Home Grown A practical guide to growing your own fresh organic food Involving

Whyyo growur chyouril ownd rproduce?en 2 Pilanningn the garden 4 • Considerations • Building your produce garden Creating a home Maintenancegarden provides new 14 •o Soilpportunities to grow, • Fertilisers •c Organicook a wastend e recyclingat food systems •t Wateringogether as a family. • Mulching •I Sunnv oandlv ifrostng protectionchildren in the home garden Many schools also have school Gardenhas ma healthny be nefits 25 • Plant problems vegetable gardens that may be •i Gardennclud hygieneing promoting: open for anyone to use or volunteer • Crop rotation at. For help starting or improving • A willingness to try new foods Green Gecko • 6 common plant problems a school vegetable garden, check PUBLICATIONS • Gardenand expe pestsrience ne avours • Integratedand textur espest management out the City’s community grant •• Companion An appreciation planting of where our options: www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/ • 13food common comes pests from Services/Community-and-Care/ • Wildlife • A practical understanding of Community-grants environmental sustainability Preparing for harvest 42 • Enjoyment of physical activity Acknowledgement of Country • Seeds or seedlings • Annuals or perennials The City of Greater Bendigo is on Dja Dja Wurrung • Annual seedling planting guide and Taungurung Country. • Autumn favourites We acknowledge and extend our appreciation for the • Spring favourites Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung People, the • Fruit trees Traditional Owners of the land. • Chickens We pay our respects to leaders and Elder’s past, • Bees present and emerging for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and the hopes of all Dja Dja Beyond the garden 62 Green Gecko PUBLICATIONS Wurrung and Taungurung Peoples. • Prolonging your harvest We express our gratitude in the sharing of this land, • Get connected! our sorrow for the personal, spiritual and cultural costs • Community groups, organisations and networks of that sharing and our hope that we may walk forward • Farmers’ markets together in harmony and in the spirt of healing. • Community gardens From a simple container to extensive Home Grown provides you with garden beds you can plan to grow practical produce growing advice seasonally fresh food. In addition, on how to avoid chemicals, use less Why grow choosing locally grown, unprocessed water and energy, reduce food miles foods is the most effective way to and increase your well-being and reduce your environmental footprint, health. All good for the planet, good eat healthily and support the local for the body and good for the soul. economy. Locally grown food also You can’t get much better than that! increases community food security, your own Growing and exchanging produce our ability to feed ourselves. As within communities has become Bendigo and the region embraces an important grassroots movement the idea of Gastronomy and all that across Australia. Home Grown will this entails – thinking about food in also provide you with information terms of health, the environment, the on how to connect with your local local economy, sustainability and the food growers. produce? sharing of culture – we are looking for ways to grow and share more healthy fresh food. Growing your own delicious fresh food is rewarding, healthy and fun!

2 | Home Grown Home Grown | 3 Considerations 1. Site analysis 2. Access 3. Size Have a good look You want to You can grow a Planning at your garden, ensure you have lot of produce preferably at ease of access from a small varying times of to your produce productive patch. the year. Draw up garden. Think about what Start small…but plan BIG! a rough mud map • Should it be close you like to eat and note: to the house for and what space it gathering vegetables • Where are your sunny and herbs? will require. Look and shady areas in at your garden summer and winter? • Where is the best spot (Produce should have to locate your compost and decide: or worm farm for at least 5 hours of full • Do you want to managing waste and sun per day) incorporate produce accessing compost for with ornamentals • Do you or your your beds? neighbours have any or have stand alone large deciduous trees? • Where are your vegetable beds? existing storage • Can your produce be • Where are your areas for tools grown in a container, sheltered areas and and equipment? wind tunnels? pot or hanging basket? • Where are your • Can you espalier • Are there any areas water outlets? that get water logged? (refer to page 56) • Do you need a fruit trees along • Are there any micro- rainwater tank walls or fences? climates? (local dedicated to your • Can you incorporate isolated areas where vegie patch? the climate differs from vines to grow vertically? the surrounding area • Do you want raised due to buildings or beds to save existing vegetation). your back?

4 | Home Grown Home Grown | 5 • What would you like to • Identify your limitations • Aim to have the right 4.Your garden plan achieve this year, next with regard to space, plants in the right Example of a garden plan. Start small and plan big! year and in five years water, time and money position. time? HABITAT CORNER - A HEDGE OF GREVILLEA WILL ATTRACT BIRDS THAT EVERGREEN BULBS IN WINTER DECIDUOUS CLIMBER SOME SUMMER (NO SUN IN WINTER) OR ADD COMPOST FOR ‘SLOW ALSO EAT LOTS OF INSECTS ORANGE TREE PRODUCE ESPALIERED TO BREAK DOWN MATERIAL’ IN WINTER DECID. FRUIT TREE BIRD CHICKEN COOP HEAVY DRY PATH BATH (AND RUN LOCATED AWAY FROM SHADE ALL THE FENCE BOUNDARIES) YEAR FROM SHED DECIDUOUS TREE LOMANDRA NEIGHBOUR’S LARGE APRICOT EVERGREEN ALLOWS WINTER SUN TO THIS AREA TREE SO GOOD SUMMER - SHADE TOLERANT WINTER SUN SPOT FOR SHED WINTER - ANY WINTER VEG

PATH DWARF APPLES (COMPATIBLE POLLINATORS) PLENTY POTTING AREA OF SUN (UNDERCOVER) PATH TAP THYME BETWEEN VARIOUSPOTS MINTS OF PAVERS PAVERS SMALL COMPOST WATER BINS TANK

LEMON LAVENDER (CLOSE TO PRODUCE FOR EASY RAISED GARDEN BED DISTRIBUTION)

SOFT FOLIAGE OF ROSEMARY (FOR EASY REACH) ALLOCASUARINA VERTICILLATA (SHEOAKES) SOFTEN MOST USED PATH HERBS CLOSE WIND FROM THIS WIND TO HOUSE TRELLIS & CLIMBERS TUNNEL (PASSIONFRUIT) NOT TO SCALE TAP DECK WORM WATER FARM HOUSE BACK DOOR TANK/S PROTECTED DESIGN BY FRANCIS SAUNDERS

6 | Home Grown Home Grown | 7 Building your produce garden • Planning In general, you have three options for where you grow your Containers look great when they are produce. You can add produce to your ornamental garden beds, grouped together with pots of all different shapes and sizes closely build a dedicated veggie bed, or grow your edibles in containers. clustered. It has a greater visual impact You may decide on a combination of all three! and creates some mini-biodiversity. It is beneficial to group plants that require An important consideration is what you want to grow and what sort similar levels of watering together. of soil depth it will require. If you want to grow leafy produce, root Terracotta pots look great but will dry vegetables, climbers, low growing bushes and dwarf fruit trees, out faster than glazed pots as they are your beds only need to be 30 – 50 cm deep. If you want to grow more porous. large fruit trees you will need a soil depth of at least 100cm. • Position All produce plants will do best in If you decide to grow in containers and pots, they will need more full sun. Remember this will vary watering as they dry out faster than garden beds. considerably from summer to winter but the advantage of planting in containers Containers ROWING is that you can move them as required. If you decide to plant in containers, pots G Place your pots somewhere convenient or hanging baskets there are a huge for you – the closer they are to the house range of options available from designer the more likely they are to be watered pots to recycled containers. You need to and the produce picked and eaten. G take into account a few considerations O S If you have limited space why not specific to containers. O ES consider going up, rather than down? DN Strawberries grow brilliantly in hanging baskets and wall pots are great for herbs. They are excellent in light starved courtyards, balconies or those spaces dominated by pets. • Potting mix Do not use garden soil in pots! It can drain poorly and tends to break down quickly. Use an organically certified potting mix. Good organic potting mixes will break down over time, so you need to top them up with fresh potting mix every so often. As in the garden, mulch the top of your pots with a straw-based mulch to slow down water loss and prevent weed infestation. Ensure you leave enough room inside your container for your mulch or it will blow away. 8 | Home Grown Home Grown | 9 Wicking beds A wicking garden bed is designed to For a wicking bed to work it does A wicking garden bed draw water up from a reservoir below, need to be constructed with care, hence ‘wicking’ the water through the ensuring your bed has the correct is designed to draw soil directly to the plant roots. It is one depth and appropriate medium both for of the most efficient ways to deliver drainage and growing your plants. For water up from a water to your thirsty vegies. There is a vegetable wicking bed you will need also the added advantage of reducing a flat location in full sun. They can be reservoir below, hence the incidence of fungal growth on plant built on the soil of your garden, on hard foliage by watering to the roots. As the surfaces in a courtyard or even using a majority of produce plant’s roots grow in polystyrene box. ‘wicking’ the water the first 300mm of soil it is a good idea to mix compost through this layer of soil through the soil directly to maximise growth. to the plant roots. Wicking bed diagram

Straw 600mm

Soil/Compost

OVERFLOW TAP 50mm PVC PIPE 50mm PVC

300mm

Soil blend

150mm GEOTEXTILE Scoria LAYER SLOTTED AGIPIPE WRAP

PLASTIC LINING

10 | Home Grown Home Grown | 11 Existing garden bed include corrugated galvanised beds, Building a - manures and composts e.g. sustainably harvested CCA (copper If you decide you want to convert aged animal manures and chrome arsenate) free timbers, straw no-dig garden your existing garden bed or beds garden compost. bales or recycled apple crates. The • Locate a level space that benefits from into produce beds, the soil should be • Keep alternating until about 10cm most popular form of raised garden bed at least 5 hours per day of full sun. improved well before you start planting from the top of your bed. Finish with is the No-Dig garden that incorporates out your vegetables. Initially you will • Construct or position your frame. an aged animal manure before adding the layering of different materials within have to dig over the soil to about 30cm your planting layer. the bed. The beauty of a No-Dig garden • If your bed has a base e.g. apple and incorporate a great deal of organic is that it is possible to grow plants crate, ensure it has adequate drainage • Add your ’planting layer’ which matter, such as compost, at roughly 3 where the site is generally not suited to holes. consists of a growing medium such parts soil to 1 part compost. Don’t do gardening such as compacted soils, in as compost mixed with garden soil or this when the soil is wet as you’ll ruin the • If the bed is on compacted soil or courtyards, on balconies and even on a purchased soil mix. This should be delicate structure of the soil, and end up concrete you may need to install a rooftops. You build up and not down! around 3cm deep. with a compacted mess! small drainage channel for run-off No-Dig gardens as the name suggests from the bed. • If possible allow the bed to ‘rest’ for Aged compost, worked lightly through do not require digging. Because the a couple of weeks before planting the soil with a garden fork or rake, will • Start by laying your bottom weed materials in the bed are organic they out so the mix can stabilise. Top up do wonders. barrier layer. This can be un-waxed start to break down (compost) and corrugated cardboard or multiple with more planting layer after this If you have a heavy, clay soil, apply a eventually become a nutrient rich layers of newspaper to a depth of if necessary. layer of gypsum to the surface, much growing environment. The medium can 2-3cm. Dampen well. • Plant out as you would a normal like a layer of icing sugar to a cake, be so rich that you don’t need to add garden bed. before adding compost. any supplementary fertilisers. These • Add your ‘bulk layers’ in alternating composting organic materials are order, each about 5cm thick. • Mulch with straw to a depth of 3-5cm Raised garden beds moisture retentive providing a reservoir Dampen well: once seedlings have emerged. of water for the garden bed even on - green materials e.g. finely chopped Any suitable frame from a minimum • At the end of each growing season hot days, and the heat generated from garden waste, comfrey and height of 40cm upwards can be used to restore the height of the bed with the decomposing organic materials borage leaves form a raised bed as long as it’s sturdy layers of compost, aged manures and and will not collapse. Popular materials accelerates plant growth. - brown materials e.g. autumn leaves, pea straw, shredded newspaper straw mulches. These can be lightly forked into the loose layers. 12 | Home Grown Home Grown | 13 Soil

Good soil is the most important element in your produce garden. Maintenance Soil is a mixture of mineral particles (the gritty bits), air, water and a very small but crucial amount of organic matter. The health of your soil is dependent on the millions of micro-organisms that live beneath its surface. To grow lush vegetables your soil needs to be Good maintenance crumbly to touch, dark in colour and moisture retentive. Ideally your soil should be within a pH Test your soil pH routinely but range of 6.0 to 7.5 where most plant particularly at the end of each growing practices lead to a nutrients are readily available. A good season and before you prepare for investment is a soil pH testing kit that the next crop. Slight variations are has everything you need to check normal within a garden bed. Some more productive harvest! whether your soil is acid or alkaline or produce plants have a fairly specific something in between. Such kits are pH range (e.g. blueberries need acid readily available from garden centres soils) but most prefer to be grown in a and hardware stores. If your soil pH slightly alkaline soil which is why most is too low (acid), it can be raised with gardeners sprinkle a little dolomite or dolomite or lime. If the pH is too high lime over the bed about 6 weeks before (alkaline), it can be lowered with planting out seedlings. an application of sulphur. However Keeping soil healthy is an ongoing altering pH takes time so don’t expect process and is especially important in immediate results. a productive garden where plants are continually removing nutrients from The health of your the soil. These need to be replaced regularly using organic compost, aged soil is dependent on animal manures and organic fertilisers. the millions of micro- organisms that live beneath its surface.

14 | Home Grown Home Grown | 15 Bendigo soil Organic waste recycling systems The City of Greater Bendigo mainly sits sedimentary loams they will benefit upon sedimentary rocks that generally from the addition of compost, aged Organic waste consists of food scraps, grass, autumn leaves and produce shallow, poorly structured animal manures and mulch, particularly garden clippings. When organic waste is broken down into and rather infertile soils. They vary with respect to growing produce. from sandy to silty loams depending compost it becomes an excellent soil improver. Compost can be Some local soils can be contaminated on grain size and are known as duplex made at home or bought commercially from garden centres and due to past activities, such as mining soils because they typically have a hardware stores. or chemical use. Contaminants can thin grey top-soil layer, and a yellowish include heavy metals, petrol-chemicals Aged animal manures and vermicompost improved, the compost can be laid sub-soil between this and the bedrock. and pesticides. (worm castings) are rich in nutrients on top. Straw-based mulch will also Sedimentary soils tend to have poor and are excellent for the food garden. break down over time to add nutrients water holding capacity and be low If you are unsure of past land uses and Compost does not have to be dug into to your soil. in organic matter. This makes them you plan to grow your own food, it is the soil. Unless your soil needs to be unattractive to the abundant micro- advisable to have the soil tested by a organisms essential for producing soil reliable and accredited expert. Add to or keep out of your home compost nutrients. Seasonally improve your soil A number of local companies offer by adding plenty of compost and other this service, their contact details organic materials. This will improve your can be found online or in the yellow soil’s moisture holding capacity, make it pages. Should your soil be identified ADD TO YOUR COMPOST KEEP OUT OF YOUR COMPOST attractive to worms and micro-organisms as contaminated ensure you only rely and promote better plant growth. on expert advice to prevent impacts • Fruit and vegie scraps • Meat and fish scraps on your family, community and – they can attract vermin Alluvial soils are found in the stream • Coffee grounds environmental health. valleys to the north of Bendigo and tend • Dairy • Tea bags to be deeper and more fertile. As with – again they attract vermin • Herbs • Office paper Fertilisers • Leaves – bleached or glossy • Egg shells – crushed • Weed seeds and bulbs – you will only spread Produce requires large amounts of soil nutrients for optimum • Pizza containers growth. This is particularly true for fast growing annual crops. them around • Egg cartons your garden Adding compost and aged manures to your vegie garden soil will provide most of your plant’s nutritional needs. Existing soil • Vacuum cleaner dust • Bird, dog and cat poo – can be a health risk nutrients can be made more available by regulating the soil pH. • Onion – outer skin • Finely chopped citrus peel • Large tree branches If fertilisers are necessary, feed the fertiliser such as worm tea, seaweed – unless you’ve put them soil rather than the plant. This allows solution or fish emulsions. Avoid • Grass clippings through a chipper the plant to take up what it needs as synthetic fertilisers as these often have – thin layers 3 to 4cm it needs it. Before the autumn and synthetic nitrogen and the salt content • Citrus fruit spring growing periods begin, apply can burn young seedlings. • Chopped prunings – too acidic in large quantities, slow release pelletised fertiliser. Then okay in small quantities For information and treatment of some • Weeds during the growing period apply common plant nutrient deficiencies, – not bulbs or seed heads • Diseased plants supplementary organic fertilisers refer to pages 28-30. – spreads disease fortnightly. Choose an organic liquid • Shredded newspapers

16 | Home Grown Home Grown | 17 Kerbside organics bin • Raw brown, matt-type cardboards, e.g. toilet rolls, egg cartons, The City’s kerbside McDonalds takeaway bags, fish organics collection and chip wrapping, pizzas boxes etc service is a great way for those who don’t • Please do not add shiny, colourful compost, to divert cardboards to your Organics bin, organics from landfill e.g. cereal boxes. These are for the and recycle the recycling bin only. nutrients in your food Compost products from the organics and garden waste. collection service can be purchased Remember all from local nurseries. food can go in the organics bin; even meat and bones. Contact Biomix to find your local nursery (reseller). Tel: 0488 993 066 A caddy and caddy liners are provided www.biomix.com.au to make this easy and as mess free as possible for you at home. Contact the City for more handy hints and information about the kerbside Aside from general food and garden organics collection service. waste, you can also add the following: www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/Services/ • Paper towels and tissues Benchtop kitchen Compost bins General-Waste-Recycling-and- Compost bins are compact and a closed • Hair from your hairbrush Organics/Organics-Bin fermentation kits Specially designed bench kits are a system restricting vermin access. • Vaccum dust convenient way to break down kitchen Locate in a sunny position to assist • Toothpicks, skewers and waste. These kits are a fermentation breakdown, and on soil so that liquid wooden icy pole sticks system that converts waste to a drains well and worms can enter the nutrient rich soil conditioner for your bin to aid composting. Fasten a piece garden. The system is air tight and of mesh wire under the bin to prevent requires you to sprinkle a handful of rats and mice digging underneath. Join the Compost Revolution the manufacturer’s rice husk and wheat Add alternate layers of high nitrogen bran that has been infused with micro- ingredients (e.g. food scraps, manure, Residents who live outside the organisms, over a layer of kitchen waste grass clippings, soft prunings) to designated Organics Collection to rapidly break down food scraps. The low nitrogen ingredients (e.g. dry zone are eligible to receive 70% fermented product is then dug into the leaves, straw, garden waste, shredded off a compost bin with FREE delivery soil where it continues to breakdown. newspaper). Aim for layers of 1 bucket from the City of Greater Bendigo. of high nitrogen followed by 3 buckets of low nitrogen. Keep moist but not too The bin provided is 100% recycled wet. Cover with a layer of hessian to and made locally in Victoria! retain heat and moisture. The compost should be ready in 12-16 weeks.

Visit www.compostrevolution.com.au/bendigo to order your bin and start the online tutorials and quizzes to assist with the use of compost bins, worm farms, and bokashi bins.

18 | Home Grown Home Grown | 19 Food Moisture Temperature When you introduce In order to breathe, Worms stop eating if the worms to the worm worms need to keep they are too cold and will farm they may take a their skin moist and cool. die if they are too hot. few weeks to start eating Keep a few moist layers They perform best at and slowly build up their of newspaper or hessian temperatures between 18 appetite. Add fruit and over the top of your - 24°C so it is important vegetable scraps, cut worms before placing the to keep your worms in a up as small as possible. lid on your worm farm. shady place out of direct Avoid meat, bread, onions sunlight in summer and Do not flood your worms and citrus. If you are warm in winter. and take care not to adding more food than the leave your worm farm Using your worm worms can eat your worm uncovered if it rains. castings and tea farm may become smelly A sign of a worm farm as the food is rotting. Be Worm castings will never being too wet is a large sure to monitor and adjust burn your plants and can number of small vinegar the amount of food you be mixed directly into the flies (a small amount are giving your worms. soil around your plants are fine). Likewise if you or before you add your find drowned worms seedlings. Use as much Compost heaps Worm farms in the worm tea at the as you like. Worm tea This is an open system that requires Worm farms are a great option if you bottom of your worm on the other hand is a more space and will attract vermin if have limited space and predominantly farm your system is too strong nutrient boost for kitchen scraps are added. The system want to dispose of food scraps. So if you wet. Add some shredded your plants and needs to needs to be a minimum of 1m³ in order live in a flat or a house with a small newspaper to absorb the be diluted at a ratio of 1 to generate enough heat to work. Build a backyard, worm farms are ideal. excess moisture. part tea to 10 parts water large heap of organic materials 1.2m Keeping worms in worm farms and before you add to your high by 1.2m wide. This can be on soil feeding them fruit and vegetable scraps plants. or on a hard surface. Alternate your will reduce the amount of organic waste organic materials between high you place in your garbage bin. Worms nitrogen (e.g. garden cuttings, lawn produce rich, inexpensive garden clippings and aged animal manures) fertiliser, called worm castings and and low nitrogen (e.g. dry leaves, straw, liquid worm tea. shredded newspaper) with each layer being 10-20cm deep. As you build, spray each layer so that the materials are moist but not saturated. Cover your finished heap with hessian and secure. Turn your heap twice a week. The heap should generate enough heat to obtain compost in 6-8 weeks.

20 | Home Grown Home Grown | 21 • Test your soil before you water. • Greywater and vegie gardens don’t Watering Don’t just water for the sake of mix! Untreated greywater (household watering. Test the soil with your finger water directed from the laundry and Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth, and, as such before watering – if the soil sticks bathroom to the garden) should never we need to use water responsibly in the garden. It is important to to your finger, the soil is damp and be used on vegie gardens where food check current rules about water use: www.coliban.com.au. probably doesn’t need watering. If is grown for consumption. it’s dry, water it! This is especially Greywater can contain all manner Water is essential for growing healthy herbs and vegetables. important in the cooler months, when of bugs, detergents, fats and oils. It Produce in particular requires a large amount of water compared overwatering can lead to root rot, can be used around fruit trees and to native plants. How and when you water is important for growing fungus, mildews and very cold soil. shrubs as long as it is applied sub- surface by drippers. It should be healthy plants and reducing pest and disease problems. • Water the roots not the foliage. regularly alternated with fresh water Plants take up water through their to prevent a build up of toxins in the roots, so direct the water there. Water Considerations soil. Phosphorous free and low sodium on the leaves can encourage fungi and detergents should be used if using • Install a rainwater tank • Pots are porous and will dry out mildew. The easiest way to do this in a greywater in the garden. For more specifically for your vegie garden. quickly, especially in summer. To vegie patch is through a sub-surface details visit www.epa.vic.gov.au and Even a small tank will allow for the reduce the impact of evaporation the irrigation system, where a dripline or search ‘greywater’. more frequent watering regime best option is light coloured glazed porous hose delivers water directly to required to grow seasonal vegetables pots. Include a saucer and consider the thirsty root zone of plants. • Mulch your produce garden with a or to ensure trees set fruit. You can double layering the pot (a smaller pot straw mulch, particularly in summer, • Water in the morning to allow your keep watering independently of any within a larger pot). to reduce surface water evaporation. plants to take up water before the potential mains water restrictions. • Water storage crystals are petro- heat of the day and to keep the soil Water fed by gravity from a rainwater chemically based and therefore not cool. Watering in the evening allows tank is perfect for dripline irrigation appropriate for an organic garden. It’s for fungal diseases to take hold, systems. A pump may be required much better to ensure your soil is rich particularly in warmer months. where the site has an incline. Be aware in compost which will effectively store of potential contaminants coming from water in your soil. your roof surface and consider installing a ‘first flush’ device. For more information on choosing the size and type of rainwater tank and irrigation systems for your garden visit: www.sgaonline.org.au For information on rainwater tank rebates visit Coliban Water www.coliban.com.au • Group plants according to their water needs. Different plants have different water needs. Group your plants according to their thirstiness.

22 | Home Grown Home Grown | 23 Mulching

Mulching is essentially the application of a layer of organic material to the surface of the soil. There are a wide range of mulches available, but, for produce gardens and fruit trees, a Garden straw-based mulch is best. These mulches (pea straw, lucerne Top up your mulch every six months as and sugar cane) are high in nutrients a general rule, although it is only really and break down rapidly compared to necessary to mulch your spring patch. wood mulches. When applied to a depth Don’t mulch right up to the stems of of 3 to 5cm, mulch will help keep the your plants as this can cause collar rot. health soil moist, prevent weed infestation, Leave a gap of a least 4cm around the minimise temperature fluctuations in the stem and monitor. If you do mulch your soil, and, as they break down improve autumn patch, check regularly for fungal both the structure and nutrient content disease over the cold winter months. of the soil. Grass clippings are not a Mulching can increase the incidence of good mulch as they tend to mat together Prevention is better insect pests like weevils and earwigs, and form an impenetrable barrier, so set insect traps to deter them (Refer preventing water and air from reaching to the Garden pest section starting on the plant’s roots. than the cure! page 33).

Frost and sun protection

Seedlings in particular can be badly damaged by extreme heat and overnight frosts. If a hot day is forecast protect your produce by attaching shade cloth or even an old sheet to tomato stakes to shade them during the heat of the day. Likewise if frost is forecast, attach a cloth to stakes to protect your crop. You can also purchase ‘cloches’ from garden centres and hardware stores.

24 | Home Grown Home Grown | 25 Plant problems Crop rotation

Sometimes our plants don’t grow or perform as we expected they There are many soil borne diseases that can become problematic would. Maybe a plant was expected to grow lushly in a shady spot in our gardens. Preventing these diseases is critical in vegetable but looks spindly and tired. It could even be covered with a black gardens. Crop rotation is the practice of alternating vegetable or white powdery bloom. A stone fruit tree with leaves thickened, plants between different garden beds on consecutive seasons. curled or covered in orange pustules definitely suggests problems. No plant family should be repeated in Certain plants also act as soil fumigants. Before jumping to any conclusions you • Think about recent weather the same bed on two consecutive years. Brassicas (particularly mustards) need to assess the situation. A tree conditions. Could it be that high If you grow solanums (tomato, eggplant, are recognised for their ability to losing leaves may simply be deciduous. winds, hail, frost or scorching heat has chilli, potato or capsicum) this summer exude chemicals that are toxic to soil A tree with drooping leaves may be damaged the plant? you should not grow them again in that nematodes (microscopic roundworms) thirsty (in summer) or waterlogged (in bed until two years have passed. This and harmful soil fungi. For this reason • Does the plant show signs of a nutrient winter). Before you do anything: will reduce the risk of diseases that brassicas are often grown in beds that deficiency e.g. yellow leaves (Refer to attack solanums from taking hold in the previously grew solanums. However, • Confirm the plant’s identity and check pages 28-30). soil. It is okay to use that bed to grow brassicas should then be rotated the its position. Perhaps a sun loving plant a crop from a different plant family e.g. following season/year as they too can is in a shady spot? onion or garlic from the allium family. succumb to soil borne fungal diseases • Check out the soil. Maybe the plant Clean your secateurs that attack their family. roots are drying out or sitting in a by wiping the blades swamp. thoroughly with eucalyptus oil before moving between plants. Garden hygiene Keep a diary or Many of the diseases that attack our plants do so because of poor garden hygiene practices. Make sure that you: blackboard in the • Sharpen your pruning tools so cuts • Keep pest insects under control as are clean and bark isn’t torn. they are often transmitters of viruses shed to record what between plants. • Clean your secateurs by wiping the blades thoroughly with eucalyptus oil • Minimise insecticide use so that was planted when before moving between plants. natural predators are not harmed. • Prune diseased or damaged wood • Avoid using high nitrogen fertilisers and where! from trees before they cause bigger that produce soft, sappy growth that is problems. easily colonised by diseases. For further information on crop • Remove fallen leaf litter and infected • Source seeds and plants from rotation and family groups visit: fruit from around the base of trees. reputable suppliers. www.sgaonline.org.au • Avoid putting diseased leaves, fruit or other plant parts in your compost bin.

26 | Home Grown Home Grown | 27 6 common plant problems 6 common plant problems

BACTERIAL WILT OF TOMATOES POWDERY MILDEW

WHAT: A soil borne bacteria CONTROL: Prevention is WHAT: A fungal disease that • Avoiding high nitrogen that rapidly kills previously the only control available occurs in shady areas during fertilisers that produce soft, healthy looking plants. No with this disease. Ongoing warm, humid spring and sappy growth. obvious leaf discolouration measures include: autumn weather. • Spraying the infected plant but the inside of the plant • Sourcing clean seeds AFFECTED: Cucurbits with one part full cream stem is brown and decaying. and plants from a (pumpkin, cucumber, milk to nine parts water When cross sections of the reputable source. zucchini and melon), grape, when mildew appears. infected stem are placed in • Practicing crop rotation to strawberry, apple and sage. • Spraying the infected water they exude a milky sap. avoid a build up of bacteria plant with potassium DAMAGE: Powdery white AFFECTED: Solanum in the soil. bicarbonate. bloom appears on all plant family (tomato, capsicum, • Follow a solanum crop with parts. • Applying water via chilli, eggplant and potato). a mustard crop to fumigate drippers in the early CONTROL: This fungus can the soil. morning. DAMAGE: Previously be controlled in a number of healthy plants wilt and ways including: • The Australian ladybird die within a couple of (Illeis galbula) feeds on days. Virulent in hot and powdery mildew without wet summers. damaging the plant.

BLOSSOM END ROT SOOTY MOULD

WHAT: A fungal disease CONTROL: This fungus can WHAT: A nutrient disorder DAMAGE: Brown, sunken that appears on plants under be controlled in a number of due to a calcium deficiency areas at the blossom end of stress from insect attack e.g. ways including: caused by: fruit. scale and aphids. These • Controlling insects that • Soil pH less than 5.5 (acidic). CONTROL: A number insects produce honeydew produce frass secretions • Insufficient water in the of methods can be used secretions (frass) that allow e.g. aphids and scale. growing season. the fungus to grow and including: • Frass producing insects are reproduce on the affected • Waterlogged soil high in often protected by ants so • Test the soil pH before plant parts. ammonium (smells sour). planting. consider banding the plant • High nitrogen fertilisers • Watering regularly and AFFECTED: A wide range with sticky traps to prevent have produced excessive deeply. Do not overwater of plants. the ants from climbing up. leaf growth drawing heavy clay soils. DAMAGE: Plant appears • Hosing the plant down calcium from the • Mulch with straw. covered in a black soot, with jets of water or wiping forming fruit. particularly leaves branches clean of fungus in • Grow in pots if drainage young plants. AFFECTED: Tomato, is poor. and stems. capsicum, zucchini, pumpkin, melon and cucumber.

28 | Home Grown Home Grown | 29 6 common plant problems Garden pests

Your garden is a living place, green with the plants you like to IRON DEFICIENCY grow and home to a wide variety of wildlife. Only a tiny fraction of wildlife that enters your garden could be considered pests and in WHAT: Iron deficiency plants. In severe cases older occurs for a number of leaves turn completely fact the opposite will often apply. reasons : yellow. Ladybirds, spiders, dragonflies, frogs, These control methods may be a • Soil pH greater than 7.0 CONTROL: A number lizards and many birds are predators combination of: (alkaline). of methods can be used that hunt and eat the pest insects • Mechanical e.g. hand removal • The soil temperature including: in your garden. Their presence is is too low. of pests or by building barriers • Test the soil pH before keeping everything under control. In an • Plant roots are damaged or planting. Apply sulphur to environmentally sustainable garden total • Cultural e.g. reducing fertilisers, diseased. lower pH if too high (takes a pest control is never an objective. planting repellent plants such as basil • Lime has recently been long time). or decoy attractant plants such as added to the soil. • Avoid alkaline fertilisers Integrated Pest alyssum • The soil is waterlogged. such as poultry manures and mushroom composts. Management (IPM) • Biological e.g. attracting predatory AFFECTED: Citrus and • Apply iron chelates IPM is a system that manages garden insects such as praying mantis or blueberry. as a foliage spray pests by learning more about them and lacewings by planting flowering plants DAMAGE: Yellowing (temporary only). their role in the environment. Tolerance such as carrot and coriander between leaf veins of young levels for pests are set and, if necessary, • Chemical e.g. spraying with the most environmentally sensitive botanical oils or natural soaps. control methods are chosen to keep the pest activity below MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY these tolerance levels.

WHAT: A magnesium CONTROL: Magnesium deficiency occurs when deficiency is easy to correct: Ladybirds, spiders, the soil pH is less than 5.5 • Spraying the foliage with (acidic). More prevalent on Epsom Salts. dragonflies, frogs, sandy soils. • Fertilising with a complete lizards and many AFFECTED: Citrus and organic fertiliser in spring raspberry. and autumn. birds are predators DAMAGE: Can be • Sprinkling a little dolomite that hunt and eat confused with an iron of lime on the soil surface to deficiency. The difference raise the pH. the pest insects in is that the older leaves are affected rather than the your garden. younger leaves. Yellowing Ladybird eating powdery mildew occurs between the leaf veins and a V-shaped green area at the base of the leaf.

30 | Home Grown Home Grown | 31 Companion planting 13 common garden pests Growing masses of any single plant species (a monoculture) will result in an infestation of a single garden pest species. APHIDS A healthy biodiverse garden will have activity must be tolerated in return for WHAT: A sap sucking insect CONTROL: Aphids a broad mixture of different plants that chemical free pest control. that reproduces rapidly in rapidly develop resistance attract, feed and shelter beneficial and Some of the plants that attract predatory spring and autumn. Aphids to chemical controls. Natural predatory insects, birds and lizards. insects such as ladybirds, include also transmit plant viruses. controls include: Whilst these plants may play host to alyssum, dill, coriander, cosmos, lemon AFFECTED: Stone fruit • Squashing aphids by hand. the predators, it is the pests that are the balm, feverfew, marigolds, parsley, tansy trees, apple trees, brassicas • Hosing off with a water jet. main food source of the predator. To (broccoli, cauliflower, and yarrow. • Spraying with a homemade keep predators in the garden some pest cabbage etc) and alliums garlic and oil spray. (onion, leek, chive etc). • Using a botanical soap. DAMAGE: Growing tips of • Encouraging predatory plants become misshapen. insects e.g. ladybirds and Leaves, flowers and fruit lacewings by growing are distorted. Yellowing and companion plants. wilting can occur. Honeydew secretions appear leading to sooty mould.

Ladybird eating aphids

CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY CATERPILLAR

WHAT: The butterfly lays e.g. mint, dill or sage eggs on the underside of nearby to mask the scent of leaves. Caterpillars hide on brassicas. leaf veins during the day. • Planting white violas or AFFECTED: Brassicas placing eggshells amongst including cabbage, brassiacs to mimic other cauliflower, kale, broccoli, adult butterflies and act as brussel sprouts etc. Also a deterrent. rocket and Asian greens. • Remove by hand. DAMAGE: Young seedlings • Covering bed with wildlife lose most or all of their friendly netting. leaves. • Spraying plants with Bacillus thuringiensis CONTROL: Protect plants A healthy biodiverse garden will have bacteria, a poison for by using a variety of controls caterpillars. such as: a broad mixture of different plants • Planting scented herbs

32 | Home Grown Home Grown | 33 13 common garden pests 13 common garden pests

CITRUS GALL WASP EUROPEAN EARWIGS

WHAT: A native insect that CONTROL: Difficult but WHAT: Distinctive pincers CONTROL: Trapping is a serious pest of citrus damage can be minimised by: on their rear. Active at night earwigs is the most effective trees. The adult female wasp • Avoiding high nitrogen and hide in mulch during control. Try: emerges from the gall in late fertilisers in late winter and the day. • Filling upturned pots with winter and lays her eggs spring. AFFECTED: Seeds and scrunched newspaper and in the soft stem of the same • Removing all newly formed seedlings. Fruit trees. Note emptying each morning. tree. The larvae grow in the galls before the end of – also eat other insects, • Placing covered snail traps stems for 9-12 months until winter. Old galls have caterpillars and woolly with fish or linseed oil in they pupate and reinfest the already been vacated by aphids. garden beds. Empty every tree. the adult wasps. DAMAGE: Growing tips, few days. AFFECTED: Citrus trees. • Hanging yellow sticky traps stems, leaves, flowers • Putting rolled up DAMAGE: Infected trees on infected trees in late and fruits are damaged. newspapers in garden defend themselves by winter to trap emerging Seedlings are eaten leaving beds and empty daily. forming calluses or galls adult wasps. bare stalks. Leaf edges on around the growing pupae. • Destroying infected stems older plants appear torn. by burning.

CITRUS LEAF MINER MITES

WHAT: The larvae of a moth CONTROL: Protect plants WHAT: Mites are tiny CONTROL: :Natural that lives beneath the cuticle by using a variety of controls spiders that lay their eggs controls include: of the leaf. such as: on the underside of leaves. • Keeping plants clean by AFFECTED: Citrus trees. • Avoiding high nitrogen Empty egg casings are hosing down with a jet of fertilisers. easier to spot than the mites. DAMAGE: Larvae tunnel water if mite presence is Webbing on the tips of in the soft underside of new • Removing infected leaves suspected. plants and silvering on the leaves, particularly in late by hand and bagging. • Removing infected leaves leaves are typical of mites. summer and autumn. Leaves • Spraying leaves with a and plant parts. AFFECTED: Most appear silvered. Leaf rolling botanical oil spray. • Using crop rotation. occurs just before pupation vegetables and fruit trees. NOTE – Do not spray in • Cleaning up weeds and of the mature larvae into high temperatures. DAMAGE: Silvering leaf litter around the plant adult moths. Most damaging appears on leaves before base. to younger trees. they go yellow and drop off. • Spraying with botanical oils Plant looks tired and grimy. and soaps.

34 | Home Grown Home Grown | 35 13 common garden pests 13 common garden pests

PEAR AND CHERRY SLUG SNAILS AND SLUGS

WHAT: Muddy-green, slimy CONTROL: Protect plants WHAT: Molluscs with or • Sprinkling used coffee larva of a sawfly wasp. Eggs by using a variety of controls without shells. Active at night grinds around seedlings. laid on leaves in late spring. such as: and hide in moist, shady • Placing snail traps with places during the day. Larvae feed on the leaves • Squashing or removing beer or soapy water at soil before dropping to the soil larvae with a gloved hand. AFFECTED: All leafy level. to pupate. Adults re-emerge plants, particularly • Dusting leaves with a small • Mulching beds with strong the following spring. seedlings. amount of lime or potash smelling herbs like mint. AFFECTED: Pear, cherry, when larvae first appear. DAMAGE: Entire leaves • Creating barriers around plum and quince trees. Repeat a month later. Do or seedlings eaten. Larger plants with an exclusion leaves have holes in them DAMAGE: Larvae rasp not overuse as it may alter band of copper tape. or shredded leaves. across the upper leaf the soil pH. surface peeling off the • Hosing larvae off trees CONTROL: Natural cuticle. with a strong water jet. controls include: Immediately allow chooks • Hand removal. to forage around and eat • Spraying plants regularly the fallen slugs. with black coffee.

SCALES WEEVILS

WHAT: There are many CONTROL: Early control of WHAT: Many different CONTROL: Weevils can different types of scales. scales is effective through a species of these long nosed be difficult to eradicate Each scale lives beneath combination of: insects. Females lay eggs from the garden as they in the soil in spring. Larvae live mainly in the soil. its own hard, soft or fluffy • Removing with a soft pupate in mid-summer. Control can be attempted ‘bump’ that appears on toothbrush or by flicking off. leaves and stems. Both feed at night and by removing the feeding • Spraying with botanical oils shelter during the day. opportunities of the larvae. AFFECTED: Citrus, or soaps. Active all year. If weevils were evident last olive, bay and pear trees. • Cutting off heavily infested season try: Honeydew secretions AFFECTED: Vegetables, plant parts and destroying. also lead to sooty mould apple trees, cane fruit and • Turning over the soil to problems. • Encouraging predatory brassicas. disrupt the pupating larvae. insects and small birds to DAMAGE: Scales suck sap DAMAGE: Larvae feed • Growing peas or beans in your garden by growing from the young plant tissue. on the roots, adults on the winter instead of brassicas. companion plants e.g. leaves and stems of young • Allowing beds to go fallow marigolds. plants. Causes scalloped for a season but take care edging on leaves or the to also prevent weeds from death of seedlings. growing.

36 | Home Grown Home Grown | 37 13 common garden pests Queensland fruit fly (QFF) Queensland fruit fly (QFF) populations have unfortunately been WOOLLY APHID identified in the Bendigo region. QFF attacks a wide range of fruits and fruiting vegetables such as apples, stone fruit, citrus WHAT: A sap sucking insect If this is not an option try: fruit, pear, tomatoes, grapes, capsicum, chillies, strawberries, that secretes a fluffy frass. • Planting apple trees that Adults lay eggs in bark are grafted onto M102 or avocadoes and eggplant. If left uncontrolled QFF can lead before winter. Can also live MM106 rootstock. These to significant crop losses for the home gardener and local in the soil and feed on roots are resistant to woolly agricultural industries. AFFECTED: Apple trees. aphids. DAMAGE: The sap sucking • Wiping off infestations with QFF garden management can weaken the tree and a soft cloth. • Learn to recognise and visually inspect • Once solarised or frozen, bagged cause galls to form. Can • Spraying with botanical oil. also lead to sooty mould your fruit and vegetables regularly for fruit should be placed in your rubbish • Painting colonies with problems. signs of QFF. bin, not your compost or green waste methylated spirits. CONTROL: Ironically bin as this may cause an infestation in • Encouraging predatory • Grow only the amount of produce that earwigs are a very effective another area. insects to your garden by you can manage and use . predator of the woolly aphid. planting companion plants • Protect your fruit trees and vegetables e.g. marigolds. with exclusion netting. • Use liquid protein traps when QFF infestations are high during spring, summer and autumn. This helps reduce populations of the female QFF. WHITEFLY • Maintain monitoring traps year round and inspect regularly for signs of QFF WHAT: Sap sucking CONTROL: Whiteflies activity. insects that appear in large can be difficult to control numbers in early summer because they swarm about • Keep fruit trees well pruned, remove and die off in winter. when disturbed. Try: ripe fruit from the plant and ground. Vegetables, • Hanging yellow sticky traps AFFECTED: • Solarise or freeze all infested fruit. particularly tomato, bean, near infected plants. zucchini, cucumber and To kill any larvae (maggots) place • Vacuuming whiteflies from infested fruit into a strong plastic bag, pumpkin. the plant. double bag if necessary. Seal the DAMAGE: Silvering of • Using botanical oils. leaves potentially causing bag and place in the sun for at least 3 Effective but it can be days, up to a week in cool conditions leaf curling and wilting of difficult to make contact Meet Ernie the fruit fly. View our (temperature below 30c). You can also plants. Affects the vigour with airborne whiteflies. informative videos at: of the plant and fruit kill larvae by freezing bagged fruit for • Encouraging predatory www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/fruitfly production. Also transmits up to two days. wasps by growing plant viruses. companion plants. Further advice is also available at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/ agriculture/QFF; www.preventfruitfly.com.au; and the Bendigo Fruit FlyAction Group facebook page. 38 | Home Grown Home Grown | 39 Wildlife Some people discourage Many birds, bats, rats and possums like to snack from our vegie patch on a regular basis. It is often a dilemma for gardeners who birds by using visual are happy to share some produce, but see red when an entire crop is taken out overnight. scare devices such as Tree netting is a popular way to protect fruit and vegies from wildlife, but the wrong type of netting can be deadly to native CDs, plastic owls and bats, birds, reptiles and small mammals. rubber snakes. You need to move or change these around regularly to avoid wildlife You can attach collars (ring becoming used to them. Also on the market are ultrasonic repellers, roost of hard plastic or thin metal)to inhibitors and taste aversions. protect fruit trees. There are a number of possum repellents on the market. However a study Wrong loosely woven net Tree wrapped in netting Densely woven nets by Deakin University showed • If you use netting • Leave a couple of trees • Remove nets promptly that these repellents have mixed choose a densely without netting to draw after fruiting to prevent results. For further information visit woven net with a mesh animals away from the damage to new growth. www.depi.vic.gov.au and size less than 1cm². netted trees search ‘possums’. • Check your nets • Cover the whole tree • Protect your regularly. If an animal You can attach collars (ring of hard and tightly secure your groundcover fruits is caught visit plastic or thin metal) to protect fruit trees. densely woven netting e.g. strawberries, with www.fauna.org.au You can also build a floppy fence around to the trunk of the tree some hoops and firmly to find a wildlife carer your vegie patch. Use 80cm wide heavily or fixed to the ground. secured, densely woven in your area. galvanised chicken wire, bury the bottom netting. 20cm and support the remainder on Information and photographs supplied by Wildlife Friendly Netting. lengths of flexible, high tensile fencing wire. Bend the wire to curve the upper section outwards. When the possum For more information on Wildlife Friendly Netting attempts to climb the fence it will bend over and then spring back. Another visit www.wildlifefriendlyfencing.com option is to make portable wire frames to cover your prize crops. You can also purchase Fruit Protection Bags and cover individual fruit.Or recycle plastic, paper or orange mesh bags to protect fruit.

40 | Home Grown Home Grown | 41 Seeds or seedlings?

Seeds: Preparing • Are much better value than seedlings. • You can collect and store your own seeds at the end of each growing season. • Certified organic and untreated for seeds are now relatively easy to obtain. • Unusual or heritage varieties are often only available by seed. • Some seeds can be grown directly in harvest the soil but others need to be grown first in seed trays and transplanted. • Hot weather can prevent Grow germination of autumn seeds or The fun part! give a poor germination rate. me • Some seeds have naturally low viability and germination rates. Check the packet for details. • Seeds sown too thickly will need Seedlings: thinning out. • Easier and less time consuming than growing from seed. • Gives you a ‘kick start’ into the season. May save up to 6 weeks of growing time. • Allows you to grow only what you need thus minimising wastage. Plant • Can be difficult to obtain organic vegetable seedlings or unusual me varieties. • Plants may suffer from transplant shock if not properly removed from punnets. 42 | Home Grown Home Grown | 43 Annuals or perennials? Annual seedling planting guide

Annuals are plants that are grown for one season and need to be PLANT J F M A M J J A S O N D replaced the following year unless they self-seed e.g. tomatoes. Asian Greens* • • • • • • • • • • • • Perennials are plants that grow in your garden for a number of Asparagus • • • • • • years e.g. rosemary. Perennials can be planted in ornamental Basil* • • • • garden beds, but annual vegetables are usually planted in a Bean* (summer) • • • • dedicated vegie garden. This is because they tend to require Beetroot • • • • • • • higher amounts of water and fertiliser, and have a fast turnover Broad Bean* • • • • • • • that will cause soil disturbance that may result in damage of the Broccoli • • • • • • • • • • • • root zone of permanent plants. Brussel sprouts • • • • • Cabbage/Kale • • • • • • • • • • • • Capsicum • • • Carrot* • • • • • • • Cauliflower • • • • • • • • Celery • • • • • • Perennials can be planted in Chilli • • • Coriander • • • • • • • • • • ornamental garden beds. Cucumber • • • • Eggplant • • Endive • • • • • • • • • • • • Globe Artichoke • • • • • • • • Leek • • • • • Lettuce • • • • • • • • • • • • Onion • • • • Parsley • • • • • • • • • • • • Parsnip* • • • • • • • Pea* • • • • • • • • Potato • • • • • Pumpkin • • • • Radish* • • • • • • • • • • • • Rocket • • • • • • • • • • • • Silver beet • • • • • • • • • • • • Spinach • • • • • • Spring onion • • • • • • • • • • • • Sweet corn • • • Tomato • • • Zucchini • • • *Best grown from seed 44 | Home Grown Home Grown | 45 Pea - Snow, Sugar snap Winter Lettuce - Mignonette and Garden and Mesclun • Likes plenty of sun, a fertile, well • Need a warm, sunny, position. drained soil and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Choose cold hardy varieties. Add a little dolomite or lime to the Seeds will not germinate over soil at planting. 30°C. Growth will slow in cold • Prefer temperatures below 20°C for temperatures. germination and growth. • Heavy feeder – likes a rich, moist, • Can be ready to start picking in well drained soil, pH of 6 to 7. 10 to16 weeks. Snow peas bear • Can be ready to start picking in earlier than Sugar snap peas. 6 to 8 weeks. Pick only leaves as Repeat sow every 4 to 6 weeks for needed for a continual harvest or an extended season. repeat sow. • Climbing varieties are more • Lettuces can become bitter if productive than the bush varieties, water stressed so apply ample but will need an upright support. water and regular liquid fertiliser • Companion plant: carrot. during growing period. • Can also be grown in pots, but do Home grown favourites not allow to dry out. • Companion plant: celery. Spinach - English and European • Likes a fertile, well drained soil and a pH of 6 to 7. Plants dislike excessive root disturbance Autumn at all stages. Plant as seedlings or seed • Prefers temperatures below 20°C which you have propagated for germination and growth. Warm temperatures will give poor results. into seedlings by autumn. • Apply liquid fertiliser and ample water throughout the growing season. • Ready to pick at 8 weeks. Pick leaves as needed for a continual harvest. If removing spinach heads, leave stems to re-sprout. • Will run to seed in warm weather. • Companion plant: strawberry.

46 | Home Grown Home Grown | 47 Beetroot and Silverbeet Asian Greens – Chinese • Likes a moist, well drained soil Cabbage, Bok Choi with a pH of 6.5 to 7. Add a little and Pak Choi dolomite or lime to the soil at • Generally faster growing than planting. Avoid using high nitrogen European varieties. fertilisers. • Heavy feeders so plant after • Seeds benefit from soaking legumes. in warm water for a couple of • Likes plenty of sun and a hours prior to planting. Beetroot well drained soil with a pH seedlings must be thinned as of 6.0 to 7.0. needed to allow for good root • They are shallow rooted so need development. ample water and frequent feed of • Beetroot and/or silverbeet should liquid fertilisers. be ready to pick in 4 to 6 weeks. • Outer leaves can be picked as • Beetroot will be tough if water needed for continuous harvesting stressed or over mature. Apply but do not defoliate. ample water during the growing • Companion plant: lettuce. period and harvest at 10cm root width. • Companion plant: onion.

Carrot and Parsnip Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, • Light feeder – too many nutrients Broccoli and Brussel sprout will produce excessive top • Heavy feeder – likes a rich, well growth at the expense of drained soil with a soil pH of the roots. 6.5 to 7.5. • Likes a deep, loose friable soil • Prepare beds well with aged with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Build up compost and add dolomite or beds in clay soil areas. lime for calcium. • Root crops can be slow to • Mound the soil around plants to germinate, so keep weeds down support leggy growth. to prevent competition with • Apply ample water during the young seedlings as they emerge. growing season and feed weekly Carrot seed should be sown late with a liquid fertiliser. in the season. • Brassicas will run to seed and • Thin out young plants to allow heads fail to form if weather is too for the development of larger warm at harvest time. root size. • Heads can be harvested at • Companion plant: pea. between 10 and 14 weeks. • Companion plant: dill.

48 | Home Grown Home Grown | 49 Tomato Cucumber • Need a warm, sunny, position • Heavy feeder - likes a rich moisture but never in the same spot as the retentive soil. previous season. • Prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. • Large varieties are heavy feeders • Seed can be sown directly into but small cherry tomatoes are warm soil. Important to choose a less fussy. variety to suit your climate. • Calcium deficiency can be • Quick to grow and ready to harvest prevented by adding dolomite in 6 to 8 weeks. or lime or gypsum to the soil prior • Can be grown up a trellis or in pots. to planting. • Pinch out the top growth to • Prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8. encourage laterals. • If using seedlings plant up to the • Each plant produces 8 to 10 fruit. first set of leaves to encourage root development. Support large plants • Companion plant: corn. with stakes. • Pinch out top growth to encourage more lateral growth. • Apply liquid fertiliser and ample water. • Companion plant: basil.

Capsicum and Eggplant Home grown favourites • Cultivation is similar to tomatoes but need good airflow. • Calcium and magnesium deficiency can be prevented by adding dolomite or lime to the soil prior to planting. Spring • Prefers a soil pH of 5.8 to 6.8. Plant as seedlings or seed • Apply liquid fertiliser and ample which you have propagated into water throughout growing season. seedlings by spring. Do not plant • Shade on days of extreme heat. • Pick capsicum at desired stage out until the winter frosts in your of ripeness. area have finished. • Individual eggplants should produce 8 to 10 fruit. • Companion plant: bean.

50 | Home Grown Home Grown | 51 Leafy vegetables e.g. Lettuce, Rocket and Mesclun (as per Autumn planting)

Root vegetables – Carrot, Parsnip and Beetroot (as per Autumn planting)

Pumpkin Bean Sweet corn • Often appears as a ‘volunteer’ crop • Replaces nitrogen in the soil • Heavy feeder so plant when using home made compost. after a heavy feeder crop. Add after legumes. • Heavy feeder – likes a rich, well some blood and bone to the • Likes plenty of sun, water and drained soil. Can become rampant. soil before planting. a well drained soil. • Prefers a soil pH of 5.5 to 7.0. • Likes plenty of sun and a well • Prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. drained soil. • Can be grown on mounded beds • Has male and female flowers that or on a trellis. • Prefers a soil pH of 6.5 to 7.5. are wind pollinated. • Apply ample water during the • Can be ready to start picking • Grows to about 1m in height. in 10 weeks. Sow repeatedly growing season. • Beans are traditionally grown with every 4 to 6 weeks for an • Has both male and female flowers corn as the beans provide nitrogen extended season. so pollination by bees or by hand and the corn provides support. • Climbing varieties are more is necessary. • Companion plant: bean. productive than the bush varieties • Harvest when top stalk dries but will need a trellis support. and hardens. • Companion plant: broccoli. • Companion plant: eggplant.

52 | Home Grown Home Grown | 53 Fruit trees Planting techniques

If your long term garden plan includes permanent fruit trees, Bare rooted plants • Dig a hole in prepared Preventing fruit tree soil to a depth of the problems • Trim bare rooted then plant them first. plant pot and twice trees by about a • Do not overfeed your the width. Use a stick • All fruit trees require garden centre before • Evergreen fruit trees third, removing any trees with high nitrogen to check the depth. plenty of sun and you purchase such as lemons, limes weak, damaged or fertilisers. This produces The hole should good drainage. your tree/s. and oranges should be overlapping growth. soft, sappy growth that have rough edges. planted in spring when pests and diseases love. • Select dwarf varieties if • Deciduous fruit trees • Check for damage the soil has warmed up. • Fill the hole with you have limited space such as pears, apples, or diseased roots • Apply water to the water and allow to or want to use pots. peaches and plums and trim back. base of the tree, not are best planted in drain naturally. • Be aware that some to the foliage as this winter when they fruit trees require cross Potted plants • Place the plant in the can encourage fungal can be purchased hole and backfill with diseases. Apply water pollination to flower • Choose young, well as bare rooted. soil creating a slight via driplines. and fruit i.e. two apple shaped plants that ‘saucer’ depression at trees. Ask at your local have not outgrown • Regularly check that the base of the plant to their pot size. your mulch is pulled direct water to the base back from the trunk of of the plant. All plants the tree to prevent • Soak your fruit tree in • Water well. Do not collar rot. stomp around the roots a bucket of water for • Deciduous stone fruit as watering will remove about two hours prior trees need a winter any air pockets. to planting. A mild wash to break any seaweed solution or • Mulch with a straw- disease cycles such as compost tea can also based mulch. peach leaf curl. be added. For more information visit: www.sgaonline.org.au and search ‘winter wash’.

Apply water to the base of the tree,nottothe foliage as this can encourage fungaldiseases.

54 | Home Grown Home Grown | 55 Espaliering trees Espaliering trees is a way of making them two-dimensional rather than three. That is maintaining the height and width of a plant, while reducing the depth. It’s also a great way of maximising the productivity of a warm sunny spot along a wall or a fence. Effectively, it means you can grow what is normally a big tree (or two) in a much smaller space.

Site preparation The process Ongoing care First of all select a nice, Select a tree that lends Generally, fruit trees sunny spot as almost all itself to being grown “flat”, are pruned back quite trees (especially fruiting meaning that it has two hard over winter, to ones) will perform best in nice strong horizontal promote growth and this type of location (north branches, and a strong, fruit production come facing walls are fantastic). straight trunk. Prune spring. This is no different Attach either wires, or back any unnecessary with espaliered trees, pre-fabricated trellis branches and twigs. Also although a couple of frame to the face of the cut back the remaining light prunes during the structure, making sure branches to encourage warmer months (growing the fence/wall/shed can new growth, which is season) will also assist in tolerate some weight as it important if you want the maintaining and training, will be supporting a tree. tree to fruit. The middle and should result in a Generally the easiest and stem (or central leader) great looking espalier most common type of should be allowed to in years to come. Just be espalier is a three wire eventually reach the top aware that some fruit system, where the wire is wire, or wherever you trees bear their fruit attached to the structure would like the top of on 2 to 3 year old and spaced about 30- your espalier to be, but, wood, so don’t get too 50cm apart. If the fence or when planting, cut this enthusiastic and cut off First of all select anice, wall is prone to getting middle stem back to the all your fruiting wood. particularly warm (bricks second wire, leaving buds sunny spot as almost all or colourbond/galvanised facing the wire. These steel) you may need to will become the next trees (especially fruiting build a trellis frame and “layer” of branches next sit this about 30cm in season. Repeat this in the ones) will perform bestin front of the surface, as third season, cutting back this will stop the plant the central stem to the this type of location. from cooking in the third wire, and so on. The summer heat. branches then need to be attached to the wire or trellis, using flexible clips or old stockings. Ensure you do not do these up so tight that you amputate the branches or trunk. 56 | Home Grown Home Grown | 57 Chickens

A few hens in the backyard provide an excellent source of eggs and fertiliser for the garden, plus they love kitchen scraps and garden waste. There are a few things to consider before setting up your hen house... Council regulations Housing eggs & fertiliser for thegarden Within the residential areas of the City Chickens are not particularly of Greater Bendigo you can have up to demanding, but there are a couple of Ongoing care ten poultry on your property without accommodation necessities that need requiring a permit. If you would like to be considered and constructed You need to ensure your chickens have More established vegie patches can more hens and/or a rooster you will prior to the arrival of your girls! Firstly, fresh, clean water in containers that benefit from poultry patrol, particularly need to apply for a permit. You can chickens need to have a house with they cannot knock over. Chicken pellets if you have insect issues and weed download a permit application form a comfortable perch that gives them and grain should be stored in vermin worries, and unless the plants are from the City of Greater Bendigo somewhere to roost at night and a place proof containers outside your house sensitive (e.g. lettuce and spinach) the website: www.bendigo.vic.gov.au . to shelter. Ideally the chook house and excess food such as kitchen scraps hens will give them a miss. Sensitive Search ‘Local Law 2: Keeping of should allow about 0.5m² of floor space removed so as not to attract vermin. plants can be fenced off with a Animals’. Section 11 refers to the per hen, as well as 23cm of perch for Excess droppings in your hen house temporary barrier to prevent attack keeping of poultry. each bird. While you are designing your should be raked up regularly and used from roaming hens. hen house, remember to incorporate as garden fertiliser once they have aged. If you live in the rural zone (not For more details on keeping chickens some nest boxes at a rate of one box and council regulations visit: including farming) you can keep two Chickens will eat most food scraps for every three hens. Line the base with www.bendigo.vic.gov.au. roosters and ten hens without a permit. but you should avoid giving them shredded paper and straw and be sure Search ‘Local Law 2: Keeping of the following: avocado, raw potatoes, Please note, it is not permissible to to clean it out regularly. Animals’. Section 11 refers to the keep poultry in a multi-dwelling unit or raw peanuts, dried beans, raw meat, Your hen house will need to be attached keeping of poultry. multioccupancy residential building. chocolate (!), rotten food and some to a ‘run’, an area where your hens can garden plant leaves such as eggplant, It is also a good idea to talk to your scratch, feed and roam. A decent rule capsicum, tomatoes and potatoes. Chicken manure neighbours about any concerns they of thumb is to give your hens about 1m² fertiliser may have. space each as a minimum. This can be smaller if you plan to let them wander Chickens in the garden Soak aged droppings about in the garden regularly. The run Left to free range in the garden, your (plus straw and any garden should have dirt for a dirt bath, food hens can wreak havoc, especially when weeds) in a covered bucket and water feeders, and a permanently there are young seedlings in the patch. of water for a couple of shaded area. Chooks love nothing more than to weeks. Strain and use the liquid to make up a fertiliser A secure run is essential to keep your scratch in some fresh mulch while they hunt for worms, and show little regard tea. Be sure to dilute to a chickens in and vermin (foxes, cats and ‘w for your precious plants. That said, they eak tea’ colour to avoid rats) out. Make sure your wire is buried over fertilising. at least 15 cm under the ground and are fantastic at the end of the growing flared outwards. season in the vegie patch because they will turn the whole lot over, while pulling out the remains and adding fertiliser as they go. 58 | Home Grown Home Grown | 59 Bees

Bees perform the important role of cross-pollinating plants as they collect pollen and nectar. This results in bountiful harvests of fruit and vegetables. The survival of bees is important to our own food security. There are two main groups of bees in To attract bees and other pollinators to the Bendigo region. The European your garden you need to incorporate a honey bee was introduced to Australia wide range of flowering plants such for honey production almost 200 years as rosemary, oregano, tomatoes, ago and is frequently seen buzzing strawberries, cucumber, capsicum and around from flower to flower in the pumpkin. Nearby beds could include a Blue-banded bee (FM) garden. A large and diverse group of mix of salvias, geraniums, sunflowers native bees may also be seen and zinnias that will also attract bees. pollinating plants in your garden. Native The more flowering plants the greater bees include the Blue-banded, Resin, the attraction for bees. Sweat, Reed and Leafcutter bees. Native Support native bees by installing a bee bees are quite different to honey bees. hotel in your garden. For details visit: They are often solitary and nest alone. www.backyardbuddies.org.au/ A single female bee will build a small habitats/build-a-bee-hotel Bee hotels nest in a burrow in the ground or burrows in soft timber, rock crevices or Support your local beekeepers and in tunnels left behind by wood-boring purchase locally produced honey. Prue beetle larvae. Some such as the Blue- ‘liquid gold’ that hasn’t been banded bee are buzz pollinators, commercially diluted! vibrating their bodies at exactly the Interested in taking up beekeeping as a right frequency to cause pollen release. hobby? First of all visit the following In this respect, they may be better website to find out what’s involved and European honey bee Clay bee hotels pollinators than honey bees. requirements under the Apiary Code of Since the 1990’s the world’s bee Practice: www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/ population has been in serious decline. agriculture/livestock/honey- Pesticides, disease, habitat loss and bees#guide climate change are believed to be the main cause of this concerning situation. Contact the Victorian Apiarists’ Bees are active from dawn to dusk particularly in the warmer months. Association website for current They are highly vulnerable to local contact details. garden chemicals, even pyrethrum, www.vicbeekeepers.com.au so avoid using them if you want bees in your garden.

Chequered Cuckoo bee (MJS)

60 | Home Grown Home Grown | 61 Prolonging your harvest

Some fruits, vegetables and herbs store well for months if they are kept in the right conditions. Freezing, drying, pickling Beyond and bottling are all great options to utilising produce months after harvesting. Freezing Ethylene- Ethylene- Freezing is a quick and easy way to producing sensitive preserve your harvest. the Apricots Apples Vegetables: • Blanch vegetables first (briefly boil Avocados Asparagus them, then plunge into ice water). • Freeze into useable quantities so they Bananas Broccoli can be easily defrosted. Kiwis Carrots garden… Fruit: Mangoes Cucumbers • Freeze into useable quantities so they Nectarines Eggplants can be easily defrosted. Peaches Green beans Herbs: • Rinse the leaves, allow to dry. Lettuce and Pears other greens • Place in a bag and freeze. Gardening fun Plums Potatoes • You can also blend herbs with olive oil to make a paste and then freeze in an Tomatoes Watermelons doesn’t stop ice-cube tray. Fresh storage tips Money saving tip at your fence. It happens to all of us – you buy fresh Many vegetables will come back to life if produce and put it in the fridge only to left in a bowl of very cold water. Even the find a sad, shrivelled vegetable when saddest silverbeet, salad mix and floppy you remember it several days later. carrots can re-crisp overnight. Storing To avoid throwing it out, it’s important carrots in water will keep them crisp for to know where to store fruits and a long time and prepped carrots, celery vegetables and also which foods to and capsicums kept in a container of keep separate from each other. Some water will be lunchbox-ready all week. fruits give off ethylene gas (a hormone emitted by produce when it ripens), which can make other produce ripen and rot faster. Produce that is sensitive to ethylene will deteriorate quickly if stored nearby.

62 | Home Grown Home Grown | 63 Get connected! Community groups,

Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in Australia, and organisations and networks many people are keen to grow fresh, organic produce. Bendigo Regional Food Bendigo Sustainability Group Connecting with other food growers Support your local farmers’ market or in your community is a great way to fresh food traders. You can also consider Alliance Inc. The Bendigo Sustainability Group is swap excess produce, source seeds, coordinating with your neighbours e.g. The Bendigo Regional Food Alliance made up of local people and businesses buy fruit and vegies that you aren’t if you want fuji apples you need two fuji (BRFA) aims to create a healthy, interested in all aspects of sustainability. growing, share knowledge and ideas apple trees to cross pollinate. Bees have sustainable, local food system through Their goal is to create a supportive and make new friends. You can join a no problem crossing the back fence if enabling the community to grow, source, culture for understanding, inspiration, community garden or local food swap. you don’t have enough space to grow cook and share healthy local produce action and hope from which the wider Volunteer at a school kitchen garden, two trees. within the region. The group is made Bendigo community can grow a Neighbourhood House vegie garden, up of local food producers and growers, sustainable future together. or food focused community group. distributors, retailers, food recovery, Website: www.bsg.org.au local government, social entrepreneurs and interested community members Produce Swap Bendigo who share the vision of supporting Produce Swap Bendigo is a Facebook our local food system. New members page which connects local people to always welcome. The BRFA website also facilitate swapping of home grown fruit, acts as an interactive community food vegetables, preserves, eggs and meats! information portal via the website: Simply search: ‘Produce Swap Bendigo’ www.brfa.org.au/ to find the group’s page, then click ‘join group’. Bendigo Region Fruit Fly This closed Facebook group aims to share information, success, failures, helpful tips and all things fruit fly for the Greater Bendigo region. Simply search: ‘Bendigo Region Fruit Fly’ to find the group’s page, then click ‘join group’.

Food Fossickers swap Through education, networking and marketing, Food Fossickers supports learn producers, growers, retailers and eat consumers to put local food on local support plates. Website: grow www.foodfossickers.com.au buy food

64 | Home Grown Home Grown | 65 Farmers’ markets and produce sales Community gardens

Farmers’ markets and produce sales are where farmers and local If you do not have a space to grow your own produce or you food producers sell their produce directly to consumers. They would like to be a part of a collective, a community garden may serve not just as a place for farmers and producers to get the be perfect for you. Individuals can either have access to their own best price and consumers to get the best products, but as venues plot or share a plot with others to grow food to share. Get involved for producers and consumers of food to come together, forge in your local community garden today at the following locations: relationships and exchange ideas. For more information, visit the Victorian Farmers’ Market website: www.vicfarmersmarket.org.au

Bendigo Community Bendigo Showgrounds Market Farmers Market Held every Sunday from 8.30 am to 2 Held on every second Saturday of the pm at the Prince of Wales Showgrounds month, in Sidney Myer Place from 9 am in Holmes Road, Bendigo; the market to 1 pm and every fourth Thursday of is one of country Victoria’s best. Come the month (except December, when along and enjoy the family atmosphere, it’s the Thursday before Christmas) in free admission and ample free parking the Hargreaves Mall, Bendigo from 3 to all just five minutes from the City Centre. 6 pm. Regional food, wine, coffee, tea, Local produce stalls onsite. Website: plants, cooking sessions, music and www.bendigoshow.org.au loads more. www.bcfm.org.au

PepperGreen Farm Gravel Hill The Old Church on the Hill Held every Saturday from 10 am – 2 pm, Community Garden Community Garden the community market offers visitors the chance to purchase a range of 2 Bramble Street, Bendigo Cnr of Russell and Harkness Streets hand grown produce, food, handmade Contact: Salvation Army Contact: Old Church on the Hill crafts and treats unique to the Central Tel: (03) 5440 8410 Tel: 0458 290 402 Victorian region. Email: [email protected] Positioned on the Village Green within Karen Community Garden Quarry Hill the Peppergreen Farm tourist precinct, 26 Myers Street, Bendigo (at rear) Community Garden the market has a relaxed atmosphere Contact: St Andrew’s Uniting Church often enlivened by local performers. Tel: (03) 5441 3100 60 Havlin St West, Bendigo Website: Email: [email protected] Contact: Community of Christ www.peppergreenfarm.com.au Tel: (03) 5447 3199 come together, forge relationships, and exchange ideas. 66 | Home Grown Home Grown | 67 Hope… It Grows, Heathcote Long Gully Community Garden Involving 153 Eaglehawk Road, Long Gully 55 Hospital Street, Heathcote Contact: St Mathews Church Contact: Heathcote Community House your children Tel: (03) 5442 2659 Tel: (03) 5431 0930 in the garden Long Gully Heathcote Sensory Garden Community Garden 39 Hospital Street, Heathcote Creating a home Energetic Street, Long Gully Contact: Heathcote Community House garden provides new Contact: Long Gully Tel: (03) 5431 0930 opportunities to grow, Neighbourhood Centre cook and eat food Tel: (03) 5442 1165 Community wicking boxes together as a family. The Bendigo Regional Food Alliance MADCOW have placed water efficient wicking Involving children Community Garden beds in public places for communities in the home garden Many schools also have school Brazier Street, Eaglehawk to access. Residents can help grow and has many benefits vegetable gardens that may be Contact: Bendigo Baptist Church, access fresh, local produce from the including promoting: open for anyone to use or volunteer Tel: (03) 5449 3033 wicking boxes located out the front of: at. For help starting or improving The Discovery Centre, The Good Loaf, • A willingness to try new foods a school vegetable garden, check Bendigo Library, Lyttleton Terrace and and experience new flavours Kangaroo Flat out the City’s community grant Community House LaTrobe University Bendigo (within and textures the grounds). • An appreciation of where our options: www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/ 21 Woolcock Avenue food comes from Services/Community-and-Care/ Contact: Kangaroo Flat Community-grants Community House • A practical understanding of Tel: (03) 5447 9687 environmental sustainability • Enjoyment of physical activity

...come together and swap excess home grown produce, ideas, knowledge and skills.

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