Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue #11.2 - 2020 i Good Organic Gardening

At the time of going to print the whole world was in the midst of coronavirus turmoil and none of us knew what the future held. One thing a lot of us did for comfort and normality was to spend more time in our gardens. Even better, if the stripped-bare seedling sections of nurseries were anything to go by, a lot of people were trying their hand at growing food for the first time. As lucky as we are to produce so much of our own food in this country, there’s nothing like the shutdown response to a global pandemic to suddenly put food security uppermost in people’s minds. And that can only be a good thing. Food security should be an ongoing concern. Definitely without the panicking, though. If…

PURPLE CARROT, DAUCUS CAROTA The plant: Did you know that, originally, carrots were not all orange? In fact, many carrots had deep-purple skins and an orange centre. Not only were they very attractive but they also had a delicious sweet carrot taste. Growing: Carrots can be grown year round — just make sure they’re in a sunny position with soft, friable soil. If you have any lumps or rocks in your soil, you’ll end up with wonky carrots. When planting from seedling, create a trench with the side of your hand or a trowel and lay the seedling into the trench; don’t worry if they flop to one side. Then, with both hands at either side of the trench, run them along the trench to fill it and stand the…

“THE VEGETABLES, HERBS, FLOWERS AND FRUIT TREES ARE PLANTED IN SPECIALLY DESIGNED WICKING BEDS, WHICH CAN BE MOVED AROUND THE PRECINCT AND WHICH ALL HAVE THEIR OWN IRRIGATION SYSTEM.” Just over 200 years ago, Governor Lachlan Macquarie came to Hobart and immediately ordered the colony’s ramshackle road system be changed to a more orderly network. Those neat — and these days very busy — main roads skirt the edge of Macquarie Point, once a working waterfront but now under development as a mixed-use community facility replete with meeting places, a brewery and the biggest edible garden in the country. Mac Point’s Edible Precinct, which opened last year, is a project focused heavily on reconciliation at a place where the Palawa people met for thousands of years before European settlement. Traditional…

JULY 2020 Winter is all about nourishing, warming brassicas and root vegetables, along with rich herbed tomato sauces. Lighten up your dishes with peas and winter greens. AUGUST 2020 Moving towards the end of our official winter, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your soil for your spring plantings and starting them from seed. When the moon is waxing from new 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…

My dad called Jerusalem artichokes farty-chokes and, if eaten in large quantities, they certainly live up to his naughty nickname. And, despite its more polite name, this knobbly veg is neither from Jerusalem nor a true artichoke. As its scientific name Helianthus tuberosus indicates, it’s more closely related to the sunflower and the name Jerusalem is believed to come from girasole, the Italian word for sunflower. As for “artichoke”, the nutty flavour of the tuber is similar to that of globe artichoke hearts. Other names it has acquired include sunchoke, sunroot and earth apple. Originally from central North America, the high-yield tuber was grown by Native Americans and is rich in protein and the carbohydrate inulin. It’s this high inulin content that can cause flatulence, because inulin cannot be broken…

For good long-term results, here are some varieties to suit particular conditions: Coastal: Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides); coastal Banksia (Banksia integrifolia); brush cherry, weigulga (Syzygium australe) Other areas: Lilly pilly (Acmena smithii); lemon-scented myrtle (Backhousia citriodora); ivory curl (Buckinghamia celsissima); New South Wales Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum); weeping paperbark (Melaleuca leucadendra); riberry (Syzygium luehmannii) Inland: Illawarra flame tree (Brachychiton acerifolius); lacebark tree (B. discolor); lilly pilly (Syzygium spp.); blackbean, Moreton Bay chestnut (Castanospermum australe); New South Wales Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum); Australian teak (Flindersia australis); leopard tree (Caesalpinia ferrea) Older suburbs: Tibouchina (Tibouchina granulosa); crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica); jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia); pink cassia (Cassia javanica); Gordonia (Gordonia axillaris)…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES • Apply organic liquid fertiliser to stimulate growth on cabbages and tasty greens such as rocket and soft-hearted lettuce. Apply it every 7–10 days.• Keep greens coming by sowing seeds or planting seedlings every few weeks.• Also plant broad beans and spring onions, two easy-to-grow vegetables. Broad beans do best with a climbing trellis or stakes for support.• Plant silver beet, English spinach and peas (podding and snow peas).• There’s still time to plant perennials like asparagus and rhubarb. These long-lived vegies grow from crowns and do best planted into well-prepared beds with added organic matter dug in well.• Continue to inspect all brassicas for snails, slugs and, most particularly, green caterpillars, which are damaging to many winter brassicas, especially new plantings. Handpick pests daily and…

IN SEASON JULY FRUITS Apples, avocados, bananas, cumquats, custard apples, dates, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, nashi, olives, oranges (Navel), papayas, pineapples, pomelos, quinces, rhubarb, strawberries, tangelos VEGIES Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkins, shallots (eschalots), silverbeet, spinach, swedes, sweet potato, turnips, witlof IN SEASON AUGUST FRUITS Apples, avocados, bananas, cumquats, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, olives, oranges (blood, Navel), pawpaw, pineapples, pomelos, rhubarb, strawberries, tangelos VEGIES Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkins, silverbeet, spinach, swedes, sweet potato, turnips, witlof SEASONAL TIP Vegan Roast Whole roasted cauliflower is a beautiful vegan alternative to the traditional meat…

CALLING ALL ORGANIC GROWERS!! GROWING NATURALLY MADE EASY!! Earthlife 100% natural Microbial Rock Mineral products are Certified Allowed Inputs for organic farms and gardens. Containing natural minerals, microbes and humates, they are contaminant-free with no chemicals, no manures and no blood and bone. By using these products, you can reduce water use and eliminate chemical use while increasing soil life and fertility, subsequently improving plant nutrition, health and vigour. Over 60 trace and micro-elements minimise the need for chemical supplements; and this, combined with over 30 types of vital soil microorganisms, restores soil ecology. It can be as simple as spreading over gardens and pots every 8–12 weeks, and the soil’s natural cycles can kick back in. They condition and feed all soils and all plants, whether in the ground,…

Clitoria is more than a clever crop — it’s near magical. It’s also very trendy, as these bright cobalt-blue flowers are used to colour gin a beautiful blue in the bottle. But pour some into a glass, add tonic water and the gin turns pale pink. Magic! It turns from blue to pink in response to a change in alkalinity. Adding an alkaline liquid such as tonic water changes the colour, whereas an acid such as lemon juice retains or intensifies the blue. Although you are most likely to encounter clitoria in a gin bottle at a trendy bar, it has long been used in Southeast Asia as a natural food colouring, particularly to colour rice. The flowers are also eaten dipped in batter and fried and the seeds, too,…

In the mid-90s, as a teenager, I lived with my family in Beijing for 12 months. I still vividly remember wandering the fresh-food markets, eyes wide and senses overloaded with different sights and smells. Stopping to stare at strange fruits and vegetables we’d never seen — let alone eaten — before, we’d wonder how on earth you cooked them and what they tasted like. Nearly 30 years later, many of these seemingly strange and unusual vegetables grace the shelves of supermarkets and greengrocers in Australia. The range of Asian greens in particular has increased threefold and the wealth of Asian greens grown at home and in community gardens has expanded as well. On a daily basis, one in three Australian homes consumes some sort of Asian green vegetable. I feel…

Every year, many thousands of tourists drive under the wooden archway at the eastern end of the 243km Great Ocean Road at Torquay in Victoria. Should any of them have a sweet tooth, they may not get further than six kays down the road, which is where they’ll happen upon the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery (GORCI). Set on 15 landscaped acres, this chocoholics’ Disneyland is the brainchild of Ian and Leanne Neeland, building on the success of their first chocolaterie in Yarra Glen, which opened in 2012. They’ve since opened yet another, a smaller “petite chocolaterie”, in the seaside village of Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula, putting them well on the way to establishing an empire to rival Willy Wonka’s. WHO WOULDN’T BE UP FOR A ROAD…

Finger limes are endemic to Australia’s east coast, particularly around northern New South Wales and southeast Queensland, where the plants are also grown commercially. Six species of citrus are native to Australia but it is Citrus australasica, the finger lime, that has been developed into a delicious fruit for both gardens and horticultural producers. Approach the finger lime with caution as this plant is well armed. Long and wickedly sharp thorns guard the small but delicious, finger-shaped fruits. Pick with care, perhaps wearing gloves. One way to take advantage of this securely defended evergreen shrub — which generally reaches 2–4m in height and width but can grow as high as 6–8m high and up to 5m wide in the wild — is to grow several in a row as a…

It’s a must-have for many salads and a favourite green for sandwiches. But these days the world of lettuce extends far beyond just cos and iceberg. Lettuce can be grown as an annual crop, year round, all around Australia. And with sensible succession planting you need never buy another bag of slimy mixed leaves or a limp head of cos from the supermarket. Although some people consider lettuce no more than a side dish or even mere “rabbit food”, it’s actually a rich source of vitamins A and K. And when grown well in the home garden it can produce lush leaves for use in many raw dishes. I’ve even had a delicious serving of grilled lettuce hearts. Most home gardeners prefer to grow the pick-and-come-again varieties, those that can…

At the time of going to print we were anticipating that the social and financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may last for many years; it could even change our views on food security forever. Amid the panic and fear, we saw scarcity on supermarket shelves — not just of toilet paper but also fresh produce such as meat, greens and eggs, at times. We also saw the rapid disappearance of vegetable seed and seedlings from nurseries and the buying up of point-of-lay chickens. These could all be positives if they lead to more of us growing our own food. If you live on a suburban block or larger land parcel and wish to become more independent of the current food systems, you need to step up your personal food…

If we observe nature over a long enough period of time, we begin to notice the distinct way in which nature operates and what makes it so sustainable. Nothing is ever wasted; all things are cycled and recycled, over and over. Old life gives rise to new and all the building blocks of life are endlessly reused. Whether it’s through the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle or water cycle, nature’s modus operandi is always the same. These cycles aren’t only concerned with nutrients and physical matter, though — they’re critically associated with the cycling of energy, whether such energy is associated with the molecular chemical bonds in organic matter or the gravitational potential energy of water. Even though these natural cycles work like autonomous clockwork, they do so to fulfil a…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES • Where late winter is likely to be warm and frost free (warm temperate and coastal zones), it’s safe to plant out summer vegies. But where the weather remains unpredictable and nights are cold or frosty still (cold temperate southern regions), delay planting until conditions warm later in spring.• Herbs and vegetables to hold off planting out in cold areas include basil, beans, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, capsicums, pumpkins and zucchinis.• To get a head-start with vegies in areas with short summer seasons, sow seeds in seed trays, punnets or small individual pots and keep the seedlings in a warm, well-lit spot such as a glasshouse or cold frame. Pot on as they develop.• Seeds and seedlings that don’t mind changeable weather include snow peas, lettuce, spring…

This wonderful broth–based soup is thickened with egg, has a great lemony zest to it and has been around for literally centuries — for good reason. Serves 4–6 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 20 mins INGREDIENTS • 1 shallot, minced• 1 clove garlic, minced• 1 tbsp olive oil• 1.5L (6 cups) chicken stock• ½ tsp salt• ¼ tsp white pepper• ½ cup orzo (risoni) or rice• 2 eggs• Juice 2 lemons• 450g cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, shredded• Salt & pepper, to taste• Fresh parsley & lemon wedges, to garnish METHOD 1. Sauté the shallot and garlic in the olive oil in a large stockpot set over medium heat for 2 minutes. 2. Add the stock, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Once the soup…

PLATYPUS MAP The Australian Platypus Conservancy is conducting a wide range of research programs to assist our iconic monotreme, the platypus, as well as the rakali, the little-known Australian water rat. As part of this program, citizen scientists are being called on to report sightings (dead or alive) to be included in the open-access online resource Atlas of Living Australia. The platypus has been listed as “near threatened” both in Australia and internationally since 2016 and is already thought to be extinct in some river basins. It’s likely numbers have been further reduced by the long-running drought and fires of 2019–20. Other factors affecting their survival include habitat destruction, channel sedimentation and use of fishing nets and traps in which platypus drown as bycatch. If you’re looking for platypus and…

Its name says it all. Not only does magenta plant have dazzling magenta flowers but an extract from the leaves is used as a food dye to give dishes a pretty crimson-pink hue. In particular, magenta leaf is used to colour some rice dishes but is also a traditional ingredient in a steamed taro-based layer cake called banh da lon (or “pigskin cake”), which is popular in Vietnam. The leaves of the magenta plant are boiled to extract the colour and mixed with mashed taro to create a purple layer that’s topped and tailed with a green layer made from tapioca flour and pandan paste. EVEN IF YOU DON’T WANT TO USE MAGENTA PLANT IN COOKING, IT IS AN ATTRACTIVE ADDITION TO A GARDEN… IT GROWS EASILY FROM CUTTINGS OR…

This beautifully fragrant herb has a long history in folk medicine. It was well known to the ancient Greek and Arab physicians as a treatment for skin and digestive problems as well as mood disorders. The Greeks and Romans also steeped it in wine to treat wounds and insect bites. Legend has it that 13th-century Welsh prince Llewellyn of Glamorgan drank lemon balm tea every day and lived to be 108. Four centuries later, famed English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper recommended lemon balm for improving mood and stimulating the brain, the properties for which it’s best known today. In the late 20th century, the German Commission E approved the internal use of lemon balm for nervous sleeping disorders and gastrointestinal complaints, while the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP) lists its…

In Annette and Grant McFarlane’s 4ha garden paradise, north of Brisbane, the natural vegetation is dry sclerophyll bush that was partially cleared 30 years ago, well before their arrival. Annette says there are large stands of spotted gums and some regenerated bushland areas. The actual garden is about 1ha of the property around the house. Annette’s gardening journey began as a child; her grandparents were her greatest gardening influence. Her grandmother had a beautiful fern house with begonias, ferns, hoyas and more. And her grandfather was passionate about growing fruit and vegetables and keeping chooks. Grant, whose mother is an outstanding gardener, also has gardening in his genes. His grandfather used to sell Yates seeds in Dunedin back in the 1920s and they still have a wonderful Yates seed poster…

I have a confession to make. I had a loquat tree growing in my garden and we chopped it down. It was thriving but unfortunately it was growing in the wrong place — smack in the middle of the vegetable garden — and had never flowered or fruited. I still feel bad and, given it’s a symbol of wealth, this may well have had serious consequences for my financial wellbeing. Very handsome trees that can be grown as large shrubs, loquats are often seen in old, overgrown gardens. They stand out in late winter or spring when they are laden with golden yellow fruit. In some subtropical regions, self-sown trees can pop up and the loquat is considered an environmental weed in parts of Queensland and northern New South Wales.…

We are never going to starve here. When all else fails I can always find a potato to dig up. Up until the 1960s part of this property was a potato farm and, while we don’t grow any edible plants in that part of the garden, the back garden sprouts spuds like other gardens sprout weeds. It’s a legacy of a long history of productive gardening. This persistence of potatoes is why they were both a blessing and a curse in the 18th and 19th centuries in Ireland. Potatoes became a starch staple as they grew easily, resprouting from small bits that remained in the ground and growing productively in the same spot year after year. They could also be stored through winter and eaten for every meal. Then the…

Science shows us that plants and trees not only improve air quality and lower greenhouse gas emissions but also reduce the temperatures of their surrounding environments at the same time. It’s because they reduce energy demands (by acting like air-con) that trees and plants reduce air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions. They also remove many pollutants as well as sequestering CO2. ENERGY COST REDUCTION Buildings, houses, streetscapes, backyards, parks, playgrounds, carparks, suburbs and cities all benefit from the planting of trees and a variety of other plant species. Heat islands are now a common phenomenon of the modern world. These occur where cities’ centres and suburbs lack vegetation and instead have large expanses of dark, hard surfaces that absorb heat from the sun during the day. CREATING LAYERS OF VEGETATION, KNOWN…

What is a drought? In our sunburnt country, a drought is something that lasts more than a few dry months. A useful definition might be a prolonged period of reduced rainfall affecting plants, animals, humans, agriculture and the economy. The major causes of drought downunder are: Changes in planetary wind systems Extended dry seasons in the tropics increase the chance of drought in temperate and subtropical regions. Warmer temperatures in the Pacific and Indian Oceans make the Southern Hemisphere drier. Because of climate change, the Hadley effect — the term that describes how hot air circulates away from the Equator — is currently pushing air a further 300km away from the Equator than it used to, causing drier seasons in the mid latitudes. The weather patterns El Niño and La…

We often forget that poultry housing is there to meet the occupants’ needs, especially if they have to be confined due to predators. If you can move around freely and the air is fresh then it’s likely to be comfy and healthy for the flock as well. But first things first. Before deciding on a design, how many birds do you plan keeping? What about replacements — might numbers swell during the overlap period? Recommended floor space per bird is 0.37m², extra being desirable. A spacious house allows for numerical expansion even if birds range freely during the day. The henhouse to aim for is a well-lit, amply ventilated building that you can walk into, is cool in summer but keeps rain and winter wind out and is large enough…

Can you tell a spade from a shovel or a scythe from a sickle? Gardeners all over the world have their favourite tools but not many make a study of it. From their travels to traditional farming communities around the world, Jude and Michel Fanton of Byron Bay have assembled an impressive collection of tools, many handmade. They also keep an eagle eye out for interesting tools at garage sales and have even been bequeathed precious tools. The Fantons are well known for their pioneering work in seed saving in Australia and indeed globally. They crowd-funded before it was a thing and self-published the first edition of The Seed Savers’ Handbook in 1993, a bestseller they have recently updated and reprinted. In the early 1990s, at a time when big…

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