Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue #10.1 - 2019 i Good Organic Gardening

CHLOE THOMSON A horticulturist, presenter and passionate organic gardener, Chloe is co-owner and presenter of the web-based series The Gardenettes and she has been a regular presenter on The Garden Gurus. A mum of two little boys, she has a great following of Australian gardeners on her social media profile Bean There Dug That. HELLEBORE ‘ANNA’S RED’ The plant: Anna’s Red is an absolute breakthrough variety with outstanding performance. Stunning red to burgundy flowers appear from early winter through until early spring each year. The flower stems grow through the foliage to make a dramatic impact above the lush, dark-green, tough, leathery foliage. This will be a talking point in your winter garden. Growing: ‘Anna’s Red’ grows well in either a decorative container or garden beds large and small. Despite…

Covenant College is a Christian school in the Geelong suburb of Bell Post Hill. Its ethos, drawn from Proverbs 22:6, is clear: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” And what better training for life than an organic garden right there on the school grounds? Planned to support a practical horticulture/agriculture program for Years 7–10 as well as for the study of plants and animals in the science program for primary classes, the gardens comprise a half-acre inner garden, called the Sunny Patch, an acre of outer market garden and five acres of paddocks. In no–dig beds, raised beds and containers, the students grow in-season vegetables including bumper crops of corn, potatoes, tomatoes and pumpkins as well…

Asparagus label Common name: Asparagus Botanical name: Asparagus officinalis Family: Asparagaceae (formerly Liliaceae) Aspect & soil: Sun to part shade; well-drained soil Best climate: Cool, Mediterranean, temperate, subtropical Habit: Herbaceous perennial Propagation: Crowns, seed, potted plants Difficulty: Moderate Each spring, delicious spears of asparagus appear in my garden — but it’s a mixed blessing. Unfortunately, the previous gardener ignored the first rule of asparagus planting: give them a dedicated bed. As a result, they’re growing in a garden bed, fighting for space and attention between a large clump of acanthus and garden perennials. Every year I resolve to clear out the other plants and every year I forget so the annual spot-the-asparagus hunt goes on. The reason for the dedicated bed is to give the asparagus, which is a very long-lived…

Saffron label Common name: Saffron Botanical name: Crocus sativus Family: Iridaceae (iris family) Aspect & soil: Full sun; rich, well-drained soil Best climate: Cool, Mediterranean, temperate Habit: Perennial flowering bulb Propagation: Bulbs (corms) Difficulty: Moderate Picture your hands cupped and overflowing with vibrant, sunset-orange, dried saffron threads. You’d be holding at least 200,000 stigmas from the flowering crocus — just a kilogram of which, depending on quality, will fetch between AU$7000 and $20,000. A crocus bulb produces only a single flower per season and each flower produces just one three-pronged stigma, which must be harvested by hand and the stigma separated before they are dried. Saffron is grown in areas with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Iran is the largest producer in the world, followed closely by Spain, Greece,…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES The heat may have only just receded but in cool, elevated and inland areas, be on frost alert, especially on cold, clear nights. Frost brings an end to summer vine crops, especially pumpkins, sweet potatoes and chokos. Relegate frost-damaged annual vegies to the compost but be sure to harvest any crops that remain on vines and stems. Use the cleared space for growing late-winter and spring crops. Sow seeds or plant seedlings of kale and other brassicas along with cool-season legumes such as peas and snow peas. If you are growing brassicas such as Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, watch out for cabbage white butterfly caterpillars. These green caterpillars chew on leaves and flower buds and can destroy entire crops. Regularly inspect all brassica leaves…

82 Cauliflower Bean Puree with Watercress, Mushrooms & Poached Eggs 84 Marinated Chicken with Coconut Lime Dressing 83 Split Pea & Leek Soup with Minty Basil Yoghurt Swirl 85 Best Ever Carrot Cake An edited extract from The Yogic Kitchen by Jody Vassallo (HQ Non Fiction, $39.99) Food guru and yoga teacher Jody has submerged herself in Ayurvedic practice for many years. She has been working as a recipe writer and food stylist for the past 25 years, collaborating with Jamie Oliver, Bill Granger and Donna Hay. She was a consultant to Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food in Australia, and had a regular special diets column on his website. Jody’s career began working with Donna Hay, writing recipes, styling and testing, and was Food Director at Murdoch Books in the…

Serves 4–6 INGREDIENTS • 1.5kg chicken drumsticks, scored• 1 tsp ground turmeric• 2 garlic cloves, chopped• ½ cup (125g) coconut yoghurt• 1 tsp each ground coriander, ground cumin, sweet paprika & garam masala• 1 small red onion, grated• 1 tbsp lime juice Coconut Lime Dressing • 2 tbsp desiccated coconut• Zest & juice 2 limes• 1 tsp coconut sugar• 1 small green chilli, seeded & chopped• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander• 3 tbsp avocado or coconut oil• 2 tbsp water METHOD 1 Place the chicken, turmeric, garlic, yoghurt, spices, onion and lime juice in a shallow bowl and mix well to coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for as long as time permits; overnight is ideal. 2 The next day, combine the coconut lime dressing ingredients in a bowl, add…

JOIN THE WAR ON WASTE Did you know that 39–45 percent of household waste is organic and compostable? The sustainable revolution is here! Get your kids involved in the War on Waste at home by starting your own worm farm this Christmas. The Tumbleweed Can-O-Worms is great for teaching kids of all ages how nature recycles and, best of all, it’s fun! Put worms to work to turn your kitchen scraps into a nutrient-rich organic fertiliser that your ornamental plants and home-grown vegies will love. Tumbleweed is a proud Australian manufacturer, designing and making environmental products right here in Australia from 100 percent recycled plastic, giving waste material a new and long-term second life. As Australia’s favourite organic recycling innovators, Tumbleweed products are designed to work, made to last. Join…

Blackcurrant label Common name: Blackcurrant Botanical name: Ribes nigrum Family: Grossulariaceae Aspect & soil: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil Best climate: Cold Habit: Deciduous shrub Propagation: Hardwood cuttings, potted plants Difficulty: Easy One of the best garden discoveries I’ve ever made happened when I was weeding an overgrown area. It was summer and we’d only owned the property for a few months. Weeds were entangled in a large shrub and, as I pulled them away, I discovered not one but three blackcurrant bushes laden with round, black, juicy fruit. The birds hadn’t found them so blackcurrant cordial was suddenly on the menu. Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) is a clever backyard crop for cold zones as it tolerates shade and grows happily where other fruiting plants would struggle. My rogue blackcurrants…

Grapefruit label Common name: Grapefruit Botanical name: Citrus × paradisi Family: Rutaceae Aspect & soil: Sun; well-drained soil Best climate: Mediterranean, temperate, subtropical Habit: Evergreen tree Propagation: Grafting, budding Difficulty: Easy High on the 1950s dieter’s list were grapefruit halves, a breakfast staple that was delicately deconstructed, segment by segment, with a side of dry toast and black coffee. In the 1970s they were often dusted with a sprinkling of sugar and served with a glâcé cherry to balance out the sourness. But humble grapefruit halves have come a long way since then. These days, you’ll find them grilled, fried or caramelised and dressed up with any combination of honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and pistachios. The grapefruit halves served at Kellerman’s in the movie Dirty Dancing, set in 1963, were most…

Imagine booking a weekend retreat to a B&B tucked away in a quiet corner of the lower Hunter Valley, then rocking up to a vine-draped little Eden of 60-odd fruit and nut trees and over 40 herb and vegie beds — along with the more predictable comforts of a pool and a bucolic outlook. That’s what guests discover on arrival at Sevasti’s Hideaway, run by Lyall Burgoyne, whose wife Sevasti (Susie) helps with the gardens, though they are mainly the result of Lyall’s tireless labour. Sevasti’s efforts go more towards using the astonishing amounts of produce in her cooking and preserves. She’s “a fantastic cook”, according to Lyall. “My favourites are her sweet zucchini relish, sweet mustard pickles and tomato relish. “Susie makes a Greek spinach and cheese pie with…

MAY 2019 Late autumn means it’s still a good time in most regions to get all those lovely health-giving brassicas and root vegetables into the garden JUNE 2019 Winter has officially arrived and, while it’s a quieter time for planting in cooler regions, there’s lots to put in the ground in the warmer zones When the moon is waxing from new moon to full moon, it is increasing light and drawing sap flow upwards. During the waning from full moon back to new moon, light decreases and sap is drawn downwards. This movement of sap flow has an influence on how well new plants will grow. There are four phases, each lasting seven to eight days. Sowing, planting and taking cuttings should not be done in the 12 hours before…

Daikon label Common name: Daikon, daikon radish, white radish, icicle radish, lobok Botanical name: Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus Family: Brassicaceae Aspect & soil: Sun; moist, fertile soil Best climate: All areas  Habit: Fast-growing annual root vegetable Propagation: Seed Difficulty: Easy The daikon looks like a carrot with an identity crisis. These large white roots may resemble the more familiar vegetable but are bigger, more robust and white rather than orange, with larger, coarser leaves than the fine-leaved carrot. Daikons are also a lot larger and less tapered than parsnips. Despite its similarities with these other root vegies, the daikon is more closely related to radish and both are members of the brassica family. Indeed, it’s sometimes called white radish. As for the name daikon, it’s Japanese for “big root”. And these…

Coriander label Common name: Coriander, cilantro Botanical name: Coriandrum sativum Family: Apiaceae (carrot family) Group: Annual Requires: Sun to part shade; constant moisture Dislikes: Hot, dry conditions Suitable for: Herb gardens, vegetable gardens, containers Habit: Tall aromatic herb Needs: Good watering Propagation: Seed, seedling Difficulty: Moderate It seems the world is divided between those who love coriander and those who hate it. Some people have even been known to throw up from accidentally eating it. Yet it’s a key flavour in so many Asian dishes and just the right garnish for Indian curries, Moroccan tajines and Mexican salsas — how dull would guacamole be without it? The leaves aren’t the only part of the plant used to flavour dishes, either. The whole plant is edible. The seeds are ground and added…

A garden that’s easy to look after is more likely to be maintained over the long term. But such a garden doesn’t happen by chance — it’s the result of careful planning. No gardener enjoys unnecessary hard work, so in permaculture we aim to design gardens that are as energy-efficient as possible. One such approach to energy efficiency is the permaculture design principle of zone planning. PLANNED EFFICIENCY Zone planning is a system in which the location of an element in a design is determined by: • How often we need to use the element • How often we need to service the element It’s logical from a design perspective to locate those things that are used most often or require the most attention closest to the house, the centre…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES Winter is more about soups than salads, so plan a soup bed in the vegie patch and fill it with kale, onion, silverbeet and spinach. Also harvest summer-planted turnip, which is great for the soup pot. Use stored vegetables including pumpkin and potatoes. Stored vegies should be checked regularly, culling any that are showing signs of rot or deterioration. This is also the season to plan ahead for early spring by planting broad beans and peas (delay planting in very cold zones). Both these vegies need support to grow. Broad beans — even dwarf forms — are very brittle and sprawl without support. Prepare beds now for planting long-term vegie crops next month. Asparagus, artichoke and rhubarb are available as crowns for winter planting. As these are…

Serves 8 INGREDIENTS • 4 eggs• ½ cup (125g) coconut sugar• 1 tsp vanilla powder or natural vanilla extract• 250mL ghee or olive oil• 4 carrots, grated• 6 medjool dates, stones removed, flesh finely chopped• 2 cups (250g) gluten-free flour (I use a brown rice and arrowroot combination)• ½ cup (125g) almond meal• 1 tsp baking powder• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda• 2 tsp ground cinnamon• 1 tsp ground cardamom• 120g roasted hazelnuts, chopped Icing • 125g ghee, softened• 250g cream cheese, softened & chopped• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup METHOD 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 22cm springform cake tin with baking paper. 2 Place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat until pale and thick. Add the vanilla and oil and…

Breadfruit label Common names: Breadfruit, canoe plant, poi, ulu Botanical name: Artocarpus altilis Family: Moraceae Aspect & soil: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil Best climate: Tropics, subtropics Habit: Evergreen tree Propagation: Seed Difficulty: Moderate Breadfruit is so strongly associated with dramatic historical events it’s hard to think of it as an edible plant to grow in the modern garden. It features in the sad story of slavery and also makes a cameo appearance in Australia’s early history. The dispersal of breadfruit across the Pacific is used to chart the spread of peoples through the region. Genetic models suggest that this nutritious fruiting tree is related to the breadnut, a tree from New Guinea, and spread from there across the Pacific. It has been grown in Hawaii for more than…

On a farm nestled in the subtropical rolling green hills of Mullumbimby in northern NSW is a delightful home inhabited by Jan, who has found inspiration in every garden she has tended, and her housemates, arty jewellery-making daughter Deah and Deah’s can-do partner, Clancy. What sets these gardening folk apart is that being renters hasn’t held them back from creating a fabulous garden. They have been living on the farm for only seven months and, although the garden isn’t huge, it’s spacious enough for them grow a great variety of edibles. Jan, who is retired, spends every spare moment in the garden or clearing the dams of noxious weeds, tending the chooks or just dreaming up more gardening projects. Self-employed Deah also potters in the garden with her mum for…

Onion label Common name: Onion Botanical name: Allium cepa Cepa group Family: Alliaceae Aspect & soil: Sun; deep well-drained soil Best climate: Cool to subtropical Habit: Biennial bulb grown as an annual Propagation: Seed, seedling (called sets) Difficulty: Moderate They are loaded with beneficial sulphur and their pungent smell is strong enough to make even the toughest person cry! But, boy, are we addicted to members of the genus Allium — in fact, I can’t imagine cooking without them. Alliums include favourites like onions, garlic, shallots, spring onions, leeks and chives, but also a number of ornamental plants grown purely for their showy pompom flower spikes. There is a variety of onion to suit most climates around Australia. Check out your local nurseries for recommended cultivars and varieties to suit your…

Thornless blackberry label Common names: Thornless blackberry, smooth blackberry Botanical name: Rubus subgenus rubus Family: Rosaceae Aspect and soil: Sun; well-drained soil Best climate: Temperate to cool Habit: Climber or trailing vine Propagation: Cutting Difficulty: Easy Blackberries are thorny, invasive weeds that alienate large tracts of productive land, invade bushland and provide a safe haven to pests such as rabbits. They also grow along roadsides and fence lines and find their way into gardens. It should be no surprise to find the blackberry classified as a weed of national significance. Although these weedy blackberries have an abundance of tasty fruit throughout summer, they are not to be planted in the garden. The way to enjoy blackberries in gardens is to plant thornless blackberries. These plants have robust canes and pretty pink…

We seem to have forgotten one of the attributes that made ducks popular in the past: their eggs! Many of us can remember how highly prized duck eggs were by serious cooks, particularly for home-baked cakes. Most farms kept a few laying ducks for Mum’s baking. Townies valued their rural friendships and were thrilled when given a spare dozen duck eggs, but commercially produced bakery goods have replaced the home cook’s efforts. As well, numerous diets preclude or limit grains, so there’s a greatly reduced call on rich homemade fare. EGG DIFFERENCES Most duck eggs are white-shelled but some breeds produce light-blue or green-shelled eggs and very occasionally you will see grey-shelled eggs. Black plumaged ducks are likely to produce grey shells when first laying due to an excess of…

In season MAY FRUITS Apples, avocado, banana, cumquat, custard apple, dates, feijoa, grapes, kiwifruit, lemon, lime, mandarin, nashi, nuts (chestnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts), orange (Navel), pears, persimmon, pomegranate, quince, rhubarb VEGIES Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, daikon, eggplant, eschalot, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, kale, leek, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, olives, onion, spring onion, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, silverbeet, spinach, squash, swede, sweet corn, sweet potato (kumara), taro, tomatoes, turnip, witlof, zucchini In season JUNE FRUITS Apples, avocado, banana, custard apple, dates, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemon, lime, mandarin, nashi, nuts (chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts), orange (Navel), passionfruit, pears, persimmon, pomelo, quince, rhubarb VEGIES Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, eschalot, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, kohlrabi, leek, mushrooms, okra, olives, onion,…

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