude rosemary,<br />
lavender, artichoke, loquat, bay, olive,<br />
persimmon, fig, pomegranate, various nuts,<br />
feijoa (p<strong>in</strong>eapple guava), sage, thyme,<br />
samphire, grapev<strong>in</strong>es, aloe vera, day lily,<br />
dandelion, chicory and nettle.<br />
Plants that cope with a bit of shade<br />
Keep <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d that, although be<strong>in</strong>g grown<br />
<strong>in</strong> a semi-shaded position reduces the<br />
chance of scorch<strong>in</strong>g, it’s the ambient<br />
air temperature that causes a lot of the<br />
leafy green vegetables to bolt to flower<br />
and seed. Some edibles that will tolerate<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a bit of shade, however, <strong>in</strong>clude<br />
broccoli, kale, mustard, rocket, lettuce,<br />
sp<strong>in</strong>ach, silver beet, endive and radicchio.<br />
CanStockPhoto, Jana Holmer, Shutterstock<br />
56 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Summer shade | WEEKEND GARDENING<br />
Leafy greens need some protection<br />
<strong>in</strong> the tropical heat<br />
Feijoas don’t need a lot of<br />
water <strong>in</strong> hot weather<br />
Targeted shade<br />
Around 60% of our rubbish <strong>in</strong> landfills can be composted<br />
Sandra Tuszynska, CanStockPhoto, Shutterstock<br />
Compost<strong>in</strong>gHome.com.au<br />
for all you need to know and products that will help you produce compost.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 57
PEST PATROL | Beneficial <strong>in</strong>sects<br />
We can’t live without bees<br />
MORE HAPPY HELPERS<br />
There are so many great little critters <strong>in</strong> our gardens<br />
that we needed a part two of our good bugs round-up<br />
Words Claire Bickle<br />
Insects are some of the most abundant<br />
creatures on Earth and they all play an<br />
important role with<strong>in</strong> our ecosystems.<br />
<strong>Organic</strong> gardeners and farmers are able<br />
to put aside an aversion to <strong>in</strong>sects that we all<br />
seem to have, probably because of the few<br />
bothersome or aggressive ones, and understand<br />
that <strong>in</strong> nature, there is always a balance.<br />
<strong>Organic</strong> garden<strong>in</strong>g techniques, whereby<br />
the use of synthetic chemicals is eschewed<br />
and soil and plant health are ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
by the addition of organic matter, will see<br />
balance created and, hopefully, very few severe<br />
unmanageable pest and disease outbreaks.<br />
In our last issue, we looked at beneficial<br />
bugs that wage war on some of the baddies<br />
whose populations can get out of hand from<br />
time to time. Here, we profile a few more of<br />
the amaz<strong>in</strong>g and vital <strong>in</strong>sects that create<br />
balance and important biodiversity <strong>in</strong> our<br />
backyards and our environment <strong>in</strong> general.<br />
Their roles can be as predators, poll<strong>in</strong>ators<br />
and more.<br />
Bees; Order:<br />
Hemiptera<br />
I don’t th<strong>in</strong>k I have to tell you about<br />
the benefits of bees but I will anyway.<br />
These magical <strong>in</strong>sects have captured the<br />
imag<strong>in</strong>ation of the human race s<strong>in</strong>ce the<br />
dawn of time and there are some tens of<br />
thousands of species worldwide.<br />
Bees are regarded as very important<br />
poll<strong>in</strong>ators of so many plant species and<br />
without their perpetual efforts, we would<br />
be a rather hungry human race and there<br />
would be limited plant diversity.<br />
The most recognised bee <strong>in</strong> Australia is the<br />
European honeybee, <strong>in</strong>troduced more than<br />
150 years ago. But did you know that these<br />
imported bee species are becom<strong>in</strong>g feral,<br />
compet<strong>in</strong>g with our native bees for habitat<br />
and nectar sources?<br />
In Australia, we have dozens of species of<br />
native bees. Some are solitary and some are<br />
colony form<strong>in</strong>g, but they all play an important<br />
role <strong>in</strong> poll<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g a wide and varied range of<br />
plant species.<br />
Common native bee species<br />
Sugarbag or st<strong>in</strong>gless: It’s becom<strong>in</strong>g quite<br />
common for people to have hives for these<br />
t<strong>in</strong>y little black bees <strong>in</strong> backyards.<br />
58 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Beneficial <strong>in</strong>sects | PEST PATROL<br />
Blue-banded: Around the size of a European<br />
honeybee, this bee has dist<strong>in</strong>ctive blue bands<br />
on its abdomen.<br />
Leafcutter: Sometimes the only way you<br />
know these bees are present <strong>in</strong> your garden<br />
is by the very neat semi-circular bites <strong>in</strong> your<br />
rose leaves. They take these pieces of leaf<br />
away to create their nests.<br />
Others to look for: Reed, Carpenter and<br />
Teddy Bear.<br />
Bees, of course, like many other <strong>in</strong>sects,<br />
are very sensitive to pesticide exposure. So,<br />
if you want to <strong>in</strong>crease your bee population,<br />
plant more flowers and stop spray<strong>in</strong>g any<br />
toxic pesticides. Even organic pesticides<br />
should only be used as a last resort and only<br />
at times when bees aren’t around, such as<br />
<strong>in</strong> the late afternoon. Research shows that<br />
the neonicot<strong>in</strong>oid pesticides are the worst<br />
<strong>in</strong> affect<strong>in</strong>g bee health and add<strong>in</strong>g to bee<br />
population decl<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
Native Leaf Cutter bee<br />
Native Blue Banded bee<br />
(Amegilla spp.)<br />
David Rentz, Sandra Tuszynska, Shutterstock, Claire Bickle<br />
Beetles; Order:<br />
Coleoptera<br />
No word of a lie, there are more species of<br />
beetle on this planet than of any other creature!<br />
And with so many species come the many<br />
varied roles they play with<strong>in</strong> the environment.<br />
From dung beetles to predatory types,<br />
these little fellows reign supreme <strong>in</strong> our<br />
gardens. The various carnivorous beetle<br />
species are the best at pest removal. And, of<br />
course, there are some beetle species that are<br />
a curse to gardeners, such as the 28-spotted<br />
ladybeetle, the hibiscus beetle and all the<br />
borer beetles whose larvae can wreak havoc<br />
<strong>in</strong> established tree trunks and branches. The<br />
vast majority, though, are beneficial, with<br />
ladybeetles the most recognised.<br />
There are huge numbers of ground beetle<br />
species, rove beetles and soldier beetles,<br />
and these desirable beetles can be found on<br />
plants and under leaf litter and bark, wait<strong>in</strong>g<br />
for their prey; some will even actively patrol<br />
the garden seek<strong>in</strong>g out their prey.<br />
A lot of beetles tend to be more active<br />
at night so they are protected under the<br />
cover of darkness from larger predators<br />
com<strong>in</strong>g after them.<br />
Encourage beetles to your garden by<br />
leav<strong>in</strong>g leaf litter <strong>in</strong> place, hav<strong>in</strong>g good<br />
biodiversity and tak<strong>in</strong>g the time to educate<br />
yourself to recognise which are beneficial<br />
species and which are not.<br />
Butterflies; Order:<br />
Lepidoptera<br />
Butterflies truly capture the imag<strong>in</strong>ation of<br />
the young and old alike when found flutter<strong>in</strong>g<br />
around <strong>in</strong> nature or <strong>in</strong> the garden.<br />
But everyone needs to remember that<br />
butterflies, of course, start off as humble<br />
caterpillars, so kill<strong>in</strong>g all the caterpillars<br />
<strong>in</strong> your garden can greatly reduce your<br />
butterfly numbers.<br />
Butterflies are important poll<strong>in</strong>ators, as<br />
are moths. They happily float about many<br />
a garden, dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g nectar from flowers with<br />
their long probosces. Some species live for up<br />
to six months, others only a few days.<br />
Moths are also classed as poll<strong>in</strong>ators and<br />
they actively seek out nectar <strong>in</strong> the even<strong>in</strong>g<br />
rather than dur<strong>in</strong>g the day, attracted by many<br />
white and/or scented flowers.<br />
To attract butterflies to your garden, you<br />
not only need to have a diverse range of<br />
nectar-produc<strong>in</strong>g flowers but you also need<br />
to know which host plant suits each species<br />
of butterfly. The caterpillars of each species<br />
are usually very plant-host-specific. A little<br />
research on local butterfly species will soon<br />
have you on the road to know<strong>in</strong>g what to<br />
plant for your hungry grubs.<br />
Plague Soldier beetle<br />
(Chauliognathus lugubris)<br />
Blue Tiger butterfly<br />
<strong>in</strong> my garden<br />
Common Australian butterflies<br />
Orchard Swallowtail, Common Crow, Blue<br />
Triangle, Lemon Emigrant, Wanderer, Even<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Brown, Blue Tiger. How many species can you<br />
spot <strong>in</strong> your garden?<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 59
PEST PATROL | Beneficial <strong>in</strong>sects<br />
Earwigs; Order:<br />
Dermaptera<br />
These little <strong>in</strong>sect species can sometimes<br />
get a bad rap because they can often cause<br />
small amounts of damage on seedl<strong>in</strong>gs,<br />
fruit and plants. They redeem themselves,<br />
though, by also caus<strong>in</strong>g havoc for a range of<br />
nuisance garden pests such as caterpillars<br />
and sap-suck<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>sects, and they also feed<br />
on garden waste.<br />
The name earwig has long caused people<br />
to have horrible visions of these small brown<br />
<strong>in</strong>sects crawl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to people’s ears, but<br />
this doesn’t happen as they have far more<br />
favoured dark, moist locations <strong>in</strong> our gardens<br />
to frequent.<br />
Spiders; Order:<br />
Araneae<br />
Most people have an <strong>in</strong>herent dislike of these<br />
eight-legged arachnids but every gardener<br />
should be grateful for hav<strong>in</strong>g a certa<strong>in</strong><br />
number of species <strong>in</strong> their backyard.<br />
Most spider species are not aggressive<br />
and would rather move on than <strong>in</strong>teract with<br />
us. Common species such as orbs, jump<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
flower, net casters, huntsmen, leaf curlers and<br />
daddy long legs are sometimes hard to f<strong>in</strong>d,<br />
as they are busily go<strong>in</strong>g about their bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
out of view.<br />
Some species are more active at night,<br />
tak<strong>in</strong>g advantage of the night-fly<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>sects<br />
by build<strong>in</strong>g their webs on dusk, ready for an<br />
even<strong>in</strong>g catch. Other species are more mobile<br />
and ambush their unsuspect<strong>in</strong>g prey by<br />
hid<strong>in</strong>g on plants, logs, leaf litter and so on.<br />
Some spider species can even change<br />
colour to attract their prey, while others<br />
have camouflage tactics to make them<br />
harder to spot by either the prey they are<br />
try<strong>in</strong>g to catch or by even larger predators<br />
such as lizards, birds and wasps try<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
predate on them.<br />
All <strong>in</strong> all, spiders will consume a vast<br />
number of <strong>in</strong>sects <strong>in</strong> your garden.<br />
Wasps; Order:<br />
Hymenoptera<br />
There are literally thousands of species<br />
of wasps — <strong>in</strong> Australia alone, there are<br />
more than 10,000 and most of us nonentomologists<br />
th<strong>in</strong>k of them as <strong>in</strong>sects that<br />
st<strong>in</strong>g, even though there are actually only a<br />
few species that have that capacity when<br />
they feel threatened. Many are very beneficial<br />
to have <strong>in</strong> the garden.<br />
Most wasps are nectar feeders as adults<br />
but as larvae they are voracious meat eaters!<br />
It’s a bug-eat-bug world out there.<br />
Some parasitic wasps will actually lay their<br />
eggs <strong>in</strong>side liv<strong>in</strong>g caterpillars, bee and wasp<br />
larvae — even spiders — without the hosts<br />
even be<strong>in</strong>g aware that they have become<br />
liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>cubators. The wasps do this by<br />
paralys<strong>in</strong>g their victims with venom first. The<br />
eggs then eventually hatch and eat the host<br />
from the <strong>in</strong>side out, f<strong>in</strong>ally burst<strong>in</strong>g out once<br />
they have reached adulthood.<br />
There are even parasitic wasp species that<br />
parasitise other parasitic wasp species!<br />
Common wasps <strong>in</strong> Australian backyards<br />
Ichneumon: This group have very dist<strong>in</strong>ctive,<br />
long antennae that they use to seek out<br />
larvae hid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> plant stems, logs and so forth.<br />
They are st<strong>in</strong>gless and can parasitise large<br />
numbers of pest species with<strong>in</strong> the garden.<br />
Lawn grubs are fair game.<br />
Paper: Colony wasps that create paperylook<strong>in</strong>g<br />
nests out of saliva and wood,<br />
they feed their young on partially eaten<br />
caterpillars and <strong>in</strong>sects.<br />
Mud Dauber: These are solitary wasps that<br />
make small egg cases out of water and mud.<br />
They place parasitised spiders and caterpillars<br />
<strong>in</strong> these mud cases and seal them <strong>in</strong>.<br />
Cuckoo: These wasps <strong>in</strong>vade other wasps’<br />
and bees’ nests and parasitise their larvae.<br />
Spider: These species paralyse spiders,<br />
parasitise them and then imprison them<br />
<strong>in</strong>side their egg cases and nests.<br />
Mud Dauber wasp<br />
Australian native earwig<br />
(Labidura truncata), by far<br />
the commonest species<br />
Garden orb weaver spider<br />
(Eriophora sp.)<br />
Donald Hobern, CSIRO<br />
60 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Beneficial <strong>in</strong>sects | PEST PATROL<br />
Paper wasps<br />
(Polistes humilis)<br />
Parasitic wasp attack<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
spotted alfalfa aphid<br />
Bugs to buy<br />
You may not be aware that you can<br />
purchase beneficial <strong>in</strong>sects to establish<br />
a population <strong>in</strong> your garden.<br />
• Bugs for Bugs supplies more than 10<br />
species of natural enemies, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
parasitic wasps, ladybirds and more, as<br />
well as baits and traps for controll<strong>in</strong>g<br />
fruit flies. bugsforbugs.com.au<br />
• Ecogrow supplies entomopathogenic<br />
nematodes to control pests such<br />
as lawn army worm and destructive<br />
weevils and beetles. ecogrow.com.au<br />
Biocontrol Specialists<br />
Californicus & TSM (Image by Andrew Manners DAF Qld)<br />
Lacew<strong>in</strong>g Adult (Image by Tony Meredith & Dan Papacek)<br />
Lacew<strong>in</strong>g Larvae (Image by Dan Papacek)<br />
Cryptolaemus (Image by Denis Crawford)<br />
CSIRO<br />
WE SHIP AUSTRALIA WIDE | PHONE: (07) 4165 4663<br />
www.bugsforbugs.com.au<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 61
GARDENING COMMUNITY | future feeders<br />
keep<strong>in</strong>g it<br />
SMALL & DIVERSE<br />
A practical system of food grow<strong>in</strong>g, and a vision for how we might grow<br />
the next generation of farmers, is underway <strong>in</strong> northern NSW<br />
62 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
future feeders | GARDENING COMMUNITY<br />
Opposite: Joel Orchard<br />
Words Jo Immig<br />
Photos Jo Immig & Joel Orchard<br />
Meet<strong>in</strong>g young farmer Joel<br />
Orchard was one of those<br />
excit<strong>in</strong>g moments <strong>in</strong> life when<br />
you realise you’re look<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to<br />
the eyes of someone who will actually make<br />
the world a better place. Stand<strong>in</strong>g among<br />
the tulsi basil, alive with bees, words tumble<br />
enthusiastically out of his mouth about the<br />
future of farm<strong>in</strong>g and the role young farmers<br />
can play given half a chance. And he grows<br />
burst<strong>in</strong>g-with-goodness food, too!<br />
Orig<strong>in</strong>ally from Warrnambool, Victoria, Joel<br />
was raised grow<strong>in</strong>g backyard vegetables<br />
surrounded by rich dairy country. He then<br />
headed to Melbourne to study science and<br />
got <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> the urban food movement.<br />
After a crippl<strong>in</strong>g drought <strong>in</strong> country Victoria,<br />
he set his sights on the NSW Northern<br />
Rivers where he lives today, drawn by its<br />
<strong>in</strong>credibly rich farmland, which he describes<br />
as “embarrass<strong>in</strong>gly underutilised”.<br />
Jigsaw farm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Inspired by the movement of young farmers<br />
return<strong>in</strong>g to the land <strong>in</strong> the USA and other<br />
parts of the world, Joel founded Future<br />
Feeders, a collaborative movement br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g<br />
together young farmers to address the social<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability of farm<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the face of the<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g global and national problem of an<br />
age<strong>in</strong>g farmer population and fewer young<br />
people gett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to farm<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
“We need a complete change <strong>in</strong> the<br />
dynamic of how young people are go<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
access land and develop their own farm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
enterprises,” says Joel. “We’ve lost what was<br />
once a family farm<strong>in</strong>g model where the farm<br />
got passed on generationally.<br />
“We’re see<strong>in</strong>g this transition to young<br />
people who are <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> gett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to<br />
farm<strong>in</strong>g and more or less com<strong>in</strong>g from urban<br />
backgrounds, but not able to afford to buy<br />
farms or farmland.”<br />
One of the ideas he floats is a return to<br />
tenant farm<strong>in</strong>g. “In the NSW Northern Rivers,<br />
there has been a wave of landholders who<br />
are essentially hobby or lifestyle farmers,”<br />
says Joel. “They have 100-acre blocks where<br />
they run a few cattle to keep the grass down,<br />
but that’s not grow<strong>in</strong>g food. It’s possible they<br />
could provide a couple of acres of land for a<br />
young farmer to have a house and get a start.”<br />
Joel farms on two acres at the<br />
Mullumbimby Community Gardens where he<br />
grows food us<strong>in</strong>g a community-supported<br />
agriculture model (CSA). CSA is a system<br />
whereby subscribers commit to support<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
farmer for a season, or longer, and <strong>in</strong> return<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 63
GARDENING COMMUNITY | Future Feeders<br />
pick up a weekly box of freshly picked,<br />
seasonal organic produce.<br />
The abundance and risks are shared, Joel<br />
expla<strong>in</strong>s, which is particularly apt as we tour<br />
the farm after an east coast low has brought<br />
flood<strong>in</strong>g ra<strong>in</strong>s and drowned some of his<br />
crops. He’ll source miss<strong>in</strong>g vegetables from<br />
other young farmers who fared better, for his<br />
weekly boxes.<br />
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to Joel, the new breed of farmer<br />
is tackl<strong>in</strong>g much smaller pieces of land, us<strong>in</strong>g<br />
higher-production biological systems and<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g a diverse range of locally suited crops.<br />
“My ideology around farm<strong>in</strong>g is based<br />
on ecology, as we know successful thriv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
ecologies depend on diversity,” he expla<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
“So when I look at my farm production<br />
system, I would call it an ecological system<br />
and that’s how I model it. When I look at the<br />
farm as a bus<strong>in</strong>ess enterprise, it has to carry<br />
through those ideas of ecology thriv<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
diversity and communities as well.”<br />
Work<strong>in</strong>g together, <strong>in</strong>stead of the isolated<br />
and competitive way that farm<strong>in</strong>g has<br />
become, is what <strong>in</strong>spired Joel to establish<br />
a network of young farmers so they can<br />
benefit from the efficiencies of scale and the<br />
effectiveness of be<strong>in</strong>g a larger-scale operation<br />
on paper, but geographically separated, much<br />
like br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g together pieces of a jigsaw.<br />
“If young farmers can work together <strong>in</strong> a<br />
network, we can <strong>in</strong>spire each other <strong>in</strong>to the<br />
social space we need,” expla<strong>in</strong>s Joel. “Work<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> isolation is a really unattractive offer to any<br />
young person th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g about start<strong>in</strong>g a career<br />
<strong>in</strong> farm<strong>in</strong>g and committ<strong>in</strong>g themselves to<br />
seven days a week. That’s unreasonable, but<br />
if we can work together with models of labour<br />
shar<strong>in</strong>g and time shar<strong>in</strong>g it can work.”<br />
Communitysupported<br />
agriculture<br />
As with other peer-to-peer bus<strong>in</strong>ess models,<br />
Joel believes associative economies and new<br />
societies are thriv<strong>in</strong>g on the idea of com<strong>in</strong>g<br />
back together aga<strong>in</strong>. “It’s actually us who’s<br />
do<strong>in</strong>g it for ourselves. It’s communities own<strong>in</strong>g<br />
their food production systems,” he says.<br />
Associative economies, first described by<br />
Rudolph Ste<strong>in</strong>er <strong>in</strong> lectures about economics<br />
<strong>in</strong> the 1920s, are based on the conscious<br />
co-ord<strong>in</strong>ation between producers, distributors<br />
and consumers. The goal is an economic<br />
sector managed by associations of <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
and consumers, rather than the “<strong>in</strong>visible<br />
hand” of the bl<strong>in</strong>d market <strong>in</strong> capitalist<br />
economies or government-owned enterprise<br />
<strong>in</strong> socialist economies.<br />
“That’s why I really look to the communitysupported<br />
agriculture model as someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that’s great for our community, because it<br />
gives everybody a sense of ownership and<br />
responsibility for their food,” Joel expla<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
“While farmers’ markets have been a great<br />
step <strong>in</strong> the right direction, they still suffer<br />
from a pay-and-walk-away mentality where<br />
your responsibility ends at the f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />
transaction. That responsibility also needs<br />
to extend to the health and wellbe<strong>in</strong>g of the<br />
farm and farmers because without them we<br />
all go hungry.”<br />
On try<strong>in</strong>g to make a liv<strong>in</strong>g as a farmer,<br />
Joel also po<strong>in</strong>ts to the problem that farm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
models have created where they depend<br />
on free labour, lead<strong>in</strong>g to an enormous skills<br />
deficit because that labour is transient and<br />
no one is keep<strong>in</strong>g young people or entic<strong>in</strong>g<br />
them to stay <strong>in</strong> the community and become<br />
food growers.<br />
“We haven’t centred our <strong>in</strong>dustries on<br />
farm<strong>in</strong>g be<strong>in</strong>g a viable future and I th<strong>in</strong>k<br />
there’s so much opportunity for it,” says Joel.<br />
“We really need to value food security. It’s<br />
crazy not to.”<br />
“We need a complete change <strong>in</strong> the dynamic of how<br />
young people are go<strong>in</strong>g to access land and develop<br />
their own farm<strong>in</strong>g enterprises. We’ve lost what was<br />
once a family farm<strong>in</strong>g model where the farm got<br />
passed on generationally.”<br />
Snow peas<br />
Weekly boxes<br />
Vegetable harvest<br />
Greens<br />
64 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Future Feeders | GARDENING COMMUNITY<br />
Garden visitor<br />
Joel Orchard with<br />
his <strong>in</strong>sect hotel<br />
Young farmers at<br />
the end of the day<br />
Participation builds<br />
trust<br />
Another development Joel and his band of<br />
young famers have underway is the Farm<br />
Endorsement Ecological Development (FEED)<br />
program. This quality-assurance scheme is<br />
based on IFOAM <strong>Organic</strong>s International’s<br />
Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS).<br />
Unlike national certify<strong>in</strong>g bodies, PGS is<br />
a locally focused quality-assurance scheme<br />
especially suited to small organic farmers<br />
and their consumers. It’s a far cheaper<br />
scheme based on the active participation of<br />
stakeholders who build on a foundation of trust,<br />
social networks and knowledge exchange.<br />
Joel expla<strong>in</strong>s, “PGS offers the community an<br />
opportunity to drive their own local certification<br />
system outside of the commercial organic<br />
agencies, so it gives the freedom to def<strong>in</strong>e what<br />
it is we want it to be and it gives farmers the<br />
freedom to access a level of reward for their<br />
<strong>in</strong>tegrity that doesn’t cost them an arm and a leg.<br />
“The fact that it is peer reviewed allows<br />
farmers to develop around good practice and<br />
enhances their capacity to communicate,<br />
develop skills and f<strong>in</strong>d out what other people<br />
are do<strong>in</strong>g. It’s a tool to get farmers to work<br />
together as a community aga<strong>in</strong> because<br />
we’ve forgotten how to do that.<br />
“The grandest vision for me is to use the<br />
agriculture <strong>in</strong>dustry to preserve what we<br />
love about the natural identity of an area. If<br />
we can preserve the green roll<strong>in</strong>g hills and<br />
use farm<strong>in</strong>g to develop healthier ecologies,<br />
then that’s triple bottom l<strong>in</strong>e. We get locally<br />
available organic food and we get to provide<br />
livelihoods for young people and keep them <strong>in</strong><br />
a community. If young people can’t afford to<br />
stay <strong>in</strong> a community, essentially we are los<strong>in</strong>g<br />
all of the wonderful young m<strong>in</strong>ds because<br />
there’s no opportunity for them.”<br />
Joel predicts the next big th<strong>in</strong>g after the<br />
organic wave will be this direct connection<br />
with the farmer. He sees a whole market<strong>in</strong>g<br />
trend towards produce grown by humans, not<br />
robots. I know which one I prefer.<br />
Resources<br />
Future Feeders, futurefeeders.org<br />
International Federation of <strong>Organic</strong><br />
Movements (IFOAM), ifoam.bio<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 65
ONLINE GARDENING | The Gardenettes<br />
L–R: Dani Venn, Chloe Thomson, Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g<br />
DIGITAL<br />
digg<strong>in</strong>g<br />
If you haven’t already come across the<br />
fabulous Gardenettes, you’re miss<strong>in</strong>g out.<br />
Catch them on their website, YouTube<br />
channel or Facebook or Instagram page<br />
Photos Ger Hynes<br />
In this fast-paced world of <strong>in</strong>stant<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation and portable gadgets,<br />
how do you capture a new generation<br />
of hands-<strong>in</strong>-the-earth gardeners?<br />
This is a question that might just be<br />
answered by The Gardenettes, a new<br />
100 per cent onl<strong>in</strong>e garden<strong>in</strong>g and cook<strong>in</strong>g<br />
show designed to <strong>in</strong>spire people with an<br />
on-the-go lifestyle to take some time out<br />
to smell the tomatoes — and cook them<br />
as well!<br />
The girls’ retro style and ’40s hair give<br />
the show a feel<strong>in</strong>g of nostalgia and you<br />
can be guaranteed of lots of Nan-approved<br />
garden<strong>in</strong>g tips and simple home-style recipes<br />
that can be whipped up <strong>in</strong> a jiffy. But the<br />
66 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
The Gardenettes | ONLINE GARDENING<br />
plants, products and advice featured are on<br />
trend and up to the m<strong>in</strong>ute.<br />
The stories are short and sharp, with<br />
plenty of <strong>in</strong>spir<strong>in</strong>g projects and simple takehome<br />
ideas. Episodes are themed <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
potted style, organic pest control, grow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
edibles for use <strong>in</strong> the kitchen and how to<br />
cook them. And, despite their v<strong>in</strong>tage-glam<br />
look, the Gardenettes are not afraid to roll<br />
up their sleeves and get a bit of dirt or flour<br />
under their f<strong>in</strong>gernails.<br />
Each seven-to-10-m<strong>in</strong>ute episode features<br />
the girls work<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> everyday gardens, big and<br />
small, and their own home-style kitchens.<br />
The show is the bra<strong>in</strong>child of home-grown<br />
garden experts Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g and Chloe<br />
Thomson, who believe that a new approach<br />
to view<strong>in</strong>g and consum<strong>in</strong>g garden<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation is just what’s needed to <strong>in</strong>spire a<br />
new generation of budd<strong>in</strong>g green thumbs.<br />
“Every day the world is becom<strong>in</strong>g more<br />
digital and more mobile. The way we view<br />
shows now is about so much more than just<br />
tun<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> to watch live TV,” Chloe says. “We<br />
wanted to create a show that’s fast paced,<br />
fun and fabulous, but still based on down-toearth<br />
garden<strong>in</strong>g pr<strong>in</strong>ciples.” “The sort of th<strong>in</strong>g<br />
people can watch <strong>in</strong> their own gardens or<br />
kitchens to <strong>in</strong>spire them,” Melissa adds.<br />
Melissa and Chloe have both been around<br />
the garden<strong>in</strong>g block a few times, hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />
appeared on some of Australia’s biggest<br />
garden<strong>in</strong>g and lifestyle shows. Melissa has<br />
a degree <strong>in</strong> horticulture and is a well-known<br />
TV presenter, writer and author. Chloe has<br />
a degree <strong>in</strong> agricultural science and has<br />
Stories <strong>in</strong> each episode have themes <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
potted style, organic pest control, grow<strong>in</strong>g edibles<br />
for use <strong>in</strong> the kitchen and how to cook them.<br />
Chloe Thomson has a degree <strong>in</strong><br />
agricultural science and a garden<strong>in</strong>g<br />
blog titled Bean There Dug That<br />
Melissa K<strong>in</strong>g is a horticulturist, well-known<br />
TV personality and writer<br />
worked as a TV presenter, writer and blogger.<br />
She’s currently complet<strong>in</strong>g her Masters of<br />
Horticulture at Burnley.<br />
Excit<strong>in</strong>gly, the girls take The Gardenettes<br />
beyond a garden<strong>in</strong>g show, br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g seasonal<br />
and healthy recipes to the table, too, thanks<br />
to the talented Dani Venn. A f<strong>in</strong>alist from<br />
the 2011 season of MasterChef and now<br />
The Wholehearted Cook, Dani’s bubbly<br />
personality and delicious recipes round out<br />
each episode beautifully.<br />
The Gardenettes airs fortnightly via<br />
their website (thegardenettes.com.au) and<br />
YouTube channel and the episodes can be<br />
watched and re-watched whenever and<br />
wherever you wa nt.<br />
You’ll also f<strong>in</strong>d bite-sized garden<strong>in</strong>g tips on<br />
their Facebook and Instagram pages.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 67
THE SHED | Build a frog pond<br />
POND LIFE<br />
Provid<strong>in</strong>g food, water, shelter and habitat<br />
is arguably the best way to attract not just<br />
frogs but all sorts of wildlife to your garden<br />
Words & photos Sandra Tuszynska<br />
Many animal species that are<br />
essential to the health of our<br />
ecosystems are disappear<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
This is largely due to our<br />
encroachment on their habitats, the pollution<br />
we create and the chang<strong>in</strong>g climatic conditions.<br />
The great news is we can play a key role<br />
<strong>in</strong> help<strong>in</strong>g to conserve animals such as frogs<br />
and other amphibians, reptiles such as lizards,<br />
68 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
and mammals such as antech<strong>in</strong>us by creat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
habitat for them <strong>in</strong> our gardens. In do<strong>in</strong>g so,<br />
we re-create the habitat we’ve taken away<br />
from these creatures.<br />
We also create wildlife corridors, which<br />
animals can use to travel from habitat to<br />
habitat, ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g genetically diverse<br />
populations and thus aid<strong>in</strong>g the survival of<br />
some threatened species.<br />
Frog ponds, when constructed with other<br />
animals <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d, can be a fantastic way to<br />
provide habitat <strong>in</strong> our gardens, as they offer<br />
water, food and shelter for various species.<br />
The follow<strong>in</strong>g steps describe the creative<br />
process of build<strong>in</strong>g such a pond. The<br />
photos and the process were taken at Sean<br />
Morrow’s workshop at the Plant<strong>in</strong>g Festival,<br />
which has a strong focus on environmental<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ability and happens each year at<br />
Woodfordia, the home of the Woodford Folk<br />
Festival <strong>in</strong> Queensland.<br />
Sean is a passionate wildlife habitat creator<br />
and gardener. His own garden is featured<br />
<strong>in</strong> our <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> Folk story on page 32.<br />
1<br />
Construct<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the pond<br />
Choose a suitable site where there is some<br />
sunlight but also some shade — aim for<br />
a balance between shade and sun. If the<br />
pond is fully exposed to the sun, algae will<br />
proliferate or the water will get too hot for<br />
frogs to breed <strong>in</strong> and their tadpoles will die.<br />
The water will also evaporate quickly and<br />
need constant refill<strong>in</strong>g. Too much shade, on<br />
the other hand, will reduce plant growth, while<br />
fallen leaves may <strong>in</strong>troduce too much organic<br />
matter at the bottom of the pond. If you have<br />
no shade, you can create a simple structure<br />
over the pond us<strong>in</strong>g shade cloth.<br />
1. Dig a hole about 50cm deep and 1.5×1.5m<br />
wide. The size of the pond is up to you,<br />
depend<strong>in</strong>g on your budget.<br />
2. L<strong>in</strong>e the hole with carpet l<strong>in</strong>er to protect<br />
the pond l<strong>in</strong>er from any potential damage.<br />
3. Carefully l<strong>in</strong>e the hole with pond l<strong>in</strong>er.<br />
4. Place rocks <strong>in</strong> the pond, be<strong>in</strong>g careful not to<br />
cause any damage to the l<strong>in</strong>er. Add differentsized<br />
rocks on the bottom to provide a range<br />
Build a frog pond | THE SHED<br />
What you need<br />
1. Mattock and shovel to dig a hole.<br />
2. Pond l<strong>in</strong>er — enough to cover the<br />
entirety of the hole and comfortably<br />
spill over the edges. For example,<br />
for a 1.5×1.5× 0.5m pond, you’ll need<br />
at least 3×3m l<strong>in</strong>er. The quality of<br />
the l<strong>in</strong>er you buy depends on your<br />
budget; the thicker it is, the more<br />
expensive it becomes. However,<br />
once the l<strong>in</strong>er is completely covered<br />
with rocks and logs, it will last for<br />
many years.<br />
3. Carpet l<strong>in</strong>er the size of the pond<br />
l<strong>in</strong>er (potentially available for free<br />
from carpet shops).<br />
4. Scissors.<br />
5. Rocks — enough to cover the<br />
entirety of the l<strong>in</strong>er — 1m 3 of rocks<br />
should be enough for a 1.5m pond.<br />
These should range from fist size up<br />
to 30cm.<br />
<strong>6.</strong> Logs — enough to decorate and<br />
stack up the outside of the pond.<br />
7. Mulch to fill the gaps between the<br />
logs and around the pond.<br />
8. Plants to grow around and <strong>in</strong> the<br />
pond (optional).<br />
9. Hose connected to a water supply.<br />
4<br />
Sean expla<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g how to measure<br />
the length of the pond l<strong>in</strong>er<br />
down and across the bottom<br />
2 3<br />
Cover<strong>in</strong>g the hole with carpet l<strong>in</strong>er<br />
Add<strong>in</strong>g the pond l<strong>in</strong>er<br />
Snuggly fitt<strong>in</strong>g the l<strong>in</strong>er <strong>in</strong>to the hole<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 69
THE SHED | Build a frog pond<br />
5<br />
Cutt<strong>in</strong>g l<strong>in</strong>er leav<strong>in</strong>g an edge<br />
Cutt<strong>in</strong>g is completed<br />
6<br />
Add<strong>in</strong>g logs <strong>in</strong>to and around the pond<br />
of depths, mak<strong>in</strong>g sure to cover the l<strong>in</strong>er as<br />
much as possible; fill the gaps with smaller<br />
rocks. Then stack rocks up the edges of the<br />
pond to provide gently slop<strong>in</strong>g sides that act<br />
as platforms for animals. Extend the rocks<br />
about 30cm around the pond. They’ll provide<br />
hid<strong>in</strong>g places for tadpoles and <strong>in</strong>sects that<br />
live <strong>in</strong> water.<br />
5. Cut off the edges of the carpet and<br />
pond l<strong>in</strong>er.<br />
<strong>6.</strong> Carefully arrange logs across and<br />
around the pond to suit your aesthetic<br />
preferences. Logs are essential for frogs<br />
and other animals to hide <strong>in</strong>. A hollow log<br />
will make a great home. You can block off<br />
one side of the log with mulch or rocks to<br />
encourage nest<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
7. Fill any gaps with mulch and mulch heavily<br />
around the pond. Sk<strong>in</strong>ks and other lizards<br />
love lay<strong>in</strong>g their eggs <strong>in</strong> warm mulch.<br />
8. Plant sedges or other plants around the<br />
pond. This will help animals hide, will make<br />
the pond less visible and will prevent cane<br />
toads from breed<strong>in</strong>g, as they can’t get<br />
through thick grasses like frogs can.<br />
9. Plant species that grow <strong>in</strong> the water, such<br />
as native waterlilies. This will provide<br />
shade, breed<strong>in</strong>g ground, habitat and food<br />
for the creatures liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the water, as well<br />
as help filter the water.<br />
7<br />
More logs<br />
The animals you provide habitat for will<br />
control <strong>in</strong>sect populations <strong>in</strong> your garden.<br />
Sean stuff<strong>in</strong>g mulch to block off one end of log<br />
70 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Build a frog pond | THE SHED<br />
10. Fill your pond with water. Ra<strong>in</strong>water<br />
is best, as tap water often conta<strong>in</strong>s<br />
chemicals such as fluoride and chlor<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
You can collect ra<strong>in</strong>water from your roof if<br />
you don’t have a tank.<br />
It’s important to note that different frog<br />
species dwell at different heights, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
high up <strong>in</strong> trees. Some frogs prefer raised<br />
ponds, which can be built us<strong>in</strong>g a raised<br />
bathtub. Sean offers workshops that<br />
demonstrate the different build<strong>in</strong>g methods<br />
for different ponds.<br />
The animals you provide habitat for will<br />
control <strong>in</strong>sect populations <strong>in</strong> your garden.<br />
Mosquitoes are a great source of food <strong>in</strong> the<br />
pond and will be eaten by frogs, small lizards<br />
and some small birds. All k<strong>in</strong>ds of birds might<br />
dr<strong>in</strong>k from your pond, bathe <strong>in</strong> it and feed on<br />
<strong>in</strong>sects and larvae.<br />
Be will<strong>in</strong>g to attract all k<strong>in</strong>ds of creatures,<br />
even snakes, as they will prey on the frogs<br />
and are an essential part of the ecosystem.<br />
Remember, if you don’t disturb them, they<br />
won’t cause you any harm. Bandicoots and<br />
other marsupials such as antech<strong>in</strong>us may also<br />
make a home around your pond.<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ally, don’t be tempted to populate your<br />
pond with fish, as they will eat tadpoles and<br />
<strong>in</strong>sect larvae that are meant for native animals<br />
to feed on. Now, sit back and relax as you listen<br />
to the even<strong>in</strong>g chorus the frogs will enterta<strong>in</strong><br />
you with as they start to breed <strong>in</strong> the pond.<br />
10<br />
Fill with water and the<br />
pond’s complete<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 71
FEATHERED FRIENDS | Breed<strong>in</strong>g tips<br />
BACKYARD<br />
BROODIES<br />
There are a few th<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
you need to know if you’re<br />
go<strong>in</strong>g to let your broody<br />
hens become mums<br />
72 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Breed<strong>in</strong>g tips | FEATHERED FRIENDS<br />
Words Megg Miller<br />
Now that <strong>in</strong>cubators<br />
are <strong>in</strong>expensive, many<br />
backyarders borrow or buy<br />
one. It’s fun check<strong>in</strong>g on the<br />
eggs as they develop but once the chicks<br />
hatch, the work really starts.<br />
When you live a busy lifestyle, a broody<br />
hen that has a good record for sitt<strong>in</strong>g tight<br />
on the eggs and then car<strong>in</strong>g for the chicks<br />
diligently is worth gold.<br />
When hens<br />
go broody<br />
Traditional breeds of fowl lay eggs <strong>in</strong><br />
clutches. Essentially, they lay a sequence<br />
of eggs and then stop for a rest. The Silkie<br />
will lay between 10 and 16 eggs and take a<br />
rest, while the Light Sussex could lay 25–35<br />
eggs before rest<strong>in</strong>g. Nature <strong>in</strong>tends these<br />
traditional fowl to set on a clutch and hatch<br />
it, so the number of eggs laid has a bear<strong>in</strong>g<br />
on the clutch size a hen can cover.<br />
A clutch of eggs can beg<strong>in</strong> and f<strong>in</strong>ish at<br />
any time of year, but most hens start to go<br />
broody from late spr<strong>in</strong>g onwards.<br />
Would you be able to<br />
recognise a broody<br />
hen? She is likely to<br />
have commandeered<br />
the nest box, fluff<strong>in</strong>g<br />
out her feathers to look<br />
large and <strong>in</strong>timidat<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Some circumstances <strong>in</strong>crease the<br />
likelihood of brood<strong>in</strong>ess develop<strong>in</strong>g. High<br />
temperatures are a common trigger, along<br />
with a nest full of eggs. If the hen can<br />
sit without <strong>in</strong>terference, her immobility<br />
encourages prolact<strong>in</strong> to develop and this<br />
boosts brood<strong>in</strong>ess.<br />
Nests should be checked daily for eggs if<br />
brood<strong>in</strong>ess isn’t desired or the sett<strong>in</strong>g hen’s hot<br />
body will heat — and spoil — eggs for eat<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Would you be able to recognise a broody<br />
hen? She is likely to have commandeered the<br />
nest box, fluff<strong>in</strong>g out her feathers to look large<br />
and <strong>in</strong>timidat<strong>in</strong>g. You can anticipate a cluckcluck<br />
sound and the hen is likely to peck if<br />
you attempt to steal the eggs. With some, it’s<br />
all show; others peck to hurt.<br />
Best broodies<br />
Not every hen develops brood<strong>in</strong>ess. It’s<br />
uncommon <strong>in</strong> white ear-lobed hens — breeds<br />
such as Ancona and Leghorn — and it’s rare<br />
<strong>in</strong> Hy-L<strong>in</strong>e Browns and ISAs.<br />
Most red ear-lobed breeds go broody<br />
but not all make good mums. Wyandottes<br />
are usually great and so are Pek<strong>in</strong> bantams.<br />
Game hens are good but overprotective.<br />
The Silkie is best of all, although her leg<br />
feathers may need to be trimmed to prevent<br />
entangled chicks.<br />
Where should<br />
hens set?<br />
You can be certa<strong>in</strong> your broody hen will<br />
choose an <strong>in</strong>appropriate site to sit. The<br />
communal nest box is unsuitable: neither the<br />
hen nor keeper will be able to keep track of<br />
which eggs are part <strong>in</strong>cubated and which<br />
are fresh. As well, it’s a stressful spot, as<br />
constant <strong>in</strong>terruptions stop broodies be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
a meditative zone. A communal nest wouldn’t<br />
be safe or healthy for chicks hatch<strong>in</strong>g there.<br />
Many hens steal a nest, go bush or head to<br />
the haystack, the bike shed or other secretive<br />
places. Unfortunately, the fox isn’t fooled by their<br />
concealment and usually makes a meal of them.<br />
A safe shed/pen works best, but first you<br />
may need to persuade mother hen. Set up a<br />
nest on the floor that’s well l<strong>in</strong>ed with litter<br />
and pop some golf balls <strong>in</strong>. Collect the hen at<br />
night, dust her to elim<strong>in</strong>ate lice and northern<br />
fowl mite with Pestene or diatomaceous earth<br />
then place her on the golf balls. If the nest is<br />
<strong>in</strong> a box, drape a towel over the top.<br />
When henny wakes up <strong>in</strong> the morn<strong>in</strong>g, if<br />
the light is subdued by the towel, she will likely<br />
settle. Some hens are outraged at be<strong>in</strong>g moved,<br />
refus<strong>in</strong>g to set, hence the gentle persuasion.<br />
Next day, the hen should be allowed to leave<br />
the nest to dr<strong>in</strong>k, eat and defecate, but ensure<br />
she cannot leave the house/pen. If she does,<br />
she will return to her orig<strong>in</strong>al nest.<br />
Remember that foxes will prowl around<br />
sheds and smell a bird that’s on the ground<br />
with just a wall between. Ensure foxes cannot<br />
dig <strong>in</strong> or, if up north, that carpet snakes<br />
cannot squeeze <strong>in</strong>.<br />
Silkies make the<br />
best broodies of all<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 73
FEATHERED FRIENDS | Breed<strong>in</strong>g tips<br />
Choose the best eggs<br />
Medium-sized, strong-shelled, ovate-shaped<br />
eggs are the ones to set. Egg shape is<br />
heritable, so pull out elongated or round eggs<br />
as well as double-yolkers as they rarely hatch.<br />
Reject extreme-sized ones as extra-large<br />
eggs have poor hatchability, while small eggs<br />
may hatch a couple of days early and cause<br />
havoc for hen and owner.<br />
Of course, if you are colour-conscious, you<br />
may want to select for the brownest or bluest<br />
shells, but the importance of size and shape<br />
should not be overlooked.<br />
How many to put under your hen? The rule<br />
is that she should be able to cover all eggs —<br />
there should be no signs of eggs peep<strong>in</strong>g out<br />
under her breast or flanks.<br />
Hens turn the eggs frequently, roll<strong>in</strong>g them<br />
around so the outer eggs take a turn <strong>in</strong> the<br />
centre and vice versa. If eggs are observable,<br />
it’s likely the outer portion will chill and that<br />
over 24 hours, all eggs will be exposed to cool<br />
air. This is deleterious to a good hatch.<br />
Broody care<br />
Sett<strong>in</strong>g hens need to eat and dr<strong>in</strong>k and if they<br />
don’t leave the nest may defecate over the eggs.<br />
It’s important to check that these needs are<br />
be<strong>in</strong>g managed. Leave food and water nearby <strong>in</strong><br />
case the hen prefers small snacks regularly.<br />
If food is untouched, you will need to gently<br />
lift the hen off the nest, check<strong>in</strong>g that no eggs<br />
are caught under her w<strong>in</strong>gs, and then firmly<br />
(but not roughly) drop her on the ground<br />
and stand aside. The dropp<strong>in</strong>g movement<br />
stimulates a large, smelly poo that has been<br />
saved up for days.<br />
Broodies appreciate a puddle or wet area<br />
— their feet must get very hot as they will<br />
stand <strong>in</strong> the mud/water for some time. They<br />
also appreciate a dust bath if this can be<br />
arranged <strong>in</strong> the pen.<br />
How long is permissible off the eggs? Some<br />
hens gulp their food and return immediately,<br />
while others may stay off the nest for 20–25<br />
m<strong>in</strong>utes. Forty-five m<strong>in</strong>utes is too long and<br />
henny needs guid<strong>in</strong>g back.<br />
Family care<br />
Eggs can hatch from day 19 onwards<br />
and, if you listen, you can hear the chicks<br />
cheep<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the eggs and henny chirp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and urg<strong>in</strong>g them on. Most eggs will hatch<br />
on day 21; any still unhatched by 23 days<br />
should be composted.<br />
Little chicks drown easily, so ensure their<br />
water is <strong>in</strong> a shallow conta<strong>in</strong>er with a few<br />
large stones.<br />
Chick starter provides a balanced ration,<br />
although many people boil and mash eggs<br />
mixed with diced parsley for a good start.<br />
Keep the family enclosed for at least three<br />
weeks, by which time chicks are strong and<br />
smart enough to avoid predatory birds.<br />
A f<strong>in</strong>al word on ectoparasites. These<br />
pests multiply rapidly on a sett<strong>in</strong>g hen,<br />
so it’s essential to dust the hen and nest<br />
once dur<strong>in</strong>g sett<strong>in</strong>g and on day 17 or 18.<br />
Chicks quickly succumb to these irritat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
or blood-suck<strong>in</strong>g critters. Mother hen will<br />
soon demonstrate dust bath<strong>in</strong>g to her<br />
brood, reduc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>festation, but always<br />
keep an eye on them.<br />
Happy hatch<strong>in</strong>g and brood<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
You can be certa<strong>in</strong> your<br />
broody hen will choose<br />
an <strong>in</strong>appropriate site to<br />
sit. The communal nest<br />
box is unsuitable.<br />
Choose eggs to be hatched by shape,<br />
size and, if it matters to you, colour<br />
74 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Breed<strong>in</strong>g tips | FEATHERED FRIENDS<br />
Just hatched!<br />
Welcome to the world<br />
Keep them and Mum safely<br />
enclosed for three weeks<br />
Eggs are simply the best.<br />
We give them the best certifi ed organic gra<strong>in</strong> – no meat-meal (unlike others). We value the<br />
welfare of our feathered friends; that’s why we give them an idyllic habitat with plenty of space to<br />
roam, lots of deep mulch to scratch through, shady trees and lush pasture so our eggs are nutrient<br />
dense and rich <strong>in</strong> omega 3’s. We run no more than 600 hens per hectare. Our hens are always<br />
occupied so we don’t have to debeak.<br />
Happy hens lay sensational eggs.<br />
For stockists and more details, go to our website:<br />
www.organigrow.com.au<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 75
SHORT SHOOTS | Earthy ideas<br />
10<br />
Top Tips<br />
Clever ideas for your garden<br />
Words Er<strong>in</strong>a Starkey<br />
1<br />
2<br />
Grilled onions<br />
If you’ve pulled your barbecue<br />
out of the shed to f<strong>in</strong>d it caked <strong>in</strong><br />
grime from last year’s feast<strong>in</strong>g, it’s probably<br />
time for a heavy-duty scrub-down. Instead<br />
of us<strong>in</strong>g harsh chemicals, which can end up<br />
on your lawn and <strong>in</strong> your steak sandwich, try<br />
rubb<strong>in</strong>g it down with half an onion. Simply<br />
turn your barbecue onto the highest sett<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
then spear the onion with a fork and rub it<br />
over the grill plates. Not only will it shift your<br />
grease and grime, it will also leave a delicious<br />
taste and smell next time you fire up.<br />
3<br />
Inside out<br />
If you’re stuck for garden space,<br />
there are plenty of fruits and<br />
vegetables that will happily grow <strong>in</strong>doors.<br />
Consider mov<strong>in</strong>g your carrots, chillies,<br />
radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries,<br />
sprouts, g<strong>in</strong>ger and spr<strong>in</strong>g onions out of the<br />
garden and onto your w<strong>in</strong>dowsills. If you<br />
<strong>in</strong>tend to grow these plants from seed, cover<br />
the conta<strong>in</strong>ers <strong>in</strong> plastic wrap to create a cosy<br />
climate for germ<strong>in</strong>ation.<br />
4<br />
Get swapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Sav<strong>in</strong>g seeds allows you to develop<br />
plant varieties that are better<br />
adapted to your climate, soil conditions and<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g practices and which resist local pests<br />
and disease. If you live <strong>in</strong> a community of avid<br />
gardeners, consider host<strong>in</strong>g a seed-swapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
event where everyone trades their extra<br />
seeds from the previous season. A seed swap<br />
is a great excuse to get together with fellow<br />
gardeners and glean some local wisdom on<br />
what works and what doesn’t <strong>in</strong> your shared<br />
garden<strong>in</strong>g microclimate.<br />
5<br />
Busy bees<br />
Backyard beekeep<strong>in</strong>g makes<br />
a fantastic hobby. As well as<br />
secur<strong>in</strong>g yourself a fresh supply of honey,<br />
you’ll also enhance your fruit and vegetable<br />
production and support poll<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>in</strong> your<br />
local community. By-products from beehives<br />
such as beeswax, propolis, royal jelly and<br />
pollen can be used <strong>in</strong> organic crafts to make<br />
candles, soap, lip balm, sk<strong>in</strong>care products<br />
and furniture polish. If you’re worried about<br />
bee st<strong>in</strong>gs, consider the many native<br />
st<strong>in</strong>gless varieties.<br />
6<br />
A third wheel<br />
Make a portable garden <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>utes<br />
by attach<strong>in</strong>g caster wheels to<br />
the bottom of your planters. This allows you<br />
to shift your plants around based on their<br />
sunlight and shade needs and create little<br />
microclimates. Also, it gives you the flexibility<br />
to move plants out of the way if you plan on<br />
enterta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, or simply to rearrange them<br />
whenever you feel <strong>in</strong>spired.<br />
7<br />
Bottled up<br />
No need to ask your neighbour for<br />
a favour; create your own water<br />
bottle irrigator to look after the garden <strong>in</strong><br />
your absence. Simply fill an empty w<strong>in</strong>e bottle<br />
with water up to the three-quarter mark and<br />
overturn it quickly, plung<strong>in</strong>g the neck of the<br />
bottle deep <strong>in</strong>to the soil. Your w<strong>in</strong>e bottle will<br />
gradually release water as the soil rega<strong>in</strong>s the<br />
capacity to take <strong>in</strong> more.<br />
8<br />
The wait<strong>in</strong>g<br />
game<br />
While you may be excited to try<br />
your first home-grown orange, it pays to hold<br />
out a little while longer. As pa<strong>in</strong>ful as it may<br />
be, it’s important to systematically p<strong>in</strong>ch off<br />
your citrus fruit for the first three years. This<br />
will direct energy <strong>in</strong>to produc<strong>in</strong>g lots of strong<br />
branches so your citrus tree will be able to<br />
support an abundant crop down the track.<br />
9<br />
Shell<strong>in</strong>g out<br />
Oyster shells conta<strong>in</strong> around<br />
95 per cent calcium carbonate,<br />
1<br />
Hang <strong>in</strong> there<br />
Keep cherry tomatoes off the<br />
ground and away from pests with<br />
an upside-down hang<strong>in</strong>g planter. To make<br />
your own, cut away the bottom from a 2L<br />
soft-dr<strong>in</strong>k bottle. Gently push a cherry tomato<br />
seedl<strong>in</strong>g through the neck of the bottle,<br />
leav<strong>in</strong>g the root ball still <strong>in</strong>side. Carefully fill<br />
the bottle with soil. Punch a few holes around<br />
the plastic rim and str<strong>in</strong>g it up like a hang<strong>in</strong>g<br />
planter. You can also add a second plant,<br />
such as strawberry or herb, to the top. For a<br />
sturdier version, simply drill a 3cm hole <strong>in</strong> the<br />
bottom of a bucket, t<strong>in</strong> or planter.<br />
5<br />
Kathy Kimpel, Canstockphoto<br />
76 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Earthy ideas | SHORT SHOOTS<br />
10<br />
9<br />
which makes them an excellent fertiliser<br />
and amendment for acidic soils. To crush<br />
oyster shells, place them <strong>in</strong> a zip-lock bag,<br />
carefully seal<strong>in</strong>g out all the air, then cover<br />
with a tea towel and start hammer<strong>in</strong>g. If you<br />
have chickens, gr<strong>in</strong>d the oyster shells down<br />
further <strong>in</strong> a mortar and pestle and feed it to<br />
them. Lay<strong>in</strong>g hens require large amounts of<br />
calcium to create their eggshells and if they<br />
are fed ma<strong>in</strong>ly fresh foods, they will require a<br />
calcium supplement.<br />
10 Foolproof<br />
flora<br />
We all have that one herbicidal<br />
friend who manages to kill every pot plant<br />
ever given to them. Help them grow their<br />
confidence by <strong>in</strong>troduc<strong>in</strong>g them to one of<br />
these ultra-hardy varieties that can handle<br />
a dimly lit apartment and irregular water<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Plants such as aloe, snake (pictured), ZZ,<br />
jade and pothos are not just easy to care for,<br />
they’re also downright difficult to kill.<br />
(Lepp<strong>in</strong>gton) Pty Ltd<br />
ABN 36 001 123 726<br />
1675 The Northern Road Br<strong>in</strong>gelly NSW 2556<br />
Phone: (02) 4773 4291 Fax: (02) 4773 4104 Email: sales@lpcmilk.com<br />
www.organicfertilisers.com.au<br />
Suppliers of certified poultry and cow manures.<br />
Fresh or composted delivered <strong>in</strong> bulk.<br />
Great for all types of agriculture <strong>in</strong>dustries.<br />
Poultry manure which can be spread <strong>in</strong> residential<br />
areas, golf courses, sport<strong>in</strong>g ovals and parks.<br />
Also ask us about our reduced low odour.<br />
Member of Australian <strong>Organic</strong> Association<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 77
GARDEN CALENDAR | Late spr<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Th<strong>in</strong>gs to do <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>November</strong><br />
Late spr<strong>in</strong>g means hotter weather and <strong>in</strong>creased sunsh<strong>in</strong>e. The garden<br />
should be grow<strong>in</strong>g strongly, cover<strong>in</strong>g bare ground with lush green<br />
By Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
Vegetables<br />
COOL & TEMPERATE<br />
By late spr<strong>in</strong>g, soils are warm<strong>in</strong>g and seeds<br />
are germ<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g, especially <strong>in</strong> the vegie patch.<br />
In warmer zones, early plant<strong>in</strong>gs of tomatoes<br />
may already be flower<strong>in</strong>g and form<strong>in</strong>g fruit<br />
for a Christmas harvest. In cooler zones, if all<br />
threat of frost has passed, it’s safe to plant<br />
out summer crops such as tomato, capsicum,<br />
eggplant, cucumber and zucch<strong>in</strong>i. Cont<strong>in</strong>ue<br />
to shelter these new plant<strong>in</strong>gs from any late<br />
cold weather. Corn, too, can be planted now,<br />
sow<strong>in</strong>g seeds or plant<strong>in</strong>g seedl<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> blocks<br />
to aid poll<strong>in</strong>ation, as corn is w<strong>in</strong>d-poll<strong>in</strong>ated.<br />
Position corn to shelter smaller vegetables<br />
from hot summer w<strong>in</strong>ds. Also plant herbs<br />
<strong>in</strong> the garden or <strong>in</strong> conta<strong>in</strong>ers. Liquid feed<br />
leafy crops every seven to 10 days for<br />
strong growth and keep plants well watered,<br />
especially if temperatures suddenly peak.<br />
TROPICAL<br />
Plant<strong>in</strong>g leafy greens <strong>in</strong> raised garden beds,<br />
troughs or other conta<strong>in</strong>ers keeps their<br />
roots <strong>in</strong> well-dra<strong>in</strong>ed conditions through<br />
the wet season ahead. Use a free-dra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
pott<strong>in</strong>g mix. Keep herbs disease-free by<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g them <strong>in</strong> conta<strong>in</strong>ers that can be<br />
moved <strong>in</strong>to a bright and airy but sheltered<br />
spot to protect them from heavy ra<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
Despite these precautions, watch for<br />
powdery mildew, a fungal disease that<br />
produces a white, powdery coat<strong>in</strong>g over the<br />
foliage and stems of many plants. A milk<br />
1<br />
spray made from diluted full-cream milk<br />
(use at a ratio of one-part milk to n<strong>in</strong>e-parts<br />
water) can keep mildew at bay if applied<br />
before mildew appears. It’s also a good time<br />
to plant starch crops such as sweet potato<br />
and taro as well as vegetables such as okra,<br />
snake beans and w<strong>in</strong>ged beans that tolerate<br />
humidity and grow well over summer. Also<br />
plant capsicum and chilli.<br />
Fruit<br />
COOL & TEMPERATE<br />
Ragged, skeletonised leaves on pear, cherry,<br />
hawthorn and related trees are the work of<br />
the pear and cherry slug. Look for the small,<br />
slug-like <strong>in</strong>sects on foliage. Dust leaves with<br />
ash or powder to keep these pests away. The<br />
<strong>in</strong>sects can also be squashed or sprayed with<br />
a pyrethrum spray (don’t spray while bees are<br />
around — wait until early even<strong>in</strong>g). Passionfruit<br />
v<strong>in</strong>es may be flower<strong>in</strong>g, but often fruit is<br />
slow to form. Hand-poll<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g flowers can<br />
encourage fruit formation. Regularly fertilise<br />
these hungry v<strong>in</strong>es to keep them flower<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and grow<strong>in</strong>g strongly. Apply pelletised chook<br />
manure, compost or other organic fertiliser to<br />
flowers and fruit. Prune trees that have fruited,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g mulberry and loquat.<br />
TROPICAL<br />
Watch for aphids, caterpillars and<br />
grasshoppers on flushes of new growth<br />
after ra<strong>in</strong>. Squash<strong>in</strong>g these pests gives<br />
quick control. Grasshoppers are easiest to<br />
catch <strong>in</strong> the cool of the morn<strong>in</strong>g so, where<br />
grasshoppers are a pest, take an earlymorn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
garden stroll. Fertilise pawpaw, citrus<br />
and avocado us<strong>in</strong>g compost or a fertiliser for<br />
fruit<strong>in</strong>g plants. Plant rosella seeds now. The<br />
plants are attractive and the fruit makes great<br />
jam or a therapeutic herbal tea. Prune fruit<br />
trees after harvest.<br />
Compost & soil<br />
COOL & TEMPERATE<br />
Keep on top of weeds by regularly pull<strong>in</strong>g<br />
them from the soil and replenish<strong>in</strong>g mulches.<br />
Add green weeds that are seed free to the<br />
compost heap along with spent crops such<br />
as peas. To avoid spread<strong>in</strong>g persistent weeds<br />
such as tradescantia, soak them <strong>in</strong> a bucket<br />
of water for at least a week until they start<br />
to break down. The result<strong>in</strong>g liquid can be<br />
used as liquid feed while the decompos<strong>in</strong>g<br />
vegetation, which should no longer be able to<br />
regrow, can be added to the compost heap.<br />
Weeds can also be fed to chooks to enrich<br />
their diets. In bushfire-prone areas, replace<br />
organic mulch with pebbles or gravel, or plant<br />
liv<strong>in</strong>g mulches such as succulents or sterile<br />
agapanthus varieties that can slow the spread<br />
of fires and may reduce spot fires occurr<strong>in</strong>g<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g a fire storm.<br />
2<br />
TROPICAL<br />
Regularly remove weeds and cover bare earth<br />
with organic mulch to deter weedy regrowth<br />
and to protect the soil from heat and heavy<br />
ra<strong>in</strong>. Seed-free weeds and those that don’t<br />
regrow can also be laid back on top of the<br />
soil to decompose. This returns nutrients<br />
to the soil where the weed extracted it. Use<br />
up compost from exist<strong>in</strong>g heaps by digg<strong>in</strong>g<br />
it <strong>in</strong>to garden soil or by spread<strong>in</strong>g as mulch<br />
over the soil surface. Us<strong>in</strong>g up compost also<br />
makes room for more prun<strong>in</strong>gs, spent plants<br />
and weeds as summer growth matures. As<br />
you prune and tidy the garden, chop up<br />
woody or long pieces to add to the compost<br />
pile and hasten their breakdown.<br />
78 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Late spr<strong>in</strong>g | GARDEN CALENDAR<br />
3<br />
Feed for healthy growth<br />
• Feed all plants <strong>in</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g. Water the soil before apply<strong>in</strong>g<br />
granular fertiliser (or apply after ra<strong>in</strong>).<br />
• Always follow recommended application rates. Too much<br />
fertiliser can be harmful to the plant and is wasteful.<br />
• Add liquid fertilisers to a filled water<strong>in</strong>g can (not the other<br />
way around). Stir to comb<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
• When add<strong>in</strong>g fertiliser to soil at plant<strong>in</strong>g time, lightly cover<br />
the fertiliser with a layer of soil to protect the roots.<br />
• Store fertilisers <strong>in</strong> sealed conta<strong>in</strong>ers away from moisture and<br />
sunsh<strong>in</strong>e and out of reach of pets.<br />
6<br />
7<br />
4<br />
CanStockPhoto, Scot Nelson, Mart<strong>in</strong> Cooper, Kenpai, iStock<br />
5<br />
1. Rosellas have attractive flowers and fruit — great for jam and herbal tea<br />
2. Hand poll<strong>in</strong>ation of passionfruit flowers can hurry th<strong>in</strong>gs along<br />
3. In bushfire-prone areas agapanthus is a good liv<strong>in</strong>g mulch<br />
4. Soak persistent weeds like tradescantia <strong>in</strong> a bucket to prevent their<br />
further spread<br />
5. Too much humidity can br<strong>in</strong>g on powdery mildew — here on okra<br />
<strong>6.</strong> This slippery little fellow is a pear and cherry slug, Caliroa cerasi<br />
7. Keep an eye out for grasshoppers and other pests<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 79
GARDEN CALENDAR | Early summer<br />
Th<strong>in</strong>gs to do <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>December</strong><br />
The longer, warmer days of summer mean strong growth, flowers and<br />
lots of ripen<strong>in</strong>g crops. It’s also time to th<strong>in</strong>k about shade and water<strong>in</strong>g<br />
By Jennifer Stackhouse<br />
Vegetables<br />
COOL & TEMPERATE<br />
Develop the habit of <strong>in</strong>spect<strong>in</strong>g the vegie<br />
garden once or twice a day through summer.<br />
Look for pests and weeds that need control<br />
and crops that are ready to harvest. Take the<br />
hose or water<strong>in</strong>g can to give plants a dr<strong>in</strong>k. If<br />
a hot day is forecast, water plants early <strong>in</strong> the<br />
morn<strong>in</strong>g and, if it’s go<strong>in</strong>g to get really hot, cover<br />
new plants and leafy crops with some sort of<br />
shade as protection aga<strong>in</strong>st the heat. Move<br />
conta<strong>in</strong>ers <strong>in</strong>to a sheltered position. Young and<br />
leaf crops become stressed <strong>in</strong> the heat and<br />
fruit and leaves are at a high risk of burn<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
A piece of shadecloth spread over plants can<br />
help crops survive a hot day without loss.<br />
Remove the cover at night. New plant<strong>in</strong>gs now<br />
keep harvests com<strong>in</strong>g through summer. Dwarf<br />
beans give a quick crop and are easy to sow<br />
and grow. Also sow seeds or plant seedl<strong>in</strong>gs of<br />
tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and beetroot<br />
now to extend the harvest through summer.<br />
TROPICAL<br />
Make the most of warm, wet conditions by<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g edible and productive climbers<br />
such as cucumber, snake beans and Ceylon<br />
sp<strong>in</strong>ach. Tra<strong>in</strong> these climb<strong>in</strong>g crops over<br />
a support such as a tripod so they shade<br />
heat-sensitive and leafy crops such as lettuce.<br />
Also plant cassava, taro and melons, which<br />
can cover the soil and help keep it cool. Pick<br />
vegies, especially cucumbers and zucch<strong>in</strong>is,<br />
while they are small as they quickly become<br />
1<br />
over-mature. Feed oversized cucumbers and<br />
zucch<strong>in</strong>is to the chooks. Cherry tomatoes<br />
have better heat and pest tolerance than<br />
large-fruited varieties so are more suitable for<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g through summer.<br />
Fruit trees<br />
COOL & TEMPERATE<br />
Th<strong>in</strong> apples while they are small so <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />
fruit are bigger and ripen more evenly, even<br />
if the crop is reduced. Simply remove several<br />
small apples <strong>in</strong> each cluster to give the others<br />
room to grow. Water citrus and keep the<br />
ground around trees weed free. Check citrus<br />
trees for st<strong>in</strong>k bugs. Squash those cluster<strong>in</strong>g<br />
on the trunk or remove bugs from foliage or<br />
branches us<strong>in</strong>g long-handled tongs. Wear<br />
sunglasses to protect your eyes from the<br />
liquid they squirt when they are disturbed.<br />
The bugs also drop down from the branch<br />
when they are disturbed. Catch and drown<br />
bugs <strong>in</strong> a bucket of soapy water to prevent<br />
them return<strong>in</strong>g to the tree (mature adults<br />
have w<strong>in</strong>gs and can fly to other trees).<br />
TROPICAL<br />
Fertilise passionfruit and keep v<strong>in</strong>es well<br />
watered to encourage lots of flowers and<br />
abundant crops. Apply water and fertiliser<br />
along the root system, allow<strong>in</strong>g it to soak<br />
<strong>in</strong> thoroughly. Also, fertilise banana and<br />
avocado trees. Summer br<strong>in</strong>gs a wealth of<br />
fruit to harvest, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g mango, p<strong>in</strong>eapple<br />
and pawpaw. Boxes of home-grown fruit and<br />
vegetables make welcome gifts for those<br />
without gardens, or turn excess produce<br />
<strong>in</strong>to jams or chutneys. To protect fruit from<br />
birds, bats and other fruit-lovers, use birdsafe<br />
knitted nett<strong>in</strong>g or shadecloth. Check the<br />
nett<strong>in</strong>g frequently to release any captured<br />
animals or birds. Prune trees to reduce their<br />
height as this makes it easier to cover them<br />
with protective nett<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Compost & soil<br />
COOL & TEMPERATE<br />
Use homemade compost or aged manure as<br />
mulch to feed the soil and plants and watch<br />
your whole garden take on a new lease of life.<br />
Move worm farms <strong>in</strong>to a cool location dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
summer. On hot days, cover the worm home<br />
with a damp sack to keep its <strong>in</strong>habitants cool.<br />
If it cont<strong>in</strong>ues to be hot and dry, the compost<br />
heap may need added moisture to keep it<br />
compost<strong>in</strong>g. Decomposition slows when the<br />
heap beg<strong>in</strong>s to dry out. If the heap looks dry,<br />
damp it down with a spray of water from the<br />
hose. Layers of grass clipp<strong>in</strong>gs and green<br />
weeds spread over the heap help <strong>in</strong>crease<br />
temperatures for hotter and faster compost<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
TROPICAL<br />
Heavy ra<strong>in</strong>s and storms leach nutrients<br />
from the soil. Combat this by keep<strong>in</strong>g soils<br />
mulched or covered with a leafy crop such as<br />
sweet potato. Apply slow-release fertiliser and<br />
compost around productive plants to replace<br />
lost nutrients. Where weeds are thriv<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
keep them mown or hoed. Hand-pulled<br />
green weeds can be added to the compost<br />
or soaked <strong>in</strong> water to make a weed tea, which<br />
can be used as a liquid feed for potted plants.<br />
Add the residue to the compost heap. Edible<br />
weeds can also be fed to the chooks.<br />
2<br />
80 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
3<br />
Pumpk<strong>in</strong> flowers<br />
Pumpk<strong>in</strong>s produce both male and female flowers and both<br />
are needed for fruit formation. If there are only male flowers<br />
on pumpk<strong>in</strong> v<strong>in</strong>es, tip-prune the long stems. Follow up with<br />
fertiliser and daily water<strong>in</strong>g. More female flowers should follow<br />
on the side shoots, encouraged by tip prun<strong>in</strong>g as summer<br />
progresses. The female flowers form pumpk<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
4<br />
Early summer | GARDEN CALENDAR<br />
1. Beans are prolific<br />
croppers for not<br />
much ground space<br />
2. Now is a good<br />
time to plant some<br />
Ceylon sp<strong>in</strong>ach —<br />
tra<strong>in</strong> over a support<br />
to provide shade to<br />
other plants<br />
3. This bee needs<br />
to f<strong>in</strong>d a female<br />
pumpk<strong>in</strong> flower<br />
to poll<strong>in</strong>ate<br />
4. Protect your fruit<br />
trees with white<br />
bird-safe nett<strong>in</strong>g<br />
5. Bronze orange<br />
bug, Musgraveia<br />
sulciventris will<br />
damage citrus if<br />
not controlled<br />
Fruit fly<br />
warn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
In fruit fly zones, protect<br />
matur<strong>in</strong>g stone fruits and<br />
other soft fruits aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
fruit fly us<strong>in</strong>g organic<br />
baits and traps. Cover fruit<br />
clusters with exclusion<br />
bags to keep pests away.<br />
5<br />
CanStockPhoto, Jan Anderson, Jana Holmer<br />
Warn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Water from hoses and<br />
water<strong>in</strong>g systems can<br />
be very hot when they<br />
are first turned on. To<br />
avoid burn<strong>in</strong>g yourself<br />
and your plants, let<br />
the water run onto a<br />
path until it’s cool.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 81
GARDEN TO TABLE | Seasonal edibles<br />
Garden to table<br />
with The <strong>Organic</strong> Chef, Joanna Rushton<br />
84 Basil<br />
Baked Eggs with Tuscan Herbs & Shaved Leg Ham<br />
86 Capsicum<br />
Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers<br />
88 Baby Sp<strong>in</strong>ach<br />
Grilled Tandoori Chicken & Salad with Fermented Vegetables<br />
90 Strawberries<br />
Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble<br />
92 Chillies<br />
Grandma Baba’s Chilli Relish<br />
82 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Seasonal edibles | GARDEN TO TABLE<br />
86<br />
92<br />
84<br />
88<br />
90<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 83
COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Basil<br />
Star <strong>in</strong>gredient: Basil<br />
Baked Eggs with Tuscan<br />
Herbs & Shaved Leg Ham<br />
This is one of the best Sunday brunches ever, with flavours that are just delicious. I use my naturopath’s<br />
organic herb mixes but you can make your own from your herb garden or use a commercial Italian herb mix.<br />
Ingredients<br />
Butter, for greas<strong>in</strong>g<br />
100g shaved leg ham<br />
½ red onion, diced<br />
1 cup tomato passata (puree)<br />
1 clove garlic, chopped<br />
1 tsp Ovvio Tuscan <strong>Organic</strong> Herb &<br />
Spice Blend*<br />
Celtic sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 avocado, sliced<br />
1 tbsp torn basil leaves<br />
*A blend of dried organic marjoram, oregano,<br />
basil, black peppercorns and garlic granules<br />
Method<br />
1. Preheat oven to 220°C.<br />
2. Butter a ceramic bak<strong>in</strong>g dish and l<strong>in</strong>e with<br />
ham, onion, tomato, garlic, Tuscan herbs and<br />
a splash of water. Season well. Cover with<br />
bak<strong>in</strong>g paper and foil and bake for 15 m<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
3. Remove from oven and remove cover.<br />
Create two small wells and crack an egg<br />
<strong>in</strong>to each.<br />
4. Re-cover and cont<strong>in</strong>ue bak<strong>in</strong>g until eggs<br />
are cooked with a soft yolk f<strong>in</strong>ish, or as<br />
desired.<br />
5. Serve with sliced avocado, topped with<br />
fresh basil.<br />
Helen Coetzee<br />
84 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Basil | COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 85
COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Capsicum<br />
Star <strong>in</strong>gredient: Capsicum<br />
Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers<br />
Capsicums are also great stuffed with a herbed qu<strong>in</strong>oa mixture, with a serve of prote<strong>in</strong> on the side, but I like the<br />
all-<strong>in</strong>-one approach. Vegetarians can make them with the follow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>gredients, substitut<strong>in</strong>g lentils for meat.<br />
Serves 4<br />
Ingredients<br />
4 capsicums, different colours<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 cup chopped onion<br />
6 tbsp chopped parsley<br />
2 garlic cloves, chopped<br />
1 tbsp sweet paprika<br />
2 small red chillies, deseeded & chopped<br />
1 tsp Celtic sea salt<br />
1 tbsp ground black pepper<br />
500g m<strong>in</strong>ced beef<br />
2 cups chopped tomatoes<br />
1 cup stock (any k<strong>in</strong>d)<br />
Method<br />
1. Preheat oven to 150°C.<br />
2. Cut off the top of peppers and reserve<br />
tops. Scoop seeds from cavities. Brush the<br />
outside of the peppers with a little oil, then<br />
heat rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g oil <strong>in</strong> a large sauté pan over<br />
medium heat.<br />
3. Add onion, parsley, garlic, paprika, chilli,<br />
salt and pepper. Sautee until onion has<br />
softened, then add meat and cook through<br />
until it’s a crumbled m<strong>in</strong>ce consistency.<br />
4. Add chopped tomatoes and stock and<br />
simmer until stock has almost reduced.<br />
The consistency should be moist but not<br />
runn<strong>in</strong>g with liquid.<br />
5. Fill pepper cavities with beef mixture.<br />
Stand filled peppers on a bak<strong>in</strong>g tray and<br />
put the tops back on. Bake until peppers<br />
are tender, about 25 m<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
<strong>6.</strong> Serve with your choice of salad or vegies.<br />
Helen Coetzee<br />
86 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Capsicum | COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 87
COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Baby sp<strong>in</strong>ach<br />
Star <strong>in</strong>gredient: Baby sp<strong>in</strong>ach<br />
Grilled Tandoori Chicken &<br />
Salad with Fermented Vegetables<br />
This makes a lovely lunch or light d<strong>in</strong>ner, with the spicy chicken, fresh salad, tangy fermented vegetables<br />
or chutney and creamy yoghurt all complement<strong>in</strong>g each other perfectly.<br />
Serves 2<br />
Ingredients<br />
300g boneless chicken thigh<br />
2 tbsp ghee<br />
1 tbsp tandoori spice mix<br />
Mixed salad, to serve*<br />
2 tbsp fermented vegetables**, to serve<br />
2 small ramek<strong>in</strong>s yoghurt (optional), to serve<br />
Spicy Tandoori Mix<br />
2 tsp chilli powder<br />
1 tbsp paprika<br />
2 tbsp garam masala<br />
*Our salad is baby sp<strong>in</strong>ach, cherry tomatoes,<br />
avocado and sunflow er sprouts with a simple<br />
dress<strong>in</strong>g of apple cider v<strong>in</strong>egar, olive oil and a<br />
dash of pomegranate molasses.<br />
**Our fermented vegetables recipe appeared <strong>in</strong><br />
Vol 4 No 6 of <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> but if you<br />
didn’t make any, use pickle or chutney <strong>in</strong>stead.<br />
Method<br />
1. To make tandoori spice mix, comb<strong>in</strong>e<br />
all <strong>in</strong>gredients.<br />
2. To make salad, place <strong>in</strong>gredients <strong>in</strong> salad<br />
bowl and toss with your favourite dress<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
3. In sta<strong>in</strong>less steel bowl, toss chicken<br />
meat <strong>in</strong> tandoori spices.<br />
4. Heat ghee on either a cast-iron grill plate<br />
or sauté pan. Cook chicken on medium<br />
heat for about 6 m<strong>in</strong>s each side.<br />
5. Serve with salad, fermented vegetables<br />
or chutney and a small ramek<strong>in</strong> of yoghurt.<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
88 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Baby sp<strong>in</strong>ach | COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 89
COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Strawberry<br />
Star <strong>in</strong>gredient: Strawberry<br />
Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble<br />
This makes a nice change from the more common apple and rhubarb crumble for a summer dessert. This version is<br />
gluten free and low <strong>in</strong> sugar. Serve with double cream, ice cream or custard.<br />
Serves 6<br />
Ingredients<br />
Topp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted<br />
• ½ cup shredded coconut, toasted<br />
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil<br />
• 1 tbsp coconut flour<br />
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar<br />
Fill<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• 3 cups of fresh strawberries left whole<br />
• 1 bunch rhubarb, washed & chopped<br />
• ½ tsp vanilla powder*<br />
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg*<br />
• ½ tsp ground c<strong>in</strong>namon*<br />
• ½ tsp ground cloves*<br />
• 1 tsp orange zest*<br />
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar<br />
*Alternatively, you can use the OVVIO <strong>Organic</strong><br />
Fragrant Fruit Spice Blend (<strong>in</strong>gredients:<br />
elderberries, hawthorn berries, rosehips,<br />
nutmeg, c<strong>in</strong>namon, cloves, hibiscus flowers<br />
and orange peel) from ovvioorganics.com.au<br />
Method<br />
1. Comb<strong>in</strong>e topp<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>gredients to form a<br />
crumble and set aside.<br />
2. Mix strawberries and rhubarb together<br />
with spices and poach <strong>in</strong> a slow cooker for<br />
1 hour or <strong>in</strong> a saucepan on the stovetop<br />
over low heat until rhubarb is soft .<br />
3. Divide <strong>in</strong>to <strong>in</strong>dividual ramek<strong>in</strong> dishes,<br />
top with crumble mixture and f<strong>in</strong>ish <strong>in</strong> an<br />
oven preheated to 160°C for 5–10 m<strong>in</strong>s to<br />
warm the crumble through.<br />
CanStockPhoto<br />
90 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
Strawberry | COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON<br />
Kerry Boyne<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 91
PRESERVING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Chilli<br />
Star <strong>in</strong>gredient: Chilli<br />
Grandma Baba’s Chilli Relish<br />
Use as a relish or condiment, or put a little <strong>in</strong> soups and curries. You can even add a bit to a salad dress<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Ingredients<br />
3 tbsp turmeric<br />
3 tbsp cum<strong>in</strong><br />
3 tbsp black mustard seeds<br />
150mL olive oil<br />
115g fresh g<strong>in</strong>ger, chopped<br />
10 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
1kg ripe tomatoes<br />
3 green chillies, chopped<br />
70g brown sugar<br />
1 tsp sea salt<br />
150mL malt v<strong>in</strong>egar<br />
Method<br />
1. Fry all spices <strong>in</strong> olive oil for 5 m<strong>in</strong>utes.<br />
2. Add the g<strong>in</strong>ger and garlic to the spices.<br />
3. Purée the tomatoes and chillies <strong>in</strong> a<br />
blender and set aside.<br />
4. Add the puree and sugar to the spice mix<br />
and stir well.<br />
5. Add the malt v<strong>in</strong>egar and salt and<br />
mix well.<br />
<strong>6.</strong> Allow the mixture to simmer for 30 m<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
7. Cool a little and place the relish <strong>in</strong> clean<br />
air-tight jars.<br />
92 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
pick of the crop<br />
Our selection of products and services for gardeners and cooks<br />
PICK OF THE CROP<br />
Home <strong>in</strong> the Grange<br />
Sproutwell’s Grange Series is Australia’s first proven<br />
commercial-grade greenhouse (<strong>in</strong> the market for<br />
three years) and is widely used <strong>in</strong> both residential<br />
and commercial agricultural <strong>in</strong>dustries. Over the past<br />
three years, Sproutwell has provided hundreds of<br />
Granges across Australia and New Zealand and it’s<br />
without a doubt the most sought-after greenhouse<br />
on the market today due to its supreme strength and<br />
durability. Sproutwell’s Easy Alum<strong>in</strong>ium Connectors<br />
and Smart Slide-<strong>in</strong> Assembly System have been<br />
designed to reduce the assembly time by up to 70 per<br />
cent compared to other greenhouse structures (uses<br />
300-plus fewer nuts and bolts than the traditionalstyle<br />
greenhouse). Complete with 10mm polycarbonate<br />
panels, it’s hands-down one of the strongest<br />
greenhouses available. The entire range is perfect for<br />
those want<strong>in</strong>g to erect a larger greenhouse <strong>in</strong> an open<br />
area as the structure is unbelievably strong. Phone 1300<br />
657 174 or visit sproutwellgreenhouses.com.au<br />
<strong>Good</strong> for your<br />
hair, good for<br />
the planet<br />
The handles and bristles of MiEco<br />
hair brushes are made of bamboo,<br />
which is stronger, lighter and more<br />
durable than wood. And there’s no<br />
plastic here. Bamboo is a 100 per<br />
cent natural renewable resource that<br />
grows naturally without the use of any<br />
pesticides or fertilisers, so this really<br />
is a green brush. It helps stimulate<br />
hair growth and promotes healthy<br />
hair cells and a healthy scalp while<br />
restor<strong>in</strong>g hair balance and sh<strong>in</strong>e. Great<br />
for styl<strong>in</strong>g and detangl<strong>in</strong>g, the brushes<br />
are lightweight and anti-static with<br />
ergonomic handles. Available <strong>in</strong> two<br />
sizes from just RRP $10.50. Get yours<br />
today. gogreenathome.com.au<br />
Pope’s iconic range of hoses<br />
Pope’s renowned collection of garden hoses just got better! The l<strong>in</strong>e-up has been refreshed with<br />
durable new hose end fitt<strong>in</strong>gs and new-look packag<strong>in</strong>g to help you choose the right hose for<br />
your situation. Keep a particular lookout for the new brass fitt<strong>in</strong>gs on Pope’s Brumby and GroPro<br />
Storm hoses, which look more like works of art than garden<strong>in</strong>g products. One th<strong>in</strong>g that has not<br />
changed <strong>in</strong> the Pope hose l<strong>in</strong>e-up is the patented Permafit Connection — the fitt<strong>in</strong>gs are factory<br />
crimped with brass sleeves, mean<strong>in</strong>g they are securely attached to the hose. This vastly reduces<br />
the risk of “fitt<strong>in</strong>g blow-off ”, which can waste thousands of litres of water. The Pope range can be<br />
found <strong>in</strong> all good hardware stores. popeproducts.com.au<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 93
PICK OF THE CROP<br />
Are weeds tak<strong>in</strong>g over your<br />
garden and tak<strong>in</strong>g up too<br />
much of your time?<br />
Take charge by reduc<strong>in</strong>g the weed seed bank with this organic<br />
enzymatic product, which degrades surface-deposited weed seeds<br />
so there’s no next generation of the weed. Earthlife WeedLess<br />
attacks the weed seed, render<strong>in</strong>g it unable to germ<strong>in</strong>ate, thereby<br />
reduc<strong>in</strong>g weed populations. Prelim<strong>in</strong>ary trials conducted by TAFE<br />
Toowoomba on the weed fleabane achieved more than 90 per<br />
cent reduction <strong>in</strong> seed germ<strong>in</strong>ation. Earthlife customers are see<strong>in</strong>g<br />
similar results with other garden weeds, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g cobbler’s pegs<br />
(farmer’s friend), khaki weed, b<strong>in</strong>dii, clover, w<strong>in</strong>tergrass and oxalis,<br />
to name a few. There’s always weed seed ly<strong>in</strong>g dormant wait<strong>in</strong>g for<br />
the opportunity to germ<strong>in</strong>ate and some are viable for seven years<br />
or more. You can spray Earthlife WeedLess around your plants or<br />
your lawn without any damage<br />
or burn<strong>in</strong>g. Apply it over the<br />
area to directly contact mature<br />
deposited weed seed. Earthlife<br />
WeedLess is completely safe<br />
for use around humans and<br />
animals and is available <strong>in</strong> 1L<br />
or 2.5L conta<strong>in</strong>ers. Mix 100mL<br />
to 1L water to treat up to 20m².<br />
Regular applications may be<br />
needed to achieve best results.<br />
Phone 1800 819 003 or visit<br />
earthlife.com.au<br />
Mulch for good looks<br />
and garden goodness<br />
There are many important reasons to mulch. First, mulch stops<br />
the top of the soil dry<strong>in</strong>g out, keeps it moist and can reduce<br />
water<strong>in</strong>g by up to 75 per cent. Mulch<strong>in</strong>g also prevents weeds and<br />
weed seed germ<strong>in</strong>ation, which compete with plants for moisture<br />
and nutrients. It keeps the soil temperature constant, and us<strong>in</strong>g<br />
an organic mulch means you’re add<strong>in</strong>g extra organic matter to<br />
the soil, another fantastic benefit. Plus, mulch looks great. It can<br />
create consistent colour and coverage to what was bare ground.<br />
Feeder mulches, as the name suggests, add nutrition and improve<br />
soil as they break down. They are generally organic sugar-cane,<br />
lucerne and other straw mulches. These can be aesthetically<br />
pleas<strong>in</strong>g yet are lighter<br />
coloured and absorb and<br />
reta<strong>in</strong> moisture. They add<br />
beneficial organic matter to<br />
the soil and promote active<br />
biology such as earthworms.<br />
Long-term use of these<br />
mulches <strong>in</strong>creases soil<br />
fertility, markedly improves<br />
soil composition and reduces<br />
fertiliser dependence. Rocky<br />
Po<strong>in</strong>t Mulch<strong>in</strong>g’s Sugar Cane,<br />
Lucerne and Pea Straw<br />
mulches are f<strong>in</strong>ely chopped,<br />
dust extracted and come <strong>in</strong><br />
highly compressed packag<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
rpmulch<strong>in</strong>g.com.au<br />
Pest-free the<br />
organic way<br />
Keep your vegetables<br />
and garden plants pest-free and look<strong>in</strong>g<br />
good the natural way without us<strong>in</strong>g<br />
harsh chemicals. Searles Ecofend<br />
Vegetable & Garden is an organic soap-based<br />
spray that makes it easy to control <strong>in</strong>festations<br />
of <strong>in</strong>sects and mites such as thrips, mealybugs,<br />
whiteflies and those nasty plant-deform<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>sects, aphids. Spray Searles Ecofend Vegetable<br />
& Garden at the first sight of <strong>in</strong>sects on<br />
your vegetables, fruit trees, pot plants,<br />
roses and ornamentals. This spray<br />
conta<strong>in</strong>s an organic <strong>in</strong>gredient that<br />
is safe to use on edible plants and is<br />
available <strong>in</strong> 250mL, 500mL and 1L<br />
easy-to-measure concentrate bottles<br />
and a ready-to-use trigger spray. For<br />
more <strong>in</strong>formation on this product<br />
and other organic pest-control<br />
sprays, phone 07 5422 3000 or visit<br />
searlesgarden<strong>in</strong>g.com.au<br />
News from the Organigrow<br />
free-range organic egg farm<br />
Now aged two weeks, our chicks are grow<strong>in</strong>g well. They were only<br />
one day old when they arrived after safely travell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> specially<br />
adapted cardboard boxes. Once on the farm, we immediately<br />
released them <strong>in</strong>to two separate enclosures where they feed on a<br />
high-prote<strong>in</strong> organic chick starter mash. They also have plenty of<br />
fresh water, as the large brooder shed is kept at a constant 31°C<br />
to keep them warm. As they get older, the temperature is lowered<br />
gradually until they are at ambient temperature at around four<br />
weeks. It’s a real treat to watch them grow from day to day and,<br />
after the first week, release them from the enclosures to the full<br />
playground of the shed. Recently we started mix<strong>in</strong>g our own feed<br />
for the chooks us<strong>in</strong>g high-quality organic gra<strong>in</strong>. Two new silos<br />
were added to the three already present to <strong>in</strong>clude a wider range<br />
of cereals, thus ensur<strong>in</strong>g a larger selection of nutrients for even<br />
better eggs. It will also allow enough gra<strong>in</strong> to be held on the farm<br />
for almost a full year’s supply. organigrow.com.au<br />
94 | <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong>
PICK OF THE CROP<br />
The lead<strong>in</strong>g edge<br />
When you first th<strong>in</strong>k of stunn<strong>in</strong>g outdoor areas, an assortment of plants<br />
and pavers may come to m<strong>in</strong>d. Garden edg<strong>in</strong>g is rarely at the top of the<br />
list but you’ll be surprised at just how much clean borders and raised<br />
garden beds can set your landscape apart from the average. FormBoss<br />
metal garden edg<strong>in</strong>g has been supply<strong>in</strong>g designers, landscapers<br />
and weekend DIYers all over Australia for almost 10 years. What sets<br />
FormBoss apart is the fact that you can produce straight l<strong>in</strong>es, curves<br />
and garden beds on-site with unprecedented ease, need<strong>in</strong>g little to no<br />
experience. The rolled top lip makes the edg<strong>in</strong>g completely safe and<br />
allows you to easily connect the edg<strong>in</strong>g. Anchor<strong>in</strong>g the edg<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to the<br />
ground will completely conceal all fix<strong>in</strong>gs. Eight heights are available<br />
rang<strong>in</strong>g from 75mm to 580mm <strong>in</strong> both ZAM and Corten steel. For more<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation, visit formboss.com.au<br />
<strong>Organic</strong> Times Dark Chocolate<br />
Raspberry Licorice<br />
The latest treat from the organic gourmet food experts, <strong>Organic</strong><br />
Times, is f<strong>in</strong>ally here and it’s a w<strong>in</strong>ner. After the release of the<br />
company’s White Chocolate Raspberry Licorice, many fans cried<br />
out for a dark chocolate alternative. The Dark Chocolate Raspberry<br />
Licorice is the ultimate luxury treat with its perfect comb<strong>in</strong>ation of<br />
organic fresh licorice made with real raspberries, covered <strong>in</strong> smooth,<br />
rich, dark coverture chocolate. Indulge <strong>in</strong> these decadent bite-size<br />
sweets for only RRP $9.95. organictimes.com.au<br />
Marketlead<strong>in</strong>g<br />
juicer<br />
Choice recommended<br />
and <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong><br />
<strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> award w<strong>in</strong>ner<br />
for the best cold-press<br />
juicer, the Kuv<strong>in</strong>gs Whole<br />
Slow juicer is the first<br />
cold-press juicer that<br />
juices whole fruit and<br />
vegetables. Stylish,<br />
quiet and easy<br />
to clean, it yields<br />
more nutrients<br />
and enzymes for a<br />
healthy juice. Made<br />
<strong>in</strong> Korea, it <strong>in</strong>cludes<br />
20 years warranty<br />
on the motor and<br />
five years on the<br />
parts. For more<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation,<br />
phone 02 9798<br />
0586 or visit<br />
kuv<strong>in</strong>gs.net.au<br />
Make yours the “pick of the crop”<br />
with Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s fabulous fruit trees<br />
Grow<strong>in</strong>g fruit at home is special; it’s personal and, most importantly, it means<br />
you can eat the very best fruit fresh from the tree — rather than what’s<br />
packed for the supermarkets. That’s why Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s Nurseries has developed a<br />
catalogue featur<strong>in</strong>g the best fruit trees to grow <strong>in</strong> the home garden: Pick of the<br />
Crop. Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s’ Pick of the Crop features careful selections of the very best<br />
fruit-bear<strong>in</strong>g trees suitable to most areas of temperate Australia. It <strong>in</strong>cludes<br />
a selection of tried-and-true varieties as well as the best new cultivars on<br />
the Australian market today. Cover<strong>in</strong>g stone and pome fruits and <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
handy tips, h<strong>in</strong>ts and wise words<br />
from Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s tree guru, Wes<br />
Flem<strong>in</strong>g, Pick of the Crop is every<br />
home harvester’s practical guide<br />
to buy<strong>in</strong>g the right fruit tree for<br />
your needs. So if you are plann<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a bumper crop of future fruit at<br />
your place, make sure you check<br />
out Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s guide to fruit trees,<br />
Pick of the Crop. F<strong>in</strong>d an <strong>in</strong>-store<br />
catalogue at your local Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s<br />
stockist or view onl<strong>in</strong>e at flem<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
com.au/potc/potc.asp For<br />
more <strong>in</strong>formation on Flem<strong>in</strong>g’s<br />
Nurseries’ fruit and ornamental tree<br />
collections, visit flem<strong>in</strong>gs.com.au<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 95
HLD_OFC_FINAL.<strong>in</strong>dd 3<br />
SPRING INTO 2017 WITH<br />
OUR FREE GIFT<br />
SUBSCRIBE NOW!<br />
LIFE IS A GARDEN DIARY<br />
As the New Year unfolds, so do the exquisite gardens<br />
we have found to <strong>in</strong>spire you throughout 2017. Each<br />
week is enhanced by pithy and <strong>in</strong>spir<strong>in</strong>g words from<br />
literary greats, keen gardeners through the ages and<br />
some surpris<strong>in</strong>g celebrity gardeners. Whatever form<br />
your own garden takes – from a few cherished pots<br />
on a balcony to a sprawl<strong>in</strong>g country estate – with<strong>in</strong><br />
these pages you’ll f<strong>in</strong>d miracles of nature shaped by<br />
the human hand and creative m<strong>in</strong>d to <strong>in</strong>spire, admire<br />
and delight. May your year ahead be full of such<br />
miracles, large and small.<br />
HEALTHY LIVING<br />
2017 DIARY<br />
HEALTHY LIVING DIARY<br />
With weekly lifestyle tips, this diary will give you<br />
the <strong>in</strong>spiration to improve your life one day at a<br />
time. Ignor<strong>in</strong>g the fad diets and exercise crazes, the<br />
Healthy Liv<strong>in</strong>g diary offers a comprehensive guide to<br />
food, exercise and healthy liv<strong>in</strong>g throughout the year.<br />
CALL 1300 303 414 OR VISIT UNIVERSALSHOP.COM.AU TO TAKE UP<br />
THIS EXCLUSIVE OFFER TODAY. QUOTE CODE GOG74<br />
HURRY! OFFER ENDS 15 DECEMBER <strong>2016</strong>, WHILE STOCKS LAST.
SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS<br />
6 ISSUES OF GOOD ORGANIC GARDENING MAGAZINE<br />
+ FREE 2017 DIARY ONLY $39.95<br />
HEALTHY LIVING DIARY<br />
LIFE IS A GARDEN DIARY<br />
12 ISSUES OF GOOD ORGANIC GARDENING MAGAZINE<br />
FOR ONLY $47.70<br />
HLD_OFC_FINAL.<strong>in</strong>dd 3<br />
HEALTHY LIVING<br />
2017 DIARY<br />
6 issues of <strong>Good</strong><br />
<strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> –<br />
value $47.70<br />
+<br />
FREE your choice<br />
of either 2017<br />
Healthy Liv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
diary OR 2017 Life<br />
is a Garden diary –<br />
value $19.95<br />
ONLY<br />
$39.95<br />
All delivered to your door, FREE!<br />
MY DETAILS<br />
MY PERSONAL DETAILS:<br />
Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms First name:<br />
Surname:<br />
Address:<br />
Suburb:<br />
Postcode:<br />
Daytime telephone: ( )<br />
Email:<br />
GIFT SUBSCRIPTION:<br />
Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms First name:<br />
Surname:<br />
Address:<br />
Suburb:<br />
Postcode:<br />
Daytime telephone: ( )<br />
Email:<br />
PAYMENT OPTIONS<br />
Cheque/money order for AU$<br />
(Please make cheques payable to Universal Magaz<strong>in</strong>es Pty Ltd)<br />
Please charge my: American Express D<strong>in</strong>ers MasterCard Visa<br />
Card number:<br />
Expiry date (must be <strong>in</strong>cluded):<br />
Cardholder’s name:<br />
Cardholder’s signature:<br />
SUBSCRIBING MADE EASY<br />
1300 303 414<br />
and quote the code GOG74<br />
universalshop.com.au<br />
and enter code GOG74<br />
(02) 9805 0714<br />
mailorder@universalmagaz<strong>in</strong>es.com.au<br />
SEND COUPON NOW<br />
Subscriptions Department,<br />
Reply Paid 75687,<br />
North Ryde NSW 1670<br />
Subscriptions will commence with the first available issue. Exist<strong>in</strong>g subscriptions will simply be<br />
extended. Free gifts arrive separately to the magaz<strong>in</strong>e subscription and are sent as soon as possible.<br />
Free gift offers do not apply to subscribers currently on the Easy Payment Plan or those upgrad<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with the Early Bird offer. Offer open to Australian residents only. By subscrib<strong>in</strong>g you acknowledge that<br />
you understand that ‘tip-ons’ and gifts or bonus issues that may be available with non-subscriber<br />
copies of this magaz<strong>in</strong>e may not be provided to subscribers and is at the discretion of Universal<br />
Magaz<strong>in</strong>es Pty Ltd. The Promoter shall not be liable for any loss or damage which is suffered or<br />
susta<strong>in</strong>ed (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g but not limited to, <strong>in</strong>direct or consequential loss) or for personal <strong>in</strong>jury which is<br />
suffered or susta<strong>in</strong>ed as a result of tak<strong>in</strong>g part <strong>in</strong> this or any other gift offer. By subscrib<strong>in</strong>g, you<br />
consent to receive any direct market<strong>in</strong>g material <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g emails which <strong>in</strong>form the recipient of the<br />
Promoter’s other publications, products, services or events and to receive promotional material from<br />
third parties. Please tick the box if you do NOT wish us to use this <strong>in</strong>formation for the purposes stated<br />
above . Offer only available while stocks last, or until expiry date.
Australians all<br />
let us rejoice<br />
THE 2017 DIARY & CALENDAR RANGE IS HERE!<br />
GREAT<br />
GIFTS<br />
UNDER $20
OUR AUSTRALIA<br />
With more than 100 different titles, there is someth<strong>in</strong>g for everyone...<br />
GREAT<br />
GIFTS<br />
UNDER $20<br />
Visit paperpocket.com.au to see the complete 2017 range
Spr<strong>in</strong>g is here.<br />
Let us look after your garden.<br />
Delivered monthly to your <strong>in</strong>box<br />
with all the seeds of wisdom.
Sign up!<br />
completehome.com.au
ooks | REVIEWS<br />
Cover to cover<br />
Leaf<strong>in</strong>g through books for gardeners and nature lovers<br />
The Bee Friendly Garden<br />
By Doug Purdie, Murdoch Books, $39.99<br />
Like the proverbial canary <strong>in</strong> the coalm<strong>in</strong>e, the bee — or rather its absence — is often the first <strong>in</strong>dication that<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g is amiss <strong>in</strong> our environment. Bees are our most important poll<strong>in</strong>ators and their numbers are <strong>in</strong> sharp<br />
decl<strong>in</strong>e. It’s not just the lethal effects of pesticides or the loss of habitat; the urban landscape, with its emphasis on<br />
lawns, concrete and forage-poor “architectural” plant<strong>in</strong>gs, curtails the bees’ short hops from flower to flower and<br />
isolates populations from one another, with disastrous results. What we need to do, says Doug Purdie, self-professed<br />
“beevangelist” and co-founder of The Urban Beehive project <strong>in</strong> Sydney, is put on our “bee goggles” and see the<br />
world like a bee. To that end, this extensively illustrated book shows how to create a bee-friendly garden and,<br />
ultimately, a “bee highway” across Australia, sav<strong>in</strong>g bees one backyard or balcony plant tub at a time.<br />
Passion: <strong>Organic</strong> Vegan Recipes to Live For<br />
By Anthea Amore, organicpassioncater<strong>in</strong>g.com, $39.95<br />
Anthea Amore, the woman beh<strong>in</strong>d Byron Bay’s vegan cater<strong>in</strong>g company <strong>Organic</strong> Passion Cater<strong>in</strong>g, became a<br />
vegetarian at 14 and a vegan four years later — <strong>in</strong> spite of (or perhaps because of) her paternal Italian roots and the<br />
love of food that came with them. “As I had been a lover of meat and dist<strong>in</strong>ctly not vegetables, my family found this<br />
very amus<strong>in</strong>g,” she writes. “They made bets on how long I would last.” Nearly three decades later, Anthea’s still go<strong>in</strong>g<br />
strong and has poured her passion for organic, raw produce <strong>in</strong>to this stunn<strong>in</strong>g self-published cookbook. After a<br />
brief discussion of the ethics of food, Anthea launches <strong>in</strong>to 100-plus delicious recipes, from smoothies and soups to<br />
raw cashew hummus, sp<strong>in</strong>ach tagliatelle with vegan “Parmesan cheese” and san choy bow with crispy tempeh and<br />
macadamia, lime and coriander mayonnaise. For vegan beg<strong>in</strong>ners, there’s also a list of pantry must-haves.<br />
Nourish Bowls<br />
Photography by Issy Croker, Quadrille/Hardie Grant, $24.99<br />
Whether you call it a hippie bowl, Buddha bowl, ra<strong>in</strong>bow vegie bowl, poke bowl or glow bowl, the concept beh<strong>in</strong>d<br />
the bowl craze is simple: to comb<strong>in</strong>e all the nutritional elements you need <strong>in</strong> each meal. Mean<strong>in</strong>g 25 per cent<br />
prote<strong>in</strong> (meat, fish, dairy, eggs or plant-based); 25 per cent complex carbohydrates (gra<strong>in</strong>s); 10 per cent healthy fats<br />
(avocado, coconut oil); seasonal fruit or vegetables (the largest proportion); some leafy greens; and dress<strong>in</strong>gs or<br />
topp<strong>in</strong>gs of seeds, nuts or berries. This beautiful book, illustrated by London-based photographer and food editor<br />
Issy Croker, provides 60 seasonal, hearty and photogenic recipes to help you build your daily bowls, from breakfast<br />
and light meals to hearty d<strong>in</strong>ner bowls. The book f<strong>in</strong>ishes with recipes for staples you can store, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g buttermilk<br />
dress<strong>in</strong>g, Creole spice mix, green Thai and laksa pastes and kimchi, the spicy Korean condiment. Let’s go bowl<strong>in</strong>g!<br />
Bees, Beekeep<strong>in</strong>g and Honey<br />
By John Mason & staff, ACS Distance Education, $32.95<br />
Here’s an ebook that presents a practical guide to all aspects of beekeep<strong>in</strong>g and honey production, from how to<br />
build and where to locate your hive to harvest<strong>in</strong>g and us<strong>in</strong>g the end product <strong>in</strong> the kitchen. You’ll f<strong>in</strong>d detailed<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation about the different species of bees and their physiology, a guide to the seasonal tasks <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong><br />
bee husbandry, a chapter about bee health and diseases, pests and viruses, plus all the ways to attract bees to<br />
your garden. At a time when this beneficial <strong>in</strong>sect’s numbers are <strong>in</strong> decl<strong>in</strong>e, here’s your chance to do someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
not only for your own garden and pantry but for the environment as a whole. Beekeep<strong>in</strong>g can even be a lucrative<br />
enterprise. With 106 pages <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g 46 pictures, this fasc<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g ebook is available at acsbookshop.com.<br />
The House and Garden at Glenmore<br />
By Mickey Robertson, Murdoch Books, $59.99<br />
This handsome book, lavishly illustrated with Daniel Shipp’s stunn<strong>in</strong>g photography, tells the story of how <strong>in</strong>terior<br />
designer Mickey Robertson and her husband made an impulse decision to buy a dilapidated sandstone cottage<br />
near Camden on the western edge of Sydney. Now, after nearly 30 years of pa<strong>in</strong>stak<strong>in</strong>g restoration and renewal, the<br />
colonial house, its garden and outly<strong>in</strong>g build<strong>in</strong>gs are someth<strong>in</strong>g of a showpiece and the focus of regular garden<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
cook<strong>in</strong>g and craft workshops run by the couple. Mickey is an engag<strong>in</strong>g writer and her account of Glenmore’s<br />
progress from grand folly to grand design, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g asides about her family life and the <strong>in</strong>spiration she draws from<br />
her ornamental garden, makes for amus<strong>in</strong>g and thoroughly distract<strong>in</strong>g read<strong>in</strong>g. A bonus chapter <strong>in</strong>cludes<br />
30 seasonal recipes highlight<strong>in</strong>g the produce from her productive organic, biodynamic kitchen garden.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Organic</strong> <strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> | 102
www.organicediblegarden.co.nz<br />
Directory<br />
<strong>Organic</strong> Edible Garden<br />
<strong>Garden<strong>in</strong>g</strong> By The Moon Calendar 2017<br />
GARDENING BY THE MOON CALENDAR 2017<br />
the perfect<br />
Christmas<br />
gift!<br />
*<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
*<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
$20<br />
RESULTS SPEAK<br />
LOUDER THAN WORDS!<br />
It’s no surprise that Troforte® is fast<br />
becom<strong>in</strong>g the fertiliser of choice for<br />
Australian gardeners. The unique,<br />
specifically selected stra<strong>in</strong>s of beneficial<br />
soil microbes <strong>in</strong> Troforte® ensure that<br />
soils are at their optimum health and this<br />
is crucial to plants grow<strong>in</strong>g healthy too!<br />
After all, it took us 15 years research<strong>in</strong>g<br />
these good microbes and work<strong>in</strong>g out<br />
which stra<strong>in</strong>s work best together. Troforte<br />
has up to 24 stra<strong>in</strong>s of beneficial microbes<br />
and also 60 m<strong>in</strong>erals and controlled<br />
release fertiliser that will ensure fruits and<br />
vegetables will be packed full of nutrients!<br />
Troforte is safe for our environment and<br />
does not leach and therefore does not<br />
add to the pollution of our rivers and<br />
waterways. Troforte is also safe for pets<br />
and won’t burn your plants and prolonged<br />
use will also help <strong>in</strong>hibit many soil and<br />
plant diseases. That’s great news as<br />
the use of harmful chemical pesticides<br />
can be m<strong>in</strong>imized or elim<strong>in</strong>ated<br />
altogether. Troforte is a proudly<br />
Aussie <strong>in</strong>novation that tackles<br />
plant health from the roots -<br />
Literally! You will taste the<br />
difference <strong>in</strong> your fruits and<br />
veggies as Troforte® promotes<br />
greater nutrient uptake and that<br />
means your home grown<br />
produce will be packed full<br />
of goodness!<br />
www.saveyoursoils.com.au<br />
(for more <strong>in</strong>formation i and your nearest retailer )<br />
E: <strong>in</strong>fo@langleyfertilizers.com.au P: (08) 9302 1633
Directory<br />
HUNTER DISTILLERY is a certied organic distillery <strong>in</strong> the Hunter<br />
Valley w<strong>in</strong>e region of New South Wales.<br />
Locally owned and operated, we use premium quality organic raw<br />
<strong>in</strong>gredients to produce the award w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g certied organic<br />
VALLI PREMIUM VODKA and COPPERWAVE GIN,<br />
as well as an exceptional range of top shelf spirits <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
avoured Vodkas, Liqueurs and Schnapps.<br />
Visit and sample our unique range of spirits, with a avour for every<br />
taste.<br />
An amaz<strong>in</strong>g experience not to be missed.<br />
Open 7 days, 10am - 5pm<br />
1686 Broke Road POKOLBIN NSW 2320<br />
Ph: 02 4998 6737 Fax: 02 4998 6738<br />
<strong>in</strong>fo@hunterdistillery.com.au www.hunterdistillery.com.au<br />
90 DAY<br />
MONEY BACK<br />
GUARANTEE<br />
HUMANE POSSUM DETERRENTENT<br />
24/7 POSSUM REPELLER FOR THE ULTIMATE POSSUM CONTROL<br />
The ultrasonic Possum Deterrent has a maximum range of 14 metres.<br />
This weatherproof Possum Repeller randomly and <strong>in</strong>termittently emits quiet ultrasonics<br />
with a maximum arc of 170 degrees <strong>in</strong> front of the device.<br />
The device also has a motion sensor that activates the possum repeller when<br />
possums move <strong>in</strong>to its <strong>in</strong>fra red coverage zone. The light sensor automatically turns<br />
the device on at dusk and off at dawn or runs 24 hours when used <strong>in</strong> a roof space.<br />
The Possum Repeller is easy to use, set up and ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>. We’re always at the end of a<br />
phone or email to help you with any setup and best practice questions you may have.<br />
(07) 5443 6344<br />
birdgard@birdgard.com.au<br />
www.birdgard.com.au<br />
Smart Planter is a Modular System that allows you to make a<br />
variety of shapes and sizes. Made from Recycled PVC UV<br />
Stabilised. The Planks are hollow which helps to reta<strong>in</strong> the<br />
moisture <strong>in</strong> the soil. The Smart Planter comes as a trough<br />
terrace, corner planter or raised bed garden. The Planters<br />
can be custom made to your requirements. Great for units,<br />
townhouses, courtyards, balconies or just the back yard. Any<br />
of the planters can be made to what ever height you like, for<br />
ease of garden<strong>in</strong>g. All the planters are Australian made and<br />
designed at our factory <strong>in</strong> Car<strong>in</strong>gbah.<br />
02 95261455<br />
34-36 Meta Street,Taren Po<strong>in</strong>t 2229<br />
www.smartplanter.com.au
Directory<br />
WANT TO USE LESS CHEMICALS IN YOUR LAWN /<br />
GARDEN? TARGET WEEDS FROM THE SEED BANK.<br />
Earthlife Weedless is the<br />
Solution to your problem!<br />
IT'S ORGANIC!<br />
SAFE TO USE<br />
AROUND<br />
CHILDREN<br />
& PETS!<br />
Earthlife Weedless is an organic enzyme<br />
product that degrades surface deposited<br />
seeds. It attacks the seed render<strong>in</strong>g it<br />
unable to germ<strong>in</strong>ate, thereby reduc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
weed populations.<br />
People’s<br />
Choice<br />
GARDEN IDEA<br />
AWARDS <strong>2016</strong><br />
WINNER SOIL<br />
& FERTILISER<br />
CATEGORY<br />
Free Call 1800 819 003<br />
www.earthlife.com.au<br />
NATURE’S OWN ANSWER TO<br />
SCARABS & MANY OTHER PESTS<br />
Beneficial Nematodes • Smarter Biocontrol<br />
CSIRO<br />
patented<br />
technology<br />
for the control<br />
of damag<strong>in</strong>g<br />
garden pests<br />
WOW...<br />
Tree Types<br />
Up to 6 different<br />
fruits on one tree!<br />
Fruit Salad Trees<br />
• Stone Fruits<br />
• Citrus Fruits<br />
• Multi Apples<br />
• NATURAL CONTROL<br />
• NON TOXIC - CHEMICAL FREE<br />
• EASY TO USE AND APPLY<br />
• SAFE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT<br />
• SAFE FOR THE FAMILY<br />
Ground or Pots<br />
Longer Pick<strong>in</strong>g<br />
All Climates<br />
The safe and natural way to elim<strong>in</strong>ate garden pests<br />
www.ecogrow.com.au<br />
Australian owned and operated<br />
ORDER ONLINE<br />
FruitSaladTrees.com<br />
All States<br />
ALL YEAR<br />
(02) 6585 8115<br />
e: sales@fruitsaladtrees.com
Directory<br />
Buy onl<strong>in</strong>e at ...<br />
Australian<br />
Hand Made<br />
W<strong>in</strong>d Chimes<br />
Copper Ra<strong>in</strong> Cha<strong>in</strong>s<br />
www.w<strong>in</strong>dsongchimes.com.au<br />
PO Box 462, Bell<strong>in</strong>gen NSW 2454<br />
<strong>in</strong>fo@w<strong>in</strong>dsongchimes.com.au<br />
Phone: (02) 6655 9899<br />
Jo<strong>in</strong> us at one of our nutrition and cook<strong>in</strong>g<br />
demonstrations or retreats, see website for<br />
details or connect with us at the Energy<br />
Coach<strong>in</strong>g Institute on Facebook for regular<br />
updates, and health and wellness tips.<br />
100% Australian<br />
Hand-made<br />
No petrochemicals<br />
Specialis<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a unique multidiscipl<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
approach to enhanc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
your energy, personal health<br />
& professional performance.<br />
Pure Polish<br />
Furniture clean<strong>in</strong>g, care and<br />
restoration products that are<br />
effective, natural and smell nice!<br />
www.purepolish.com.au<br />
NEW GIPPSLAND<br />
SEEDS & BULBS<br />
PO Box 1 (120 Lewis Rd) Silvan VIC 3795<br />
ph. (03) 9737 9560 e. orders@newgipps.com.au<br />
www.newgipps.com.au<br />
10% DISCOUNT STOREWIDE ON<br />
PRODUCTS FOR GOOD ORGANIC<br />
GARDENING MAGAZINE READERS.<br />
Enter the code GOGM5 at checkout.<br />
• Largest supplier of Perma-Guard Fossil Shell Flour,<br />
Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth<br />
• Human and Animal Health Supplements<br />
• Premium <strong>Organic</strong> Fertilisers and Soil Conditioners<br />
• Zeolite, Humates, Liquid Seaweed Concentrate, Wetters<br />
• Sell to home user, large farmers & resellers<br />
1300 385 842 • sales@plantdoctor.com.au<br />
Go to our website for a FREE chapter<br />
of Jo’s book ‘Rocket Fuel on a Budget’.<br />
www.facebook.com/ EnergyCoach<strong>in</strong>gInstitute<br />
www.energycoach<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>stitute.com
Your Complete Steel<br />
Edg<strong>in</strong>g Solution<br />
Picture: Groundswell Landscape Design<br />
Picture:<br />
DIY <strong>in</strong>stallation<br />
We make custom r<strong>in</strong>gs!<br />
Seamless connections & corners!<br />
Picture: Vivid Green Landscap<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Picture:<br />
Wiley & Co.<br />
Create any shape you can imag<strong>in</strong>e!<br />
Stays <strong>in</strong> shape with guaranteed results.<br />
Multiple heights, gauges & f<strong>in</strong>ishes.<br />
Delivery Australia wide.<br />
GUARANTEED<br />
FOR<br />
~10 YEARS~<br />
Structural Guarantee<br />
See website for<br />
T & C’s<br />
Get those old edges replaced! 1800 852 672