The Grapevine

August 2014 Subtropical trees Thrive in Frost at Monto

Subtropical trees Thrive in Frost at Newsletter of the Hinkler Monto branch of Rare Fruit Australia, Inc. By Peter Myers

P.O. Box 5839, Bundaberg Allan Knight grows West, Qld 4670. subtropical trees in the frost, at Mungungo, near Monto in President: Eddy Dunn the North Burnett region. ph. (07) 4154 4466 (m) 0427 794 524 It's a highland area 120 km [email protected] west of Bundaberg.

Secretary: Laree Chapman He bought the 800-acre [email protected] block in 1972, but it was not until about 2000 that he began an orchard, growing Treasurer: Kevin Chapman Allan with Red Shahtoot mulberry. "A lot better than the White," ph. (07) 4155-3331 stone fruits, Finger Limes and other natives. He only started he says. The White is sweeter, but the Red has more tang. Notice growing "exotics" about 6 the bare earth - Allan says it keeps his trees warmer in winter. Editor: Peter Myers, 381 years ago, when he joined the Goodwood Rd, Childers 4660. Rare Fruit Council (now RFA). ph. (07) 41170125 [email protected] His orchard is a work in progress, currently about 3 acres, and he also has a few acres of rainforest. He cultivates about 80 kinds of exotic trees and In this issue 160 kinds of natives.

Access to the coast is difficult: circuitous dirt Subtropical trees at Monto p.1 roads through Mt Perry or Kalpowar State Forest, or a roundabout bitumen road through Biggenden, Maxima p.3 so Allan has only occasionally been able to attend meetings. However, he was able to obtain , Fruit tree Ratings p.6 especially from Ray Johnson, but also from Lenzie and others. Hinkler branch held one meeting at Minutes from Last Meeting p. 8 Allan's place. Botanic Gardens RF orchard p. 8 A Finger Lime in fruit. Allan grows them Allan's orchard is on a hill sloping towards the commercially. Note the bare ground once again. south-west – the worst possible aspect, a real- Photos from Last Meeting p.9 estate agent would say. The hill is steep enough for cold air to drain away, but, even so, frost sets on still nights about 4 months a year. In winter, the sun Atherton Raspberry p. 10 does not reach it until about 8.30am, by which time the air temperature has warmed up. Thus the frost does limited damage. But around the house – at the bottom of the hill – cold air pools, and President’s Report p. 10 Allan has recorded -10ºC. The coldest he's recorded on the block was -14ºC about 20 years ago; the coldest in the last ten years has been -10ºC. Next Meeting p. 10 Others in the area are unable to grow exotic fruit Billets for 2015 AGM except for mangos, so Allan had no idea of what was Hinkler branch is offering billets possible – he just had to try. for members from other areas Each success led to more attending the AGM on the plantings, and now he grows weekend of May 23rd 2015. the same fruits as members in frost-free areas close to Some branches may bring a bus the coast. Not only that, but and stay in a motel. But for his trees are thriving, fruiting smaller numbers, billets can be early, and looking better than requested. Best plan in advance many grown in more and work out your car pooling. favourable locations.

Hinkler members who wish to In recent years we have been offer billets, and other members beset by floods and who wish to request them, droughts. Floods do not should contact Peter Myers ph. worry Allan, because of the (07) 41170125. slope of his land. The Monto A luxuriant Rollinia, five years old. Allan rates the area has about 28" rainfall, fruit at 4/5; Cherimoya & Pinks Mammoth score 5/5. 1 and Allan feels that the dryish climate has helped avoid disease problems.

There are heavy dews and fogs, but the main saviour during dry times has been a A native raspberry, Rubus Mollucanus. It's better-tasting reliable than the Atherton Raspberry and, although it suckers, bore. A thriving avocado. Allan has four easy to control. Allan got rid of his Atherton Raspberry. varieties; this one is Wurst It's 1 ½ km away, on the flat, so away. Allan has to pump water all that way, plus up the hill. But it produces 500 gal/hr, and is good, drinkable water. In the dry In addition, Allan says that the climate has warmed up over the season, and in summer, Allan irrigates each row for 2 hours each years. In the past, the water-pipes at the house would regularly weekend. The main is 1 ¼", and the spray lines ¾". freeze in winter. Residents in the Dallarnil area said so too.

As a result, droughts have not been a problem. The soil is red volcanic, on the left side of the orchard, looking up the hill, and sandy on the right side. Both types dry out Allan grows Finger Limes commercially, sending them to Eumundi Market. He also grows Desert Limes, outside their natural area. A grower from Roma, which is their natural area, could not get over Allan's lack of disease problems. Allan says that the dry climate helps, and the cold makes the trees bud better.

The rows run up Kwai Muk, a beautiful tree with rounded shape. It and down the hill; bears some fruit, which Allan rates 4/5. Is much more this might facilitate cold-hardy than Jakfruit. drainage of cold air. But Allan's other secret has been his Allan with Sapodilla "Tropic". It bears quickly. Allan does not apply fertilizer or lime, except Rocket Bare-Earth strategy. "heaps" of fruit, which tastes good if Fuel pellets around some, not most, of the trees. "I don't really there's no Fruit Fly. fed a tree unless it needs it." A visitor would be shocked to see bare earth rather than grass between the trees. Alan says he does not prune much, but "I'm going to have to get Allan sprays Roundup four or five times a year. He says that bare into the stone fruits". Several trees show signs of getting away on earth helps prevent frost damage: it absorbs heat fromn the sun him – e.g. a White Sapote about 6m high. during the day, and radiates warmth at night. Rocks do the same. Some early successes have been: In the early years, frost burned the top off a grafted Black Sapote - a Rollinia which looks luxuriant and has fruited lower down the hill, but it re-sprouted from below the graft, - Wurtz and three other varieties of Avocado becoming a seedling tree. Nevertheless, it bears delicious fruit. A - a Sapodilla which bears heavily (though the Fruit Fly get it) Jakfruit has also been knocked by frost; it has never fruited. - a Kwai Muk, a rounded, beautiful tree with some fruit (more cold-hardy than Jakfruit) Allan says that there's less frost damage higher up the hill; the - Black Sapotes, a seedling and a grafted Mossman, both with Black Sapote should have been planted there, but he didn't know beautiful fruit at the time. - a Pinks Mammoth custard apple which bears a dozen fruit a year without hand pollinating As the trees have grown, they have created a micro-climate, - Mangoes – 400 fruit last summer. reducing frost damage. Nowadays, there's hardly any frost higher up the hill, because of the trees. It was often white, in years past; Allan started out as an amateur, and became an expert. It's the now, that's rare. But it still gets down to -4ºC in the flat, 2 km old story we hear so often.

2 (above) This Black Sapote was originally a grafted tree. Its top was killed by frost, after which it re- grew as a seedling. It bears beautiful fruit, 5/5.

(below) A Jakfruit knocked by frost. No fruit. It should have been planted higher up the hill. Caimito (Star Apple), green. Has not yet A Green Sapote seedling, 4 years fruited; frost caused it to drop its leaves. old. Has not fruited.

(left & right) A Canistel, four years old, with fruit. Allan rates the taste 3-4/5.

(left) This Pinks Mammoth custard apple bears a dozen fruits a year without hand pollination

(right) Archer Cherry, a native cherry (Aidia Racemosa). Tastes like Blackcurrants. You have to pick the small fruits individually.

(bottom left) A Capulin Cherry, thriving. Has not fruited yet. Allan has two for pollination.

(below) A Lychee "Tai So" which bears delicious fruit.

(below right) A Sugar Apple.

3 Mimusops Maxima: Mystery the sapodilla. Native to the Fruit Caribbean, and from Mexico through Brazil." By Peter Myers Fruitipedia has an article on Many fruits have been independently , which it says discovered and named, and it is up to is also called Ausubo and experts to work out which Manilkara bidentata: ones are the same (synonyms of one http://www.fruitipedia.com/ another). ausubo_mimusops_balata.htm

Mimusops Maxima, a fruit from AUSUBO (Mimusops , Reunion and balata) (in the Indian Ocean), is widely Family: reported to be the same as Synonyms: Achras balata, Manilkara Bidentata, a fruit Manilkara bidentata from the Carribean. Both are in the Other names: Assapookoo, Sapotaceae family. Mimusops Maxima (above & below) Peter Salleras with Mimusops Maxima - balata is reportedly Canistel-like, and 2010 AGM Field Day at Fruit Forest Farm, Mission Manilkara Bidentata is a relative of Beach. He bought fruit in Madagascar, and brought the "Ausubo is a little known fruit Sapodilla. But are they the same? seeds in. "The taste is quite unique to the fruit growing in tropical America. It is world in its cheesiness," he says. believed to have been originated in Kew Garden, which operates the Puerto Rico. It grows naturally in "Plant List" database, says the West Indies, and ranges from "Mimusops maxima … is a Mexico through Panama to synonym of Mimusops northern South America, including balata": http://www.theplantlist.org/ the Guianas and Venezuela, to tpl1.1/record/kew-128529 Peru, and to northern Brazil."

Mimusops commersonii is The fruit is a berry, 3-5 cm in another synonym: http:// diameter, yellow. Seed black, shiny, www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/ 1-2 per fruit. Fruits are edible and kew-128390 eaten fresh. However, the more common use of the tree is as a As for Manilkara bidentata, it is commercial timber. an accepted name. Synonymns include Manilkara balata, The tree is often tapped for its Mimusops bidentata, and milky latex which is the source of Mimusops balata: balata gum. http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/ record/kew-120114 "Ausubo is one of the strongest and most attractive commercial woods The Kew database seems to equate in Puerto Rico. It is widely used in the two, where it says "Mimusops the tropics for railway balata Crueg. ex Griseb. is a synonym sleepers, bridging, heavy of Manilkara bidentata (A.DC.) construction, furniture, turnery, A.Chev.": http://www.theplantlist.org/ flooring, violin bows, and billiard tpl1.1/record/kew-128391 cues. ... Its excellent steam-bending properties make it suitable for On eBay, Mimusops maxima boat frames and other bent plants are for sale as "Beach work." Apricot": http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BEACH- Brazilian Trees & Cultivated Exotics APRICOT-LIVE-Plant-Seedling- (above) Ausubo (Manilkara bidentata) fruits on tree - says (p. 619): SEASIDE-FRUIT-TREE-Mimusops- Fruitipedia. It gives Mimusops balata as another maxima-Salt-Wind-/360521002080 synonym. "Mimusops commersonii ... (below) Mimusops Maxima in fruit - Polynesian Produce Sin: ... Mimusops coriacea .. The seller's store is Polynesian Stand (eBay). They also call them "Beach Apricot". Spanish Cherry. ... Produce Stand. They say that Mimusops maxima is Salt & Wind "The Spanish Cherry is a tropical tolerant. And Beach Apricot (its fruit-bearer, originally from other name) … "is endemic to the Madagascar, widely cultivated ... rainforests and semi-dry lands in in the domestic orchards of Reunion and Mauritius." northeast and southeast Brazil. ... The fruits are globose berries, with Tradewindsfruit sells Ausubo as a a smooth skin, the pulp is creamy synonym of both Manilkara and sweet, with 1-2 seeds; they bidentata and Mimusops balata: mature in summer." http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/ content/ausubo.htm Mimusops Coriacea is called Pomme Jacquot on Mauritius; "Medium sized, yellow skinned fruit, and also known as Monkey’s about two inches across, Apple. Both it and Mimusops bearing many similarities to elengi are called "Spanish Cherry".

4 When I sent Peter Salleras links to websites yes the two pics sure look saying that Mimusops Maxima is also called like different species and it Mimusops Balata and Manilkara Bidentata and doesn't help everywhere i Ausubo, he replied, look it says mimusops balata is now manilkara bidentata. "Thanks for the info Peter. I'd reckon but yes his pic also looks a you're right and we were given the lot like beach wrong name originally as the fruit on apricot..m.maxima. these sites looks like what our tree produces." Fruitlovers says "Both mimusops and manilkara are However, it seems that those websites may in same family: sapotaceae, have been wrong. That there are two different but they are totally different species which look the same on the outside genus. Manilkara is same but taste different; the insides are also genus as chico sapodilla. If different. This new information comes from a (above) Trina McKiernan runs the nursery at Fruit you look at second photo grower in Trinidad, called Murahilin. Forest Farm. She says Mimusops Maxima taste "like you can see the seeds inside sweet cheese - philly (cream) cheese, but the fruit look like chico Here is a discussion from Garden Web (Fri, crumbly". Ripe fruits are yellow; brown is over-ripe. seeds, black and flattened." Feb 19, 2011): (below) Inside the fruit; (below right) the flowers http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/ tropicalfruits/msg022119547789.html?8

Mimusops balata

Murahilin says, "It is no longer known as Mimusops balata. It is currently known as Manilkara bidentata. I am growing it and have tried the fruit. Not a big fan of it. They usually fruit around Jan- Feb. I have a tree that I grafted from budwood from PR onto a sapodilla seedling. I have not had good success grafting balata onto sapodilla. I was told that in Trinidad they use the sapodilla as a rootstock but I did not have the same luck so I am in the process of growing my own balata rootstock."

Dassie3553 says "How difficult is it to sprout the seeds of the Balata? I totally love the fruit, and in Trinidad it is still difficult to get these fruits. Sometimes they are small, with very little pulp around the seed, but I got some wonderful, lucious fruits today!" Ripe fruits of Ausubo - Fruitipedia Balata - translucent inside (balata-2.jpg) Murahilin says, "I am beginning to doubt that the Mimusops balata is the same (below) Mimusops Coriacea (Pomme Jacquot) inside. It thing as Manilkara bidentata though. may or may not be Mimusops Maxima M. bidentata is from the Caribbean and I think M. balata is from Africa/Indian Ocean area. Even though quite a few websites say they are the same thing they have marked differences. The fruit look similar but taste different, the seeds are different shaped, and the leaves are somewhat different. What do you think?

Here is a discussion in Tropical Fruit Forum (September 29, 2013): http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php? topic=7540.0;wap2

Digigarden says "i have found pictures of balata (left) A young that look like this.." < balata-2.jpg> seedling Mimusops Maxima Murahilin says "Manilkara bidentata and Mimusops balata are two different (right) Joe Camilleri, species. Many people often confuse of Mackay branch, them. The pic you posted is of Manilkara with his Mimusops bidentata and the original pic in this post looks Maxima tree like Mimusops balata."

Digigarden says:

5 Tree Ratings - Fruits Grows Drough Wet for the Subtropics (a Taste Cold Shade Salt Wind Dioe Family or from t Feet guide only; allow for Rating Tolerant Tolerant Tolerant Tolerant cious Group Cutting Tolerant Tolerant variation in tastes, varieties, 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5 ? s 1-5 1-5 soils, rootstocks etc) Annona & Cherimoya 4 3 3 2 2 2 related Custard Apple 4 2 3 3 1 3 Mountain Soursop 1 3 3 3 2 2 Rollinia 4 1 1 3 Soursop 4 2 3 3 Sugar Apple 4 1 3 3 2 3 Artocarpus Jakfruit 4 1 3 3 3 3 Kwai Muk 4 2 4 3 3 3 Bean trees Carob 3 4 3 3 2 most Horseradish Tree Y 2 3 3 Icecream Bean legume 1 N Y Y Tamarind 3 Y 2 3 3 4 5 Bromeliad Pineapple 5 Y 2 3 2 2 4 Cacti Indian Fig (Prickly Pear) 3 Y 4 5 2 4 2 Pitaya (Dragonfruit) 4 Y 2 3 2 2 2 Citrus Calamondin 4 2 1 2 3 Grapefruit 3 2 3 3 2 3 Kumquat 4 4 3 3 2 4 Lime 3 2 3 3 3 3 Mandarin 4 4 3 3 2 3 Orange (navel) 5 3 3 3 2 3 Pommelo 3 Y 2 3 3 2 4 Cherry-type Acerola 1 Y 2 3 5 2 4 fruits Beach (Cedar Bay) Cherry 2 3 3 3 Y Y Y Brazilian Cherry black 3 3 3 4 N 1 4 Cape Gooseberry 3 3 3 Capulin Cherry 2 3 3 3 1 3 Ceylon Hill Gooseberry 3 3 3 3 Y 1 4 Cherry Rio Grande 4 3 4 3 1 3 Grumichama 4 2 2 3 Y 2 4 Panama Berry 3 2 1 3 1 2 Phalsa Y 2 3 Y Garcinia Achacha 3 Y N & related Bakupari 3 Y Imbe 2 1 4 3 Y 2 3 Y Mundu (Dulcis, Sweet Yellow) 3 Y Yellow Mangosteen 3 Y Grape-type Grape 5 Y 4 3 2 1 3 fruits Jaboticaba 5 Y 3 1 4 Y 1 3 Muscardine Grape 3 Y 5 3 3 1 2 Sea Grape 2 Y 2 3 4 5 2 Y Guava Feijoa 4 Y 5 4 4 3 3 family Guava - Red (Cherry) 3 2 4 4 3 3 Guava - Brazilian not attacked by Fruit Fly 4 4 Guava 3 1 4 4 2 2 Lychee & Longan 5 3 4 2 1 3 similar Lychee 5 3 3 3 1 3 Wampi 3 Y 3 3 2 Nut Trees Cashew Apple 2 1 3 3 1 2 Guiana Chestnut 1 N N 5 N N N Macadamia 4 2 3 3 1 3 Pandanus 2 3 3 Y Y Y

6 Tree Ratings - Fruits Grows Drough Wet for the Subtropics (a Taste Cold Shade Salt Wind Dioe Family or from t Feet guide only; allow for Rating Tolerant Tolerant Tolerant Tolerant cious Group Cutting Tolerant Tolerant variation in tastes, varieties, 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5 ? s 1-5 1-5 soils, rootstocks etc)

Peanut Tree 1 2 4 3 Y Pecan 4 5 4 5 1 4 most Tropical (Indian) Almond 3 2 Y Y Y Saba Nut 1 N N 5 N N N Oily fruits Avocado 4 3 3 1 2 3 Olive 3 Y 4 5 4 3 5 Palms Coconut 4 2 4 4 5 5 Date Palm Y Y Y Jelly Palm 2 4 4 3 3 5 Persimmon Black Sapote 4 1 3 3 2 3 most & related Mabolo 3 1 3 3 1 3 Y Persimmon 4 5 4 3 2 3 most Pome Fruits Loquat 3 4 3 3 2 3 Pear - tropical & Nashi 3 5 3 3 1 3 Pouteria Abiu 4 1 2 4 2 4 & related Black Apple 1 2 3 Y Y Y Canistel 4 2 3 3 3 3 Green Sapote 4 2 3 3 1 4 Mamey Sapote 4 1 3 2 1 4 Mimusops Maxima 3 5 5 Sapodilla 4 2 5 4 4 5 Star Apple (Caimito) 4 1 3 3 1 4 Spice / Allspice Y 1 N Y Y Condiment Bay Leaf Y Y Y Cinnamon Y 1 N Clove Tree Y 1 1 Cocoa 1 1 1 Y 1 1 Coffee 1 2 1 Y 1 1 Miracle Fruit N N N Y Pepper Y N Y Tea Y 3 N Y N N Spondias Ambarella 2 5 3 3 2 3 Red Mombin 2 Y 1 4 3 3 4 Stone Fruits Nectarine & Peach (trop.) 4 5 3 3 1 3 Plum 4 Y 5 3 3 Syzygiums Jambolan Plum 2 2 4 4 5 Wax Jambu 1 2 3 Ungrouped Banana 5 2 2 3 1 1 Carambola 4 3 2 3 1 4 Davidson's Plum 2 2 3 2 Y N Fig 4 Y 5 3 3 2 3 Jujube (Chinese Date) 4 4 4 3 3 3 Marula 2 Y 2 4 1 Y Y Y Mango 5 2 4 3 2 3 Mulberry 4 Y 5 4 3 Y 2 4 Passionfruit red & yellow 4 2 2 2 1 2 Pawpaw (Papaya) 3 1 2 1 Y 1 1 most Peanut Butter Fruit 3 3 3 3 Pitomba 3 2 3 3 1 4 Pomegranate 3 Y 4 3 3 3 4 White Sapote Casimiroa 4 3 4 2 2 4

7 MINUTES OF BI-MONTHLY MEETING Mov: Lenzie Duffy Sec: Cheryl Gatti HINKLER BRANCH OF RARE FRUIT AUSTRALIA INC. TALK BY HOSTS: Lenzie detailed the history of his block. Held on 28.6.2014 Hosted by Lenzie Duffy When he settled there, there were only 7 trees standing. Since then he has planted 4000 trees. His old orchards are looking MEETING OPENED AT: 11.30 a.m. after themselves now, and he describes them as his wild forest. WELCOME: by president Eddy Dunn to present members and He is planting a new orchard closer to the house and hopes to guests get fruit from these this year. Lenzie enriches his own soil with APOLOGIES: Guy Ousey and Rin Madge, Bill and Dulcie cracker dust, vegetable scraps, prunings and all plant materials he Tunstall, Michael Skerra, Mike and Gwynneth Poulton, Jeff Logan can access. He sprays his veggie garden with a garlic and chilli and Terry and Gail McDonnell. mix and nets it to deter pests. Mov:Jill Lyle Sec:Lynne Watkins NEWSLETTER EDITOR'S REPORT: Peter advised he GUESTS: Iris Johnson, Margaret Logan, Ethel Goss, Carlo, Lyn will not be editor next year, but if elected, Michael Skerra would Lyle, Pam and Paul Biden (new members) and Lyn McIlwain (new be available to undertake the position. Peter requested people member) share articles and photos for future newsletters.

MINUTES: As per Grapevine NEC REPRESENTATIVE'S REPORT: Gordon reported Mov: Lou Gatti Sec: Daphne Harris that the RFA AGM was held by the Cassowary Coast this year. Next year (May 2015) it will be held by Hinkler Branch. Deadline BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES: Nil. for articles in the 2015 Rare Fruit Review is September 2014.

CORRESPONDENCE: PLANT PROCURER'S REPORT: : Ray Johnson advised Inwards: Widebay Aust. Bank statement for May. Orchard Talk that due to different growing conditions he did not procure newsletter from Fraser Coast Sub-Tropical Club inc. Capricorn many trees from Tully. He did bring back some Beetle Leaf trees. Edible Plants newsletter, John Picone cheque for 2 years Ray is going to Fitzroy Nursery (Rockhampton) and requested membership RFA, Gardeners Gazette, Subtropical Fruit Club of members to contact him if they want trees. Qld. June-July issue, Outwards: Letter to RFA McKay for memberships for Rob & LIBRARIAN'S REPORT: David encouraged members to Carolyn Jamnikar, Stretch Chamberlain & Sherron Beal, Luke access books held in the library. He asked people to tell him if Lester and Maureen Stringer. they find books they think are suitable for purchase by the club. Mov: Cheryl Gatti Sec: David da Costa GENERAL BUSINESS: Jenny proposed an itinerary for the TREASURER'S REPORT: Kevin moved an amendment of 2015 NEC AGM. If members had further suggestions they $105 to the AGM and Feb 2014 balance due to an un-presented should contact her. Jenny also requested our members consider cheque for that amount. Sec: Jenny Tait. Kevin moved our billets for the visiting members. Peter Myers will co-ordinate the insurance for 82 members of the club be paid. Sec: Lynne billeting roster. Contact him if you have a bed available. Ray Watkins moved that Nola and David Roberts be refunded their $50 deposit for the Stanthorpe trip due to health reasons. Sec: ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENTS: Eleanor Hannah.

NAME AMOUNT REASON ANNOUNCEMENTS: Richelle announced a special offer on massage in Gin Gin for RFA members. Ray Johnson 110 Trees Peter Myers 74.65 Newsletter expenses NEXT MEETING: Peter and Sally Myers on 23 August 2014. Daphne Harris 61.98 Lunch provisions CLOSED:12.15 p.m.

Members of Hinkler Branch gathered at the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens on February 20 to plant more trees in the Rare Fruit orchard there.

(left and right) Management and Staff of the Gardens inspect the trees before the planting, with Ray explaining

(below L & R) The Gardens has now erected this sign at the Rare Fruit orchard.

The sign says, "No sprays are The sign used on any fruit and visitors depicts to the garden are welcome ripe to taste the ripe fruits but Canistel strongly discouraged from fruit. removing any fruit out of the orchard."

8 Photos from the June Meeting (at Lenzie's) Many of us "younger" members wondered how our gardening efforts could be completely upstaged by a 77-year-old man with a bad back. Your editor did not even know that beetroot and rhubarb could grow in the subtropics, before seeing them thriving in Lenzie's above-ground garden beds. (below) Ray & Eddy install the top on a shadecloth "tent".

(above) the 5-sided bottom of a "tent"; the wood heap, which Lenzie turns into charcoal; a White Shahtoot mulberry; a Governor's Plum with nice fruit (but the birds get it). These trees and those below are in the "old" orchard, which is mostly thriving despite neglect.

Ray and your Editor worked out one of Lenzie's secrets. The bottom half of each raised bed is filled with wallum, the local soil which Lenzie says is worthless. However, it's silty and holds water. Thus, we think, it makes these beds like wicking gardens, helping them survive the dry.

(below) Stretch hand-pollinates a Lilikoi passionfruit; a Kaffir Plum (the birds eat the fruit, but knock some down for Lenzie); Eddy ventures into a thorny Kei Apple tree to pick the fruit; it tasted quite good.

9 President's Report August 2014 Bundaberg NEXT MEETING: A big thankyou to Lenzie for hosting the citrus meeting. It was great to see him looking so well. The SAT Aug 23, vegetable beds are really working well, and it was ISIS GOOD interesting to see which trees survived in a mature HWY WOOD 10am orchard after being neglected. The Kei apple certainly RD thrived! Has anyone been using their candlenuts to save on electricity?

Logging Woodgate It is very dry (as our winters often are), with 2.5mm Ck Rd Goodwood registered in my gauge for July. I hope that we get some good rainfall soon. This dry weather has made the frost worse which has affected some crops. Large mango Knockroe Rd Peter & Sally trees, citrus and bananas at Wallaville got burnt. Many Myers people in Bundaberg also got frost but without a lot of ISIS damage. The cool weather generally is good for the winter vegies. My carambola crop is very good as the HWY 381 Goodwood North Stockyard Rd fruit fly is on holidays in winter. The birds that eat the Panama cherries also seem to be on holidays. Isis Rd Rd GOOD 381 Childers Apple WOOD We look forward to our next meeting at Peter and Sally Myers on 23rd August starting at 10am. Tree BRUCE RD ph. 4126-2296 HIGHWAY Creek Childers Kind regards, Eddy Dunn BAppSc (Horticulture) IPM Agronomist

Growing Native Raspberries It fruits for several months, for me in Bundaberg this year that Eleanor Hannah started in May and goes through until October or even November. It is not something you have to wait a long time to In our warm subtropical climate I believed that raspberries were harvest, you can get good crops just one year after planting. A something that was going to have to come in a punnet at the clump one metre square will provide you a couple of punnets of market. I also thought that native raspberries were small, dry fruit every week during the main fruiting period. Fruit should be things you eat when desperate. I was wrong on both counts. harvested when bright red and easily comes off the plant. They are slightly milder and tarter in flavour then regular raspberries. There are several native raspberries, the one I refer to here is the Atherton raspberry To get good fruit set give it (Rubus probus). This bramble some water during dry times grows to around 2 metres in and compost will always give it height and will spread as far as a boost. I usually just ignore you let it, and quite possibly mine and let it produce fruit further. without me doing anything. Birds love the fruit so once {tip: put it in a spot where you discovered this may severely can mow around it - Ed.} limit your crop unless you net. I had trouble with fig birds last As its name suggests it season. originates from north Queensland. The plants spread Most of my fruit are simply from the roots with new eaten straight from the plant, shoots coming up as far as some last long enough to go two metres from the parent into a bowl to be taken inside. plant and will keep spreading. They do, however, go well in Put it where you don't mind if cooking. They are wonderful it spreads or plant it in a pot or some other container, bath tubs stirred through no bake lemon cheesecake, tossed over ice are great. The spread will also be contained by dry conditions cream and custard, on top of morning muesli and next on my list and the presence of cattle. of things to try is piled onto a pavlova.

The plant itself is an attractive lively green with typical raspberry Several members in our group are growing this plant so if you shaped leaves. They are also incredibly thorny, both along the want to know more or would like a piece to grow just ask at stems and leaves, even along the mid vein. our next meeting.

To Pickle Olives in Salt bad) - put a layer of olives on the salt, then another layer of salt These Tips are from Mt Stirling Olives, in Stanthorpe; we visited - alternate up to your maximum them in March. - rock the drum or box sideways every day to let water drain off - remove olives after 3 weeks.; they will be shrivelled like prunes. - drill holes in the bottom of a plastic drum (or styrofoam box). - wash in vinegar (there's a natural anti-biotic on it). Holes should me 4mm dia. or less. - dry the olives, and eat them like that.; throw the salt away. - put 1/2" of Table Salt or Butcher's Salt in the bottom (buy from a - to store them, pack in a bottle, vegemite jar or ziplock bag, and wholesaler or IGA or Woolworths). (not industrial salt - it tastes add olive oil and dried garlic & herbs. 10