Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue #10.6 - 2020 i Good Organic Gardening

I’ve never kept geese — only chooks — but I have a friend who always owns a pair of Chinese geese. I put it that way because every once in a while, sadly, something happens to one and she has to replace her or him. But she would never be without them, and I can understand why. When I go to her house for coffee we often sit on the deck and watch the geese pottering around the beautiful gardens and magnificent dam her house overhangs. My friend has a very productive orchard where the geese clean up the fallen fruit and generally keep things tidier than they might otherwise be. Despite the danger of roaming foxes and large eels in the dam, these geese have quite the life, but…

CHLOE THOMSON A horticulturist, writer and passionate organic gardener, Chloe is co-owner and presenter of the web-based series The Gardenettes and has been a regular presenter on The Garden Gurus. The mother of two little boys, she has a great following of Australian gardeners on her social media profile Bean There Dug That. FIG‘ST DOMINIQUE VIOLETTE’, FICUS CARICA The plant: Step back in time and try this heritage violet-skinned French fig. It’s said to have been grown at the Burnley Horticultural College in Melbourne back in 1875 and you can spot it in old mail-order catalogues up until the 1930s. It’s available again thanks to Phil Shephard, whose family has been growing fruit trees in Victoria for three generations. This self-pollinating fig is one for the collector and connoisseur. Growing:…

In its exposed location on the Hunter coast, Fern Bay is either the northernmost suburb of Newcastle or the southernmost region of Port Stephens. Officially, it’s the latter. A high-flying bird would see wetlands and reclaimed dunes bisected by the twin channels of the mighty Hunter River. So, when Andrew and Cynthia Meyles moved into a new housing estate in Fern Bay, the immediate challenge was the soil — or rather, the sand. “The soil was barren,” says Andrew, “and I had to spend a couple of years building up the organic matter to make it fertile and productive. I brought in some soil for the garden beds and it was full of nematodes that I’ve had to learn how to control. “Moving from Tasmania to Newcastle meant I had…

1 Ulysses, Papilio ulysses Wingspan: 100–130mm. This very elusive butterfly, with the most divine iridescent turquoise-blue topside wings, is found in the tropics of North Queensland as well as the northern islands of Australia and PNG. Host plants: Melicope elleryana and M. rubra. They particularly like to feed on Callistemon bottlebrush. 2 Joseph’s coat, Agarista agricola Wingspan: 5-7cm. Actually a large moth, this is in fact one of only a few day-flying moths and one of the very few to sport such vibrant wing colourings. This often leads to it being mistaken for a butterfly. Host plants: The native vines Cayratia clematidea and Cissus opaca and all cultivated grapevines. 3 Varied eggfly, Hypolimnas bolina Wingspan: 70–85mm. The male has dark-brown wings with a white egg-shaped spot surrounded by blue; the…

We are so used to buying a bag of peas from the freezer section of the supermarket that it seems strange to remember that peas grown in the garden come in pods not packets! Fresh peas have lots of appeal because they are sweet and crunchy. Children who won’t eat green vegies can usually be drawn into eating peas they’ve plucked straight from the garden. Immature green peas are very sweet. Indeed, snow peas — the flat green peas you eat pod and all — are a good choice to grow to get children involved in gardening as they are delicious and crop very quickly. Snow peas can produce pods in as little as six to eight weeks after planting. But all peas are easy to plant, quick to grow…

Hazelnut label Common name: Hazelnut, cobnut, filbert Botanical name: Corylus avellana Family: Betulaceae (birch family) Aspect & soil: Full sun; well-drained soil Best climate: Cool Habit: Deciduous shrub or small tree Propagation: Whips or suckers Difficulty: Medium Hazelnuts are a delicious and nutritious cool-climate crop that literally falls to the ground in autumn. The small, multi-branched shrubby trees are often grown as hedges in productive gardens and orchards. For commercial production, however, they are trained as small, single-trunked trees. Hazelnuts require around 1200 chill hours in winter (hours accumulated below 7°C when the plants are dormant) and a mild summer. Prime hazelnut-growing areas in Australia include deep-soil areas in elevated parts of New South Wales and Victoria and through much of Tasmania. Tasmania is where growers Greg Taylor and Elizabeth…

The idea of working in harmony with nature may appeal to many gardeners but that isn’t necessarily how it plays out in in practice. Generally, horticulture and agriculture are taught from the perspective that we are in a perpetual battle against nature — and mainstream gardening is often practised that way. It’s not hard to understand such a view. Humans design gardens and farms to look the way they imagine they should look and they make tremendous efforts to maintain them that way. But nature seems hell bent on defying human intentions, working incessantly to fill our beloved creations with weeds. The question that begs to be answered is why the goals of humanity and those of nature appear to be in opposition. That’s a question we will answer, but…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES Collect seed from open-pollinated crops to save for sowing in spring or early summer. Make sure seed is clean and dry, then store it in an airtight container. Clearly label the seed and include the date it was collected. It’s probably time to give up on tomatoes but don’t waste the unripe fruit — green tomatoes can be used in chutney or may be ripened indoors. Ripe pumpkins are heavy and sound drummy when rapped with the knuckles. To store over winter, harvest each with a sharp knife and with a small piece of stem attached. Before storing, inspect each pumpkin and only store undamaged fruit. Select a cool, dark, airy spot away from heating or air-conditioning units. Check stored pumpkins regularly and use up any…

These little, distinctively flavoured biscuits are very easy to make. I have made them a little less sweeter than the Persian taste. You can leave them plain or, as I did, push a little pistachio sliver in the middle, or even a few rose petals. Makes 60 biscuits INGREDIENTS • 20 cardamom pods, seeds extracted• ½ tsp saffron strands• 130g caster (superfine) sugar, plus 1 tsp extra• 4 egg yolks• 3–4 tbsp rosewater• 125mL (½ cup) olive oil• 100g unsalted butter, at room temp• 200g rice flour• 230g besan (chickpea flour)• ½ tsp sea salt• Pistachio slivers & rose petals, to decorate (optional)• Icing sugar, to decorate (optional) METHOD 1. Using a mortar and pestle, grind together the cardamom seeds, saffron and 1 tsp caster sugar. 2. Beat the egg…

Used to make bland biscuits and invalid food and as a substitute for potato, arrowroot is a plant with a long history in Australia. Gluten free, rich in carbs and best known here as Queensland arrowroot, it was the original source of flour for arrowroot biscuits. Today, arrowroot flour is made from another tropical tuber called West Indian arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea). It may have Queensland in its name but the plant can be grown in all parts of Australia, though it comes into its own in warmer climes. In cooler areas it needs a warm, sheltered spot. It originated in tropical parts of America. Permaculture expert Frances Michaels, of mail-order supplier Green Harvest in Queensland, says it was first processed commercially at Mount Tambourine and originally grown as a subsistence…

Maude is a small rural hamlet half an hour northwest of Geelong. There, Anita and Cable Belousoff have worked hard for three years to get their slice of Victoria into shape. The country is rugged and exposed to heavy winds. Summers are hot and dry and, though the cooler months are stunning with beautiful green pastures and crisp, foggy mornings, water is an issue out here. The low rainfall means getting lots of organic matter into the soil is paramount — and it’s definitely working. Of the Belousoffs’ three acres, about a third is given over to gardens around the house, including a kitchen plot. Then there’s a more serious vegie patch, approximately 100m2, plus they’ve just started a really serious vegie garden at the front that’s twice as big.…

MARCH 2020 Mid-autumn in most of Australia means there are still plenty of daytime high temperatures, which in turn means lots to plant in your vegie patch and herb garden. APRIL 2020 April brings more autumnal conditions as the days become shorter and the nights cooler, heralding the end of the wet season in northern tropical areas New moon First quarter Full moon Last quarter 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…

Fennel label Common name: Fennel, finocchio Botanical name: Foeniculum vulgare Family: Apiaceae Aspect & soil: Sun; well-drained soil Best climate: Cool to subtropical Habit: Perennial herb Propagation: Seed Difficulty: Easy Fabulously fragrant fennel is a delight to grow in the garden. Just brushing past it and releasing that subtle aniseed aroma makes me smile and think of all the things I’d like to cook with it. Despite my love of it, fennel isn’t always seen so favourably. In many parts of Australia, Foeniculum vulgare is a noxious declared weed and gardeners are encouraged to grow its less weedy relatives including ‘Florence’ and ‘Bronze Fennel’ (see note on varieties). TIP Plant fennel among your brassicas. This can help keep the cabbage white butterfly away because fennel flowers attract a native wasp…

A field of rippling grass moving in the wind always grabs my attention — but trying to mimic that look in the garden isn’t easy. Lawn grasses just look untidy when they’re long and most of us don’t want long grass swamping the garden, especially if it’s a place where kids and pets like to play. One way to enjoy the look of a rippling grassy field is to plant a meadow that includes grasses. This can be part of a large garden or even a narrow strip of a small garden. If it’s large, make it accessible with a mown path and add interest and colour with wildflowers. If there’s no room for a meadow, grasses can be used in clumps within the garden as seasonal highlights and to…

According to the writings of Pliny the Elder, the first-century Roman emperor Tiberius was so fond of cucumbers he demanded his kitchen supply them all year round. A tall order, even in sunny Italy. This the gardeners did by growing the veg in movable beds that could be wheeled out into the sun and which, on wintry days, were covered by glazed frames. This was 50 years before the Romans mastered the technology of glass windows, so the glazing used was probably crystalline selenite or mica that could be split into thin translucent sheets. The trick, of course, was to add heat when nature wasn’t supplying enough by amplifying the effect of the sun. A natural for the cooler climes of northern Europe, the greenhouse or glasshouse really came into…

Geese can hiss and flap and appear very frightening, but there is more to them than bluff and bravado. In fact, these intelligent birds can be invaluable on a rural property. You may be allowed to keep them in peri-urban areas but their loud honking and shrieking preclude an urban existence. Flocks of geese were a common sight in the past. They were used for controlling grass in orchards and largely fed themselves, spending nights on the dam for safety. Changes in agriculture and the availability of ride-on mowers have made geese superfluous, with the result that the number of purebred birds has declined. It’s easy to find information on caring for geese but there seems a dearth of info on their behavioural traits. You’re in for a treat as…

DRY LIFELESS SOILS A THING OF THE PAST WITH EARTHLIFE GARDEN MATE Stop breaking your back trying to dig your clay soil, stop wasting water trying to keep plants from dying in the hot summer months and start using Earthlife Garden Mate. This easy-to-use, simple soil conditioner combines several products in one. Earthlife Garden Mate breaks the hydrophobic crust on any soil and replaces wetting agents; breaks up any clay and balances pH, replacing gypsum, lime and dolomite. It contains more than 60 natural minerals to maximise plant metabolism, minimising the need for chemical supplements; it combines more than 30 types of vital soil micro-organisms, ensuring a sustainable soil profile. It’s as simple as spreading over gardens and lawns three to four times a year and your soil’s natural cycles…

Rooibos label Common names: rooibos, red bush Botanical name: Aspalathus lineraris Family: Fabaceae (pea family) Aspect & soil: Full sun; well-drained sandy soil Best climate: Mediterranean Habit: Shrub Propagation: Seed Difficulty: High Fans of Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency will know that Precious Ramotswe spent a lot of time drinking bush tea. That tea was made from a plant called rooibos (“red bush”), the name by which it’s now known and sold around the world. Precious drank bush tea as she pondered the intricate problems she’d been asked to solve as a detective, but rooibos has many heathy properties as well. It’s caffeine free and low in tannin but rich in minerals including zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium and potassium. The leaves were first harvested and used as…

Chamomile label Common name: Chamomile Botanical name: Matricaria recutita (German), Chamaemelum nobile (Roman) Family: Asteraceae (daisy family) Aspect & soil: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil Best climate: Cool, temperate, subtropical Habit: Flowering annual (German), flowering perennial (Roman) Propagation: Seed, seedling Difficulty: Easy When a plant has the official seal of approval in the pharmacopoeias of 26 countries for its effectiveness in treating many ills, you can be certain it has a lot going for it. Chamomile has a long and illustrious history as a folk remedy, though mostly it’s enjoyed as a calming tea these days; in fact, it’s perhaps the most popular herbal tea in Western countries. With its pretty little daisy flowers, chamomile is a beautiful addition to the herb patch or indeed anywhere in the…

The Bribie Island Butterfly House is in sleepy Bongaree, a suburb on the west side of the Island in Queensland’s Moreton Bay. On a sunny day you can expect to see 50,000 to 100,000 butterfly takeoffs and landings. This fast-growing tourist attraction is the brainchild and passion of Ray and Delphine Archer. It’s run 100 per cent by volunteers and all profits — currently around $10,000 a month — go to charity. Its objectives are not just about butterfly conservation and education but humanitarian reasons as well, creating a sense of community among local volunteers proud to be part of this wonderful venture. And visitors are responding, with 4000 through the doors in the month before we called in. ON A SUNNY DAY YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE BETWEEN 50,000…

Apple label Common name: Apple Botanical name: Malus domestica Family: Rosaceae (rose family) Aspect & soil: Full sun; well-drained soil Best climate: Cool, temperate, subtropical Habit: Deciduous fruiting tree Propagation: Grafting, potted or bare-rooted plants Difficulty: Easy/moderate Red apples have always been highly appealing but now it can be said that their beauty isn’t just skin deep. Breeders in Europe and Australia have been working hard at breeding red-fleshed apples. The first red apple — ‘Redlove’, bred in Switzerland — is now being grown commercially in Australia. There’s also a local variety called ‘Magnus Summer Surprise’, named after Tasmanian Bob Magnus, the apple expert and nurseryman who bred this new fruit. From the outside it’s a mediumsized, smooth, scarlet apple. The red pigment also permeates its deep pink spring flowers,…

Leek label Common names: Leek Botanical name: Allium ampeloprasum Porrum Group (syn. A. pourrum) Family: Alliaceae Aspect & soil: Full sun; regular moisture Climate: All Habit: Annual bulb Propagation: Seed, seedling Difficulty: Easy Leeks are, in my opinion, the mildest, sweetest and most sophisticated members of the onion family. They are easy to grow and a versatile vegie to use in the kitchen in soups, pies, casseroles, tarts and even simply sautéed with leafy green vegetables. YOU DON’T NEED TO PICK ALL YOUR LEEKS AT ONCE; MOST VARIETIES LAST WELL IN THE GROUND WITHOUT BOLTING. Although slow growing, they are simple to grow with very few problems from pest or disease attack. There’s no need to wait for them to become really mature and thick before harvesting, either — baby…

As insect populations plummet and the world, in particular Europe, discusses the alarming prospect of an impending “Insectageddon” or “Insectapocalypse”, are most people even really aware of their growing absence? Do people just see insects as creepy-crawly nuisances in their environments? And would we rather be rid of them all? We must understand the vital role insects play within our complex ecology, from providing a food source for birds, animals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and more to pollinating most of our produce and even the important role of decomposition of dead plant matter, manure and dead animals. Where does the blame for their decreasing numbers rest in Europe? Many would point the finger at farming practices including the clearing of habitats, the decimation of plant species resulting in limited biodiversity and…

Consumer choice is what drives organic sales and this is why the OCCAs are a great opportunity for businesses involved to reach out to their customers. By encouraging participation in voting, companies raise awareness of their products, services and brands. This supports customer loyalty, encouraging the purchase of organic products for all participants. Congratulations to the winners in 2019 and all who participated! The Centre for Organic Research & Education (CORE) is a not-for-profit industry association whose mission is to enhance the beneficial re-use and upcycling of recovered resources in the circular economy. CORE plays a lead role in shaping the future of resource recovery through Collaboration, Advocacy, Research and Education. core.asn.au FAVOURITE ORGANIC BRAND Honest to Goodness “This has been a big year for Karen, me and the team,…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES This is one of the most bountiful times in the vegie garden! Keep picking beans, corn, cucumber, squash, tomato and zucchini. Share, swap, bottle and preserve excess harvest — you’ll be pleased you did when winter hits. As autumn progresses summer vegetable plants begin to die back and crops get smaller. Zucchini is usually the first to give up as it becomes weakened by powdery mildew. This disease, which appears as a dusting of white over the leaves and stems, causes the leaves to wither. Tomatoes may also die back due to russet mite, which causes progressive browning and death of leaves and stems from the base of the plant upwards. Don’t try to control these problems — they are a clear indication that it’s time…