Every time I open my garden there is something to celebrate about organic gardening and seed saving.
Category Archives: Gardening Australia
Book Review: ‘The Thrifty Gardener’ By Millie Ross, ABC Books
“Building the garden you want with whatever you’ve got”
Sumptuous Pomelo
At last weekend’s open day, Rosa, a gardening neighbour, gave me two pomelo fruit. So I had two opportunities: to grow my own tree and to make refreshing pomelo salad.
Scrub Turkey Trouble
Question
Hi Jerry,
I have just moved to Byron Bay and have a bush turkey problem. Do you have any clues as to what I should do to get my veggie garden going?
Me and my veggie-head friend in Sydney love your work,
Vicki Continue Reading →
So You Want To Create A Community Garden?
A gardening friend is getting ready to breathe life into a neglected communal food garden, so I’ve sent him these notes I prepared for Gardening Australia.
In 2007 – 2008, there was a spike in oil prices. Since the bulk of food is produced using petrol-dependant technology (oil-based fertilisers and pesticides, petrol powered irrigation, harvesting, packing and transportation, etc) this price spike caused the cost of food to rise significantly. Suddenly the media discussed ‘food inflation’. Many conventional farmers started looking at fuel efficiency: ceasing the use of expensive oil-based products and oil consuming tasks.
Citrus: Avoiding The ‘Danger Zone’ To Achieve Abundance
Trish & Malcolm have finally solved their citrus fruit drop problem.
Autumn is an important season for citrus maintenance, especially if they’re growing in areas with summer rainfall.
This is because heavy rainfall leaches nutrients through the soil and citrus are really quick to show they’ve got deficiencies.
For a quick nutrient fix:
To four and a half litres (4.5L) of water add:
3 tablespoons of seaweed concentrate, 1 teaspoon of trace elements, 2 teaspoons of iron chelates
Mix it all well, and water it in around the roots.
We’ve been in touch since 2006. On 13.2.10 Gardening Australia screened one of my Citrus Care segments, and last September Trish & Malcolm emailed me to say:
Threatened Lunch…‘Convict’ Lettuce And Subtropical Leeks
Today I received confirmation from the head gardener at Buckingham Palace that the Royal Household will be growing ‘First Fleet’ lettuce once more in Britain. Carried from Britain by the First Fleet to be cultivated at Sydney’s First Farm in 1788, this doughty traditional vegetable has since disappeared from Britain’s market gardens.
I love this lettuce for two reasons. Firstly, generations of Australian gardeners have acclimatised this cool temperate plant to suit our various climatic regions, from warm temperate Sydney to subtropical Brisbane. Secondly, unlike most other leafy vegetables, whenever I grow ‘First Fleet’ lettuce it never gets attacked by pests like aphids and caterpillars. And that makes me a happy organic gardener.
King Tides Now – Commoners By 2050
Rising sea levels have major implications for coastal gardens. Yesterday’s king tide gave us the perfect opportunity to see what will be commonplace by 2050. One corner of the world that is experiencing greater than average sea level rises is north eastern Australia.
Even if all greenhouse gas emissions ceased immediately, oceans respond very slowly. As water warms it expands, occupying more space, while melting ice caps and glaciers further add to ocean volumes.
Jerry’s ‘Bellis Garden’
The Gardening Australia expo, Brisbane, was a big success. Better plants, better displays and keen gardeners determined to succeed, whatever drought may bring. We were there too, mostly at ‘Jerry’s Bellis garden’ display.
I’d like to say a big thank you to Expertise Events – to Gary, Dawn, Matt and Rudi – the team who made the expo work. Expertise sponsored the ‘Bellis’ display. Thanks guys for your timely help and support in getting things right.
It’s taken me two hours to answer the questions you’ve sent via our website. Continue Reading →
Environmental Heroes Honoured
From the Federal government’s Australian honours website:
Pete at Gardening Australia LIve
Name: CUNDALL, Peter
Award: Member of the Order of Australia
Date granted: 26 January 2007
State: Tas
Suburb: Rosevears
Citation:
For service to the environment, particularly the protection of wilderness areas in Tasmania, and to horticulture as a presenter of gardening programs on television and radio.
