Indholdsfortegnelse for 15.1 i Good Organic Gardening

We live in the large area that was declared the Red Zone when the varroa outbreak was first detected in the Port of Newcastle. Some of my friends had to kill their honeybees and have their hives stand empty. The authorities, meanwhile, euthanised large numbers of bees in the wild. Broken hearts everywhere. Although they stopped killing them, as I write this we are lucky to see any honeybees in our area — even in the kerbside clover, which we avoid mowing so it provides something for the odd stray survivor. On top of this tragic situation, we noticed a couple of paper wasps (Polistes humilis) had begun building a nest in a large pot plant near our backdoor. We gingerly moved them on yesterday but today they’re back on…

TALES OF GOOD AND WEEVIL Weevils are rarely considered beneficial insects but scientists at Australia’s CSIRO have identified some that use their powers for good — not evil. Of our thousands of native species, only 4110 of which have been described, many are outright pests that attack crops, flowers, trees and wood indiscriminately. Even so, some are pollinators and others show “high host specificity”, meaning they eat only certain plants, which makes them useful for targeting weeds. Take water hyacinth, a highly invasive aquatic weed that has choked waterways from Africa’s Lake Victoria to the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea, stopping transport and threatening the livelihoods of fishing communities. Research by Aussie scientists led them to two ideal biocontrol agents, the mottled water hyacinth weevil (Neochetina eichhorniae) and the…

Run out of spinach? Has your own crop bolted to flower or are this week’s supermarket offerings below par? Have your leafy greens gone to mush at the back of the fridge or are you simply — perish the thought — tired of spinach? There’s no shortage of possible replacements, depending on the dish you’re cooking — though, to get the same nutritional bang for your buck, you might have to use more of your substitute veg. As Popeye will tell you, Spinacia oleracea is the powerhouse of leafy greens with high levels of vitamins A and K as well as vital minerals such as iron and potassium. Though they might not all measure up nutritionally, here are some stand-ins that take a leaf from the same book for when…

Galloway Springs is a thriving 200-acre farming enterprise near Bridgetown, around 270km south of Perth. Raquel and Murray Johnson, who bought the property eight years ago, run four land leases, a farm shop that sells their own produce as well as that of local organic growers and an off - grid tiny house farmstay flanked by waterways and Blackwood State Forest. The Johnsons’ main crop is garlic but they also grow zucchini and other seasonal vegies as well as fruit trees including apples, pears and plums in particular. They raise grass-fed lambs and Saddleback pigs, run cattle and even farm marron (freshwater crayfish). In addition, their daughter 21-year-old Emily leases some land for her table-bird business, Galloway Springs Pastured Poultry. Murray grew up on a Queensland farm with pigs, mixed…

Late spring and early summer would not be complete without a backyard mulberry feast: standing beneath the tree enjoying handfuls of the sun-warmed ripe, dark-purple fruit — preferably not wearing white. If stained fingers, faces and clothes aren’t your cup of tea, there are white-fruiting varieties that leave none of the tell-tale “I’ve just been gorging on mulberries” signs but taste just as sweet and juicy. It’s rare to find fresh mulberries in the supermarkets or your local greengrocer because they don’t ripen after picking and, once harvested, the soft, juicy fruit doesn’t keep or transport well. All the more reason to plant a tree in your backyard! Mulberry is a fast-growing, easy-going tree that will tolerate a variety of Australian climates, from the subtropics to temperate regions without heavy…

It’s hard to think of a dinner I cook that doesn’t include garlic. I love the stuff — and homegrown really does taste so much better than store bought. It may be a slow grower but the great thing about it is that in a 1m2 space, with very little effort, you can easily get around 30-45 heads of garlic from just 30–45 individual cloves. What’s more, immediately after planting you can intersperse garlic with quick-growing crops like lettuce, making the most of your space while waiting for the garlic to bulk up. Depending on your climate, garlic should be planted out sometime between March and June and will be ready to harvest in 6–8 months. The exact planting and harvest times will also depend on what varieties you’re planting,…

In urban and suburban environments, gardeners face the perennial challenge of growing edible plants in shaded areas. You can’t always choose how much sun your patch gets when there are neighbouring buildings, fences and trees blocking the sun and throwing shade. While it’s certainly true that most fruit and vegetable plants require full sun for optimal growth, there are many that can thrive in partial or even full shade. Here are some of the best edible plants for growing in shady conditions. Mushrooms: Fungi are the original shade lovers. In fact, the mushroom — or fruiting body — is just the visible part of the fungus, most of which grows in complete darkness underground. Mushrooms can be raised indoors or outdoors in shaded areas or even sunless conditions; they require…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES • If you haven’t already tried it, drop everything and start growing garlic, a slow but rewarding crop. A good rule of thumb: plant on Anzac Day, harvest around Remembrance Day. Simply stick separate cloves of organic garlic — skin on, pointy end up — in well-prepped soil 10–15cm apart.• It’s time for some cool-season crops: leafy and salad greens such as Asian greens, brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale), mustard and rocket; fruiting veg such as broad beans, fennel, peas and snowpeas; root crops (beetroot, carrots, leeks, spring onion, onions, parsnip, radish, swedes, turnips); and herbs (coriander, chives, dill, mints, parsley, thyme).• Remove summer crops that are finishing or near done. Divide overcrowded perennials such as asparagus and artichoke by digging them up and replanting into…

RESEARCH FINDS POISONS PRESENT IN WILD OYSTERS A study of oysters in the Richmond River estuary in the NSW Northern Rivers has detected 21 pesticides including herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Each oyster had on average detectable levels of nine different pesticides, among them diuron, atrazine, hexazinone and metolachlor as well as one banned fungicide, benomyl. The researchers from Southern Cross University are calling on regulators to step up monitoring of pesticides in seafood from estuaries to enable hotspots and poor management practices to be identified and remedied. More pesticide residues were found in oysters than in water samples since oysters are filter feeders and accumulate particles and pollutants found in the water. A single oyster can filter up to 5L of water an hour and a whopping 250,000L throughout its…

Okra is an unusual vegetable as it is part of the hibiscus family and related to cotton and ornamental hibiscus. It’s also both ornamental and productive and can be grown in the vegie patch, in the garden or even in a large pot. The part we eat is the long, finger-like ribbed pod that forms after the small, cream or yellow flower — which looks like a small hibiscus — blooms. Another feature of okra sounds a bit strange. When cooked, the pods become mucilaginous (gluey), which is why this vegetable stars in soups, stews and gumbos: it adds body as well as flavour. Also clever is what happens if the pod is left to mature. The seeds that form inside can be used as a coffee substitute. Okra is…

Many of the peas you see in the supermarket freezer are grown near where I live in rural northwest Tasmania. Harvest time is usually through the night as the fields are picked and the peas podded and snap frozen before being trucked off to the factory to be packed. Really, the only way they could be any fresher is if you grew you own! If you fancy doing just that, late autumn into winter is the time to get growing, as peas are a cool-season crop. Fresh peas have wide appeal because they’re sweet and crunchy. If podding puts you off growing them, concentrate on peas that are eaten pod and all, including snow peas and sugar snaps. Children who won’t eat green vegies can usually be cajoled into eating…

We are all well versed in the world of popular culinary herbs and the many that are used for beauty products and other cosmetics. But most of us are unaware of how intrinsically linked some of the more unusual herbs of old were — and still are — to our everyday lives and how many of these forgotten plants are enjoying a resurgence. In the Middle Ages and earlier, of course, people didn’t have the medicines, perfumes, cleaners and air fresheners we have today. Back then, plants were the main source of remedies in the form of salves and tinctures. Herbs, flowers and oils were a large part of daily life and were often linked to magic and folklore as well. Over the centuries, a lot of these practical plants…

Pollination is all the buzz, if you’ll excuse the pun, and that buzz is all about bees. Got fruit trees? Pollination is vital if you want to harvest a crop. While most flowers need pollination to develop fruit, many fruit trees make pollination far from easy. Deciduous fruit trees such as apple, pear, cherry, apricot and plum, along with other fruiting plants such as kiwifruit, blueberry, strawberry and even native pepperberry, need pollen from another compatible plant for fruit to form. This is known as cross-pollination, as pollen is transferred between flowers and often between flowers on different plants. When buying a new fruit tree or bush to plant in the garden, one of the most important questions to ask is whether the plant needs cross-pollination to form fruit. If…

The purpose of pruning trees, shrubs and plants is to create the desired shape, maintain a certain size, remove dead or diseased portions and promote healthy new growth. With fruit trees, pruning is also used to increase flowering and fruit production as well as to increase sunlight and air circulation through the canopy. Most pruning tasks can be accomplished with simple hand tools such as secateurs and loppers, which are used to make precise, clean cuts while minimising plant damage. Sharp tools are more efficient and result in cleaner cuts with less effort. This reduces damage to surrounding plant tissues, promoting faster healing. In contrast, blunt tools can crush branches, tear bark and leave ragged wounds, potentially providing an entry point for disease pathogens. Keeping tools clean prevents the transfer…

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES • Continue planting out brassicas — broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower — to ensure constant cropping through the cooler months before the cabbage white butterflies get busy. Consider some sage as a companion for brassicas as it’s said to repel caterpillars and moths. Plus those grey-green leaves look so good!• Go on putting in alliums including onions, spring onions, garlic, leeks, eschalots and chives — but keep them well away from peas as they can retard the growth of legumes.• Winter is prime time for planting leafy greens like lettuce, collard greens (which are actually brassicas), mustard greens, silverbeet and spinach. Corn salad may be one to try if you’ve never grown it before.• Dig up and divide perennial vegies if you haven’t already done so…

VEGETABLE SEEDLING NURSERY KIT The team at Aussie Gardener have made it really easy to grow your own vegetable seedlings at home and put an end to all the plastic waste that happens from buying punnets at the nursery. This complete kit contains: a year’s worth of seed, large propagator, soil, seedling tonic, plant labels, seed dispenser, fertiliser and more! We also recommend you grab the optional Veggie Sowing Planner, which shows you what seeds to sow throughout the year based on your climate zone. Head to aussiegardener.com.au/nurserykit to find this kit or give them a call on 1800 222 800 FOR HEALTHIER, STRONGER NATIVES Earthlife Native Blend has been specifically blended for use on ALL natives and protaceae. The unique blend of minerals, organic material, trace elements and garden-friendly…

KALE ‘IVORY GARDEN’, BRASSICA OLERACEA The plant: A large-headed kale with leaves as decorative as they are delicious, this is a stunning addition to the vegie patch or parterre. The white central leaves are encircled by bright-green foliage, heavily rippled to create an eye-catching display. Produces heavily ruffled loose heads to 30cm. Leaves can be harvested individually or cut as a table centrepiece before allowing guests to pick their own side salad direct from the table. Sow at four-week intervals to ensure a continual harvest. Growing: Most varieties of kale grow best during the cooler months and ‘Ivory Garden’ is no exception. Pests are also less prevalent at this time, including cabbage white butterflies. Protect from snails and slugs, especially while young. Diggers, diggers.com.au ROBERT GORDON CLOUD PLANTERS Build the…

Quandong is a parasitic tree that thrives in harsh conditions to produce edible fruit. The number of local names for it (see label) indicates its extensive use, especially among desert communities. It is also a very ancient tree that was once widespread. Fossilised quandongs dating back 40 million years have been found in the coal seams of southern Victoria. It is a staple food for many First Nations people — especially important as the fruit can be dried to eat when other foods are not available. It was also an early bush food eaten by European settlers. As well as being an important bush-tucker plant, quandong is a commercial success, harvested and processed for use in a wide range of food products. This lovely small evergreen is an excellent shade…

Dynes Austin’s Tamborine Mountain garden was already well underway when he finally bit the bullet and did a 12-week permaculture design course, something he’d been hankering to do for some time. Since then, everything he does has been influenced by permaculture and organic gardening principles. THE GARDEN IS FED ON WEED TEA, WORM WEE AND CASTINGS, PLUS STRAW AND CHOOK POO GATHERED FROM THE POULTRY RUN AND SPREAD AROUND THE BEDS. He tries to minimise chemical inputs but rather opts for the benefits of companion planting while using eclectic biodiversity to confuse pests. Having said that, he admits it’s a constant battle dealing with larger pests like bandicoots, bush rats, parrots and flying foxes so close to subtropical rainforest. Dynes’ working life is eclectic as well. He’s an account manager…

MAY 2024 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 2024 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…

Many ripe fruits have a delicious scent — strawberry, mango, pineapple, peach and tomato, to name a few favourites — but tamarillo has a heady perfume when the plant flowers. It’s a real surprise to smell such an exotic perfume wafting through the vegie patch and discover its source is the clusters of pendulous pink-white flowers on the tamarillo. Tamarillo — equally well known as tree tomato — is an ungainly plant: tall, reaching around 3m, with many branches and very large, dark-green, heart-shaped leaves. It’s also brittle, its branches easily broken by the wind (or by a possum, should it decide to climb the tree). One of its real plusses is it produces lots of fruit through late autumn and winter when fresh, home-grown fruit other than citrus can…

People often ask me, “How is it that you are able to harvest fruit in the first year of planting a young tree, while our trees are five years old and half the size with no fruit?” When I tell them the formula I have developed they’re surprised. Conventional advice is to place the tree in a hole, top it with compost and water in well. Does this sound familiar? You’ll certainly get fruit but it will be a long wait — up to five years or more — and it may not be as plentiful a harvest. Here, I’ll show you something different. Not only will you learn how to use my method, but you’ll also understand why. I am not a horticulturist but I’ve been growing food for…

This is an edited extract from Healthiest Vegetables by Emily Ezekiel, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally. Photography by Issy Croker. Healthiest Vegetables focuses on 15 of the most nutrient-rich vegetables, including sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, onions and kale, and how to use these in easy and delicious recipes. Each section is devoted to a vegetable and has a detailed chart with cooking methods and timing, photos of different varieties and nutritional information.…

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