Mark's Corner

Balmain High Veggie Patch – May

Sun, 01 May 2011 09:13:00 GMT

I planted out a winter crop of veggies over the Anzac weekend and this recent soaking rain has been perfect to start them off.

The following were sown directly into beds –

•   Spinach Bloomsdale which has thick, crinkled dark green leaves, a compact habit and should be ready to harvest in 50 days. I love planting spinach because you can keep picking it forever.
•   Beetroot Bull’s Blood which has very sweet roots and tasty deep purple leaves. Great in your fresh veggie juice of a morning.
•   Pac Choy with succulent tasty heads ready in just six weeks. Love it in a stir fry.

The following were planted in seed trays and I will plant these out with the children when they are 4 or 5cm high –

•   Broccoli Waltham which has small blue green heads and then side shoots for up to 3 months, with harvest in 70days and a yield of 3kg. The smaller finer heads and stems are nice and sweet and you can eat the whole thing.
•   Cabbage Mini which has neat, crisp green golden heads in just 130 days and weighing 1.3kg/head.

The Purple Dragon Carrots planted in early February look very healthy and the pretty, ferny foliage is about 30cm high now. Carrots are supposed to do well in sandy loam so I hope my preparation of the rather light soil in this area will enable the roots to develop properly so we have nicely formed carrots. Purple Dragon Carrots apparently have more carotene and anti-oxidants than other carrots and a subtle and sweet, yet spicy flavour so I am looking forward to tasting them for the first time.

The cavolo nero (Tuscan kale) planted last year is still growing strongly. I have used Success, a caterpillar specific spray, a few times recently for Cabbage Moth caterpillar so the plants are looking good. Now it is getting cooler there will be less caterpillar activity on the cavolon nero, the cabbage and the broccoli.

Over the next few weeks I will be planting Curly Parsley and Chives with the children and their teachers. We will be sowing into small pots so the children can see them germinate, help water and feed them and then take them home.

The March Garden

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:34:00 GMT

March is a busy time in the gardening year. With temperatures and humidity mercifully on the decrease it’s a pleasure to roll up your sleeves and tidy up some of summer’s unruly growth.

Extended heat wave conditions and little rain have had its toll on many plants with scorching of leaves and defoliation. After trimming and pruning to tidy up a good soak and a dose of a seaweed solution will help plants back on their feet.

Remove spent annuals and dead head annuals to increase flowering and feed fortnightly with a liquid fertiliser.

Camellias sasanqua are getting ready to flower and need to be kept moist and would benefit from a liquid fertiliser high in potassium to help with flowering, make sure they are well mulched as well. You could apply the same treatment to roses about to put on an autumn display.

It’s time to order spring bulbs to plant as soon as it gets a little cooler. A good tip I picked up from a bulb grower is to double plant when potting up bulbs for a winter/spring display. Fill the pot to 1/3 and add a layer of bulbs, add some more potting mix, another layer of bulbs and then the last third of potting mix. Fertilise and water in well and you’ll be impressed with a wonderfully full display.

Autumn is normally a good time to fertilise, especially flowering shrubs like gardenias and roses to help with the autumn flush. Take care though when fertilising in dry weather as some non organic fertilisers can burn in dry conditions – remember to give all plants a good soaking before and after fertilising.

On the topic of dryness, some soils can become somewhat compacted and even begin to repel water after prolonged periods of dryness. Compacted soil should be aerated with a fork – you don’t have to dig but just push a garden fork in and give it a bit of a rock to and fro. Soil wetting agents to help saturate soils becoming water repellant (hydrophobic) come in a few forms. You can buy a wetting agent concentrate to mix in a watering can and water in or there are also granular products to broadcast and then water in. If pots have been allowed to dry out or if the soil in them is a few years old the same water repellent problem could occur and a wetting agent should be used

St Patrick’s Day on 17th March is traditionally the time to plant Sweet Peas, add some garden lime or dolomite when preparing the soil and try soaking the seeds overnight before planting. Choose a sight with plenty of sun and you'll need a support to 2m for sweet peas.

In the veggie garden it’s time to plant:

Broad beans
Beetroot
Cabbage
Carrots
Coriander
English Spinach
Green Beans
Lettuce
Onions
Parsley
Parsnips
Peas
Radish
Silverbeet

Garlic bulbs

Tibouchinas

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:00:00 GMT

In Sydney the onset of lush, purple/violet flowers is always a sign of pleasant cooler autumn weather to come.
Tibouchinas originate from South America and like Jacarandas and Poincianas are popular flowering trees in south East Queensland. They grow over a wide range of climatic regions in South America and do the same in Australia. Selective cultivation in the 1960’s, primarily by the Dunstan family in Alstonville, resulted in superior cultivars and secured its widespread popularity.

The following cultivars have proven to be popular garden plants.

Tibouchina Alstonville
So named as it was developed in Alstonville can be either a large shrub or small tree to 5m depending on how it is pruned.
It is covered in autumn with violet/purple flowers.

Tibouchina Kathleen
Large shrub or small tree to 5m. Developed in Alstonville and has rosy pink flowers in autumn.

Tibouchina Noelene
Large shrub or small tree to 5m. Flowers open white and darken to pink resulting in a pretty two toned effect on the shrub.

Tibouchina Jules
Blooms prolifically in autumn with purple/ violet flowers. Tibouchina Jules is a much smaller cultivar growing in a bun shape to less than a metre. This cultivar in particular needs a warm sheltered spot.

Tibouchina Jazzie
Growing to 1.5m this cultivar has violet purple flowers mainly in autumn but also spot flowers rather well at other times throughout the year.

Cultivation

Tibouchinas are fairly hardy once established and tolerate a wide range of conditions but thrive in a well drained, friable, slightly acid soil with reliable moisture. Sandy or heavy clay soils can be prepared with plenty of organic matter. Always mulch Tibouchinas well and fertilise annually in spring.
While Tibouchinas can handle a little dryness once established some extra watering will ensure better growth and more foliage, this is particularly important in summer before flowering.
Tibouchinas do not like hard frosts so choose a warm sunny spot preferably with shelter from strong winds.
Tibouchinas respond well to pruning and the larger varieties can be kept lower with an annual trim, it is essential to prune as soon after flowering as possible. To create a ‘tree’ shape ensure a central leader always has dominance and take out lower branches, the earlier you start this process the better.
The good news is Tibouchinas are practically pest and disease free.

Garden Use

The larger cultivars can be used as trees or free flowering shrubs depending on how they are pruned.
The smaller varieties are great in pots, borders, as shrubby groundcovers or low hedges.
The dark purple colour of Tibouchina blossoms are a standout feature and there are many ways to use such a strong purple, it looks great with white and other shades of the purple/pink/lilac spectrum. I have seen spectacular results when purple Tibouchinas are planted near lilac Crepe Myrtles, the two prolifically flowering plants providing a large area of colour and tag teaming over a long period. You can also zing up that purple with bright orange or purplish reds.

Some plants flowering at the same time you may consider using are:

Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise) – orange
Plumbago – white
Crucifix Orchid – orange
Frangipani – white
Crepe Myrtle – lilac, pinks, white but especially the lilacs
Bougainvillea – purple, pinks, white
Iresine – purple/red
Gardenias – white
Hibiscus – white, pink, purple, red, orange
Vireya Rhododendron - orange

Balmain High Veggie Patch February

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:01:00 GMT

While the children have been away I have been doing little more than maintaining what was left in the veggie patch. The tomatoes have been producing plenty of fruit although there has been a blossom end rot problem which I attribute to irregular moisture. The San Marzano egg tomatoes have grown to about 1.2-1.5m and have trusses of small very tasty egg shaped fruit and the Pot Toms to about 1m and they have regular shaped almost full sized fruit. They are coming into full harvest time right about now so that is a bonus for the children and I look forward to showing them some photos of when they planted the tomatoes out some months ago so they can compare.

The giant garlic has flowered and died down now so should be ready for harvest and we’ll probably replant some too.

The Cavolo Nero had been heavily attacked by caterpillar and were getting a bit leggy so I trimmed them down to about 5cm and they have started to sprout back nicely.
All the herbs are doing very well – the Basil planted amongst the tomatoes is thriving, the Continental Parsley and Thyme is looking good and the Golden Oregano and variegated Sage are both looking very decorative.

Next on the agenda is to plant some purple carrots, I have some seed from the Diggers Club to use and it will be interesting to see the children’s reaction when we harvest. Lettuce of course is great to have at this time of year and such a quick crop to grow for the children; I will plant some perpetual varieties so there is a steady supply available but I also bought for myself recently some very cute mini red cos that should go down well too. I will also need to prepare a section for autumn planting of some winter veggies.

It’s at this time of the year with high temperatures and drying winds that the structure and water holding capacity of soil is tested. I have noticed the soil in the veggie patch, which is on the light side, could do with more organic matter and it has become a bit water repellant in some areas. I will need to add some organics and also use a wetting agent.

The February Garden

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:03:00 GMT

If you’re finding it difficult to garden in the heat try getting up an hour earlier in the morning to garden. It’s light at 6.00.am, much cooler and so calm and quiet.

Top up any mulch that has broken down/ blown away as it is one of the most important months for moisture retention and to keep plant roots as cool as possible.

Grubs and caterpillars are everywhere at this time of year, use a natural spray like ‘Dipel’ or ‘Success’ both of which are caterpillar specific and there is almost no withholding period.

At this hot and humid time of the year watch out for fungal problems like powdery mildew and black spot on roses, try using potassium based preparations - they are very effective and ecologically sensitive.

Feed citrus and roses, you should be doing this 2 or 3 times/ year. Use fertiliser boosted with potash to increase flowering, fruiting and help strengthen against disease. There are some organic ones available now or buy some Sulphate of Potash and add it when fertilising.

Keep fruit trees consistently moist or they will drop fruit, again mulching helps here and use the mulch right out to the drip tip of the tree.

Dead head plants regularly especially annuals, perennials, roses, agapanthus and any scorched Hydrangea flowers.

Give NSW Christmas Bush a trim to tidy up after flowering and dead head spent Kangaroo Paw flowers. It’s a good time to lift and divide Kangaroo Paws if necessary.

You can start to prepare veggie beds for autumn planting now by digging in plenty of well composted organic matter and or animal manure - water in well.

Keep an eye on plants like basil and lettuce as they are inclined to go to seed in hot weather. Harvest them regularly.

It’s time to start looking at spring bulb catalogues now in preparation for autumn planting. Buy them soon so that you get the pick of the new season’s selection but DON’T plant them until late April – around Anzac Day. The soil is far too hot at the moment. Store the bulbs in a cool dry place

Camellias are producing flower buds this time of year so avoid trimming if you can. The best time to prune Camellias is just after they’ve finished flowering before new growth starts.

Mandevillas Are Hot

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:02:00 GMT

Mandevilla (formerly Dipladenea) is a genus of climbing plants from Central and South America from subtropical regions also known as Brazilian Jasmine.

There are 3 groupings: the large flowered group which has bigger leaves are definite climbing plants and have the much bigger blooms, e.g. ‘Alice du Pont. Then there is the lesser known Mandevilla laxa which has white fragrant flowers and is deciduous in cool climates. And lastly, there is the largest grouping of Mandevillas formerly known as Dipladenea with medium and smaller flowers and plants that are climbers as well as loose-limbed shrubs.

Interspecific breeding by Australian breeding duo Graham Brown and Mal Morgan has created an outstanding new Mandevilla series called the Aloha range which features continuous flowering between spring and autumn.

The Mandevilla will flower virtually all year in a warm, sunny position. It really comes into its own through the heat of summer, but seems to carry blooms all year. Classified as a small climbing plant, it can also be kept as a loosely formed shrub by pinching out the tendril tips. The flowers are trumpet shaped and come in a variety of colours ranging from a rich vibrant scarlet, through the reds to pinks and white. All have a distinctive yellow throat. The overall effect is one of massed exotic colour.

Flowering consistently from spring to autumn, the Aloha series produces fabulous flowers in bold colours that contrast beautifully against lush green foliage. Although these plants are climbers, they are not overly aggressive which makes them easy to control.These hardy and heat loving plants are perfect to train on a trellis, pergola or cyclone fence.

Dipladenias love the sun! They also seem to thrive best in large pots. The root system develops in a tuber-like way, storing moisture for dry times. There’s no need to panic over the watering – in fact don’t over do it. Make sure drainage is perfect, tip prune if you wish a shrub shape or allow to mature as a climbing plant with a support. Fertilise with a slow release feed in spring, early and late summer. An occasional aplication of diluted Seasol is beneficial. Mandevillas may very rarely get scale, which is easily controlled by spraying with eco-oil.

Use Dipladenias in hot spots: at an entrance way in decorative tubs; as a climber on a lattice work trellis on a balcony; in very large baskets and urns and they look great planted in groups near a pool setting. Actually because they are such a tidy plant they are excellent for pool side plantings.

Without doubt, the Dipladenia family is one of the most rewarding and ‘easy to care for’ group of plants available to the home gardener.

Summer Rose Care

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 10:51:00 GMT

To keep roses looking healthy and provide us with the blooms we love a little extra care at this time of year will go a long way.
Of course a well fertilised, watered and mulched rose will do much to look after itself.
It should be noted that the pruning part of this regime refers to repeat flowering rose shrubs.

Pruning

Summer pruning should normally occur early in the New Year straight after the main Christmas flush of flowering. Roses at this time of the year can look a little leggy so now is the time to tidy them up and stimulate new growth for the autumn flush of flowering.
Remove any damaged or diseased branches and shorten most growth by about 30cm or as though you were cutting flowers for the vase.

Fertilising

Roses should be fertilised at least twice a year and preferably three times, once in early spring, once in late spring and again early in the year when you summer prune.
The best fertilisers for roses are those relatively low in nitrogen like animal manure (well rotted), blood and bone and pellets like dynamic lifter. Apply generously and water in well.
Sulphate of potash applied annually will boost flowering and assist the plant in resisting fungal problems like black spot. Mix it up in a watering can as per the instructions and apply around the roots of the plant. Adding a seaweed preparation to this mixture will promote healthy root growth as well.

Spraying

Regular spraying especially in summer is important to reduce fungal problems and keep pests in check.
Eco-rose is a registered organic fungicide for the control of powdery mildew and black spot on roses. In my opinion it is the better choice as it is preventative as well as curative, safe for beneficial insects and soil organisms and fast acting. The addition of eco oil to this mix results in a fungicide and insecticide – perfect for roses.
I like to also keep a trigger pack of a pyrethrum based spray handy to do some spot spraying of aphids before they get out of control.

Watering

If you have prepared your soil carefully with plenty of organic matter and top it up annually as well as always ensuring there is adequate mulch this should greatly reduce watering. As a general rule of thumb though roses appreciate deep watering less often. So if it has been dry perhaps two long soakings per week should be enough.

Mulching

The best mulch for roses is lucerne hay or sugar cane mulch, it is now packaged in bails for convenience and storage. This should be topped up at least twice per year. These mulches help to retain moisture, they break down to add organic matter to the soil and also reduce fungal problems. Heavier mulches should be avoided.

Balmain High Veggie Garden IV

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:04:00 GMT

The warmer weather has certainly had a noticeable effect on the veggies and herbs in the garden resulting in a huge spurt of new growth especially on all the leafy greens which make up most of the plants. So much so in fact that we will have to harvest a considerable amount and offload some veggies to the teaching staff.

The Cavello Nero is showing signs of caterpillar damage so we will have to be vigilant and perhaps make up a low toxic garlic spray to use. Something had taken a shine to the cos lettuce recently and caused quite a bit of damage chewing the young plants back by two thirds at least. When I visited today however the cos had almost completely recovered so the unknown culprit has either moved on or become tired of cos.

We planted some giant garlic last time I was there and it will be interesting to see how big the plants get and also to see the lovely pink, rounded flower heads when they appear later as they can be quite spectacular on their long stems.

When I first began work on the garden there were many requests for tomatoes so now the weather has warmed up I think we will have a tomato planting day. As some of the students are in wheel chairs and the garden is already raised I will be looking at some of the lower growing varieties like Pot Tom, Tumbling Tom and I believe there is a lower growing Roma variety.

We have been able to get away with the plentiful rainfall we've been experiencing lately and some hand-watering but now with the approach of warm weather it will be time to install some irrigation

The head teacher of the Support Unit, Rob Riley, has been organising to have the garden included in a book to be published on veggie gardens in Sydney schools so it is now a much photographed garden with plenty of before, during and after shots.

Balmain High Veggie Garden III

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:04:00 GMT

As a result of threat from onion weeds and a couple of monster Strelitzia clumps in the way the veggie garden at the Support Unit is now considerably larger than originally planned.
In view of the ever increasing size and population of onion weed in the veggie garden it seemed the only choice we had was to excavate the soil to a depth that would remove all the onion weed bulbs. After consulting with the school we agreed to excavate to a depth of approximately 150mm and we thought I may as well keep digging and take out some large clumps of Strelitzia as well. This would give us two long beds the whole length of the retaining wall and with one running alongside the retaining wall enabling students in wheel chairs better viewing and access to the garden.
1.5 cubic metres of 'Recarb Ultra' garden mix was delivered and the new veggie garden with two long rows was created. Cow manure was added, some lime and then lucerne mulch to finish off. The cow manure will add slow releasing nutrients to the soil and break down to be an excellent soil conditioner. The lucerne mulch will act as a green manure and add nutrients to the soil and also insulate and retain moisture.
The herbs from the original garden were able to be saved but we had to plant new veggies.
The following were chosen:
Rocket
Perpetual Lettuce
Perpetual Spinach
English Spinach
Silverbeet
Rainbow Chard
Carrots
Red Onions
Celery
Cavallo Nero
Rhubarb

There were reports of Ibis snacking on the lettuce in the original garden so Bird Wire was installed over each bed. I have no experience with this product so it will be interesting to see how effective it is. I think the bird wire may also act as a deterrent to adventurous students - we'll see.

Winter in the Garden

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:20:00 GMT

There is still work to be done in the garden to ensure that by the time spring comes
around, all the ‘jobs to do’ are completed! I know that we can keep cosy indoors on
chilly winter days, but the garden does still need some attention. Here are a few things
to work on over the next few weeks.

• Winter weeds in lawns can become a problem. One of the worst is small leaf clover.
This has a very fine root system and spreads in amongst the grass. Tiny yellow
flowers identify this plant pest. The best way to eradicate it is by hand. Hard work,
but effective. Use an old dinner knife to dig down and ease the roots out

• Another weed to eradicate from the lawn is the Bindii which can be effectively
controlled with sprays. Ask your garden centre to identify this plant and what control
sprays to use on your grass type.

• Liquid fertilise all the spring flowering bulbs and annuals every fortnight. Yates
Flower & Fruit fertiliser is excellent for this purpose

• Onion weed will be sending up new growth in flower beds. A wipe with a brush or
cloth dipped in glyphosate can work, but needs to be repeated several times. Digging
deeply when the soil is damp and carefully removing ALL the bulblets is another way.
Either way, patience is essential!

• Perennials such as Day Lilies and perennial Asters can be lifted and divided.
Remember to treat newly transplanted shrubs, perennials and annuals with diluted
Seasol

• You can still plant vegetables such as Spinach, Silverbeet and Tuscan Kale. A few
lettuce seedlings planted out every couple of weeks will keep the family in salads
through late winter and early spring

• Camellia Sasanquas that have finished flowering can have a tidy up if necessary, if
you are in a frost-free area, otherwise wait until danger of frost is past

• Camellia Japonicas are a mainstay of colour in winter gardens. Local garden centres
will have a good supply of these easy-to-grow shrubs

• Similarly, there should be good stocks of new season’s ornamental deciduous trees
in garden centres over the next few weeks. Now is the time to buy and plant these –
don’t wait until spring when the choice of selection will be more limited

• New season’s Roses will be available. When selecting, check that there is no sign of
die-back on the stems – yellow to brown ends of the pruned branches. These often
indicate that the limb will die back which is not a good sign. * Rose pruning tips will
follow in the next media release. Rose pruning is generally done in late July

• Check for any mealy bug on indoor plants (white cotton wool-like little creatures)
and spray accordingly

Courtesy NGINA (Nursery & Garden Industry NSW & ACT)

Balmain High Veggie Garden II

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:06:00 GMT

The bed for the veggies is now ready for planting and the children are back so I collected all the herbs and veggies requested by the teachers and headed to Rozelle for a planting morning.
The children would be using some or all of the herbs and veggies for use in other classes and the following were chosen for these purposes form the varieties suitable for growing in Sydney in winter:

Chives
Garlic Chives
Rhubarb
Sage variegated
Garlic
Oregano
Thyme
Lettuce - mixed varieties
Kale ‘Tuscan’
Continental Parsley
Silverbeet ‘Rainbow’
Carrots
Rocket

The children helped dig in some of the plants where possible and I had a very keen watering helper. Hopefully with hands on interaction with the garden the children will develop a sense of contribution and ownership of the garden.
We followed planting and watering with an application of Seasol and liquid fertiliser to get the new plants off to a good start.
Our next project will be another bed behind the first one with peas or beans.

i

Balmain High Veggie Garden I

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:07:00 GMT

Not far from me in Rozelle is Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus which has a Support Unit. I recently started to give them a hand in their garden with a new veggie plot.

We decided I would work on a raised bed to start with and plant the perimeter thus giving students in wheelchairs easy access. The site is roughly triangular and is raised with a brick retaining wall to about 1200mm. Existing plantings include Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae), several citrus, a few native shrubs and clumps of Dianella.

My first consideration was the removal of any unwanted plants, to remove weeds and to improve the soil.
We would keep the citrus and rather large clump of Strelitzia and try to relocate most of the other plants.
I hand weeded the garden initially and then started on soil improvement.

The existing soil is light and somewhat hydrophobic (water repellent). I added cow manure, organic soil improver and a soil wetting agent and after a good soaking covered the area with sugar cane mulch and watered it again.

I came back just over a week later to find a bumper crop of new weeds obviously vitalised by their new and improved conditions but with the addition of one of my favorites – onion weed. This will be an ongoing battle for a while because onion weed is difficult to eradicate and the only way to tackle it, short of removing a 150mm layer of soil, is persistence.

The kids are all on holidays now and when they come back their new veggie patch will be ready to plant out and our soil preparation should get the new plants off to a good start.

Rosemary for Remembrance

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:07:00 GMT

Anzac Day approaches and this hugely significant day for Australia has a plant closely associated with the occasion. A sprig of Rosemary worn in the lapel on Anzac Day is a form of remembrance to those who have served this country in time of conflict. In fact, the commonly used phrase is ’Rosemary for Remembrance.’

Loyalty, friendship, weddings and funerals are all linked with Rosemary. Greek and Roman scholars would wear garlands around their necks to improve their memory and concentration. Aphrodite, the goddess of love was linked with this highly aromatic herb and as a result brides would wear Rosemary in wreaths as a symbol of their fidelity. Almost more than any other herb, this easy to grow shrub has been associated with so many medicinal and remedial practices. It’s a universally popular plant. In ancient times Rosemary was bound to the legs of people suffering from gout in the belief that this would relieve them of the pain.

Rosemary is a woody perennial herb/shrub that is native to the Mediterranean region and as such is used to hot, dry and sunny positions. The narrow needle-like foliage is high in oil content and is well adapted to dry, arid climates. Rosemary is for beginners! It’s an easy plant to grow and will tolerate a range of inhospitable conditions and lack of care – once the plant has become established.

Select a hot, well drained, sunny spot. It needs to be in the sun during winter as well and kept dryish during this non-growing period. There are several varieties all of which benefit from pruning after flowering to maintain shape and prevent an ageing straggly look. Cuttings can be taken from semi hardwood sections during the warmer months. Take several cuttings as they will not all ‘take.’ Feed lightly in spring with an organic pelletised fertiliser. Rosemary will grow very well in a large terracotta pot – in fact it looks very handsome in such a container with the silvery grey green contrasting wonderfully well with the terracotta colours.

Rosemary can be incorporated into general garden shrubberies and not just relegated to the herb and vegetable section. The traditional Rosmarinus officinalis will make a very pleasing low informal hedge, whilst other varieties such as R. ‘Blue Lagoon’ have a lower spreading habit and are great as a ground cover. This particular variety has vibrant blue flowers. ‘Tuscan Blue’ is an upright growing variety whilst there is a very prostrate variety that can be used to hang over walls or cover up sloping banks.
Whatever variety you care to grow, you can pick sprigs to use on and in the lamb roast!

Rosemary is an easy plant to grow and every garden, patio or courtyard should have one as a form of remembrance.

Courtesy NGINA (Nursery & Garden Industry NSW & ACT)

The Compost Corner

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:09:00 GMT

Rubbish – this one word covers a multitude of different throw away/out or dispose of
items. Landfill areas for rubbish are becoming increasingly scarce and a costly issue. It is
common knowledge that consumers can easily reduce the amount of rubbish put out for
collection just with a little care and forethought.

We can easily start in the garden. How many people fill up their green waste wheelie bin
for collection? – 10’s of 1,000’s. In many instances a large percentage of the green waste
being disposed of could be recycled at home in the form of compost. The benefits of
composting are important. Less landfill would be of benefit to your local council whilst
home made compost will enrich the garden soil thus completing the cycle - you grow
plants, enjoy, compost and return to the soil. Obviously it isn’t quite as simple as that
and some plant waste cannot be composted.

There are several brands of Compost Bins available. Do some research and settle for one
that is easy to manage. You will need a flat space in an unobtrusive part of your garden
preferably in more sun than shade (but not in full sun). Compost needs to ‘cook’ and if
the place where your bin is situated is too cool, the material inside will take a long while
to break down. You can construct a bin out of concrete blocks or baulks of timber. About
1 metre square is the size you need and have an open side to work from. If you can
construct a series of 3 of these side by side, you have the perfect setup. One bin being
used – the next nearly ready and the other being the new one you are adding to.
The motto you must remember when composting is: ‘Everything in moderation.’ It’s all
about the quantity and mix of ingredients. There are 2 basic sets of ingredients – green
and brown. Green includes grass clippings, kitchen scraps, soft prunings etc whilst
brown is: straw, shredded paper, old dried leaves etc.

It’s generally accepted to limit the amount of citrus and onion skins into the mix, but if
the quantities are small and well mixed in there should not be a problem. Avoid any
offal, meat or cooked food scraps – these increase the chance of vermin and can make
the compost smell unpleasant. The most important thing is to add everything in small
amounts and layers. Do not put a huge pile of fresh grass clippings in at one go. This can
either end up as a black smelly mess or just not decompose at all.

Layers – that’s what composting is all about. A small amount of blood and bone helps as
does a pinch of garden lime. The compost should generate enough heat for beneficial
bacteria to break down the ingredients and produce a sweet smelling mix. It should be
kept very slightly moist and turned fortnightly.
Happy Composting

Courtesy NGINA (Nursery & Garden Industry NSW & ACT)

Fragrance in the Garden

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:08:00 GMT

Fragrance in the garden comes in many forms most of which are delicately sweet and sensuous but we can also be seduced by the delightful scents that come from Australian Native plants. From these we get those earthy warm scents that are so evocative of the bush because many Australian plants have foliage that is rich in aromatic oils. The Native Mint Bush, Prostanthera has an incredibly strong and almost pungent aroma when the leaves are crushed. Whatever ‘smells’ you like, it is important to consider what variety and where you position these plants. To have the sense of smell can add to the satisfaction of gardening because there are quite literally hundreds of plants that you can surround yourself with, and they will charm and remind you that they are there as part of your total sensory experience. When planting you have to consider the positioning of these ‘fragrant wonders.’ It’s no use planting a Lemon Scented Gum (Corymbia citriodora) close to the house. It is better to be in the far corner of the garden to develop into a wonderful tree. You will still enjoy the strong lemon scented foliage on a warm summer’s day. Other lemon scented plants are the Lemon Scented Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) and the Lemon Scented Tea Tree (Leptospermum petersonii.) Lemon Verbena, Lemon Grass, Lemon scented Thyme and Lemon Balm are all herbs with strong foliage fragrances.
When thinking about Australian fragrances, the one that so often springs to mind is that irresistible scent from a Brown Boronia. This fragrance is sheer magic and even if you don’t have a huge amount of success in growing these, it is still worthwhile buying a Brown Boronia every year! Then there is the Correa Chefs Cap (Correa baeuerlenii) that has a cute shaped flower producing a strong lolly scent when crushed! What about some exotics? Another long list and I think everyone would have a few favourites. A Rose isn’t really a Rose unless it has a scent! Gardenias have a strong perfume, whilst Daphne is so sweet and gorgeous. A little known plant is Osmanthus fragrans. This shrub isn’t much of a looker but the tiny little flowers will perfume your whole garden with a very strong apricot fragrance. This is a must for any garden! Citrus have sweet smelling ‘orange blossom’ flowers which the bees love. Think of Lavender, Rosemary, Pelargoiums with such strongly fragrant foliage, the almost musky scents from Wisteria, sweetly pretty Jasmine, lolly scented Port Wine Magnolia…..the list goes on! Whatever you do in your garden, always consider the fragrance of your plants. Careful planning and planting will make your garden that little bit more enjoyable.

Courtesy NGINA (Nursery & Garden Industry NSW & ACT)