Good Organic Gardening Issue#7.1 - 2016

On a recent trip to Tasmania, I was reminded once again of the deep respect I have for the men and women who grow our food — our farmers. Having a brother who presents The Country Hour on Hobart ABC radio meant specially arranged tours of a cherry and apple orchard, a vineyard, and a spectacular mixed farm that produces everything from poppies for medication and plants for essential oils to sheep and beautiful Black Angus cattle. It’s truly awe-inspiring to see not just the sheer hard work our farmers put in, but also their extraordinary courage in taking risks that city folk can barely even imagine. Not just the massive financial outlays on equipment in order to keep abreast, and being at the mercy of the increasingly fickle elements, which…

Through cultivation practices that leave the soil bare and pesticides that disturb microorganisms, it’s estimated industrial agriculture has reduced global carbon stocks in soil by a whopping 50–70 per cent. Join the regeneration While our attention has been focused on reinventing the way we produce energy, making the switch from fossil fuels to renewables, the role industrial agriculture plays in warming the planet is a blind spot that’s finally getting some attention. The word on many people’s lips is “regeneration”. Trending hashtags and websites are popping up like milk thistle to promote the role that regenerative agriculture has to play in cooling the planet, restoring healthy soils and feeding everyone well. At the COP21 climate change negotiations in Paris, the French government launched the “4 per 1000” initiative, which aims for a 0.4…

BROCCOLI ‘ROMANESCO’ The plant: ‘Romanesco’ is an Italian heirloom variety of broccoli that dates back to the 16th century. It is decorative in the garden and kitchen, with unique, spiralling, lime-green heads up to 1kg in weight, which look both alien and beautiful at the same time. ‘Romanesco’ has a love ly, fine texture and mild, slightly sweet flavour. It’s delicious lightly steamed and seasoned with a squeeze of lemon, a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Growing: Broccoli ‘Romanesco’ prefers a sunny position and well-drained soil. Before planting, dig in plenty of compost and organic matter to nourish the soil and add a couple of handfuls of lime if necessary. Plants grow to around 60cm tall and should be spaced roughly 30–40cm apart. The dense heads will be…

This crop is actually the result of some very clever breeding. Brukale, also known as flower sprouts, is a cross between a Brussels sprout and kale — hence its name. The plant forms sprout-like, edible flower buds with the rich purple tones and frilled leaves of kale. It’s tasty, versatile to prepare, attractive and nutritious. If you’ve tried to grow Brussels sprouts in the past and failed, brukale may be easier to grow. Its frilly, purple and green sprouts certainly make it a very pretty addition to the vegie garden. FLOWER SPROUTS LABEL Common names: Brukale, flower sprouts Botanical name:Brassica oleracea Gemmifera group Family: Brassicaceae (cabbage family) Requires: Full sun, well-drained soil Dislikes: High temperatures, drying out Suitable for: Vegetable gardens, containers Habit: Annual Needs: Cool season Propagation: Seed Difficulty: Medium Brukale was developed in the UK several years ago and is now…

After lunch at a friend’s house, the hostess places a bowl of small, red berries on the table. “Tazziberries,” she says. “Try them.” They are little berries with a pleasant mix of sweet and tart flavours that makes them very moreish. Although there are some commercial growers, this is not a fruit that’s widely available, which makes it a treat to enjoy straight from your own bush in the garden. Tazziberry is a marketing name as the berries are not native to Tasmania (indeed, across the ditch they’re known as New Zealand cranberries). Rather, they come from South America, making their other common name, Chilean guava, a more accurate description. The Tazziberry is part of the genus Myrtus and has given its name to the large Myrtaceae family, which also includes Australian natives…

There’s nothing as exciting as biting into a crisp, crunchy organic apple picked straight from your own backyard tree. Even my dogs enjoy fresh apples and eagerly collect fallen fruit. The chooks, too, keep the windfalls under control (and the pests) by free ranging under the trees. Apples are ready to harvest from late summer well into winter but most ripen during autumn. Include early and late varieties in a planting to extend the harvest of fresh fruit. In my old and battered CWA Cookery Book, the largest section of dessert and pudding recipes focuses on apples. They also feature heavily in the preserves chapter. After enjoying two bumper apple harvests from the trees in my Tasmanian garden, I can understand why. When you have a crop of apples, you want lots…