In your state What to do - yourlifestyle.tv | by Guru ... your state GARDENING > ... 76 The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 53 / Summer 2014 The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 53

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In your state G A R DE N I NG > Wha t t o d o

76 The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 53 / Summer 2014 77The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 53 / Summer 2014

on the underside of leaves. Damage appears as light dots on the leaves. To control infestations, remove and discard affected leaves and thoroughly hose down remaining foliage.

Fruit flies are active in summer, so keep an eye on your fruiting trees. Control fruit fly with exclusion nets or traps and check ripening fruit regularly for damage. Any damaged fruit must be picked and destroyed immediately by immersing in water or solarising.

TASTE Apricots, berries and melons are the showstoppers this season. Melons are best eaten fresh, but apricots lend themselves very well to drying or making fruit leather. Berries can also be picked fresh then frozen for use in sauces, cakes and drinks later in the year. Another delicious way to use an abundance of berries is with a simple berry cordial.

BERRY CORDIAL1kg mixed berries, such as mulberries, boysenberries, blackberries or loganberries, washed500g red currants, washed1kg sugar1L water

Recipe courtesy of Delish – From Garden to Table Available: thegardengurus.tv

NSWPLANTPlant petunia, vinca, nerine, French marigold and rudbeckia. Other flowers to plant now include portulaca, zinnia, nemesia, wallflower and salvia. By February it’s too hot to plant seedlings, so opt for potted flowering annuals instead for instant colour.

In the vegie garden plant beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, endive, herbs, kohlrabi, leek, summer lettuce, parsnip, spinach, swede, spring onions, squash, zucchini, sweet corn and turnip.

DOKeep plants watered and well mulched to help them through the hot weather. On really hot days, water your plants in the morning and cover any delicate foliage with sheets.

Check for damage on roses caused by spider mites, tiny sucking pests that tend to live in colonies

Place berries into a saucepan and add 500ml water. Bring to a boil then simmer until fruit is soft then strain, retaining the juice. Place berries back in the saucepan and cover with the rest of the water. Heat until juice gets close to boiling then remove and strain again. Discard the berries. Mix both lots of juice together with the sugar and gently heat to ensure all the sugar dissolves. After cooling, the juice can be frozen until needed. After defrosting, mix cordial with water in the proportion that appeals to you.

CAREKeep water bowls, bird baths and ponds topped up for garden fauna.

Apply soil wetting agents around plants to avoid moisture stress. When planting new plants, particularly those that are surface-rooted, add water-absorbency crystals to the soil to improve soil moisture.

Tropical shrubs and trees benefit from a trim now to get them into shape. You can shred the prunings to make mulch, recycling it to benefit the rest of your garden.

Keep watch for fruit fly destroying your crops. Place fallen fruit in plastic bags and leave in the sun to cook. This kills fruit fly larvae, stopping late season infestations. You may need to erect exclusion nets or set up some traps to really keep them under control.

QLD

PLANTIt’s time to plant petunia, coleus, marigolds, sunflowers, salvia, zinnias and ageratum.

Summer vegies to plant now include cauliflower, capsicum, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, summer herbs, melons, lettuce, spring onions, radishes, pumpkin, silverbeet, squash, sweet corn and tomatoes. >>

in your

In your state G A R DE N I NG > Wha t t o d o


on the underside of leaves. Damage appears as light dots on the leaves. To control infestations, remove and discard affected leaves and thoroughly hose down remaining foliage.

Fruit flies are active in summer, so keep an eye on your fruiting trees. Control fruit fly with exclusion nets or traps and check ripening fruit regularly for damage. Any damaged fruit must be picked and destroyed immediately by immersing in water or solarising.

TASTE Apricots, berries and melons are the showstoppers this season. Melons are best eaten fresh, but apricots lend themselves very well to drying or making fruit leather. Berries can also be picked fresh then frozen for use in sauces, cakes and drinks later in the year. Another delicious way to use an abundance of berries is with a simple berry cordial.

BERRY CORDIAL1kg mixed berries, such as mulberries, boysenberries, blackberries or loganberries, washed500g red currants, washed1kg sugar1L water


NSWPLANTPlant petunia, vinca, nerine, French marigold and rudbeckia. Other flowers to plant now include portulaca, zinnia, nemesia, wallflower and salvia. By February it’s too hot to plant seedlings, so opt for potted flowering annuals instead for instant colour.

In the vegie garden plant beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, endive, herbs, kohlrabi, leek, summer lettuce, parsnip, spinach, swede, spring onions, squash, zucchini, sweet corn and turnip.

DOKeep plants watered and well mulched to help them through the hot weather. On really hot days, water your plants in the morning and cover any delicate foliage with sheets.

Check for damage on roses caused by spider mites, tiny sucking pests that tend to live in colonies

Place berries into a saucepan and add 500ml water. Bring to a boil then simmer until fruit is soft then strain, retaining the juice. Place berries back in the saucepan and cover with the rest of the water. Heat until juice gets close to boiling then remove and strain again. Discard the berries. Mix both lots of juice together with the sugar and gently heat to ensure all the sugar dissolves. After cooling, the juice can be frozen until needed. After defrosting, mix cordial with water in the proportion that appeals to you.

CAREKeep water bowls, bird baths and ponds topped up for garden fauna.

Apply soil wetting agents around plants to avoid moisture stress. When planting new plants, particularly those that are surface-rooted, add water-absorbency crystals to the soil to improve soil moisture.

Tropical shrubs and trees benefit from a trim now to get them into shape. You can shred the prunings to make mulch, recycling it to benefit the rest of your garden.

Keep watch for fruit fly destroying your crops. Place fallen fruit in plastic bags and leave in the sun to cook. This kills fruit fly larvae, stopping late season infestations. You may need to erect exclusion nets or set up some traps to really keep them under control.

QLD

PLANTIt’s time to plant petunia, coleus, marigolds, sunflowers, salvia, zinnias and ageratum.

Summer vegies to plant now include cauliflower, capsicum, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, summer herbs, melons, lettuce, spring onions, radishes, pumpkin, silverbeet, squash, sweet corn and tomatoes. >>

TASTE (QLD CONTINUED)Queensland is the place to be for delicious, fresh summer fruit. Bananas are at their best in December and January. They are a fantastic natural energy boost, have a low GI (glycemic index), meaning they won’t cause a spike in blood sugar, and are vitamin-rich.Tamarillos (tree tomatoes) are also in season over summer. Make the most of these two sweet treats with this versatile banana and tamarillo purée.

BANANA AND TAMARILLO PURÉE2 large tamarillos, peeled and thinly sliced75ml lemon juice2 medium bananas, peeled and chopped75g sugar

MANGO CHICKEN2T ghee (clarified butter)1 onion, diced 1½T grated fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, crushed ½C cashews 3 tomatoes 2T coconut milk 500g chicken thigh, diced 1t garam masala 1t curry powder ½t turmeric 1C chicken stock 1 mango, diced 5T fresh coriander


Recipe courtesy of Cassie Heffernan www.nourishmeup.com.au

Toss the tamarillos in a bowl with the lemon juice, bananas and sugar. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. Purée the fruit in a processor until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a small pot and bring to the boil, stirring. Cool, cover and refrigerate. This purée can be spooned over fruit, layered with whipped cream as a parfait or spread between cake layers. The colour is fabulous and the taste is too.

Heat ghee in pan. Pan fry onion, ginger and garlic, about 10 mins. In a blender whizz together tomatoes, cashews and coconut milk (a little bit chunky is good).Add chicken, garam masala, curry powder and turmeric to pan. Heat through. Brown chicken then stir in cashew mixture, stock, coriander and mangoes. Cover and simmer for 30 mins. Remove lid and simmer for a further 5 – 10 mins or until sauce has thickened. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander on rice or vegies.

G A R DE N I NG > Wha t t o d o


WAPLANTPetunias, salvia, aster, portulaca, sunflower and rudbeckia all thrive if planted now. Vinca, bedding begonia, celosia, cockscomb, snapdragon, amaranthus, alyssum and French marigolds are also beautiful colour plants to get in the ground in summer.

In late summer plant dahlia, bearded iris, nerine, gladioli and tuberous begonia into pots or a sheltered part in the garden.

In the vegie garden, it’s time to plant basil (annual varieties), beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, climbing beans, cucumber, dwarf beans, leek, lettuce, melon and pumpkin, radish, rockmelon, silverbeet, sweet corn, sweet potato and tomatoes (for autumn/winter crops), squash and zucchini.

DOCheck your sprinklers to make sure they are fully functional and take care of any repairs or maintenance before the weather gets too hot in February. Water restrictions are in place over summer, so make sure you are aware of your watering days. If you are unsure of your sprinkler roster, find out at watercorporation.com.au

Let lawns grow longer now as this will reduce the amount of water required during the hot weather – and the amount of work you need to do. Maintain strong healthy growth by spraying 4-weekly with a liquid fertiliser containing seaweed extract and organic compounds throughout summer.

Prune modern rose bushes vigorously by removing 25 per cent then give them a good feed for beautiful autumn flowers.

TASTENow is the time to have your fill of cherries, as unfortunately they have a short season in most of the state. Make the most of them by drying, preserving and jam-making for later in the year – and enjoy them fresh while you can.

Mangoes will also be appearing in markets at an affordable price now that the warm weather is here. They are such a versatile fruit; delicious fresh, dried or made into a sweet sauce, but equally amazing in savoury dishes, salsas and chutneys.

Vegies to plant now include squash, pumpkin, sweet corn, dwarf beans, carrots, Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, summer lettuce, beetroot, cabbages, cauliflower, herbs, leeks, spring onions, squash and zucchini.

DOLightly trim roses now. A third of the bush and any spindly growth can be removed. To encourage beautiful flowers, apply fertiliser and manure and water well. Deciduous fruit and nut trees also benefit from pruning after harvesting to encourage new growth and increase air flow. Once you have tidied them up, feed with an all-purpose fertiliser to get them ready for a new flush of growth.

In January, tropical plants start hitting their growth peaks, particularly hibiscus and bougainvillea. Give them a feed with a good quality slow-release fertiliser to keep them growing strong.

Once the foliage of spring-flowering bulbs has died down, carefully lift them with a garden fork.

V1C & TASPLANTVinca, bedding begonia, celosia, zinnia, cockscomb, snapdragon and amaranthus can be planted now. It’s also time to plant alyssum, French marigolds, rudbeckia, petunias and salvia. For a stunning, bold summer display, plant some sunflowers amongst your foliage plants. Allow them to dry in a cool,

airy place then gently clean off excess dirt and prune off old flower stalks. Store the bulbs in a labelled paper bag in a cool dry place until ready for planting again.

Protect your flower and vegetable seedlings from snails and slugs. Traps using beer or a combination of equal parts yeast and honey dissolved in water can be effective in reducing slug and snail populations. Simply half fill a plastic container or cup with your chosen lure, bury it to the rim and leave it overnight. In the morning, collect and discard trapped snails and slugs and repeat the process the next day.

TASTEDelicious summer fruits are now on the market in the cooler states. Apricots, berries, grapes, melons and plums are at their peak. Eggplant and corn are also ready for harvest and are perfect grilled on the barbeque.

TASTE (QLD CONTINUED)Queensland is the place to be for delicious, fresh summer fruit. Bananas are at their best in December and January. They are a fantastic natural energy boost, have a low GI (glycemic index), meaning they won’t cause a spike in blood sugar, and are vitamin-rich.Tamarillos (tree tomatoes) are also in season over summer. Make the most of these two sweet treats with this versatile banana and tamarillo purée.

BANANA AND TAMARILLO PURÉE2 large tamarillos, peeled and thinly sliced75ml lemon juice2 medium bananas, peeled and chopped75g sugar

MANGO CHICKEN2T ghee (clarified butter)1 onion, diced 1½T grated fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, crushed ½C cashews 3 tomatoes 2T coconut milk 500g chicken thigh, diced 1t garam masala 1t curry powder ½t turmeric 1C chicken stock 1 mango, diced 5T fresh coriander


Recipe courtesy of Cassie Heffernan www.nourishmeup.com.au

Toss the tamarillos in a bowl with the lemon juice, bananas and sugar. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. Purée the fruit in a processor until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a small pot and bring to the boil, stirring. Cool, cover and refrigerate. This purée can be spooned over fruit, layered with whipped cream as a parfait or spread between cake layers. The colour is fabulous and the taste is too.

Heat ghee in pan. Pan fry onion, ginger and garlic, about 10 mins. In a blender whizz together tomatoes, cashews and coconut milk (a little bit chunky is good).Add chicken, garam masala, curry powder and turmeric to pan. Heat through. Brown chicken then stir in cashew mixture, stock, coriander and mangoes. Cover and simmer for 30 mins. Remove lid and simmer for a further 5 – 10 mins or until sauce has thickened. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander on rice or vegies.

G A R DE N I NG > Wha t t o d o


WAPLANTPetunias, salvia, aster, portulaca, sunflower and rudbeckia all thrive if planted now. Vinca, bedding begonia, celosia, cockscomb, snapdragon, amaranthus, alyssum and French marigolds are also beautiful colour plants to get in the ground in summer.

In late summer plant dahlia, bearded iris, nerine, gladioli and tuberous begonia into pots or a sheltered part in the garden.

In the vegie garden, it’s time to plant basil (annual varieties), beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, climbing beans, cucumber, dwarf beans, leek, lettuce, melon and pumpkin, radish, rockmelon, silverbeet, sweet corn, sweet potato and tomatoes (for autumn/winter crops), squash and zucchini.

DOCheck your sprinklers to make sure they are fully functional and take care of any repairs or maintenance before the weather gets too hot in February. Water restrictions are in place over summer, so make sure you are aware of your watering days. If you are unsure of your sprinkler roster, find out at watercorporation.com.au

Let lawns grow longer now as this will reduce the amount of water required during the hot weather – and the amount of work you need to do. Maintain strong healthy growth by spraying 4-weekly with a liquid fertiliser containing seaweed extract and organic compounds throughout summer.

Prune modern rose bushes vigorously by removing 25 per cent then give them a good feed for beautiful autumn flowers.

TASTENow is the time to have your fill of cherries, as unfortunately they have a short season in most of the state. Make the most of them by drying, preserving and jam-making for later in the year – and enjoy them fresh while you can.

Mangoes will also be appearing in markets at an affordable price now that the warm weather is here. They are such a versatile fruit; delicious fresh, dried or made into a sweet sauce, but equally amazing in savoury dishes, salsas and chutneys.

Vegies to plant now include squash, pumpkin, sweet corn, dwarf beans, carrots, Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, summer lettuce, beetroot, cabbages, cauliflower, herbs, leeks, spring onions, squash and zucchini.

DOLightly trim roses now. A third of the bush and any spindly growth can be removed. To encourage beautiful flowers, apply fertiliser and manure and water well. Deciduous fruit and nut trees also benefit from pruning after harvesting to encourage new growth and increase air flow. Once you have tidied them up, feed with an all-purpose fertiliser to get them ready for a new flush of growth.

In January, tropical plants start hitting their growth peaks, particularly hibiscus and bougainvillea. Give them a feed with a good quality slow-release fertiliser to keep them growing strong.

Once the foliage of spring-flowering bulbs has died down, carefully lift them with a garden fork.

V1C & TASPLANTVinca, bedding begonia, celosia, zinnia, cockscomb, snapdragon and amaranthus can be planted now. It’s also time to plant alyssum, French marigolds, rudbeckia, petunias and salvia. For a stunning, bold summer display, plant some sunflowers amongst your foliage plants. Allow them to dry in a cool,

airy place then gently clean off excess dirt and prune off old flower stalks. Store the bulbs in a labelled paper bag in a cool dry place until ready for planting again.

Protect your flower and vegetable seedlings from snails and slugs. Traps using beer or a combination of equal parts yeast and honey dissolved in water can be effective in reducing slug and snail populations. Simply half fill a plastic container or cup with your chosen lure, bury it to the rim and leave it overnight. In the morning, collect and discard trapped snails and slugs and repeat the process the next day.

TASTEDelicious summer fruits are now on the market in the cooler states. Apricots, berries, grapes, melons and plums are at their peak. Eggplant and corn are also ready for harvest and are perfect grilled on the barbeque.

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W E A R E S O C I A L B U T T E R F L I E S

81The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 53 / Summer 2014

PLANTPlant African marigolds, ageratum, alyssum, asters, cosmos, dahlia, gazania, gerbera and nasturtium. Other flowers that will thrive if planted now include petunia, portulaca, rudbeckia, salvia, sunflowers, verbena and zinnia.

Summer is the time to plant beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, cucumber, carrot, cauliflower, eggplant, herbs, endive, leeks, lettuce, melons, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, silverbeet, squash and zucchini.

DOPotted plants should be watered daily. Make use of recycled water such as greywater or rainwater, or use cold water collected from showers or the kitchen.

You may need to add more greens or a little water to your compost to stop it drying out over summer. Check your compost, particularly if the weather has exceeded 34 degrees Celsius over three or more successive days.

SA

Top up mulch in the vegie patch to protect precious summer crops. Water well during dry periods either early morning or late evening to reduce wastage through evaporation.

TASTEAvocados are in season at the local markets, so will be at their best and cheapest now. They are a nutritious addition to salads or as a spread on sandwiches or crackers. The silky smooth flesh makes for an amazing dairy-free creamy consistency when whizzed

up in fruit and vegetable smoothies or soups.Asian greens, spinach, silverbeet and rocket are also in season in southern states, perfect for summer salads and fresh green sides to accompany meat dishes.

Bro u g h t t o y o u b y H o l m a n I n d u s t r i e s

There’s nothing quite like making the most of your outdoor area in summer, our

favourite season. Though we love it, the hot Australian summers can take their toll. If you are planning a gathering for friends and family this summer, the last thing anyone wants is guests sitting outside hot and weary while the temperature soars over 35 degrees Celsius. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have outdoor air-conditioning?

Holman Industries, the leading experts in garden watering systems, have turned their expertise onto the area of outdoor misters. They have designed an outdoor misting system that uses tiny droplets of water that instantly evaporate after being dispersed into the air, forming a mist. The mist brings down the surrounding temperature by a few degrees and takes the edge off the searing summer heat. It works on the same principle as evaporative air conditioning. As well as being fantastic for cooling down the entertaining area, it can also be used for watering the greehouse because the super fine spray does not damage fragile plants or seedlings.

The kit is expandable, which means you can tailor

this summerThe first step is to

measure the area you are installing it in and buy one or more kits as

needed. Then, you roll out the hose to get rid of any kinks and lay it out in the sun.

While the sun is warming the hose ‘memories’ out, map out your course in your outdoor area. Measure to fit, and cut the hose accordingly. Make sure your cuts are nice and straight. Then you drill the hose onto the wall or beams.

The next step is to connect the system up to an ordinary garden tap. No pump is required, but it’s important to have a lot of pressure at the tap. The more pressure in the system, the better it will work.

The system also has a drainage valve, so when the system is turned off, the misters won’t drip. A good idea is to put a pot plant under the drainage valve to catch every drop of water. There is also a filter that fits near the tap to filter out any dirt or unwanted particles before they hit the system, preventing the jets from becoming clogged. This misting system works well with garden tap timers, but Holman Industries have also designed a tap timer specifically for this mister.

Why not look at getting your outdoor area ready for entertaining this weekend?

These kits are available from Bunnings nationally.

For more information about this kit– visit holmanindustries.com.au, or call (08) 9204 1011

ENTERTAING OUTDOORS

coverage of the misting system to fit the area. Each kit comes with 7m of pipe and 5 brass misting nozzles and fittings.

It’s easy to install – you don’t need a plumber, and you will be able to do this one weekend afternoon on your own.

Documents

In your state What to do - yourlifestyle.tv | by Guru ... your state GARDENING > ... 76 The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 53 / Summer 2014 The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 53