Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue #11.4 - 2020 i Good Organic Gardening

Natives: they’re really a nobrainer, aren’t they? Goodlooking, waterwise and, having adapted to our harsh climate, they’re as tough as old boots. They bring the beauty of the Australian bush into our backyards. Once, when we thought about planting natives, we invariably chose larger plants — grevilleas, callistemons, banksias, acacias, lilly pillies and the like — or groundcovers and grasses that could quickly become rampant. These days, there are so many smaller plants readily available, many of them so pretty you could achieve a cottage garden effect using nothing but natives, while at the same time providing habitat for small creatures and forage for pollinators. So, this issue, we’re going a bit native. Jennifer Stackhouse has chosen prostantheras as her ornamentals and coppiced blue gums for a useful clever crop.…

In early autumn this year we enjoyed the gift that keeps on giving: a prolific crop of zucchinis. For a while there they lurked under leaves all over the garden and had to be picked every day. While I happily perfected my zucchini soup and my partner did the same with her zucchini tart, we started to run out of ways to use the proliferation of gourds. It was the green veg of choice for many meals and we often had pesto with zoodles (spiralised zucchini) in place of pasta. We gave them to friends and family and still had more than enough. A zucchini is essentially an immature cylindrical marrow, which is what the fully grown version is called in Britain. Take your eye off it and it will…

“The driveway is steep but you can turn at the top. Don’t stop halfway up or you’ll get stuck and, at the top, swing left to pull in front of the garage.” These are the instructions I give visitors to our home and garden. Our north-facing quarter-acre block in the outer northeastern suburbs of Melbourne has a 33 per cent slope, roughly terraced into four main sections. We call it mountain-goat country. When we bought the property six years ago, the “gardens” surrounding the 1980s home consisted only of towering gumtrees and a handful of poorly placed bottlebrushes. Areas of raised garden beds, which probably only came about when the house was built purely as necessary soil-retaining features, were positioned in a few spots close to the house itself. These…

NOVEMBER 2020 The calendar says it’s spring but the weather is warming up in most parts of Australia. Time for staggered planting to extend the summer harvest. DECEMBER 2020 Now that summer’s well and truly here, it’s time for more plantings of those salad vegies that love the heat, such as cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums. 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…

The midyim berry, also known as midgen berry or sandy berry, is my favourite bush-tucker berry. Its large white pearl-sized fruit is speckled with purple and it tastes a little bit like a blueberry, but with a bit more tang. Midyim plants are endemic to the open forest and rainforest margins in northern New South Wales and southeast Queensland but they will grow and fruit as far south as Melbourne. They are quickly becoming the musthave edible landscaping plant. I’ve seen landscapers successfully use them as you would a traditional English box hedge, to frame a garden space in edible goodness. Their compact habit makes them ideal as an informal border and they can be clipped to shape after fruiting. With small, narrow, soft green leaves and burgundy new growth,…

My neighbour’s sunroom is filled with potted plants. Some are the usual suspects you’d expect to find indoors such as devil’s ivy and ferns, but last winter she moved one of her favourite herbs indoors as well. A late sowing had produced lots of basil plants that weren’t large enough to harvest. As the cold nights arrived, she decided to shelter them indoors. The pots of basil have done so well she was able to enjoy homemade pesto in late June. Even sun-loving basil can be grown in less than full sun in a warm, sunny room or on a windowsill. My friend’s trick was to keep the plants growing with feeds of liquid fertiliser and to harvest leaves as soon as there were enough to use. Herbs are among…

The notion of something for nothing may be very appealing in a world where people expect so much for so little effort, but everything comes at a price. In physics, the law of conservation of energy reminds us that energy can be neither created nor destroyed, only changed from one form to another. Essentially, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Despite today’s technological advances, we’re still required to labour and toil to produce food, but we can work smarter by working with nature. To put this working relationship into perspective, though, we need to recognise that we depend on nature for our survival — but nature doesn’t need us. Plants have been growing on the planet for more than 460 million years, since well before any humans existed,…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES • These first weeks of summer remind us how vast Australia is — and how varied its climate. In warm northern and coastal gardens, homegrown salads are already on the menu as are fresh fruit salads. In the colder south, salad crops are just beginning to grow and fruit is ripening. Wherever you are, keep those crops growing and productive with regular water and fertiliser. Liquid feeding leafy crops produces lots of new growth. • Get in the habit of checking the vegie garden once or twice a day. Be on the lookout for pests and weeds as well as crops to harvest. Take the hose or watering can with you. On hot days, water early in the morning and again in the afternoon or evening.…

This is an edited extract from Ikaria: Food and life in the Blue Zone by Meni Valle, published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $45 AU, and available in stores from 2 September 2020. Photography © Lean Timms Salata Kolokassi TARO ROOT SALAD Kolokassi, or taro root, is a vegetable that is new to me. It is a root vegetable grown in ample quantities in Ikaria and Cyprus and can be found growing wild near riverbanks and streams. It is one of the main sources of starch in the Ikarian diet, especially in the cooler months. Kolokassi can be cooked in stews in tomato sauce, with beans or in a dip called skordalia. It is important to remember that you never wash kolokassi with water or it will become slimy; you scrub or…

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Blue gums are native to southern parts of Australia and found in Tasmania, the Bass Strait islands, Victoria and along the southern reaches of the Great Dividing Range. While all these blue gums are classified as Eucalyptus globulus, four distinct subspecies are recognised from these different locations. Blue gums have large, cream gum blossom flowers followed by large gum nuts. The species name globulus refers to the spherical shape of the fruit, the gumnut. The tops of the gumnuts resemble large, flat buttons and are released as the seeds mature. Blue gums are not normally recommended for planting in suburban gardens. In the most favourable conditions they become towering forest trees, among the largest of all the gums at around 70m high when fully grown with a trunk diameter of…

Eating crisp, juicy and refreshing cucumbers straight from the vine and warmed by the summer sun is a summer treat. I love that this humble, ancient veg has made a comeback as gardeners discover the joy of growing and eating heirloom varieties in different shapes, colours and sizes. At the supermarket or local greengrocer, you’re likely to spot just two different types of cucumbers — continental and Lebanese — but step into the world of heirlooms and you’ll be swamped for choice. WITH THE RISE IN POPULARITY OF PICKLING AND FERMENTING, VARIETIES LIKE ‘PARISIAN PICKLING’ AND ‘NATIONAL PICKLING’, AS THEIR NAMES IMPLY, ARE PERFECT FOR PICKLING AND READILY AVAILABLE AS SEEDS Cucumbers originated from India where the bitter fruiting vines thrived in the subtropical climate. Around the 7th century in…

In Witta, near hilly Maleny in Queensland’s subtropical Sunshine Coast Region, lives a woman with a passion for organics and sharing the therapeutic benefits of gardening. The property Cath Manuel shares with her family is around 200 acres with a kitchen garden area of 800m2. In her spare time Cath enjoys soaking up the sun at the beach, walking and running through bushland and coastal locations and dabbling in a bit of cooking. On the property she’s experiencing a new activity: managing a herd of cattle. THOUGH SHE HOPES TO GROW MOST OF THEIR FRESH FOOD, FOR STARTERS SHE’S PLANTING A SWAG OF PERENNIALS SHE’S BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PROPAGATING. With a Diploma of Horticulture, a Certificate in Horticultural Therapy and a Design Certificate in Permaculture, Cath works as a horticultural consultant…

Although many consider warrigal greens the Aussie alternative to English spinach, its common name New Zealand spinach can deceive you into thinking this isn’t an Australian native. In fact, Tetragonia tetragonioides is native to Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and even Japan! Warrigal greens were among the first bush tucker plants recorded by Joseph Banks and cultivated by Europeans. During James Cook’s voyages, it was grown on board to ward off scurvy. The name warrigal meaning “wild” comes from the language of the Darug and Eora peoples, whose traditional territory includes coastal areas around Sydney, from the Georges River and Botany Bay in the south to Pittwater and the mouth of the Hawkesbury in the north. Today, this tough-as-old-boots edible groundcover makes a wonderful addition to any Aussie garden —…

There is a handful of native plants that flower in mid-December and as a result proudly add the title Christmas to their common names. Among them are the New South Wales Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum), Western Australian Christmas tree (Nuytsia floribunda) and New South Wales Christmas bell (Blandfordia nobilis). Another is the Victorian Christmas bush (Prostanthera lasianthos). Less spectacular than the other Christmassy natives, it’s a species of native mint that adds a flush of white flowers tinged with mauve to bushland in November and into December. As well as looking good in bushland and gardens, the stems can also be picked for fresh festive decoration. Despite being known as a Victorian, this large mint bush is found along the east coast from southern Queensland to Tasmania and inland in…

The recent bushfires highlighted the plight of native animals and insects, which lost access to food sources and habitats. Here we list some colourful native species that fit nicely in a balcony-sized pot or small garden but make a big statement as well as attracting birds and insects. Use a well-drained soil mix and a raised bed in the garden. Native plants suggested for small spaces include a wide range of seasonal flowering groundcovers, small shrubs (up to 1.5m) and a small feature tree that can be pruned to 1.5m and kept in a pot. Each plant is accompanied by a description and guide. GRASSES With so many native grasses to choose from, here are just two to add highlights to small spaces in the garden or on the balcony.…

As every parent knows, young children don’t need much of a push to go and play in the dirt. Once they’re shown how it’s done, it’s not surprising that kids dig gardening. Besides, it’s good for them. Study after study has confirmed the benefits of getting out in the sun, soaking up some healthy vitamin D and lowering levels of stress and anxiety. Also, in these germophobic times, it’s easy to forget that playing in the dirt actually boosts young immune systems. Best of all, it’s fun. Nature-based programs build children’s confidence and promote personal development — and they learn without even realising they’re being taught. First launched in Scandinavia in the 1960s, such programs have long been popular in European schools. An early adopter here was celebrity chef Stephanie…

You could say there’s something secretive about fungi. They often lurk about in dark, dank places and many are invisible without magnification. In fact, when we can see them, the part we recognise is the fruiting body or reproductive structure, whose many forms and colours have evolved to maximise the dispersal of fungal spores. In other words, they’re quite brazenly putting it about — with the help of the animals that feed on and spread them. But if it seems to us that fungi lead secret lives, it’s not entirely their fault. We haven’t made much effort to get to know them. One mycologist estimates the total number of fungi in Australia at 250,000 (including some 5000 mushrooms), of which just 13,000 — roughly 5 per cent — have been…

CRAZY INVADERS THREATEN OZ It’s hard to imagine a small yellow ant could bring down a rainforest or the sugarcane industry — but that’s the level of concern over the yellow crazy ant, one of the world’s worst invasive species and now on Australian shores. Originally from Southeast Asia, the yellow crazy ant made its way into northern Australia via shipping ports. The Queensland wet tropics provide ideal conditions in which to gain a foothold. The battle is on to eradicate the insect, but experts warn that success will require a consistent and well-funded program. So far, the yellow crazy ants have travelled to numerous sites throughout Queensland, particularly around the Cairns region, and into Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. They were recently found in NSW at Terania Creek…

While a lemon, orange and mandarin tree are often found in backyards, there is a world of unusual citrus to grow — including the one known as chinotto, which may ring a bell if you like bitter drinks. Chinotto (pronounced “kee-not-to”) is also the name of the Italian carbonated soft drink derived from this tart citrus. Dark in colour, the drink looks more like a cola than an orange drink. Chinotto is also used to flavour Campari. Resembling small oranges, chinottos are bitter straight from the tree but are used to make marmalade and crystallised fruit as well as the soft drink. The common name of myrtle leaf and species name myrtifolia describe the tree’s small, narrow, pointed leaves that resemble those of the myrtle (Myrtus communis). CHINOTTO IS A…

While lemon myrtle has become something of a household name among Australian gardeners, prized for its wonderful lemon aroma and ornamental beauty, its lesser-known cousin the aniseed myrtle has been flying somewhat under the radar. Once classed by botanists in the same genus as lemon myrtle — Backhousia — aniseed myrtle has recently been placed in the lilly pilly group and is now known as Syzygium anisatum. Originating in northern NSW, where it is now a rare species, it’s a frost-tender medium-to-large tree that grows in a rainforest environment. However, in a garden setting it usually grows into a large shrub or small tree, especially if regularly tip-pruned right from planting. The medium-sized, glossy, mid-green aromatic leaves also feature attractive bronze-coloured new growth while the small, white, star-shaped flower adorns…

Fullerton Cove is a rural suburb of Port Stephens in the middle of the vast Hunter alluvial plain just north of Newcastle. To the east are the Stockton sand dunes; to the west a mangrove forest that wraps around the cove itself, a large backwater off the Hunter River’s North Channel. There you’ll find Fat Wren Farm, a long, narrow 10-acre property with a dam running most of its length. At the eastern end is the farmhouse, a towering converted horse shed now divided into living and working areas, where the farm’s business goes on: cooking award-winning preserves on a modestly industrial scale. Melinda and Nick Morris are the workforce; their young son Leo and two dogs free-range around the place. The Morrises, together with their chooks, have spent the…

Tomatoes are among the most popular and rewarding crops in the summer vegetable garden. While all fruit and vegetables taste better picked fresh from the garden, when it comes to homegrown flavour, tomatoes are in a class of their own. As well as tasting good, tomatoes are packed with vitamins and healthgiving antioxidants. Tomatoes provide lycopene, an antioxidant found in red fruit, along with vitamins A and C and carotene as well as a good amount of dietary fibre. These are all very good reasons to grow your own. GETTING STARTED Tomatoes offer a dizzying number of choices. While ultimately gardeners grow their favourite varieties, a good approach is to select a mix of early- and latefruiting varieties to extend the harvest. If there is room for extra tomatoes, throw…

When I hear the word jujube my mind instantly races to those small, hard lollies that stick to your teeth. But in this case the jujube, though also eaten as a sweet, is a tiny fruit that most closely resembles a small apple. When dried, the fruit, around 3cm in diameter, looks like a desiccated date but has nothing to do with palm trees. The jujube is a deciduous tree harvested for both fresh and dried fruit. Popular throughout Asia, the fruit may be found for sale, fresh or dried, in supermarkets, gourmet vegie shops or produce markets. Native to China, jujubes have been known and eaten there for perhaps 3000 years, yet most Australians have never seen or tasted one. Jujubes were trialled in Australia in the 1990s by…

As the homegrown movement gathers pace, mushroom growing is definitely on trend. And with good reason. Mushrooms are easy to grow with a little knowhow. They’re quick to crop, cost effective, virtually pest and disease free, a super food to consume and, to top it off, take up very little room. With no need for a garden or even sunlight for that matter to become a mushroom grower, you can grow them in a tiny apartment, laundry, cupboard, garage — anywhere that’s cool and humid with relatively low light or at least protection from the harshest of the sun’s rays as well as the other elements. There are oodles of different types of mushrooms to choose from for your fungi-growing adventure but they can have quite different growing methods. BIOLOGY…

Do numbers count when keeping poultry? We’re not thinking about how many you should have but whether it’s OK for the birds if you keep just two or three. It’s no secret that poultry are flock creatures but we can’t all keep big mbers, so does social deprivation occur if there are few penmates? We can look at the popular species to see how they fare but, as an owner, be aware that you will have a different relationship with your birds compared to folks who keep larger flock numbers. Anticipate the birds seeking out your company more often. You may notice patterns of behaviour you were unaware of previously. The pair and spare are more likely to become companion pets and be anthropomorphised. We’ve all heard about pet turkeys…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES • Already there’s plenty to harvest but there’s still lots to plant, including corn. This vegie is wind pollinated so to aid pollination and ensure lots of juicy kernels it’s necessary to plant in blocks of at least a metre square. • Pumpkin is traditionally grown under corn as it happily covers the soil beneath the cornstalks. The first pumpkin flowers are often male. Fruit isn’t produced until female flowers appear. If there are male flowers only, tip-prune the long stems to encourage side shoots that are more likely to produce female flowers. Fertiliser and daily watering keeps pumpkins growing strongly. • In warm zones, tomatoes, cucumbers and others may be flowering and forming fruit. In cooler zones, if all threat of frost has passed, it’s…