Feature Interview: Talking to Tony Domanski of Beverich Holdings International http://www.beverich.com.au/, about what happens to the computers, TV's mobile phones, DVD's that people replace almost on an annual basis. From http://www.ewaste.com.au/ figures reveal that in 2006, Australians threw away 1.6 million that year! Hear some of that interview now.
Vegetable Heroes: Asian greens or Brassica rapa var. chinensis.
Plant them when the soil temperature is between 10 and 13 deg. C.The difference between Pak Choy and Bok Choy is Bok Choy has a white stem, and Pak Choy has a green stem
Sandy loam soil is good but you can grow Asian greens in any fertile soil. Just put some organic matter into it. Before sowing seed work in a plenty of compost and blood and bone. You should also add some Potash because Asian greens like not only lots of Nitrogen but lots of Potassium.The seeds for Asian greens are very small so don’t bury them too deep. Just make a small impression in the soil about 5mm deep. Sprinkle them in the row and lightly cover them with soil. Doesn’t matter how thick they are because you’re going to thin them out as they get bigger anyway. Asian greens also like lots of magnesium and because magnesium helpos germination, put about half a teaspoon of Epsom salts, into two litres of water. Give it a good shake around and then water the seeds with that mixture. They will come up in about a week. In six weeks, you’ll be harvesting your Asian greens. You can cut them off at root level and they will reshoot in a few weeks, or you can pick the leaves several at a time. Best used when the leaves are young otherwise they will taste bitter.
Design Elements: No DE this week.
Plant of the Week:Cupressus torulosa - Bhutan Cypress and Cupessus glabra-Arizona CypressA tall conical tree with fine foliage, slightly pendulous at the tips. The base of the tree may become bulbous with age. A lovely dark green formal tree, ideal as a formal specimen or screen. Grows to at least 5M in the first 10 years. A evergreen tree (25) m tall, Fastigiate in warm climates and broader at the base in colder climates. Bark thick, grey brown or brown, peeling off in longitudinal strips. Branches slender, drooping, with thin, whip-like tips. The branchlets have a cord like appearance. If you look at the branchlets closely, you’ll see a diamond pattern.
Cupressus glabra, known as the Arizona Smooth Bark Cypress, e. Here in Australia it has a fat, columnar habit in warm climates and as for the Bhutan Cypress, the base becomes broad in colder climates.
However it does well when planted as an ornamental with a better water regime. A rapidly growing tree (up to 1 metre per year).
The trunk is stiff and erect; the leaves are scale-like, bluish-green, opposite and tightly clasping the four sided twigs; Interestingly the leaves or leaf scales have an obvious white resin gland on the back, usually a glaucous blue on the best forms with a fruity or parsley odour when crushed.
Myrtle rust workshops across NSW. The Australian Network for Plant Conservation has organised a series of whole-day workshops on Myrtle rust recognition, reporting, risk assessment, and management concepts and techniques. Workshop dates & Locations and more details can be found at www.anpc.asn.au or contact Bob Makinson. email: bob.makinson@rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au
