Good Organic Gardening March/April #4.6

GOOD ORGANIC grow naturally, eat fresh, live sustainably JO IMMIG HOW TO REDUCE YOUR FOOTPRINT

JENNIFER STACKHOUSE WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN NOW

AUTUMN EDIBLES GROW, PRESERVE, COOK: BEETROOT, CABBAGE & EGGPLANT + ALL ABOUT EGGS

JOANNA RUSHTON SEASONAL DELIGHTS FROM THE ORGANIC CHEF Vol. 4 No. 6 Jan/Feb 2014 AUS $7.95* NZ $8.90 (Both incl. GST)

PLUS: PLANT PROFILE STONE-FRUIT TREES POWER PLANT CHAMOMILE: PRETTY, POWERFUL & HEALING

MELISSA KING FAMILY HEIRLOOMS: OLIVES

TIME TO PLANT

LETTUCE & ROCKET

MEGG MILLER

FRIENDLY MUSCOVY DUCKS

CONTENTS

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Contents 6

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Editor’s note Two great experiences and why you should seek out your local farmers’ market The Grapevine Jo Immig with a good news story about how we can reconnect and creative ways that will help us in the future

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10 Readers’ Forum Melissa King answers our readers’ interesting gardening questions 12 Clever Crops Jennifer Stackhouse tells us about feijoas (pineapple guava) and old favourite, aloe vera

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CONTENTS 14 Plant Profile Autumn is the time to source stone-fruit trees, so we show you good types for the home garden 18 Power Plant Pretty chamomile is one of the most powerful, versatile, useful and healing herbs 20 Family Heirloom Melissa King reveals the beauty and versatility of one of the earliest cultivated plants: the olive tree 24 Gardening Folk John Scott owns what he calls “The Productive Garden” and you will discover it’s certainly that 28 Gardening Folk Peter and Sandy Moore have established a retreat with a focus on sustainability in the heart of Tamworth 32 Gardening Folk Tom Remfry tells the story of an organic and sustainable Melbourne heritage garden

36 Time to Plant It’s good to be green — time to plant lettuce and rocket 38 Things to Do Jennifer Stackhouse shares advice for March and April 42 The Underground Grouping edibles, crop rotation and soil type, including pH, for easy growing 46 Garden Solutions We tell you how to deal with slugs and snails in cheap, practical and safe ways 50 Gardening Tips New contributor Erina Starkey has innovative and imaginative ideas to share 52 Weekend Gardening We give you some ideas for strong and effective garden stakes and other supports 56 The Shed Some ideas how to reuse, recycle and repurpose things that would otherwise end up in landfill 92 64 78

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60 Feathered Friends Megg Miller adds to her list of gardeners’ friends the affable Muscovy duck 64 Professional Organics The story of Paxton Wines and the biodynamic ethos practised in their vineyards 68 Amazing Garden The vision of Warrah Farm, where biodynamic farming has been happening for nearly 50 years 74 From Garden to Table All about eggs, plus three seasonal edibles to grow, harvest, store, cook and preserve, with delicious recipes from our chef, Joanna Rushton 95 Cover To Cover The latest books for gardeners and cooks reviewed 96 What’s New Our Pick of the Crop of products and services for gardeners and cooks

Good Organic Gardening | 5

Editor’s note March/April Editor Diane Norris Managing Editor Kerry Boyne Design Katharine McKinnon & Crystal Bernia Contributors Claire Bickle, Kerry Boyne, Anne-Louise Dampney, Rob Greatholder, Jo Immig, Melissa King, Georgina Michaelis, Megg Miller, Diane Norris, Ben Paxton, Tom Remfry, Joanna Rushton, Erina Starkey, Jennifer Stackhouse Food photography Helen Coetzee, Diane Norris Advertising Manager Miriam Keen Ph: 02 9887 0604 | Fax: 02 9878 5553 Mob: 0414 969 693 Email: mkeen@universalmagazines.com.au Cover Photo Produce basket by Diane Norris

Chairman/CEO Prema Perera Publisher Janice Williams Chief Financial Officer Vicky Mahadeva Associate Publisher Karen Day Associate Publisher Emil Montibeler Associate Publisher Emma Perera Circulation Director Mark Darton Creative Director Kate Podger Editorial Production Manager Anastasia Casey Print Production Manager Lilian Ohanessian Prepress Manager Ivan Fitz-Gerald Subscriptions Manager Chelsea Peters Subscription enquiries: 1300 303 414 Circulation enquiries to our Sydney head office: (02) 9805 0399 Good Organic Gardening Vol. 4 No. 6 is published by Universal Magazines, Unit 5, 6-8 Byfield Street, North Ryde, NSW 2113. Phone: (02) 9805 0399, Fax: (02) 9805 0714. Melbourne office: Suite 4, Level 1, 150 Albert Road, South Melbourne, Vic 3025. Phone: (03) 9694 6444, Fax: (03) 9699 7890. Printed by Toppan Leefung, China. Distributed by Network Services, Phone: (02) 9282 8777. UK Distributor: KLM Partnership, Phone: +44 019 9244 7544. Singapore & Malaysia Distributor: Carkit (F.E.) Pte Ltd, 1 Charlton Lane, #0102, Singapore 539631, Phone: +65 6282 1960, Fax: +65 6382 3021, Website: www.carkitfe.com.

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This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to the publishers. The publishers believe all the information supplied in this book to be correct at the time of printing. They are not, however, in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. Prices, addresses and phone numbers were, after investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, up to date at the time of printing, but the shifting sands of time may change them in some cases. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements which appear in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility must therefore be on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisements for publication. While every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

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lready we are into the early autumn and a lot has been happening in the organic world. I want to share with you a couple of the wonderful events I was invited to that lifted my spirits and also cemented my belief that organic gardeners, producers and purveyors are quite an extraordinary group.

In late November 2013 I was invited to a meeting about biodynamics at Fosterton Farm, situated in the beautiful Fosterton Valley just out of Dungog, NSW, on the Williams River. Hosted by owners Simon Brownbridge and Loo Boothroyd, it drew a group of farmers and gardeners, some of whom who were already organic but wanting to take learn more about biodynamics, while others were wanting to leave chemical farming behind.

The day opened with the film A Winter’s Tale, an early 1980s documentary about Alex Podolinsky and 500, the preparation that is the foundation of biodynamics. Originally shown on ABC’s A Big Country, it was a wonderful insight into biodynamic philosophies and techniques and it raised many comments and questions. The forum was conducted by David Marks of Marrook Farm (which we featured last year in our relaunch issue, Vol 3 No 5).

David and his wife, Heidi, have been involved with the Biodynamic Agricultural Association of Australia since 1985 and have been certified Demeter with the Biodynamic Research Institute (www.demeter.org.au) almost as long. His knowledge was bountiful and we all learnt a great deal from him and the like-minded group that was there. It was a superb day and I can’t wait to attend their next meeting.

Another event I really enjoyed was the Mudgee Fine Foods Market, which represents the specialist food producers from the Mudgee region. Held on the third Saturday of each month, it allows people to sample and buy the great food produced in the Mudgee Valley, some of it certified organic — olives, chutneys, jams, fruit, vegies, seeds and wine, for instance. The atmosphere is relaxed, friendly, entertaining and inviting and it operates under strict farmers’ market guidelines, so you can be sure all produce is as local as possible.

It’s well worth seeking out your nearest farmers’ market. Apart from organic fruit, vegies and other foods, you’ll find locally made goods and wares for sale, too. And, most importantly, you can be confident you are buying the freshest, most local produce possible, which supports your local community and economy and helps the environment by reducing food miles.

I would like to thank Dennis Grimshaw of Castlereagh Seed Savers for inviting me, and the president of Mudgee Fine Foods, Simon Staines, for making me feel so welcome.

And last but by no means least, I would like to introduce and welcome our new contributor, Erina Starkey, a young and imaginative organic gardener.

Enjoy this busy but rewarding time of year in the garden and we hope you will find plenty of helpful tips, ideas and inspiration in the following pages. Happy gardening.

Diane Norris is the editor of Good Organic Gardening. She has written for Burke’s Backyard magazine, Backyard & Garden Design Ideas, Gourmet Kitchen, Greenhouse Living and WellBeing Organic Gardening. She was the editor of Sustainable & Waterwise Gardens and Good Gardening Guide. Diane has lived an organic lifestyle for more than 26 years and is committed to doing things the way Mother Nature intended.

Unashamedly earthy, she promotes sustainable and organic living solutions while advocating an awareness of nature and wild places through her photography and writing.

Erina Starkey who has a degree in professional writing and regularly contributes to outdoor living titles such as Backyard and Garden Design Ideas, Outdoor Design Source and Poolside magazines. Homegrown in regional NSW (Nundle), Erina is a creative gardener offering a fresh, young perspective on contemporary backyards.

The documentary A Winter’s Tale can be purchased online at www.abccommercial.com/ librarysales/program/bigcountry-winters-tale

Diane Norris We are a member of

See us on facebook at www.facebook.com/GoodOrganicGardeningMagazine Or contact us via email: infoGOG@universalmagazines.com.au

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THE GRAPEVINE | News

the grapevine Environmental news and updates compiled by Jo Immig

How to grow a revolution Words & photos by Jo Immig s we confront the great challenge of human-induced climate change, we need to dig deep into the fertile soil of our minds to reconnect to the creativity that will help us adapt to the changes that lie ahead.

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Slow down “Slow down, you move too fast/You got to make the morning last” — Paul Simon, 1966 If they thought they were going fast in the 1960s, imagine what they’d make of the breakneck speed at which we work, eat and play now. As a counter, the slowness movement is creeping into all aspects of our lives: slow food, cities, medicine, work, travel and child rearing. According to physicists, we exist in a space-time continuum so, when we slow down, do our experiences deepen?

Just an idea to ponder ... slowly.

Read: In Praise of Slow: How a Worldwide Movement is Challenging the Cult of Speed by Carl Honoré; The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

Handmake Nanna was definitely onto something with her crocheted rugs, handmade jams and repaired hand-me-downs. “The revolution will be handmade” is the catchcry, challenging the mass-produced with a revival of DIY culture, crafts, bespoke designs and all things handmade. Artisan markets and eCommunities dedicated to soul-infused handmade are inspiring us to do more with

Locally produced honey is better than supermarket products

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Fresh bread from the farmers’ market

our hands and cherish what we have. Radical nannas are plying their crafts to protect the environment with peaceful protests against the impacts of coal-seam gas mining.

Check out: www.facebook.com/ KnittingNannasAgainstGas

Beautiful and unique handmade pottery

Localise At a point in history when we’ve never been so globally connected, it’s time to reflect on the impacts of economic globalisation.

Global consumerism chews through enormous amounts of finite planetary resources as global corporations seek out the cheapest means of production, regardless of human and environmental cost.

Localisation seeks to shorten the distance between what we grow and make and where it’s distributed. An organic tomato grown in season close by (or in your own garden) is a better bet than one grown with pesticides in a glasshouse on the other side of the planet and shipped under refrigeration to arrive at a supermarket weeks later.

Check out: www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org

Collaborate

Nature doesn’t waste anything, so why should we? Built-in obsolescence drives a throwaway culture, leaving a trail of waste clogging up landfills and bobbing around in the ocean. Let’s face facts: plastic bags aren’t convenient when they’re choking turtles and whales. We need to be inventive. Eco-skilled designers are now making smarter things without the embedded concept of waste. Upcycling and fixing broken things are opportunities for creative, skilled responses to the stuff in our lives.

Check out: www.freecycle.org

Collaborative consumption is the new term for the emerging trend where people share access to products and services rather than aspire to individual ownership. It’s changing the way we consume. It can take the form of ride sharing, peer-to-peer marketplaces, community gardens, clothing swaps, crowd-sourced funding and collaborative workspaces. The idea is to “create value out of shared and open resources in ways that balance personal self-interest with the good of the larger community”.

Read: What’s Mine Is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption by Rachel Botsman & Roo Rogers

Green up

Adapt

“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot” — Joni Mitchell, 1970 Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000) was a visionary of ecological architecture and many of his ideas are only now being realised. Communities everywhere enjoy and protect green spaces from becoming hard, impervious surfaces that lock out nature and dull the senses.

Let’s paint the town green — green spaces, green walls, green power, green roofs, buildings with greenery all over them and bees on the roof too. In its rebirth postearthquake, the community of Christchurch in New Zealand has come together to rethink the way it wants to live and a green city vision has emerged.

Check out: www.greenroofsaustralasia.com.au

“Give peas a chance” — Seedsavers Network Some say “adapt or die”: it’s harsh but true.

People are getting on with adaptation in the face of climate change, whether it’s local councils planning retreat from coastlines, building sea walls or architects developing floating buildings. Communities are embracing change too, and coming together to support renewable power, community gardens and much more.

There’s strength in diversity and human resilience will, in part, depend on our ability to keep growing food under changing weather conditions. What better way to secure diversity and resilience than by growing and saving locally adapted seeds and preserving local wisdom?

Check out: www.seedsavers.net 

Redesign| use|cycle|pair

Homemade organic jam

Jo Immig Jo Immig is a writer and photographer who is passionate about all things organic. She’s the co-ordinator of the National Toxics Network, a not-forprofit organisation working to eliminate toxic chemical pollution, and an environmental scientist with expertise in issues such as pesticides, genetically engineered food, indoor air pollution and children’s environmental health. Jo represents the environment sector on the Community Engagement Forum of the Commonwealth industrial chemical regulator, NICNAS. She has published several books and contributed numerous articles on household chemical issues and sustainable living. Contact Jo at the National Toxics Network: info@ntn.org.au or visit www.ntn.org.au

Good Organic Gardening | 9

Q&A | Readers’ Forum

ask melissa Horticulturist and TV presenter Melissa King answers your cultivation questions

Calendulas

Q

I’ve got a big patch of calendulas growing in my garden. I was told that the flowers have healing properties. Is this true?

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is a pretty, marigold-like flower that blooms from spring to autumn.

I’ve long known about the woundhealing and skin-soothing properties of calendula but only recently had personal experience using it. A gardening friend gave me a little pot of homemade calendula balm to treat baby eczema and it worked wonders! Calendula has anti-inflammatory properties, so it can also be used topically to treat nappy rash and minor cuts and abrasions. A balm made from the petals is also great for cracked lips. Test a small amount on the skin before applying liberally. If you’ve got a tooth or gum infection, try gargling calendula tea or drinking it to sooth digestion. The petals also look great sprinkled in fresh salads for a bit of added colour and flavour.

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Help! Cats have invaded my vegie patch and I keep finding little “surprises” everywhere!

Freshly dug, bare soil can be very attractive to cats and there’s nothing worse than discovering that feline friends have turned your kitchen garden into a toilet stop. Unfortunately, there is no one single solution for deterring cats but a combination of techniques can be effective. The best way to keep them out is to net your vegie garden, but this can be unsightly and a little inconvenient when tending to your patch. Plants such as lavender, lemon balm and even curry plant are said to deter cats, so try planting them in a border around your crops (or in between) or scatter coffee grounds or orange peel around your plants — many cats are deterred by the smell. You might also like to grow groundcovering herbs among your vegies to reduce the area of bare soil or apply a layer of soft mulch that gives cats a sinking feeling when they walk over it — they won’t like it. I would also grow plants that cats are attracted to, like cat grass and catmint, in an area away from the vegie garden in the hope of drawing them elsewhere and distracting them from digging up your seedlings. I’ve even heard you can lay old pieces of garden hose around the garden and cats won’t go near them because they think they’re snakes. At the more expensive end of the scale, you could try an ultrasonic

device that emits a high-pitched sound that cats can’t stand (don’t worry, we can’t hear it). If cats are going to the toilet in your patch, make sure you wash harvested vegies well before using them because cat faeces can contain harmful pathogens.

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Is it true that I can use wood ash on the vegetable garden?

Yes, you can apply it to the vegetable patch. Wood ash is a good source of potassium, which is an important nutrient for crops and other plants. Potassium plays a key role in fruit and flower development and, among other things, helps to regulate the flow of water and nutrients. Just bear in mind that wood ash is alkaline; in fact, many organic gardeners use it as an alternative to lime. So don’t spread it around acid-loving crops like blueberries or apply too much of it or you might risk overliming the soil. It’s also important to keep wood ash nice and dry before you apply it. Leave it in the rain and all the potassium will wash out of it.

Q

I have a narrow area running beside my driveway that gets full sun and I would love to create a fruiting screen.

Are there any narrow trees that also produce fruit?

I think one of your best choices would be ‘Ballerina’ apples. These are a collection of columnar fruiting apples that produce a magnificent crop of fruit.

Banish cats from There are five dessert apples in the range the vegie patch and one crab apple — all boasting good autumn foliage, a pretty spring blossom and a full-sized crop of fruit on a narrow tree.

They can grow up to 3.5m tall but only grow 60cm wide, so they would make a wonderful fruiting screen. Just bear in mind that apples need a cross-pollinating partner to produce a good crop of fruit, so be sure to plant more than one variety. You could also think about espaliering fruit trees along the fence to create a decorative fruiting screen.

Apples, pears, quinces, olives and citrus work particularly well.

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Email your queries to Melissa at infoGOG@universalmagazines.com.au

Photos by Diane Norris & Bigstock

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CLEVER CROPS | Feijoa the flavour, I’d say they have a tropical, fruit-salad taste with an edge, but a friend reckons they remind her of rhubarb.

Although the feijoa is not native to New Zealand, this country has embraced the feijoa almost as readily as the kiwifruit. New Zealand gardeners seem to grow more feijoas than anyone else on the planet and have recipes to match for jams, pies and, of course, feijoa chutney (just check the web and you’ll see what I mean).

Growing feijoa Autumn is a good time to plant. Select a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Water well in their first year to ensure plants establish and then, apart from an annual application of a complete organic fertiliser in spring and the mandatory fruit-fly care in late summer and early autumn as the fruit ripens, they don’t need much attention.

As they are part of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), do watch them for signs of myrtle rust. Treat any rust you see with a copper fungicide.

There are several named varieties available. Selecting different varieties can extend the harvest period. Although they are generally self-fertile, cross-pollination can lead to larger crops. 

Feijoa Acca sellowiana

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eijoas are not a popular fruit, but they are a clever crop for the orchard as these dual-purpose plants produce a welcome and nutritious harvest in autumn and provide year-round shelter or screening.

Too often, they’re neglected and the entire crop can be ruined by fruit fly. If you are growing feijoas and live in a fruit-fly-affected part of Australia (such as along the east coast or across in WA), keep up fruit-fly baiting to reduce crop damage.

I have had success using Eco Naturalure but, if you do have fruit-fly-affected fruit; collect, bag and allow it to stew in the autumn sun before disposing of it so that the fruit-fly larvae are killed. Alternatively, let the chooks out to forage under the bush.

Feijoas grow as dense shrubs about 2–3m tall and 3–3.5m wide. The evergreen leaves

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and bushy shape are tolerant of sea winds but the shrubs also thrive in temperature extremes away from the coast.

The summer flowers, a pretty combination of red and white stamens and petals, are another bonus.

Feijoa label Cooking ideas Feijoas are so productive that it’s unlikely you’ll get through autumn without being offered a bag of these green fruits by one of your gardening friends or neighbours.

Don’t be put off by their unfamiliarity or green skin. Feijoas are tasty eaten fresh off the tree and give that beneficial hit of vitamin C along with dietary fibre.

Ripe feijoas are easy to peel or break open so you can eat the cream-coloured, slightly pulpy flesh. Pushed to describe

Common name: Feijoa (also pineapple guava) Botanical name: Acca sellowiana Group: Evergreen shrub to small tree Requires: Full sun, well-drained soil Dislikes: Cold conditions Suitable for: Orchards, seaside plantings Habit: Summer flowering, autumn fruiting Needs: Long, warm growing season Propagation: Cutting Difficulty: Moderate

Photos by Ros Goody & Jennifer Stackhouse

Words by Jennifer Stackhouse

Aloe vera | CLEVER CROPS

are seen, as weeding among spiky plants is always tricky and requires protective gloves!

Medicinal value

Aloe vera

Many medicinal claims are made about aloe vera, which has also found its way into commercial cosmetics, shampoos and sunburn salves.

Despite the long association between aloe vera and herbal medicine, particularly as a cure for burns, there is little scientific evidence that backs up traditional claims for the benefits of aloe vera in easing burns, fading stretch marks or fighting disease.

Aloe vera contains anthraquinones, including aloin A and B, which can be used as a laxative. These substances are not present in the gel.

The gel that flows straight from the leaf is cool and can ease the pain and inflammation of sunburn and minor burns. Aloe vera, however, shouldn’t be relied on alone to treat burns, so always seek medical attention for bad burns and, where possible, apply cool water or ice to reduce burning.

Apply the mucilaginous gel from the centre of the aloe vera leaf (mature leaves are best) to the affected area regularly — up to three times a day.

Aloe vera gel is also soothing and nourishing for dry, dehydrated skin. 

Aloe vera (syn. A. barbadensis) Words by Jennifer Stackhouse

Photos by Bigstock

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his must be one of the easiest of all plants to grow — it just grows. I have a friend who has pots of this little succulent growing on a plant stand just outside her backdoor, all derived from one small pot picked up years ago at a fete. What was one pot is now many — she probably has enough aloe vera on hand to treat a major burn emergency.

Aloe vera is a small succulent plant with spiky green leaves. It originated in Africa but, as there are no known populations in the wild, it’s difficult to pinpoint its exact origins.

It has naturalised through much of Africa and around the Mediterranean region.

Obviously, its ease of propagation and its perceived medicinal benefits have seen it widely cultivated for centuries. Today it’s grown around the world and is readily propagated by detaching offshoots from a clump. The plant grows to around 60cm tall and wide.

The thick, narrow, serrated leaves are green to grey-green, often with white mottling. In summer the plants may produce flower spikes of salmon bells. The leaves of older plants contain more gel and are best selected when the sap is required.

It grows well in pots in a coarse potting mix (look for one blended for cactus and succulents). In cold areas, move pots into a sheltered spot to protect the plants from frosts.

As the leaves are spiky, keep plants away from pathways. Remove any weeds as soon as they

How to use aloe vera Aloe vera is simple to use to temporarily ease the pain of a minor burn. Just break off a leaf and snap it in half to release the cooling sap. Apply the sappy end of the leaf (or slice lengthwise) to the burned area of skin. Use fresh. Repeat as necessary.

Aloe vera label Common name: Aloe vera Botanical name: Aloe vera (syn.

A. barbadensis) Group: Succulent Requires: Full sun to light shade, well-drained soil Dislikes: Cold, frosty conditions Suitable for: Dry gardens, medicinal gardens, containers Habit: Small spiky clump Needs: Long, warm growing season Propagation: Offsets (also called pups) Difficulty: Easy

Good Organic Gardening | 13

PLANT PROFILE | Stone fruit

PLANTING NOW FOR

Summer Sweetness Nothing is more delightful than the lusciousness of stone fruit and, with dwarf and self-pollinating varieties, many are perfect for the home garden open, treat with a copper-based spray to prevent fungal infections.

Fruit-fly is a significant pest and you will need to monitor diligently using an organic attractant or Dak pot.

To help prevent disease or insect pests, remove fallen or spoiled fruit and bin — don’t put in the compost.

Compiled by Diane Norris

tone fruits include almonds, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches and plums, all botanically related members of the genus Prunus. Their fruit can be eaten fresh or dried or can be used in cooking and preserves. The fruits contain a hard, often pitted seed.

Stone-fruit trees can be added to the garden year round but are best planted during early winter as grafted, bare-rooted plants. Autumn is the ideal time to prepare the ground for planting and order your trees.

The selection of cultivars during winter is often better than at other times of the year.

Certain stone-fruit trees are self-fertile but others need a pollinator — meaning another tree of a different cultivar needs to be planted nearby for pollination — so it’s wise to find out which varieties are best suited to your local climate and soil and which make good pollen partners, before purchase.

S

Almonds Rich in antioxidants, almonds also have antiviral properties. The trees tolerate a slightly alkaline, well-drained soil. Plant them 6m apart in the home garden. Harvest fruit in summer/early autumn. Dehull nuts and dry.

Varieties: ‘Californian Paper Shell’ needs ‘Sonora’ or ‘Fritz’ as a pollinator. ‘Chellaston’ requires ‘Johnson’s Prolific’. All-in-One™ cv.

‘Zaione’ is self-fertile.

Apricots

The ideal climate for most stone fruit is a cool winter followed by a warm summer without too much humidity. But there are low-chill types, which you can grow in warmer areas. Stone-fruit trees are deciduous and spring-flowering and bear fruit through summer into autumn, depending on the cultivar selected.

The sizes of trees vary: dwarf varieties attain a height and spread of 2–3m, while standard cherries, for instance, can exceed 8m.

Pruning trees can keep them around 4–7m and many are suitable to espalier (grow twodimensionally on a frame, gate, fence or wall) or duo/trio plant (two or three trees planted in one hole), while some are available in dwarf form for smaller gardens or containers.

The ideal position for stone fruit is in open ground where it receives all-day sunshine. As they are prone to various fungal diseases, a

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sandy or loamy soil that’s well drained, well dug, fertile and compost-rich is ideal.

Feed trees annually after flowering finishes, using a complete organic fertiliser, then monthly using a seaweed emulsion.

Keep the water up to them during dry weather but avoid wetting the foliage when watering or feeding.

Pest and diseases Spray with Bordeaux or lime sulphur in autumn as leaves fall, then in winter as the flower buds swell. This controls brown rot, leaf curl, scale, mites, aphids and mealybugs. A tree infected with leaf curl needs to have its leaves stripped and removed to help prevent the problem the following season. As flowers

Cherries Whether white or red fleshed, cherries also provide beautiful ornamental value with stunning blossom coverage in spring.

Varieties: Some varieties require pollination from another cherry variety to set fruit, like ‘Minnie Royal’ and ‘Royal Lee’ (low-chill varieties just released in Australia) and ‘Royal Rainier’.

These can be bought as single trees or multigrafted (together on the one grafted rootstock).

But there are self-fertile varieties, such as ‘Lapins’, ‘Starkrimson’ and ‘Stella’, which can stand alone and are ideal for the home garden.

Photos courtesy of Fleming’s Nurseries

Growing

Apricots have been around for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years and generally grow to about 3–4m high.

Varieties: ‘Moorpark’ apricot was developed in England during the 1600s and is still considered one of the best-eating apricots in the world, plus it’s ideal to plant in the home garden. Others worth growing are ‘Divinity’, ‘Story’ and ‘Trevatt’.

Stone fruit | PLANT PROFILE

2 1 Nectarine ‘Arctic Rose’ 2 Almond ‘All-in-One’ 3 Cherry ‘Starkrimson’ 4 Plum ‘Damson’ 3 4

Good Organic Gardening | 15

PLANT PROFILE | Stone Kale fruit

6 5 Plum ‘Luisa’ 6 Peach ‘Tasty Zee’ 7 Peach ‘Crimson Rocket’ 8 Apricot ‘Moorpark’ 5 7

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Nectarines Simply a smooth-skinned form of peach, nectarines are yellow or white fleshed and have long been sought after for their delicious, sweet fruit.

Early records show nectarines grown in France and Europe by the 1500s and several varieties reached England by the 1600s.

Varieties: The best nectarines are ‘Arctic Rose’ (white-fleshed), ‘Fantasia’, ‘Goldmine’ (white-fleshed), ‘May Grand’ and the miniature Trixzie®. They are all self-pollinating.

Peaches Peaches are luscious, juicy fruit to eat, whether white or yellow, clingstone or slipstone, and their soft, fuzzy skin is a unique feature.

They are self-pollinating. Originating in China around 2000 BCE, they may have been grown across Europe for centuries.

Varieties: Worth growing are ‘Anzac’, ‘Crimson Rocket’ (narrower than a standard peach), ‘Daisy’, ‘Elberta’, ‘Tasty Zee’ and the unusual ‘China Flat White’.

Plums Delicious plums are probably the easiest and least fussy stone fruit to grow in the home garden. They like to grow without pruning and are the least likely stone fruit to suffer from disease or pest attack.

Blood-red-, red- and yellow-fleshed plums will deliver varying degrees of sweetness and tartness.

Varieties: These are the plums no home should go without: ‘Luisa’ (selffertile), ‘Mariposa’, ‘Damson’, ‘President’ and ‘Coe’s Golden Drop’.

This is but a brief look at stone fruits. Cherries were featured in detail in our Christmas Issue (Vol. 4 No. 4) and we will feature other individual types in future issues.  Sincere thanks to Fleming’s Nurseries for the supply of information and all photographs.

Good Organic Gardening | 17

POWER PLANT | Chamomile Words by Kerry Boyne

W

hen a plant has the official seal of approval in the pharmacopoeias of 26 countries for its effectiveness in treating many ills, you can be certain it has a lot going for it.

Chamomile has a long and illustrious history as a folk remedy, though mostly it’s enjoyed as a calming tea these days; in fact, it’s easily the most popular herbal tea in Western countries.

With its pretty little daisy flowers, chamomile is a beautiful addition to the herb patch or, indeed, anywhere in the garden.

The common types will flower most times of the year (except winter) and their leaves have a lovely apple scent.

Chamomile was known in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome for its health benefits. In fact, its name, which comes from Greek via Latin and French, means “earth apple”, a reference to the fragrance of its foliage. Part of the Asteraceae family, chamomile is native to Europe, North Africa and some parts of Asia.

The two main types used for medicinal purposes are German chamomile (Matricaria recutita, also Matricaria chamomilla), a taller, bushier annual; and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), a low-growing perennial. Though different plants, they like similar conditions and German is grown more commonly, though the flowers of Roman are sweeter. Roman may be grown as a groundcover or filler between pavers or rocks.

There’s also a lawn chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile ‘Treneague’, which is a dwarf type. It’s a non-flowering, matting variety with feathery leaves that give off an apple scent when trodden on. It won’t stand constant heavy foot traffic, though, and like the other types it won’t like full, all-day sun in hot climates.

Chamomile Matricaria recutita & Chamaemelum nobile A power plant it may be, but pretty chamomile is as sweet and gentle as it looks 18 | Good Organic Gardening

With their anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-allergenic, antipeptic, antispasmodic, antipyretic and sedative properties, the pretty flowers of chamomile can be used both internally and externally.

Active constituents include azulene, flavonoids, tannins, bitter glycosides, salicylates and coumarins, as well as minerals calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

Used internally as an infusion (or tea), chamomile is known to relieve upset stomachs and other gastrointestinal conditions, as well as menstrual cramps, morning sickness and colic in babies; but it’s perhaps best known for reducing stress and inducing calm and relaxation before bedtime.

A tincture can be a great soother for teething pain in infants too.

Photos by Bigstock

Health benefits

Chamomile | POWER PLANT

White rust and powdery mildew can cause problems and aphids and thrips may attack but most insects will steer clear of chamomile. For that reason it’s a good companion plant in the vegetable garden.

It’s also said to strengthen neighbouring plants, a quality that has earned it nicknames like “the plant doctor”.

Plant from seed or as a seedling in warmer months.

Harvesting & drying Pick the little flowers when fully open. To dry them, you can either hang a bunch upside down or, using your fingers as a rake, break off the individual flowers and spread on paper.

If you have a food dehydrator, that’s an easy way to dry the flowers, or you can spread them on a tray lined with baking paper and place in an oven that has been heated then turned off, with the door open a fraction. We even know someone who spreads her chamomile on kitchen paper across the dashboard of her car parked in full sun with the windows slightly open.

Once the flowers are completely dry, store them in a glass jar with a tight lid, such as a mason jar.

Using There are lots of uses for your chamomile flowers other than putting them in a teapot.

• Place dried or fresh flowers in a basin of boiling water and use as a facial steam bath.

• Use warm water filled with flowers as a hand soak after working in the garden. Also makes a good foot soak.

• Boil flowers for 20 minutes, strain when cooled a bit and use as a final hair rinse to condition and lighten hair.

• For a throat gargle or mouthwash, make a tea and let it cool. Gargle as often as desired.

• To soothe skin conditions, including insect bites and burns, throw a few handfuls of dried flowers into your bathwater.

• Make a poultice by grinding the dried flowers to a powder and mixing it with water to form a paste. Apply to inflamed skin.

Safety Chamomile is generally considered very safe, even for children and babies (in small amounts); however, it is not recommended for pregnant women as it can stimulate contractions. Also, those who have allergies to other types of daisy plants may have a problem with chamomile. 

When used as a poultice, salve or mouthwash, chamomile may relieve inflammation and infection of the eyes, speed the healing of ulcers, wounds and burns, soothe other skin problems and rashes including eczema and sunburn, and help to prevent gum disease.

Animal studies on German chamomile have shown it reduces inflammation, speeds wound healing, reduces muscle spasms and acts as a mild sedative. Few such studies have been carried out on people, though a recent German study showed chamomile to be effective in healing weeping wounds caused by tattooing. Laboratory studies have also shown it can kill bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Growing Chamomiles are relatively easy to grow given the right conditions, though they are not especially fussy. They like plenty of sun but not blazing hot all day — morning sun and semi-shade in the afternoon would be ideal in hot climates. The plants like well-drained, sandy to rich soil and they need regular watering in summer but, once established, they’re not too thirsty at other times.

The plants can be susceptible to fungi, insects and viruses if not kept healthy.

Chamomile tea Chamomile makes a calming tea before bedtime and can be given to children as well as adults. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2–3 teaspoons of dried flowers and steep for 10–15 minutes. Keep in mind that the longer it steeps, the more bitterness it develops.

Drink up to 3–4 cups a day, including one before bed.

Good Organic Gardening | 19

FAMILY HEIRLOOMS | Olives Plump, multi-colored bell peppers

Olives Olea europaea There’s great varietal choice with these oldest of cultivated trees, from table types to those ideal for oil, or dual-purpose varieties for the best of both worlds Words by Melissa King will never forget driving through rural Greece for the first time and seeing grove upon grove of ancient olive trees, trunks gnarled and twisted with age, some growing in impossible locations but always with canopies laden with fruit. Since olives are said to live one thousand years, I wouldn’t like to guess the age of some of the trees, but they must have been well over 100 years old.

Maybe it’s something in the Mediterranean air or maybe it’s the way the Greeks celebrate olives in everything from baked bread and fish to the fresh Greek salad that accompanies most meals, but it is truly one tree that gets better with age.

Olives are among the earliest cultivated fruits, with records of agricultural use dating back thousands of years BCE. They are decorative, easy-to-grow plants that thrive in dry conditions and produce a bountiful crop of plump, tasty fruit for oil or eating, so it’s no wonder they have stood the test of time.

And they are wonderfully versatile. They can be used in everything from chicken or lamb to potato stew and olive tapenade — and what would an antipasto platter be without a selection of marinated olives? So diverse are our tastes these days, my little boy snacks on olives as if they were candy.

Beyond their value as a food crop, olives are incredibly ornamental with graceful, silvery foliage that looks good in every season, so

I

they make stunning feature trees. Grow them in big terracotta pots for an authentic Mediterranean look or clip them into hedges or topiary. You can also espalier them to make a decorative feature on a courtyard wall or fence.

Since olives are so multipurpose, it’s important to consider whether you are after a table, oil or dual-purpose variety. Pressing your own oil at home requires considerable time and effort, so most home gardeners opt for an eating or dual-purpose variety.

Perhaps the best-known variety is the ‘Kalamata’ olive from Greece, with plump, medium to large fruit. It’s classed as a dual-purpose variety and can be preserved and used in all manner of dishes or pressed to yield flavoursome, good-quality oil. Handpick them when they are purple-black for best flavour.

‘Manzanillo’, another top choice, is a heavy cropper that produces fruit with a high fleshto-pit ratio. In other words, the flesh is plump and juicy and, in olive terms, you get lots of it, so it’s good for stuffing and pickling, green or black. It ripens early in the season.

The Spanish variety ‘Arbequina’ is one of the best cold- and salt-tolerant varieties available. It crops early and produces a heavy batch of small, roundish fruit that ripens to black. It makes a great table olive or you can press it for high-quality oil.

If you’re after a variety that is highly productive and highly ornamental you J

Olives are among the earliest cultivated trees, with records of agricultural use dating back thousands of years BCE.

20 | Good Organic Gardening

Olives |

FAMILY HEIRLOOMS

‘Verdale’, known as ‘Verdial’ in its native France, has become a popular cultivar in Australia

Good Organic Gardening | 21

FAMILY HEIRLOOMS | Olives can’t go past ‘Verdale’, or ‘Verdial’, as it’s sometimes called. This variety, which was first discovered in southern France, is treasured for the oil it produces, but it is also one of the most attractive feature trees with intensely silver foliage.

And if you are seeking fruity, aromatic olive oil, then keep an eye out for ‘Frantoio’. With a high oil content and intense flavour, it’s the one many Italians turn to for top-tasting oil.

2 1 ‘Kalamata’ 2 ‘Leccino’ 3 ‘Frantoio’ 1 3

These Mediterranean beauties grow naturally in a climate with cool winters and long, hot, dry summers, so they’ll perform best in areas of Australia with similar growing conditions.

They enjoy plenty of sun, so position them where they’ll get six hours of sunlight a day.

In their native habitat, olives grow and produce fruit in poor, malnourished soils but, if you want the best out of them, dig some compost and organic matter through the soil before planting and make sure that the soil is free-draining. Olives hate wet feet and the quickest way to kill them is with poor drainage. In pots, make sure you use a good-quality potting mix.

They’ll also benefit from a good dose of organic flower and fruit fertiliser in early spring and again some time in late summer.

Mature olive trees are remarkably drought tolerant but they will crop better if water is available, particularly during flowering and fruit development.

Olives are generally self-fertile, although some varieties will benefit from a crosspollinating partner to produce a good crop.

Refer to the plant label for advice.

Please be aware that olive trees have established themselves as environmental weeds in some dry parts of South Australia and New South Wales, so check with your local nursery before planting in these areas.

Harvest Olive trees will generally start to bear a good crop of fruit once they are four or five years old. The fruit is usually harvested somewhere between mid-autumn and early winter. Taste most olives straight from the tree and you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about, so bitter is the fruit. You’ll generally need to pickle or preserve olives before you enjoy them on the table.

Green olives can be harvested when the fruit turns light green or you can wait until the fruit is black but still firm. You can pick the fruit individually by hand, use a rake or do it how the professionals do: lay a sheet on the ground beneath the tree then shake it vigorously and catch the falling fruit. 

22 | Good Organic Gardening

Photos courtesy of The Diggers Club, suppliers of heirloom seeds, www.diggers.com.au

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GARDENING FOLK | John Scott John in his flourishing organic vegie patch that he calls “The Productive Garden”

This popped up, self-sown in the garden — John calls it ‘Ruby Chard’

Words & photos by Diane Norris eeting enthusiastic gardeners is never less than rewarding, especially when they want to learn and share. Thousands of people flocked to the Australian Garden Show in August last year. Among them was John Scott, who made a beeline to our exhibit to introduce himself. I recollect his words: “I would love you to visit my garden — the productive garden.” And, as you can see, I did just that.

John had wanted to grow his own organic food because he’d become disillusioned with commercial food production, its delivery system and the fall in its nutritional value. “I got tired of so-called fresh food coming from the other side of the world,” he says. “I want fresh food to come from as close to home as possible.”

He wanted to be able to get food he knew had been grown in nutrient-rich soil — without the use chemicals. And he yearned for something we all relate to: he wanted to enjoy meals that have been wholly grown in his own yard.

M

Patch Pride The inaugural Australian Garden Show in Sydney gave us the chance to meet inspirational gardening folk like John Scott from Hill Top in the Southern Highlands of NSW. He takes us on a tour of his patch 24 | Good Organic Gardening

Size doesn’t matter John has what used to be an average-sized house block — a quarter-acre. But what sets his garden apart is the clever, efficient use of space. The front garden has flowers with intermittent plantings of herbs such as

John Scott | GARDENING FOLK

The fully enclosed “anti-aviary”

Thriving spuds in moveable bins

Fruiting vines find support on the vegie enclosure

Red sorrel

John wanted to grow his own organic food because he became disillusioned with commercial food production, its delivery system and the fall in its nutritional value. chamomile, mint and a pungent olive herb.

But out the back is quite a different picture.

There is an array of organised gardens, a large enclosed vegie patch and several bins overflowing with healthy potato plants.

There was enough lawn to make it gardenlike but it looked, as John had described it, like a productive garden. There is a lot happening in this edible landscape.

The back corner houses the fully covered vegie patch, which John fondly calls “the anti-aviary”. Birds (at least, those larger than finches) can’t get in and it’s guaranteed to keep out possums and marauding cats. There are eight raised beds neatly positioned in two rows of four.

Interplanted among the vegies are companion marigolds and I noticed John

lets many of his herbs and vegies, such as silverbeet, kale and tomatoes, go to flower and seed. “I use the seed — the results add surprise to the garden,” he explains.

Among the beds, which all have specific uses, is one where he practises three-sisters planting: corn as the tower with beans creeping up the stems and cucumbers as the living groundcover. J Good Organic Gardening | 25

GARDENING FOLK | John Scott John checks the honeycomb from the top-bar hive he built

John’s vegie patch is certainly one to be admired — the range is vast and includes okra, eggplant, kale, broccoli, red cabbage, snowpeas, silverbeet, garlic, red sorrel, tomatoes, capsicum, onions, spaghetti squash and a plethora of herbs, to name but a few.

Each raised bed was constructed according to the Hugelkultur style, which is the practice of composting large woody material to create a raised garden bed. Bark was laid first, then a mix of aged manure and compost was added.

When you have a small garden, pots are a boon. John’s container-grown potatoes caught my eye immediately. “The garbage bins are large enough to grow spuds,” says John. “Simply drill holes in the bottom and a few up the sides for drainage and the plants will grow well.” He tops the growing plant with straw and can move the bins around and harvest clean organic spuds easily.

Garden fauna John keeps a small number of Araucana and very handsome Maran chickens. Among them are a couple of well-mannered, placid roosters for breeding. “I only keep two and hand-pick these from my hatchlings. Excess roosters are processed for the freezer — as soon as they crow, they go!”

26 | Good Organic Gardening

Asparagus successfully growing in a pot

He says the meat is textured, not tough, and stronger in flavour but not gamey. Of course, there’s always a good supply of eggs and manure for the compost, too.

There are also two beehives in John’s garden: one is the normal white double-deck Langstroth type and the other was purposebuilt by John. It’s a top-bar hive — a singlestorey frameless one in which the comb hangs from removable bars. John caught the swarm of European honeybees and they now live happily in their stylish wooden home.

John’s tips • Plant spuds in garbage bins — they are contained, movable, clean and easy to harvest.

• I call the herb yarrow the Doctor Plant. It’s a great companion plant in the herb patch, near fruit trees and in the vegie garden.

• Comfrey and yarrow are great activators in the compost heap.

• Let coriander go to flower; it will attract lots of beneficial insects like hoverflies and ladybird beetles.

• Propagation tents and/or domes are great.

John’s homemade worm tower

John Scott | GARDENING FOLK Each raised bed was constructed according to the Hugelkultur style

Water chestnuts Hazelnuts

Organic methods John’s garden is strikingly healthy and he employs sensible, safe solutions if pests or diseases are around. Snails are squashed or fed to the chooks, as are the cabbage white butterfly grubs. Stinkbugs on citrus are simply squashed with gloved hands (eye protection could be necessary — they squirt) and wildlife is excluded from the main vegie patch by the large wired enclosure.

John feeds the soil, not the plants. As he says, healthy, well-fed soil makes for healthy plants. He does have a secret recipe, though: one cup each of molasses (unsulphured blackstrap, available at healthfood and produce stores), seaweed extract and fish emulsion (Charlie Carp). Mix thoroughly in a four-litre bottle, then fill to the top with water.

Add one cup of this to a watering can filled with water and apply to edibles once every two or three weeks.

According to John, the sugar content of the molasses supports bacteria and other soil organisms. He doesn’t use fertiliser,

favouring his recipe and worm juice from his home-built worm units.

He’s quite the inventor and experimenter, in fact. He has a mock balcony garden, fenced off, where he trials various edibles in pots. A real success here is the asparagus, with lots of healthy little spears sticking their heads out of the soil. Stacked pots full of herbs and cherry tomatoes have been a triumph and over the years have provided additional produce.

John’s two worm farms have been great successes as well. One is made from a black wheelie-bin — simple, cheap and highly effective. Then there’s the dog-poo composter. Dog faeces are considered non-compostable, so John came up with a solution. He buried three 150mm-diameter poly-pipes in the lawn and garden, 500mm deep. Each is capped with a blank cap. He removes the caps, pops in the dog poo each day, then recaps.

There is no smell in these tubes and the worm presence is evident. However, they are never moved or emptied (and never spread on

the garden); the dog manure is broken down over time by worms. The castings go directly into the soil, so never see the light of day.

John’s passion is very infectious and he shares his ideas and methods via YouTube.

“I got into the videos because I wanted to show people how to grow their own food, or at least some of it, and how easy it is,” he says.

“I enjoy doing the videos and realised it was a medium that people like to use rather than read a blog.”

John enjoys the feedback, too, especially from people like the US high-school student who made a worm farm based on John’s video. Says John proudly, “He got an A for his science project and left a comment on my video thanking me.”

John’s garden was a treat to visit and it was wonderful to hear his great ideas and see the results of his passion for growing things — so we’re very glad he took the time to visit our display at the garden show. 

John shares See how John builds a top-bar hive, a worm farm and much more. For more information and links to his YouTube clips, visit his website at www.theproductivegarden.com.

Good Organic Gardening | 27

GARDENING FOLK | Peter & Sandy Moore

Peter and Sandy Moore in the garden of their beautiful Froog Moore Retreat

Organic

hospitality A five-star boutique retreat in the heart of Tamworth, in country NSW, has a focus on organic and sustainable principles

28 | Good Organic Gardening

Words by Diane Norris Photos by Sandy Moore first met Peter and Sandy when a close friend recommended Froog (pronounced fr-owe-g) Moore Retreat and Sandy’s culinary skills. In fact, Sandy contributed recipes to earlier issues of this magazine. So it is with great pleasure that we bring you the behind-the-scenes story of this beautiful, productive property.

Peter and Sandy bought the 7000square-metre block that was not just vacant but completely bare in 1989 with the aim of building their home and establishing a beautiful, park-like garden. They chose carefully as they both wanted to stay in the one spot for a long time. “Our vegie garden was started on day one and that’s why Peter wanted a bigger block — so we could have an orchard and grow our vegies,” says Sandy.

I

Peter & Sandy Moore | GARDENING FOLK Easy-to-manage raised vegie beds

Luscious figs

Guests are free to stroll through the vegie patch; in fact, they often ask how they can establish something similar at home, getting tips and ideas from Peter and Sandy and taking a snip here and there to taste.

A weathered frog perches on a worm farm pipe

By 2003, they decided to establish a stylish and unique retreat with accommodation.

The house was extended to include five guest rooms, a dining area and gallery. Part of the retreat’s appeal is the beauty of the whimsical garden. Level gravel paths lead through garden rooms, inviting guests to find a peaceful and private space.

According to Peter, “About one-third of the garden is gravel as a conscious water-wise

measure.” Actually, there isn’t much lawn at all —instead, flourishing gardens and striking trees, such as the magnificent river red gum planted by Peter and Sandy as a sapling, majestically hold court in the outdoor space.

Edible garden The couple share a passion for cooking fresh produce and gardening and both are driven to achieve their goals. “We are not  Good Organic Gardening | 29

GARDENING FOLK | Peter & Sandy Moore Sandy picks fresh produce daily

A colourful mix of organic citrus from the garden A bed of baby beets

“We are not stereotypical ‘greenie’ types. We believe it’s better to have some organic principles rather than none and we do the very best we can in a sustainable and organic way in our garden and the way we live.” stereotypical ‘greenie’ types,” says Peter.

“We believe it’s better to have some organic principles rather than none and we do the very best we can in a sustainable and organic way in our garden and the way we live.”

As members of the Tamworth Community Organic Garden Group, they attend meetings when time permits. Peter says the best

30 | Good Organic Gardening

advice he can give is, “Sensible gardening happens through observation.”

They knew exactly where the vegie patch and orchard would evolve, though there are fruiting trees throughout the garden space.

There wasn’t a set plan, however, but what they considered carefully were the climatic factors: protection from the western sun and

sometimes blustery prevailing winds. They planted deciduous trees such as golden robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia), almond (Prunus dulcis), pecan (Carya illinoinensis) and ornamental pear (Pyrus ussuriensis) to protect from hot summer sun and allow plenty of sun into the garden in the colder months.

The vegetable garden has 12 raised beds, which are easy to use, stress-free to weed, provide excellent drainage and allow good soil management — and they’re high enough to keep out rabbits. Each is 2400mm long by 1000mm wide by 600mm high. Peter says he tops up each bed around 150mm with his own organic compost. “You wouldn’t notice the drop in soil level as much if your garden was at ground level,” he says.

A huge range of edible crops flourishes year round, providing fresh organic produce for the couple and their guests. Spinach, greens, mints and beetroot are staples Sandy uses often. “A lot of the edibles, like citrus and stone fruits, we grow to preserve,” she says.

Sandy makes jams, pickles, relishes and more, as well as daily culinary delights for guests.

“We try to use as much homegrown produce as possible in the kitchen,” she says.

Other favourites in the garden include eggplant, several types of capsicum, tomatoes, chillies and artichokes. Peter says that from time to time he pops in heirloom varieties and he seed-saves as well.

Everything planted at Froog Moore Retreat has a purpose and new plantings must be productive, like the recently planted curry tree. Edible plants have been integrated, too.

As an example, Peter had a bucket of seeded beetroot, so he sprinkled them around garden

Peter & Sandy Moore | GARDENING FOLK The plum tree provides an abundant harvest each year

Mint among the herbs on the verandah

Peter demonstrates the new Closed Loop Organics composter

beds to form a long, pretty border. This worked well, especially when he tier-planted a row of spinach behind it, forming a stylish, colourful, edible hedge.

Guests are free to stroll through the vegie patch; in fact, they often ask how they can establish something similar at home, getting tips and ideas from Peter and Sandy and taking a snip here and there to taste.

Organic methods I asked Peter what type of pests and diseases he has to contend with in this part of the country. Fruit fly seems to be a seasonal problem but Peter has a netting system in place. After pollination, he encloses the gardens with fine netting, somewhat like tulle, to act as an exclusion barrier.

This is perhaps the most organic choice for dealing with these pests and, of course, he can use the same method on fruits by covering individual pieces with an exclusion bag. He says this also keeps out other insects and birds.

During the summer he covers each of the vegetable beds with a shade screen. These are mounted just above the beds to protect edibles from the heat of the day.

Peter and Sandy practise sustainability on many levels. They are great recyclers, for example. Peter recalls how a friend told him way

back in 1988, “Recycling is so overrated — it’s a trend that will die a natural death in a few years.”

How wrong he was. Sandy says her parents and grandparents didn’t waste anything, so she was naturally influenced to do the same.

Peter loves his new composter, which is perfect for their garden as they generate quite a lot of kitchen scraps from feeding guests. It’s a Closed Loop Organics unit that’s fully contained and can reduce food waste by up to 90 per cent in 24 hours, with no smell at all. Everything can go into it except large beef bones (chicken, fish and lamb bones are fine) or scallop and oyster shells. The result is rich, fibrous compost about the strength of chicken manure.

Office waste paper is shredded and added to the compost too. Bark shed by the eucalypts and leaves from deciduous plants provide enough dry matter for mulching, with excess added to the compost. Plus, there are three 20,000-litre rainwater tanks supplying the house and garden.

The house is oriented north so the windows and other glassed areas absorb winter sun.

The warmth is circulated by ceiling fans and most winter days the house remains at a comfortable 22°C until around 4pm. Tamworth can get very cold, so this is quite impressive.

The beautiful back verandah, bordered by containers filled with all sorts of herbs,

is protected from the heat of summer by a curtain of thick, black fabric. This can be pulled across at around 2pm to keep the house cool, even on the fiercest summer day.

Guests are spoilt at this natural haven. The exotic rooms are a visual treat, the organic garden is practical and inviting and Peter and Sandy are happy to share their ideas and tips about organic gardening and sustainability.

We finish our day sipping organic coffee with a delicious homemade tart inspired by a recent European culinary and cultural expedition, which they say has paved the way for more sustainable and culinary ideas. 

Peter & Sandy’s tips • Pick and mulch: remove weeds, then immediately mulch.

• Weed after rain, within a day or two.

• Plant with purpose: plant what you like and what you need.

• At each end of the garden bed, “plant” a terracotta pipe 60mm in diameter. Use each as an individual worm farm. Keep topping up with scraps and cover. The worms will come, do their thing and bury down into the garden easily.

Good Organic Gardening | 31

GARDENING FOLK | The Hunt family

A rich

tapestry

Words by Tom Remfry rare, heritage-style garden with a jewel-like presence, Wendouree is situated in the heart of Camberwell’s “Golden Mile”. My company, Tom’s Secret Garden, has managed this large-scale ornamental garden since 2009, including the implementation of a completely organic and sustainable approach

A

32 | Good Organic Gardening

that ensures all of the plants are maintained in superb health with minimal intervention outside their natural growth habits.

I was recommended to the owners of the property, the Hunt family, to bring to life the environmentally sensitive planting scheme and to also develop an organic kitchen garden. Both ornamental and edible garden areas are now flourishing — so much so that

the owners won the Sustainable Gardens Category Gold Award in Boroondara’s Sustainability Awards, 2011. Tom’s Secret Garden also received the Landscape Management and Maintenance Award 2011 at the Victorian Landscape Awards.

The beautifully designed outdoor spaces display a rich tapestry of ornamental and edible plants that are in complete harmony

Photos by Adriano Vittorio

This Melbourne heritage garden is testament to the benefits of organic gardening beyond the vegie patch

The Hunt family | GARDENING FOLK Garden art, like this unique scarecrow, adds interest to the vegie patch.

Holly’s bountiful potato harvest

The success of this garden depends on the completely organic approach to optimal soil quality, which in turn ensures plant health. The soil is nurtured by the addition of organic manures to all garden beds in combination with worm-rich, well-formed compost. with the home’s lacy Victorian charm. Under the austere leafy canopy of a 100-year-old liquidambar are plants such as palmgrass (Setaria palmifolia) and Mexican lily (Beschorneria yuccoides), providing a distinct foliage contrast that sets the scene for a graceful space, divided by a dromana gravel pathway that carefully moves forward to a levelled, bluestone-paved forecourt.

Here, one can pause to take in a refreshing vista of Helleborus orientalis ‘Honey Joy’, Plectranthus ecklonii, Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’, rhododendron varieties and the hanging, polished, bead-like flowers of Pieris japonica.

The edible garden features kiwi fruit vines, a Washington navel orange tree, a Eureka lemon tree, established crabapple

trees and several varieties of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries.

Sustainable success The success of this garden depends on the completely organic approach to optimal soil quality, which in turn ensures plant health. The soil is nurtured by the addition of organic manures to all garden beds in J Good Organic Gardening | 33

GARDENING FOLK | The Hunt family

Organic practices can be employed even in the most formal of gardens

combination with worm-rich, well-formed compost, made on site from shredded leaf litter layered in open cypress sleeperframed boxes. Plus, careful plant selection, companion planting and crop rotation all ensure soil health.

Rarely is there an issue with pests thanks to the strength within the established natural ecosystem. This, in conjunction with the creation of effective microclimates, keeps soil pathogens out and potential pests at bay.

Any pests that do turn up can be managed organically using homemade chilli and garlic sprays or, in the case of slugs, stout or dark ale in disguised containers can be placed at ground level as an effective bait. Organic soap sprays control both woolly aphid and black spider mite. Potential diseases can also be managed through careful pruning and offsite disposal or burial at a depth of 300mm or more.

Making your own compost from leaf litter and kitchen waste is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and nurture your garden at the same time. Another is to grow your own edibles, be it a few terracotta pots

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The artichoke is an architectural plant that looks superb anywhere

The Hunt family | GARDENING FOLK Tom carefully planting seedlings

The glorious and stylish edible garden Chillies are colourful and ornamental

The beautifully designed outdoor spaces display a rich tapestry of ornamental and edible plants that are in complete harmony with the home’s lacy Victorian charm. of courgettes, beans and tomatoes on a small patio or a large-scale productive garden of broad beans, broccoli, beetroot, potatoes and carrots that will feed a family of five — like this organic garden.

The garden is drip-irrigated with the option of rainwater or mains water.

Currently, concrete tanks with a combined capacity of 50,000 litres are the main sources of water for the garden and are cleverly located under the owners’ tennis court at the rear of the property. This supply is also used to top-up ponds and water bowls on the property.

Water features are important elements of any organic garden. Not only are they essential in helping to create microclimates,

but they offer somewhere for native birds and insects to drink and bathe.

Other important features for attracting birds, butterflies and bees to the garden are nectar-rich, flowering native plants such as grevilleas and callistemons or long-flowering exotics such as pretty salvias.

With Wendouree as a superb example, clearly a garden can be a safe haven for your family and friends and also a healthy ecosystem that supports birds, insects and other important species, ensuring biodiversity and a sustainable future.  Tom Remfry is a multi-award-winning horticulturist, garden designer and director of Tom’s Secret Garden.

Tom’s tips • Establish a healthy soil. Soil is a vital, living entity and when carefully managed can allow plants to flourish.

• Create your own compost and worm farm.

• Grow flowering plants, such as salvias and grevilleas, to provide opportunities for nectar-feeding birds, such as the Eastern Spinebill.

• Grow your own organic produce: a terracotta tub of lettuce or herbs is an effective way to reduce your carbon footprint.

• Establish a pond or water bowl for birds and encourage butterflies to frequent your garden by planting scented species.

• Collect onsite rainwater and monitor your tank levels to ensure effective use and allow for rain refill.

• Connect with like-minded gardeners, join a horticultural association or become a member of a seed savers network.

Good Organic Gardening | 35

TIME TO PLANT | Lettuce Words by Melissa King

B

roadly speaking, there are two types of lettuce: those that form tight heads, like the popular iceberg lettuce, and the gourmet loose-leaf types that can be conveniently picked as needed.

The humble iceberg lettuce has experienced a recent revival in popularity.

It’s not uncommon to spot it on the menu at gourmet restaurants and cafes and certainly nothing beats that familiar crunchy texture.

Just bear in mind that when the full, ripe head is ready to harvest, that’s it. Once you pick it, you’ll need to replant another batch.

As far as loose-leaf or gourmet lettuces go, there is a wealth of varieties to choose from, including decorative oak leaf types, non-heading cos, mignonette and butterhead types plus all manner of frilly varieties, all with different forms, leaf colours, textures and subtle differences in flavour.

Simply harvest the outside leaves for fresh salads and sandwiches and the plant keeps on growing. When plants finally go to seed, simply dig them up and start again or save the seed and see what you get. If you’re lacking space, try growing some of the miniature types tailor-made for pots, such as ‘Mini Cos’, which has smaller heads but retains the same crisp flavour. 

Lettuce Lactuca sativa Every garden should have a patch of lettuce. It’s fast growing and highly productive, plus you can grow it year round in many areas so you get an endless supply of fresh leafy greens 36 | Good Organic Gardening

If you plant lettuce from seedlings, most varieties will be ready to harvest in as little as 5–6 weeks, some a little longer.

I put seedlings in the ground every few weeks to ensure a ready supply of fresh greens throughout the year.

Growing conditions: Lettuces prefer full sun and good drainage. They are shallow-rooted plants, so keep the water up. They require soil rich in humus.

Growing tip: Liquid-feed every two weeks for a bumper harvest. Where space is limited, grow them in pots on a sunny balcony.

Height & spacing: Plant seedlings 20–35cm apart in rows 30–40cm apart.

Harvest: 5–8 weeks after planting seedlings.

Photos by Diane Norris & Bigstock

Growing

Rocket | TIME TO PLANT

Rocket Eruca sativa Words by Melissa King

Photo by Bigstock

A

mong the salad greens, rocket really stands out from the crowd, with a wonderful peppery flavour that adds that something extra to salads. I often make a simple rocket, pear and Parmesan salad to go with steak or pasta. I will swap the Parmesan for blue cheese or gorgonzola if I’m feeling extra-indulgent.

Rocket is fast growing and simple to grow and harvest. In fact, it’s one of the fastestgrowing leafy greens. It can easily be grown from its fast-germinating seed sown in the autumn or spring. Before you sow, dig some compost and a bit of organic fertiliser through the soil and rake it over to smooth out the area.

Tasty as the only green in a salad or a great partner for milder-flavoured leaves, rocket is indispensable, especially in the warmer months Create a furrow about 3mm deep with your finger. Sow the tiny seeds in a thin line and cover them lightly with fine soil or seedraising mix. Press the soil down gently and water them in. They’ll be up in no time!

The young leaves, which can be harvested in just a few short weeks, have the best flavour, whereas older leaves can tend to be bitter.

Rocket enjoys a full-sun position — in fact, it needs sun to develop its intense flavour — but it can have a tendency to bolt to seed if it gets too hot and dry. If you’re growing it through the warmer months, you might like to throw shadecloth over your crop on hot days and make sure you are consistent with your watering.

When plants do go to seed, just let them go and you’ll get lots of new plants popping up, sometimes all over your garden; or prune them back to encourage a fresh batch of tasty young leaves. The pretty flowers attract bees. 

Growing Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil. Liquid-fertilise every two weeks.

Planting time: Sow seed in autumn or spring.

Harvest: 3–8 weeks after planting.

Tip: Pick as needed. For best flavour, harvest the young leaves.

Good Organic Gardening | 37

THINGS TO DO | Autumn

MARCH It may be autumn on the calendar but in many areas there are still hot days ahead. Even if you’re weary of the heat, the late warmth creates good conditions for ripening and planting

By Jennifer Stackhouse Vegetables

rains, also expect passionfruit to keep cropping. In cold regions, however, some of the late-season fruit may fail to ripen and fall still green.

COOL & TEMPERATE Autumn is harvest time in edible gardens as crops planted in summer ripen. Pumpkin, tomato, squash, zucchini, beans and cucumber are just some of the vegies ripe for the picking this month. Keep harvesting regularly and share what you can’t eat fresh or preserve at home. Some plants begin to wind down, particularly cucurbits such as zucchini and squash that are affected by powdery mildew.

Remove the badly affected plants rather than attempt treatment or control.

Fruit COOL & TEMPERATE As autumn comes around, citrus crops come to the fore, particularly mandarins this month. These thin-skinned fruits may be attacked by fruit fly so maintain treatments until after they’ve been harvested. Also ready to harvest in early autumn are grapes, new-season apples and pears and feijoas.

Where there have been good late-summer

38 | Good Organic Gardening

Compost & soil 1

Peas for kids — wherever you live If you have kids you can never have too many peas; kids love them straight from the garden. Make up tripods from garden stakes or stout fallen sticks and garden twine. Set the base of the tripod firmly in the soil and plant a pea seed or seedling to climb up each leg of the tripod. Help the young plants twine their way up. Encourage the kids to water daily and include a liquid organic fertiliser in the water once a week.

COOL & TEMPERATE Soils are also warm in autumn and can be readied for planting. Prepare soils by digging in lots of homemade compost that’s matured over the summer months. This adds nutrients and also raises the soil level. As summer crops are removed, chop them to add this spent growth to compost heaps.

TROPICAL Empty compost heaps and use the contents to mulch the soil to help preserve soil moisture for the dry times ahead. The heavy rains leach nutrients from tropical soils, so replenish these by adding aged manure, compost and organic fertiliser, such as blood and bone, to the soil prior to new plantings. 

Photos by Bigstock & Diane Norris

TROPICAL As the heavy tropical rains and humidity ease, it’s a good time to plant lots of new edibles including herbs and cherry tomatoes, which can be short lived when it’s hot and humid. As well as planting, there’s still a lot to harvest including root and starch crops like ginger, galangal, yam, cassava and water chestnut.

TROPICAL The abundance continues as avocado, custard apple, citrus and macadamia ripen.

Feed bananas by spreading a rich mix of chook manure around plants. Other fruiting plants such as avocado, mango and pawpaw can be encouraged with a potash-rich fertiliser. Drier conditions also mean it’s an ideal time to extend the backyard orchard by planting other fruiting trees including tropical varieties of peach and nectarine.

Autumn | THINGS TO DO

4 1. Kids love peas and they can be planted now no matter where you live 2. In tropical areas, feed bananas with a rich mix of chicken manure around plants 3. Citrus comes to the fore in autumn — particularly mandarins 4. Root crops, like ginger, need harvesting now in tropical areas 5. Make tripods or growing frames for peas and other climbing edibles 5

2 3

Good Organic Gardening | 39

THINGS TO DO | Mid-autumn

April The days begin to get shorter and cooler this month. Expect an autumn chill in the late afternoon air as night temperatures fall. In tropical areas, the humidity has passed along with the wet season

By Jennifer Stackhouse Vegie patch

by planting late-maturing varieties such as Hass, which crop from winter to spring.

Allow chooks to forage among fallen fruit in orchards or under backyard trees or rake up the debris to add to the compost heap.

COOL & TEMPERATE Save seeds from some of your best-performing summer crops. Although summer stalwarts such as beans, tomatoes and cucumbers may be ending, autumn has its bounty of mushrooms and pumpkins. As well, early crops of snow peas are ready to pick. Clear away summer crops to make way for autumn and winter plantings of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale and peas. Use any green tomatoes that remain on the bushes to make relish.

COOL & TEMPERATE In cool and temperate gardens that boast plenty of deciduous trees, this time of the year is one of bounty for the home composter. Prepare to make the most of fallen leaves (including those that fall in gutters) by erecting some leaf bins using star pickets and chicken wire. These can be filled over autumn and winter. Keep the leaves moist to help them break down into nutritious leaf mould, which can be worked into soils in spring and summer. To make the job easier, use a wide leaf rake with goodquality tines. Alternatives to the chickenwire leaf bin are a leaf sack made from string or sacking or a large garbage bag with holes punched in it.

TROPICAL Water leafy crops each day to keep them growing and leafy. Plants such as coriander, basil and lettuce bolt to flower and seed if allowed to become stressed from a lack of water or nourishment as they grow. This is a good time to put in a crop of potatoes to harvest before the wet season returns.

Fruit COOL & TEMPERATE Citrus continue to shine in the backyard orchard with mandarin, lemon, lime and grapefruit ripening well. If the season is dry, water citrus deeply every week. Pay particular attention to oranges, which are prone to split if irregularly watered. Also ready to harvest now and over the months ahead are Chinese gooseberries, perhaps better known now as kiwifruit. Chokos too are bountiful now and at

40 | Good Organic Gardening

1

their most tender if picked while small. Vines can be killed off by winter frost but usually reshoot in spring to regrow for another crop.

TROPICAL Continue to harvest avocado. If there’s room in your backyard, extend your harvest

TROPICAL Raised beds, which are a boon during the wet season, may need frequent watering during the dry season. Compost also may need to be moistened to aid decomposition.

Always chop woody and leafy material well before adding it to the compost heap as this assists the rapid breakdown that leads to good compost. ď §

Photos by Bigstock & Diane Norris

Compost & soil

Mid-autumn | THINGS TO DO

2 3 1. Clear away summer crops for autumn planting of edibles like Brussels sprouts 2. Rake up fallen leaves and pop into the home composter 3. Autumn is a great time to put in a crop of potatoes 4. Let chooks forage in the garden, especially to pick up any fallen fruit 5. In tropical zones, keep raised beds mulched and watered 5

4

Good Organic Gardening | 41

THE UNDERGROUND| Grouping edibles Legumes such as these purple-podded Dutch peas like a sweet soil (pH 7 and above)

We are family Plants from the same family tend to have similar soil, water and nutrient needs, so grouping them together, giving them the right conditions and then rotating them each season makes a lot of sense

Words & photos by Claire Bickle hen embarking on the road to successfully growing your own organic produce, there are many factors to take into consideration. Some of these include season, climatic zone, vegetable type, cultivar and something that can often be overlooked: soil type.

Understanding what soil type you have is vital. The drainage, pH (neutrality, acidity or alkalinity), salinity and actual type. Is it clay or sandy? Or have you been blessed with fabulously organic, nutrient-rich, freedraining loam with a near-neutral pH? All these things can really make a big difference to just how successful your garden and harvest quantity and quality will be.

Understanding your soil and its health is important for successful gardening.

Being armed with a little knowledge of some things — such as basic soil tests, crop rotation, companion planting, organic fertilising and pest and disease control — can really give you the confidence you need to create your own productive patch, whether large or small.

W

All in the family It can be tricky to work out what vegetables have similar growing conditions and to know what to plant where, and next to what, so it’s helpful to know which vegetable belongs to

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Family

Members

Ideal pH

Alliaceae

Garlic, leek, onion, shallots, spring onion

6.5–8.0

Apiaceae

Carrot, celeriac, celery, dill, fennel, parsley, parsnip

6.5–7.5

Asteraceae

Chicory, endive, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, salsify

6.5–7.5

Brassicaceae

Asian brassicas, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, radish, rocket, swede, turnip

6.0–7.5

Chenopodiaceae

Beetroot, chard, quinoa, silverbeet, spinach

6.5–8.0

Cucurbitaceae

Choko, cucumber, gourds, honeydew melon, marrow, pumpkin, rockmelon, squash, watermelon, zucchini

5.5–7.0

Fabaceae

Alfalfa, beans, clover, fenugreek, lupins, peas, snowpeas 6.0–7.5

Poaceae

Corn

5.5–7.5

Solanaceae

Capsicum, chilli, eggplant, potato, tomato

6.0–7.0

which plant family. This can make a big difference over the seasons when you are replanting your beds, because plants from the same family tend to have similar nutrient requirements. Also, pests and diseases can easily build up in the soil when the same or similar plants are available to them in the same place season after season.

Get the pH right If your soil is too acidic or too alkaline, your plants won’t be able to get all the nutrients they need, no matter how much fertiliser you add. Test your soil pH to ensure your soil is neutral — between 6 and 7.

Grouping edibles | THE UNDERGROUND Leafy greens and herbs enjoy the same growing environment

If your soil is alkaline it means it has a pH above 7. You can reduce alkalinity by adding peat moss, sulphur, pine needles, aged manures and general compost. All these methods are allowable under organic certification.

On the move Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons. This is not just about similar growing conditions needed by edible plants; it’s also devised to minimise pests and diseases, aid in building and maintaining healthy soil, and manage nutrient requirements, resulting in flourishing plants with a good yield.

The principles of crop rotation have been used successfully for millennia and the simplicity of this system makes it applicable to the home vegie patch to great benefit.

Crop rotation can involve a series of separate large beds or be as simple as remembering what was planted where in small, separate locations throughout your edible patch. I find J

Most vegetables like a soil pH close to neutral — that is, a reading of around 7 — because this helps to make all the major and minor elements available to the plant to take up through its roots — as long as the soil is not deficient in any of them in the first place.

Vegetables in specific plant families generally have similar pH preferences, nutrient uptakes and common pest and disease problems. So it’s good to know which vegetable is related to which.

Ideal pH The pH scale is a measurement of the concentration of potential hydrogen (pH) ions, which affects individual nutrients and their potential availability to a plant to be drawn up by the root system and used for growth.

The pH scale runs from 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Anything below 7 is classed as acidic (sour) and anything above 7 is classed as alkaline (sweet).

The easiest and most effective way to test soil pH is to use a pH testing kit

(pictured far right), readily available at garden centres, nurseries and hardware stores. Plants have a limit when it comes to this scale, generally between 4 and 9.

Nothing will grow below or above that range and you’ll find most edibles will happily grow in the range 5.5–7.5.

Once the pH reading has been established, you may need to amend it, depending on which vegetable crop you wish to grow. In other words, you may need to make the soil more acidic or more alkaline.

Keep in mind that, just because you have a pH of 6.5–7, which is the best pH for most nutrients to be available, it doesn’t mean the soil is exempt from nutrient deficiencies. So even if the pH reading is near neutral, the soil can still have other deficits — for example, low nitrogen or zinc.

If your soil test indicates your soil pH is too low (ie too acidic, which applies to most Australian soils), the solution is to add dolomite, garden lime, mushroom compost, chicken manure or wood ash to raise the pH level.

pH modifiers Did you know that wood ash can drastically change the pH to alkaline?

Did you know that conifers, in particular pines, and their foliage and needles have an acidifying effect on the soil?

Good Organic Gardening | 43

THE UNDERGROUND | Grouping edibles this can be sufficient. A handy tip is to keep a notebook or vegie patch map so you can easily keep track of what is planted where and when.

The whole idea is to keep each vegetable family, or vegetables that have similar growing conditions, within the same bed.

The most commonly talked-about system is the four- or, most usually, six-bed rotation, organised as follows: Bed 1: Legumes — beans, peas, okra, peas, broad beans Bed 2: Brassicas — cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi and other leafy greens Bed 3: Green manure Bed 4: Root crops — carrots, beetroot, parsnips, onions Bed 5: Seasonal harvest — sweet corn, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, pumpkins, gourds Bed 6: Fruiting plants — tomatoes, chillies, capsicums, eggplants, potatoes Each season, each group moves along one bed. I have a permaculture background so planting for biodiversity runs through my veins, which means I have potatoes next to lettuce and broccoli next to beetroot. I just make sure I jot down what’s where in my garden diary each season and refer back to it when it comes time to replant for a new season.

44 | Good Organic Gardening

The miracle of organic matter Did you know that organic matter will act as a buffer in soils that have acidic pH readings?

So, instead of changing your pH, just add organic matter in the form of compost and well-rotted manure and the plants will still grow and come to fruition.

For the home gardener, it’s important to know what your soil pH is, but as long as it’s around the slightly acidic to neutral range you should be right to grow most vegetables — with a bit of tweaking for those that like it a bit more acidic or slightly more alkaline.

Grouping your edibles with similar growing needs seems to be just common sense, but of course there’s a lot more to successful planting arrangements than just pH and family groupings.

There are numerous other soil-based issues that may need addressing, soil profile understanding, organic matter levels within in the soil and, of course, the world of companion planting.  Claire Bickle is a Brisbane-based horticulturist, teacher, speaker, writer and organic practitioner. facebook/clairebicklegardeningpages.com

Members of the Brassica family such as red mustard grow well together

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GARDEN SOLUTIONS | Pest patrol

Snails and slugs The bane of gardeners everywhere, snails and slugs can be deterred, trapped or disposed of safely without the need for toxic pellets Compiled by Diane Norris nails and slugs have caused misery for gardeners for generations, but we hope some of the organic methods listed here will help you fight these garden foes. I personally find it difficult to squash or hurt a snail, but there are other ways to deal with these creatures if you have problems with them.

Unfortunately, chemical or non-organic bait can be consumed by non-targeted snail species (found usually in tropical areas) and other unintentional targets, particularly bluetongued lizards, birds, pets and even children.

S

There are also land snails that have very small shells that they cannot withdraw into; these are referred to as “semi-slugs”. But, for the purpose of our article, we are referring to the common garden-variety snails.

Slugs are snail-like animals that naturally lack a shell (or have only an internal shell).

Adults of both are soft-bodied, landdwelling molluscs. Snails are about 2.5–4cm long, while garden slugs grow 3–25mm long.

Both are mostly light to dark grey, tan, green or black and some have spots or patterns.

The characteristic silvery trail of mucus they leave behind them is a telltale sign that they are active.

Description “Snail” is the common name given most often to land snails: terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the term includes not just land snails but also thousands of species of sea snails and freshwater snails. A snail has a single spiral shell into which its whole slimy body can be completely retracted.

46 | Good Organic Gardening

Life cycle Adults lay egg masses in moist soil, under rocks or containers or among garden debris.

If you spot a jelly-like blob, you might see clear, round eggs inside. Eggs hatch in two to four weeks. Snails mature slowly and can take up to two years to reach adult stage.

Slugs’ lives are similar; they grow for five months to two years.

What they do Both slugs and snails feed mostly on decaying plant material and love any tender foliage. Young seedlings, leafy greens and strawberries are particular favourites.

Slug and snail control in brief • Prevention methods: copper, abrasive barriers, coffee grounds, annual petunias and herbal mulch • Non-chemical control: handpicking, squashing, vinegar and water spray • Lures and traps: shelters, beer or yeast traps, dry pet food • Natural predators: animals that eat slugs and snails

Pest patrol

| GARDEN SOLUTIONS

Health warning Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus catonensis) is a parasite that mainly lives in rodents, such as rats, and can infect snails and slugs that come into contact with rodent faeces. People and animals may be infected if they eat a raw snail or slug that carries the parasite. Infection commonly causes eosinophilic meningitis, a serious condition that can lead to death or permanent brain and nerve damage. To avoid: • Don’t eat raw snails or slugs. If eating snails — anywhere in the world — ensure they are thoroughly cooked.

• Supervise infants and young children in environments where they may find snails and slugs.

• Wash fresh vegetables and lettuces thoroughly before eating in case they have snails or slugs (or their slime) on them.

• Wash your hands thoroughly after gardening or handling snails or slugs.

• Control snails and slugs around vegetable patches and gardens, and control vermin around the home.

For more information, visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/Rat-Lung-Worm.aspx.

They eat the soft, juicy plant tissue, making large holes in all parts of the plant: foliage, stems, fruit and even bulbs. Left to maraud, they can wreak havoc on plants and eat young seedlings to the ground.

Moist conditions, especially after rain, will see them out in force.

Gardeners have always had to deal with these pests and many methods have evolved, some more effective than others.

Sometimes, a combination of methods works best. Here is a rundown of what we have tried and what we’ve read or been told about. All these methods are considered suitable for the organic garden.

Photos by Bigstock & Diane Norris

Safe prevention Copper deterrents Copper repels slugs and snails. It’s claimed it carries an inherent electrical charge that will shock a slug or snail if they try to travel across a length of it, though some say it’s the oxidation caused by weathering that they don’t like.

Either way, it could be worth trying either copper pipe or copper tape. It won’t kill the slug or snail but it creates a barrier. It’s especially useful for raised beds, containers or pots and trees.

Copper screen or copper flashing can surround a raised bed, or for small planters, copper foil (such as Snail-Barr) can be used to wrap the entire container. Shrubs can have a band of copper around the lower trunk.

Simply edge the garden with copper pipe, making sure the ends bend outward, so the slug or snail isn’t invited into the garden.

Make sure the strip, mesh or pipe is wide enough so that slugs cannot extend and arch their bodies over it — at least 15–20cm wide.

Copper needs to be cleaned periodically with vinegar or it will tarnish and no longer work.

Abrasive barriers Soft-bodied snails and slugs don’t like scratchy things on their bellies. Crushed eggshells, sandpaper, cinders, wood ashes or diatomaceous earth (which will need replacing if it gets wet) can be laid around edibles to act as a barrier. These will not harm or kill slugs or snails but will slow them down or deter them.

You can make sandpaper collars to put around your plants: simply cut doughnuts from sheets of sandpaper or used sandpaper discs from orbital sanders will do the job.

Cut a slit to the centre of each circle and slip the collars around the stems, laying the sandpaper discs on the ground.

Coffee grounds This is a safe method that may be worth trying to see if it works. Besides, coffee grounds will be beneficial for your garden, although large amounts can raise the acidity.

Simply spread coffee grounds (your local coffee shop might be happy to give you their dregs) around vulnerable plants to deter slugs and snails.

Annual flowers Apparently, slugs and snails adore the pretty flowers of white petunias, so plant a border of these annuals/perennials around the vegie patch to keep them there, particularly if you’re growing lettuce. J

Often the best deterrent is to make the going rough for snails by scattering coffee grounds or crushed eggshells

Good Organic Gardening | 47

GARDEN SOLUTIONS | Pest patrol Herbal mulch The addition of mint or sage to mulch is reported to do a good job of repelling slugs and snails. Perhaps it’s the strong aroma or maybe the oils. It won’t kill them but will act as a barrier.

Non-chemical controls Hand picking Observation is the key to pest control most of the time. Finding slugs or snails and removing them manually can be a little time consuming but it is safe and final.

Hand-picking and disposing of slugs and snails (including squashing or dropping in a bucket of soapy water so they can’t climb out) does work. The idea is to collect the adults, which do the most damage, before they reproduce.

You can do this by day or go out at night with a torch and gather them by hand.

Tip: If you’re going to do this, use chopsticks or tweezers. Wearing gloves is cumbersome and using your bare hands can be unpleasant because of the thick slime they can leave.

Then there is the danger of infection.

Vinegar spray Mix equal parts vinegar and water. From what I have read, many people swear that spraying this mixture on snails and slugs solves the problem. It’s certainly worth a try and is safe, but don’t spray directly onto foliage as you may damage it.

Lures and traps The goal is to coax snails and slugs out of the garden into what they think is a safe haven.

But, of course, the truth is it’s a place where they congregate, one that you can dispose of each day.

Shelters Slugs and snails like to shelter and hide during the day, so a pipe set into the soil is somewhere they might use as a refuge.

Simply plant a 150mm diameter by 400mm long polypipe. Check each day and remove the snails or slugs, squash them and add to the compost heap or directly to the garden.

Each evening, try laying a flat board, inverted cabbage leaves, citrus rinds or a flower pot (prop one edge up slightly) on the ground. The slugs and snails will crawl under these to take shelter and in the morning all you need to do is squash and add to the compost or bin.

Beer or yeast traps Snails and slugs are attracted to the scent of stale beer or a mixture of yeast and honey (boil some yeast and honey in water — proportions aren’t critical).

Put out a deep saucer or container filled with stale beer or the yeast and honey mixture. Sink it into the ground so the top is at ground level. The container needs to be deep enough so that slugs in particular can’t extend their bodies and escape over the lip.

Check the container daily and replenish with fresh mixture every couple of days.

Dry pet food Another good attractant that will lure snails and slugs away from your plants is dry dog or cat food.

Use a tin foil dish (such as a pie container) and cut a few notches along the rim so that when you set it on the ground you have created a few “doors” for the slugs and snails to enter. Put the tin foil pan upside down and weight it down with a rock Pour some dry cat or dog food as a food trail to where you want the snails and slugs to go. Next morning, you can scoop up the captured ones, squash and put in the compost, garden or bin.

Natural predators Possums, chickens, ducks, tortoises, some birds and lizards (especially blue-tongues), and snakes will prey on snails and slugs.

Gardeners who let chickens or ducks browse in the garden hardly ever see a slug or a snail. 

Thanks Thank you to Green Harvest Organic Gardening Supplies for providing some of the information and tips for this feature. See greenharvest.com.au for more information, organic pest control solutions and garden products.

Diane Norris ©

Chemical snail baits and pellets can harm blue-tongued lizards and other snail predators

48 | Good Organic Gardening

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GARDENING TIPS | 10 top tips

1

10

Top Tips Innovative ideas from a fresh, green perspective Words & photos by Erina Starkey

1

Sprouting in the kitchen

Home-grown sprouts have a much better flavour than store-bought ones and can be easily grown in the kitchen year round.

Place sprout seeds in a jam jar covered with muslin cloth and secure with an elastic band.

Douse the seeds in water twice a day and drain through the muslin. Within three to seven days the sprouts will be ready to eat. You can extend the short shelf life of sprouts by freezing them.

50 | Good Organic Gardening

Double harvest

2

Buy your next crop of vegetables in both seeds and seedlings. By planting a row of seeds and seedlings you’ll have two half-size harvests. This eliminates wasteful gluts and, after the first batch is picked, you can clear that space for replanting.

best. There are also links between natural air ventilation and productivity, just as long as you don’t let the wind blow your documents around.

Weed tea

3

When ridding your garden of pesky dandelion weeds, keep the roots to make a nutritious tea. Once the plant has been pulled out, thoroughly clean the roots and chop them into pieces. Dry them in the oven and, once cooled, smash them into smaller pieces using a mortar and pestle. When in need of a pick-me-up or digestive aid, place the dried dandelion roots in a tea infuser then into hot water until the desired strength is reached. You can also add cinnamon, cloves, honey or nutmeg for a richer, spicier tea.

4

A positive work environment

Reimagine your work desk as a green space. Research by the World Health Organization shows that office plants can increase staff productivity by 38 per cent, boost staff wellbeing by up to 47 per cent and increase creativity by 45 per cent.

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum sp.) is one of the

7

10 top tips | GARDENING TIPS

Hard shells

Label maker

5

Seeds with hard husks, such as peas, beans, silverbeet and beetroot, will benefit from being soaked in water overnight before sowing. This helps break down their protective coating and speeds up germination.

6

Hay! Here’s a good idea

A touch of blackboard paint is ideal for creating beautiful, practical plant labels and can be applied to just about anything, even a pot. You can buy chalk pens in various colours and sizes and they won’t fade or vanish when the garden is watered.

Play dirty

9

Hay is better for composting than straw because it contains more nutrients and rots down faster. As hay can sometimes contain pesky weed seeds, use it as litter in the chicken run first to reduce possible weed growth and also give the mulch some added fertiliser.

Chilli pest spray

7

8

An organic chilli spray can help protect your crops from pests and diseases and is particularly economical if you can’t eat your chilli harvest fast enough.

Puree 20 chillies with 500mL of water. Strain the pureed pulp then add one teaspoon of liquid soap (to help the spray stick to the leaves and be most effective). Add another 500mL of water — and always check which way the bottle is pointing before you squeeze the trigger!

Dirt is great for the immune system, especially in children. Research shows that early exposure to the microbes that occur naturally in soil helps build stronger, more disease-resistant kids and lowers their chances of developing allergies.

Also, it never hurts to have another pair of hands, so make sure you encourage your kids to get out and play dirty — or, better still, help in the vegie patch.

Best mates

10

Corn, pumpkin and beans make wonderful neighbours. Early-planted corn gives shelter while at the same time providing a structure for the beans to climb on.

Pumpkin benefits from the shade provided by these tall-growing neighbours. There are many companion plants that produce a healthier, bigger, tastier crop through teamwork. 

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www.facebook.com/www.wotnot.com.au Good Organic Gardening | 51

WEEKEND GARDENING | Stakes & supports

Lean on me Vertical supports reward you with heavier, healthier fruit while freeing up garden space for cultivation Words by Erina Starkey hichever system you decide on to support your plants, make sure you know the expected strength and dimensions of the plants and, when in doubt, overengineer! Letting them sprawl on the ground can result in rot and disease, so why not lift your fruit and vegies up closer to the sun — and your harvesting hand?

The time to consider a support system for your plants is in the early seedling stages. This ensures the roots aren’t damaged by staking and it trains your plants into good habits, providing a clear path for growth development that will result in a well-tamed, natural look.

Getting in early also saves you from the cumbersome task of untangling plants later.

W

52 | Good Organic Gardening

There are many different ways to support your plants, ranging from a single stake to a trellis or teepee, but all are simple to construct at home. And remember, you can grow edibles like cucumber or squash upwards rather than let them meander in their normal way through the garden.

Single stakes Simple stakes are the desired option for tomatoes, eggplants and capsicums, which easily topple when developing their crops.

Slender 1.2–1.8m lengths of hardwood or bamboo make ideal stakes, or you can repurpose things like broom handles to do the job.

The stake should be driven about 30cm into the soil, about 7–12cm away from the plant. As the plant grows, tie the stem to the

Stakes & supports |

WEEKEND GARDENING Beans starting to climb a teepee-style structure

the stake in a figure-eight fashion around the stake and then the plant, leaving at least a few centimetres of slack so the stem can move and has space to grow. Tie the knot on the stake so it won’t damage the stem of the plant.

Use soft materials for the tie, such as gentle jute twine, recycled fabrics or even strips of old pantyhose. You will need to ensure there are enough ties to hold the plant upright as it grows and develops its crop, but not so many (or so tight) that the plant suffers damage.

Ensure you prune diligently, maintaining a single stem parallel with the stake. While pruning may inhibit a maximum yield, your plant will invest more energy in producing bigger, juicier crops that won’t weigh it down.

Photos by Bigstock & Diane Norris

Taming tomatoes Staking is ideal for determinate (bush) tomatoes, which are the varieties that have short- to medium-length vines and heavy branching and don’t continuously grow.

As the most productive tomato varieties are vigorous indeterminate types, their exuberant growth can require increased support, such as a sturdy cage or supportive trellis.

Most gardeners try store-bought cages, which are adequate when well-behaved tomatoes are grown in cool climates. However, they don’t contain the spirited growth of tomatoes in warm summer climates.

A homemade tomato cage can easily be fashioned by wrapping lengths of 15cm mesh concrete reinforcing wire (often referred to as “reo”) around the plant until it overlaps.

Make sure the cage has a large enough grid that you can easily get your hands through to harvest the crop. Position the plant’s branches so they are over the rungs of the tomato cage, which encourages the plant to use the cage for support. Drive the grid stakes deep into the ground until they are secured.

Strings are a relatively new support method of growing tomatoes that has seen increased popularity in small farming operations but can easily be done in the home vegie patch. It involves tying the tomato at the base of the plant to an overhead crossbar with string; the tomato is then trained up the string as it grows.

To make one in your patch, simply plant a row of tomato seedlings and mark each end with a 2m stake plunged deeply and securely in the ground. Tie some thick, strong string or cord tightly between the tops of the stakes, ensuring it doesn’t sag. This should now resemble a clothesline. Thinner strings are then extended from the line down and secured around each plant.

While this method requires a little more effort and construction upfront, it caters nicely for tomatoes with additional 

Strings provide an effective support method for tomatoes

Good Organic Gardening | 53

WEEKEND GARDENING | Stakes & supports Perfectly staked: a tomato plant soft-tied in a figure eight

Broad beans tamed within a home-made bamboo frame

branches and stems, which can be easily strung up as they grow out.

Once the system is in place, the process is less labour-intensive. All you need to do is twirl the vine around the string on occasion.

It’s suited to more commercial or intensive purposes. This process also works better in greenhouse production, as weather can render the string flimsy.

Perfect props

Climbing edibles on builder’s reo (concrete reinforcing mesh)

54 | Good Organic Gardening

Peas benefit from a strong, thin support that accommodates the climbing skills of their slender tendrils. A trellis can be created by placing a panel of welded wire mesh against an existing wall for the plants to climb. You

can also lean two wire mesh panels against each other in an A-frame: tie them together and stake them in the ground, allowing the plants to grow up each side.

Other twining plants, such as cucumbers or squash, can also be encouraged onto a trellis structure but they aren’t nimble climbers, so you will need to gently guide the vines’ growing tips upward through the trellis on a regular basis until the plants begin to bloom.

Beans also twine and curl their way up a support structure but, as they don’t have tendrils and the plant and its crop are quite heavy, they are better suited to a tripod design.

You can make a bean teepee by gathering three or four stakes of equal

Stakes & supports |

lengths (about 2m long) and tying the tops together with twine. The untied legs at the bottom are then spread out, tripod-style, and staked into place. One to two seedlings should be planted at the base of each leg.

When the beans are a few inches high, loosely tie them to the poles. From then on, they should find their own way up, reaching the apex after 8–10 weeks.

Beans and peas are happy climbing builder’s reo or (right) a home-made teepee

Not surprisingly, bean teepees are also great inclusions in a family garden, always capturing the imagination of children who like to play in and around them.

With larger fruit and vegetables, such as watermelons and pumpkins, it’s generally best to let them have their way and sprawl on the ground; staking will just cause heavy produce to fall and split.

WEEKEND GARDENING

However, dedicated enthusiasts can encourage smaller melon and pumpkin varieties along a sturdy trellis if they devise a sling-support to hold the produce.

Super supports Ready-to-go supports can be bought from your local hardware store or garden centre but they are even more easily and affordably created from repurposed materials found around the home. As well as proving more environmentally friendly, a custom-made support will offer you a sturdier and more enduring support system that also comes with a personal sense of satisfaction and uniqueness.

For the most organic support method, many climbing varieties need only the help of a garden structure, such as a fence, pergola, carport or archway.

You can even position plants cleverly and densely so they prop each other up. The “three sisters” system in which corn stalks support beans is a good example.

No matter what support method you choose, edibles will grow happily upwards but they will need to be checked and tied regularly to prevent damage as they mature and produce crops. 

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Good Organic Gardening | 55

THE SHED | Recycling

Garden art, from the simple disused wheelbarrow (above) to rusted barbed wire sculptures

Born again With a little imagination and lots of heart you can turn trash into treasure Words by Anne-Louise Dampney Photos by Diane Norris ecycling is about living in balance with the Earth, creating harmony through nurturing and valuing what we have, not wasting it. How much junk do you have stashed away awaiting the next council cleanup? With a little lateral thinking it can be given a new lease on life.

Gardeners are connected intimately to their environment and can make a positive impact in many ways. By recycling and reusing items in the garden, we can save objects intended for landfill, give them a new purpose and have some fun along the way.

R

object. Recycling, on the other hand, is the reprocessing of one thing as the raw material for use in a new product.

Examples would be wine corks becoming flooring, sneakers turned into tennis courts, plastic bottles into clothes and tyres into various rubber products and special applications like soft-fall for children’s playgrounds.

Composting is probably the best-known recycling process familiar to gardeners but so much more is possible. From the very practical to the very arty, all manner of things can find new life, reused in the garden setting in ways restricted only by the materials and your imagination.

Reuse or recycle?

Reuse (or repurposing) is often confused with recycling, but in some ways they are really quite different. Reuse refers to any activity that lengthens the life of an

56 | Good Organic Gardening

Salvaged throw-outs Even in a small suburban garden there is room for more than just a compost bin or worm farm. As Colorbond fences take

Recycling|

THE SHED

It only takes a little imagination to recycle found materials into a smart-looking scarecrow

over the suburbs, old hardwood fences are rapidly disappearing, so why not scavenge posts from a rubbish pile and use them to support sheets of old concrete reinforcing mesh or “reo” (with a safety measure of recycled corks on top)? This is ideal for growing broadbeans, snowpeas and tomatoes, to name a few. It’s nice to make the old fence part of a new one. Making simple bird feeders is another great way to reuse these sadly discarded fence palings.

Work boots that have kicked the bucket can end up with something growing in them and, speaking of buckets, if yours has a hole in it, don’t fix it, don’t throw it — just fill it with plants. The same can be done with leaky watering cans; in fact, any container can potentially become a pot.

Wheelbarrows are frequently abandoned on roadsides, so stand ’em up and fill ’em up (a flat tyre in this case is an advantage as no one will attempt to pinch it).

Oddities in the garden Garden edging can be built using numerous reused items, commonly sleepers, old bricks, tyres, tin etc. However, one of the more novel materials I’ve seen was in the kitchen

garden of Mavis’ Kitchen at Mount Warning where old roof tiles were used.

The list of reusable materials goes on and on, including ladders, rubber tyres, electrical cable spools, plastic containers, chimney stacks, cane baskets, broken wooden pallets and old pieces of furniture. Even a discarded toilet can be reused and given new life and purpose, adding a little “art” and character to your garden.

Work boots to plant pots

Quirky garden art Speaking of art, it’s worth acknowledging that one person’s trash can become another’s garden art, such as old marine rope or sheets of pre-loved corrugated iron that, when mixed with some imagination and leftover paint from the corner of the garage, become masterpieces! Or perhaps cut to shape to create a mosaic mural incorporating plants and rusted builder’s reo.

In our yard, the tops of telegraph poles have been “planted” in the garden beds, creating an entrance as well as doubling as candle holders.

An electric lamp post found in a rubbish pile makes a welcoming candle holder on the verandah, still giving light — and, what with the price of electricity, it may even be a better alternative. J

We made Gonzo, our scarecrow, with the back of a broken ladder, which provides the framework for the straw-filled shirt (recycled from our neighbour).

Good Organic Gardening | 57

THE SHED | Recycling Endless possibilities We made Gonzo, our scarecrow, with the back of a broken ladder, which provides the framework for the straw-filled shirt (recycled from our neighbour). Rusted iron lacework from a demolished terrace lies as though discarded in the garden bed, adding texture.

Vintage garden tools add a sense of history. A 44-gallon drum used as a fire pit becomes the focus of the night-time winter garden as well as a decorative feature all year round.

Just recently, I met a lady who collects old chairs from the side of the road and re-covers them to preserve the history of the chair and create a signature piece that is unique. So much of our history ends up on the rubbish heap — why not reuse and rejuvenate as well as recycle? All it takes is imagination.

I challenge each and every reader to rescue an object you intended to ditch and give it a new lease on life.  Anne-Louise Dampney is a horticulturist and garden design consultant who is passionate about creating, through her company InsideOut Creations, gardens that are sustainable and innovative.

Pre-loved corrugated iron sculpture

Garden edging can be built using numerous reused items, commonly sleepers, old bricks, tyres, tin etc.

However, one of the more novel materials I’ve seen was in the kitchen garden of Mavis’ Kitchen at Mount Warning where old roof tiles were used.

58 | Good Organic Gardening

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FEATHERED FRIENDS | Muscovy ducks

Gardening with Muscovys Want a feathered friend that will help in the garden?

Meet the Muscovy

The sweet-faced female muscovy duck

60 | Good Organic Gardening

Photos by Bigstock

Words & photos by Megg Miller

Muscovy ducks|

G

ardeners extol the virtues of fowls for scratching out creepy crawlies or they may be oneeyed about Runner ducks and their voracious appetite for slugs and snails.

There is another worker to add to the list of gardeners’ friends: the Muscovy.

The Muscovy has a penchant for insects on the wing; no other poultry can equal its flycatching ability. Muscovys are indefatigable in their pursuit of grasshoppers and, like geese, they can eat and digest grass, so we can add weed control to their array of super powers.

Fooled by appearances There is general prejudice against Muscovys because they look different from the popular breeds of domestic duck. They are different, but this needn’t make them less attractive.

Their faces are adorned with bare, red, knobby skin, this being exaggerated on drakes.

The bumps and lumps are called caruncles and are a breed characteristic. Females are often sweet-faced but with males, well, only a mother would love their unusual appearance.

Let’s not forget the tuft of feathers on their heads — both sexes can raise these feathers to form a crest if alarmed or excited. This is a unique skill, as all other crested breeds have topknots that are permanently puffed up and on show.

One reason Muscovys fail to appeal is that they are sometimes kept under poor conditions and look like ragamuffins. This is a management problem and any birds kept in mud or dust with insufficient bathing facilities would look scruffy.

FEATHERED FRIENDS

Muscovy ducks keep their babies close

A unique bird No duck has attracted more discussion than the Muscovy because people cannot decide if it is a duck or a goose. Characteristics of both are displayed; hence the confusion.

Like geese, Muscovys graze and have a well-developed digestive system for utilising fibre. The incubation period for hatching eggs is around 35 days, closer to the predicted 32 days that geese require than the 28 days for domestic ducks.

Another difference concerns tail feathers.

Waterfowl people have always been able to sex drakes by the presence of curled feathers in the tail. Not so the Muscovy — his tail is smooth-feathered like that of a gander.

Despite this, the Muscovy is classed a duck but belongs to the family of perching ducks and geese. By contrast, all the popular breeds of ducks belong to the dabbling duck family.

The bottom line on whether the Muscovy is a duck or goose has been determined by which of the two it can successfully mate with. Mulards are an intergenetic hybrid from Muscovy drakes mating with Pekin ducks; J

Such insatiability makes young stock fantastic for grasshopper control. They will patrol your garden fence endlessly in search of insects. Regretfully, the enthusiasm wanes a little once birds reach maturity.

Good Organic Gardening | 61

FEATHERED FRIENDS | Muscovy ducks they are however, sterile. There is no record of successful breeding involving geese.

Major characteristics Muscovys are usually benign, placid birds but some are capable of flying. This is most common during the growing period when they are lightweight. Well-fed adult males can reach weights of 4.55kg and

females 2.25kg or more: it’s difficult when this heavy for them to become airborne.

Trimming the feathers on one wing will make flying difficult.

Ducks are mediocre layers and will go broody at the drop of a hat. They also make the best mothers, probably even better than Silkie or Pekin hens.

If you don’t want a broody Muscovy, ensure eggs are collected daily even if you

This breed is renowned for its mothering ability

don’t use them, because nothing encourages broodiness more than a nest of eggs.

Muscovys are clever and cunning, but most of their behaviour is underpinned by greed. They love food and scheme how they can get more — they’re renowned for stealing poor Fido’s tucker.

Such insatiability makes young stock fantastic for grasshopper control. They will patrol your garden fence endlessly in search of insects. Regretfully, the enthusiasm wanes a little once birds reach maturity.

If you buy a trio you will discover the drake is actually twice the size of his female companions. This is a breed characteristic unique to the Muscovy. But does the size discrepancy cause mating problems?

Apparently not — despite some squawking, the duck is a willing participant.

Colourful choice Muscovy ducks come in one size but there is an array of colour combinations to choose from. There are solid colours, like white, black, blue and lavender, or there are combinations, like black and white or blue and white, where the colour present must comprise more than 30 per cent of the plumage. Pied birds are those that have less than 30 per cent of their plumage coloured.

Management know-how Muscovy ducks come in an array of handsome colours

This is an easy-care breed that’s hardy and long living. You will want to be able to lock them up safely in a predator-proof pen, though, so they can be allowed to freely wander. Damage to garden areas is due to clumsy feet, not deliberate destruction.

Mrs Muscovy will appreciate a cosy private spot for laying. They all like a clamshell to bathe in and also need regularly renewed drinking water.

Feed a mixed-grain ration or laying pellets, plus they will relish a small treat of stale bread. If not free-ranging, greens or weeds will be appreciated. Medium shell grit should be freely available.

Loyal birds Muscovys take an interest in their owners and observe all activities. They look dumb but can pick when the garden gate is ajar or the dog has left its dinner for just a minute.

They are lovely, entertaining creatures with strong determination and an eye for adventure. Best of all, however, they are quiet.

No loud, noisy quacking — just a gently husky hiss. You may not believe me but you can easily fall in love with these clumsy, head bobbing, insect-eating ducks. 

62 | Good Organic Gardening

PAXTON CERTIFIED BIODYNAMIC WINE CHARACTERS ARE THOSE OF A HEALTHY VINEYARD. Cellar Door Sales: Open 7 Days 10am-5pm Wheaton Road, McLaren Vale, South Australia 5171 Telephone: 08 8323 9131 Email: wine@paxtonvineyards.com

www.paxtonvineyards.com Find us on Facebook: Paxton Wines

PROFESSIONAL ORGANICS |Paxton Wines

Finer vines Words by Diane Norris n 2003, grape grower and viticultural consultant David Paxton attended Australia’s first national biodynamic conference, held in a disused psychiatric facility in Beechworth, Victoria. On the first day, his initial reaction was one of scepticism. However, after attending the entire seminar he made the decision that the principles and practices encompassed by biodynamics were worth investigating with a view to implementing them in his substantial winegrowing business in McLaren Vale.

I Winemaker Michael Paxton

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Nine years on, David’s company, Paxton Vineyards, is a fully certified vineyard and wine company. The Paxton group encompasses six of David’s own vineyards and a management company running vineyards for others in the McLaren Vale region, as well as the wines being produced under the Paxton label. Paxton is now one of the largest certified biodynamic grape growers in Australia.

During the drive from Beechworth to McLaren Vale, David made the decision to immediately convert one of his properties,

Photos courtesy of Ben Paxton

One of our most renowned wine regions, McLaren Vale has the warmth and feel of a country town, even though it’s just 40 minutes from Adelaide. It’s also where Paxton Wines’ biodynamic vineyards flourish

Paxton Wines |

It’s a pleasure to walk through a vineyard filled with a diverse range of plants, wildlife, fungi and insects. The soil is rich with life; it smells good and feels soft underfoot.

Quandong Farm, to 100 per cent biodynamic principles. Although a huge learning curve and a lot of barriers were encountered within the first 12 months, the improvement in soil health and appearance of the vines within that short period could not be denied. The decision was not a hard one and proved to be the right one. Each of the remaining five Paxton vineyards was converted to 100 per cent biodynamic principles the very next year.

Family matters Paxton is a family-owned and -operated business. Michael Paxton is the winemaker and in charge of vineyards, David Paxton is general manager and his son Ben is at the helm of logistics, sales and finance. Along with the key family members, a small team of long-term employees work hard to maintain and develop the business as a leader in biodynamic farming in Australia.

Paxton Vineyards has been growing wine grapes in McLaren Vale since 1979. Its vines range in age from over 120 years down to 10.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANICS

Carefully hand-picking

“Management practices have changed over the years with the adoption of new technologies and methods,” says Ben. “We now use the best possible technology while adhering to the farming principles that were used and proven before the chemical revolution changed the way of modern farming.”

Biodynamics In farming speak, biodynamics (developed

by Austrian philosopher Rudolph Steiner in the 1920s) could be described as focusing on soil health through increased humus (water-holding capacity), increased microbial activity (nutrients) and increased biodiversity — worms, fungi and insects — to balance the soil, air and water in which the crop is growing. If the soil is healthy and provides what the plant needs to produce a crop naturally, then the resulting crop will be superior in quality and shelf life.

“A key management tool is the lunar calendar,” Ben explains. “This outlines the best times to undertake certain activities, 

Autumn leaf fall is the end of the vineyard life cycle, which begins with bud break in the spring

Good Organic Gardening | 65

PROFESSIONAL ORGANICS |Paxton Wines based raw materials sourced locally. Garden waste is composted on the properties and used back on the gardens. Compost is the largest input sourced externally for the vineyards.”

Applying biodynamic compost to more than 250 acres means a large quantity of organic matter needs to be composted, so Paxton has an arrangement with the local composter to make compost to the specific Paxton recipe as a separate product: “This batch is turned at the right times (as informed by the lunar calendar) and has the advantage of the addition of the biodynamic preparations designed to promote and enhance the composting process as well as the quality of the resulting compost,” says Ben.

In the vineyard McLaren Vale is one of the world’s leading wine regions, with a Mediterranean-type climate. The proximity to the coast and resulting moderate temperatures minimises Digging up the biodynamic the risk of temperature extremes, including Preparation 500. Pictured frost, during the growing season. Most below, the burial site rainfall in McLaren Vale occurs in winter, meaning there’s not generally high disease such as planting, harvesting and applying pressure during the growing season of the to farming. Without the aid of synthetic preparations. An example is how the vines. In fact, McLaren Vale is considered chemicals, there are few quick-fix methods lunar cycle affects where the water is a “safe” grape-growing area and also for most of the common vineyard problems. concentrated in the vine — ie its roots or its The shift in practices means very carefully recognised as one of the top Shiraz regions leaves. If we are applying something to the watching the weather, the vines and the soil. of the world. leaves, we do so when they are most active The climate lends itself perfectly to Rather than get rid of a problem such as and will get the most benefit.” botrytis (a fungal disease naturally occurring biodynamics due to rainfall and temperature patterns but the biggest hurdle for Paxton Through continuous observation, organic around the world), the aim is to promote was how to combat weeds under the vines. inputs and promotion of natural balance, competition from other fungi before the biodynamics has enabled Paxton vineyards to conditions for botrytis are right. If and when Although referred to as weeds, all plants in the vineyard provide the benefit of shading the soil, improve grape quality and vine health. It also the conditions are right, the botrytis spores increasing the organic material in the soil when provides a much healthier working environment land and can develop among a wide range mown and increasing the porosity, air and for staff, visitors and fauna on the properties. of other fungi but, thanks to competition, water movement through root channels.

Ben expresses, “It’s a pleasure to walk through cannot ruin the crop. Nature at work! a vineyard filled with a diverse range of plants, Paxton produces all the biodynamic It has been nine years since the wildlife, fungi and insects. The soil is rich with preparations: BD 500–508 (500 horn implementation of biodynamic practices life; it smells good and feels soft underfoot.” manure, 501 silica, 502 yarrow, 503 in the vineyards and there has been an chamomile, 504 stinging nettle, 505 oak amazing accumulation of mechanical weed Proactive approach bark, 506 dandelion, 507 valerian, 508 control equipment that, although supposed Within the principles of biodynamics is the equisetum). If you’d like more info, check to solve all problems, has been found to requirement to be proactive in the approach biodynamics.net.au/about-biodynamics/ come up short of the Paxton requirements. what-are-the-biodynamic-preparations.

This includes under-vine cultivators, Ben says, “The establishment of the herb under-vine weeders, under-vine scrapers, garden on the Cellar Door property has enabled spinning-chain weed bashers, steam us to produce the preps from mainly our own weeders, organic herbicides, hand hoes and raw materials, with some animal- and mineralshovels: an endless list.

The elimination of systemic herbicides and fungicides in the vineyard appears to have increased the population and health of the natural yeasts that occur in the vines and are carried into the winery on the skins of the grapes.

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Paxton Wines | After a few years of hard manual work on certain species, there appears to be more natural balance. The increased diversity of plants throughout the vineyard provides more competition and less opportunity for one plant type to dominate to pest levels.

The introduction of a small herd of Scottish Highland cattle provides some of the manure required for cowpat pits and 500 preparation.

Last winter, Paxton buried nearly 1000 manure-filled cow horns across a number of properties to guarantee enough supply of Preparation 500 for the next 12 months. The same horns are reused over summer for the development of Preparation 501.

have increased the population and health of the natural yeasts that occur in the vines and are carried into the winery on the skins of the grapes,” says Ben. “This has led to a much higher success rate in what is referred to as wild ferments, as opposed to ferments initiated by the addition of a commercial strain of yeast.

“Activities in the winery are timed to the lunar calendar too, such as taking the wine out of the barrels on a descending moon.

This is when the lees [solids in the bottom of the barrel] are packed tightest and there is less wastage. At this time there is also less loss of volatiles in the wines and less loss of flavour and aroma.”

The wine The Paxton family produces a range of red, The range of Paxton wines has increased over white and rosé wines, specialising in Shiraz. the years, as has Michael’s experimentation The wines have been well reviewed and and confidence in minimal-input winemaking. highly awarded and are improving in quality More and more wild yeast ferments are along with the growth in knowledge about transforming the sugar in the grapes to improving the land to get the most out of it. alcohol and the resulting wine. Previously, “David manages his own vegetable garden most fermentation occurred after the addition strictly biodynamically, as do a number of the of a commercially prepared yeast, which staff and family members,” says Ben. “The belief would be efficient and predictable. is there: this natural farming practice works “The elimination of systemic herbicides better for us, our tastebuds and our surrounds, and fungicides in the vineyard appears to which is pretty hard to argue with.” 

PROFESSIONAL ORGANICS

Some of the Paxton vines are up to 120 years old

You can visit Paxton Cellar Door in McLaren Vale seven days a week 10am–5pm. Located on a historic farming property, the tasting room is housed in the 1850s shearing shed, surrounded by landscaped gardens dotted with heritage buildings. For more information visit paxtonvineyards.com.

The Paxton Wines cellar door in McLaren Vale, SA

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AMAZING GARDEN | Warrah Biodynamic Farm

Organic

harmony Long-term resident Chris brings in the garlic harvest

For nearly 50 years, Warrah Farm on the outskirts of Sydney has been practising biodynamic farming Warrah Farm overview Warrah Farm came out of the founding impulse of Karl and Hannelore Kaltenbach, who wanted to start an initiative that would provide skills and work for adults with disabilities. It was established in the late 1960s on what is now a 30-acre (just over 12ha) property in Dural in the northwest of Sydney.

The biodynamic industry was indeed very small at that time but has grown exponentially over the decades. Despite ups and downs and staying small, the name of Warrah Farm continues to carry authenticity in the organic/biodynamic industry.

Warrah’s primary task has always been to provide services and support to people with intellectual disabilities. There are long-term residents who have called Warrah home for many years — some, in fact, have resided here since Warrah’s early days.

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Photos by Diane Norris

Words by Georgina Michaelis, CEO, Warrah

Warrah Biodynamic Farm | Cows and laying hens (below) rotationally graze parts of the farm

AMAZING GARDEN

Our approach is based on the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian-born artist, philosopher, educator and spiritual researcher.

Warrah currently has about 120 day and residential places for adults and 20 places for school children. The main campus, including the farm, is in Dural with other group homes and services located in nearby suburbs. We employ about 120 staff.

In recent years, the farm has struggled at times to find the right relationship to the primary work of Warrah. Nonetheless it has maintained its certification as a biodynamic farm.

Bringing a new impulse to Warrah, we are investing in the farm as an important part of what Warrah offers. A wide-reaching recruitment process for a qualified ď‚Ž

The will of the seed is to grow, to express itself in its particular form and to complete the cycle and reproduce. I feel we are merely the privileged conductors of the most wondrous orchestra.

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AMAZING GARDEN | Warrah Biodynamic Farm Farm manager Rob Greatholder

biodynamic farmer brought us the gift of Rob Greatholder, who since his appointment in May 2013 has worked devotedly towards bringing the farm back to full production.

We have a great vision for the farm as a social initiative and it is generating considerable interest. Some of our plans include growing and making available a bountiful range of fruit, vegetables and eggs in our shop and starting a home delivery service in the northwest of Sydney.

We want to provide a newsletter, offer courses and workshops in biodynamics, and welcome a growing hub of volunteers — with and without disabilities.

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As a biodynamic farm we are working with the soil in relation to the Earth and the cosmos.

Other ideas include perhaps a cafe and, in time, a nursery. In the future we would also like to see apprenticeships available for people wanting to carry this work into the future. Warrah is a not-for-profit organisation and a registered charity. As such, it relies on support from the community.

The growing biodynamic/organic farm Words by Rob Greatholder, farm manager

I first came to Warrah from my homeland of England in 2007 to volunteer for

three months on the farm. It was one of many farms I worked on over a period of several years while travelling and seeking land-based skills and experience. While volunteering on a farm in South India in 2006, although I did not realise it at the time, my relationship with biodynamics began.

I knew nothing of biodynamics and the farmers never identified this technique as anything specific or unique. Consequently, I just thought this was the way they farmed in rural India. The stirring of potentised cow manure in a barrel for an hour, then spraying it around the farm as the sun was sinking, seemed somehow perfectly logical in a land where the cow is considered sacred. I was intrigued and ultimately hooked.

Some years later, I undertook formal training in biodynamics at Emerson College in southeast England. The area is a hub of biodynamics and I am extremely fortunate to have worked on a couple of hugely inspiring, yet very different, farms in the area alongside fantastic mentors, each of whom is represented now, here on our farm, through their influence on me.

I returned to Warrah in May 2013 as farm manager: my first experience of actually running a farm and my first full year of growing in the Southern Hemisphere. In the beginning, the task was slightly daunting. We were pretty much a wildlife sanctuary with the western border of the farm state forest and barely fenced, so it was a haven for wallabies, rabbits, brush turkeys and foxes. It seemed the to-do list in my back pocket just got longer and longer with every day.

Now, eight months on, fences are in place and the farm has become a physical, dynamic, constantly evolving entity that is slowly building into a vibrant and viable farm.

Our on-site shop is full of beautiful, fresh biodynamic and organic produce and we are receiving a lot of interest and support from the local and wider community.

Organic acres The farm itself consists of around 10 acres (just over 4ha), of which we are currently using two acres for our market garden, the rest rotationally grazed by cows, alpacas and laying hens.

As a biodynamic farm we are working with the soil in relation to the Earth and the

Warrah Biodynamic Farm |

AMAZING GARDEN Rob carefully entices tomato plants up their string supports

Fresh lettuce leaf-mix

cosmos. We consciously work with formative cosmic forces to enhance the vitality of our soils and thus the plants and animals that feed from these soils. This is done through application of the biodynamic preparations and through working with the rhythms of the moon, planets and constellations.

I find it a great comfort to know that there is a branch of agriculture that looks beyond the physical world of what we can see and touch into what Steiner described as the “super sensible world — a world of soul and

Thousands of seedlings are grown each year for the farm

spirit, a world just as real yet possibly beyond the average person’s everyday cognition”.

As farmers and gardeners, I believe we are well placed to come into contact with this world. There is more going on in our farms and gardens than stuff simply growing and we come to recognise this and attempt to work with it.

Producing edibles The challenge for me on the farm is to find a balance between this sensitive approach

and the need for productivity and commercial viability. I need to bring into balance the head, the heart and the hands — the thinking, feeling and willing — and to work with both a qualitative and quantitative approach.

I am incredibly fortunate to have a very gifted and humble assistant here on the farm.

Chris has been living at Warrah for most of his life. He will turn 60 next year yet still has incredible energy, stamina and enthusiasm for the farm. He has seen lots of changes here during that time. Many farmers have 

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AMAZING GARDEN | Warrah Biodynamic Farm The simple beauty of biodynamic produce

A peek inside the on-site shop

come and gone; there have been periods of productivity and relative dormancy.

His outlook is one of innocence and positivity and, although a man of very few words, he occasionally surprises with some Zen-like observation that offers a glimpse into the way his mind works. He loves anything mechanical and will become completely absorbed in tinkering and repairing if given the opportunity.

I see this place as his farm, really. It is his home and everywhere you look there are pieces of him expressed: in the immaculate twist of the fencing wire, the order and symmetry of the workshop and in the deeply trodden path down to his cottage.

Thus we work together and it is not only us doing the work — I feel that we are merely the privileged conductors of the most wondrous orchestra.

The will of the seed is to grow, to express itself in its particular form and to complete the cycle and reproduce. All we are doing is choosing the ones we want and where we want them; we are merely providing something like the ideal conditions for the inevitable to happen.

The future of Warrah Farm is very exciting and, as the certified biodynamic farm closest to Sydney, there is a huge potential to open up opportunities to engage with communities around the philosophies of biodynamics, local food production and the potential to offer workshops, internships and courses — all just 40km from the CBD. Everyone is welcome at Warrah Farm and our produce is available at the farm shop, 20 Harris Road, Dural, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. For more information, visit www. warrah.org or email warrah@warrah.org. ď §

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We give them the best certified organic grain – no meat-meal (unlike others). We value the welfare of our feathered friends; that’s why we give them an idyllic habitat with plenty of space to roam, lots of deep mulch to scratch through, shady trees and lush pasture so our eggs are nutrient dense and rich in omega 3’s. We run no more than 600 hens per hectare. Our hens are always occupied so we don’t have to debeak.

Happy hens lay sensational eggs.

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GARDEN TO TABLE | Eggs & three seasonal edibles

Grow, harvest, store, preserve and cook with recipes by Joanna Rushton

78 Eggs Baked Eggs with Tuscan Herbs & Shaved Leg of Ham

82 Beetroot Beetroot, Pear, Walnut & Persian Goat’s Cheese Salad

86 Eggplant Lamb Moussaka & Salad

90 Cabbage Baked Chicken Breast with Braised Cabbage & Roast Potatoes

92 Fermented Vegies Cabbage, Carrots, Apples & Fennel

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Eggs & three seasonal edibles | GARDEN TO TABLE

80 80 90

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CHOOSING

| Eggs

Eggs Words by Joanna Rushton

A

s discerning customers, most of us know that buying organic, free-range, pastured eggs is safer and healthier for us than consuming non-organic, barn-laid or, worse still, cage-laid eggs. We know organic eggs are superior in nutrient content and they typically contain one-third less cholesterol, one-quarter less saturated fat, two-thirds more vitamin A, twice the omega-3 fatty acids, three times more vitamin E and seven times more beta-carotene than conventionally produced eggs.

The myth that eggs, as a source of saturated fat, cause increased cholesterol levels and promote heart disease is finally being debunked — along with a number of other claims that point to animal sources of saturated fats as being “the enemy�.

Heart of the Matter, which was aired on the ABC TV program Catalyst, confronted many decades of misleading and biased research surrounding this controversial topic. I highly recommend viewing this two-part special.

Omega-6 One of the major concerns with conventionally produced eggs is the marked increase of omega-6 fatty acids. For example, organic eggs from hens allowed to feed on insects, worms and green plants can contain omega-6

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and omega-3 fatty acids in the beneficial ratio Mother Nature intended: about one-to-one.

Commercial eggs from supermarkets, though, can contain as much as 19 times more omega-6 than omega-3. This is concerning because increased levels of omega-6 acids can contribute to inflammation in the body because of their pro-inflammatory properties.

Omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand, are rich in antiinflammatory properties.

Organic eggs An even more pressing question is whether some organic eggs are healthier and safer for us than others.

The answer is yes, depending on what the hens are fed. The nutrient content of certified organic hens fed on certified organic grain will not be as good as certified organic hens allowed to feed only on open pastures, consuming worms, insects and plant life. Remember: hens, like cows, were not designed to eat grains; they are meant to eat and graze on natural living organisms.

So, while a certified organic hen is free from GM (genetically modified) feed, the use of antibiotics and hormones, it may still be exposed to grain, such as corn and wheat. This type of feed is exactly what disrupts

Eggs | CHOOSING

the omega-3 to omega-6 ratios and alters the nutrient profile of the egg.

The same factors need to be considered when sourcing meats. Simply choosing “certified organic” isn’t enough if the cattle were fed on organic grains. While that may minimise our exposure to harmful fertilisers, pesticides and fungicides, we are still taking in a saturated fat with increased ratios of omega-6 from grainbased feeds. It is this altered composition in the animal fat that poses a threat to our health, not the fat itself.

With this newfound knowledge we can appreciate just how important it is to go beyond the idea of just purchasing “organic” and really question where our food comes from and what processes it has been through to reach us.

Getting the maximum nutrients Ideally, you want to consume eggs raw but only if they’re pastured organic, as conventionally raised eggs are more prone to contamination with disease-causing bacteria such as salmonella.

Cooking destroys many nutrients. Scrambling eggs is one of the worse ways to eat them as it actually oxidises the cholesterol in the egg yolk. If you’re not comfortable eating eggs raw, then soft-boiled or soft-poached is the next best option.

Eggs are one of the most allergenic foods, but I believe this is because they are cooked. Heating the egg protein changes its chemical shape and these changes can easily lead to allergies. When eggs are consumed in their raw state, the incidence of egg allergy can virtually disappear.

Separating the egg whites from the eggs and consuming only the egg white isn’t a healthier option either. Not only do we need the fat contained in the yolk to metabolise the protein of the egg white but a controlled diet of only raw egg whites can lead to severe biotin deficiency. Why? Because when you consume raw egg white alone, without the yolk, a component called avidin binds to the B-vitamin biotin, potentially creating a deficiency in your body.

Despite what you’ve heard, eggs that are fresh and have an intact cuticle do not need to be refrigerated as long as you intend consuming them within a relatively short period of time.

Checking for freshness and quality Regardless of where you get your eggs, there are several guidelines to ensure that you’re buying and consuming fresh, high-quality eggs: • Always check the freshness of the egg right before you consume it. If you are at all uncertain about the freshness of an egg, don’t eat it. This is one of the best safeguards against salmonella infection.

• If there is a crack in the shell, don’t eat it. You can easily check for this by immersing the egg in a pan of cool, salted water. If the egg emits a tiny stream of bubbles, don’t eat it as the shell is porous or contains a hole.

• Eggs stored in the fridge and opened immediately after taking them out will seem fresher than they actually are. Eggs should be kept outside the fridge for at least an hour before checking them for freshness or opening them.

• To check for freshness, first roll the egg across a flat surface. Only eat it if it rolls wobbly. Alternatively, place the egg in a bowl of water and if the egg sinks to the bottom it’s fresh. If the egg sinks to the bottom and stands on its point, it’s still OK but needs to be used soon. If the egg floats to the top, don’t use it.

• When you crack the egg open, if the white is watery instead of gel-like, don’t eat it. If the egg yolk is not convex and firm, don’t eat the egg. If the egg yolk bursts easily, don’t eat it.

When all’s said and done, an egg is not just an egg.

And our continual quest for quality must go beyond assuming that just because a product is organic it must be the best. We need to go one step further and consider where the product comes from, how it has been produced or raisedand what processing it has gone through. 

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COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Eggs

Star ingredient: Eggs

Baked Eggs with Tuscan Herbs & Shaved Leg of Ham Serves 1

Ingredients • 100g shaved leg ham • ½ red onion, diced • 1 cup pureed tomato • 1 clove garlic, chopped • 1 tsp OVViO Organics Tuscan herbs • Celtic sea salt & cracked pepper to season • 2 eggs, preferably biodynamic • ¼ avocado, sliced • 1 tbsp hand-torn basil leaves

Method 1. Pre-heat oven to 220°C. 2. Butter a ceramic baking dish and line with shaved ham, onion, tomato, garlic, Tuscan herbs and a splash of water.

Season well.

3. Cover with baking paper and foil. Turn oven down to 120°C and bake for 15 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and remove cover.

4. Create two small wells and crack an egg into each. Re-cover and continue baking until eggs are cooked with a soft yolk finish.

5. Serve with sliced avocado on top and scatter with fresh basil.

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Eggs | COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON

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GROWING | Beetroot

Beetroot Beta vulgaris

By Jennifer Stackhouse

B

eetroot (Beta vulgaris) is a rewarding crop to grow in the home vegetable garden. Not only does it produce its tasty red roots, but the young leaves can be harvested and eaten in a salad. Our last issue described heirloom beetroot varieties and now we will look more in-depth at how to grow this nutritious vegetable.

This root vegetable is best known for its round red root, but beetroots come in other colours and shapes.

They can be red and white (‘Chioggia’), dark red (‘Bulls Blood’) or golden (varieties include ‘Burpees Golden’ and ‘Golden Derwent’). As well as round red forms such as ‘Derwent Globe’, there are tapered beetroot varieties (for example ‘Cylindra’) and small or baby beets (such as ‘Baby Beet’ and ‘Mini Gourmet’).

Beetroot has interesting relatives including sugar beet, used in cool climates such as the UK and Europe for sugar production, and the strangely named mangelwurzel (German for “chard root”), a very large root vegetable often grown solely for stock food (although it is edible for us too). Mangelwurzel roots can weigh several kilos!

Silver beet, spinach and Swiss chard are all close relatives of beetroot, but these plants are grown for their edible leaves and stems rather than their swollen roots. All are in the plant family Chenopodiaceae, which also includes several weeds including goosefoot

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(Chenopodium album). Some botanists now class Chenopodiaceae in the large amaranth family.

Growing beetroot Beetroot can be grown all year round in all climates.

Producing good beetroot means starting with a wellprepared soil. Before planting beetroot seed or seedlings in the vegie patch, it’s vital is to prepare the soil by digging

Beetroot label Common name: Beetroot Botanical name: Beta vulgaris Group: Root vegetable Requires: Full sun to light shade, well-drained soil Dislikes: Dry conditions Suitable for: Vegie beds, containers (baby forms only) Habit: 30cm high Needs: Friable soil, regular water Propagation: Seed, seedling Difficulty: Easy

Beetroot | GROWING

Beetroot seedlings

it over thoroughly. Remove rocks and clods (hard lumps of dirt) to ensure the roots can easily penetrate the soil. Shallow soil will see the beetroot growing above ground and will lead to smaller roots and a smaller harvest. Even in good soil it’s normal to see the top of the beetroot root above soil level.

If the soil is shallow or you are restricted to containers and still hanker to grow beetroot, here’s a great tip: select baby beets. These small but tasty forms of beetroot grow readily in troughs in a sunny spot.

If planting seedlings, before removing them, soak the punnet well and gently separate the seedlings.

They can then be planted out about 15–20cm apart.

This allows each plant room to grow a good-sized root.

If space is at a premium, however, allow the plants to grow close together and then begin harvesting the beetroots from when they are small, pulling alternate plants and leaving the others to grow to a larger size.

Encourage good growth with regular feeds of a liquid fertiliser that’s high in potassium and phosphorus.

Get sowing A curious thing about beetroot is its seed. Beetroot grows from a corky seed cluster that contains one to four seeds.

Because of this oddity, it’s always necessary to thin out beetroot seedlings once they are large enough to handle.

Select the strongest seedling and either transplant the thinnings (the plants you remove) or eat them.

With the soil prepared, sow the corky seed in shallow rows about 1–2cm deep, pressing the seed firmly into the soil and covering it. Alternatively, look for seed tapes where a biodegradable tape has been impregnated with beetroot seed to ensure good spacing. Keep the soil moist while you wait for the seedlings to appear.

Beetroot can also be sown into a seedling punnet or seed tray and allowed to grow until the seedlings are around 3–5cm high and then planted into the garden.

Expect beetroot seeds to take 10–14 days to germinate. A clever way to speed up germination before direct sowing or planting into a punnet or seed tray is to soak the seed in warm water for an hour or two before they are planted. This allows moisture to penetrate the seed and triggers germination.

Harvest, storage and preserving Beetroot generally takes about 10–12 weeks from planting out seedlings to harvesting. By this time they’ll be around 6–10cm across. Baby beets can be harvested much sooner — from around 6–7 weeks.

Beets can be left in the ground for several weeks beyond maturity, especially in cooler climates or in the cooler parts of the year in warm climates, but don’t leave them for too many weeks.

If they are allowed to dry out or are left too long before they are harvested, they can become woody and are no longer good to eat. If this happens, feed them to stock or chooks.

Beetroot can be stored with its leaves attached for several weeks in the crisper section of the fridge.

Clean gently to remove any dirt or grit. It can be eaten raw by grating or slicing but is traditionally cooked by being steamed, boiled or roasted. After cooking, remove the skin and eat as a vegetable or turn into a soup. To preserve cooked beetroot, simply slice and store in spiced vinegar. 

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COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Beetroot

Star ingredient: Beetroot

Beetroot, Pear, Walnut & Persian Goat’s Cheese Salad Serves 2 beetroots. When the beetroot is cooked, set aside and allow to cool.

2. Once the beetroot is cool, peel off the skin and cut into quarters.

3. Combine baby spinach, walnuts, pear and goat’s cheese in a bowl and lightly dress with the olive oil marinade from the goat’s cheese, folding through gently.

4. Arrange on a serving platter.

It looks inviting with the beetroot quarters over and around the salad. Garnish with a couple of extra walnuts.

Ingredients • 2 small beetroots (or one large) • Coconut oil • 2 handfuls baby spinach • 15g raw activated walnuts • 1 pear, thinly sliced • 50g Persian goat’s cheese, marinated in herbs & olive oil • Celtic sea salt

Method 1. Lightly coat the beetroot in coconut oil and bake in the oven on 160°C for about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the

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Jo’s tip If you like, substitute a good-quality feta for the goat’s cheese.

To activate nuts For activated nuts, simply soak in filtered water with a tablespoon of Celtic sea salt for up to 12 hours or overnight.

After this time, drain and dry out until crispy using either a dehydrator or the oven at 50°C (no higher).

Beetroot | COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON

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GROWING | Eggplant

Eggplant Solanum melongena Words by Jennifer Stackhouse

N

o other vegie has quite the spongy flesh of the eggplant. When they are cooked, eggplants soak up flavour, which is why they are the basic ingredient of such delicious baked dishes as moussaka and ratatouille.

The eggplant’s closest relatives are the tomato, capsicum and potato. Despite the differences in appearance, all are part of the Solanaceae family. As they are related, it’s important not to plant eggplants where other members of the Solanaceae have been grown recently.

To see the relationship between this group of plants, forget their fruit or roots and look at the flowers. All have very similarly shaped flowers. In the case of the eggplant, it has clusters of violet-coloured flowers. These violet flowers and the large, lobed leaves are produced on a handsome, small shrub. It can look striking in a vegie garden or when a single plant is grown in a pot or tub.

The name eggplant seems to be a strange misnomer for this large, glossy, purple-black-skinned vegetable, but that’s because the eggplants we favour now are different from those grown centuries ago. Apparently, early

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cultivars seen in Europe and given the name eggplant had yellow or white skins and were thought to resemble a large egg, such as goose or chook egg.

For those keen to grow an eggplant with fruit that looks like an egg, seek out ‘White Star’ or the long-fruited ‘Casper’. There are also varieties with striped purple and white colouration and others with long, thin fruit rather than the typical large egg-shaped offerings. ‘Listada di Gandia’ is an old variety with attractive, narrow, white and purple striped fruit, while the fat-fruited ‘Rosa Bianca’ has a round, white fruit with purple blushes.

Small and narrow ‘Slim Jim’ offers yet another option.

Adding to its garden appeal, the small, narrow, purple fruit grows on a bush that has purple leaves.

Getting started Despite their size and appearance, eggplants are surprisingly easy to grow. The seeds are sown in spring and planted out when there’s no chance of frost and the soils have warmed in mid to late spring. In a warm, frost-free

Eggplant | GROWING

Fruit is usually harvested through summer and into autumn. In warm climates it’s possible to grow and harvest eggplants well into autumn and to plant all year round.

Most varieties take around 14–16 weeks from planting to harvesting but some heirloom varieties are ready to harvest in just 10 weeks. Once cropping begins, pick the fruit regularly and keep liquid-feeding and watering well to encourage the plant to keep on flowering and fruiting.

Pests and diseases Eggplants are very robust vegies but there is one insect that can cause a lot of damage. This is the 28-spotted ladybird and eggplants are its particular favourite. Keep an eye out for the insect and its spiky larvae and squash any that are seen. An early sign that the insect has arrived is leaf damage — often the leaves can be completely skeletonised by the hungry ladybirds.

Also examine the undersides of the leaves for clusters of yellow eggs. If these can be found and squashed before they hatch, it’s possible to reduce the damage caused by this leaf-eating pest.

(Note: The common spotted ladybird — a gardener’s friend — is bright orange with black dots on its back. The pest variety is easy to identify: it is a light orange colour and has 28 spots.)

Harvest, storage and preserving climate it’s safe to sow seeds directly into the vegie patch, placing each seed around 6mm deep in the ground.

When direct sowing (planting directly into the soil), space the seeds about 30cm apart to allow room for the plant to grow. In small spaces, grow one plant in a pot that’s at least 30cm across.

Eggplants prefer a neutral to slightly alkaline soil. In areas with acidic soil (pH of around 5.5 or less), add a sprinkling of lime to the soil when preparing for planting.

Also, dig in compost or well-rotted manure and a few handfuls of organic blood and bone to the soil to provide a good supply of nutrients and help improve the soil’s ability to hold moisture. Adding lime may also help avoid blossom end rot, a condition that occurs in many vegetables — including tomatoes — when the plant doesn’t have enough calcium. The fruit may drop early or form a telltale brown patch.

Growing eggplants With regular watering, eggplants grow rapidly through the warmer months and the fruit forms very quickly once the plants begin to flower. To keep the soil moist around eggplants, apply a layer of organic mulch such as sugar-cane mulch.

If fruit is slow to form, try a little hand-pollination.

Plants don’t require cross-pollination but do need some bees buzzing around to get pollination happening.

A tip to improve fruit set is to remove the lower leaves from the bush when flowering begins. If there’s too much fruit forming, thin out the clusters to produce fewer but larger fruit.

Harvest eggplants when the fruit is large and heavy.

Immature fruit will be bitter and over-mature fruit may be starting to form seeds. Cut the fruit from the plant with a sharp garden knife or secateurs, leaving a small piece of stem attached to avoid damaging the flesh.

Fruit can be stored in a plastic bag for several weeks in the fridge but is best used straightaway. Fresh-picked eggplants are rich in vitamin C and vitamin B6.

When eggplants are sliced and prepared for cooking, the flesh may turn brown. To avoid this and to remove excess liquid from the fruit, sprinkle slices with salt, then rinse and dry thoroughly.

Eggplant can be preserved in chutneys and relishes or place grilled slices in oil. Whole roasted eggplant can also be turned into the delicious dip known as baba ganoush. 

Eggplant label Common name: Eggplant, aubergine Botanical name: Solanum melongena Group: Perennial grown as annual vegetable Requires: Full sun to light shade, well-drained soil Dislikes: Frost Suitable for: Vegie beds, containers (mini forms) Habit: Small bush Needs: Friable soil, regular water Propagation: Seed, seedling Difficulty: Easy

Good Organic Gardening | 85

COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Eggplant

Star ingredient: Eggplant

Lamb Moussaka & Salad Serves 4

Method

Ingredients • 1 large eggplant • Pinch salt • ½ cup melted ghee • 1 large brown onion, diced • 1 tsp chopped garlic • 500g organic lamb mince • 4 fresh tomatoes, diced • 3 tbsp tomato puree • 1 cup chicken broth • ¼ tsp pepper • ½ tsp dried rosemary • ½ tsp dried basil • 1 tsp dried parsley • 225g quark cheese • 1 egg • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

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1. Slice the eggplant just over ½cm thick.

Sprinkle evenly with salt.

2. Transfer to a colander over a plate and set aside for 30 minutes to drain. This draws out the bitter juices.

3. Place the colander over a large bowl or in a sink. Carefully rinse each piece of eggplant under cold water, making sure you remove all the salt. Drain.

4. Transfer the rinsed eggplant pieces, a few at a time, to a clean work surface and pat dry with paper towel. The eggplant is now ready to be used.

5. Brush both sides of the eggplant with melted ghee and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 180°C for about 7 minutes on each side. The eggplant should be sealed and partially cooked. Set aside.

6. For sauce, sauté onion and garlic in some ghee until soft. Add the minced lamb and cook for a further 3–5 minutes.

7. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, chicken broth, pepper, rosemary, basil, parsley. Cook until thickened, about 20 minutes.

8. Prepare the filling by mixing the quark cheese, egg and Parmesan.

9. Layer the ingredients in a glass or ceramic dish. Start with the mince sauce, then eggplant, followed by the cheese filling, and repeat.

10. Bake at 150°C for about 30 minutes or until the filling is set.

Eggplant | COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON

Good Organic Gardening | 87

GROWING | Cabbage

Cabbage Brassica oleracea or variants Words by Jennifer Stackhouse

T

hanks to the illustrations from the pen of Edwardian children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter in her classic book The Tale of Peter Rabbit, rows of healthy cabbages are the epitome of a thriving vegie patch. A line of neat, round heads of green cabbage also appeals to our sense of order.

If you look more closely at your row of cabbages, however, you may find they’ve already been nibbled.

No, not by rabbits (although they eat cabbages if they can get into the vegie patch) but by a pest that loves cabbage so much it has been named after the plant.

Thick green caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly pepper cabbages with holes and hide among their leaves.

Unless the caterpillars attack while the plants are still young, there’s usually plenty of cabbage left to harvest — but the plants don’t look the best. Pull off the affected outer leaves and the inner part should be fine.

The best method of control is to constantly handpick the caterpillars. One gardener I spoke to about his handsome backyard cabbages said he spent each evening after work scouring the cabbage patch for caterpillars and had trained his small children to help. He said it was good therapy and relaxing!

If you see the cabbage white butterflies flitting around in the vegetable garden, check for clusters of

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eggs (small white eggs usually under leaves) as well as tiny and larger caterpillars.

Sacrificial plantings of nasturtiums near cabbages can act as an early warning system as cabbage white caterpillars love these plants too. If you spot caterpillars on the nasturtiums it’s time to check the cabbages.

There is also another pest that attacks the heart of the cabbage — the caterpillar of the cabbage moth. Keeping this pest under control requires more than hand removal.

Cabbage label Common name: Cabbage Botanical name: Brassica oleracea Group: Biennial grown as annual vegetable Requires: Full sun, well-drained soil Dislikes: Weed competition, lack of water Suitable for: Vegie beds, containers (mini forms) Habit: Small bush Needs: Friable soil, regular water Propagation: Seed, seedling Difficulty: Easy

Cabbage | GROWING

Luckily, there are other organic methods to employ in the battle against the cabbage white butterfly and the cabbage moth. As well as hand removal, there are biologically friendly sprays that can be applied, including Dipel, which contains Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), a bacterium that kills caterpillars, and organic insecticides containing spinosad.

Covering the row of cabbages (and any other vulnerable plants such as broccoli) with a light mesh such as a woven vegetable net or even fine curtains can also keep the butterflies and moths away, thereby reducing the number of caterpillars.

Growing Cabbages can be planted in autumn and spring. They can be grown from seed planted in seed-raising trays or sown directly in the vegie patch. To speed up the process, start with seedlings.

They grow best in full sun (or with some shade in hotter climates) in soil that holds moisture well. Indeed, the key to growing a good cabbage is to keep it growing quickly with good watering and fortnightly applications of a liquid organic food.

Cabbages prefer a neutral to slightly alkaline soil, so adding lime before planting can also be beneficial and ensure good growth. Additions of blood and bone dug in before planting help the plants get off to a good start.

Plant seeds or seedlings in spring and summer in cool areas, spring to autumn in warm areas and year round in tropical, subtropical and hot inland areas. Seeds take seven to 10 days to germinate and can be transplanted in five to seven weeks.

Space seedlings 40cm apart in the vegetable patch to allow them room to grow well and produce a good-sized head. Expect cabbages to take 12–18 weeks to be ready to harvest from planting out seedlings. To stagger your harvest, plant seeds or seedlings every three weeks.

Which cabbage to plant The first cabbage that comes to mind is the large, round, green-headed European cabbage but there are many others. For a traditional cabbage, plant Sugarloaf or Eureka. If you prefer the crinkled look, select a Savoy cabbage or, for a coloured cabbage, plant January King, which has silver-blue and pink leaves, or Red Drumhead, a red cabbage with a large head.

There are also Chinese cabbages including wombok and tatsoi (also known as Chinese flat cabbage), which can be harvested from about six weeks of growth and which are more closely spaced than traditional cabbages.

If space is at a premium, look for mini cabbages such as Mini Cannonball. They take up less room in the vegie patch or can be grown in a container. Mini cabbages are ready to harvest in 11–14 weeks from planting out seedlings.

For the most space-saving of all, look for microgreens that include cabbages. Microgreens are sprouting vegies that can be picked in two to three weeks after sowing seeds in seed trays. They are harvested by clipping while the plants are still seedlings.

Nutrition and preserving cabbages Cabbages provide fibre (red cabbages have twice the fibre of ordinary green cabbage) and are a good source of vitamin C. The cabbage smell from cooked cabbage is due to hydrogen sulphide. Lightly cooking cabbage or using it raw as a slaw reduces the distinctive cabbage smell.

Cabbages can be preserved as pickles, including the traditional European sauerkraut. To make sauerkraut, chop cabbage finely then layer it with salt in a large jar or crock and seal. The cabbage is then preserved in its own juices: the salt causes it to release its juice, which mixes with the salt to form brine in which the cabbage ferments.

Within a week or two you have sauerkraut. ď §

Good Organic Gardening | 89

COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Cabbage

Star ingredient: Cabbage

Baked Chicken Breast with Braised Cabbage & Roast Potatoes Serves 2 • 4 small duchess potatoes, peeled & quartered, seasoned with Celtic sea salt • 200mL chicken stock

Method

Ingredients • 3 tbsp ghee • 2 onions, sliced • ½ medium red cabbage, shredded • 5 dried apricots, diced • ½ nutmeg, grated • 2 chicken breast fillets seasoned with Celtic sea salt & cracked pepper

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1. In a large stainless-steel sauté pan, melt 2 tbsp of the ghee over a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft.

2. Add the red cabbage, apricots, nutmeg and a pinch of Celtic sea salt and continue to braise for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. In the meantime, in a separate stainless-steel sauté pan (with a stainlesssteel handle so it can go into the oven), melt the remaining ghee then seal and brown both sides of the chicken breast.

4. Add the quartered, salted potatoes and make sure they are covered on all sides with fat. Place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes on 160°C until tender.

5. While the chicken finishes cooking, add the chicken stock to the cabbage mix and allow the stock to be slowly absorbed through the braising process.

6. To serve, slice and “fan” the chicken over a bed of cabbage with the roasted potatoes on the side. Serve with a mixed green salad.

Cabbage | COOKING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON

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PRESERVING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON | Fermented vegies

Fermented vegetables This recipe is enough to fill one 2L Mason jar

Ingredients • 1 large organic cabbage (red or green or half and half), cored and shredded • 4 organic carrots, grated • 2 organic apples, grated • 2 organic fennel bulbs, shredded (optional) • 2 tbsp caraway seeds • 1 tbsp Celtic sea salt or Himalayan rock salt • 4 tbsp whey as a starter (optional) Note: If you don’t have whey, use an additional tbsp of salt.

Method 1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Pound with a pounder or meat hammer for about 10 minutes until the juices start to release.

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3. Place in a 2L mason jar and press down firmly until juices come to the top of the mix.

The mixture should be at least 2.5cm below the juices.

4. Cover the jar tightly and keep at room temperature for 3–5 days before transferring to cold storage in the fridge.

5. Be sure to release the build-up of pressure in the jar in the initial fermenting phase, either in the evening or in the morning.

Jo’s tip Fermented vegetables will last for up to three months in the refrigerator.

Fermented vegies | PRESERVING WITH JOANNA RUSHTON

Good Organic Gardening | 93

REVIEWS | Books

Cover to cover Leafing through books for gardeners and cooks Community Gardening: The beginners’ guide to growing crops in a small place Simon Akeroyd, Australian consultants Laurie Cosgrove & Allen Gilbert, Dorling Kindersley, distributed by Penguin Australia, RRP $35.00 This beautifully compiled book is packed with wonderful photographs that say more than the words, but the information on each page is concise and comprehensive, with great ideas that can be easily put into action. Community Gardening details 10 essential steps for bringing a community garden plot to life in the Australian climate and has growing instructions for over 70 different types of edibles, plus how to harvest, store and preserve them. A book for the home gardener as much as those who belong to a community garden group or are wanting to start one, it is an indispensable item on your bookshelf.

Wholehearted Food Brenda Fawdon, Mondo Organics, University of Queensland Press, RRP $39.95 Brenda Fawdon has been a chef/restaurateur in Brisbane since opening her first eatery, Primavera, in 1981. She went on to found Mondo Organics, the first licensed organic restaurant in Australia, and its immensely popular cooking school. Her respect for real, quality organic and biodynamic food and wines is evident on the pages of this earthy, expertly compiled cookbook. Nutrient-dense, unprocessed wholefoods are used in the recipes of this inspiring compendium, which is a must for those wanting to plan meals that are not just good for the soul but also loved by the tastebuds.

Toxin Toxout: Getting harmful chemicals out of our bodies and our world Bruce Lourie & Rick Smith, University of Queensland Press, RRP $29.95 Can we do anything to reduce pollutants in our bodies? Yes, say Bruce Lourie and Rick Smith, who experimented on themselves and volunteers to prove how easily our bodies absorb synthetic chemicals from the foods we eat, the air we breathe and the products we rub on our skin. Through much trial and error, the authors find what doesn’t work and, importantly, what does. There are many publications about toxic chemicals and detox regimes but this one is different in that it doesn’t push any fad diets; quite the opposite. Tox-ins and tox-outs are rigorously and scientifically tested, often through much personal discomfort. A must-read for those wanting a healthier life.

2014 Moon Planting Guide for Gardeners Aracaria Biodynamic Farm & Aracariaguides Publishing, RRP $15 Planting and harvesting by the moon is nothing new — people have paid attention to the natural elements, including the cosmic forces, and understood how they affected everything in the natural world for centuries. This fold-out chart covers the three lunar rhythms: moon phases, the moon through the zodiac and the ascending and descending moon. The chart is one of a number from the publishers, in a format that has at a glance all the information you need to maximise productivity in your vegie garden.

Permaculture Guide Aracaria Biodynamic Farm & Aracariaguides Publishing, RRP $15 Another informative fold-out guide from Aracaria, this one features permaculture, a way of life that makes the most of our resources by minimising waste and maximising potential. This colourful guide shows how the principles of permaculture are about understanding soil, ecosystems, the water cycle, the importance of trees and much more. One handy section explains how to design a simple permaculture garden. See the website www.aracaria.com for this and other great gardening guides.

The Vegetarian’s Complete Quinoa Cookbook Mairlyn Smith, Murdoch Books, RRP $29.99 Whether you are a vegetarian or not, this book has endless ideas for delicious, nutritious dishes featuring the vegies we all love to grow. And if you are a vegetarian, you probably already know that quinoa is one of the few foods in the plant world that is a complete protein. With recipes for everything from breakfasts to main courses and all the sides, salads and soups in between — and, yes, even desserts — this is a cookbook any gardener/cook will find invaluable.

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PICK OF THE CROP

pick of the crop Our selection of products and services for gardeners and cooks

Chocolates for the conscious connoisseur!

Simply divine and good for our planet, Organic Times organic Fairtrade chocolates really are for the conscious connoisseur. Made using the finest-quality couverture milk and dark chocolate, lusciously coated over premium organic ingredients, the range includes chocolate almonds, hazelnuts, licorice, ginger, macadamias, coffee beans and sultanas. There is also a new addition: Organic White Chocolate Raspberry Licorice, which we absolutely love! Free from GMOs, artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, Organic Times chocolate has the special ingredient of rapadura whole cane sugar, which gives the chocolate an extra-creamy, caramel-like taste. With the perfect balance of ingredients and flavour, these smooth and delicious chocolates make a great gift for someone special or just for you to enjoy. See the website for the rest of their products, including home-style cookies, baking ingredients, sweeteners, milk powder and butter. Stockists include David Jones, Thomas Dux and organic and specialty stores. organictimes.com.au

Kitchen benchtop gardening It doesn’t matter if you lack space in the garden or even if you don’t have a garden: you can have super-fresh, nutritious, colourful leaves and shoots, super-fast. It can be a matter of seconds between harvest and plate! Sprouts are not only colourful, crunchy additions to salads and sandwiches, they are great added to fresh juices and smoothies. All you need are certified organic seeds and a container that can drain water. Green Harvest stocks inexpensive jar and dome sprouters: add more jars or stack extra layers on your dome to grow a wider variety. The Automatic Sprouter will mist your compact garden multiple times during the day, so regardless of your time restrictions you can have fresh greens. Microgreens are an exciting, colourful alternative to sprouts. Halfway in size between sprouts and mesclun or salad mix, they add zesty flavour and colour to any dish.

Microgreens differ from sprouts in that they are grown in sunlight and harvested with scissors when there are two or more true leaves. Grow them in seedling trays, saucers, bowls and pots with soil or potting mix.

Keep a spray bottle handy to water your greens: add diluted kelp or compost tea for a nutrient boost. Green Harvest is Australia’s leading supplier of organic gardening products. greenharvest.com.au

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Grow-Fresh Greenhouses® Grow-Fresh Greenhouses® is a fast-growing Australian-owned family business offering a wide range of domestic greenhouses and glasshouses. As the leader in the domestic greenhouse market, Grow-Fresh Greenhouses® maintains a wide selection to suit all requirements and budgets while ensuring quality is matched with value for money. Old-fashioned principles of customer service are applied from the time of first enquiry through to completion and beyond, whether your requirement is for a greenhouse for practical growing purposes or as part of a large garden feature. 2013 was a big year with the unveiling of new greenhouse and glasshouse ranges along with new colour options. Sizes range from 2m in length to 11m and beyond. Colour choice includes silver, green, black and white. With such a large selection, there is a greenhouse to suit every garden. Call 1300 GO GROW (1300 46 4769) or visit the website. growfreshgreenhouses.com.au

Life on the Organigrow farm Well, what a week it has been. I went to the Australian Organic AGM in Melbourne and then took a rare couple of days off and did part of the magnificent Great Ocean Walk with my brother, who lives in Melbourne in an old church in Fitzroy. I arrived home to the news that the grader had broken down. Panic!!! I spent hours on the phone to the supplier to no avail and resorted to grading by eye. I take my hat off to my great team for rising to the challenge and managing to pack a thousand dozen eggs each time for a week, with only their wits to guide them. Old friend from my hippy days and electronic wiz Karly diagnosed the problem: a faulty capacitor. In a few hours he had the machine doing its thing and all was well. Well, almost ... it had another spack attack and stopped working until a thunderstorm interrupted the power — when it came back on, the machine worked again. As always the kookaburras have the last laugh and it’s time to go and lock up. Bye for now. organigrow.com.au

Good Organic Gardening | 97

PICK OF THE CROP The good oil on wood For hundreds of years, oils have been used to protect structural timber, boats, furniture and wooden floors. Pressed from tung, flax, safflower, soybean and other plants to beautify timber, oils can be applied with little or no equipment and minimal expense to give a highly satisfying result. Whether you want to spruce up that piece of furniture, rejuvenate anything from cutting boards to benchtops, oil your floors or protect your timber decking, Bio Products Australia has a whole range of oils for all types of applications. From clear oils to oil stains, floor oils and decking oils, Bio Products Australia also makes traditional varnishes and waxes to satisfy all your needs for that beautiful wood finish you expect. Made in our factory in Adelaide from natural plant-based materials of the highest quality and distributed Australia-wide. For your nearest supplier, call 1800 809 448 or visit the website for technical information. bioproducts.com.au

Natural protection for the whole family!

A high-protection face and body cream that’s suitable for the whole family, including babies, children and those with sensitive skin, WOTNOT sunscreen contains zinc oxide, which reflects the sun’s rays instead of absorbing them into the skin. It also contains certified organic aloe vera to nourish exposed skin and certified organic shea butter and grapeseed oil to improve skin tone. WOTNOT 30+ sunscreen provides broadspectrum protection against UV-A and UV-B rays plus skin regenerating properties in a creamy consistency that dries to a clear finish without leaving a white residue. A combination of natural and certified organic ingredients without the use of synthetic UV absorbers or preservatives. Follow WOTNOT naturals on Facebook for your chance to win great prizes and have great conversations. wotnot.com.au

Mother Nature’s soap Have you ever wondered what your laundry detergent or shampoo is doing to the environment after it goes down your drain? You don’t need to look hard to find reports of environmental damage from household chemicals, but I was worried about these products even before they went down the drain. My mum who, like her mum, died too young from cancer, had always warned me never to touch laundry powder because it’s carcinogenic. She was right and I was careful — but I’m not any more. I discovered a laundry detergent that literally falls off a tree, does a better job than the powder I was using and is actually good for the environment. It didn’t take long to find that this “detergent” (soap nuts) made my windows shiny, cleaned my floors and cleaned my kids from head to toe — even keeping head lice away. I’m so proud to be able to share soap nuts with many other people through our home business, Go Green At Home. — Lee-Ann Wilson gogreenathome.com.au

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Fish and salad from your backyard Ever wished you could step out onto your back patio and come back inside with all the fresh ingredients of dinner?

Aquaponics lets you do just that. It’s a growing system that aims to organically “close the loop” of nutrient cycling while producing both salad and fresh fish. Aquaponics typically consists of a fishpond and a raised growing bed in which your vegies grow in either pebbles or clay balls. The water from the fishpond is periodically pumped through the grow bed, delivering nutrientrich water to the plants. The plants, in turn, oxygenate and clean that water with their roots, and then that water drains back to the fishpond, all clean and full of oxygen for the fish. For information about building your own aquaponics system and aquaponics courses held in Sydney, milkwood.net

Water only when needed with the Toro Precision™ Soil Sensor The Toro Precision™ Soil Sensor reduces water waste by measuring moisture levels in your soil and determining when to allow your controller to water. “We’ve taken the same technology found at professional golf courses and sports fields and created a sensor intended for residential use,” says Ben Hall of Toro Australia. The Precision Soil Sensor is a two-part system that includes a battery-powered sensor and a receiver connected to your irrigation controller. Communication between the sensor and receiver is wireless, with up to 152m line-of-sight range. It’s very easy to install and no digging is required.

First, connect the receiver to the controller, then find a representative area of your property for the sensor. Push the sensor probe in the ground and it will automatically calibrate itself to your soil type and begin communicating wirelessly with the receiver. toro.com.au

It’s all in the soil Remember the good old days when a tomato tasted so good it didn’t even need pepper and salt — and from the first delicious munch you were reaching for a serviette to catch the sweet juice running down your chin? Well, those days are back, thanks to a truly amazing plant and soil nutrient aptly named Dr Grow It All. This ‘Product of Australia’, ACOcertified input is a unique, balanced, organic, liquid plant nutrient and soil rejuvenator in one. Being a complete pH-neutral growing solution containing biological compounds, rich carbon and billions of beneficial plant-acceptable bacteria, it will promote bio-stimulation with the added benefit of replenishing the soil with every use. Dr Grow It All can be foliar sprayed or delivered directly to the root zone via any watering system. This easy-to-use, low-odour, chicken-pooped natural goodness is fast becoming the preferred biologically based choice for both the home gardener and commercial grower alike, with proven outstanding, sustainable results. Available from produce stores, nurseries, landscape gardeners, hardware stores and healthfood outlets. drgrowitall.com.au

Liquid gold TassieGold® Golden Flaxseed Oil is another trusted flaxseed oil from Stoney Creek. Cold-pressed from Tasmanian-grown golden flaxseeds at less than 40°C, nutty-tasting TassieGold is a rich source of omega-3 (60 per cent as ALA) and is now available in a 500mL value pack (BPA-free). This fresh, premium-quality flaxseed oil can be used in as many ways as your imagination allows: dip with crusty bread, mix in fruit smoothies, combine with low-fat quark (or cottage cheese) as a Budwig mixture, add to salad dressings or simply drizzle over rice, pasta or steamed vegetables just before serving. RRP $19.50. stoneycreekoil.com.au

Seeds of beauty The aim at Eden Seeds is to distribute old, traditional, open-pollinated varieties of vegetable seed, preferably old Australian varieties and organically or biodynamically grown where possible. They are more nutritious and better tasting, hardy and easier to grow for the home gardener. Old varieties produce over an extended period and home gardeners obtain relaxation, enjoyment and quality from a most rewarding hobby. Eden Seeds offers the traditional non-hybrid varieties that have seen no chemical treatment and no genetic engineering. Alf Finch, founder in 1987 of Eden Seeds, also established Select Organic certified organic seeds, which offers nearly 400 varieties of organic seeds. Check the Eden Seeds website for special offers and for the planting guide to all the popular vegies in all climate zones. edenseeds.com.au or selectorganic.com.au

Good Organic Gardening | 99

PICK OF THE CROP Greenpatch membership

New from Kuvings!

Kuvings’ Pick of the Crop is the amazing Kuvings Whole Fruit and Veggie Cold Press Juicer. Juicing has never been easier — just pop in a whole apple, tomato or carrot and/or a small bunch of celery. Save time in chopping and cleaning with the new Kuvings machine. RRP $599. Call 02 9798 0586. See the video at kuvings.net.au

At Greenpatch they are passionate and committed to growing and producing heritage vegetable, flower and herb varieties and, more specifically, non-hybrid, open-pollinated and non-genetically modified seeds. Every year, Greenpatch produces 150 varieties of seed on the farm. Greenpatch believes heritage varieties are very special in that they have characteristics of great flavour, higher nutritional value and a stronger genetic makeup with longer harvesting periods. By using non-hybrid seeds you are maintaining biodiversity and also gaining the added bonus of being able to save your own seeds for next year’s crop. To get involved in growing your own vegetables, flowers and herbs, become a member of Greenpatch. You will receive six free packets of seed when you join for a year and 12 free packets of seed when you join for two years, with the added bonus of a free Fruit Fly Exclusion bag and 10 per cent off any plants or books purchased throughout the year. Every membership contributes to the saving of seeds for future generations. Ph (02) 6551 4240. greenpatchseeds.com.au

Snazzy Puggle Juice Bar

Pest-safe chook feeders Having chooks in your backyard is an exciting thing to do but involves a little bit more than just feeding them scraps and collecting their eggs. The overall health of your flock is very important, so keeping their feed safe from rats, birds and mice is crucial as these pests spoil your expensive feed with their urine and faeces bringing unwanted diseases into your chicken house.

A Red Comb Chook Feeder solves all these problems and saves you quite a bit of money from lost feed over a year. Your neighbours will be happy as well as they can get quite upset when rodents move into the area looking for chook feed. So you’ll be doing your part in keeping the neighbourhood free from these unwanted pests. Buy Australian by purchasing your feeder from Red Comb and receive two lube drinkers FREE for a limited time. redcombchookfeeders.com

100 | Good Organic Gardening

Nature’s Wonderland almost invented healthy cold-pressed juice! Having retailed these specialist juicers for the past 10 years, they totally understand the industry, so now they take their expertise one step further and through their juice bars they offer the healthiest, most diverse selection of juices imaginable. Pop in to their newest store in Eumundi on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland and concoct your own special recipe or choose from some of the super-delicious creations available. If you love a healthy, raw lifestyle, you’ll know that cold-press juicers, blenders and dehydrators are much-loved items of kitchen equipment. These are Nature’s Wonderland’s specialty, all put to great use in the fabulous menu offerings. Try some vegetarian sushi or munch on some Bliss Balls to accompany your juice; or they can even whip you up a smoothie delight. Snazzy turns jazzy on Saturday afternoons with live music. 1800 044 722. natureswonderland.com.au

The Herb & Chilli Festival This is a twoday festival celebrating the flavours, benefits and uses of herbs and chillies in our daily lives. Food and wine are two pleasures in life that are enhanced by the inclusion of herbs and chillies.

They add great benefit to our health and general quality of life. Most cultures in the world use them to stimulate the tastebuds. They make average food good and good food great. The festival celebrates the roles of the myriad herbs and chillies in the cuisines of the world. Music and dance are closely associated with good food and wine. Visitors to the festival can taste and enjoy a broad range of exotic food and drink, watch special dancers, listen to great music, learn to cook from celebrity chefs and be taught how to grow by industry experts. Great food, great fun with great friends. Book online and receive a free sombrero. herbchillifestival.com.au

Breathing easy Good news for the many fans of compostable, breathable clingwrap! It’s back in stock in a new, exciting package. The new pack has a cutter and tabs at the end to lock the roll in position, making it more convenient. The pack illustrates the unique and highly convenient “pinch and tear” feature. As before, the film clings well. It’s highly breathable, so foods stay fresher longer. rainbow88.com.au

Community First Credit Union The largest community-based credit union in the Sydney and Central Coast region of NSW, Community First is one of the most ethical accounts to keep your hardearned cash in.

Community First offers green car loans with a 4-, 4.5- or 5-star rating as per the Green Vehicle Guide, and personal loans to people for ecopurposes such as solar panels, double-glazing windows and many more. According to research conducted by independent Financial Services Research Group, Canstar, compared to the Big Four Banks, Community First provided added value of $2.8 million to its members on a range of benchmarks based on rate, fees and transactions. As a mutual organisation, Community First is not required to make large profits to pay dividends on shares. Community First members are also eligible for the Australian Government Deposit Guarantee. communityfirst.com.au

Wobble-Tee The Wobble-Tee sprinkler has been acclaimed by hundreds of satisfied owners as “the best sprinkler your will ever own”. 100 per cent Australian made and owned, in 2012 it was nationally recognised for its innovation, marketability, sustainability and design when it was awarded Consumer Product of the Year

by Smart WaterMark, an Australian watchdog for water-saving products. So what’s so special about this sprinkler? It’s superwater-efficient. The Wobble-Tee applies water slowly and evenly, reducing puddling and wasteful run-off, and has a large droplet size, preventing misting and ensuring the water reaches your lawn or garden rather than evaporating. It waters a diameter of up to 15 metres and operates on low to medium pressure (5–40psi), allowing use from rainwater tanks, greywater, treated effluent, and creek and dam water. For a larger area, the sprinkler’s end caps can be removed and replaced with a hose adaptor, enabling multiple sprinklers to be connected and run from the same tap. Each sprinkler has an internal screen filter preventing debris from blocking the nozzle during operation.

Moulded from high-grade UV-stabilised plastics, the WobbleTee is purpose built and designed for a long life in the Australian sun. wobble-tee.com.au

Good Organic Gardening | 101

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PA I N T S - VA R N I S H E S - E N A M E L S - O I L S - WA X E S

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34 Secker Road Mount Barker SA 5251 Email: info@bioproducts.com.au Tel/Fax: 08 8391 2499

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Feathered World Pty Ltd Trading as Planet Poultry

Suppliers of a large range of natural products for poultry including Diatomaceous Earth, Garlic, Kelp, Apple Cider Vinegar & Molodri.

Ph: 0437 542 422 www.planetpoultry.com.au

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Fresh, environmentally friendly organic food... the way nature intended.

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Specialising in a unique multi-disciplined approach to enhancing your energy, personal health & professional performance.

Go to our website for a FREE chapter of Jo’s book ‘Rocket Fuel on a Budget’.

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We Australians put over 30 Million Plastic toothbrushes into landfill each year. The The Environmental plastic they are made Toothbrush. from will not break Made from sustainable Bamboo, down in your lifetime these gorgeous toothbrushes are or in the lifetime of 100% biodegradable. your children.

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DIATOMACEOUS EARTH Australian Organic Food Grade

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Robinvale Wines is a family run and owned certified Organic and Bio-Dynamic winery and vineyard in NW Victoria. We have a large range of Wine, Juices, dried fruits and Non Alcoholic Beverages.

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