ABC Organic Gardener Magazine Nr. 112

We have everything for you this issue, from tomatoes to toilet paper along with a lot of naturally great gardening ideas in between! Tomatoes are ever-popular and the good news is that via the Dwarf Tomato Project there are an amazing new group of tomato cultivars coming out that will fit into small spaces and containers. As Karen Sutherland says in her article on page 24, they are great for balconies, but also for anyone who wants to take advantage of warm microclimates and move tomatoes easily to catch sun and rain, or avoid wind and storms. Karen gives plenty of practical advice about the special needs of tomatoes in containers,and the range of cultivars available. Also, Penny Woodward has dug up research into the health benefits of orange/golden coloured tomatoes. We…

Paul West Paul West is best known as the host of the SBS TV series River Cottage Australia, where he demonstrated sustainable living on an ex-dairy property on the NSW south coast. But Paul says he is a chef by trade and a gardener by choice. He has just written a book – The Edible Garden – that combines his advice on organic gardening with recipes to turn your produce into yummy meals. See the Harvest section on page 64 for a sample of some of his recipes Karen Sutherland Karen is a regular contributor to OG, with her specialist knowledge in permaculture and native plants in particular being a hit. Karen trained at Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens and Burnley Horticultural College and completed a permaculture design course with Bill Mollison. This issue…

GLENMORE HOUSE CELEBRATES 30 YEARS Glenmore House and Garden near Camden (NSW) is celebrating 30 successful years this November with a spring fair and open garden. Mickey and Larry Robertson first started work on the property by restoring a collection of dilapidated, vernacular farm buildings and creating a garden to bind them to the landscape. Today, Mickey hosts regular workshops and events, with the kitchen garden at their core. She once hosted a wonderful Organic Gardener reader lunch. Mickey is also the author of The House and Garden at Glenmore (Murdoch Books 2016) and author and presenter of the podcast ‘In the Kitchen Garden with Mickey’ (glenmorehouse.com.au/new/podcast). The fair will see stallholders selling fresh flowers, vegetable seedlings, cheese, ceramics, landscape paintings and more. Also, there will be tea, cake and lunch. WHEN: November…

BILPIN FLOWER SHOW Enjoy a fabulous display of flowers, plants and foliage at the annual Bilpin Flower Show and Spring Fair. Last year there were over 650 entries of flowers and foliage from the local cool climate area, such as azaleas, irises, roses, orchids and Australian natives. There’ll be experts on hand to give advice, with arts, crafts and produce on display. WHERE: Bilpin District Hall, 2596 Bells Line of Road, Bilpin, NSW WHEN: October 12, 11am-4pm, and October 13, 10am-3pm COST: $5; children free DETAILS: 0413 759 282 2019 ANNUAL PELARGONIUM AND GERANIUM SHOW Learn all about these plants and their range of colour and variety, which makes them a great addition to any garden or balcony. Plants on show and cuttings for sale. WHERE: Bellfield Community Centre, cnr Oriel Road and Banksia Street, Ivanhoe, Vic WHEN: November…

It’s an (organic) date! Filled with a rich mix of colourful photographs and practical advice, the 2020 ABC Organic Gardener calendar is the inspiration you need to get growing! Clearly marked with useful dates such as school terms, moon phases and public holidays, this user-friendly calendar features a monthly planting guide and expert tips, carefully curated by our horticultural editor Penny Woodward. Also, look out for the colourful OG diary featuring monthly planting guides, tips and photos. Both are on sale now for $19.95 each! Get them from newsagents or go to the ‘Stationery’ section on booktopia.com.au and search for ‘2020 ABC Organic Gardener’. Hit refresh Remedy Kombucha has recently added another refreshing drink to its range: Coconut Water Kefir (ker-feer), which is brewed using a live culture nurtured from traditional kefir grains.…

It’s time to start seed sowing and with The Diggers Club’s Heirloom Seed Annual you’ll have a comprehensive guide to all the vegetable, herb and flower seeds a gardener needs across the four seasons. There are over 450 varieties of vegetable and flower seeds and 20 new lines in this year’s edition. The annual also provides growing guides, climate maps and detailed growing information to ensure gardening success. It’s free to Organic Gardener readers when they email info@diggers.com.au and reference Organic Gardener. Digital downloads are also available to non-members via the Diggers website at: diggers.com.au/og-2019-annual/. Plan your garden for the full year ahead!…