ABC Organic Gardener Magazine Issue 124 - Autumn 2021

There have been a mass of books written about climate change over the years. Even though it is the number one challenge facing humanity, it is very easy to get overwhelmed and despairing and ignore any new writings. But I always like to be surprised, and a new book by commentator Dr Karl Kruszelnicki – Dr Karl’s Little Book of Climate Change Science – does just that. I was expecting lots of dramatic facts (which it does have), and succinct, digestible research on the most effective ways to tackle it (this too), but I was not expecting Dr Karl to get stuck into the fossil fuel industry with such vehemence right from the start. We have written about how the fossil fuel industry knew about climate change way back and knew that…

WILDLIFE AND FERALS As a person who gardens on a bush block next to a national park, I found the recent issue (122) of Organic Gardener especially interesting. I think perhaps your writers might paint a slightly rosier picture of gardening with wildlife! Here in Queensland we have the diligent brush turkeys that make protecting mulch with mesh, rocks, etc imperative. And possums! The drought left our possums desperate for food and they ate the crotons, the lemon trees, any succulents, parsley, cucumbers, sweet peas and strawberries – plants and all. Where we are at Burrum Heads, [at time of writing] we are still awaiting the promised La Nina rains, so the bush is still a bit short on tucker for them. Also you had an interesting article on rewilding. The photo of…

TOP GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHER Australian landscape and nature photographer Robin Williams is the winner of the prestigious International Garden Photographer of the Year’s overall prize with his work ‘Creation’, showing a Nelumbo nucifera (white lotus) flower head. In accepting the prize, Williams said: “We all celebrate the beauty of the natural world and in doing so, hope to protect it.” Of the image, Williams said: “I captured this macro shot of the golden reproductive parts of a Nelumbo nucifera flower head – which was ready for pollination. The sacred lotus is a rhizomatous aquatic perennial and is a ‘living fossil’ dating to pre-history.” Visit igpoty.com to see all the category winners. MILK IN GLASS SURGES Schulz Organic Dairy was recognised for its expanding glass milk bottle initiative as a finalist in the Innovative Products or Services category…

Mushrooms galore Ever thought that mushrooms are one of those must-eat ingredients to add to your gardening list rather than your shopping list? Well, with the gourmet kits from Australian Mushroom Supplies, you can. They have a variety of kits to choose from, including king oyster, shitake and enoki, so you can choose your favourites to have on hand when you’re ready to start cooking! Visit aussimushroomsupplies.com for more information. Easy greens Grow your own microgreens salad ingredients within easy reach with a kit from Sprout House Farms. With the Four Seasons Salad, which has sunflowers, pea shoots and red radish, you grow the microgreens simultaneously, then mix together to make a sweet, nutty, spicy salad mix you can enjoy all year round. The kit includes sustainably sourced coco peat, three micro pots,…

MINER’S LETTUCE CLAYTONIA PERFOLIATA Miner’s lettuce gained its name from the miners in the 1850’s Californian gold rush, who learned from local indigenous people to eat this plant to help overcome scurvy. A small annual plant with rounded succulent leaves, miner’s lettuce has the unusual feature of the stem growing through the leaf. Leaves growing at the base of the stems are heart-shaped. All leaves can be eaten fresh or lightly cooked as you would spinach, supplying good levels of vitamin C and A. The small, white flowers and stems are also edible. Plants prefer good soil and plenty of water, are frost-tolerant and self-sow well. Raise plants from seeds sown 1mm deep direct where you want them in the garden, or raise seedlings in punnets for later transplanting. Ready to eat…

During lockdown we all (very sensibly) became fascinated with growing our own food, and the food we most loved and asked about was? Garlic! Homegrown garlic tastes dramatically better than shop-bought garlic, is used by nearly all cultures, in thousands of dishes, and it’s good for you too! Among many roles, I am the head judge for garlic in the Australian Food Awards. Every year I am privileged to help judge the entries from garlic growers big and small from around Australia. We look at quality and aroma, and then taste every entry, both raw and roasted. I am always amazed by the depth and variety of flavours from complex to simple, searingly hot to mild and sweet, and everything in between. You can achieve these flavours by growing your own,…