ABC Organic Gardener Magazine Issue 122 - Summer 2021

The story of our planet at the moment is one of contrasts and a race against time. On one hand there are still vast tracks of forests being cleared around the world, including some of the worst here in Australia, and subsequent species loss. On the other, increasingly frantic attempts from forward thinking governments and conservationists to save what we have and expand on it with extensive tree planting and land restoration. Taking this further is the rewilding movement which aims to bring back not just trees, but the apex animals and other vital species that will restore whole ecologies. A number of scientists and studies around the world suggest that if we could restore damaged ecosystems (along with other strategies) we might have a fighting chance of holding back mass species…

COMMON GROUND VEGIES About eight years ago my wife and I moved full-time to our unit at Rhyll on Phillip Island, where I began my quest for soil improvement and a now well-established vegie garden on some common ground (pictured right). I’ve become the de facto full-time gardener and provide heaps of fresh vegetables to other tenants. Over the years I’ve added compost, mulch and animal manure (much from surrounding paddocks) to enrich and break down the original heavy clay-based soil. Last year I got some ‘Mortgage Buster’ tomato seeds from a friend. My bushes reached over 2m high and 1.5m wide! My biggest and best tom was 630g: a whopper the size of a baseball. ‘Black Russian’ was another success, with perhaps arguably the best-tasting tomato you will ever grow. So needless…

Justin Russell’s piece on Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ (OG 120, page 21) made me think about how my specimens of this plant behave. Justin says prune them hard and I certainly do that. In mid to late winter I cut them down to the ground. Two months later, they are half a metre tall and beginning to flower again. The first flowers mine produce are always completely red – no white markings at all (see photo). In late spring to summer the flowers will be red and white as shown in the article but, even later most will be completely white! This to me is one of the fascinating features of the plant as very few plants of any type show such colour variations as the seasons progress. Bob Wilson, Toronto, NSW…

DOWN THE ARID GARDEN PATH The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria has recently unveiled a new Arid Garden area featuring over 3000 cacti and succulents of 400 different species. The garden was designed by Melbourne landscape architect, Andrew Laidlaw, and replaces the original garden, constructed in 1945 by returned service people, that was destroyed in 2013 by vandals. With many plants originating from South America and Arizona, visitors will experience a diversity of colours, flowers and shapes. Educational signage and children’s activities are embedded into the footpaths to explain the wonders of these plants and their importance in a warming climate. A virtual tour will be available soon. Visit: rbg.vic.gov.au STEPHANIE ALEXANDER GOES TO HIGH SCHOOL The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation has launched a new program for secondary years, after a successful pilot…

NSW ABC RADIO SYDNEY SATURDAY 9AM ABC RADIO CENTRAL COAST SATURDAY 9AM ABC CENTRAL WEST SATURDAY 8.30AM ABC ILLAWARRA SATURDAY 8.30AM ABC MID NORTH COAST & ABC COFFS COAST SATURDAY 9.30AM THURSDAY 9.30AM ABC NEWCASTLE SATURDAY 8.30AM ABC NEW ENGLAND NORTH WEST SATURDAY 8.30AM THURSDAY 9.30AM ABC NORTH COAST SATURDAY 8.30AM ABC RIVERINA SATURDAY 8.30AM ABC SOUTH EAST WEDNESDAY 10AM SATURDAY 9AM ABC WESTERN PLAINS THURSDAY 9.35AM, FORTNIGHTLY SATURDAY 8.30AM WA ABC RADIO PERTH, ABC GREAT SOUTHERN, ABC SOUTH WEST, ABC GOLDFIELDS ESPERANCE ABC KIMBERLEY, ABC PILBARA, ABC MIDWEST AND WHEATBELT WEDNESDAY 2.45PM SATURDAY 9.05AM NT ABC RADIO DARWIN SATURDAY 9AM ABC ALICE SPRINGS, ABC KATHERINE SATURDAY 8.30AM QLD ABC RADIO BRISBANE SATURDAY 6AM ABC GOLD COAST SATURDAY 6AM ABC SUNSHINE COAST MONDAY 5:50PM ABC SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND SATURDAY 9AM ABC NORTH QUEENSLAND FRIDAY 10AM ABC TROPICAL NORTH, ABC CAPRICORNIA, ABC WIDE BAY, ABC NORTH WEST QLD, ABC WESTERN QLD FRIDAY 10AM ABC FAR NORTH FRIDAY 10AM SATURDAY 8.30AM SA ABC RADIO ADELAIDE, ABC NORTH & WEST, ABC EYRE PENINSULA, ABC SOUTH EAST SA SATURDAY 8.30AM ABC RIVERLAND SATURDAY 7AM ABC BROKEN HILL SATURDAY 9AM STATEWIDE,…

Country life Edwina Farley is the National Editor for Regional Reporting and Weather, managing a team of reporters as well as sourcing stories from rural journalists around the country. She also presents ‘Country Breakfast’ on Radio National (Saturday, 6am). What’s the best thing about working in rural news? One of the things we value the most in rural news is the ability to be out amongst it; meeting people, hearing their stories, helping translate those experiences to a wider audience. It’s a real privilege to be invited into someone’s home, onto their farm, into their life and trusted to tell that story to other Australians. What are the most pressing environmental issues facing farmers and the regions? Farmers and agriculture are on the frontline of climate change. Every small shift in temperature will…