Good Organic Gardening Issue #10.3 - 2019

Spring! The weather is warming up, the days are lengthening and everywhere nature emerges blinking and yawning after a long winter snooze. It’s the time of year when every gardener, every plant, every animal looks forward to the prospect of rebirth and renewal. None more than our feathered friends, of course, and this issue Megg Miller discusses the rewarding process of raising your own chicks. It’s an activity that involves a careful choice of which hens to breed from according to their qualities such as health, broodiness and longevity. And what could be cuter than spring chickens? Speaking of cuteness, last issue’s dose came courtesy of native gliders. This time Steve McGrane shines a light on elusive microbats, which at first glance (if you get to see one) might seem slightly less…

JO IMMIG Jo is an environmental scientist, photographer and writer. She has worked in the environment movement for decades and is co-ordinator of the National Toxics Network, an organisation dedicated to creating a toxic-free future. She has written many articles for magazines and is the author of two books: Toxic Playground and Safer Solutions. REBELS WITH A CAUSE You may have heard about Extinction Rebellion (ER) or seen its members protesting in the news in recent times. They’ve been credited with bringing about the United Kingdom Parliament’s climate emergency declaration. But exactly who are they and what are they demanding? Extinction Rebellion started in the UK in 2018 when 100 academics came together to protest against climate breakdown, biodiversity loss and the risk of human extinction and ecosystem collapse. They started performing acts of nonviolent…

CHLOE THOMSON A horticulturist, writer and passionate organic gardener, Chloe is co-owner and presenter of the web-based series The Gardenettes and has been a regular presenter on The Garden Gurus. The mother of two little boys, she has a great following of Australian gardeners on her social media profile Bean There Dug That. SENECIO ‘DOLPHIN NECKLACE’, SENECIO PEREGRINUS The plant: Make a splash in your garden with the delightful and dazzling ‘Dolphin Necklace’. Its unique leaves are shaped like little leaping dolphins and its flowing growth habit looks lovely in pots and hanging baskets as a cascading display. This low-maintenance plant is very easy to care for. Growing: This spreading succulent thrives in a well-lit position — ideally receiving morning sun, as too much heat can burn it. Use a top-quality succulent potting mix…

Gorse is an invasive weed that has spread its prickly green branches and yellow flowers in dense swathes across pasture, through bush and woodland and into mountain areas. Native to Europe, it is now found in all but the hottest and driest parts of southern Australia. Individual shrubs can grow 4m high and 3m wide, creating impenetrable thickets that provide safe havens for other pests such as rabbits. These growths are also fire hazards. Indeed, gorse is so damaging to the environment and to agriculture that in Australia it’s classified as a Weed of National Significance. OUTSIDE THE SQUARE Its sheer ability to succeed makes gorse a clever if dangerous plant. But, recently, inventive thinking outside the square has given this weed the clever potential to become a wild-harvested crop. The yellow pea-shaped flowers…

There are restrictions on the movement of gorse to curtail its spread. If you have gorse on your property, remove plants while they are young and before they begin to flower. To reduce the spread of seed, older established plants should be treated or removed before the flowers form seed in late summer and autumn. Wash down all machinery and other equipment to avoid spreading seeds to new areas. Follow-up treatments to remove regrowth (both from cut stems and seed) are vital to maintain control. For detailed information about gorse control, see dipiwe.tas.gov.au or contact your local agriculture department.…

New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) is a popular lowmaintenance garden plant grown for its long and often colourful leaves, which range from bright green to dark burgundy red. The strap-like leaves can reach 2m in length and they have many clever applications. They can be used to make cloth, woven into baskets or used in interesting ways in floral decorations, whether folded or pleated. Maori have long used phormium leaves to make textiles for clothing — including elaborate cloaks decorated with feathers — and fibre for basket weaving. It is also used decoratively and structurally in tukutuku, the panelling in Maori meeting houses. As the common name suggests, this plant is native to New Zealand and quite different from the European plant also known as flax (see below). European settlers quickly realised…