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TREES SPECIAL
Top backyard choices
Myths about roots
Global forest action
BEAN ME UP!
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Health-boosting currants
and crunchy celery

Backyard
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See our Patch from
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Tackling SUCCULENTS
f fl for food, form
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bob
brown
for the
trees

september 2016
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SCAN FOR FACT SHEET
 contents
on the cover
19 Succulents for food, form and function
22 Bean me up! Grow your own
29 Plant now: Crunchy celery
35 Plant now: Health-boosting currants
38 Trees special: Top backyard choices
49 Trees special: Global forest action
57 Trees special: Myths about roots
60 Bob Brown for the trees
68 Backyard bonanza: Our Patch from Scratch one year on
83 Tackling fruit fly
85 WIN! garden tools worth $500

organic gardening 22
22 Grow: Full of beans
Beans are one of Annabel Langbein’s favourite crops,
producing a prolific harvest for many months. Plus, clever
bean support ideas from teepees to mattress springs.
29 Grow: Stalk of the town
Celery may not be as difficult to grow as its critics
would have us believe, particularly self-blanching cultivars
that require minimal intervention, writes Justin Russell.
35 Grow: Currant affairs
Currants are rich in vitamin C and can be grown anywhere
where frosts occur, writes Penny Woodward.
38 Grow: Trees of life
Karen Sutherland names some of her favourite trees that
provide fruit, colour, fragrance and shade.
44 Trees special: The forest strikes back
Peter Cundall recounts the destruction and then slow
natural regeneration of a Tasmanian forest.
57 Basics: Back to the roots
PHOTOS: RIGHT: ISTOCKPHOTO/TOP: ANNABEL LANGBEIN MEDIA

Robert Kourik busts some common myths about root

growth and how it affects the care of trees.
62 Harvest: Australian fare
Taste the best that our great wide land has to offer with
these delicious dishes from Kelli Brett’s Australia Cooks.
71 Action: Get set for spring
Spring signals an industrious and rewarding time in the
garden with lots to do. 38
83 Solutions: Fruit fly
Denis Crawford looks at the hazardous fruit fly and how CHECK OUT FEATURE ARTICLES, READ BLOGS
to deal with it. Plus the helpful damsel bug. OR SUBSCRIBE AT ORGANICGARDENER.COM.AU
CONTENTS

organic living
68 49 Planet: FIGHTING FOR OUR FORESTS
The world’s forests are the lifeblood of Earth, yet
their future is threatened, and our existence with it.
It’s time to turn back the tide, one tree at a time, writes
Dr Reese Halter.
60 Conversation: Bob Brown
Helen Cushing talks with former Greens leader and
senator Bob Brown about his continuing work to save
the world’s forests.
68 Profile: Patch from Scratch revisited
One year down the track, Jacqueline Forster revisits our
'Patch From Scratch' garden makeover winners to find
the Gordon family bursting with enthusiasm and success.
77 Child: Wild things
Whether it’s an elaborate treehouse or a sheet thrown
over outdoor furniture, cubbies create sanctuary for
children (and adults), writes Jacqueline Forster.
81 Poultry: Chook Q&A
Jessamy Miller answers common poultry questions and
offers some spring tips.

SUBSCRIBE
regulars &WIN!
AN EGLU CUBE
6 9 Editor’s letter CHICKEN COOP
WORTH $1199
10 Organic feedback !
see page 55
13 Organic matters
The latest news and events.
16 Organic market
Branching out with great finds for trees and shrubs.
19 Organic plant
Top succulents that can be grown for food, form or function.
54 Organic advice
Our experts answer your gardening questions.
86 Organic library
The latest books.

19 90 Losing the plot: The scoop on poop

Alpacas may be tidy with their toilet habits, but don’t get
lax with their latrines, writes Simon Webster.

ON THE COVER: prizes, offers & resources

PHOTOS: TOP: MARY CANNING/LEFT: MILLIE ROSS

Cover photo of fresh green beans 55 Subscription offer

by Gap. See page 22 for Annabel
Langbein's expert advice on how
to grow your own.
NEXT ISSUE ON SALE september 1
Subscribe to Organic Gardener magazine for your
chance to win an Eglu Cube Chicken Coop worth $1199!
85 Competition
Two great prizes this issue: a Forestry Tools gift voucher
worth $500 plus a chance to win a teepee worth $385.
88 Gardening on your ABC
Your ABC local radio and TV gardening guide.
 69
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Editor Steve Payne
Art Director Karen Berge
Deputy Editor Kylie MCGregor
Horticultural Editor Penny Woodward
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ABC Organic Gardener magazine is published by nextmedia Pty Ltd (ACN 128 805 970) under
5HPRYDEOH ͤOWHU licence from the publisher, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and is subject to
Operates on low and high copyright in its entirety. ‘ABC’ and the ‘Wave’ and ‘ABC Organic Gardener’ trademarks are
used under licence from the ABC. The contents may not be reproduced in any form, either in
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3.5 4.5 6.5

SAVE THE DATE!
Get your hands on a year’s worth
of organic gardening inspiration
with the ABC Organic Gardener
2017 Diary and Calendar.
Featuring luscious colour photographs of organic
plants and produce by renowned Australian
photographers, plus organic gardening tips from
leading horticulturalist Penny Woodward, the
ABC Organic Gardener 2017 Calendar will delight
with its rich mix of beautiful imagery and practical
information. The ABC Organic Gardener 2017 Diary
also features monthly planting guides, great tips,
recipes and resources.
On sale from September 1, 2016. Only $15.95 each,
available from ABC Centres, ABC Shop Online and
all good newsagents.
Organic Gardener magazine has been printed using recycled
paper certified against the FSC R Chain of custody standard.
The text is printed on Leipa Ultralux Silk, which is an offset
paper made of 100% waste paper that not only satisfies the
highest quality requirements but is also 100% environment-
friendly, as it uses only recycled fibres as raw material.
This saves resources, energy and therefore protects the
environment as well.
EDITOR’S LETTER
trees mean life
I
n the last issue (July/August), we ran a page of book reviews
on novels that brought climate change, the environment and
the plight of the planet to the fore. As we go to press, Pulitzer
Prize winning author Annie Proulx has joined the fray with the
release of her new novel Barkskins, which centres among other
things on the plight of the world’s forests.
Proulx says that around 15 years ago while living in the
Rocky Mountains, she witnessed some very hot years that
led to infestations of bark beetles, which in turn killed great
swathes of forest (as they have done in other parts of the
world). She’s alarmed that humans have such “thick skins”, they
don’t realise the damage they are doing and the consequences
for our treasured forests.
Trees are our theme this issue, led off by Dr Reese Halter
outlining the indispensable contribution they make through
9
species diversity, clean air and as climate modifiers. Dr Halter
also covers the crisis they are facing and the grassroots
efforts to protect them (see page 49).
Peter Cundall, meanwhile, tells a personal story, recounting
the terrible destruction caused around Queenstown, Tasmania,
by mining and his observations of the gradual and amazing
reclaiming of bare hillsides by nature (page 44). We also have
a wonderful interview with Bob Brown who delves into the
spiritual connection between trees and humans (page 60).
On a practical gardening level, Karen Sutherland discusses
how to choose suitable backyard trees as well as profiling her
favourites, whether for beauty, food or shade (see page 38).
It was great also to revisit the Gordon family in Sydney who
last year won our ‘Patch from Scratch’ garden competition.
The Gordons are powering ahead and part of their recent
efforts include planting a food forest as well as heaps of fruit
trees, which are adding productivity to their backyard.
As for all-important vegies, Annabel Langbein gets stuck
into growing beans of all kinds, and Justin Russell tackles the
sometimes problematic celery. We also cover currants, tree
roots, harvest recipes, cubbies, chook questions and fruit fly
solutions. As usual it is a jam-packed issue. Enjoy!
DON’T FORGET, NEXT ISSUE OUT
SEPTEMBER 1!
ORGANIC FEEDBACK
FERTIGATION DEFINED
In an otherwise excellent article called ‘Sweet as can be’
(May/June 2016), I feel some potential confusion creeps
into the reference to fertigation in the box ‘Chemical versus
organic fertilising’.
The word ‘fertigation’ comes from fertiliser (nutrient) and
irrigation water.
To be clear, fertigation is a technique for applying
either chemical or organic fertilisers through irrigation.
The technique itself does not cause runoff, algal blooms or
eutrophication; poor irrigation management and control can
be the culprit.
Of all the techniques used on the so-called ‘conventional’
farm, fertigation is deemed friendly to the environment as
it can provide for precision nutrient and water placement,
either for conventional or organic-based farming purposes
and, in many cases, replaces broadcasting and hand spreading.
10 For the home gardener, fertigation can be as simple as
dispensing liquid fertiliser using a watering can.
Pieter Oosterhoff,
Director, EZ-FLO Fertilising Australia
Using a watering can
is the simplest form of
fertigation.
GREAT CAPTURE
With help from his green-thumb parents,
Erwin Ramos grows an amazing amount of
food in his 40-square-metre planting area.
Recent harvests include corn, zucchinis,
cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, beans,
capsicum, potatoes, peppers, radishes,
silverbeet, bitter melon, okra, snow peas,
strawberries and herbs! Erwin says, “There
is nothing more rewarding than harvesting
your own 100 per cent organic vegetables!”
Check out Erwin’s backyard bounty
@garden.of.oz and don’t forget to follow
and tag us @organicgardenermag!
DISABILITY NO BARRIER
TO GARDENING
It was a great pleasure to meet Peter Cundall late last
year at the Horticultural and Gardening Festival in
Melbourne. Over the years I have followed Peter Cundall’s
teachings through the Gardening Australia ABC TV show
and magazine and Organic Gardener. As a person with a
disability I have adapted a simple no-dig garden method that
Peter shared many years ago.
Although the deterioration of my disability eventually
put me in a wheelchair more than a decade ago, I am still
able to garden, perhaps differently to how many work, and
not as well as I would like, but enough to give me pleasure
in a garden full of flowers, fruit and vegies that I share with
friends and neighbours. Luckily, the garden doesn’t care
about impairment, only what we can do and need to do.
Many thanks to you and your team for a wonderful
magazine, especially the research that keeps us up to date
on how as individual gardeners we can better manage the
changes of our Earth. The content of Organic Gardener
PHOTO: JUSTIN RUSSELL
brings awareness as well as a learning curve. I often use it
when speaking with my local MP about GM products and
other issues.
Beth Clisby, Pakenham, VIC
 E O R I G I N AL
TH D
SEAWEIEON
SOLUT
BROUGHT TO YOU BY AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC AWARENESS MONTH

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 ne sCOMPILED BY STEVE PAYNE

Brisbane
Garden
Show is
back
The Brisbane International Garden
Show is back this October after a
highly successful inaugural event last
year. There will be display gardens,
a sustainable organic kitchen garden,
new-release plants and products, and
inspiring talks by experts.
Where: Pine Rivers Park, Strathpine, Brisbane Ocean life on the brink 13
When: October 6–9 The recent unprecedented coral bleaching of the Great
Cost: Adult $20, concession $18, under 15 free Barrier Reef has added urgency to calls from the World
Details: 07 5441 4655; brisbanegardenshow.com.au Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) for immediate action to
save the planet’s marine ecosystems.
According to the WWF’s Living Blue Planet Report*,
marine mammal, bird, reptile and fish species populations
Norway says no have fallen by 49 per cent between 1970 and 2012.
to deforestation “Humanity is collectively mismanaging the ocean to
The Norwegian Government has pledged to not buy the brink of collapse,” says Marco Lambertini, director
any products that contribute to deforestation. Goods general, WWF International.
including palm oil, tropical timber, soy and paper are The report calls for better fishing practices,
linked to rainforest destruction, says the Rainforest the protection of ocean habitats and a reduction in
Foundation Norway, which has long campaigned greenhouse gas emissions to slow climate change. It says
foR The policy and hailed it hundreds of billions of dollars of value can be created by
as a world first. Norway, having marine protection areas that allow fisheries to
Germany and the UK recover and support local fishing communities.
pledged in 2014 As for our own backyard, more than a third of the
to adopt zero- coral in the Great Barrier Reef between Townsville and
deforestation Papua New Guinea is dead or dying because of bleaching,
public researchers say.
ILLUSTRATION AND PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO

procurement “We’re rapidly running out of time to reduce

policies, but greenhouse gas emissions,” says Professor Terry Hughes,
as yet Norway director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef
is the only Studies at James Cook University, which conducted
country to months of aerial and underwater surveys.
take action. * wwf.or. jp/activities/upfiles/20150831LBPT.pdf
Simon Webster Simon Webster
ORGANIC MATTERS

125 years of horticulture

This year, Burnley
Cutting box thorn hedge
Campus in Richmond, in 1934 at Burnley.
Melbourne, has
been celebrating 125
years of continuous
horticultural
education. Nowhere
else in the world has a
horticultural college
been running for so
long without a break.
In 1891 Burnley was
GE herbicide established under
gets THE nod the auspices of the
Victorian Agricultural
The Dow herbicide, Enlist Duo, remains on sale in Department as the
the US despite an attempt by the US Environmental School of Horticulture,
Protection Agency (EPA) to temporarily withdraw in the gardens
its registration. already developed
Enlist Duo combines the herbicides 2,4-D by the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria. In 1983 it became the
and glyphosate and is designed to be used with Victorian College of Agriculture and Horticulture, and then in 1997
genetically engineered (GE) corn and soybeans. it became part of the University of Melbourne. Back in 1897 Burnley
It is part of a new generation of herbicides for GE broke new ground by being one of the first institutions to admit
plants, designed partly in response to increasing female students. Today it runs internationally recognised research
weed tolerance of glyphosate alone. The herbicide into green infrastructure. The 9-hectare heritage listed gardens are
14 2,4-D is one of the world’s oldest, having been open to the public. For details on the college and its celebrations, see:
commercially available since 1945. ecosystemforest.unimelb.edu.au/burnley125years
The US EPA approved the use of Enlist Duo in 15 Penny Woodward
states in 2014-15, but then sought court clearance
in November last year to revoke the herbicide’s
registration while it reviewed application guidelines,
citing new information – from a Dow patent
application – suggesting the herbicide was more
Biodiversity
toxic to surrounding plants than previously thought. Heritage
Library grows

Dow argued its final formulation didn’t have
the same synergies as in the patent application,
and that the EPA was not following proper
procedure for withdrawing the approval. After the
US Court of Appeals sided with Dow, the EPA said
it was “reconsidering Enlist Duo’s registration”.
The EPA’s move followed a long campaign by
pressure groups to have the herbicide banned
because of health and environmental risks, and an
investigation by the Chicago Tribune that revealed
the EPA’s approval of Enlist Duo was allowing
Americans to have 41 times more 2,4-D in their diet
than previously, despite Dow’s own findings that it
could cause kidney damage in rats. A full release of
Enlist Duo products is still on hold while China – a
major export market for US grain growers – decides
whether to approve the GE strains. Enlist Duo has
also been approved for use in Canada.
Simon Webster
PHOTOS: TOP LEFT: ISTOCKPHOTO/TOP RIGHT: THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE BURNLEY ARCHIVES
Australian institutions are adding to a massive online resource
of biodiversity literature that now contains more than 100,000
titles. The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is a global consortium
of natural history and botanical libraries that cooperate by digitalising
their collections of biodiversity literature, making them available to
anyone in the world with a connection to the internet. It is run under open
access principles and currently has more than 100,000 titles and 170,000
volumes. Australian institutions already contributing include the museums
of Australia, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and the Botanical
Collection of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Previously much
of the published literature about the world’s biological diversity
was only available in a few libraries, to a few people. But now
biologists and the general public can access the published
literature that contains a vast array of beautiful,
fascinating and idiosyncratic books.
See: biodiversitylibrary.org/browse/
collection/bhlau
Penny Woodward
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17
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SUCCULENT
SUCCESS
Millie Ross names her top
succulents that can be grown
for food, form or function.
PHOTO: MILLIE ROSS
ORGANIC PLANT
Why succulents?
Now let’s get this straight: all cacti are succulents
but not all succulents are cacti. The word ‘cacti’
describes a single family of plants, the Cactaceae,
while succulent simply describes a plant’s ability
to store water in its stems, leaves or roots. They
are often lumped in together, but succulent plants
are as diverse as any other group and can be grown
for food, form or function. With the exception of
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so the inclusion of some of these tough and beautiful
species is a must in any patch. Whether productive
or pretty, they will make your life easier!
SPIRAL ALOE
Aloe polyphylla
This distinct aloe is a succulent that will
cope with the coldest of climates. It is now 60cm W
extremely rare in its native Lesotho, in
Africa, where it occurs in alpine zones that 50cm H
regularly receive snow! In the garden, it will
grow well in a pot or in the ground as long
as it is given excellent drainage and regular full sun/
semi-
summer waterings. Best planted in spring, shade
but can be grown year-round. Apart from the
mesmerising pattern of the foliage, these
flowers
aloes are also one of the best succulents in spring
to attract birds. The bell-shaped flowers in
spring are absolutely packed with nectar.
ORGANIC PLANT

Climate Zone Key:

Tropical subTropical Arid/Semi-Arid Warm Temperate Cold Temperate

ICE PLANT
1m W
Mesembryanthem crystallinum
Ice plant is an annual or short-lived perennial finding its
way into gardens and kitchens around Australia. Native
15cm H
to parts of Africa and southern Europe, it has naturalised
in coastal Australia and on saline soils, and as a result is
full sun
sometimes labelled as a native bush food. It is tasty and
easy to grow from seed. The salty leaves absorb salt from
the soil and start off green, but turn red with maturity. They
flowers in can be eaten fresh, pickled or lightly cooked. The small
summer/
harvest flower buds are also edible; pick them off to encourage more
continually
succulent leaves. Sow seed in spring. Harvest large leaves
and tips continuously.
Alert: Should not be confused with heartleaf ice plant (Aptenia cordifolia),
which is a serious environmental weed.

PIG FACE
2m W
Carpobrotus glaucescens
Pig face is a common name given to a couple of species of
20 tough native groundcovers that occur widely in coastal
20cm H
regions of southern Australia. Carpobrotus glaucescens is
most common along the east coast and C. rossii, also known
full sun as ‘karkalla’, from the east right across to Western Australia.
Both create dense, weed-suppressing cover and produce
large, retina-searing pink flowers. Propagate from healed
harvest
all year cuttings in summer. The thick, angled foliage can be steamed
or stir-fried and the large fleshy seed pods eaten as fresh
fruit or made into jam. Yum!
Alert: C. edulis is an introduced edible pig face with yellow flowers. It is an
environmental weed and should not be grown.

MISTLETOE CACTUS
50cm W Rhipsalis baccifera PHOTOS: TOP: ISTOCKPHOTO/CENTRE & BOTTOM: PENNY WOODWARD

Rhipsalis baccifera is a ripper weeping cacti for humid

hangs climates and low-light conditions. Occurring naturally in the
to 1m or
more sub and true tropics, they grow easily in these climates but
will also thrive in a cooler climate in a sheltered spot, even
indoors. Being an epiphyte, they are a great plant to have
filtered
light some fun with. Plant anytime (except deep winter in cool
regions). Jam them into soil-filled cracks, crevices, hanging
baskets or vertical gardens for an elegant fall of foliage. I am
harvest
all year
even trialling a couple of species with edible berries. I will
report back!
 PHOTO: GAP PHOTOS

the trick with harvesting

beans is to keep picking them
every couple of days.

full of
beans
Beans are one of Annabel Langbein’s favourite crops, producing a prolific harvest for
many months. Plus, clever bean support ideas, from teepees to mattress springs.
W
hile I was researching garden ideas for my most
recent TV project Through The Seasons, I came
across the Heritage Food Crops Research Trust
(heritagefoodcrops.org.nz), which some years ago imported
a wide range of heritage Mesoamerican bean seeds into
New Zealand. With names such as ‘Cherokee Cornfield Bean’,
‘Apache Red Bean’, ‘Hopi Black Pinto’ and ‘Tarahumara Purple
Star’, they captured my imagination and I managed to secure
a stash from my local Southland Seed Savers group to
grow my own.
The seeds I was given came from varieties that had been
grown for hundreds if not thousands of years. Some were
resistant to drought, some could grow in the shade, and all
had the prettiest seeds imaginable. My winter bean soups
would never look or taste better.
The seeds I obtained are all part of an extraordinary
40,000 known bean varieties in the Phaseolus genus, but of
these fewer than 100 varieties are widely cultivated. All are
native to Central and South America.
Most beans grown in Australia belong to three species,
P. vulgaris (known as French, stringless, pole, climbing, snap
and bush beans), P. coccineus (runner or seven-year beans,
which are perennial) and P. lunatus (lima or butter beans,
although these butter beans should not be confused with
butter-coloured French beans – also called butter beans).
Within these species beans fall into two key categories:
those that are eaten as a green vegetable before the seeds
inside start to mature (usually known as French, snap or
string beans) and seed beans that are grown until the seeds
ORGANIC GROW
are fat and mature and the pods have died back (these are
dried for later use). Nearly all seed beans, whether fresh or
23
dried, contain a toxin called phytohaemagglutinin and need
to be thoroughly cooked before eating or they are poisonous.
Dried beans should also be soaked before cooking.
For the home gardener, climbing beans, although taking
longer to mature (10–11 weeks versus around eight to nine
weeks for bush beans), will give you more bang for your buck.
The advantage of climbing beans is that they take up less
room and are less prone to disease and bugs. You also get
a crop that’s about three times bigger than bush beans, and
with regular picking you have an extended harvest.
Sowing seeds
Beans are very sensitive to frost. In frost-prone climates,
wait until all risk of frost has passed in spring and the soil
temperature has reached about 15°C before planting.
For a head start, sow seeds in punnets or small pots using
seed-raising mix inside on a windowsill or somewhere sunny
and warm. You can also buy punnets of seedlings if you are
short on time.
Always sow seeds about 2.5cm deep and press the soil
firmly around the seeds. Keep the soil nice and moist once
seeds are planted to ensure an even germination. Plan on
roughly 10 to 15 bush bean plants or three to five climbing
bean plants per family. Bush beans will take about seven
days to germinate, climbing beans about 14. Once they have
bloomed it then takes about two weeks for your first harvest.
Bush beans need good airflow to prevent mould and
ORGANIC GROW

fungal diseases. In the ground, plant bush beans 10–15cm

apart – I usually do double staggered plantings and set these
double rows about 80cm apart. It’s a good idea to plant
new seeds for bush beans every two to three weeks, as they
produce over a shorter period.
Climbing beans need more space so sow these about
20cm apart, with about 1.2m between rows. In warmer
regions with longer seasons you may get two crops – one
early in the spring and the other by taking your first frost day,
subtract 10–14 days for safety, and then work back from the
‘time till harvest’ on the pack to get your latest planting date.
Runner beans, such ‘Scarlet Runner’, can also be grown as
short-lived perennials – my father always left his in year on
year, pruning them back to just above the ground at the end
of each growing season.
All beans are self-pollinating so you don’t need to
separate different cultivars unless you wish to save seeds, in
which case space them at least 15m apart.

Sun and soil

Beans like lots of sun. However if it’s too hot, beans will
drop their blossoms – keeping the roots cool with mulch and
regular watering can help prevent this.
Beans are not fussy about their soil conditions but do
best with a pH of 6.0–7.5, good drainage and soil with lots

left: Annabel harvesting purple bush beans.

24

BEAUT BEANS
Bush beans
‘Flageolet Flagrano’ Has succulent sweet seeds that can be eaten fresh like peas or left to dry for winter soups.
‘Jade’ Produces dark green, very straight, stringless pods that are eaten fresh.
‘Cherokee Wax’ A yellow bean with crisp and tender pods eaten fresh.
‘Simba’ Has dark green, fleshy stringless beans. Plants are disease resistant.

Climbing beans
‘Borlotti’
‘Giant of Stuttgart’
‘Kentucky Wonder’
‘Purple King’
‘Speckled Cranberry’
An Italian favourite. A small-growing climber grown for its dried beans only.
A European heirloom with long, flat stringless pods eaten fresh.
Also called ‘Old Homestead’, it has large clusters of long, stringless pods that are eaten fresh.
Good for cooler climates.
Has dark purple pods that turn green when cooked. Does well in summer heat.
An American heirloom with pink speckled pods and beans that are eaten fresh as young whole
beans or older shelled beans as well as dried.

Runner beans
PHOTOS: ANNABEL LANGBEIN MEDIA

‘Scarlet Runner’, ‘Painted Lady’ and ‘Sunset Runner’ are all distinguished by their edible pink or red flowers followed by
flat green pods eaten fresh or left to develop seeds for drying.

Lima beans
‘Madagascar’ is a perennial tropical bean with pods that contain two to four large purple speckled seeds that can be peeled
and eaten raw, steamed when young or cooked as a dried bean. About 12–15 weeks till harvest.
 Support your beans!
There is something magical about the way climbing
beans twist their way up towards the sky. It seems
they will go as high as whatever pole you provide for
them to climb up.
I like to make wigwams for my runner beans out
of long stakes of tea tree jammed into the soil in
a circle and tied with wire at the top. Recycled old
wire mattresses also make a good bean frame, as
do old ladders, market umbrella frames and grid
fencing wire.
If you have lots of room, you can construct a
double row of bamboo poles crossed at the top,
supported and tied through the length with a cross
bar of bamboo. Or if you live in an apartment, try
growing your beans in pots and use downpipes or
pillars as a support system. As the plants start
growing, carefully twist their ends around the
support to get them started.

of organic matter. If your soil is heavy, lighten it with extra

compost to help seedlings emerge.
25
Beans generally don’t need extra nitrogen for good
growth because the beneficial bacteria that live in nodules
on the bean roots help to provide nitrogen for the plants. And
too much nitrogen makes them produce leaves rather than
flowers and bean pods. Longer bearing climbing beans or
heavy-feeding limas benefit from a mid-season side-dressing
of compost and seaweed solution.
In my experience, beans need lots of water – I give them a
good soak every few days over the summer, especially while
flowering, as without enough water you get a drop off in
blossom and the beans lose their juicy crunch.
PHOTOS: CENTRE AND BOTTOM: PENNY WOODWARD/TOP: ANNABEL LANGBEIN MEDIA

Pests and diseases

Beans can be affected by fungal problems. To avoid these,
don’t plant beans in the same bed for at least three years,
and don’t overhead water. If beans are attacked by aphids,
squash them with your fingers and wait for beneficial insects
to move in. Or spray with a soap spray directly onto the
aphids only.
Green vegetable bugs (Nezara viridula) can be a problem
for all beans. Stop the build-up by good weed management,
especially over winter. Diatomaceous earth is a useful

Top: Annabel’s ‘wigwam’ bean support.

Centre: Bed springs make a great support for
these ‘Scarlet Runner’ beans.
right: Green vegetable bug nymphs.
ORGANIC GROW

Garlic spray for bugs

Roughly chop 10 cloves of garlic and cover with 1L
of water. Leave to stand overnight, then strain.
Spray onto bean plants to repel pests. Discard any
leftover spray after a few days. Adding a teaspoon
of oil will help the spray stick to the leaves and be
effective for longer. Shake well just before use.

control as it breaks down the waxy protective layer on an

insect’s exoskeleton, causing it to dehydrate. Sprinkle it
around the plants and in areas where the bugs gather as
well as on the actual bugs. You can also pick them off and
drop them into soapy water. During the nymph stages where
they may cluster together, pick off the whole leaf and drop
into soapy water. Try making a spray using mint or garlic to
repel these bugs (see recipe above). They are also often well
controlled by predatory insects and birds.
Protect plants from snails and slugs by surrounding each
plant with a copper band guard (see pic). If you notice swelling
and cracking at the base of the stem, this may signal bean fly
(Ophiomyia phaseoli) attack with maggots burrowing into the
stem. Young plants may die, but older plants will often survive
26 if you hill soil up around the base and water well.

Harvesting and seed saving

The trick with harvesting beans is to keep picking them every
couple of days. If you let the pods reach maturity the plants
will stop flowering. Beans are sweetest and most tender
when they are pencil size, but be sure to pick them before
they form bumps on the pod. The pods should be firm and
heavy and snap when they are bent.
For dry bean varieties, leave the pods on the plants until
Top: Young beans with guards they are thin and browned off and the seeds rattle inside
and copper collars.
Above: Harvesting popular ‘Borlotti’ them. Spread them out on a rack in their shells in a warm dry
beans for drying and storage. place for a few weeks. Once fully dry (try biting one – your
teeth shouldn’t leave a mark), shell and store them in clean,
FACT FILE: lidded jars; they will keep for years. This is also how I save PHOTOS: TOP: PENNY WOODWARD/BOTTOM: ANNABEL LANGBEIN MEDIA
Phaseolus species
my bean seed for next year’s crop – I leave a few bean pods
on the healthiest plants with the biggest pods to mature
Climate zones: Tropical,
towards the end of the season and let them get quite dry
Subtropical, Arid/Semi-arid, Warm temperate, on the plant before removing and drying on racks and then
Cold temperate
storing in clean, labelled paper bags.
height: Bush 40cm, climbing 1-2m Tender green beans are delicious cooked with ¼ cup
Spacing: Bush 15cm, climbing 20cm water, a splash of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and a
little lemon zest. Cover and cook for five to six minutes until
Position: Full sun the water has fully evaporated and beans are just tender. If
PLANT: Tropical in winter only, other making this with young runner beans, remove any strings and
climates spring and summer thinly slice before cooking.
Time till harvest: 8-12 weeks For Annabel’s Grilled Beans with Pumpkin Seed Salsa recipe, see
organicgardener.com.au/recipes/grilled-beans-pumpkin-seed-salsa
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 ORGANIC GROW

Stalk
of the town
Celery may not be as difficult to grow as its critics would have
us believe, particularly self-blanching cultivars that require
minimal intervention, writes Justin Russell.
PHOTO: LINDA COCKBURN

FACT FILE:
Apium graveolens var. dulce
Climate zones:
All climate zones but best in
temperate areas
Spacing: 20–30cm apart
Position: Full sun
PLANT: Early spring or late summer
in frost-prone areas, autumn to late
winter in frost-free areas
Time till harvest: 12–18 weeks
30
C
elery is the grumpy old man of vegetables. It’s old
fashioned, cantankerous, a stickler for tradition with
a reputation for not suffering fools gladly. It was
once widely grown and commonly available at greengrocers,
primarily as an essential soup and stock-making ingredient.
But now that most people buy stock as a powder, celery
seems to have lost its market share.
It also has a reputation for being a difficult vegie to
grow. Unless you give celery ideal growing conditions and
blanch the stalks, you’ll end up with a horribly unpalatable
vegetable, say the critics. Well, they’re only half right. Wild
celery (Apium graveolens) gives a clue to the needs of
cultivated celery. It is essentially a bog plant that’s found
growing in marshy soil that never dries out. In order to grow
decent celery, you need to re-create similar conditions. If you
don’t, it’s true that the stalks will be dry and leathery, or the
plant will bolt to seed before sufficient stalks even have a
chance to form.
But the critics are wrong on the idea that celery needs
lots of mollycoddling to perform well. The old-fashioned
‘trenching’ cultivars were grown in shallow trenches and
were half buried with soil to lengthen the stalks and exclude
them from sunlight. This technique is still used by celery
growers today, who claim that the blanched stalks taste
better and are less stringy.
Minimal intervention
I prefer to take a ‘minimal intervention’ approach when
growing celery. I can’t be bothered hilling soil around plants
or covering the stalks with light-excluding collars. To avoid
these hassles, I always plant an alternative to trench celery
known as ‘self-blanching’ celery.
This form produces a canopy of leaves that shade the
stems below, causing them to produce less chlorophyll and
become a paler shade of green. Self-blanching celery is much
less of a palaver than trench celery, and the final product,
while perhaps not quite as pale and fat, packs way more
flavour and nutrition. For soup and stock making it is actually
better, in my opinion.
However, when growing for fresh eating with dips or salads,
trench celery or blanching of the self-blanching types does have
an advantage, making them juicier and crisper. To do this, wrap
and tie paper around the stems for a few weeks before harvest.
Unwrap from time to time and check for snails. Alternatively, as
Peter Cundall shows (see pic top left), mulching up against the
stalks is another simple blanching method.
Growing conditions
As for the moisture issue, very few Australian gardeners
have a marsh sitting in a corner of the backyard. I certainly
don’t. What I can do instead, is re-create the conditions
PHOTOS: PETER CUNDALL
Top left: Peter Cundall’s
heavily mulched celery
encourages blanchinG.
left: Celery seeds scattered on the
surface of wet punnets.
 ORGANIC GROW

celery loves by ensuring my soil is very rich and full of

organic matter. To do this, I add half a wheelbarrow of rotted
compost per square metre to my celery bed before planting,
lightly forking it into the topsoil along with a double handful
of complete organic fertiliser, such as pelletised chook
manure or blood and bone. The compost absorbs moisture
like a sponge, and the fertiliser provides essential nutrients
and trace elements. I never add lime to my celery bed as
it likes a slightly acidic soil (similarly, avoid using alkaline
mushroom compost).
Even in a moisture-retentive soil, the plants will need
watering every couple of days if it hasn’t rained. A mulch of
sugarcane or straw will help reduce moisture loss between
waterings, but whatever you do, don’t neglect watering
during a dry spell. Celery has a very shallow root system and
if the roots dry out, it will spit the dummy!

Planting
The other issue with celery is seeds. They look like a smaller
version of carrot or parsley seeds (both plants are celery
relatives), and can be tricky to sow and germinate. I find it
easiest to simply scatter a few seeds on the surface of a
punnet filled with seed-raising mix. Most fine seeds need light
to germinate, so I usually leave celery seeds uncovered. When
I do choose to cover them, I do so lightly with sieved compost
or a thin layer of sand. Another hint is to submerge the bases
of sown punnets in a couple of centimetres of water.
You can also try sowing the seeds directly into the garden
in the same way you’d sow carrot seeds, but to be honest,
they take weeks to germinate and you may find it easier

right: Red-stemmed
celery has a
robust flavour.

Celery Cultivars
‘Tall Utah’ Tall-growing, disease-resistant, producing thick, crisp, stringless stalks.

‘Golden Self-Blanching’ Compact plant with yellow-green stalks of good quality and flavour. Also sold
as ‘Dorato D’Asti’.

‘Tendercrisp’ The ideal home-garden cultivar, with tall, self-blanching stalks. More tolerant
of frost than others and slightly less prone to drying out.

‘Red Stem’ An heirloom cultivar from Europe that produces showy red stalks. Larger, but
quicker to mature and easier to grow than green types, it has a strong flavour
PHOTO: PENNY WOODWARD

that celery aficionados consider the finest of the lot. The leaves are also edible.

These four cultivars are to some extent self-blanching, but will also benefit from being wrapped in paper
to increase juiciness and crispness for fresh eating.
ORGANIC GROW
Chemical watch
Celery grown using chemicals routinely makes
‘Dirty Dozen’ lists around the world. A 2013 New
Zealand Dirty Dozen list, based on data provided by
the NZ Ministry of Primary Industries, ranked celery
as the second most contaminated crop behind
grapes. Australia’s growing regions are much more
varied than those in the US and NZ, with each area
subject to different pest and disease pressures
and chemical regimes. However, fungicides such as
Chlorothalonil (considered a probable carcinogen
by the US EPA) and Mancozeb (a cholinesterase
inhibitor that can affect the nervous system), and
pesticides such as Dimethoate (highly toxic to
honeybees) are commonly used.
NOTE: Not all conventionally grown celery will have
chemical residues.
32
to buy a punnet of seedlings. I only ever grow half a dozen
plants at a time, which is plenty for my household. A single
punnet does the job with little fuss.
Timing
Timing is important. Celery doesn’t handle heavy frost
with anything like aplomb. Because the stalks are filled
with moisture, they tend to collapse when exposed to
temperatures below about –3˚C. If you live in a frosty cold
temperate, warm temperate or arid/semi-arid climate, the
best times to plant celery are in late summer (for a late
autumn/early winter harvest) or early spring (for an early
summer harvest). You can get a head start if you grow celery
in punnets and then transfer into small pots, and later into
the garden after the last chance of frost has passed.
In frost-free warm temperate and subtropical areas, the
best planting times are July to September and February to
April. In the tropics and warm subtropics, planting extends
to late autumn for prime winter growing. Summer growing is
only really possible in very cool areas.
Celery isn’t a fast grower. It’s slow and steady, taking
between 12 and 18 weeks to reach maturity, depending on
the weather. It puts on about 70 per cent of its growth in
the last 30 per cent of its life, which means that it responds
positively to a fertility boost after about two months’ worth
of growing time. Liquid fertiliser such as fish emulsion is ideal
applied at this stage and will be rapidly taken up by the plant.
When harvesting, you can pick stems from the outside,
allowing the plant to keep producing, or harvest whole if you
expect to use it all quickly.
Pests and diseases
The good news with celery is that pests and diseases aren’t
severe. The plant’s species name, graveolens, means ‘strong
smelling’ in Latin and this scent seems to deter many pests.
Carrot fly can sometimes be an issue, and it’s helpful to confuse
them by planting celery alongside an allium such as spring onion.
Leaf-spotting diseases are a potential problem in warm
damp conditions. Keep them at bay by spraying with a
preventative fungicide such as copper hydroxide or wettable
sulphur, and water regularly with seaweed solution to build
up the plant’s natural resistance. Another tip, from Suzanne
Ashworth in her book Seed to Seed, is a hot water seed
treatment useful for seed-borne diseases including septoria
PHOTOS: TOP:JUSTIN RUSSELL/BOTTOM: LINDA COCKBURN
leaf spot on celery. Heat water to 50°C (have an accurate
thermometer) and maintain but don’t exceed that for
30 minutes, stirring gently and constantly. Then sieve the
seeds and place in a single layer to dry in a warm dry spot
out of direct sunlight.
Slugs and snails hiding among stalk bases also need to be
watched. Control them with non-toxic baits or drown them
in beer traps.
Top: It is essential to keep celery
well watered.
left: Leaf spot on celery.
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 ORGANIC GROW

Currant
affairs
PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

Currants are rich in Vitamin C and other nutrients and can be grown anywhere
where frosts occur, writes Penny Woodward.
 I
used to grow blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum) to make
blackcurrant and sweet cicely jelly. The rich, strong
slightly acidic blackcurrants combine beautifully with the
subtle sweet anise flavour of sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata).
On moving closer to the coast (in southern Victoria),
I assumed that both these cold-loving plants would not
survive or thrive, but after seeing blackcurrants fruiting on a
nearby property, they are now back on my list, along with the
closely related redcurrants (Ribes rubrum). White currants
are an albino cultivar of redcurrants.
All these currants grow as bushes to about 1.5m high and
about 1m wide. They can actually be grown as medium-sized
hedges, with the drawback that they lose their leaves in
winter. Blackcurrants and redcurrants are eaten fresh, but
they are also made into nutritious cordials and other drinks
such as liqueurs as well as jams, jellies and pastes.
Confusingly, these currants are not the same as dried
currants that are added to scones and cakes, or eaten as
dried fruits. These ‘currants’ are actually dried grapes.

Growing needs
Currants need a cold climate to set fruit. This means frost.
So they grow well in cold temperate, warm temperate and
36 arid/semi-arid regions as long as they experience frost. Even
some subtropical regions at higher elevations will have
possible sites. If you can grow apricots, then you should be
able to grow currants.
They like heavy, slightly acidic soils that retain some
moisture, but will also thrive in sandy soils as long as they
are regularly watered, especially as the fruit develop.
Although happy with full sun in cooler regions, currants are
best grown in semi-shade in regions with hot dry summers.
This means they can be used in parts of the garden that are
too damp and shady for other fruits. Protect plants from
strong hot winds.

Planting
In Europe, the UK and US there are many different cultivars PHOTOS: TOP & BOTTOM: PENNY WOODWARD/CENTRE: ISTOCKPHOTO
of currants, both black and red, but in Australia they are
usually just sold as currants. Companies that offer mail-
order plants or cuttings are listed opposite, but if you visit a
specialist fruit tree nursery you may find named cultivars.
Plant bare-rooted plants in winter, or potted plants all
year round, avoiding the hottest parts of summer. Dig in
well-rotted manure and compost before planting. After
planting, top-dress with blood and bone and mulch well.

top: Redcurrants ready Protection and harvest

to be picked.
centre: A great harvest Currants are pretty tough and once established need little
of blackcurrants. attention, apart from watering during dry weather and
above: Planting a
blackcurrant bush. fertilising and mulching once a year in early spring. Also,
 ORGANIC GROW

White
currants are
an albino
cultivar of
redcurrants.

A HEALTH BOOST
RECENT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT
BLACKCURRANTS ARE HIGHER IN HEALTH-BOOSTING
ANTIOXIDANTS, VITAMIN C, ANTHOCYANINS AND
OTHER POLYPHENOLS THAN OTHER ‘SUPERFOODS’
SUCH AS BLUEBERRIES, RASPBERRIES AND
POMEGRANATES. BLACKCURRANT CONSUMPTION
HAS BEEN LINKED WITH A REDUCTION IN
CARDIO-VASCULAR DISEASE, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,
EXERCISE-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS, URINARY
TRACT INFECTION AND EVEN THE INCIDENCE OF SOME Other currant plants 37
CANCERS. THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE Jostaberries are a cross between
VISION AND GUT HEALTH. blackcurrants and gooseberries and are grown
http://www.nzblackcurrants.com/assets/ in similar ways, but need slightly colder
pdfs/Health-Benefits-review-updated-25- conditions. The flavour is very much a cross
November-2014.pdf between the two and they are delicious eaten
fresh. However, bushes are taller and the
fruit is larger than blackcurrants.
a handful of sulphate of potash in spring will encourage Australian native currant bush (Scaevola
flowering and fruiting. Once fruit start to colour they may spinescens) is a small spiney shrub with
need protection from birds; either bags or netting are blackcurrant-like fruit. It was used as a
effective. White currants are usually less attractive to birds.
traditional bush medicine and modern research
Fruit appears in spring and summer, with blackcurrants
has shown the berries to have anti-bacterial and
appearing a bit earlier. Fruit won’t ripen off the bush, so
only pick when fully ripe. If not using within a few days, then anti-viral properties.
freeze for later use. An established bush can produce as
much as 5kg of fruit.
PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO/ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCKPHOTO

Pruning and propagating Suppliers

Currants grow on new wood each year, so pruning in winter
just involves cutting out very old wood to the base, as well as Try your local fruit tree nursery or:
any branches growing where you don’t want them. Then cut daleysfruit.com.au
out a third of the rest of the branches, at the base, opening diggers.com.au
up the bush. These last trimmings can be used as cuttings gardenexpress.com.au
to grow new bushes. Just push a third of the stem into the newgipps.com.au
ground and after a couple of months they will have grown yalcafruittrees.com.au
roots and can be transplanted if needed.
PHOTO: PENNY WOODWARD

trees of
life
Trees bring structure and interest to the garden. Karen Sutherland names
some of her favourites that also provide fruit, colour, fragrance and shade.
P
lanting a tree is an important moment in a gardener’s
life, an intention that speaks to the future. After
all, trees are the grandparents of the garden, often
outliving those who plant them. Trees purify the air and make
our cities liveable with a range of psychological benefits
identified as ‘biophilia’. They also support an amazing variety
of wildlife, from birds and bats to possums and goannas.
Butterflies and bees enjoy their blossoms and many other
insects also depend on them for food.
For many urban gardeners, choosing a tree is a big
decision, as there may only be room for one or a few at
most. For those with more space, trees are still a long-term
commitment so it pays to consider your choices carefully.
Do you want a tree for shade? Screening or climbing? Fruit,
flower colour, scent or autumn colour? Here are a few things
to consider before you start planting.
Structure and space
Trees provide structure and set the tone of a garden, being
the dominant feature besides buildings. They can screen and
soften the look of buildings, give shelter to delicate plants
growing underneath, transform a farm driveway into a grand
entrance or stand alone to be admired for their own sake.
If you have the space, try planting a group of the same
trees in a ‘copse’, as if they had naturally self-seeded. Trees
of the same species can be planted much closer together
than different trees, whose branch structure will clash.
Research the eventual height and width of your trees
before buying. Eventual size can vary due to location, soil
ORGANIC GROW
type, climate and available water, so speak to your local
nursery for advice. Many fast-growing trees are short
39
lived, while long-lived trees are often, but not always, slow
growing. Remember to be patient as a good tree is worth
waiting for! Also, research if the tree will drop branches or
pose a threat to your house when mature, and also consider
the effects on your neighbours’ light and views.
Shade and sanctuary
Trees offer shade and a cool sanctuary on hot days, with
temperatures underneath being about 5˚C lower than
unshaded areas. Deciduous trees allow winter sun to shine
through and passively heat our houses.
So when choosing a tree, think about whether you need
deciduous or evergreen. Evergreen trees can give year-round
screening and background, but deciduous trees let in winter
sun and remind us of seasonal change.
Planting and staking
Prepare for planting by digging a hole at least twice as wide
as the rootball and if your soil is heavy, only slightly deeper
than the rootball. Contrary to popular opinion, tree roots do
not primarily grow downwards, and a wider hole will allow
the tree to grow good stabilising roots quickly.
Correct staking is also important for strong root
development. Never stake close to the trunk. Instead, install
two to four stakes around the edge of the rootball and use
Facing page: A striking native frangipani tree.
ORGANIC GROW

soft ties in the shape of a figure ‘8’ around each stake and
the trunk. This allows enough movement so the tree gets the
message to grow strong roots, but not so much that the roots
aren’t able to establish. Remove stakes after 12 months.

Early growth and care

As a tree matures, it will compete for light, water and
nutrients with plants beneath it. Around seven years after
planting your tree you will probably need to rethink the
planting scheme underneath. However, tree roots are feared
far more than is usually warranted. Roots will move to where
there is water, so prevent tree roots from venturing under
your house by keeping it dry.
The early years of a tree’s life are vital to its long-term
success. If a tree doesn’t get the nutrients and water it needs
in the first two years, it will never attain the height it would
have if given ideal conditions. Weeds and lawns need to be
kept clear of a new tree to a 1m diameter during that time.
Now you just need to decide on the tree...

Linden trees (Tilia cordata)

These handsome trees are uncommon in Australian gardens,
although they can be found in historic gardens in Hobart.
Known as ‘limes’ in the UK and Europe, they bear little
resemblance to the limes we know! Although slow growing,
lindens are deciduous trees that can reach 10m in height so
are best suited to larger gardens or farms where they can
40 grow with a promise of old age. Their honey-scented flowers
can be collected and used as a calming tea, or infused in a hot
bath in muslin bags “to soothe fractious children”, according
to herbalist Juliette de Bairacli Levy!

Native frangipani (Hymenosporum flavum)

For the scent of the tropics in your garden, plant a native
frangipani and delight in its masses of heavily scented
flowers in late spring. Flowers are creamy white before
aging to golden yellow and will attract bees, butterflies and
birds. Although native to Queensland and NSW, it grows
well in most parts of Australia, except Tasmania, as long as
it has adequate moisture. An evergreen tree with an upright
pyramidal shape reaching 6–8m in height, it is ideal for light
screening in the garden with its rather airy branches. It is
happy in full sun or light shade.

Fuchsia gum (Eucalyptus forrestiana)

Eucalyptus forrestiana and E. forrestiana ssp. dolichorhyncha
(now more correctly known as E. dolichorhyncha) are two of
the best small eucalypts and perfect for small gardens. They
are mallees from Esperance in Western Australia (reliable
and easy to grow in most climates except the tropics),
PHOTOS: PENNY WOODWARD

reaching 3–5m high and 2–4m wide. They are colourful for
months, with the flower buds becoming red before opening

Top: A young coral gum

correctly supported.
Left: Linden tree.
 er options
Oth
Coral gum (Eucalyptus torquate) is a small-growing
tree to around 5m high from Western Australia with
pink flowers and blue-grey foliage. Drought and
frost tolerant, it dislikes humidity.
Forest pansy is a purple-leafed cultivar of Cercis
canadensis, a small deciduous tree to 5m high
from North America. Forest pansy makes a striking
addition to cool climate gardens.
Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) has profuse
summer flowers that come in a range of colours
from white and pink to purple and red. It boasts
good autumn foliage and seemingly polished bark in
winter. Crepe myrtles are drought and heat tolerant
and are ideal small deciduous trees.

5 TREES FOR:
LARGE POTS OR COURTYARDS
Bay ‘Miles Choice’
Cumquat ’Nagami’
Lime ‘Sunrise’ (a native lime cross)
Magnolia ‘Little Gem’
Olive ‘Golden Harvest’

FRUIT AND SUMMER SHADE

Apple ‘Weeping Wandin Pride’
Fig
Mulberry ‘White Shatoot’
Persimmon
Walnut
PHOTOS: TOP: KAREN SUTHERLAND/CENTRE & BOTTOM: RODGER ELLIOT

HERBAL AND HISTORIC INTEREST

Ginkgo
Lemon Myrtle
Linden
Pomegranate
Quince

Top: Crepe Myrtle.

Centre: Fuchsia gum flowers.
Right: Fuchsia gum (Eucalyptus
dolichorhyncha).
ORGANIC GROW

to yellow flowers, followed by large seed pods.

E. dolichorhyncha has longer more beak-like flower caps.
Plant either of these as a single specimen or in a clump of
three or more, spaced about 1m apart.

Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana)

Hazelnut trees have been little known in Australian gardens
until recently. Local research has uncovered varieties for
Australian conditions and these are now found in bare-root
catalogues and specialist retailers. Hazelnuts prefer south-
eastern Australian climates and a regular supply of water.
They can be grown as large deciduous hedges or trained into
single-trunked specimens 3–5m high, as attractive small
deciduous trees for city gardens and in food forests. Hazelnuts
are wind pollinated and should be grown close together, with
a minimum of three varieties needed for nut production. A
suggested group: ‘Ennis’, ‘Butler’ and ‘Williamette’.
42
Persimmon (Diospyros kaki)
This is the ultimate edible ornamental tree, with fiery
autumn-coloured foliage falling to expose bright orange
fruit. Choose a non-astringent variety such as ‘Fuyu’ so you
can eat fruit when crisp and still somewhat firm, or leave
to ripen to a jam-like consistency and sweetness, as is
necessary with the astringent varieties. Trees can grow to
4m high but must not be allowed to dry out during their first
summer or they may fail. These make a gorgeous feature
tree in a formal kitchen garden, or choose a place where
afternoon light can light up the leaves.

Japanese crab apple (Malus floribunda)

It’s hard to choose just one crab apple but the Japanese crab PHOTOS: TOP: PENNY WOODWARD/ CENTRE & BOTTOM: ISTOCKPHOTO
apple is popular for its elegant rounded shape, masses of
pink and white flowers in spring and yellow autumn foliage.
Slow growing to 5m, this small deciduous tree prefers
cooler climates and is frost tolerant. Like all crab apples, it
is hardy and fairly drought tolerant. However, it differs from
it counterparts in that it is not grown for its fruit, which are
small and few. Flowers can be used fresh or crystalized to
decorate cakes and bees also love them. This is a perfect tree
for a very small garden.

Top: Persimmon tree with

guards to protect fruit
from possums.
centre: crab apple.
left: hazelnut trees.
 Growing the local food economy
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 the forest
Strikes
Back
PHOTO: PETER CUNDALL

Peter Cundall recounts the destruction and then slow, natural

regeneration of the forests of Queenstown in Tasmania.
 TREES SPECIAL

M
y first visit to Queenstown in 1955 was as a
soldier, posted to Tasmania. As I rounded a
bend overlooking the town, a desolate, blasted
moonscape came into view. The brutal scene resembled the
aftermath of a nuclear war.
Every hill and gully was almost completely bare apart
from thousands of exposed, withered roots of destroyed
trees like giant, blackened spiders. Decades of mining and
copper smelting had turned what was once rainforest
wilderness into a bleak, lifeless and tortured landscape.
The destruction began when trees were cut down to feed
furnaces. Any remaining vegetation was finished off by toxic
fumes from the copper smelters.
Bushfires finally removed any shrivelled remnants and
relentless rains washed away the thin layer of topsoil leaving
only naked rock, clay and clinging dead roots. Someone once described this hideous
I recall being overwhelmed by this visual evidence of
brazen, cynical pollution and the ignorance, indifference, scar as probably among the few
contempt and greed that created it. Here was just another
example of the awesome ability of the human race to human-caused disfigurements that 45
dominate and destroy.
Someone once described this hideous scar as probably could be seen from the moon.
among the few human-caused disfigurements that could be
seen from the moon. In a strange way this blasted landscape
became a kind of perverse tourist attraction like some
industrial horror museum.

Life returns
I’ve been back to Queenstown many times since that
first visit, mainly because of a continuing fascination with
Tasmania’s extraordinary west coast. And over the years
I’ve watched with growing astonishment how nature has
gradually fought back to re-clothe those naked hills.
On each visit I’ve scrambled with increasing difficulty
through the renewed growth. I hoped to find out how
these plants had managed to form roots and grow in this
apparently lifeless terrain. Amazingly, among the first
pioneers were beautiful scrambling coral ferns – almost
impossible to grow in gardens. Then came fish-bone and silky
fan ferns, snowberry bushes and the first silver wattles.
It took decades for many of these plants to gain a
precarious hold, but as plant debris accumulated and
decomposed in crevices, other species also took root.
Tea trees, Tasmanian waratahs, leatherwoods and rough
PHOTO: PETER CUNDALL

tree ferns began to flourish as the forest gradually crept

upwards, spreading from the wet gullies. Above: The Queenstown moonscape
as it was after mining.
Exotic plants began to appear, too. Rhododendrons –
facing page: Bush regeneration on
which grow to perfection in Queenstown – seeded on the a Queenstown hillside.
TREES SPECIAL
The renewed hills and gullies around
46 the old copper smelters have become
supreme examples of the healing power
and ultimate triumph of nature.
Top: An example of the
rainforest type originally
covering Queenstown.
Above: The denuded mine site
at Queenstown.
fringes while silver birch and even a few exotic conifer
species such as Thuja, Chamaecyparis and the inevitable
radiata pine – a weed tree – grew and flourished.
Not long ago I went back to Queenstown. It had been over
a year since my previous visit. As I came around the bend I
could hardly believe my eyes. The view that had once shocked
me had changed dramatically, especially over the previous
months. The new growth had been incredible. Most of the
naked yellow and white hills had turned green as thousands
of new plants formed part of a massive, natural revegetation.
Powerful transformation
The beauty and power of the growing rainforest took my
breath away. On every hillside are deep gullies created
by heavy, incessant rainfalls. I wandered upwards along
a particularly deep channel, its steep sides now heavily
festooned with coral ferns, water ferns, Leptospermum
species and small leatherwood trees. On all sides, thrived
countless lichens and mosses.
Perhaps most surprising of all was the role played by the
early wattle pioneers. As they grew, most had sent powerful
roots deep into every moist crevice. Where rain had sluiced
away loose gravel, these huge wattle roots were exposed.
Some had managed to penetrate several metres below
the surface. Yet these wattles were already dying after
shattering the hard surface to enable new colonisers to take
over, fuelled by decomposing roots and other organic debris.
Many radiata pine trees had also stopped growing,
partly due to lack of nourishment. Some had toppled over
while others were being slowly dominated and strangled
by scrambling coral ferns. Seeds from exotic weeds
still germinated, but as the forest thickened, these alien
seedlings were unable survive the gloom or compete against
the powerful growth of endemic rainforest plants.
This remarkable transformation of Queenstown’s once
naked, scarred hills is surprising, but inevitable. After all, the
new vegetation is composed of west coast endemics that
dominate low-fertility, acidic soils. The high rainfall, which
PHOTOS: TOP: PETER CUNDALL / LEFT: ISTOCKPHOTO
had once stripped away topsoil, is now helping repair the
damage. The renewed hills and gullies around the old copper
smelters have become supreme examples of the healing
power and ultimate triumph of nature.
We must do all we can to prevent the destruction and
vandalism of our pristine forests such as at Queenstown,
but at least we know that, given time, it is the force of life
which is the ultimate winner. The renewed rainforests and
beautiful, green-mantled mountains around Queenstown are
living proof of this.
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 ORGANIC PLANET

Fighting
for our forests
PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

The world’s forests are the lifeblood of Earth, yet their future is threatened,
and our existence with it. It’s time to turn back the tide, one tree at a time,
writes Dr Reese Halter.

California’s giant Sequoia
“General Sherman” is the biggest
tree in the world: 83.8m tall with
ground girth of 31.3m, and first
branch at 40m above the ground.
Top: The amazon is the world’s
largest tropical forest.
above: the sequoia redwood is
the tallest tree on earth.
A
ll wild forests are teeming with life and contain a
magic balance between innumerable species and
processes. They are biological treasure houses,
beyond any human-created museum. An individual can
easily walk through a forest without noticing the masses
of elements that work in concert to generate and sustain a
dynamic environment, from the tiniest insect to the amount
of sunlight that penetrates a canopy.
About 10,000 years ago, 50 per cent of the Earth’s
land surface was forested. Today, a little over 30 per cent
is covered with forests and a lot of that decline is due to
humans. Trees and forests are the lifeblood of the planet and
they are in trouble, globally, and therefore so are we.
The value of forests
Trees with woody trunks and a vascular system, towering
over the land, have existed on Earth for more than
350 million years. Not only did trees provide indispensable
shade for dinosaurs, they also helped modify the water and
energy flow between the land and atmosphere.
Every tree in the world participates in many biological
processes, but one of the most notable is photosynthesis.
In this process, leaves absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the
atmosphere, mix it with water, convert it into sugar using
the sun’s energy, and give off oxygen as a byproduct. In
fact, trees are the greatest CO₂ warehouses to have ever
evolved. For every tonne of wood created, 1.5 tonnes of CO₂
is absorbed and 1 tonne of oxygen is released. Old forests are
superlative at capturing and storing vast amounts of CO₂.
Wild forests occupy amazing swathes of land.
The northern forests or boreal make up the largest
uninterrupted, or contiguous, forested area on the surface
of the planet – the Earth’s emerald crown. Stretching
across Canada, through central Alaska, northern Asia,
Russia, Europe, Scandinavia and northern Scotland, the
taiga contains one-third of all trees in the world, and is
characterised by very long and very cold winters.
In sections, these forests are populated by the most
widespread tree on the globe, the European aspen, as well
as especially resilient species such as the deciduous Siberian
larch, which can withstand temperatures of -55°C. These
biological communities thrive in the northern environments.
The temperate forests, meanwhile, are located about half
way between the tropics and the poles in both hemispheres
and have moderate climates with four distinct seasons. In
the southern hemisphere there are relatively small areas of
temperate forests, in South America, Africa, New Zealand
and Australia. In the northern hemisphere they are primarily
found in Europe, the eastern half of the United States and
parts of China and Japan.
Temperate forests contain the biggest trees in the world,
including coastal redwoods of northern California which
have been known to reach in excess of 115m and are the
PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO
tallest of all 80,000 known tree species. The second tallest
are our own mountain ash, or swamp gums, which have been
recorded in excess of 99m in Tasmania and Victoria.
Tropical forests hug the equator within 10 degrees or so,
occupying an area of about 6 per cent of the Earth’s surface. Yet
 ORGANIC PLANET

these exquisite forests contain at least half the known species

of plants and animals in the world. The three largest tropical
forests in ascending order are South America’s Amazon, Africa’s
Congo and South-East Asia’s Indonesian jungles.

Amazon wealth
The Amazon is crucial habitat to one in 10 of the 1.6 million
known species on the planet. More than 2000 tree species
live in a hectare of Amazonia. It is typically warm, wet and
windless throughout the year.
Tropical rainforests such as the Amazon are splendid
rainmakers. The bright morning sunshine heats up the
vegetation and evaporates water from it, resulting in the
upward convection of wet air. As the air rises, it forms clouds
and produces rain in the afternoon and evening. More than
half of the rain that falls on the great jungles of the Amazon
River Basin returns to the atmosphere through the leaves of
trees, to fall again as rain on the Amazon forests. That daily
TREES DOING GOOD
cloud formation reflects a massive amount of incoming solar
radiation back into space; these clouds are of paramount One-third of the world’s cities obtain most of their
importance for keeping the world cool. drinking water from protected forest areas.
Frighteningly though, this most majestic of jungles is Trees absorb city air pollutants (nitrogen oxide,
breaking down with alarming regularity and the effects
ammonia, sulphur dioxide and ozone) by trapping
are amplifying around the globe. Human activity, including
accelerated deforestation, is wreaking havoc with wildfires, them in their leaves.
droughts, heat waves and insect epidemics. A hectare of mature trees can provide enough
oxygen for one year for 36 people.
Global alarm bells
Below I list some of the most dire forest situations around the Trees cool streets and cities by up to 6°C. 51
world, starting with the Amazon. Not to depress you, but to Trees planted strategically around a home cut
show the bigger picture and the need for an immediate and
concerted international global effort to save them. As well as
summer air-conditioning energy by up to 50 per cent.
fighting to slow climate change and save the oceans, we must By reducing the energy consumption demand, we
protect the forests. Take a deep breath while you can! reduce CO₂ and other pollutants such as mercury
The Amazon has not evolved to contend with severe vapour emitted by coal-fired power plants.
winds. In 2005 a lethal combination was unleashed: first, a
powerful thunderstorm 100km long by 200km wide ripped Trees help fight the climate crisis. In one year a
through the Amazon Basin from the south-east to north- hectare of mature trees absorbs the CO₂ emitted
west. It levelled half a billion mature trees or 23 per cent of by four gasoline-powered automobiles, driving a
the estimated mean annual carbon accumulation capacity of combined distance of 90,000km.
the Amazon forest (trees emit CO₂ when they decompose).
Then a one-in-one-hundred-year drought occurred. The One apple tree can yield 400kg a year, providing
Amazon failed to absorb an estimated 1.5 billion tonnes of family, friends and wildlife with nutritious food.
CO₂ that year, and over the following decade it released
Research shows that patients with views of
approximately 5 billion tonnes of CO₂ from the decomposing
500 million blown-down trees. Two years later, extreme trees out their windows heal faster and with fewer
droughts in the south-east Amazon rainforest created complications. Children with ADHD show fewer
conditions for epic wildfires, 10 times more fires than in symptoms when they have access to nature.
an average year. The area that burned in 2007 was the Exposure to trees and nature helps concentration by
equivalent to one million soccer fields. Then in 2010, the
second one-in-a-hundred-year drought gripped.
reducing mental fatigue.
That enormous area of dead jungle is releasing 8 billion Half of the top 10 prescription drugs in Australia
ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCKPHOTO

tonnes of CO₂ over the ensuing decade. All those billions of and America come from animals, plants and
dead trees means that Earth is losing its tremendous rain-
microorganisms found in tropical wild forests, and
making machines, and instead it is absorbing mega amounts
of incoming solar radiation rather than reflecting it. three-quarters of all cancer drugs come from nature.
What this means is that the Earth’s largest tropical forest,
the Amazon Basin, has begun a transition from pristine
 wilderness to drought and fire-dominated regimes on a scale
there are over never witnessed since our progenitors first walked the planet
seven million years ago. The Amazon jungle has reached

80,000 its tipping point; it’s on the verge en masse of contributing to

rising greenhouse gases rather than removing them.

kinds of As if all these deadly events were not frightening enough,

158 scientists recently issued a warning that at the current

TREES rate of Amazonian deforestation, 57 per cent of the 15,000

tree species are heading toward extinction, including

on planet mahogany and food-bearing Brazil nuts, cacao and acai palms.

Extreme conditions
Earth The Amazon, of course, is not alone in suffering the effects
of deforestation and climate change. Extreme droughts in
North Africa are killing Atlas cedar trees from Morocco
to Algeria. Heat and drought are battering high-elevation
tropical forests in Uganda, mountain acacia in Zimbabwe
and centuries-old aloe plants in Namibia. Tropical forests
of Malaysia and Borneo have suffered significant death.
Drought has also lambasted the tropical forests of north-
west and south-west India, fir in South Korea, the junipers of
Saudi Arabia and pine and fir of central Turkey.
Heat waves, droughts and wildfires have ravaged
Australian forests, too. The Black Saturday bush fires that
scorched Victoria on Saturday, February 7, 2009, were
Australia’s all-time worst bushfire disasters, resulting in the
deaths of 173 people and the highest ever loss of wildlife.
Drought is killing the marri and jarrah forests, which are
52 precious habitat for threatened Carnaby’s black-cockatoos
of south-west Western Australia. Deadly heat-induced
stress in northern Tasmanian forests caused blue and white
gums to exude their sap, dubbed the “ginger syndrome” for
the blood-like bark discolouration. More than 2000 square
kilometres of the Cooma-Monaro region of NSW are now
a mass graveyard of ribbon gums because it is too dry for
these forests to exist.
Rising temperatures, insect epidemics and wildfires have
left an indelible stamp across the North American continent.
Trillions of indigenous bark beetles killed 30 billion mature
pines and spruce across the west, and those decaying trees
are now leaking greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,
instead of removing them. Last year, wildfires charred over
four million hectares across America – it was the costliest
fire season on record at $1.7 billion.
If this isn’t shocking enough, Chinese oil companies intend
on buying one-third of Ecuador’s remaining Amazon jungle or
2.7 million hectares for oil and gas exploration. This would be
a huge blow in conservation efforts to protect the remaining
Amazon forests from further damage and exploitation. The
insatiable Asian demand for prized timbers is also driving
lucrative illegal logging from Madagascar to the Congo, and
from Thailand and Cambodia across the Pacific into Russia.

Action stations
PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO

top: the amazon is home to The key to our survival is slowing down the destruction of
the emperor tamarin. wild forests because the strength of an ecosystem depends
above: THE world’s forests upon all of its interdependent biodiversity, especially in
are under pressure from
increased logging. the midst of the climate crisis. Conservationists, scientists,

the final forest frontier
Boreal forest
(Alaska and Canada)
Europe
North America
Tropical
rainforest
(Congo Basin)
Tropical
rainforest
(Amazon Basin
and Guyana Shield)
LARGE INTACT FOREST south America
LANDSCAPES
Today
8000 years ago
city authorities and individuals around the world are taking
positive actions and offering us hope by planting trees,
rejuvenating forests, protecting bushland and fighting land
clearing. Here are some examples.
Trust for Nature is Australia’s oldest private land trust
working with landholders in Victoria to protect properties
in perpetuity from logging and tree clearing and to ensure
habitat for wildlife. So far the trust has protected 50,000
hectares through private land conservation covenants.
The tiny country of Bhutan celebrated the birth of King
Khesar and Queen Jetsun’s new baby, His Royal Highness,
The Gyalsey, on February 5 this year with all 82,000 of
the nation’s households planting a tree. New York City
recently completed its one-millionth tree planting in its
efforts to combat the climate crisis by future-proofing its
neighbourhoods. New York City is striving for a 40 per cent
urban canopy, the benchmark set by Melbourne.
In 2007, Felix Finkbeiner challenged his classmates in
Germany – and ultimately around the globe – to plant one
million trees in each country, a dream that grew into an
international youth organisation called Plant for the Planet.
In 2011, the United Nations handed over its Billion Tree
Campaign to be administered by Plant for the Planet.
Australian children are doing their part to help future-
MAP: GREENPEACE & WORLD RESOURCE INSTITUTE
proof the nation. One Tree Per Child program, co-founded
by Olivia Newton John, is planting trees from Coogee to
Cottesloe in a vital effort to engage children with nature,
empowering them to be good stewards of the land.
Dutch biologist and animal rights activist Dr Willie Smits
is on a mission to rehabilitate Borneo’s glorious rainforests.
The palm oil plantation industry and its slash-and-burn
technique of clearing the land is ruinous for the forest
and millions of people. So Smits and legions of volunteers
are replanting the cutover, burned forests with a mixture
ORGANIC PLANET
Boreal forest (Russia)
Asia
Tropical rainforest
(Islands of Borneo
and New Guinea)
Africa
Australia
Map redrawn from WRI/Greenpeace by Jason Halter WonderInc.com
of native tree species as well as inoculating soils with
microbes – and it is working! Smits and his teams are building
biodiversity back into the denuded sites, helping to recreate
habitat for the beleaguered orangutans and many other
animal species. 53
For those who want to lend a helping hand there are
excellent organisations that focus on the planting and
protection of trees. Of course, we can all head into the
garden, schoolyard or workspace and plant as many trees as
possible. A crucial issue facing lawmakers around the globe
is to protect the remaining trees, bushland and forest from
the axe because they are invaluable CO₂ warehouses, fresh
water catchments and crucial habitat for the creatures
facing rising extinction rates. Every tree from individuals to
remnant bushland and magnificent wild forests counts, and it
will require a colossal global effort to save them. The sooner
we begin, the better the chance of our survival.
RESOURCES
Websites:
The Wilderness Society: wilderness.org.au
The Forest Trust, global network: tft-earth.org
Plant for the Planet: plant-for-the-planet.org
Trust for Nature: tfn.org.au
Greenpeace: greenpeace.org.au
Rainforest Action Network: ran.org
Books:
The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery
The Insatiable Bark Beetle by Dr Reese Halter
ORGANIC ADVICE
Q CAPTIVATING
CATERPILLAR
While tidying my pot plants
I came across this large
caterpillar devouring my
‘Black Magic’ colocasia. Can
54 you tell me what it is and if I
can expect to find a lot more?
He’s quite pretty and I couldn’t
bring myself to kill him.
Roz Clark, via email
Dear Roz,
A The tail spike gives it away
– it is the larva of Tryon’s
Hawk Moth (Theretra tryoni).
All hawk moth larvae have a
tail spike, but mature larvae of
this particular species have a
distinctive curved spike with
a white tip. They are known
to feed on various plants in
WINNING
WORDS
Roz clark wins a copy of our
latest ‘Essential Guide – Natural
Solutions’, available for
$10.95 from ABC Centres and at
organicgardener.com.au
the Araceae family including
arum lily, elephants ear and
taro. They are found along
the east coast of Australia
from Cape York down to the
mid-NSW coast. There are
usually only a few larvae on
a plant so significant damage
is uncommon. Adult moths
are plain brown with a typical
hawk moth shape and feed
from flowers while hovering
like hummingbirds.
Denis Crawford
QEARWIGS IN
ARTICHOKES
My household loves globe
artichokes, but so do the
earwigs and young harlequin
bugs. Watering is a horror
as these pests leap from my
artichokes. I have not had an
edible crop in three years, but
I hate to spray. Please help.
Kimberley Thomas, via email
Dear Kimberley,
A The best way to control
European earwigs is to set
traps such as scrunched up
paper inside an upturned pot
on the end of a wooden stake
(see pic, above). Leave for a
few days for the numbers to
build up and then pull it out
each morning and drop the
QSUNFLOWERS FOR BIRDS
I have a pet galah named Syd who likes sunflower seeds.
My problem is when I grow plants they have poor quality or
small seeds. Please advise which sunflower plants have the
largest seeds. If Syd doesn’t get large seeds he gets vicious!
John and Syd, via email
Dear John and Syd,
A It’s best to choose a variety that is specifically for seed
harvest rather than appearance when planting sunflowers for
birds. The two varieties grown commercially for seed for birds
in Australia are ‘Sunbird 7’ from Pacific Seeds and ‘Galah’ from
Pioneer Seeds. ‘Sunbird’ is readily available online from sellers
such as Green Harvest (greenharvest.com.au) and The Seed
Collection (theseedcollection.com.au). If you prefer an heirloom,
try ‘Giant Russian’ from diggers.com.au or greenpatchseeds.com.
To produce a good head of seeds, sunflowers need full sun,
very good drainage, plenty of water, and organic fertiliser
such as well-rotted chicken manure.
Jessamy Miller
earwigs into soapy water.
PHOTO OF GALAH: ISTOCKPHOTO/CENTRE PHOTO: PENNY WOODWARD
Also, a great idea that came
from reader David de Brequet
some years ago is to half fill a post
Locked Bag 5555,
glass jar with water and then St Leonards NSW 1590
pour a layer of fish oil (the
dregs from a tin of sardines
•
email
or tuna) over the top (not too
thick). Half bury this in the
editor@organicgardener.
com.au
ground and leave. The earwigs •
are attracted by the fish oil web
organicgardener.com.au
and drown in the water. Also
•
birds, especially chickens,
love to eat earwigs.
Find us on:
Penny Woodward
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 ORGANIC BASICS

57

back to the
roots
Robert Kourik busts some common myths about root growth
and how it affects the care of trees.

T
hey’re rather ugly, mostly invisible, and nobody really
understands them, yet they provide sustenance and
support for all plants. I’m talking about roots, and
because they live and function mostly out of sight, gardeners
have conjured up some pretty fanciful assumptions about
PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO
MYTH 1: Tree roots grow only as wide as their
foliage canopies
In heavy clay soils, tree roots may grow one-half again as
wide as the foliage, well beyond its edge or ‘dripline’. In sandy
soils, which offer less physical resistance, roots will often

how they grow. Such misconceptions permeate our gardening grow up to three times wider, and in shallow soil on top of
behaviour and have a distorting influence on how almost a clay or hardpan layer, the roots may wander out to an
all shade trees and fruit trees are watered, mulched and area five times wider than the canopy in search of enough
fertilised. It’s time to bare all. moisture and nutrients to thrive.
ORGANIC BASICS
CM
0 deep as 40m in their search for water.
100
200
This is a 30-year-old apricot tree with roots growing 200cm deep in sandy
soil and on the right extending well beyond the dripline.
58
Knowing your soil type greatly influences where you irrigate, mulch and
fertilise. Here are the roots of two rootstock grafted apple trees, the one
on the left in sandy soil and THE ONE on the right in loamy soil (the roots
here stay noticeably closer to the width of the canopy).
TOP TIPS FOR TREE CARe
When it comes to root growth, there are some
important tips for treatment of established
shade and fruit trees.
• No watering moats next to tree trunks,
except for freshly transplanted trees.
• Beginning at or just inside the dripline, add
required fertiliser out to a perimeter that is 1.5
times the width of the foliage canopy.
• No mulch is needed in the first 15–30cm from
the trunk. Instead, place it out at the dripline
and well beyond.
• Avoid root-feeders with their deep probes
and high water volume. Use an intermittent
sprinkler or a drip-irrigation system to prevent
flooding the soil’s pore space.
• Water only to replenish moisture lost in the
top 30–60cm of soil.
Myth 2: Taproots anchor all trees
Although some trees, such as walnuts, pecans and a number
of pines and oaks, are anchored by a deep vertical root, less
than 2 per cent of all trees grow taproots. Most fruit trees
and many shade trees grow a fibrous root system composed
of a number of horizontal roots radiating out from the trunk
with vertical or ‘sinker’ roots growing along them at various
intervals. Because of our dry conditions, many Australian
tree species, including Eucalyptus and Corymbia, have a
shallow root layer that can extend to four times the tree
canopy, as well as a secondary root system that may go as
Myth 3: Trees feed deep in the soil
Trees do grow deep roots, but they are primarily for
anchorage and finding emergency water and nutrients during
extreme droughts. The upper (30–45cm) and most aerobic
layers of the soil are where natural soil processes release
the most nutrients. This layer provides trees with 50 per
cent or more of the nutrients they require for good growth,
flowering, or leaf or fruit production. The top 30cm of soil
(except for some very dry soils in certain deserts) almost
always maintains the highest percentage of mineral uptake
and water absorption when compared with deeper strata.
Myth 4: Deep watering is best
Recommendations of deep watering usually mean soaking
the soil well below the top 30–60cm. However, using
‘root-feeders’ or leaving the sprinkler on for hours is
probably a waste of any water that penetrates more than
60cm. If you do this, or if you dig a watering moat within
60cm of the trunk of an established tree, then you may be
unwittingly wasting water, constricting root growth, reducing
resistance to wind, and inviting various root rots. However,
adding moisture and fertilisers well beyond that 60cm radius
can make for a larger, healthier and sturdier tree.
MYTH 5: Roots sense water and fertility
Roots aren’t psychic – they can’t foresee where water and
fertility might lie. Roots don’t ‘smell’ proper water and
fertility levels, but when they stumble across them, they
proliferate by branching and making more feeding root
hairs. Roots won’t actually expend energy to grow through
a hostile and infertile soil zone to search out greener
pastures; being inherently ‘lazy’, they’ll proliferate where
the feeding is the easiest. Roots are mostly opportunistic
and will grow randomly in many directions, following
moisture and nutrients.
ILLUSTRATIONS: ROBERT KOURIK
So don’t be ‘myth-guided’, experiment with these
guidelines on one or two of your trees and watch for
improved growth and maybe even reduced pests
and diseases.
Robert Kourik is the author of numerous books including ‘Understanding
Roots’. For details, see robertkourik.com
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 in conversation with
bob brown
PHOTO: MATTHEW NEWTON

Helen Cushing talks with former Greens leader and senator

Bob Brown about his continuing work to save the world’s forests
and why they are vital to humanity and the planet.

Q : Why do we need forests?
A : Forests are the key because we come from them. They
are built into us, we are bonded to them spiritually. An
hour in a supermarket leaves you fatigued, but an hour in a
forest is revitalising. You can buy a plastic tree, but no one
wants them in their garden. Forests are life.
Q : So forests are part of the life system of
planet Earth?
A : The relationship between the biosphere and forests is
direct. Flying over Tasmania recently I noticed that every
patch of forest had its own cloud over it. This relationship
is at risk from global warming. As we speak, Canada’s worst
ever wildfires are raging through its forests. Forests are in
free-fall and so is biodiversity.
Q : Traditional cultures depended on forests so they
protected and maintained them. The modern world
view is dominated by science and economics. In the
last 50 years, about half the world’s original forest
cover has been lost. Are science and economics failing
our forests?
A : In the Indigenous view we are the same as nature. There
is no dividing line. The modern view measures the value of
a tree in terms of the market that is consuming them. If you
put a dollar value on forests, the biggest value is in visitors
and as a hedge against climate change – good economics and
good science support forest protection.
Q : Why then, are our forests being destroyed?
A : As with whaling, there’s no limit to the absurd lengths
governments will go to in keeping an industry alive, even
when it’s an economic liability. In Tasmania, wood chipping
destroyed 10,000 jobs through the closure of small sawmills
and processing. Corporations want to get rid of jobs, so they
give big dollars to governments. Politicians are scared to
go into forests because there’s an encoding in us that can’t
be removed – it connects us to forests and the capitalist
perspective falls apart when the spirit is touched by the
experience. They don’t want to take that risk.
ORGANIC CONVERSATION
You can buy a plastic tree but
no one wants them in their garden.
Forests are life.
Q : What is the key to forest protection?
A : The big hope for forests is people experiencing them. So
many city people have never been into a forest, but they
come from them. Environmental education is the cutting edge
of tourism worldwide. A busload of visitors from Shanghai
was taken into an old growth forest in Tasmania. They were
scared to get out of the bus. City people have to experience
forests. People power is the only way.
61
Q : What forest campaigns is the Bob Brown
Foundation involved in?
A : We’re supporting a campaign to stop the Baram River
dam in Sarawak, set to displace 20,000 Indigenous
people and drown a vast area of rainforest. We’re behind
the proposal for the Great Forest National Park in Victoria,
where the logging of mountain ash, the world’s tallest
flowering tree, is destroying the last habitat of Victoria’s
emblem, the Leadbeater’s possum. A priority is Tasmania’s
Tarkine where dozens of coups are being logged, 95 per
cent is covered by mineral exploration licences and off-road
vehicles are smashing Aboriginal heritage.
Q : How can the average person make a difference?
A : We’re the biggest herd of grazing mammals on the
planet and we’re consuming 150 per cent of its renewable
resources. The millions of people in our cities must take to
the streets. Environmentalists are busy negotiating behind
closed doors while governments are shutting down the
avenues for protest. If you silence the streets, you lose. The
majority of people want forest protection. Come out and be
heard – be brave for the Earth.
More details on forests and The Bob Brown Foundation at:
bobbrown.org.au
PHOTO: BEN DEARNLEY/STYLING: MICHELLE NOERIANTO
 ORGANIC HARVEST

Australian
fare
Taste the best that our great wide land has to offer with these
delicious dishes selected from Kelli Brett’s Australia Cooks – the
result of a call-out to ABC Local Radio across the nation and
featuring regional ingredients and recipes from everyday cooks.
63

In the garden in s
eas
A cornucopia of fruit and vegetables can be harvested
from late winter to early spring. Delicious young beetroot
Fruit on
straight from the garden are hard to beat. I always plant AVOCADO JACKFRUIT STAR FRUIT
mine much closer together than recommended and BLACK SAPOTE MULBERRY SURINAM
harvest every second one at ping-pong ball size, leaving CITRUS PAWPAW CHERRY
the others to grow. And don’t forget that the leaves are CUSTARD APPLE STRAWBERRY
great for salads, too. Winter salad herbs such as corn
salad, landcress and rocket are also still producing well,
as are peas and broad beans. Lemons are still available for
Vegetables
harvesting, and oranges are coming into season. ASIAN GREENS ENGLISH PAK C
But what I love most about this time of year is that two ASPARAGUS SPINACH PARSNIP
of my favourite perennial vegetables – globe artichokes BEETROOT FENNEL PEA
and asparagus – are in season. You can pick artichoke BROAD BEAN LEEK POTATO
buds very young and just cook them whole and eat them, CABBAGE MUSTARD SPRING ONIONS
or wait until they are more developed and eat the stem, CELERY GREENS TURNIP
heart (with the choke removed) and leaf bases. Asparagus
spears are harvested by cutting them with a sharp knife
just below the surface of the soil. Eat these delicious Herbs & Edible Flowers
tender stems raw, or cook them for only a couple of
minutes. Heaven. CALENDULA COWSLIP NASTURTIUM
PENNY WOODWARD FLOWERS FLOWERS FLOWERS
CHIVES LEMON BALM
Facing page: SCOTTSDALE CARAMELISED ONION AND BEETROOT TART
WITH JETSONVILLE LAMB. see recipe on page 64.
ORGANIC HARVEST
SCOTTSDALE CARAMELISED ONION
AND BEETROOT TART WITH
JETSONVILLE LAMB pictured page 62
From Dinah Moore, Scottsdale, Tasmania
Our family has been farming in the rich red soils of the
north-east region of Tasmania for nearly 100 years, and the
current farming operation has been going for the past 60. My
son, Cameron Moore, and his business partner, Darren (Tex)
Cassidy, grow and market both red and brown onions, along
with beetroot, carrots, swedes and parsnips. My husband
and I recently retired from this business and we are now
concentrating our efforts on producing the best prime lambs
we can. This recipe uses three of the products we produce —
red onions, beetroot and lamb.
WINE PICKS
64
BY MAX ALLEN
The lupin pancakes, with their savoury, spicy flavours,
would be excellent with a good organic beer – even if the
ale, made from barley and wheat, would rob the meal of
its gluten-free status. And the lamb dish, with the earthy
flavours of beetroot and the sweetness of onion, could have
been designed with pinot noir in mind.
Mountain Goat Steam Ale ($6)
One of the only certified organic beers
(relatively) widely available in Australia, the
Steam Ale has proved to be a big hit in the
Mountain Goat range, thanks to its fresh,
fragrant, crisp flavours.
goatbeer.com.au
2014 Hochkirch Steinbruch Pinot Noir,
Henty ($30)
Made from Demeter certified biodynamically
grown grapes on a mixed farm in south-west
Victoria, this rich, earthy, deeply satisfying pinot
was bottled without any added preservatives.
hochkirch@bigpond.com
serves 8
250g lamb mince
2 tablespoons currants
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
4 tablespoons homemade tomato sauce or paste (see note)
1 tablespoon couscous
Green salad and tzatziki, to serve
PASTRY
200g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
200g plain flour
125ml sour cream
CARAMELISED RED ONION AND BEETROOT
50g unsalted butter
1 red onion, sliced
1 large beetroot, trimmed and grated
1.5 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
To make the pastry, pulse the butter and flour in a food
processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add
the sour cream and continue to pulse until the dough starts
to form a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate
for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll out the
chilled pastry until 5mm thick and use it to line a well-
greased 130cm x 35cm rectangular loose-bottom flan tin.
To blind bake, place baking paper over the pastry and fill
with baking beads or uncooked rice. Bake for 20 minutes,
then remove the baking paper and beads. Bake the pastry
shell for a further 10–15 minutes, or until it is a light golden
colour. Remove the pastry from the oven and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, to make the caramelised red onion and
beetroot, melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium
to low heat. Add the onion and beetroot and cook, stirring
occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until soft. Add the sugar and
vinegar, and stir and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until
mixture is caramelised. Set aside to cool.
To make the filling, place the mince, currants, almonds,
tomato sauce and couscous into a large bowl and mix
with your hands to distribute the ingredients evenly. Spread
the lamb mixture evenly over the pastry case and top with
the caramelised red onion and beetroot. Cook in the oven
for 35 minutes and allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
Remove carefully from the tin and serve warm with a green
salad and tzatziki.
Note: You can use any tomato sauce — even harissa or Napoli — to suit your
taste and flavour and moisten the lamb mixture.
 VEGETARIAN SAVOURY
LUPIN PANCAKES
From Dr Shyamala Vishnumohan,
Coorow Seeds, Coorow,
Western Australia

The flour I use to make this recipe is made

from 100 per cent Australian sweet lupins
— the iconic pulse of Western Australia.
In fact, 85 per cent of the world’s sweet
lupins are produced in this state. My
Indian-inspired savoury pancakes are
made by combining lupin flour with
chickpea flour and vegetables, and adding
a wonderful zing of ginger, chillies,
turmeric and coriander leaves. Lupins are
the world’s richest source of combined
protein and fibre, with negligible starch,
and they are gluten-free. They add a new
dimension to healthy eating — as do these
exotic and delicious pancakes.

makes 10
½ cup lupin flour (see note)
½ cup chickpea flour
½ small onion, finely diced
¼ tomato, finely chopped
½ cup mixed vegetables (eg. mashed
potato, finely diced carrots, zucchini,
capsicum)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ cup chopped coriander leaves, plus
extra, to serve
Canola oil spray spray lightly with oil. Pour ¼ cup of the
Yoghurt, herbed sour cream and/or a batter into the centre with a rounded
tomato relish, to serve ladle and spread slightly with the bottom Lupins are the
of the ladle to get an even-looking circle.
Place all of the ingredients except the oil, Cook on medium heat until the sides world’s richest
yoghurt, sour cream and tomato relish dry up and the bottom of the pancake
source of combined
PHOTO: BEN DEARNLEY/STYLING: MICHELLE NOERIANTO

in a large bowl and stir to combine well.
Season with salt to taste and set aside
for 15 minutes. Add up to ¾ cup water a
little at a time, mixing as you go, to make
a batter slightly runnier than a pancake
batter. As there is no gluten in this batter,
you don’t have to worry about making
the pancakes tough through over-mixing.
Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron or non-
stick frying pan over medium heat and
turns golden brown. Flip over and cook
until the other side turns golden brown.
Keep the pancakes warm as you cook protein and fibre,
the remainder. Serve hot with the extra
coriander leaves and yoghurt, herbed
with negligible
sour cream and/or a tomato relish.
starch, and they are
Note: Lupin flour can be found at some health food
gluten-free.
stores. If you can’t find it, use 1 cup of chickpea
flour instead of ½ cup.
ORGANIC HARVEST

HARVEST NOTES
Silverbeet
Except in the coldest
regions, silverbeet is a year-
round crop and clumps sown
in autumn will be producing
prolifically now. Harvest
silverbeet and rainbow
chard by pulling the outside
stems from the clump. This
is especially important at
this time of year because
the base of cut leaves will
collect water and may lead
to the whole clump rotting.
Both leaves and stems make
a healthy addition to soups,
stir-fries and baked dishes
such as spanikopita. Leaves
are high in iron, manganese,
magnesium and potassium
as well as vitamins A, K
and C.
Navel oranges
The variety of orange being
grown will determine when
it can be harvested. Navel
oranges are the first that
come into season, ripening
in winter and early spring,
while others ripen through
spring and summer. It can
be hard to tell when navels
are ripe as patches of skin
will stay green even though
fruit are ready to eat. The
only way to be sure is to pick
one and try it. Use secateurs
to cut the fruit, leaving a
bit of stem attached for
longer storage. One tree
can yield hundreds of fruit
so make sure your friends
and relatives are primed to
share the bounty.

WARM ORANGE AND ALMOND PUDDINGS
WITH MASCARPONE CREAM
From Carole DeMaria, Buronga, New South Wales
This dish represents the Sunraysia region of north-western
Victoria and south-western NSW – the land of sunshine,
oranges, grapes and almonds. It features local Valencia
oranges and almonds, and is finished with beautiful glistening
glacé orange segments to depict sunrays. And you can
substitute the Valencias for navel oranges when they’re
in season.
serves 4
Preheat the oven to 150°C. Grease four 125ml dariole moulds.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Using
electric beaters or an electric mixer, cream the butter
and half the sugar. Beat in the egg yolks. Stir in the flour,
almond meal, flaked almonds, and orange juice and zest
until combined. Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture.
Divide the mixture evenly between the moulds. Place in a
large baking dish and fill halfway up the side of the moulds
with boiling water. Place the tray in the oven and cook the
puddings for 30–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into
the middle comes out clean.
Meanwhile, peel and segment the 2 extra oranges.
Combine the remaining sugar in a small saucepan with
2 tablespoons of water. Heat over medium heat, stirring,
until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to the boil.
Add the orange segments, reduce the heat to low and leave
to simmer for 2–3 minutes, or until the orange segments
PHOTO: BEN DEARNLEY/STYLING: MICHELLE NOERIANTO

2 eggs, separated appear translucent. Set aside on a tray lined with baking
80g butter paper. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the
1 cup caster sugar mascarpone. Dust the puddings with icing sugar and serve
½ cup self-raising flour with a scoop of mascarpone cream on top,
⅓ cup almond meal and orange segments fanned out to look
40g flaked almonds, toasted like sunrays.
Zest and juice of 1 Valencia orange, plus 2 whole oranges, extra
100ml thickened cream
These recipes are from Australia Cooks, edited by
100g mascarpone Kelli Brett and published by ABC Books. For a review,
Icing sugar, to dust see page 86.
 Permaculture
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The Gordon Family – their patch
has taken over their lives!

PHOTO: MARY CANNING


Patch from
Scratch
revisited
One year down the track, Jacqueline Forster revisits our ‘Patch from Scratch’ garden
makeover winners to find the Gordon family bursting with enthusiasm and success.
M
ore than a year after the designers, horticultural
advisors and television crews packed up and left them
to their own devices, the remarkable Gordon family
of inner-western Sydney have transformed their bare backyard
into a thriving urban farm.
Alex and Stuart Gordon, along with kids Noah, Aurelia and
Frankie, were already interested in growing food and living
sustainably when they entered Organic Gardener’s ‘Patch
from Scratch’ competition – to make over a backyard garden
into a bountiful oasis – but they just didn’t know where to
begin. It’s fair to say now, after a steep learning curve involving
permaculture principles, hard landscaping, chicken wrangling,
composting, planting, watering, feeding, natural pest control and
propagation, they’ve nailed the gig.
When I visit on a sunny Sydney autumn day, the four main
vegie beds are pumping out the produce, most of which, Alex
says proudly, has been grown from seed. There’s a brassica bed,
under mesh to guard against cabbage butterfly, and others
filled with peas, lettuce, mustard greens, radishes, broad beans,
carrots, beetroot, Malabar spinach, leeks, spring onions, and
garlic – some sent by a friend in Tassie, and some saved from
the Gordon’s own harvest last year. Alex explains they are
experimenting with biointensive planting and says the lush mix is
thriving thanks to regular feeds of worm juice and castings plus
a mix of seaweed and fish emulsion liquid fertiliser.
A couple of vigorous passionfruit vines provide summer
shade for the chook palace that Stuart built, and a newly planted
lilly pilly hedge will help with privacy from neighbours. The
ORGANIC PROFILE
69
healthy flock has grown to seven with the inclusion of three
Langshan hens, to the pair of Welsummers, a Barnevelder and
little Rosie, the Aracauna, who is the most prolific layer of all.
Along the fence there are espaliered apple, fig, apricot,
nectarine and pear trees and a newly planted blueberry and goji
berry patch under a spreading peach tree. Pots that define the
entertaining area (still a work in progress), include succulents,
lemon verbena, curry leaf, chilli, rosemary, strawberries, bay
and elderflower.
Recycled steel reo is used for netting purposes on the
vegie beds and ties in with Corten weathering steel edging
and circular raised garden beds. The smart edging maintains a
barrier between the lawn and perimeter gardens where the food
forest is taking off.
Fabulous food forest
The integrated plan for the Gordon’s backyard, designed by
Nick Ritar from Milkwood Permaculture, included a food
forest. So, after removing an area of concrete adjacent to the
vegie beds, the soil was improved with homemade compost,
store-bought organic fertiliser, and litter from the floor of
the chook run to make it ready for planting.
Filling the small but abundant space are pepino,
midyimberry, pomegranate, avocado, finger lime, kaffir lime,
Tahitian lime, ‘Seville’ orange, lemon, mandarin, blood orange
(heavily pruned to combat citrus gall wasp), olive, macadamia,
pawpaw, mango, and coffee plants that will form a hedge
along the back fence. Interspersed with the trees and shrubs
ORGANIC PROFILE

are rhizomes (ginger, galangal, turmeric and cardamom) and

beneficial flowers and herbs (lemongrass, comfrey, Greek
basil, tansy, nasturtium) and a groundcover of sweet potato.
All in all, a veritable edible paradise.
What makes this all the more impressive is that Alex
and Stuart have done the hard work themselves, including
extensive research. “We’ve learnt so much through the whole
process and in a way the ‘Patch from Scratch’ has taken over
our lives,” says Stuart. “In a good way!” he hastens to add.
As for the future, Alex says there is still more they’d like to
achieve. “We want to know all we can about natural pest control
and backyard beekeeping. Some pruning knowledge wouldn’t
go astray either – we’re pretty clueless about that.”

70
The young food
forest plantings.
What is a food forest?
Edible forest gardening differs from conventional
food growing in that it mimics nature with different
layers and species forming symbiotic relationships.
Canopy fruit and nut trees, and the shrubs and
What We Learnt
Healthy Soil: We try to keep the soil as healthy
as possible, mixing in nutrients every time we
plant and keeping the liquid fertiliser up to the
vegies. Each season we add manure, dynamic
lifter, rock minerals, blood and bone, and our
homemade compost.
Crop Rotation: We practise crop rotation to
manage nutrients or nutrient loss in the soil and
ensure we keep on top of any diseases or pests. We
are recording successes and failures each season.
Compost and Worms: Our compost system is
probably the most rewarding part of the garden.
We’ve always liked the waste reduction side of
composting, but now we’ve learnt to make quality
compost that improves our soil with a combination
of materials such as wood shavings from the chook
pen and food scraps. We have a few compost bins
on the go. For the worms, we cut scraps up finely
and keep their farm in the shade most of the year.
Chooks: Now we are more confident, we let our
chooks out for supervised free-ranging. So far they
mainly stay in and around the food forest, and off
the vegies! We have also learnt how to identify
sickness in our flock and what to do about it.
Thanks so much to Jessamy Miller who has been a
generous informant!
Hard work: It takes a lot of time to keep a
productive garden on track, which is ok, but not
PHOTOS: MARY CANNING

groundcovers that thrive in their shade co-exist in always easy! However, the rewards outweigh the
a perennial polyculture. Some plants produce food hard work.
while others contribute nutrients, aid fertility or fix – Alex and Stuart Gordon
nitrogen in the soil.
 ACTION

get set for

spring
Spring signals an industrious and rewarding time in the garden with lots to do!

S
ome gardeners talk about the sap rising in spring. It’s dry season coming to an end, so it’s a good time to start
a lovely concept and you can almost see it happening planting herbs, vegies and flowers that thrive during the
PHOTO: HELEN MCKERRAL

at this time of year. The garden feels full of potential wet season.
with buds opening, fruit forming and vegies responding to Penny Woodward
warmer soil. Unfortunately, new growth also means weeds Above: It’s a good time to plant
that have to be removed as well as pests becoming active. open-pollinated lettuces such
as ‘freckles’. Let a few plants
In the tropics and subtropics, there is the prospect of the mature to collect seed.
 tropical
How To
Drumstick tree (Moringa
oleifera) has high
nutritional and protein
value. Use leaves fresh
or dry. To dry leaves, strip,
rinse and pat dry then spread
onto drying racks. Blend dried
leaves for powder (pictured right)
for soups, stews and smoothies.

Plant Now
Plant edible flowers to add colour to food. Plant butterfly
pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), a productive vine that
produces blue and purple flowers. Try using it to make blue
rice. Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a hardy plant with red
flowers that can be used in champagne and salads or use the
whole fruit for jam. Kapok tree (Cochlospermum gillivraeli)
has yellow petals that can be added to salads.

Letuce grows easily from seed. Choose
open-pollinated varieties such as ‘Oak
72 Leaf’, ‘Australian Yellow’ or ‘Freckles’.
When flower heads begin to look fluffy,
cut the plant and hang upside down in
a large paper bag in a well-ventilated
spot – carports are perfect. Once dry,
winnow seed: rub it inside the bag, place
it in a large bowl, then lightly puff away
the chaff. Store seeds in a cool, dark and
dry place (refrigerate in hot climates) in
a paper envelope inside a plastic ziplock
bag and use within a year of collection.
Sow most varieties any time of year
except the hotest months.
Letuce is self-pollinating so will not
Must Do
Set up a no-fuss bog herb garden for the wet season. Plant
brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), self-heal (Prunella vulgaris),
vap ca (Houttuynia cordata) and Vietnamese mint (Persicaria
odorata). For continuous greens, add kang kong (Ipomea
aquatica) and Lebanese cress (Apium nodiflorum).
Leonie Shanahan
subtropical
Plant Now
Plant water chestnuts on Father’s Day and harvest on
Mother’s Day. Plant corms 5cm deep, 30cm apart into a
submergible large pot or bathtub with enriched compost soil.
Keep moist until foliage is 10cm high, then flood 10cm above
soil. Maintain water level.
PHOTOS: LEONIE SHANAHAN

cross-pollinate between cultivars.

Helen McKerral

top: Lettuce seed before puffing away the chaff.

ABOVE: Bathtubs are prefect for
growing water chestnuts.
 ORGANIC ACTION

STEP
by STEP
Wicking bed in a
polystyrene box

Wicking beds in a polystyrene box are water

and time efficient, inexpensive to create,
quick to set up, and easy to move around.
overflow pipe
you will need:
The box
10cm length of hose pipe
20-30cm length of thicker irrigation pipe
(PVC or poly)
Piece of stocking, rubber band, small plastic pot
and a hessian bag that completely covers the
base of the box and folds up the insides by a few
centimetres inlet pipe
1 bucket (9L) of gravel and 2 buckets of organic
potting mix, compost, worm castings and
minerals

73
1. Insert overflow pipe into a clean polystyrene
box 10cm from base.
2. Drill at least two holes in water inlet pipe, in the
bottom 8cm only. Stand pipe in box with the holes
at the bottom. Then add gravel to just above the
overflow pipe level.
3. Make a hole up one end of the hessian bag
and lay it over the gravel, pushing the inlet pipe
through the hole.
4. Hold the inlet pipe steady while filling the box
with organic potting mix, compost, worm castings
and minerals, then mulch.
5. Add water through inlet pipe until it runs out of
the overflow outlet
6. Plant seedlings and water with diluted seaweed Top: steps 1 and 2. Gravel being added
to box. Overflow pipe in place on
extract. left, water inlet pipe on right.
Centre: steps 3 and 4. The hessiAn
7. Cover overflow pipe with stocking and inlet pipe bag goes over the gravel then soil
PHOTOS: LEONIE SHANAHAN

mix is added.
with a small pot to prevent mozzies getting in and Above: steps 5 to 7. The final box
with pipes covered to prevent access
breeding. to mozzies.
Leonie Shanahan
 subtropical continued

Must Do
Spring brings windy dry weather and often hot days, so
plants require regular deep soakings, especially fruit trees.
Add 5cm of mulch to retain the moisture.

Top Tip
Tropical
Passionfruit vines have a life span of around four years so it
Subtropical
is wise to establish a new vine before the old one becomes
Arid/semi-Arid
woody. When planting your new vine, place lamb’s liver or
Warm Temperate
Cold Temperate
offal (which provide iron and nitrogen) into your prepared
hole with trace elements and soil, then place the vine on
top and backfill. Position rocks around the base to stop dogs
digging up the liver. Alternatively, use blood and bone or
WHAT TO PLANT AND SOW NOW pelletised chook manure.
Leonie Shanahan

PLANT/SOW SEPTEMBER
Artichoke arid/semi-arid
Asian greens
Asparagus spears Plant Now
Moisture-loving watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
BeanS: French/Climb
thrives in a large waterbowl in dappled shade or part sun.
Beetroot
Plant seedlings or sow seed into a semi-submerged pot with
Broccoli the soil surface at water level. The trailing stems will float
Cabbage and form roots. Wash picked stems thoroughly before use.
Capsicum/chilli
Carrot Top Tip
Celery/celeriac Monstera deliciosa is a rambling climber ideal for shady
Cucumber patios sheltered from frost and wind. They will grow in large
eggplant pots, but do even better in ground generously enriched with
Herbs/Mediterranean
Kale Monstera flower and
unripe fruit.
Kohlrabi
Leek
Lettuce
onion
pea
potato
pumpkin
radish
rocket/arugula
silverbeet
snowpea
spring onion
sweetcorn
Sweet potato
Tomato
PHOTO: HELEN MCKERRAL

Turnip
zucchini/squash
Our climate zone map is a simplified version of a Bureau of Meteorology map.
For more detailed climatic information in relation to cities and major towns,
go to: bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_averages/climate-classifications/index.jsp
 ORGANIC ACTION

compost, and are surprisingly drought tolerant

once established. Unripe fruit is toxic, so consume only
sections of the fruit whose external plates have fallen off,
and avoid the black scales separating segments. The
flavour is similar to pineapple.

How To
Tip-pruning promotes bushy shrubs by stimulating lateral
growth, especially if done regularly when plants are still
small, and encourages climbers such as passionfruit
to branch earlier for better coverage. Pinch off a few
centimetres of tip growth during the growing season.
Helen McKerral

warm temperate
Pest Trap
ABOVE: create a Slater
and earwig trap using
soy sauce and oil.
PEST
To trap slaters and earwigs, find a shallow container and
pour about 1.5cm of soy sauce across the bottom and then a
below: spread well-rotted
manure then water the soil
TRAPS
and spread about 10 layers of
thin layer of oil over the top. These pests love the soy sauce, wet newspaper, then mulch.
but are trapped in and suffocated by the oil. Empty into the
compost when full.

Plant Now
With a warming climate, high-yielding and nutritious sweet
potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) have become a viable crop in
many regions. Plant whole tubers or the green sprouts from
tubers into compost-rich soil in a sunny position. Water well 75
and cover with a mini greenhouse until they are growing
strongly. Young leaves are also edible.

Action Alert
Before the weather warms up, check your existing drip
irrigation lines for damage and blocked drippers. Also install
new irrigation dripper systems to new plants. Using drip
irrigation lines conserves water and reduces the chance of
fungal infections from wet leaves.
Penny Woodward

cold temperate
Pest Alert
If you’ve had problems with pear and cherry slug before, then
delay or stop their arrival by sheet mulching the soil below
the tree, out past the drip line. Do this by spreading
well-rotted manure then water the soil well and spread
about 10 layers of wet newspaper. Finally, cover with mulch.
When adult sawfly try to emerge from the soil they have How To
nowhere to go so will die (see pic right). Layer herbs such as savory, rosemary and lavender. Find
an outside branch and gently bend it down onto the soil,
PHOTOS: PENNY WOODWARD

Plant Now
Local councils have lists of plants that are indigenous to
your region. Try planting some in pockets in your garden to
encourage and feed native birds and insects. Many of these
will in turn help to control pests in your garden.
pin it in place with wire loop and cover with soil. Roots
grow from the contact point and once well developed, cut
between the new roots and the main bush. Carefully dig up
and replant your new bush.
Penny Woodward
 on sale sept 1

join
orga in
aware nic
ness
mont
h!

In search of the tastiest tomato

Grow gluten-free crops – chia,
quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat
discover the world of basil
with Penny Woodward
Making the most of worm farms
Top egg laying chooks
How to deal with aphids
ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCKPHOTO

plus much more…

 ORGANIC CHILD

wild
things
Whether it’s an elaborate treehouse or a sheet thrown over outdoor furniture,
cubbies create sanctuary for children (and adults), a place to belong and be alone;
to dream, learn and play in the great outdoors, writes Jacqueline Forster.

A
cubby can be as simple or elaborate as your heart
desires but needs some essential ingredients say
cubbyhouse creators Jonathon and Jade Phillips.
PHOTO: TRICIA HOGBIN
challenge to build a chicken coop. “We enjoyed the process so
much, as did our children, that we decided to build cubbies to
order.” Through their business, Little Hipster Kubby, they have

“Cubbies should be uniquely personalised, constructed since constructed mini cafes, post offices, market stalls and
from found materials and encourage imaginative outdoor even a bat-cave.
play,” Jade says. The couple started making cubbies from “It’s really great to see our cubbies inspiring creative
recycled heat-treated pallets after Jade gave Jonathan a outdoor experiences for children,” Jade says.
 not just child’s play
It’s not only kids who benefit from time in
outdoor recreational spaces. A primal instinct
to use natural or found materials to construct
a shelter inspired Joel Allen to build himself
a secret treehouse on public land in Canada’s
Whistler mountains. Allen said it was his desire
for self-expression that led him to construct the
‘HemLoft’ (pictured left). Described as “functional
art”, Allen’s treehouse became a symbol of
freedom and creativity for like-minded nature-
lovers. Perhaps we could all use a little re-wilding
time building our own cubby?

Even more elaborate are the cubbies-come-mini-houses

featured in the annual Cubby House Challenge fundraiser
at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show
for Australian charity Kids Under Cover, which educates
the general public about youth homelessness and provides
resources for youth at risk. At this year’s show there were
some spectacular examples (some shown on these pages), and
though beyond most family budgets, provide plenty of ideas.

Imaginative play
Creative outdoor experiences that cubbies can help nurture
are sadly lacking in modern Australian childhoods, according
to Griffin Longley, CEO of Nature Play WA. “Unstructured
outdoor play is as fundamental to a happy, healthy childhood
as nutrition and adequate sleep,” Longley says. “The average
Australian child spends less than two hours a day outside*,
which is less than maximum security inmates in the WA
prison system. We are effectively keeping our kids under
house arrest.”
This sedentary lifestyle is resulting in an alarming fall
in childhood creativity, correlating with a rise in mental
disorders among children, Longley says. “Kids need to be PHOTOS: THEHEMLOFT.COM/CENTRE AND BOTTOM: KIRSTEN BRESCIANI
physically active and they can’t do that indoors. And being
outdoors is the best environment to be creative.”
Nature Play, a not-for-profit organisation promoting
unstructured outdoor play, is leading the movement to
entice kids back into nature through awareness campaigns
and education. “Combining physical, emotional and learning
experiences in an outdoor setting is proven to increase
student engagement,” says Longley, who cites contact with

Top: Joel Allen’s hemloft in Canada.

Centre: At play inside ‘The Relic’ at
the Cubby House Challenge.
Bottom: ‘The Relic’ designed by Porter
Davis (2016) was full of quirky features.
 ORGANIC CHILD

dirt and exposure to biodiversity as direct health benefits.

Sustainability blogger Tricia Hogbin agrees that children
need a little ‘re-wilding’ from time to time to develop
problem-solving skills and build resilience. On her blog, Little
Eco Footprints, she quotes Richard Louv, author of Last
Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit
Disorder, who advocates positive risk-taking as a learning
tool: “Small risks taken early (and the natural world is a good
place to take those risks) can prepare children to avoid more
onerous risks later in life.”
It is not uncommon for Hogbin to let her nine-year-old
daughter climb trees, catch tadpoles, build cubbies, use a
knife or cook on an open fire, unsupervised. “I especially love
that cubby houses provide a place seemingly separate from
the adult world. A child-created cubby can give children a
much-needed sense of freedom and achievement,” she says.
Even better if you can locate your cubby near a vegie or
flower garden for fresh snacks and decorations!

References
*Australian Government Longitudinal Study of Australian
Families

RESOURCES
Kids Under Cover (kuc.org.au): proceeds from the 79
annual cubby challenge are directly invested into
preventing youth homelessness through scholarship
programs and building studio accommodation for
at-risk young people.
natureplay.org.au littlehipsterkubby.net
littleecofootprints.com childrenandnature.org
hemloft.com

CUBBY COMP
Do you have a cubby or
treehouse,
humble or grand? Send
in a photo
and up to 100 words abou
t your cubby
or treehouse and you co
uld
PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO/BOTTOM: KIRSTEN BRESCIANI

win a teepee from Swing

z N Thingz
(swingz.com.au) valued
at $385.
SEE PAGE 85 FOR DETA
ILS.

Top: A treehouse sanctuary

for young or old.
right: Cosy play space inside
‘The Bright Knight’ by Knight
Building Group (2015).
 Subscribe
from as
little as $30
Subscribe and purchase
back issues at
mymagazines.com.au

Q : Dear Jessamy,
Thank you for your chook
chook wisdom. I have a one-year-
old rooster that I have had
since he was two days old.
He was bought with three
Q&A
other chicks (girls) and two
older hens. The five girls are
all laying happily. Baxter,
the rooster, is mostly placid
when coming between me
and his girls, but on three
occasions he has attacked
me. After the first attack,
with my husband’s help, I
Jessamy Miller answers common poultry caught him and carried him
questions and offers some spring tips. around under my arm for a
while. Is this a satisfactory
cure?
Brenda Venton, Bundanoon,
NSW
A : Dear Brenda,
Funnily enough, I have
just experienced this myself.
It’s very common for male
animals that have been
raised as pets or have no
fear or respect for humans
to get their responses
confused, begin attacking,
and develop a habit.
It’s not intentional at the
start, but once ingrained it’s
very hard to break, and they
can be dangerous if there
are children around. Rooster
spurs also carry bacteria so
if they puncture the skin an
infection can develop and a
trip to the doctor is advised.
PHOTO: MARCEL AUCAR
Roosters are always
more protective in the
spring breeding season,
and aggression varies
ORGANIC POULTRY
with breeds. Sadly, there
are no guarantees when
trying to modify behaviour.
It is best to keep your
rooster in a yard. Approach
him confidently, but not
aggressively. Wear gloves
and gumboots and arm
yourself with a rake or
broom, and don’t ever turn
your back on him.
Whenever you enter
the pen, distract him with
a handful of grain so he
associates you with a
pleasant reward. Ideally, this
will communicate to him that
you are not a threat. Consider
81
this your first line of defence.
You need to train him to
react to your voice with a
firm ‘No!’. If you accompany
this with some intimidating
behaviour, such as banging
the broom down loudly or
sweeping towards him, he
will learn to back off at
the sound. He needs a firm
motivation to change.
I haven’t had success with
the carrying around method.
However, it can’t hurt. A lot
will depend on your rooster’s
personality and whether
he is viscous, or spring has
just gone to his head. He
may settle down once the
breeding season is over.
My rooster ended up in the
freezer. It was a sad decision,
but the children were being
terrorised. It’s always
preferable to breed from
placid animals as disposition
is inherited.
ORGANIC POULTRY
spring
Poultry Care It is soon peak egg-laying time so
It’s nearly time to spring-clean your henhouse! feed your chooks a balanced diet,
Replace all litter, including in nest boxes, and
brush down walls. Scrape manure off perches
including plenty of greens.
and check for traces of grey powder, indicating
red mites. If present, treat by pouring boiling
water over perches, woodwork and in all crevices.
Repeat a week later. Q : Dear Jessamy,
I am a first-time chicken
mumma and I have seven Old
Collect eggs twice daily, if possible, so hens
English Game hens. They are
don’t get naughty ideas such as egg eating. Eggs approximately three months
are best stored in a carton in the fridge body, not old. In the last week one of
in the door. the hens has been a bit off.
She has been allowing me to
Keep nutrition up to hardworking hens by
handle her and she seems
feeding a balanced ration of layer pellets or mixed to be dizzy, turning her head
grains, and offer plenty of greens to maintain constantly and is walking
those deep yellow egg yolks. into everything. The other
chickens are isolating her.
Calcium is crucial – leave out fresh, medium-
I have syringed her some
grade shell grit for your hens to help themselves
water, but am not sure if she
to in the afternoon in readiness for shell is eating, though she is still
82 formation overnight. pooing. I have tried giving
her soaked wholegrain
bread, corn, blueberries (as
well as her normal crumble)
to no avail. Any advice?
Kathryn Spears, via email
A : Dear Kathryn,
First, keep some records
of her symptoms in case the
rest of the flock also become
ill. Isolate her in a separate
pen so she can rest and
doesn’t get bullied by the
others. Make sure she has
access to food and water,
and some dirt for a dust bath
so she can keep clean.
Give her some Rescue
Remedy (available from
chemists and health stores)
dabbed on her comb a few
times each day, and stick
with the wet bread and
crumbles, and even a bit
of plain yoghurt to tempt
her to eat. Keep an eye on
her poo as this is a good
indicator of health.
The balance issues
suggest that her problem
lies in her head. See if there’s
any ear infection by pressing
against her ear gently and
seeing if any moisture comes
out, and have a good look in
and around there. Moisture
or pus would mean a trip
to the vet and perhaps
antibiotics.
Likewise, it could be a
respiratory infection in her
head and lungs, so sniff her
breath, and check at her
eyes and nose. It could also
be mites in her ear, so look
for black or fawn dots, and
if you see them, visit the pet
shop and ask what treatment
they have for caged birds.
You could also try a
water-soluble vitamin
supplement from the pet
shop to give her a boost,
again one for caged birds is
fine. Or you could try one or
two cloves of crushed garlic
added to the water, but not
too strong.
It could also be that one
of the other hens above
her in the pecking order is
pecking her on the head.
This happened to one of my
hens who lost her balance,
twisted her neck and ran
into walls. Once removed
from the flock she gradually
PHOTO: MARCEL AUCAR
recovered. However, I wasn’t
able to put her back with
that particular head hen, and
gave her to a friend.

PROBLEM PEST
FRUIT FLY
Denis Crawford looks at the hazardous fruit fly and how to deal with it,
plus the helpful damsel bug.
F
ruit fly is Australia’s most serious fruit pest. The
most widespread species is the Queensland fruit fly
(Bactrocera tryoni), a native insect that may occur in
all states of mainland Australia except Western Australia.
This pest is spreading south as a result of global warming, so
gardeners everywhere need to be aware of it.
Western Australian gardeners have to contend with
the introduced Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata),
also known as ‘medfly’, which has not established in eastern
Australia, but does occur seasonally in South Australia.
Restrictions apply to the movement of fruit between various
states and territories to control the spread of fruit fly. Keep
an eye out when travelling interstate for signs indicating
restrictions on fresh fruit movement.
Queensland fruit fly is reddish-brown and about 7mm long,
while medfly is about 3–5mm long, has a yellow abdomen,
PHOTO: DENIS CRAWFORD
black patterned thorax and banded wings. Fruit fly larvae are
cream-coloured maggots about 10mm long. Fruit fly targets a
wide variety of fruits including some berries, citrus (especially
thin-skinned lemons and mandarins), pome, stone and tropical
ORGANIC SOLUTIONS
83
fruits, and fruiting vegetables such as capsicum and tomato.
Queensland fruit fly females lay 500–800 eggs in fruit
over about four months. Medfly females lay about 300–400
eggs during a six-week lifespan. Both leave behind pinprick
holes in the fruit after laying their eggs. Larvae develop
inside the fruit and later drop or ‘jump’ to the ground where
they pupate, from which another generation of adult flies
emerges. The fruit fly life cycle can be completed in about
four weeks in warm moist conditions and there may be as
many as six generations per year.
Treatment and prevention
Look for fruit fly visiting your fruit and try to find the pinprick
holes (‘stings’) they cause in fruit. Dispose of any stung fruit
you find. Pick up any fallen fruit and check it for maggots and
dispose of any infested fruit. The best way to kill the larvae in
infested fruit is to put the fruit in a plastic bag in the sun for a
few days – doing this will help reduce fly numbers in your area.
Above: Queensland fruit fly.
ORGANIC SOLUTIONS

thick-skinned fruit
In regions where Queensland fruit fly
is a problem, grow thick-skinned fruit.
(Unfortunately Mediterranean fruit fly is not
as easily deterred by thick skins.) Here are
your best options to avoid these pests: babaco,
banana, kiwifruit, lychee, passionfruit, pawpaw,
pineapple, pomegranate, red cherry guava
and star fruit. Also, thick-skinned cultivars of
avocados and citrus.

Left: Light fabric bags

over plums for fruit fly
protection.
Below: Damsel bug.

GOOD BUG

84
Fruit fly activity peaks in late summer but can occur from
spring to autumn in many areas. Pick ripe fruit immediately to
reduce breeding sites.
You can prevent your fruit being stung by fruit fly by using
exclusion bags over ripening fruit, where practical. Exclusion
bags are commercially available, or you could try fashioning
your own from paper or fine mesh. It is also possible to net
DAMSEL BUGS
Damsel bugs are predatory bugs of the family
the whole tree against fruit fly, and this is made easier by
pruning to keep the trees smaller, only buying dwarf trees Nabidae. They are every bit as ferocious as
and by growing them in big pots. Natural enemies such as assassin bugs, but are often overlooked because
parasitic wasps, predatory bugs and beetles, and birds may of their non-descript colouring (grey-brown).
help reduce fruit fly numbers, but are unlikely to control Adult damsel bugs are slender, long-legged
them completely.
winged insects about 10mm in length. Immature
Several brands of fruit fly ‘lure traps’ are commercially PHOTOS: TOP LEFT: PENNY WOODWARD / ABOVE LEFT: DENIS CRAWFORD
damsel bugs (nymphs) are miniature versions of
available. Some lure traps only catch male flies. This type of
trap alerts you to the first active flies of the season, so it is a the adult bugs, but without wings.
monitoring tool rather than a control option. The best traps Damsel bugs have a four-segmented ‘beak’,
are those that trap both male and female flies, such as Cera known technically as a ‘rostrum’, which is held
Traps. These traps are filled with a protein-based liquid that underneath the body when at rest, but is capable
attracts the flies into the trap where they drown in the liquid.
of being extended to attack prey. They kill prey
There is a commercially available organically certified
by stabbing them with their beak and sucking out
bait product, Eco-Naturalure, which is applied as a spot
spray in 30cm square patches around the foliage of plants. the body fluids. They are ferocious predators of
The product is a combination of a protein-based attractant soft-bodied insects including caterpillar pests
and spinosad, a bacteria derived insecticide. The product such as loopers and budworms, as well as aphids,
controls male and female flies of both species. Application leafhoppers and mites.
instructions can be found on the product label.
 ORGANIC COMPETITIONS

a $500 voucher
WIN from Forestry Tools

W
hether you’re planting, pruning or harvesting, Forestry
Tools has a great range of quality tools for the job. Here’s
your chance to win a $500 voucher to spend as desired
from the Forestry Tools catalogue. With over 1700 products and
spares to service everyone from the professional landscaper to the
backyard gardener, the company has your gardening needs covered.
Established in 2002, it specialises in quality tools that are
designed to last from leading manufacturers including Felco,
Bahco, Silky, Barnel and Dramm. The huge range includes secateurs,
loppers, hedge/grass shears, fixed and folding saws, high-reach
pruning, pruning accessories, tree guards, stakes, books and more.
With Australia-wide shipping, you can purchase direct from the
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or drop in to the Forestry Tools warehouse in Roseville, Sydney.
A 68-page catalogue is also available free of charge, which includes
the complete range of products and pricing information.

to win, SIMPLY ANSWER IN 30 WORDS OR LESS:

what your favourite tree is and why 85
ONLINE: organicgardener.com.au – click on the “WIN/COMPETITION”
tab and enter your details and response. CODE IS: TOOLS
POST: Organic Gardener Tools Competition,
nextmedia, Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW 1590
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Competition open to Australian residents only, aged 18 years and over. Opens
00.01 AEST on 28/07/16 and closes at 11:59pm AEST 31/08/16. The winner will be drawn at the promoter’s
premises on 06/09/16. Full terms and conditions are available at www.organicgardener.com.au

WIN a canvas teepee

SEND IN A PHOTO AND DESCRIPTION (50 WORD MAXIMUM) OF YOUR
HOMEMADE CUBBY OR TREEHOUSE.
The best will win a teepee from Swingz N Thingz worth $385.
Swingz N Thingz sell a range of swinging chairs, hammocks and teepees
for kids to adults to help indulge in the great outdoors. The teepee
is handmade in Australia from weatherproof canvas and is 160cm high
with a 4.5m circumference. For more details, see swingz.com.au
SEND YOUR ENTRIES TO:
ONLINE: organicgardener.com.au – click on the “WIN/COMPETITION”
tab and enter your details and response. CODE IS: CUBBY
POST: Organic Gardener Cubby Competition,
nextmedia, Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW 1590

The five winners of our May/June competition for a Yates Garden Pack are: Jade Rhodes, Craigieburn Vic;
Susan Hayward, Manly West NSW; Bernadette Dean, Lymington Tas; Ernie Donato, Ringwood Vic; Jill Clark, Riverside Tas.
ORGANIC LIBRARY
EDITOR’S PICK
Australia’s Remarkable Trees
Richard Allen and
Kimbal Baker
RANDOM HOUSE, 2014, $49.95
If you are a tree hugger (and
aren’t we all?) then this is the
86 book for you. Remarkable
and evocative photos
accompany the histories and
meanings of this collection
of giant, ancient, iconic
and most peculiar trees.
From the “The Big One”, an
enormous Queensland bottle
tree, to a 10,000-year-old
huon pine in Tasmania and
the extraordinary snow gum
in Victoria, and perhaps my
favourite the incredible
boab in the Kimberley, these
trees represent the beating
heart of Australia. The book
features more than 500
photographs by Kimbal
Baker, who with writer
Richard Allen, travelled more
than 60,000km in their
search for the extraordinary.
This book reminds us just
how precious trees are.
Penny Woodward
Australia Cooks
Edited by Kelli Brett
ABC BOOKS, 2016, $49.99
Billed as “a beautiful
celebration of the flavours of
Australia”, Australia Cooks,
compiled by Kelli Brett
(editor of Cuisine magazine
and former host of ABC
Radio’s The Main Ingredient),
is indeed a joyous collection
of culinary delights from
right around this vast land.
The use of indigenous and
regional ingredients sets
it apart from the rest, and
the mixture of produce-
driven fare, ABC Local Radio
listener-supplied recipes and
country chefs championing
local growers makes for an
interesting recipe selection,
varied enough to please
vegetarians, pescatarians,
meat-lovers and sweet
tooths alike.
Jacqueline Forster
Tarkine Trails
Phill Pullinger, foreword
by Bob Brown
BOB BROWN FOUNDATION,
2015, $39.95
This is a stunning
comprehensive guide to
one of the world’s great
wilderness areas, Tasmania’s
Tarkine. The state’s leading
nature photographers show
the deep, uncompromised
beauty of truly wild places,
while carefully constructed
trip notes for car touring,
bushwalking, mountain
biking and paddling are
accompanied by clear,
concise maps. Well-chosen
notes on cultural, historic and
natural values help express
the complex, uplifting spirit
of the Tarkine. Traditionally
known as “Takayna country”,
this vast place is threatened
by mining, logging, off-road
vehicles and agriculture.
Phill Pullinger is a local
whose mission is to save the
Tarkine by inviting others
to experience, love and
protect it. Plan your holiday
now! Available online from
bobbrown.org.au
Helen Cushing
Famine, Affluence and
Morality
Peter Singer
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS,
2016, $11.95
Famine, Affluence and
Morality is a highly
influential essay first
published by philosopher
Peter Singer in 1972 at the
height of the refugee crisis in
what was then East Pakistan,
where millions fled across
the border into India. Singer
eloquently argues in the
essay that people in affluent
countries should do much
more to aid those in poorer
parts of the world. This
pocket hardcover includes
the original essay plus two
other pieces and a new
introduction from Singer
in which he writes that
philanthropy today should be
aimed at reducing extreme
poverty “and the more than
six million premature deaths
that flow from it each year”.
Steve Payne
 Ecologically Certified Fish
SUSTAINABLE ORGANIC FREE
 YOUR ABC
RADIO GUIDE
NSW LOCAL RADIO ABC Wide Bay
702 ABC Sydney ABC North West QLD
Saturday 9am
ABC Western QLD
Friday 10am
92.5 ABC Central Coast
ABC Far North
Saturday 9am
Friday 10am
ABC Central West
Saturday 8.30am
Saturday 8.30am
97.3 ABC Illawarra SA LOCAL RADIO
891 ABC Adelaide
Saturday 8.30am
639 ABC North & West
ABC Mid-North Coast
1485 ABC Eyre Peninsula
Saturday 9.30am
& West Coast
Heaps of info Tuesday 10.30am
1233 ABC Newcastle
ABC South East
Saturday 8.30am
‘The Compost Heap’ gardening talkback program is an Saturday 9am
1062 ABC Riverland
integral part of Saturday mornings on ABC Illawarra ABC New England
999 ABC Broken Hill
North West
97.3FM. Hosted by Mark Matthews, ‘The Compost Heap’ Saturday 9am
Saturday 8.30am
is presented by John Gabriele who has over 30 years’ Statewide
Thursday 9.30am
experience in horticulture and has been presenting the 891 ABC Adelaide
ABC North Coast
program since 1996. 639 ABC North & West
Saturday 8.30am
John assists people to connect or reconnect with 1485 ABC Eyre Peninsula
ABC Riverina
nature through sharing experiences and knowledge of & West Coast
Wednesday 10.30am
ABC South East
gardening in an entertaining, educational and dynamic
88 presentation. ‘The Compost Heap’ promotes organic
Saturday 8.30am 1062 ABC Riverland
ABC South East 999 ABC Broken Hill
solutions to common garden pests, diseases and disorders Wednesday 10am Sunday 10.30am
and emphasises a holistic approach to gardening with Saturday 9am
VIC LOCAL RADIO
sound practical advice. ABC Western Plains 774 ABC Melbourne &
Awarded the Horticulture Media Association Australia Thursday, fortnightly, 9.35am ABC Victoria
Regional Radio Laurel in 2011, ‘The Compost Heap’ is Saturday 8.30am Saturday 9.30am
recognised as the go-to media for all things gardening WA LOCAL RADIO 91.1 ABC Central Victoria
in the Illawarra. Tune in to ABC Illawarra 97.3FM on 720 ABC Perth Thursday 7.35am
Saturdays at 8.30am. ABC South Coast & 100.7 ABC Gippsland
Great Southern Monday 10am
ABC Goldfields-Esperance 594 AM ABC Western Victoria
ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt tuesdays 9.10am
Tune in to the Saturday 9am 107.9 ABC Ballarat
best of ABC Statewide Wednesday, monthly, 6.40am
Wednesday 2.30pm ABC Goulburn Murray
Watch Gardening Australia on ABC TV Saturdays NT LOCAL RADIO Tuesday 9.40am
at 6.30pm, repeated 1pm Sundays. 105.7 ABC Darwin ABC Southwest Victoria
Check out organicgardener.com.au for regular Saturday 9am 1602 AM Warrnambool
blogs, gardening tips, resources, magazine articles, 783 AM ABC Alice Springs 94.1 FM Hamilton
competitions and the latest environmental news. 106.1 ABC Tennant Creek 96.9 FM Horsham
Go to abc.net.au for all the latest news, radio Saturday 8.30am Thursday, 7.35am
podcasts and TV highlights QLD LOCAL RADIO ACT LOCAL RADIO
Missed a program on ABC TV? 612 ABC Brisbane 666 ABC Canberra
Saturday 6am Saturday 8.30am
Go to abc.net.au/iview to catch up.
Listen online at abc.net.au/local
ABC Southern Queensland TAS LOCAL RADIO
Saturday 9am 936 ABC Hobart
CHECK ONLINE FOR PROGRAMMING CHANGES: Times and dates shown are 630 ABC North Queensland
subject to change, so please check for updates: abc.net.au/local for
ABC Northern Tasmania
radio updates; abc.net.au/tv for television updates; and abc.net.au/ Friday 10am Saturday 9am,
abc2 for ABC2 updates. ABC Tropical North Peter Cundall 1st Saturday, monthly,
ABC Capricornia Chook Talkback, 10am
 WHOLE
SLOW
JUICER

NO

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CU

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TT N
JUICE I NG T IO
Juices Fruit, Wheat YOUR WAY - LESS PREPARA
TO GOOD
WHOLE FR HEALTH
WHOLE VE
WHOLE TA
Retains more nutrie
producing a better

AWARD W

Intl Invention Fair Geneva 2011 Gene

2010/2011 Gold Prize Speci
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ORGANIC TALE

the scoop
on poop
Alpacas may be tidy with their toilet habits, but don’t get
lax with their latrines, writes SIMON WEBSTER.

A
lpacas must have the tidiest toilet habits in nature.
Excluding humans, of course. You won’t see an alpaca
using a toilet duck, sitting on a bidet, or arranging the
rolls in nice geometric patterns, but as far as animals – real,
non-human, animals – go, they run a pretty tight ship.
You see, alpacas have latrines. These are fairly
rudimentary, admittedly, as all they consist of is an agreed
area where members of the herd will do their business (a bit
like at a music festival), but this is still quite civilised stuff
compared with most creatures out there.
Chickens and cows don’t seem to care whether
they’re eating, drinking or standing around talking
90 about the weather with their relatives. If their bowels
are ready to rumble, away they go.
While there’s a lot to admire in this relaxed
approach, it requires that everyone is extremely
comfortable in each other’s company. I think it’s fair to
say most humans would prefer to keep their toileting
separate from other day-to-day activities, not just
for the sake of hygiene and modesty, but so they can
really focus on it.
So let’s hear it for the alpacas. (Some readers
might suggest cats are more worthy wearers of
the tidy toilet crown, as they will actually bury
their waste. But as they will also spray foul odours on
the presents under the tree on Christmas Eve, they are into an over-fertilised wasteland of weeds, never to grow
disqualified. From everything. Forever.) a blade of grass again.
This alpaca neatness brings pros and cons for the organic Over time, as the alpacas move around, your land will
gardener. One advantage is that all that wonderful alpaca be increasingly pock-marked with these ugly patches, and
goodness is in one place and easy to collect and add to before you know it, your once lush paddocks will resemble
ILLUSTRATION: THE ILLUSTRATION ROOM/TANYA COOPER

the compost pile, fruit trees or vegie beds. It’s also in neat
little pellets, giving the diligent gardener no excuse for not
harvesting it and putting it to good use.
For those not inclined to get out there with a
jumbo-sized poop-a-scoop – AKA a shovel – there’s the
option of using a manure vacuum that you pull behind your
ride-on mower. Honest.
But, of course, nothing is perfect. Not even alpaca poo.
If you are not diligent in collecting the aforementioned poop,
but instead allow it to build up, the latrine will soon turn
some kind of scarred nuclear test site, causing you to turn
to drink and drugs, disregard your duties even more, and
spin into a destructive spiral that culminates in a dark night
of the soul, in which you howl at the moon, curse the time
that Auntie Olive bought you alpaca socks, and contemplate
kidnapping the neighbour’s cattle because at least they’ve
got the decency to spread their manure as they go rather
than put it in neat little piles like some anally retentive,
repressed, human-impersonating excuse for a woolly giraffe.
Or so I’ve been told.
 Join a community
of support for the
people who produce
the food we eat.

farmhousedirect.com.au
PHOTOGRAPHY: STEPHANIE MCLEOD