Good Organic Gardening

Words Melissa King Photos Diggers Club (diggers.com.au) & PlantNet (plantnet.com.au) Common name: Blueberry Botanical name:Vaccinium corymbosum Family: Ericaceae Aspect and soil: Sun to part shade; well-drained, organically enriched, acidic soil Clim

When you’re the only gardener in the household, it can be either a blessed refuge or a rather lonely business — or, sometimes, a mix of both. As a group, family or couple activity, though, the physical effort and the joys of discovery and productiven

Words & photos Sandra Tuszynska The Yandina Community Gardens, with its cosy Blue House community centre and friendly volunteer staff , is something of a haven. Situated on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, it promotes environmentally sustainable, afforda

Words & photos Jana Holmer For well over a century and a half, Victoria’s rural Bellarine Peninsula has been noted for its orchards, farms and vineyards. These days it’s enjoying something of a renaissance as a food destination with not only new rest

Words Jennifer Stackhouse IN THE VEGIE PATCH Common name: Squash Botanical name:Cucurbita pepo Family: Cucurbitaceae Aspect and soil: Sun; deep, moist, fertile soil Best climate: All, but grow in the warmest part of the year Habit: Annual vine Propag

Words & photos Linda Brennan Many of our fondest memories can be linked to our sense of smell: the Christmas roast with all the trimmings, steamed pudding and the pine-fresh smell of a real Christmas tree. With the advent of synthetic trees, we miss

Words Jennifer Stackhouse Common name: Lemonade lemon Botanical name:Citrus ‘Lemonade’ Family: Rutaceae Aspect and soil: Sunny, sheltered; well-drained soil Best climate: Temperate to tropical Habit: Small tree Propagation: Grafted plants Difficulty:

Technically it’s still spring but in most parts of Australia it’s definitely very warm, which means it’s time for staggered planting to extend the summer harvest. Summer has officially arrived and there’s still time for more staggered plantings of al

Words Jennifer Stackhouse IN THE VEGIE PATCH Common name: Yam, water yam, winged yam Botanical name:Dioscorea alata Family: Dioscoraceae Aspect and soil: Sun to part shade; deep, moist, fertile soil Best climate: Tropics, subtropics, warm temperate c

Amaranth, artichokes, Asian greens, asparagus, beans, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chicory, chilli, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, endive, fennel, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, kale

Words Chris Stafford Keep your secateurs and other gardening tools clean and free of rust with tea-tree oil and you’ll also avoid transferring diseases from one plant to another. Distilled from the paperbark tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), tea-tree oi

Words Melissa King IN ITS OWN SPOT Common name: Curry leaf tree Botanical name:Bergera koenigii, syn Murraya koenigii Family: Rutaceae Requirements: Sun or light shade Dislikes: Extreme cold Suitable for: Tropics, subtropics, Mediterranean and temper

Words Jennifer Stackhouse Common name: Stevia, sweet herb Botanical name:Stevia rebaudiana Family: Asteraceae (daisy family) Aspect and soil: Sunny; welldrained soil Best climate: Temperate to tropical Habit: Herbaceous perennial herb Propagation: Se

By Jennifer Stackhouse Homegrown herb pots are welcome gifts so get planting now to have them well grown by mid-December. Use quirky containers such as old tins, colanders or baskets. Divide existing herb clumps such as thyme, oregano and mint or buy

Words Chris Stafford BEETROOT CAN BE GROWN ALL YEAR ROUND IN MOST CLIMATES BUT IS BEST PLANTED IN WINTER OR SPRING. Common name: Beetroot, table beet Botanical name:Beta vulgaris Family: Chenopodiaceae (spinach family) Requires: Sun, well-drained soi

By Jennifer Stackhouse To make the most of hot, sunny summer days, garden in the cooler parts of the day or work in the shade to reduce sun and heat exposure. Even if outdoors for only a short time, apply sunscreen and wear a hat. If a hot day is for

Words Melissa King IN THE HERB GARDEN Common name: West Indian lemongrass Botanical name:Cymbopogon citratus Family: Poaceae Requirements: Well-drained soil; sun Dislikes: Wet feet Suitable for: Warmer climates. In cold areas grow in warm, sheltered

Words Kerry Boyne Common name: Burnet, salad burnet, small burnet, garden burnet Botanical name:Sanguisorba minor Family: Rosaceae Likes: Sun to part shade; well-drained soil Habit: Short-lived evergreen perennial Suitable for: Most climates Propagat

Words Megg Miller You can tell when your feathered friends are feeling the heat in summer: they will have their wings out and beaks open and panting. This is how they reduce body heat because they don’t perspire like humans. Once these signs occur, t

Words Jennifer Stackhouse Common name: Rose Botanical name:Rosa spp. and hybrid cultivars Family: Rosaceae (rose family) Aspect and soil: Full sun; most soils Best climate: All Habit: Perennial shrub, climber Propagation: Cutting, grafting, potted pl

Words Andrew Pietrini Photos Connie Leung Permablitz (noun): An informal gathering involving a day on which a group of at least two people come together to achieve the following: • Create or add to edible gardens • Share skills related to permacultur

Compiled by Kerry Boyne Your bean plants will be racing up their tepees, their flowers turning to succulent beans without too much effort on your part. (More on beans page 42.) • Sow seeds or plant seedlings every few weeks to ensure continuous cropp

By Michael Bates, Murdoch Books, $59.99 Full of stunning images, this handsome volume presents a close-up look at 18 of the 1000-plus gardens Michael Bates has created. Originally a horticulturalist, Bates was mentored by Japanese master landscape ar

When you first think of stunning outdoor areas, an assortment of plants and pavers may come to mind, but garden edging is rarely at the top of the list. You’ll be surprised to know just how much clean borders and raised garden beds can set your lands