Spring Gardening

from Mornington Peninsula Magazine September 2019

by Mornington Peninsula Magazine

Portsea

SPRING GARDENING

spring gardening

Welcome to spring with the edible gardener

As we waltz into the first weeks of spring and the air and soil are beginning to warm, now is the perfect time to start getting your warmseason crops in the ground.

Although many of our cool-season crops are still going strong, having enough growing space to overlap the ‘major’ seasons becomes important at this time of year. Autumn-planted snow peas, broad beans and garlic will still have a couple of months’ life in them, so this may mean adding new garden beds to accommodate your expanding vegetable-growing repertoire.

If you haven’t already propagated your seedlings, you may want to go to the market or nursery to pick some up. But don’t skimp! It is well worth planting more than you think you’ll need because invariably something will happen to a few of your plants over the journey. And if they all make it and you end up with surplus . . . well, we’ve spoken enough about preserving and sharing in this column for you to know what to do.

Now although excess crops of tomatoes, capsicum, spuds and cucumber provide us with many options, there are a few plants you may not want to go overboard with — in particular, zucchini and corn. For those just embarking on your food-growing journey, you will only require one zucchini plant for a family of four — two at the most. Any more and you may end up vying for the Biggest Zucchini prize in your neighbourhood. Corn can also be a little problematic if you don’t intend to preserve because you will find that most of your cobs will ripen around the same time and will need to be picked within a week or so to prevent them from becoming chewy.

To get the most out of your garden this season, have a look at planting a number of successive crops of the vegetables that you want to enjoy all summer. This means plant a few now, and then in three to four weeks plant another crop. Let’s take the corn, for example. For a family of four you may want to put in six to 12 plants now (depending on your corn consumption habits) and then sow another six to 12 in four weeks to provide you with a follow-up crop. If you get your first planting in early

enough you may be able to squeeze a third crop in too.

The same goes for your salad and vegetable greens, beetroot, carrots and bush-beans, to name a few. Successive plantings is where it’s at. Taking control of what is available year-round in your garden and kitchen very much depends upon the frequency of your plantings.

So make a plan and follow it!

HAPPY GARDENING! Drew Cooper, Edible Gardens www.ediblegardens.com.au

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SPRING GARDENING

Everything’s coming up roses

With winter giving way to spring, now is the ideal time to visit the internationally award-winning Mornington Botanical Rose Gardens. Situated in the Civic Reserve on the corner of Dunns and Mornington-Tyabb roads, the gardens have more than 4000 roses planted in 100 beds surrounded by a border of native Australian trees and shrubs. The gardens were built and are maintained by more than 70 volunteers with generous sponsor donations and the support of Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

Visitors can soak up the tranquil atmosphere of the gardens, enjoy the galleries that surround them or take a short drive to Main St and visit the many boutiques, coffee shops, cafes and retail outlets before taking in the bay views from the Mornington Pier precinct.

The rose gardens are open seven days a week and admission is free. However, gold coin donations are welcome and will contribute to the gardens’ maintenance.

For more information about

• high teas;

• holding a wedding;

• sponsoring beds or commemorative plaques;

• joining as a volunteer; or,

• arranging group visits

phone 0459 032 497 or email morningtonroses@gmail.com. For high tea reservations phone 0401 924 935.

MORNINGTON BOTANICAL ROSE GARDENS W: www.morningtonrosegardens.com.au FB: MorningtonBotanicalRoseGarden

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Designer with the green thumb

Rowan Fewster has more than 30 years of experience under his belt in the landscape design industry. His specialised landscape design company, Designs in Landscape, is a one-man show, and Rowan says that’s the secret behind his success — because he doesn’t engage any contractors for a project, you get his personal attention and expertise from start to finish.

“I work with my clients’ concepts and their ideas,” said Rowan. “If you have a set budget or a specific idea in mind, I work with your brief. I believe in keeping it simple and designing a garden that will stand the test of time — and the size of the garden doesn’t matter.”

Rowan studied landscape design at Burnley and RMIT, holds qualifications in landscaping, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Landscape Designs and Managers.

KATE SEARS

DESIGNS IN LANDSCAPE M: 0409 960 778 INSTA: designs_in_landscape

Specialising in -All aspects of Landscape/Garden Design -Conceptual Landscape plans -Master Plans -Planting plans/ designs -Landscape plan drafting

Servicing the Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland and Melbourne areas

Rowan Fewster M. 0409 960 778 E. rfdlandscape@gmail.com www.instagram.com/designs_in_landscape

SPRING GARDENING

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