Berry Good Gardening

SPICE IT UP

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)

Is in the Poaceae family (grasses,) and was not only used  by the ancient Greeks and Romans but crops up in so many cuisines throughout the world.
Lemongrass has also been used in folk medicine and in Asian cooking.
Lemongrass is a herb, or grass really,that  has more attributes as an all round herb than you might’ve thought of.
In this segment, you’ll learn about not only the best ways to use it in the kitchen but some great tips and looking after it in the garden.
Let’s find out more about this herb. I'm talking with Ian Hemphill, from www.herbies.com.au

Lemongrass flavour is fairly gentle so you can’t go wrong in how much you use.


Lemongrass

Use only the bottom 15-20 cm and give it a bump with the back of a knife to easily peel off the outer layer.

Cut it very finely or either shave it finely or grate your lemongrass so you don’t get those hairs or fibres from the leaves so much when you’re eating the dish.

BIG TIP: Don't throw away the green leafy tops but tie them into knots to break up the citral structure and throw this bunch into cooking to infuse with a real lemony flavour.
Think of it as a substitute for lemon zest if you like for use in cooking.

When growing your own lemongrass, it's best if divided every few years because the centre of the clump doesn't seem to get enough water and nutrients and dies off.

If you have any questions about lemongrass or any other herb or have some information to share, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

VEGETABLE HEROES

LEEKS Allium ampeloprasum var. Porrum
There’s nothing like a good long history that some vegetables seem to have and the Leek is no exception.
Thought to be native to Central Asia, leeks have been cultivated there and in Europe for thousands of years.
Did you know that Leeks were prized by the ancient Greeks and Romans because of their supposed beneficial effect upon the throat.
The Roman emperor Nero supposedly ate leeks everyday to make his voice stronger.
Another interesting fact that you might not know is that the leek became a Welsh emblem in 1536, and is still the national emblem of Wales.
Daffodil is the National flower.
Have you ever wonder why Welsh are such great singers?
Perhaps because they eat a lot of leeks, think Tom Jones.
Leeks, known scientifically as Allium ampeloprasum var. Porrum, are related to garlic, onions, shallots, and scallions.
Onions, celery, and carrots are very good companion plants for the leek.
Leeks, are a cool season crop and best of all they’re easy to grow.
You can grow leeks in hot summers, but you won’t get the same quality result as you will in a cool summer environment.
Leeks are usually grown from seed and are generally started off in punnets first then transplanted.
When to Sow
Sow the seeds of Leeks from Spring until the end of Autumn in cool temperate climates, and late summer and autumn in warm and tropical zones,  and in arid districts, seeds must be sown in February/early March and then you can transplant them in April and May.
I sowed some seed a several weeks ago and have already transplanted them into the veggie bed because they were a couple of inches-about 10cm high and were the thickness of a pencil.
TIP: By the way, the seeds germinated fine from an out of date packet.
Leeks will overwinter in cool temperate areas of Australia if properly mulched, but will generally not survive periods of extreme cold.
In case you don’t know what a leek is.
Leeks look like large fat spring onions, but have a very small bulb and a long white cylindrical stalk of layers  of white then green, tightly wrapped, flat leaves.
It goes without saying that good soil is the key to growing leeks.


Start off leeks in a punnet.

Leeks need nutrient rich, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They’ll do well in almost any garden soil as long as it is well aerated and deep, about a spade’s depth is good.
Using some kind of dibble tool or the end of a rake handle to make a hole that's just deep enough to leave only the top inch of the seedling exposed.
Set the leek seedling into the hole and fill it loosely with soil.
 Space the leeks 10cm or a large hand span" apart, in rows at least 25cm  or from your wrist to your elbow apart.
Find something practical like that to do you estimates.
Some people think that when growing Leeks the aim is to blanch the stems while the plants are maturing.
To save your back if you want to blanch the stems, rather than digging a trench, just use mulch.
When they’re 4 weeks old in the veggie bed, use a thick mulch of sugar cane or something like that.
In another 4 weeks or when they reach about 24cm, do the same again, or you can use shredded newspaper.
The leeks will still grow as well if you don’t do any of this.
Some gardeners cut off the top portion of the leaves, about halfway up the plant, as the leeks are maturing.
This is supposed to bring on stalk growth, giving you a larger leek for the dinner table.
To be honest you can do all this, but if you don’t the leeks are just as tasty.
Make sure the plants get at least a couple of cm’s of water a week; otherwise the stems will be tough to eat.
Mulch to conserve moisture, and side-dress with manure tea once a month.
Begin harvesting leeks as soon as they're big enough to use.
Young, tender ones are good raw; once they reach the width of a paper roll, they're better cooked.
They usually take 16-18 weeks--4 ½ months. Quite a long time so explains why they are so expensive at the greengrocer, market or wherever you buy them.
At markets they’re usually $2 each.
To prepare Leeks cut them very thinly and sautee’ just as you would other members of the onion family.
 Like their allium cousins, onions and garlic, let leeks sit for at least 5 minutes after cutting and before cooking to enhance their health-promoting qualities.
Why are they good for you?

Tasty Leeks

 Leeks are a good source of dietary fibre also a top source of vitamin C
Leeks have a high concentration of the B vitamin folate
Leeks give you small amounts of other minerals and vitamins.
The green tops have some beta carotene which your body can make into vitamin A.
Like onions, they also have some sulphur compounds that scientists believe reduce your risk of some health problems.
Leeks are believed to be good for the throat.
Leeks are low in calories and fat-free. 100g of leek has just 125kJ.
AND THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY?

DESIGN ELEMENTS

In a lot of places in Australia, the days have begun to be cool down, so thinking of tropical plants for an area in the garden suddenly has become quite appealing.
Even if you live in an arid zone or cool temperate area, you can still achieve that tropical look with plants that grow well in your local district.

Paradisus Gardens photo Peter Nixon

Knowing how to arrange them is the key to achieving that tropical look, and around the entertainment area, it might be de rigour.
Let’s find out more. I'm talking with  Louise McDaid, Garden Designer.


Choose a dining setting that suits your lifestyle; perhaps a daybed? For the tropical look think of Wicker, Bamboo or Teak furniture fits into the Tropical theme.
The whole garden doesn’t have to be tropical.
You can use bold leaves and different types of foliage colour in any climate.
Create some shade with tall palms, such as Gold Cane or Lipstick Palm. For taller palms, try Bangalow or Kentia Palms.

Paradisus Gardens photo Peter Nixon

For the mid level think of Gingers, Cordylines, Canna lilies, Hibiscus and Birds of Paradise are some of the types of plants that you can choose from.
For the lowest level, pick from Bromeliads, ferns, and Calathea.
If you live in a cooler  or arid area, you might have a tropical theme within your garden style.
Somewhere in your garden where you like to sit and read or think, you can add a tropical touch here and there, with plants that are suited to the climate you live in.
There is a microclimate that suits those plants that were mentioned. You get the idea.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Berrries: loganberry;Raspberry;Blackberry; Youngberry
Did you ever go out to collect wild blackberries when you were quite young and come home with scratches all over your arms and legs?

Youngberries photo M Cannon

Perhaps you were a bit more clever and carried a sheet of iron or a plank of wood that you plopped down into the middle of the patch to get the berries.
Nowadays you wouldn’t dream of doing that because blackberries out in the bush or nature reserve have probably been sprayed with weed spray.
So, what about growing your own?
Let’s find out which ones are so good.….I'm talking with the plant panel: Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au


The Berry Patch in a Pot™ Range features four great varieties of fruit that can be grown in any garden!
This includes Blackberries, Loganberries, Youngberries and Raspberries.

Berry flowers. photo M Cannon

Youngberry is a complex hybrid between three different species from the genus Rubus, the raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries of the rose family. The berries of the plant are eaten fresh or used to make juice, jam, etc.
Loganberries:Rubus x loganobaccus Loganberry.
The Loganberry is a modern variety of fruit that was developed from an accidental cross between a raspberry and a blackberry.
Loganberries have look a bit like blackberries, but are more red in colour.
The vines or canes of the Loganberry  don't grow like either the blackberry or raspberry.
They trail or grow upon the ground.

The best part is that these plants are ideal for pots and containers as well as for growing in the garden.
 

Lemons, Oranges and Spangles

WILDLIFE IN FOCUS

The onset of winter brings the star of the season, one of our winter migrants, the Spangled Drongo, into our neighbourhood.
Whilst most migrating birds have spent the summer in Australia avoiding the cold in the Northern Hemisphere, this bird has been to northern Australia and Papua New Guinea for breeding.
Going against the general flow of traffic it comes to spend the winter with us arriving in March-April and stays until September-October.
Let’s find out more...with ecologist Sue Stevens

Not only is the Spangled Drongo a bit of a comic, it’s also a great mimic of other bird calls as well.
Said to be the only one of it’s kind in Australia, although I’m sure you might think you saw a couple of these at your local watering hole.
If you have any questions about Spangled Drongo or have a photo to send it, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

VEGETABLE HEROES

Well it’s TIME FOR VEGETABLE HEROES Cymbopogon citratus or Lemon Grass in Poaceae Family has a wonderful lemony scent and taste.
Lemongrass is used to add lemony flavour to soups, stews, curries and vegetable and rice dishes.
Lemongrass other uses to, apart from making it into tea.
The herb is also used in perfumery and to make various cosmetics, including soaps, lotions and creams.
Lemongrass is also blended with resins and other herbs for use as incense and is added to potpourri mixtures.
Due to the presence of certain volatile oils in the leaf, lemongrass is also used as a natural insect repellent.
Where does Lemongrass come from, well it’s a perennial grass native to India where they use the leaves in cooking.
In fact in in India, it’s mostly used as an antirheumatic, and antiseptic, drinking it-lemongrass tea of course.
What Does It Look Like?
Lemon grass has slender stalks about a 30cm long that feel slightly rough to the touch.
Lemon grass grows in a bushy clump and has long narrow pale green leaves.
In fact it grows in grass-like clumps to 1 m tall.
Cut back the old leaves in early Spring to strengthen the bush as well as tidy it up.
Companion Planting,.
You can’t go past growing a clump of Lemon Grass in the vegetable garden, because it’s got a good influence on all the plants around it and the vegetables will be much more flavoursome.

Where to grow it?
Lemongrass is adapted to hot wet summers and dry warm winters, is drought tolerant and will grow on a wide range of soils but prefers rich, moist loams.
It dislikes wet feet but it does like regular watering in summer.
If it’s at all damaged by frost in cooler areas, the tops shouldn’t be cut until all danger of frost has passed.
This helps to protect the centre of the plant from further cold damage.
An idea if you’re in cool temperate zones its to grow it in pots that can be moved under cover for winter.
Propagating Lemongrass
Lemongrass can be easily propagated by division and when you pick the Lemon Grass to use in cooking or teas, cut off the bottom part leaving just the roots - put this piece into a glass of water and it will shoot very quickly. You can then replant it and this will ensure that you always have Lemon Grass in your garden.
Lemon Grass tea in summer is extremely refreshing.
Problems answered.
Help! My lemongrass is taking over my vegetable garden.
Dig it out and start again but this time put it a bottomless pot.
Why is it good for you?
Lemon Grass can be drunk as a tea as it has a tonic effect on the kidneys.
Lemongrass is a mild sedative.  Try it for your insomnia, or when you are under stress, or even if you need help to calm a nervous or upset stomach or to relieve headaches.

It is good for the skin as the oil contains Vitamin A.
If you’re into aromatherapy, add a few drops of Lemon Grass oil to your bathwater.
For those with skin problems drinking the tea regularly will help and it will also give your eyes a bright clear look as well.

COOKING with LEMONGRASS

The leaves can be picked at any time of the year and the stems can be used fresh or dried..
For cooking use the stalks only and pick the thick, light green ones that feel firm and aren’t dried out and wilted.
Cut off the woody root tip of each stalk until the purplish-tinted rings begin to show and remove the loose, dry outer layer(s). Also, if the top of the stalk is dry and fibrous cut this off too. When using it in cooked dishes, bang it with a cleaver to bruise the membranes and release more flavour.
Put a handful of the leaves into the saucepan when steaming or simmering chicken or fish to give a delicate but delicious taste of lemon. It can be used in many dishes as a substitute for lemon.
To store fresh lemon grass, wrap well in clingfilm and refrigerate, it will keep for up to three weeks.
Certainly an easy plant to grow in your garden and lots of benefits as well.
AND THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO SEGMENT for TODAY!

 DESIGN ELEMENTS

with landscape designer Louise McDaid

No dig gardening you might’ve even heard of and wondered what it was all about.
The fact is the idea has been around for almost 80 years!
No dig gardening is exactly that - gardening without digging the soil – perfect for when you have rocky soil, or soil with too many rocks to remove, or if you have an area that’s just rock with no soil at all – the idea is you create your own soil, mostly used for veggie growing

Instead of buying in truckloads of soil to plant in, you can create your own with a mix of different materials that will compost – start by collecting things like leaves, grass clippings, scraps from the kitchen like vegies and fruit, weeds, prunings that have been chopped up and even shredded paper – most of these are free things you can gather or get from around the neighbourhood – you can also use your own compost that you’ve made

Let’s find out more of what this is all about.

No-dig gardening is a method used by some organic gardeners.
Nobody is really sure where the idea first started –possibly in when a Mr Masanobu Fukuoka started working on this idea in 1938, and began publishing it in the 1970s calling it "Do Nothing Farming."
Two pioneers of the method in the twentieth century included F. C. King, Head Gardener at Levens Hall, South Westmorland, in the Lake District of England, who wrote the book "Is Digging Necessary?" in 1946 and a gardener from Middlecliffe in the UK, A. Guest, who in 1948 published the book "Gardening Without Digging".

No-dig gardening was also promoted by Australian Esther Deans in the 1970s, and American gardener Ruth Stout advocated a "permanent" garden mulching technique in Gardening Without Work and no-dig methods in the 1950s and 1960s.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Persimmons

Persimmons are in fact a functional fruit with many edible uses.
They’re orange and can be put into your kid’s lunchbox unpeeled, and can be eaten sliced or whole like a pear.
You can dice and freeze them, adding them to a smoothie as a thickener.

They can also be dried, changing them from a crisp consistency to a soft, date-like, chewy texture. Eaten this way, they are deliciously sweet and taste more like candy than dried fruit.
Persimmons can be grown all over Australia and are in fact commercially grown in southern Qld, northern NSW, coffs Harbour, northern Victoria, north-eastern South Australia and south-western Australia.

Persimmon flower

There are two types of persimmon grown in Australia - astringent and sweet (non-astringent) persimmon. The commercial industry is focused almost entirely on the sweet (non-astringent) types, whereas it is very common for astringent persimmon to be grown in backyards.

Some non-astringent varieties are Fuyu, Jiro, Izu and Suruga.
Newer varieties have glowing orange-red sweet fruit which can be eaten in a hard mature condition.
Persimmons are a deciduous  small tree with great autumn colour. They need only a low chilling requirement for even bud break.
Persimmons bud up in September and flower in October so may for the most part avoid late spring frosts causing damage to flowers and fruit.

The best time to plant Persimmons is during the cooler months, which will give them as much time as possible to get established before next summer’s heat. The branches are brittle and break easily – especially when weighed down by the fruit – so choose an open, sunny spot that’s sheltered from strong winds.

Persimmon trees are grown from grafted nursery stock where the cultivar is grafted onto a selected rootstock.

Over-tree netting is important in protecting fruit from bird and fruit bat damage.
Soil-Persimmons can be successfully grown on a wide range of soils from light sandy loams to heavy alluvial clays. Preferred soils are light, well-drained sandy loams or loams.

Need protection from wind and late spring frosts because both can blemish fruits.

No real pests because the fruit ripen too late for fruit fly attack, but do still pick up fallen fruit just in case.