Real World Gardener Podcasts

Host Marianne talks with arboriculture consultant Glenice Buck about the first steps in managing the health of your trees.

 KITCHEN GARDEN SEGMENT  on REAL WORLD GARDENER radio show Scientific Name: Rungia klossii Common name: Mushroom plant Family: Acanthaceae Origin: New Guinea   Rungia klossii is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.6 m x 0.6 m at a medium rate. Soils: Suitable for: light or sandy, medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.    Habitat: Mushroom plant can grow in semi-shade  but not full sun in an Australian summer. It prefers dry or moist soil if grown in the ground otherwise growing in a pot is very successful. Description:The shiny mid green have a yellowish mid-rib.  The elliptic leaves are arranged in pairs with adjacent pairs perpendicular to one another (decussate leaf arrangement mush like in a hydrangea). Flowers: Blue flowers that appear in a cluster in ideal positions. proteins. Harvesting: The Mushroom plant can be harvested all year round,  but the best is to harvest during the active growth period to provide a bushy growth. Uses: In the kitchen it's used in salads, soups and wok dishes, a small cooking even increases the mushroom aroma. Frosts: Low frosts are tolerated but lead to leaf loss.  Fun fact: Higher in protein that actual mushrooms. What is it exactly and why is it called mushroom plant. Let's star with, how do you love your mushrooms? In a risotto, sautéed with scrambled eggs, in soups or salads? Perhaps you don't like them at all. Here's a way to enjoy the taste without the texture and it's all natural. The leaves are somewhat stiff and lightly curled at the tip. Yes, the leaves taste like mushrooms with a crispy texture and nothing more.   Rungia klossii: Mushroom plant   Mushroom plant Photo: M Cannon So, let's find out how and why, by listening to the podcast. I've been talking with Corinne Mossati, founder of the gourmantic garden. /https://thegourmanticgarden.com/ Corinne's favourite use of the plant is finely chopped into salads for that burst of flavour. Mushroom plant is a perennial that although it grows well in tropical and sub-tropical areas, it needs protection from frost in cooler climates. The best way to grow it there is in a pot, which by the way, has served me well over the years. If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 KITCHEN GARDEN Beans and More Beans What is your favourite warm season vegetable or are there too many to choose from? Top of the list for many a gardener is the humble bean, because in warm weather, they're so easy to germinate. In fact my bean crop was directly sown on a Monday and they were up by Thursday. But how do you get a continuous crop of beans? Corinne mentions bush beans, but we're not talking some sort of wild bean that grows on a bush, in fact bush beans is another name for dwarf beans.   More along the style of French beans such as butter beans or Cherokee Wax butter beans. Scientifically beans are Phaselous vulgaris which covers just about every type of bean seed that you can buy. Dwarf or bush beans grow into a small, bushy shape, usually 60cm tall or less and don't need staking. This year I planted my bean seeds closer together than normal on using the premise that if we had a run of cloudy days and they started to climb, they would support each other. This season we did have lots of cloudy rainy, days, they didn't start to climb, but did in fact support each other at around 50-60cm. The only tricky part was needing to carefully pick your way through the thicket of bean foliage to harvest the beans without breaking any branchlets. Let's find out more about tips and tricks with bush bean planting by listening to the podcast. I'm speaking with Corinne Mossati founder of  https://thegourmanticgarden.com   TIP: Sow another crop in 6 weeks time after the first crop then the big tip is after the first harvest, apply a side dressing of blood ‘n' bone. Beans should be ready to harvest as soon as 65 days or 9 weeks after planting If you have any questions why not email us at realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675  

 KITCHEN GARDEN Is Vietnamese mint really a mint? Scientific Name: Persicaria odorata Common Name:Vietnamese mint Family: Polygonaceae True mints botanically speaking have wide spreading underground rhizomes with erect, square and branching stems. The leaves are opposite each other on those square stems, with clusters of small tubular flowers. Ture mints are also in the Lamiaceae family. So what do we make of Vietnamese mint? Perhaps you saw it in the herb section of the garden centre and mistook it to be just like any other mint. Not exactly a real mint and it's also in the same family as rhubarb and buckwheat; the Polygonaceae family. Traditionally, Vietnamese mint is used a lot in Asian cuisine. If you've ever had a laksa, you've probably eaten some Vietnamese mint.   What does it look like? It looks similar but different to traditional mint, plus it's a creeping herbaceous perennial. The leaves are very narrow and angular looking often with a chestnut-coloured rounded marking across the dark green leaf. The flowers are quite different to min. Flowers are flat spikes of pale lavender if you're in a warm enough climate for it to flower.   Where and How to grow it. It can grow very well outside in summer in non-tropical parts of Australia. Vietnamese mint prefers part-sun and well-drained soil. For those areas with cool to cold winter, bring your Vietnamese mint indoors or under shelter as you would an indoor plant. It grows very well in pots but is frost tender. Let's find out how to use it in cooking by listening to the podcast. I'm speaking with Corinne Mossati founder of the gourmantic garden website and blog. Also sometimes called Vietnamese coriander and as Corinne mentioned you can make a dipping sauce or even try making pesto with it. If you have any questions why not email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

 THE GOOD EARTH How to Grow and Use Yacon: Peruvian Ground Apple Scientific Name: Smallanthus sonchifolius Common Name: Yacon, Peruvian ground apple Family: Asteraceae-same as daisies and sunflowers. Plant Height & Width: 1.5m x 0.5m   If you look at the flowers they are like much smaller versions of sunflowers. Here's a tuber that tastes similar to a nashi pear, looks something like sweet potato on the outside, and the sugars from it aren't absorbed by the body. Not only that, the tubers contain a lot of juice, and the sugars that make it sweet is not absorbed by the body so you can't put on the kilos! How good is that?   Then there's the fact that it's easy to grow, and has small flowers that resemble sunflowers and you just can't buy it from the supermarket or fruit and veg store.   Yacon plant growing in Margaret's garden How to Grow Yacon from Tubers? Yacon has two types of tubers unlike ginger or turmeric. The tubers that you plant are attached to the main stem and are much smaller and pinkish in colour. I planted mine in early September and October was the time that it sprouted in my Sydney garden. If you were to receive some brown tubers that look like a brown sweet potato, that's what you eat and not what you plant.  The edible tubers spread from the clump sideways meaning you need at least 1/2 metre  of space to produce sizeable clumps. Can be planted in any district as they can withstand frost. When to Harvest? Yacon is a herbaceous perennial meaning it has a dormant period that starts when the leaves die down in late autumn.  This is the time when the tubers are ready to harvest. Simply fork up the entire crop, and harvest the large brown tubers to eat fresh, and use the small reddish rhizomes at the top to replant for next year's crop. What Can You Do With Yacon? Eat it of course but how,  is the thing so here are some of Margaret's tips. Yacon is sweet and crunchy and is great eaten fresh. Ever heard of Yacon chips? That's right you can make chips out of this tubber. Just cut up into chip sizes and drizzle some oil over the top and bake in the oven. Try using it in salads like Waldorf salad and wherever you would use fresh pears. Use it in stir fries. You can also juice it or cook down the juice to make syrup and use it as a sweetener. Fun Tip from Margaret Running short of toilet paper, try large soft fluffy leaves like those of the Yacon plant. But there's more uses, have a listen to the podcast. I'm talking with Margaret Mossakowska of www.mosshouse.com.au If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 TALKING FLOWERS Seasonality of Flowers Vegetables have their season when they're available fresh and not just out of the cold room where they've been for 6 months or more. What about flowers? Many people forget that flowers have their seasons too, after all there are plenty of flowers available all year round. Hellebores-a winter flower  Why is that important?  It's the same as for vegetables and fruit, if it's not the current season for the flowers, then they're most likely imported. If I asked you what's the best time of year to buy peonies would you know?   What about roses, is there a best time? Have a look at the below suggestions to realise what is actually in season.   Winter Flowers Orchids, Vanda, Dendrobium, Cymbidium, Phaleanopsis, Hellebores. Jonquils, Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinths, Daphne (pictured.) Spring Flowers Stephanotis Peonies are an October flower. Roses, Ranunculus, Australian wildflowers-Waratahs, Ericas, Geraldton Wax; Cherry Blossoms, Magnolias Summer Flowers Roses, Sunflowers, Gerberas, Carnations, Stephanotis. Autumn Flowers Dahlias, Roses are continuing. Asiatic lilies are an exception as in Australia they are grown in glass houses and are available all year round. I'm talking with Nadine Brown of https://www.theivyinstitute.com.au/ The scientific name for spring stars is Ipheion uniflorum, often marketed as Triteleia Stars Of Spring, rather confusingly. Got to say one my favourite spring flowers. If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 SPICE IT UP Furikake: Japanese seasoning Isn't it time you enlivened your tastes buds with something you've never tried before? This next spice isn't just one spice on it's on but several spices or a blend of spices that are just right for Japanese food or any other food for that matter. Furikake is a traditional Japanese seasoning that is sprinkled on cooked food. In some ways like shichimi togarashi seasoning, furikake seasoning has not only toasted sesame seeds in it but also black sesame seeds that combine to give you a delectable nutty flavour. But wait, will it have monosodium glutamate I hear you ask as so often spice blends in Asian cuisine do? Well, here's the thing, with 50 years of sourcing and mixing spice blends, Ian Hemphill is just the man to find a substitute for MSG without compromising the flavour of just such a spice blend Fuikake also has the combination of  salt, nori flakes or nagi, to add that classic Japanese profile when it comes to flavour. Also orange peel, Sichuan pepper and Australian lemon myrtle. Furikake goes well with rice, on top of eggs, seafood and on top of white or red meat.   Miso soup with furikake eggs. photo courtesy www.herbies.com.au  Let's find out more bout this fabulous spice. I'm talking with Ian Hempill, owner of www.herbies.com.au Ian has been a regular on RWG for many years but never has he admitted to carrying emergency spices in his pocket before. Ian carries Furikake spice in his pocket in the off-chance he's going to snack on some sushi. How good is that? If you have any questions about spices why not email us at realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville

 KITCHEN GARDEN Leaf Celery Scientific Name:Apium graveolens var. secalinum Plant family: Apiaceae Common Name: Parcel   A relatively uncommon or even unkown herb or vegetable. Parcel stems from the idea that it looks like parsley but tastes like celery. Leaf celery is a biennial plant growing to 60cm in height. Biennial simply means that leaf celery grows vegetatively during the first year and fruits (seeds) and dies  at the end of the second year. Leaf celery could be classified as a herb because the leaves are used just as much as the stalks in cooking.   Personally I wouldn't be without my leaf celery because it's a great substitute for the harder to grow culinary celery.  I use it for making sugo, the tradition Italian tomato base for a lot of traditional dishes such as lasagne and bolognese. Sugo For Sure-How to Make it Sugo is made by first finely chopping onion, celery and carrot that frying for a few minutes until softer.  Then adding the garlic and tomatoes to make a tomato base for any Italian dish. However, if you like munching on celery stalks, or using them in Waldorf salads, it's not a substitute in that instance.  The stalks of leaf celery are much thinner and hollow and have a more pungent taste ( to my liking) that normal culinary celery. This winter I have practically depleted my supply of leaf celery because of the number of soups, and slow co oked meals I have been preparing. It's just a great flavouring herb. Leaf celery stalks in my garden (pictured right)   Easy Peasy Celery Salt Celery salt can also be made from the seeds. Simply let one plant go to flower and set seed. Then once dried in situ, collect the seeds and crush them. Corinne suggests dehydrating the leaves to make celery leaf salt. Chop the stems and leaves and make a compound celery butter. We both recommend growing leaf celery as a cut and come again herb or vegetable and an alternative to the larger stalked celery. Much easier to grow too. Corinne Mossati, founder of www.thegourmanticgarden.com has further suggestions. So let's find out more by listening to the podcast. If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 SPICE IT UP Know Your Cardamoms. There are many budding chefs and cooks that use heaps of spices in their recipes going by the success of cooking shows on television. Green and brown cardamom pods Indian, Asian and Mexican cooking particularly calls for a wide selection of these different spices.   Some spices though come in a variety of  grades, colours and uses making it possible for the unsuspecting cook to make a blunder. This may not necessarily result in a vast difference in the final flavour, but it can make your creation not as 'flavoursome' as it should be. Brown Chinese Cardamom Brown (black) Indian cardamom (right)   Would you say you ever used cardamom pods or cardamom? Did you know that there are different coloured cardamoms? Cardamom pods are one such spice that comes a variety of colours and suit different cuisines.     So if you think there's just the one, you may have been doing your recipes and cooking a disservice. So which one should you use? Ian Hemphill says the default cardamom is the green cardamom pod. Inside are little black to brown seeds which is the important part of the pod. There are a couple of other cardamoms.  Brown cardamom-Indian and Chinese The brown Indian cardamom is a much larger pod than the green cardamom by 4-5 times the size. This cardamom has a smoky aroma and is especially used in tandoori dishes. Chinese cardamom is usually used whole. White Cardamom-be careful that you are actually get the real deal white cardamom and not bleached old cardamoms. Thai cardamom is the genuine white cardamom. White cardamom is hard to source. If you are cooking Thai dishes that call for this cardamom you may substitute green cardamom but half the quantity.   NOTE: Cardamom is also used in sweet dishes such as this cardamom scented rice pudding (pictured), cardamom cake and cardamom biscuits. Definitely use the sweet or green cardamom and not the brown cardamom!   * Ian's big tip is never grind the pods and seeds together.* Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. Marianne (host of Real World Gardener radio show) is Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au Hopefully that's set you on the right path to using the correct coloured cardamoms in your cooking.   If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.  

 TALKING FLOWERS    Tips on Choosing the Freshest Flowers Do you regularly buy a bunch of fresh flowers to brighten up your home? Do you find that no matter which ones you buy, you just can't seem to get them to last past a few days, but friends regularly boast about how their flowers last for over a week? Sometimes I cringe when I see a bunch of flowers outside some supermarkets because I know what signs to look for that tell me whether or not they're really fresh. But could you tell how fresh a bunch of flowers are when you see them for sale? Some of the top tips are Keep your flowers away from the fresh bowl of fruit. The reason is because fruit, particularly ripe bananas give off ethylene which hastens the demise of your fresh flowers.  If you think about it, placing a firm pear next to a banana in the fruit bowl, makes it soften up really quickly. Feel the stems to see if they're fresh and not slimy. Slimy stems stems means they've been sitting around for more than a few day. If you can't feel the stems that cast a close eye on the actual petals and ask yourself, " are the petals showing any signs of curling or browning at the edges,?" If the answer is 'yes' then move onto the next bunch. Avoid buying flowers from the roadside. Roadside flowers have inhaled all those exhaust fumes and that's a speedy way to make them fade.   Don't worry, Nadine Brown will tell us how lots more . I'm talking with Nadine Brown floral educator of www.theivyinstitute.com.au If you like buying fresh flowers you should listen to the podcast. If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

TALKING FLOWERS Dried Flowers and How To Do Them Did you know that dried flowers are back in fashion? Perhaps, like me you thought that never went out of fashion, but do you dry your own on do you buy dried flower arrangements?   No prizes for guessing that those brightly coloured flowers are actually bleached in vats of bleach first, then because all the pigmentation (chlorophyll) has been removed it is practically falling apart.   The next step, the foliage is plasticised and dyed. Not something you want to display in your home   The process behind these dyed flowers is incredibly toxic and is usually down outside Australia. Dry Your Own. Some Australia flowers dry naturally in full colour such as golden everlasting, Australian paper daisy (Rhodanthe chlorocephela) , Billy Buttons (Pycnosorus globosus). Billy Buttons-dried by hanging upside down Dried Rhodanthe sp. Surprises Did you know that you could even dry your dahlia flowers? Choose the more tightly formed varieties with darker colours perform best.    Some hardier flowers and foliage can be left to dry in the vase such as banksias, eucalypt foliage, and kangaroo paw. HOW? Hang upside down in a dark area with plenty of air flow so no mould or mildew develops. I'm talking with florist and educator, Nadine Brown, florist educator and business mentor of the Ivy Institute Why not have a go and drying flowers from your garden? If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 KITCHEN GARDEN Tricks with Horseradish My father was a big fan of this vegetable or perhaps it should be called a herb? He loved it grated on various meats, ‘clears out the sinuses' he always exclaimed. Not too many gardeners are familiar with horseradish and even though it's a perennial vegetable that's easy to grow.

 TALKING FLOWERS Sustainable Floristry Have you ever thought about what happens to the tons of flowers that are sold around Australia for weddings, funerals, special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries?  Hydrangea flowers for sale Perhaps some of the lucky recipients might compost them when they're finished or at least throw in the in the green waste bin, but what of the others? Did you know that approximately 10% of flowers that are sold in Australia are imported from overseas? May not sound like much but do you know if the flowers you buy, are they imported or locally grown and does it matter?   A lot of flowers that are past their use by date end up in landfill, which I suppose means that they might decompose there but what of the mountains of wrapping, floral foam and other packing that the flowers come with?   According to the Sustainable Floristry Network "Excess packaging, plastic props, floral foam, and exotic blooms flown halfway around the globe are rationalised away because that's what clients expect."   The next problem is that imported flowers are often sprayed with a glyphosate based chemical to prevent customers taking cuttings of the plant, before they arrive. then they are sprayed with the carcinogen methyl bromide, after entering Australia. Imported flowers include Roses, Carnations, Orchids, Tropical Foliages and Chrysanthemums are these sourced from places like Kenya, Thailand, South Africa, China, New Zealand, Holland and Vietnam. Nadine recommends that cut flowers should be bought when in season. Easily done by asking the florist where the flowers are from. Marianne (radio host) speaks with 'Sustainable Floristry Network" ambassador and floral educator Nadine Brown of https://www.theivyinstitute.com.au/home about the meaning of sustainable floristry. So ask the question when you next buy flowers, are these flowers locally grown? Check out the sustainable floristry website https://www.sustainablefloristry.org/    If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

Root Knot Nematodes:Control So if you have correctly identified that your plants are affected by root knot nematodes, what can be done about it? Remember, they look different to nitrogen fixing nodules on roots of plants. tomato nematode Controlling nematodes 1.Cultural Control by rotating your plants-nematodes only survive 1 year in the soil. 2.Growing plants that help reduce nematode numbers Asparagus, peanut plants, Corn, Garlic, marigolds. 3.Biofumigants such as green manure crops, especially     Mustard plants release isothyocyanates. 4. Neem Oil drench   5. Beneficial Nematodes EcoGrow supply beneficial nematodes.    6 Chytosan-prawn shells-effective on nematodes. Listen to the podcast to find out more. Your host  of Real World Gardener, Marianne is talking with Steve McGrane, agriculturist and horticulturist. Part 2 is when  we tackle the many, many ways you have to control the bad nematode, namely root knot nematodes. If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

 PLANT DOCTOR Nematodes part 1: the backstory Did you know that there are 1,000,000 species of nematodes that have been identified?  Nematodes live in our environment and although microscopic, unsurprisingly, are related to earthworms  The majority of nematodes aren't plant or crop destructors. However, the few that attack the cell walls of plants can cause serious damage from which the plant/crop usually doesn't recover. Then there's the problem of identifying what's going on with plants that are affected by nematodes. Have you ever had plants that seem to wilt despite you watering them religiously?  What they look like Nematodes are a round worm but because they are unable to be seen by the naked eye, I would describe them as thread like with a large head and mouth. Arm yourself with a magnifying glass and have a look at the roots of plants that you suspect have been attacked by nematodes. You should be able to see them then.   Coffee tree nematode   If nematodes are on your plants the symptoms range from perhaps they're just stunted and don't seem to grow much, r like the coffee tree pictured, continually looks like it's wilting despite the watering it receives. Another symptom is yellowing of foliage. Once the plant has been dug up, nodules on roots will be evident. However, other factors create nodules on roots as in nitrogen fixing plants such as plants in the Fabaceae family.   What could be the problem? Wilting symptoms can be attributed to a range of other factors. So let's find out by listening to the podcast Your host  of Real World Gardener, Marianne is talking with Steve McGrane, agriculturist and horticulturist. Next week we tackle the many, many ways you have to control the bad nematode, namely root knot nematodes. If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

 PLANT DOCTOR     Germinating Native Seed Australian plants have evolved over thousands of years to respond to a variety of climatic extremes, from fires, to droughts to floods as well as being grazed by native animals.   Wattle seeds need boiling water treatment Such a long, long time  for plants to evolve as well as being isolated from the rest of the world has meant that a high diversity of flora abounds, so that it would be unusual to think that everything grows the same way. Australian plants have developed various  adaptations so that the seeds of which can grow in the most suitable environment for that species of plant to survive.  A suitable environment often means seeds don't germinate until a bushfire removes competing plants giving the seeds more access to sunlight and nutrients. Then they only have a short window to germinate.  The hard seed coat is therefore a protective layer that allows the seed to stay dormant for great lengths of time, even years before germination.   So how do plants keep germinating and what tricks have native seeds to keep them alive until conditions are right?   There are specific requirements for some seeds and in fact a wide range of native seeds require you, the gardener to break their dormancy before they germinate. Some are more difficult than others. So what are some of the treatments to break native seed dormancy? Boiling water or hot water treatment is recommended for hard-coated seeds such as Acacia (wattle)and Hardenbergia  species . This involves boiling some water and waiting for a minute so it's just off the boil,  then soaking the seeds for a few to eight hours. The time varies depending on the seed.   Smoke chemical treatment or smoke treatment to break the dormancy of native seeds. Wildflower seed starter granules or similar, are vermiculite or another bio material that contains the smoke chemicals from the burning of bush materials. The way you use it is to sprinkle some on top of the potting mix after sowing the seeds, and on the first watering, the smoke chemicals are released over the seeds.   You can also put some of these seed starter granules in the soaking water of the seeds in the hot water treatment method. Not all seeds need smoke chemical treatment, but there's a few that benefit from using it, in fact are difficult to germinate without it. Sturt Desert peas comes to mind, also Dianella, Philotheca, Xanthorrhoea, Actinotus, Callistemon and Banksia.   As a general rule, sowing and smoking should be done when you would expect the seeds to germinate in nature. Flannel flowers   Both these methods basically speeds up what often takes months or even years in nature to get seeds to germinate.   TIP: Be aware of the germination temperature that seeds need to germinate. But what other tricks are there? Steve talks about germinating Davidson plum seeds using the hot water treatment in the podcast.   So let's find out more. I'm talking with Steve McGrane, horticulturist and agriculturist. I hope that's given you some idea about perhaps why some of the native seeds are more difficult to germinate than regular seeds. In fact not everything germinates the same way, and here lies the problem. That's why a bit of research into the seed type you're trying to germinate goes a long way. If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

PLANT DOCTOR Pruning Native Plants For some reason, many gardeners have been reluctant to prune their native plants, thinking that if they did, those plants might never recover or worse, just drop dead.   Then there's the gardener that's reluctant to prune something that they've just planted because after all, they paid good money for that plant, so why should I cut off the top third as soon as I plant it?  Seems counter intuitive doesn't it? If we look back at when native gardens first started to be in vogue in the 70's, this might have been true of many of the cultivars that were grown back then.   Plus, there was the theory that native gardens should be somewhat wild and untamed, much like they are in the bush.  Grevillea 'Lollipops' photo M Cannon All this did was result in a messy looking 'wild' garden which fell out of favour rather quickly, although not quick enough for some.   Grevillea 'Superb' photo M Cannon Fast forward to the 21st century, and by now, many native plants have been selectively bred or hybridised to produce much healthier, stronger native plants that not only can be pruned but should be pruned to look their best. So how should we prune our native plants? Steve and I are not saying that you need to clip everything into a ball to make it look like a formal garden. Not at all, but you do need to clip plants to reign them in so you have some control over their growth. General rule: Prune after flowering A good tip for plants that have a specific flower time such as Golden Penda. Plants that flower for most of the year like Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon' or 'Grevillea Ned Kelly,' or Peaches and Cream.     In these cases, leave the flowers during the winter months when food is scarce for nectar feeders such as birds and possums. Prune off one-third of growth at the end of winter.   Steve's tip: As soon as you get your plant home, give it a light prune or even a tip prune depending on the size of the plants. Do this often, every 6 or so weeks to make the plant more bush.   Marianne's tip: Some plants respond to constant tip pruning and become more like a shrub than a tree with a straight bole of around 2 metres, for example, Ivory Curl tree or Buckinghamia celsissima. It might seem risky, but if you only prune lightly, then you'll be rewarded with a much better looking plant.   Some native plants respond to being pruned close to the ground such as Callistemon (although not too often), Melaleuca 'Claret Tops,' and Breynia cernua. Look for varieties that suit hedging.   To find out more, listen to the podcast. I'm talking with Steve McGrane, Horticulturist and agriculturist. If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

 TALKING FLOWERS Tips For Longer Lasting Flowers in the Vase Flowers are so uplifting and whilst they're lovely in the garden, in the home, you've got them to enjoy for longer. After all, you're not watching your flowers that are in the garden for very long. There are plenty of 'old wives tales', and just plain outright myths about  what to do to your flowers to make them last past 3 days in the vase.  Ever heard of putting a copper penny in the vase water? Well it's sounds like it could work but in reality, it doesn't do anything for the flowers. What about dissolving an aspirin in the water? That's sheer nonsense. So how can you make the most of your cut flowers? I'm talking with Nadine Brown, florist, floral designer and educator of www.wildflorastudio.com.au who shares her tried and true tips from over thirty years of experience in the flower business. Some of those tips you may have heard before on my Real World Gardener program and one of them is that flowers are ethylene sensitive. That means flower sellers on the roadside are not just selling your flowers, but a whole bunch of ethylene laden flowers that have been covered by exhaust fumes.  That also means that your fruit bowl of bananas, apples and pears are also emitting ethylene which hasten the demise of your precious flowers if they're nearby.   Nadine recommends that  The best place to buy your flowers is from the grower or from a florist. The next best tip is clean fresh water every couple of days is the next best thing for your flowers.  If you recut the stems on an angle as you do that, then you're increasing the vase life of your flowers. Doing this under water prevents air bubbles from blocking any uptake or food or water too. Filtered water isn't totally necessary. Coming second those first tips is a spoonful of vodka!! Is scalding the stems a myth or fact? You probably have heard of scalding hydrangea stems by placing those woody stems in boiling hot water for 30 seconds to a minute, then straight into cold water.? Perhaps you thought that was a bit of fuss over nothing? The truth is this works for woody stems such as hydrangeas and roses, plus a few others like lavender and poppies. Not all flowers though. Using boiling water or scalding, expels air bubbles or trapped air from the stems, which as before, blocks uptake of water and nutrients. For more tips listen to the podcast and watch the tutorial that Nadine has generously provided on 'Care and Condition for your flowers. The link for the Care and Conditioning tutorial is just one of over 50 tutorials in Nadine's membership library, https://vimeo.com/485281174/2ac20b9565 So let's listen to the podcast. If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

Climber Shrubs This design series that covers everything from mixed shrub borders, sub-shrubs, climbers, hero trees to best garden bromeliads but use plants that are non-general lines.I have to say, Peter Nixon, RWG's contributor for this series, focuses largely on what he calls cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops' which he refers to often.Don't be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try. Hibiscus geranioides Climber shrubs-what are they and how could I use them as 'garden fixes' in my cool subtrops garden ? In fact if you were search for the term climber-shrub, you would be hard pressed to find it on the internet. Seems like a contradiction because climbers need support to climb whilst shrubs are free standing. But what about those plants that climb over themselves to form a sort of mounding shrub? Some of these types of shrubs are self-striking which might be called suckering. Insta examples from Peter Nixon  Juanaloa aurantiaca -  or commonly called Golden Fingers because the flowers look like a little bunch of lady finger bananas.  Minimum winter overnight 6-7 degrees C Gmelina philipensis - 'Parrot Beak'. A deciduous shrub with unusual yellow flowers that resemble a parrot beak. Hibiscus geranoides-native to Australia. Loves a 'La Nina' type of weather. Interesting foliage texture Bauhinia tomentosa-sulphur flowering semi-deciduous  shrub to 3m with a cascading habit. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. Marianne (host of Real World Gardener radio show ) is talking with Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au

 DESIGN ELEMENTS Climber Heroes This design series is about plants that are categorised as non-general lines. Every week I've been saying that were talking about plants that you won't necessarily find in your big box store or possibly even in your nursery so you may have to search for them. These plants are so worthwhile that because they provide year round interest with their foliage colour, texture and contrast, not just their flowers. Today perhaps some climbers fit the bill Peter refers to cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops' which means that overnight winter temperatures are down to about 5 degrees. Don't be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try. Peter mentioned these climbers Hoya carnosa Conomorpha fragrans often called climbing frangipani although it has nothing to do with the frangipani genus-Plumeria. The flower does look similar to the frangipani flower and are highly scented.vigorous habit requiring a solid support in cooler areas plant against a north facing wide. Deciduous in cold areas.   Dombeya ianthotrycha (tropical garden society of Sydney)-a winter flowering climber with large paper thin leaves. Flower colour is a muted red with a hint of orange. Can be trained as an espalier or a bun shaped shrub.   Hoya carnosa or wax flower, better in pots with specialised potting mix. If planting in the ground, must have well drained soil.TIP: don't cut those flowering spurs off -  this    Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. Marianne (host of Real World Gardener radio show ) is talking with Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au

 DESIGN ELEMENTS Bright Shade Planting This design series is about plants that are categorised as non-general lines, in other words, plants that are not production grown that then become available in several different sized pots. This series is also about year round interest in the garden even when plants are not in flower. Imagine opening the back door to look at a sea of just green with no distinguishing features! A tad boring don't you think? Instead, think of plants with different sized and shaped leaves, that might also have contrasting colours. Plants we mention in this series, you won't necessarily find in your big box store or possibly even in your nursery so you may have to search for them. These plants are so worthwhile that because they provide year round interest with their foliage colour, texture and contrast, not just their flowers.   So you've got some shady areas that's under trees. This spot is usually thick with the roots of the trees so will be difficult to plant anything there that will survive the root competition, or will it? This is where you have to think outside the square and look at plants that don't need to grow in too much soil.   Cryptostephanos vansonii What are you going to grow in these root ridden shady areas? Peter mentioned   Calanthe sylvatica-a ground orchid-good for moist shade Philodendron marshalliana-has storage stems and not a climber.   Syningia bullata and S. Canescens and S. cardinalis other syningia sp-small cordex that can regrow from. Cryptostephanos vansoni     I say every week that Peter Nixon, RWG's contributor for this series, focuses largely on what he calls cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops' which he refers to often. Don't be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try. I'm talking with Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au Have a listen to the podcast.

 DESIGN ELEMENTS This is a series about foliage colour and contrast and textural contrast  for year round interest. The focus is also on non-general lines instead of production grown planting. In other words, plants that may not necessarily be easy to find but so worth the effort. We kick off the series with mixed shrub borders. MIXED SHRUB BORDER  Are they a thing of the past or a living process that still has relevance for the modern smaller garden? Hibiscus capitolia 'Apricot Sport' This kind of design style has been used for hundreds of years because it has great garden appeal.  There is no reason for it be considered irrelevant or 'old hat,' simply because it is so adaptable. It can be either formal or informal, full of colour and contrast or not, annuals, perennials and shrubs. Today though, it's all about the shrubs and is a start of the design series that covers everything from mixed shrub borders, sub-shrubs, climbers, hero trees to best garden bromeliads. I have to say, Peter Nixon  and Real World Gardener's contributor for this series, focuses largely on what he calls cool sub-tropical garden or ‘cool sub-trops' which he refers to often. Don't be put off if you live in a different climate because often plants adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and are worth a try. Peter mentions the following shrubs as his 'best.' Posoqueria longiflora Tibouchina multifida-not more than 1.5m in height. Hibiscus capitolio  'apricot sport'-double flowering hibiscus, slightly pendulous. 2.5m in height. Posoqueria longiflora-commonly called Japanese Needle flower. Has perfumed flowers with a long white tube, height to 3m in semi-shade. Brunsfelsia macrantha,  Acokanthera oblongifolia - Bushmans Poison,  Gardenia grandiflora 'Star',   Rosa sanguineus,  R. chinensis 'Ten Thousand Lights'   Let's find out more, I'm talking with  Peter Nixon of Paradisus garden design. www.paradisusgl.peternixon.com.au,

KITCHEN GARDEN   LEMON VERBENA Did you think that herbs were just for making tea? Maybe not, but some herbs have endless uses, and this week I'm featuring the herb lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora) that's larger than you would expect to find in a herb garden so probably could fit into the back of a border but in a sunny location. Lemon verbena photo M Cannon How would I describe the scent of lemon verbena? I would say that lemon verbena has a bright, slightly sweet flavour with a strong hint of lemon. The strong lemon scent of this herb is far less overpowering than the lemon flavor and fragrance of lemon balm, lemon thyme, lemon mint, and lemongrass. What does it look like? Lemon verbena is a vigorous growing deciduous shrub to 3 metres tall by 3 metres wide.  The leaves are a lime green and lanceolate, and flowers appear in late spring until the end of summer almost.  The flowers are white, quite small and appear in a panicle. My plant is quite an old plant that I prune each winter to about 1 metre off the ground. How to use lemon verbena? As a flavouring in kombucha Add leaves to a sorbet or ice-cream when making Poach stone fruit in a sugar syrup with lemon verbena leaves Infuse lemon verbena leaves in olive oil or vinegar-250 ml of olive oil with 6 leaves or to taste Fish en papiotte with lemon verbena leaves Corinne's Top Tip:  Why not try  a gin and sonic with muddled lemon verbena. Made with half soda water and half tonic so less calories.  Listen to the podcast. Marianne is talking  Corinne Mossati, founder of  www.thegourmanticgarden.com Gourmantic garden website. You can also follow Corinne for more delightful ideas on Instagram.

 SPICE IT UP MIXED SPICE The name 'mixed spice,' sounds 'oldie worldie' to me because it's not something that comes up in too many recipes these days.  Perhaps if your flicking through an old  Woman's Weekly recipe book, or the cookbook you used at school in home economics class, you might find it in the cakes and buns section.   What is mixed spice? Mixed Spice is a sweet spice blend and is used in a variety of cakes, puddings, pies, breads and buns, biscuits, pancakes, cupcakes, gingerbreads, and even fruit salads. Mixed spice has actually the following ground spices. Cinnamon-two types, Sri Lankan cinnamon and cassia cinnamon Nutmeg Ginger-to add brightness and freshness Cloves-a very small amount. Allspice-a spice all on its own which is actually a berry. Coriander seeds, ground of course. Coriander is an amalgamating spice. But what do you use if you can find it on the supermarket shelves? Melting Moment biscuits Mixed spice quick alternative: Cinnamon 1 tablespoon Nutmeg     1 teaspoon Ginger       1 teaspoon Cloves       1/2 cloves Coriander  2 teaspoons   With the predominant flavor of cinnamon, it also makes a nice change to substitute this spice blend for anything calling for cinnamon for an added flavour boost. Marianne is talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

Plant Nutrition Deficiencies:Phosporus and Potassium We have talked bout the role nitrogen played in played health and what to look for if a plant was deficient in one of the major nutrients, being Nitrogen. In fact there are three major nutrients which are classified as NPK ratio on the back of all fertilisers. So in this part of the blog, we carry on with the two other major or macro nutrients. Let's look at phosphorus deficiency Phosphorus is responsible for the development of flowers and fruits and roots. Phosporus is known as a mobile nutrient which can move around the plant to where it's needed. Phosphorus deficiency happens more often in cold weather or gardens receive high rainfall, or a combination of both. Often affects heavily fruiting plants such as citrus. N..B. native plants are highly sensitive to phosphorus, so avoid spreading phosphate fertilisers near these plants. First Symptoms: Older leaves become quite a dark green then develop a purplish tinge.   Tips will then dry off. Not to be confused with lack of watering especially in pot plants where leaves can also develop dry tips. Overall growth is affected in the long term resulting in smaller leaves and stunted growth.   Quick Fix: Fertiliser high in phosphate either solid or liquid. Long term fix: Blood  n' Bone and/or controlled release fertilisers.  Let's look at potassium deficiency Potassium is responsible for thickening of cell walls, and also responsible for plant growth. Potassium deficiency are more evident in flowering or ornamental plants. Potassium deficiency often is a pH issue in the soil.   First Symptoms: Older leaves become brown and dry on the upper surface, with leaf edges puckering slightly.  As the deficiency progresses, the leaves darken in colour between the veins. Flower stalks become thin and spindly and may be quite short. Fruits may fail to develop full colour and flavour.   Quick Fix: Fertiliser high in potassium either solid or liquid, such as sulphate of potash. Long term fix: Blood  n' Bone and/or controlled release fertilisers.    Listen to the podcast: I'm talking with Kylie Last horticulturist and tafe teacher. I would recommend becoming familiar with the NPK ration on fertilisers, whether organic or not to see if you're applying the right sort for your plants. For example, fertilisers that promote flowering and fruiting have higher ratios of potassium than those that are just for general purpose fertilising. If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

 PLANT HEALTH Plant Nutrition Deficiencies: Macro Nutrient Nitrogen The 'Plant health' segment was created for my radio show "Real World Gardener,' as a division of the 'Plant doctor' segment, because I felt that it's important to focus on what can go wrong with plants that isn't a pest or a disease. In the following audio podcasts, you will hear about what to look for in plants that have deficiencies of one of the macro nutrients: Nitrogen:Phosphorus:Potassium; in other words NPK or the macro nutrients. Gardeners can often see problems appearing first in the colour of the leaves, but this can also be followed closely by lack of vigour, stunted growth and general unthriftiness of the plant.   The key to diagnosing problems, however isn't just looking at the colour of the leaves but it's knowing your soil type and soil pH. Yes, I know, we do go on about soil pH but that often underlies the reason behind your plants' problems. The other underlying problem may be insufficient drainage which causes waterlogging of the soil.   That said, we  will assume that you soil pH is around 6.5 - 7 but your still seeing issues that are showing up in the leaves. So what next? Macro Nutrient Nitrogen Nitrogen is one of the three big nutrients or macro nutrients that plants need. Nitrogen is responsible for leaf growth and blossom formation.   First Symptoms: Oldest leaves start to appear pale first, yellowing at the leaf tips then eventually the whole leaf will turn yellow. Quick Fix: Soluble fertiliser high in nitrogen.  Results should appear in a few days. Long term fix: Blood  n' Bone and/or controlled release fertilisers.   Nitrogen on it's own can be useful for quick greening of lawns and leafy plants like ferns in pots when the potting mix is depleted of any nutrients. Listen to the podcast: I'm talking with Kylie Last horticulturist and tafe teacher. If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

 KITCHEN GARDEN LACTO-FERMENTATION There are several ways to preserve food, these include freezing, drying, pickling and fermenting. You may think that fermented foods are a recent trend, but in fact, fermenting food has been carried out for thousands of years. Fermenting food is one way of preserving your ample supply of produce that's growing in your garden. There are a few ways to ferment foods but lacto-fermentation is one of the easiest. The term lacto-fermentation is a scary one and belies how simple it really is. It's unbelievably quick and easy. So what is it? Firstly the term wasn't derived for having to use milk in the process. Lacto refers to the lactobacillus bacteria that does all the breaking down of the food. Did you know that all vegetables are covered in the various strains of the good bacteria lactobacillus? It does involve lactic acid in the process which is a good thing because lactic acid is a natural preservative. What about the bad bacteria? No problem, the brine that you submerge your vegetables in kill them off, while the lactobacillus survives to do the preserving work. Using the correct salt to water ratio in your brine will ensure the safety of your lacto-fermentation. How do you do it? You can lacto-ferment most produce in yur garden.  Beans, carrots, beetroot, and Corinne's favourite is using stalks of chard, nasturtium seeds. You need salt but not iodised or table salt. Table salt will make the ferment go bad because of it's additives. Use high quality sea-salt. Photo: Corinne Mossati of Gourmantic Garden Non-chlorinated water, and no fluoride so will need to be filtered water. Kilner jar or a glass jar with a lid. Weights to submerge your ferment. BASIC RULE: Brine solution is 2-3% salt.   2% brine:1 litre of water needs 20 grams of salt:  Step by Step Collect your dry ingredients and add them to a dry sterile fermentation jar. Pour in the brine solution to cover the vegetables. Add a ceramic weight on top to keep the vegetables below the liquid. Burp the jar daily: this releases the gas. It will take 2-3 weeks during the summer months. Once it's ready, place it in the fridge to slow the ferment process. Are you a chilli aficionado? Perhaps you're growing the world's hottest chilli, Carolina Reaper or the second hottest, Ghost chilli? But did you know that Carolina Reaper chilli is 200x hotter than a Jalapeno pepper? But what do you do with all those chillies other than freeze them? Why not make a chilli lacto-fermeneted sauce? Follow the above steps then once you think the chillies are done, drain the brine and add other flavouring ingredients. Blitz in a food processor.   To find out more, listen to the podcast. I'm talking with Corinne Mossati, founder of the www.gourmanticgarden.com.au website. If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com 

 PLANT DOCTOR Brown Rot of Stone fruit There's plenty of cultivars of stone fruit trees that can fit into any size garden. Trixie and Pixie dwarf nectarine and peach trees have been around for years. “There's even a nectarine tree classed as Super Dwarf called ‘ Peach Sunset” that is grafted onto super dwarfing rootstock to produce a more compact tree growing to around 1.5 m tall. This Nectarine is self fertile so only one tree is needed. But before we get too carried away, what are the cons for growing stone fruit? Is deciduous a con? Possibly, because stone fruit tree are deciduous so if you don't like the bare look in winter, stone fruit trees are not for you. Do you need two trees for fruit set? Not always so do your homework. Preventative spraying for peach leaf curl and  brown root of stone fruit may be needed. Perhaps I'm preaching to the converted and you already grow stone fruit. Also perhaps, like me, you've never had a delectable harvest stolen from under your nose due to a fungal disease.   Imagine this, ripe luscious fruit that you pick and place in your fruit bowl. A day later, the same fruit has inexplicably in part turned a mushy brown, soon to be consumed completely by the fungus.   Or you have bunches of fruit on your tree and some of the start dropping off or look like in the image, with a brown sunken fungal growth. The bad news is, it's too late to do something about it now. If you don't want a repeat of those nasty surprise in your stone fruit, you have to be pro-active with preventative spraying in winter when the tree is leafless and dormant. Spraying with sulphur at that time is a good go to all round spray. You may even have to open the centre of established trees a bit more than usual to increase air flow. Still, the fruit I ate off my trees this year were super delicious and well worth growing your own stone fruit trees.   For more tips listen to the podcast. I'm talking with Steve Falcioni of www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au    Let's find out PLAY: Brown rot of stone fruit_16thFebruary 2022That was Steve Falcioni from www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au If you have any questions you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

KITCHEN GARDEN Rose Geranium  Scientific name: Pelargonium graveolens Family: Geraniaceae Rose geranium leaves (photo Corinne Mossati)   Personally I'm a fan of scented plants whether it's the flowers or the leaves. I just love to inhale their perfume either by sniffing the flowers or touching the leaves. This next plant, the rose geranium, is not just your ordinary scented geranium because of its many uses. Sure you can get by just inhaling the perfume after crushing the leaves but why not think about it's culinary uses, especially in festive drinks.  First let's talk about the plant. Rose geraniums are quick growing especially in the warmest months of the year. Expect this to be a small bush of 1-2-1.5meters with leaves that are soft to the touch, slight hairy and deeply incised as pictured on the right.  Rose geraniums grow best in full sun but can tolerate part shade. Also frost and drought tolerant. Rose Geranium spritzer (photo Corinne Mossati)   Keep pruning the leaves to make your rose geranium plant into a tidy compact form, otherwise it will tend to flop over and sprawl a bit. Don't throw away the cuttings or prunings as all geraniums root easily and quickly.  Just cut a piece or stem of about 5cm long, first removing the bottom two-thirds of leaves. Pop this piece into seed raising mix in a small pot or you can even place cuttings in water. Rooted cuttings soon grow into plants that make great gifts to give to friends. But don't waste those leaves, because what better way to use them, than making a rose geranium syrup to pour over ice-cream or a rose geranium spritzer.                     Start off with making a rose geranium syrup. All you need is 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of chopped rose geranium leaves. I'm talking with Corinne Mossati, founder and editor of Gourmantic Garden and Cocktails and Bars  Corinne has provided the links to the recipes below. Rose Geranium Syrup recipe http://www.cocktailsandbars.com/rose-geranium-syrup-recipe/ Rose Geranium Spritzer http://www.cocktailsandbars.com/rose-geranium-spritzer/ Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 SPICE IT UP Indian Cooking Class Forget those jar sauces and ready- made pastes that you can buy in supermarkets. If you want a real curry, you'll need to make it yourself but aren't they complicated? Well they can be but that's why you need an Indian cooking class. Ian's spice kit is named after Christine Manfield's new cookbook called 'Indian Cooking Class.' If you're a bit daunted by Indian recipes then would be chefs would find this very useful. In this segment Ian takes us through what some of the most often used spices are in Indian cooking and why they are so important to Indian cuisine.  Some of these are: Ajowan seed Methi or Fenugreek leaves. Panch phora- a spice blend Chaat masala is a spice blend containing cumin, black salt, fennel seed, amchur or green mango powder, and garam masala-(fennel,caraway, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and pepper) and Asafeotida.. Gunpowder spice blend. I have now tried the 'butter chicken recipe twice for this book and give a 5 star rating. As good as if not better than restaurant butter chicken. You start off making a roux with chick pea powder and canola oil Then marinate chicken pieces in a spice blend that is made from a ginger/garlic paste, kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, sea salt flakes, methi, and cardamom ground. Add the spices to yoghurt and coat the chicken, then marinate for at least 4 hours. Butter Chicken-photos M Cannopn Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au Well now you know what some of those weird sounding spices are that are used in Indian curries. You don't have to buy the book and the spice kit, but it's a way to kickstart your armchair journey to the spices and curries of India. If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 KITCHEN GARDEN Festive Drinks with Pineapple Sage I talk with Corinne Mossati about this wonderful culinary sage that is so useful in festive drinks. You may be growing some lovely salvias in your garden but not realise that one of them in particular, can make a luscious and revitalising drink, just right for the festive season.  Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) is in the Lamiaceae or mint family. Found growing naturally in forests quite high up but does well along the east coast of Australia. A fast growing small shrub to 1.5m, that suits most regions of Australia with large leaves that are, distinctly veined and a bright lime-green in colour. Salvia elegans-pineapple sage Grow it in reasonably rich soil that has a good water holding capacity to keep it moving along during the warmest months of the year. Best in full sun. Tip prune whenever you pass to keep your pineapple sage more compact and lush. Flowers occur mainly in winter but will spot flower most of the year. Let's find out. PLAY: Festive drinks with pineapple sage_8th December 202 That was Corinne Mossati founder and editor of the gourmantic garden and cocktails and bars websites. Not only the leaves, but the flowers can be used to make drinks or flavour honey. For a small 200ml jar, fill it up with pineapple sage flowers and then pour in the honey. Leave it to steep for one month and give it a give it a little stir every so often. You can also use the flowers as garnish in salad, and because they have a pineapple flavour, they'll make a fantastic addition to fruit salads, and sorbets. Corinne's Tip:When you are working with aromatic plants, place the leaf on your palm, give it a little slap to release the volatile oils, before you garnish your cocktail, then inhale the aroma as you sip your drink. Corinne's Pineapple Sage Cocktail Here are the links to the recipes Corinne mentions in the podcast:  The Sage Cuban: Pineapple Sage Cocktail: http://www.cocktailsandbars.com/the-sage-cuban-pineapple-sage-cocktail/ Pineapple Sage Flower Honey: http://www.thegourmanticgarden.com/pineapple-sage-flower-honey/ Simple Syrup: http://www.cocktailsandbars.com/how-to-make-simple-syrup/ If you have any feedback why not write in or email www.realworldgardener.com

 SPICE IT UP Dill versus Fennel How well do you know your herbs? Have you ever used fresh dill in any recipes? Perhaps a dill sauce, with smoked salmon or in a potato salad, but what about fennel.? Those feathery fronds of dill, have a similar smell to fennel, so can they be used interchangeably? Dill is pictured here but it looks similar to the feather fronds of fennel doesn't it? So how can you tell the difference between dill and fennel fronds? Fennel bulb and frond Dill fronds are slightly finer and a darker green than fennel fronds. Dill has a higher anise or licorice note when you crush the leaf. Fennel has the same level of anethol (active enzyme) but tends to be sweeter. Seeds or both dill and fennel are used in cooking and are referred to as a spice. Seed flavour profiles differ from the fresh plant.  Dill fronds are sometimes referred to as 'dill weed' in recipes. Dill seeds are used a lot in pickles, but don't have magical properties. Ian's great tip was when using fennel seeds, dry roast them which by the way gives satay sauce that special flavour. My favourite use of fennel seeds is in home-made sausage rolls.   I mix 150 grams of beef mince with 300gms of pork mince, 1 grated carrot, 1 grated potato (raw), w teaspoons of chopped sage leaves, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds,  salt and pepper to season. Divide mixture onto puff pastry sheets and roll up with join side down onto baking trays. Bake for 15 minutes at 220 C until golden. Dill or Fennel flowers? Let's find out by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au  If you have any feedback email  realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675    

Slime Moulds part 2 The podcast continues with the topic of slime mould but particularly, about the slime mould called phytophthora.  Did you prick up your ears? Yep, that's the root rot known as phytophthora which gardeners dread. Gardeners are often told that phytophthera, in particular Phytophthera cinnamomi,  is a fungi but it's actually a water mould. You may have even heard it called 'root rot.' Phytophora is a particular slime mould that belongs to a group or Phyllum called Oomycota  This group are moulds that can only move in water columns. Phytophthora cinnamomi lives in the soil and in plant tissues,  During drought or prolonged dry periods , the organisms become dormant chlamydospores which is just a resting spore of Ascomycota.  When environmental conditions are suitable, the chlamydospores germinate, producing mycelia (or hyphae) and sporangia.  The sporangia ripen and release zoospores, which infect plant roots by entering the root behind the root tip.  This organism is very resistant to most chemicals that gardeners can throw at it and doesn't die with soil disturbance.. Dieback of branches of whole shrubs or trees is often seen in the Australian bush. Should you ever see branch dieback in your trees or shrubs or stem dieback in your tomatoes, it just may be due to a problem called root rot that is actually a slime mould.  The best way Botanic gardens have dealt with it is by fencing off affected beds within the gardens so horticulturists and the public don't transfer the spores around the the gardens or indeed, back home to their own gardens. Drainage was also improved in garden beds so that the organism wasn't able to stay 'live' or active. Compost is also added to soil to improve the soil so the microorganisms can combat this slime mould. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Steve McGrane, horticulturist and agriculturist. So know you know the facts and myths about Phytophthera and how to deal with it in your garden. If you have any questions about slime mould or some feedback why not email us realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644

 PLANT DOCTOR Slime Mould: What Is It?  Part 1   What do the words slime mould conjure up in your imagination? Is it that black stuff growing in the grout and on the tiles in your bathroom? Or is it that green stuff on your paths on the south side of the house? You may be surprised to find that it's neither one of those so where is it lurking? There are a lot of other moulds that live in the garden some of which are very useful. Wolf Milk Slime mould Slime moulds are in the kingdom:Protista. Did you know that slime moulds have a life cycle, and when you are able to observe them, is only part of their lifecycle? They're usually brightly coloured -reds, vivid greens, yellow and purple.  They can grow on grass, logs and pretty much anywhere where the environment is conducive. Slime moulds are not very well known in Australia, but Tasmania has around 100 species of slime moulds one of which is called 'dog vomit.'  Slime moulds are highly useful in that they break down materials, 80% of which is made available to plants. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Steve McGrane, horticulturist and agriculturist. If you have any questions about slime mould or some feedback why not email us realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644

GRAFTING TECHNIQUES Part 2 Approach grafting is an alternative method for citrus. In part 1 of grafting techniques Margaret Mossakowska and I talked about how growing from a tree such as an orange or lemon from seed isn't all that successful unless you graft it onto hardy rootstock. In this segment, we refresh some of those points and take you onto more grafting techniques. There are many types of grafting that are available to be used, some more complex or more exacting than others. My Take On Grafting Cleft grafting I find is quite straight forward and easy to get right.  I've tried grafting Camellia reticulata scions onto Camellia sasanqua rootstock with a 100% success rate.  Camellia reticulata has huge flowers, a feature I wanted growing in my garden. Camellia 'Red Crystal' is a cross between C.reticulata ‘Crimson Robe' and C. japonica ‘Wildfire,' however, both are slow growing. and don't grow so fast in temperate Sydney. I find this is a faster alternative, plus Camellia sasanquas are very hardy and less prone to root rot. Camellia 'Red Crystal'   Grafting citrus is essential in Australia because the table citrus that we love to eat are not native to Australia, and so are prone to many diseases.  The grafted union in most cases needs to be above the ground. There is one exception and that is with lilacs(Syringia vulgaris.). Lilacs tend to sucker if grown on their own rootstock so they are grafted onto privet rootstocks.   Things to Watch Out For. Once you've successfully grafted your desired planted, whether it's a citrus or camellia or some other favourite, there's still room for failure. At first the graft union may seem all fine and dandy, but  if you see shoots from below the graft union, you may have a problem Houston. Shoots from below the graft union could signal failure of the graft and the rootstock is trying to take over. Keep on rubbing off these shoots and hopefully it's only a minor abberration. If this persists, you may find the top part or scion is slowly dying, so time to start all over. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Margaret Mossakowska of www.mosshouse.com.au If you've never tried grafting, make sure you get the right tools before you start.You'll also need the correct root stock.If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 THE GOOD EARTH Grafting Techniques part 1 & 2 If you've ever grown a tree from it's seed, such as an orange lemon or avocado, you probably were disappointed by the result.  I daresay, that firstly, it took a long time for it to fruit, and when it did, it was nothing like the fruit that the seed came from.  After all apart from the novelty factor of  being able to grow a tree from a tiny seed, the time involved isn't really worth the effort. So what to do instead? Lemon tree Switch to grafting methods. Grafting is a method that would vastly improve the result all round but the word itself sounds terrifying if not complicated!  There is after all the possibility that you'll end up slicing of the tip of your finger with the super sharp budding knife, or at the very least drawn blood from the deep wound that resulted from a slip of the wrist.  I confess to having done that.   Practice makes perfect and I would recommend wearing gloves before attempting to do any type of grafting. So What is Grafting? Grafting is a swag of techniques that involves having a root stock that is happily growing in the ground or in a pot, whose upper part you will cut off completely. Next, you attach a scion, a piece of plant whose features you really like, such as fruit size and flavour. The scion has to be a particular size and be related botanically speaking to the rootstock. That means you can't graft an apple onto citrus rootstock, because apples are in the family 'rosaceae' and citrus are in the plant family 'rutaceae.'   There are of course plenty of other reasons why you want to try your hand at grafting. Some of these are to improve disease resistance such as for roses or fruit trees or dwarfing. Dwarf  trees are the result of grafting a scion from a tree of full size fruit onto dwarfing root stock.     Margaret describes cleft grafting where the scion's base is cut as a 'V' and inserted into the same length slit into the rootstock. The cambium (green wood) of each must be aligned. TIP:If you've never tried grafting, make sure you get the right tools before you start. You'll also need the correct root stock. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Margaret Mossakowska of www.mosshouse.com.au  

SMALL SPACE GARDENING-COURTYARD STYLE Modern day gardens are much smaller than they used to be. Many gardeners and would be gardeners, hanker for a produce filled garden with as many different edibles  as befits their lifestyle. If you you only have a small space such as a paved courtyard or even just a balcony, but don't know what to do next, this next segment will spur you onto creating your own oasis, without digging up the stones or pavers.  Be inspired Corinne has managed to squeeze in over 200 plants into a small paved courtyard-that doesn't even include duplicates of plants. A good start is with recycling crates from your local council, to give you an idea of what works for you. Alternatively, plant into lots of containers that can be moved around to follow the sun.Then venture into raised garden beds. Making the right choice Before any planting, determine the movement of the sun in your small space and  and note down the hours of sunlight and shade in each part of your small space/courtyard. Choose those edibles that like all day full sun for those spots that get 6 hours plus of sunlight such as tomatoes. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce, rocket, Swiss chard and kale, don't mind a bit of shade throughout the day if your have only 3-4 hours of sunlight.  If you only have morning sun then choose vegetables such as carrots, celery, and dwarf beans. For those spots with morning shade and afternoon sun, the choice is climbing cucumbers, climbing peas and beans.  Soil prep is key for Corinne. Grow cucumbers on a lattice made of string.  The raised garden beds are made up with homemade compost, worm castings and bought in compost and other organic material. Think of vertical spaces Think about growing vines like cucumbers and zucchinis and even nasturtiums, vertically.   Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Corinne Mossati drinks writer and founder of the gourmantic garden website.  www.thegourmanticgarden.com  Don't be put off by lack of space you may have because no space is too small to have plants, even if it's just herbs on the kitchen windowsill. If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

PLANT OF THE WEEK Number 5 Scientific Name: Billardiera scandens Common Name: Appleberry Family: Pittosporaceae Native Habitat: found mainly along the east coast in a variety of commnityes such as coastal heath and sclerophyll forest. Description:A twining climber or groundcover.. Pale lance shaped green leaves have wavy margins. Height-Width: 1.5 x3 m Flowering: September to December. Pendulous bell-shaped flowers on branch tips, similar to correa flowers. Appleberry flowers. photo courtesy David Midgley Appleberry fruit Fruiting: Oblong berries appear on the bush in summer while the plant continues to flower. At first green to purple that turn yellow when ripe. Taste is similar to green kiwi fruit. Size is similar to sultana grapes. (Those that are elongated having been treated with gibberelins.) Position: Full sun or part shade. Will become more sparse in shade. Attributes: Long flowering and fruiting period. Requires watering and regular pruning in cultivation. Suitable for container growing. Regular tip pruning in this situation will result in a small shrubby plant. Over the past few weeks I've been focussing on bush tucker plants, some of which you may not have heard of before. The appleberry is no exception because even though it can be found in national parks, most people would walk by and not realise that it's a bush tucker plant. For Sydneysiders, it can be found in Lane Cove National Park. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Adrian O'Malley, native plant officianado and expert. There are many bush tucker plant nurseries that supply these plants online and are able to post out to most areas of Australia. If you have any questions or feedback or have some information to share, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675 and I'll send you a packet of seeds.

PLANT OF THE WEEK Number 4 Scientific Name: Tetragonia tetragoniodes Common Name:Warrigal Greens Family: Aizoaceae Native Habitat: fcoastal areas, sandy shorelines or inland rivers and salt marshes Description:A ground cover that can act like a dune stabiliser. Height-Width: 2 x 2 m Flowering: tiny inconsipicuous flowers Spring and Summer Fruiting:Juicy fruit produced in clusters. Position: Full sun or part shade. Attributes: Dry tolerant once established. There are many bush tucker plants that are not that well known and this is another one of them.   Warrigal greens These greens can be a spinach substitute, and although one of the names is NZ Spinach, here in Australia, we prefer to call them Warrigal greens. High in oxalic acid so need to be blanched for 1 minute before using raw in salads.   If you're anywhere near a sandy beach, look out for NZ spinach growing somewhere not to far from the shoreline.  Yet another bush tucker plant that should be grown more. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Adrian O'Malley, horticulturist and native plant expert.

PLANT OF THE WEEK Number 3 Scientific Name: Microseris Lanceolata Common Name:Murnong Yam Family:Asteraceae   Yam Daisy Native Habitat: found in a wide range of habitats in Australia: these inlcude mallee, slerophyll and sub-alpine communities. Description:-Strappy, linear green leaves above underground tubers that emerge after rain in Autumn. Height-Width: 30cm x 30cm Flowering: yellow daisy flowers in spring-autumn. Fruiting:fluffy seedheads (known as achenes), similar to dandelion seedhead. Position: Full sun and part shade.  Attributes: Dry tolerant once established and can grow in sandy soil. There are many bush tucker plants that are not that well known and this is another one of them. Yam daisy plant can be hard to identify in the wild because it looks like a lot of other yellow daisy plants, including dandelions and flatweed, also called cats ears. The main differences: flat weed has a rosette of hairy, wavy-edged leaves that sit flat on the ground, while murnong has upright lance-shaped leaves.  Murnong flower stems have a curved, drooping top as the bud develops, then straighten as it opens, whereas flatweeds and dandelions are upright as the bud is forming. The white tubers are nutritious and sweet tasting They can be eaten raw or baked, mixed with other vegetables or turned into a paste for dessert. It is possible to buy the seeds of yam daisy plant online. To find out more listen to the podcast. I'm talking with Adrian O'Malley horticulturist

PLANT OF THE WEEK Number 2 Scientific Name: Atriplex nummularia Common Name:Old Man Saltbush Family: Chenopodiaceae Native Habitat: found in semi-arid and arid areas of Australia. Description:-grey-green leaves on a somewhat woody shrub. Dioecious-separate male and female plants. Height-Width: 3 x 2-5 m Flowering: small white flowers occur throughout most of the year. Fruiting:rounded fruits. Position: Full sun and tolerant of some shade.  Attributes: Dry tolerant once established due to the extensive deep root system that extends to 5m deep and 10m across. The leaves impart a salty flavour if your dry and crumble them and sprinkle on food. Possibly, listeners would be familiar with the term ‘old man saltbush' or even have seen this plant growing somewhere. But I daresay, you would not have heards that parts of this plant are considered bush tucker. There are many bush tucker plants that are not that well known and this is another one of them. The Department of Primary Industries NSW recommends the following for farmland.  "Shrubs are grown in hedgerows as block or alley plantings across the farm to provide high-protein green feed during periods of feed shortage." Old Man Saltbush: Photo courtesy DPI NSW "Shrubs are grown in hedgerows as block or alley plantings across the farm to provide high-protein green feed during periods of feed shortage.Not recommended for areas with less than 300 mm average annual rainfall, or more than 600 mm average annual rainfall."  In the home garden, if you're first planting out old man saltbush, don't expect it to survive without any water at the start. After the first warm season, then it's good to go on just what falls out of the sky in rainfall. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast with Adrian O' Malley horticulturist and native plant expert. 

 PLANT OF THE WEEK Scientific Name: Rubus parvifolia Common Name:Native raspberry Native Habitat: found mainly along the east coast in rainforest or coast heath communities. Description:A scrambling vine or shrub the shoots from underground rhizomes with hooked thorns to help it climb.  Height-Width: 2 x 2 m Flowering: December to April Fruiting:Juicy fruit produced in clusters. Position: Full sun or part shade. Attributes: Dry tolerant once established.   Rubus parvifolia Not all fruiting vines or canes come from the northern hemisphere, Australia has quite a lot of its own. These plants have similar fruits and are easier to grow than there northern counterparts so why are we growing them more?  My experience is observing one such plant in Sydney Botanic gardens, scrambling on a stream bank near the Palm House. This plant is part of the native garden along with banksias, grass trees, lomandras, carpobrotus and many others, including a peppermint gum. The habit of rubus species is to keep suckering and spreading, much like the non-native blackberry bushes, so take care where exactly you plant it in your garden. Listen to the podcast to find out more. I'm talking with horticulturist and native plant afficionado, Adrian O'Malley  PLAY : Rubus parvifolius_25th August 2021

 Nasturtiums  with Corinne Mossati Quite often we gardener have flowering plants in the garden but never think about bringing them into the kitchen to make something. They may be just fillers or self-seeders, but in this case, the nasturtium, has so many extra uses other than ornamental, you'll be inspired to do something. Germinating  Nasturtium Seeds. Plant the seeds in moist well drained soil, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged. Corrine find it takes between 14-21 days.   Why not try the Alaska variety with variegated leaves, or 'Black Velvet' with deep red flowers and dark leaves. The one pictured is growing in my garden, is 'Cherry Rose.' Eating Nasturtiums-Corinnes'tips: Leaves taste peppery and are great for adding with other greens to salads. Why no try drying the leaves and grind them to a powder.  When combined with salt you have a condiment to flavour food or crust the rim of your margeurita cocktail glass!   Nasturtium flowers are edible too. Use them as you would zucchini flowers. Nasturtium seeds are edible, often referred to as 'poor man's capers.' Let's find out more, listen to the podcast. I'm speaking with Corinne Mossati, drinks writer and founder of The Gourmantic Garden: http://www.thegourmanticgarden.com and Cocktails & Bars: http://www.cocktailsandbars.com Her website tagline & hashtag “Grow It. Eat It. Drink It.” sums up Corinne's garden and we look forward to more segments with Corinne. If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

Therapeutic Horticulture part 2 The next part of my interview with specialist Cath Manuel,  is more about how anyone interested in this field can get started plus the actual benefits for participants. Cath was asked what kind of activities she creates or devises?   Cath uses basic gardening skills and/or tasks but the activity is very much person centred.  For example, someone with  low confidence and low self-esteem who is unable to participate in a community garden, perhaps on the NDIS then simple tasks such as sowing seeds, simple propagating, growing crops and fruit, watering. Corporate sponsorship for organisations is very important because it can provide materials such as plants, gloves, potting mix, and other garden related products. photo M Cannon Observations Cath has seen a lot of successes over the years, one she mentions in particular is when she works with the 'Memory Support Unit' for dementia patients. Patients within a few minutes of being in the garden, are suddenly transported to being the gardener they once were. They are happier, often start talking to others and communicating better. Training-How to Get Started For anyone that wants to train in therapeutic horticulture, there is training online with  https://soiltosupper.com There are two programs, one for individuals and one for those wishing to train in therapeutic horticulture. Support is provided by Cath Manuel   Let's find out more I'm talking with Cath Manuel, Therapeutic Horticulture Specialist . Listen to the podcast. Cath Manuel is the founder of Soil to Supper website and a specialist in therapeutic horticulture and kitchen gardens. https://soiltosupper.com If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 GARDEN AS THERAPY Therapeutic Horticulture What makes a garden therapeutic? What is therapeutic gardening? Are these two things connected or are they separate? You would think that yes gardening is therapy, so doing a bit of gardening would amount to therapeutic horticulture but you would be wrong. To understand therapeutic horticulture, you have to be across two areas:-health and well-being and horticulture. You can start from the health sector and then gain some qualifications in horticulture or vice versa.. Therapeutic horticulture then means using gardening as an activity to improve people's health and well being through the use of plants .   There are lots of courses that can assist you with training to be a therapeutic horticulturist. The next step is to gain some hours through volunteering with an organisation, eg aged care, through NDIS, and disability sector. It's also a good idea to join THA or Therapeutic Horticulture Australia https://tha.org.au. photo M Cannon Let's find out more I'm talking with Cath Manuel, therapeutic horticulture specialist  Cath Manuel is the founder of Soil to Supper website and a specialist in therapeutic horticulture and kitchen gardens. https://soiltosupper.com If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

Part 3: The final Countdown   In the last 5 years Glenice and husband Phil, have made so many improvements to the soil . A very difficult spot that experiences 40 degrees C  temperatures in summer and winter temparatures below 0  and even minus 5 degrees C at times. A hard clay soil that had been compacted by heavy vehicles driving over part of it for many years. The planting also included these very tough and hardy plants. Teucrium fruiticans- also known as Germander, is a very hardy small evergreen bush in the mint family with grey stems and undersides of the leaves. 1.2m Phillyrea angustifolia . Drought, heat, frost and salt tolerant. Phillyrea are olive related which explains their toughness-dark green glossy leaf with serrated edge, making a contrast to the other silvers in the bed. Height to 2.5m, slow growing. Alternative to English box. can be kept to under 1m in height Aloes Other succulents Beschoneria yuccoides-Mexican lily, is a perennial succulent with a rosette of slender strap-like leaves that can grow to 1m in length.  Rhagodia spinescens Salt bush-Small, native shrub with silvery, grey triangular foliage growing to approximately 1.5m. Tolerates all soil types and coastal conditions Atriplex nummularia, commonly called Old Man Saltbush, a large grey shrub to 2 m tall and to 4-5 m wide, with brittle woody branches   Glenice said in her post that She said of the garden that; We used a rotary hoe to break up the soil before planting. Spread/dug through gypsum and watered in liquid gypsum Dug through premium garden soil and compost. Mulched the area with fine grade pine bark, sugar cane mulch, straw and tea tree mulch. Continued fertilising any new plants with composted animal manure pellets and liquid fertilisers every 2 to 3 months.Continued to give any plants in the area a deep slow water by hand to ensure they receive a good amount of water closest their roots. Garden at the Berkshires-photo Glenice Buck Selected plants that will cope with the tough conditions that area hot and dry conditions. Over planted the slope- I planted out all the plants with closer spacing than recommended as they will help protect and buffer each other in this tough location. They will grow, settle in and get established more quickly together. When you're dealing with tough locations like this you also need to have patience and give the garden soil time to take in all these improvements. Soil preparation is very important and you should try to hold off planting before the soil is ready - haha! try telling a gardener to do that when there is open soil / spare space in the garden. I didn't wait! I'm talking with Glenice Buck Landscape designer and Arboriculture consultant. www.glenicebuckdesigns.com.au 

Part2 Tough Garden Bed In the last 5 years Glenice and husband Phil, have made so many improvements to the soil . We used a rotary hoe to break up the soil before planting. Spread/dug through gypsum and watered in liquid gypsum Dug through premium garden soil and compost. Mulched the area with fine grade pine bark, sugar cane mulch, straw and tea tree mulch. Continued fertilising any new plants with composted animal manure pellets and liquid fertilisers every 2 to 3 months. She said of the garden that they did this process listed above ,every year for 5 years but it wasn't until the 3 year mark that there was a turn around in plants being able to survive. Without those years of soil preparation, the plants would not have been able to thrive. Miscanthus transmorrisonensis Planting Palette Glenice used for this area - lots of silvers! Miscanthus transmorrisonensis-Evergreen Feather grass, evergreen leaves to 80cm tall by 100cm wide fountain-like mounds Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal' or Blue Switch grass is special for its dramatic, metallic blue foliage and for its strong upright habit to around 140cm. Senecio viravira- a beautiful rounded evergreen shrub with silver-white dissected leaves topped by soft lemon flowers. One of the best silvers. Sun loving and drought tolerant. 80cm x 100cm. Artemisia Powis Castle- a hardy, bushy, low growing shrub that has very attractive, soft, silvery grey, deeply divided foliage Olea europaea 'Piccolo' suits really tough conditions - drought, frost, poor soil, no irrigation. Grows to 2m Teucrium fruiticans- also known as Germander, is a very hardy small evergreen bush in the mint family with grey stems and undersides of the leaves. 1.2m Philorea Aloes Other succulents Beschoneria yuccoides-Mexican lily, is a perennial succulent with a rosette of slender strap-like leaves that can grow to 1m in length.  Salt bush Atriplex nummularia, commonly called Old Man Saltbush, a large grey shrub to 2 m tall and to 4-5 m wide, with brittle woody branches I'm talking with Glenice Buck Landscape design and Arboriculture consultant.

 DESIGN ELEMENTS When the going gets tough Many gardeners have a section of their garden that might often see plant failures year after year. They've tried all sorts of plants that claim to be tough as old boots, but still they fail. Glenice Buck has dealt with one such problem garden bed where she lives and this week starts a series of 3, on how she went about solving the problem.   Glenice explains that the bed is on a slope (see photo below) so the water would just hit the soil and run down the hill. This garden bed also gets all day sun on heavy clay soil. Access to water is limited to hand watering. Not ideal considering the busy schedule that Glenice's parents have. On top of the lack of shade and being baked by hot afternoon summer sun, the soil had been previously used as bit of a driveway and had been compacted by heavy machinery when the house was being build. Glenice said in her post that    "This section of garden bed in the rear garden at #thegardenattheberkshires has been the toughest bed I have ever dealt with. Five years on with a lot of work and improvements it is finally starting to fill in and look good. It has been hard to get anything to grow in this area. The reasons for it being a difficult spot to deal with is   Tough garden bed at the Berkshires photo Glenice Buck Have a listen to the podcast I'm talking with Glenice Buck Landscape design and Arboriculture consultant.

 THE KITCHEN GARDEN SUCCESS WITH CORIANDER Scientific name: Coriandrum sativum I mentioned before that certain herbs that look alike and again I find myself talking about another herb that confuses people.   Australians refer to the seeds and leaf as coriander but in the northern hemisphere, the leaf is sometimes known as 'cilantro.' Coriander is one of those herbs that people either love it or hate it. Do you love it?   Coriander leaves Coriander is easy enough to grow but being in the carrot family,(Apiaceae) its green leafy tops can look not only like other herbs, but other vegetables! My guest, Toni Salter in the podcast, calls it the 'primadonna' of herbs.  There are many things it doesn't like and without a second glance, coriander will bolt to seed giving you not much leaf at all. What causes it to bolt to seed? Soil is too dry Too little water at the right time. Poor or impoverished soil. Poor drainage in your herb garden. Temperatures too warm for it's liking. Temperatures too cold for it's liking Transplanting-the worst sin. Problems with germination? Try soaking the seeds for a few hours in a shallow saucer of water. TIP: Always sow the seeds directly into the position where it will grow. Sow it into a container if you like, but keep it there. Coriander loves rich fertile soil, much like your vegetables. Coriander seedlings When to Sow in Australia For sub-tropical and arid zones, you have August to September; Temperate districts, sow the seeds from September until the end of November, In cool temperate zones, October to November, Sow your seeds about 1 cm deep, cover them and keep them moist. Whether or not you sow them in rows, scatter them amongst your other veggies, or use them to grow as a shade plant for your lettuce, it really doesn't matter. Companion planting: plant coriander near your spinach to confuse the grasshoppers. Let one or two plants go to seed. The flowers attract beneficial insects after which the coriander seeds can be harvested to use in cooking, once the seeds turn brown and crispy. Coriander seeds drying on plant A must if you like Asian cooking and even though coriander looks like parsley, as soon as you smell it, you know what you've got.   Heaps of Coriander seeds are used in curries, tagines and many other Asian dishes. In fact the whole herb, including the roots can be ground up to make a Thai Green Curry paste. Let's find out more I'm talking with Toni Salter www.theveggielady.com.au PLAY: Success with Coriander_8th September 2021 If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675  

 SPICE IT UP     SAVORY VS THYME Often there's a couple of herbs that look alike and even have similar flavour profiles. If you had them growing together in the herb garden, you may even confuse the two because of how closely they look to each other. Thyme is the better known herb in Australia, which from the 1950's was commonly used in soups, stews, scones and casseroles. For some reason, savory is not very well known in Australia, but it's commonly used America and England. In England, and America, it's quite popular and in the US, winter savory is a key ingredient in the stuffing for the 'Thanksgiving Turkey.' If you rubbed both herbs without knowing which was which, you would most likely think they both were the same herb. Winter savory, unlike thyme, is not sold as a cut herb in the produce aisle of your supermarket. Confusingly there is a 'summer savory' which tends to die off in winter and usually not come back. Looking after both herbs With their tiny leaves, both herbs are adapted to the dry regions of the mediterranean.  Both herbs are in the mint (Lamiaceae) family, but unlike mint, don't  feel you need to give either thyme or winter savory heaps of water with the exception of the hottest days in Australia's summers. I've never seen the seeds of savory being sold however if you have a pot of winter savory that's overgrown and become leggy, follow these tips to refresh it. Dividing the roots  in spring, will rejuvenate the plant. Start off by trimming about a third of any wrapped or circling roots. Divide the root ball into thirds or quarters, making sure that each section has a healthy piece of root and stems with green leaves attached. Remove one-third of the top growth, and trim away any dead or damaged stems and leaves. Re-pot into new containers and gift some to your friends. But can you substitute one for the other? Thyme has the volatile oil: thymol which is a strong natural antiseptic.   Wild thyme growing amongst a rocky outcrop You only need to use a small amount to get the flavour, and is a key ingredient in mixed herbs. Did you know there are over 100 varieties of thyme? The wild thyme of Provence is known for its strength of flavour. Think 'herbs de Provence' is a blend with this wild thyme. The answer is yes, both herbs are interchangeable, but savoury is less pungent than thyme. You will find winter savory, Satureja (sat-you-rea) montana, as a plant sold in most garden centres. So time to get some of your own. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

PLANT DOCTOR FUNGUS GNATS These tiny flying things can swarm around your indoor plants but other than annoyance, are they killing your plants? Those tiny little flies that hang around your fruit bowl or indoor plants aren't always that same thing.  Sometimes they're confused with fruit flies, or even ordinary house flies, but none of those two are correct. Inevitably they're up to no good but how to tell them apart? There are fungus gnats and fermentation flies.they are attracted to different things. Fermentation or vinegar flies tend to hang around the fruit bowl, especially if you've got overripe fruit because vinegar flies are attracted to sugars. Fungus gnats are smaller, flitting around erratically: the adults of which are attracted to moisture.the adults are doing much if anything to your plants other than laying lots of eggs, although there is evidence that they can transmit plant diseases. The larvae can be the problem because the feed on the roots of your plants. Fungus gnats -magnified heaps. Remember: Vinegar or fermentation flies are attracted to sugary treats, such as over-ripe fruits, whereas fungus gnats are attracted to moisture such as overly wet potting medium. Greenhouses can also have an outbreak of fungus gnats. Where do they come from? Came with the plants you bought or from potting mix.   How to stop them? Keep your soil medium a bit on the dry side. Drench the potting mix with neem oil which will control the juvenile stages. Make a sticky trap using vaseline to trap the adults. Use a type of mulch the prevents the adult fungus gnats burrowing into the soil to lay the eggs. Worst case, repot with fresh potting mix. Greenhouse control can be with predatory insects. Let's find out more by listening to the podcast. I'm talking with Steve Falcioni from www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675