Innholdsfortegnelse for 16.1 i Good Organic Gardening

I have a friend who calls the crisper in the fridge “the wilter”. It’s pretty self-explanatory: she’s often disappointed by the short fridge life of some produce. Well, she needs this issue of Good Organic Gardening and I’ll see that she gets it. How do you arrange your fruit and veg in the fridge? Do you just put things wherever they’ll fit? Or perhaps you put salad stuff together and fruits and berries near each other. What about the fruit bowl — all in together? Apples with oranges is not a good idea if you don’t want the oranges to go mouldy quickly. Well, you could be doing your crisper and your fruit bowl all wrong for the longevity of the produce. Angelo Eliades’ story on ripening of crops and…

Bananas are fast-growing, herbaceous, evergreen fruiting plants and an easy crop for that spot where you’d like a productive yet attractive tree. Originating in Southeast Asia (and native to Australia), the banana belongs to the genus Musa, which comprises 50-plus species and subspecies of bananas and plantains as well as ornamental forms. Botanically speaking, the ever-popular banana is in fact the largest-growing herb while its fruit is technically a berry. The banana is considered a herb because it never forms a wooden stem or trunk the way a tree does. Rather, it’s a monocotyledonous (grass-like) plant that grows a succulent stalk called a pseudostem, which begins as a small shoot from an underground rhizome or corm. The pseudostem grows upward as a single stalk with a tight spiral of leaf…

Around 40km from Brisbane’s CBD, the city of Ipswich is about as far west as you can go and still be in Greater Brisbane. Its subtropical climate, tempered by cooler winters and even the occasional frost, offers scope for more varied crops than you might expect in southeast Queensland. Ipswich optometrist Jason Hauser is a man of science and a man of passion — a passion to fill his 800m2 block with the ultimate sustainable urban food forest. Sharing his vision are wife Carlie, their three young children, dog Ella and a flock of Silkie bantam chooks. And the results speak for themselves. The garden is already bursting with biodiversity and is a haven for wildlife. “I NEVER REALLY SET OUT TO BE AN ORGANIC GARDENER; I JUST ENDED UP…

While the plants we want to grow and harvest in the vegie garden often fail to perform, weeds always seem to flourish. What a pity we can’t eat them! Well, in some cases, we can — and even if we don’t want to dine on nettle soup or sip dandelion coffee ourselves, chances are our feathered friends can help us out. Before harvesting weeds to eat, however, a few words of warning. It’s important to correctly identify weeds intended for consumption and make sure they haven’t been sprayed with chemicals or otherwise subjected to pollution. Also, where weeds are growing in out-of-the way places, when foraging beware of snakes, venomous spiders or discarded items such as metal or glass that could cause injury. IT’S IMPORTANT TO CORRECTLY IDENTIFY WEEDS INTENDED…

If life isn’t giving you lemons, it’s probably because you don’t have a backyard lemon tree — so this is your cue to plant one. Now! It doesn’t need to take over your whole backyard; you can grow a productive lemon tree in a big pot. If you choose the right variety for your location and climate, a homegrown tree will provide you with year-round fruit and beautifully fragrant blossoms. You’ll have lemons on hand for zesty dressings, tangy desserts or a classic gin and tonic whenever you need one. PLANTING AND CARE Lemon trees love a sunny spot with at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. This is where a large pot (40–50cm wide and deep) is ideal because you can find the sunniest spot, even if it’s…

A hotbed provides warmth and humidity to encourage plants to germinate and grow during colder months or to “springboard” them for an early takeoff in spring — watermelons, for example. Basically, it’s a miniature greenhouse that uses heat from decomposing organic matter such as a mix of manure and wood shavings, or from additional composting fuel like coffee grounds and kitchen scraps. Hotbeds have been used in Great Britain and across Europe since the beginning of the 17th century. They were developed to extend the growing season of fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants. A layer of fresh horse manure from the stable was mixed with straw and placed below the rooting level of the plants, then covered with soil to a depth that would support the root systems of the…

Summer’s well and truly over and you may think the pests are taking a break as well. If only. Aphids, at least, can still be a problem even in late autumn. These small, soft-bodied insects feed on the sap of plants and can cause significant damage. Understanding their behaviour and impact as well as being across some methods of control are crucial if you want to protect your precious plants during this cooler season. And vigilance is key. I.D.-ING THE LITTLE BLIGHTERS Aphids are tiny, pear-shaped insects that come in various colours, including green, black, brown, yellow and even pink. Measuring only a few millimetres in length, they can be hard to spot. They’re often clustered on the undersides of leaves, along stems or near new growth. They feed by…

IN SEASON MAY FRUITS Apple, avocado, banana, cumquat, custard apple, dates, feijoa, grapes, kiwifruit, lemon, lime, mandarin, nashi, nuts (chestnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts), orange (navel), pear, 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, snow peas, spinach, squash, sugar snap peas, swede, sweet corn, sweet potato, taro, tomato, turnip, witlof, zucchini IN SEASON JUNE FRUITS Apple, avocado, banana, custard apple, dates, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemon, lime, mandarin, nashi, nuts (chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts), orange (navel), passionfruit, pear, 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,…

UNPAVING PARADISE The Dutch have invented a light-hearted sport called tegelwippen, or “tile whipping”. In a bid to adapt their urban environments for climate change they’re ripping up pavers, creating more rainwater drainage, reducing heat-island impacts and bringing pockets of nature back into cities. During tegelwippen season (spring through summer), municipalities compete to see who can remove the most paved infrastructure. To spur on the competitive spirit, the number of removed tiles is tallied and recorded on a “tile table” to see which region leads the score. The removed tiles are repurposed to help shore up crumbling house foundations, another consequence of climate change. According to the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, 2023 had the most rain and sun since Dutch records began. As temperatures and the intensity of rainfall events…

Part of the huge daisy family, echinacea is a herbaceous perennial from the prairies of North America’s Midwest that flowers for many months through autumn. The rosette of hairy leaves produces tall stems of mauve, pink or white flowers — such as in the variety ‘Swan Lake’ — but what makes it distinctive and ideal to mass-plant in a sunny garden is the prominent dome of black and gold stamens in the centre of the flower. ‘Magnus Superior’ is a variety that has large mauve flowers and a prominent boss of golden stamens. As well as the widely grown Echinacea purpurea, there are other species including E. angustifolia and E. pallida. In recent years, new and colourful varieties have been released including ‘Watermelon Sugar’, which has bright-pink double flowers. In…

Mandurah, Western Australia’s second most populous city, lies about an hour south of Perth, strung out along 50km of pristine dunes and freshwater estuaries that feed straight into the Indian Ocean. Once a tiny fishing village, then a popular spot to build that postwar weekender, it’s now a mecca for retirees drawn by its canal developments and marinas. Mandurah’s name comes from the Noongar word for meeting or trading place and John Draper could almost have had that in mind when he moved there from Perth eight years ago, “got serious about gardening” and started a small business called Harvest ME. Besides being a one-stop online shop for organic heirloom seeds, seedlings, herbs and other edible plants, Harvest ME offers consultations, workshops and general guidance for sustainable, organic, eco-friendly gardening.…

Green manure may sound like something you wouldn’t want to step in but it’s actually what we call a leafy, nutrient-rich crop grown solely to dig back into the garden bed. In other words, it’s a soil improver and a handy crop to grow over winter when parts of the vegetable patch may be underused or fallow. In warm areas, green-manure crops are also grown in summer to help protect the soil against heat and dryness (or heavy rain) as well as adding nutrients to the soil. While it’s growing, a green-manure crop also stops the growth of unwanted weeds by acting as a living mulch. As well, it protects the soil surface from damage from heavy rain or wind. In addition, if allowed to flower, green-manure crops provide forage…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES Planting: Sow seeds or plant seedlings of hardy vegetables such as brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale); leafy greens (spinach, silverbeet, winter lettuce, bok choy, tatsoi, mizuna); root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, beetroot, radishes, turnips, swedes); alliums (garlic, onions, leeks, shallots). + Consider staggered planting of quick-growing crops like radishes and lettuce to ensure a continuous harvest. + Thin out crowded seedlings to allow adequate space for healthy growth. Existing crops: Harvest remaining summer vegetables such as tomatoes, capsicums and eggplants before frosts. + Remove and compost spent summer crops to make room for winter veg. Frost protection: Cover young or frost-sensitive seedlings with cloches, hessian or frost cloth in frost-prone areas. Maintenance: Keep vegetable beds weed free to reduce competition for nutrients and water. +…

GREEN PEA & RICOTTA FRITTERS Makes 14–16 These fritters are quite versatile as they can be served for breakfast or brunch with eggs, bacon, salmon, ham or any other cold meat. At lunchtime they could be served as a side dish with a piece of steak. You can also use the mixture to make one large fritter and cut it into wedges to serve. I prefer using frozen peas in this recipe even when fresh peas are available because I find them creamier. They are also always on hand in the freezer, which makes these fritters an easy choice in the morning when I’m deciding what to cook. INGREDIENTS • 500g fresh or frozen peas, thawed• 100mL olive oil• 1 small brown onion, finely diced• 2 garlic cloves, crushed• 4…

BASS & FLINDERS LIMONCELLO The must-taste drink of 2025 is the Limoncello Spritz. Here’s how to make your own. Ingredients: 60mL Bass & Flinders Limoncello30mL of lemon juice15mL simple sugar syrupProseccoSoda Method: Add all ingredients to shaker tin except Prosecco and soda. Fill with ice and shake well. Double strain over ice into stemless wine glass. Top slowly with Prosecco and a splash of soda. Garnish with a fresh slice of lemon. This limoncello is made on the Mornington Peninsula according to a traditional Italian family recipe using organic Victorian-grown lemons hand zested in the distillery. Bursting with freshness, it’s delicious served neat over ice or as a spritz. Bass & Flinders Distillery, bassandflindersdistillery.com CHIC PROTECTIVE LEATHER GLOVES Le Sac thorn-proof gardening gloves are sturdy yet soft and snug. I…

Who wouldn’t want to grow something called a walking onion? While it doesn’t actually pick itself up and stroll about, this veg has the rare ability to move around the garden. As well as forming a crop of small onions below ground it also produces tiny bulblets, or bulbils, in its flowers. As the bulbils mature they weigh the flower stem down, allowing them to take root in a new patch of ground — or “walk” to another spot in the garden. As well as growing new plants, the bulbils can be harvested and used as small onions. GROW YOUR OWN Walking onion is much easier to grow than normal brown, red or white onions. It grows in all climates but is best in a temperate climate. To grow your…

On the western edge of the Blue Mountains, at the foot of Mount York, is the village of Little Hartley, the home of Hartvale Gardens. Artist and former counsellor Jennifer Edwards and her partner Peter Kube, a licensed builder, went to town one day to buy a new fridge — but then Jennifer looked in a real-estate office window. She’ll never forget the instant connection she had to the property: “Views of gentle, rolling hills and vast paddocks of grazing land unfolding to the mesmerising indigo blues of the mountain range beyond were the stuff of my dreams. “In the opposite direction, the landscape was dominated by the towering sandstone escarpment and gum trees of Mount York.” Just eight years later, Hartvale is an established garden that’s firmly on the…

MAY 2025 Late autumn is a great time in most regions to get brassicas and root vegies in the ground — and don’t forget the peas, including sugar snap and snowpeas JUNE 2025 Time to think about fruit trees and, although it’s a quieter time for planting vegies in cooler regions, there’s plenty of options for 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…

Beetroot is the ultimate root-to-tip vegetable, offering vibrantly coloured roots, nutrient-packed greens and endless culinary possibilities that leave nothing to waste. Originally from the region along the Mediterranean coastline, wild beets were first cultivated by the ancient Greeks and Romans not for their roots but for their leafy tops. It wasn’t until the 16th century that the modern beet with its swollen taproot began to gain popularity across Europe, prized for its vibrant colour and earthy sweetness. Today, this humble root is cherished in cuisines worldwide and it’s the star ingredient in dishes like borscht and beet brownies. Whether roasted, pickled, juiced, or grated raw into salads, beetroot is an easy-growing, nutrient-packed plant for your home vegie garden. And did you know beetroots come in a range of striking colours…

Poultry litter: it doesn’t sound like exciting subject matter but it plays a key role in keeping fowls happy and healthy as well as in protecting their eggs. It’s not just on the floor of the chicken coop, either; it’s used in nest boxes to entice hens to lay in them. Around half of the faeces voided by your flock will be in the henhouse — even more if birds are confined on deep litter. Given that each hen excretes more than 55kg of manure a year, the role litter plays as an absorbent substrate is invaluable. Litter is simply bedding and as such has to provide a dry, comfortable and dust-free environment. Numerous materials are available including specially formulated proprietary products as well as DIY options. All have desirable…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES Planting: Sow hardy winter crops like broad beans, peas, spinach and snow peas directly into prepared garden beds. Start seedlings of broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts in trays. + Garlic and onions are also great crops to to plant now — choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Protect from frost with cloches or frost cloth. Harvesting: Keep harvesting leafy greens and Asian greens to encourage regrowth. Pull up root vegetables as needed. + Don’t forget to check for any lingering summer crops — now is the time to clear them out if they’re finished. Maintenance: Regularly weed beds to prevent competition for nutrients. Apply organic mulch, such as straw or sugarcane, to retain soil warmth and suppress weeds. + Keep an eye out for…

IT STARTS WITH YOUR SOIL After a bumper summer harvest, your soil will benefit from a little TLC. Before heaping on the soil additives, stop and evaluate your soil. Test your pH and adjust your soil accordingly. Various nutrients are available to your plants at different pH levels and this ultimately impacts the growth and health of your garden. Take the guesswork out of improving your soil with the Diggers Nutrient Deficiency Chart. With loads of information on how pH impacts various soil nutrients, the signs and symptoms to look out for in your plants and how to naturally improve each essential element, it’s your handy reference to plant success. RRP $19.95. Visit diggers.com.au LOVE A PRODUCTIVE VEGETABLE GARDEN? Earthlife Veggie Mate has been created specifically to help your vegie…