Pruning Figs: It's Not Too Late

 PLANT DOCTOR

Pruning Figs: 

Ficus carica is the edible fig that hails from the Mediterranean.

Fig trees aren’t quite as ubiquitous as citrus trees are in the produce garden but they are still a firm favourite.

What's not to like?

They are delicious to eat fresh and or dried, plus nothing beats home grown figs. 

There are a few different types: 

• 'Black Genoa' is typically a large growing fig tree and not suitable for small back yards. This is a fast growing heavy cropping tree that produces large sweet purple skinned fruit. Good for inlan Australia but not so good on the far north coast.

• White genoa-great for drying about half the size of black genoa: also grows well in cooler areas.
• Brown Turkey  good for eating fresh, is a very hardy tree that does well in inland areas.
• White Adriatic-a green skinned medium to large fruit.
• Dwarf Brown Slow growing and compact this small tree can be kept at about 1 - 1.5 m in height. Great for small spaces and pots and smaller backyards

There’s a only few things you need to know when attending to those trees and believe it or not, winter time is one of those times.

In fact, winter time is the time you need to go out and take a look at your fig tree, assessing it for what to prune and what to leave

• When you first get your fig tree, prune the tree by half; cut it back to 3 or 4 branches.
• Prunings can be used to propagate more trees as the cuttings take root very easily.

TIP: figs like to grow in shallow soil which has been enriched with limestone. 

• pH 8 is an ideal for figs, and you can do this by adding crusher dust to the soil. 
• What is crusher dust?
• Crusher dust is a blend of small crushed blue metal rocks and finer dust.
• Either add it to your pot or to the soil.
• Incidentally, crusher dust is a great medium for striking 'slow to take' cuttings.

Getting Down To Pruning

Steve’s tip is to prune new fig trees by half when you get them, but for older trees, prune one-third to one-half each year. 

• We are looking for the new growth to supply the current season's fruit.  
• Prune out any limbs that are less than 45 degrees to the trunk. Keep branches that are more or less at right angles to the main trunk.
• Remove any branches or laterals that are less than half a metre from the ground.
• If you need to, you can now bring it into shape but otherwise you have done your main pruning.

So let’s find out what more needs doing.
That was Steve McGrane, agriculturist and horticulturist.

If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

Figs and Strawberries Are Just Divine

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Designing a Vegetable Garden part 4: Terms Explained.

The debate is over according to the Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden in South Africa.
You can pronounce Clivea-that’s rhyming with Clive or you can pronounce it Clivvea like give.
They’re both acceptable pronounciations of that plant.
But what about other gardening terms and names?
Pronouncing them is one thing but what do they all mean?
We’re going through a few terms in this next segments so let’s find out…

Vegetable Garden of Lyn Woods in Ulverston, Tasmania. photo, owner/

I;m talking with Glenice Buck, landscape designer and consulting arborist

Some of the terms that were talked about were 'crop rotation, Mandala garden, and no dig garden.

Crop rotation has a basic idea that you do not grow the same plant in the same spot every year – you have separate beds laid out with different plantings in each year.

Why do you do this?

The main reason is that you don’t want to deplete the soil of the same nutrients every year – for example cabbages will take in the same nutrients each year and then those nutrients will no longer be in the soil.  

It also means that you may reduce the impact of soil born disease getting established for example the same virus,  insect or fungus might attack the one species and if you continue to plant same species there number will increase in the soil as you are giving them what they are already attacking

Almost back to the principles of biodiversity.

What is an example of a crop rotation plan?

The aim is to not plant same species in the same spot each year – the first year you could use plants in the legumes family such as peas and beans this have nitrogen fixing bacteria within their roots – this means you can leave their roots in the ground after cropping and they can then provide nitrogen for the next group of plants such plants the brassica family …which require high levels of nitrogen such as broccoli, cabbages, kale.  Then the 3^rd year you can use plants which don’t require much nitrogen such as root vegetables – like carrots or potatoes and beetrootsIf you’re new to gardening then concentrate on starting off with a small plot.

You can buy ready made gardening troughs or planter boxes that fit the bill, or you can use large Styrofoam boxes, put in some drainage holes and fill them with a good quality potting mix but not gardening soil.
You can even have a veggie garden made entirely of pots with lettuce, basil, tomatoes and perhaps some chillies.
If you have any questions about designing a veggie garden, write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com

VEGETABLE HEROES.

This weeks Vegetable Hero is Today’s vegetable hero is Strawberries or Fragaria x ananasa.
Did you know that Fragaria means fragrance in Latin?

Strawberries aren’t actually berries because true berries have seeds inside them.
And as every schoolkid will tell you, strawberries have seeds on the outside, and usually about 200 of them!
So what are strawberries exactly?
Did you know that Strawberries are sometimes called an accessory fruit or false fruit because of the seeds being on the outside?

Strawberry display at Chelsea Flower Show photo M Cannon

Fragaria vesca or the Alpine strawberry is native throughout the Northern Hemisphere. 

Botanists think this was probably the ancestor of the garden strawberry of today.

Would you believe that there’s archaeological evidence suggesting that people ate strawberries as far back as during the Stone Age?

The first people to grow strawberries as a crop were the Persians in ancient Persia.
The Persian-called their strawberry plants - Toot Farangi.
By the 18th century Fragaria x ananassa had replaced the alpine strawberry because of the larger berry or fruit.
How about this? In parts of Bavaria, some people still tie small baskets of wild strawberries to the horns of their cattle as an offering to elves each Spring.

The Bavarians believe that because the elves love strawberries so much, they will help to produce healthy calves and lots of milk in return.

Strawberries have seeds on the outside photo M Cannon

When to grow?
It’s probably not the right time of year to grow plant out strawberries in many districts, but if you see them for sale as potted strawberries, because you surely will, you can plant them out in January.
For all sub-tropical, temperate and arid zones you can plant strawberries now, but you’ll get advice that May and June are the best planting times.
For cool mountain districts, October and November are your best planting times.
They’re frost sensitive but a 10cm layer of mulch will be enough to protect the plants.
So what are the strawberry plants’ requirements?
Strawberries are short-lived herbaceous perennials, meaning plants can produce for 2-3 years.
Did you know that commercially strawberries are grown for only one season and replanted each year to keep up the yield levels? Strawberries Growing Pattern
The pattern for most strawberries is flowering in spring, set fruit in late spring/early summer, send runners out in summer and become dormant in winter.
At this time of year you will be able to get the ever bearing varieties which give you a second crop in autumn.
If you planted your strawberry plants, in last autumn and winter, they should’ve flowered already and you’ll be telling me that you’ve been enjoying strawberries with cream already.
But why not plant some more plants for Autumn strawberries?

What do Strawberry plants love?
Not sure what they like? Well…Strawberries love at least 6 hours of sun a day and will grow in most soils but strawberries prefer a sandy loam that is deep and contains a lot of organic matter.

IMPORTANT: When planting a strawberry plant, make sure that about a third of the crown is above the soil. If you plant too deep or shallow the plant might die.
Strawberries have 70% of their roots located in the top 8cm of soil.
By mulching the soil, it helps to keep the roots from drying out and will prevent the plant from drowning in boggy soil.

This means that if growing your strawberries in the garden, you need to grow them on mounds to improve drainage and you will also need to put down a thick layer of mulch such as hay, pea straw or sugar cane to prevent the berries from touching the soil and rotting.

Mulch as you should now, also prevents the soil from drying out too much.
Potting soils usually have the right mix if you’re planning on planting strawberries in a container.
In that case, add an extra inch or two of fresh compost either to the mix before filling the pot or to the surface of the potting mix.
I would also recommend adding some coco peat into the potting mix to increase water holding capacity.
The idea behind strawberry pots is good in principle but in practise I find it needs careful attention because the plants dry out too much.
And you know strawberry pots have several holes in them to cater for about5-6 plants.

Strawberry pot photo M Cannon

TIP: Attaching your pots to a dripper system and putting a saucer under the strawberry pot will save your strawberry crop this year.
Also make sure you water the plants, especially when the young plants are establishing, and during dry spells.
Strawberries prefer a moist environment.
Avoiding overhead watering will reduce fungal disease; drip irrigation or a 'leaky pipe' is best.

They're technically a perennial so live for a few years producing fruit. Plants will usually fruit best in their second year of planting and will need replanting with new runners by their 2nd to 3rd year.

After 3-4 years (or even sooner) the plants usually become diseased and die.
And don't forget nurseries do sell certified virus-free stock, and that's the safest way to grow new strawberry plants.
Feeding Strawberry Plants
To feed your strawberries, sprinkle a small handful of complete fertilizer (such as tomato food, organic pellets, fish emulsion and any stuff which is high in potash) around each plant when it first comes into flower, and water well. Liquid seaweed fertilizer once a fortnight will not go astray either.
Keep a close eye on the plants as flowering begins as the birds and possums are just as keen on strawberries as we are. You may need to net the strawberry bed. Slugs and snails can also seriously affect the crop so place snail traps in the bed.

Slugs and snails can be a problem, so lay beer traps, lay protective barriers (like lime or sawdust) or get out with a torch at night to get them.
TIP:Make sure your berries are fully red before picking them because they don't get any riper off the vine.
Cut the stem above the berry with scissors.
Summer time care of Strawberries
Over summer, strawberry plants send out runners. These modified shoots can be used to propagate new plants but if you don't need new plants, cut these runners off.
After fruiting has finished, tidy up the bushes by giving them a hard prune down to 10cm.

Stick 'em in the fridge soon after picking the strawberries and don't wash the strawberries until just before you want to eat them.

Strawberries don't last, and the extra water on them causes their cells to break down more quickly.

TIP: Wash the berries and pat them dry before removing the stems. That way you avoid excess water entering the berries from the stem end.

Use the berries within three or four days.
To really feed a family you need about 20-30 plants to provide plenty of fruit, but even a couple of plants can be fun to grow.
Strawberry Varieties
Varieties include Redlands Crimson was developed in south east Queensland so it does very well in subtropical climates sending runners everywhere.
Tioga's - is better suited to a cooler climates.

Summer strawberry varieties include Cambridge Riva for the intense flavour,

Chandler has huge berries and grows in all climates, Hokowase are wedge shaped and very sweet.
Kamu has blood strawberries from summer to autumn.
Torrey has medium sized sweet fruit and is best suited to warm climates
For Ever- bearing varieties, the autumn crop is the biggest and you can choose from Tempation which doesn't send out runners so it's great for hanging baskets and Sweetheart is very sweet to taste – an everlasting variety also have their fruit set in autumn .

Why are they good for you? Growing your own strawberries is much healthier because strawberries are ranked third out of 50 popular fruits and vegetables that retain pesticide residues.
Strawberries are low fat, low calorie; high in vitamin C, fibre, folic acid, and potassium
From only half a punnet of strawberries you'll get more than 100% of your daily needs of Vitamin C, and 5.5g fibre in if you eat the whole punnet of strawberries that's about 20% of your daily fibre needs.
Did you know that eating strawberries, which are rich in nitrate, can increase the flow of blood & oxygen to the muscles by 7%?
This prevents muscle fatigue, making exercise easier.
Strawberries are also low in kilojoules, meaning you can eat 2 cups as one of your daily fruit serves!

AND THAT WAS OUR VEGETABLE HERO SEGMENT FOR TODAY!

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Edible Figs: Ficus carica

Know to Egyptians as the “tree of life,” this fruit tree is small enough to fit most gardens.Better still these trees ( figs) don’t need pollination for you to get the fruit.

Fig tree at jeremy's nursery. photo M Cannon

Let’s find out more.I'm talking with Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au

Ficus carica is an Asian species of flowering plants in the mulberry family, known as the common fig (or just the fig).

Native to the Middle East and western Asia

Fig trees develop sweet seedless fruits without fig wasps
Figs fruit should be picked when they are slightly soft to the touch and smelling sweet. Although according to some fig connoisseurs, pollination produces a more delicious fig with a superior nutty flavour due to the seeds.

Figs will NOT continue to ripen once they have been removed from the tree, so pick them when you need them and handle them with care as they can bruise easily

Care and problems

Figs really do have few problems if given a good start in life.

Expect to start harvesting your luscious, sun-ripened figs 2–3 years after planting.

Most varieties produce two crops a year when in full swing.

Important:

The first crop grows on the previous year’s wood and ripens in summer.

The second crop forms on new growth and ripens in autumn.

Most of the figs we grow don’t require a pollinator to set fruit, however you will need to fend off the birds. Netting is probably the best method but do check nets regularly to rescue any trapped birds, lizards or other animals.

Pruning

Yummy Figs and Pretty Little Brown Birds

WILDLIFE IN FOCUS

Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusillaOften referred to by birders as LBB, this little bird can look similar to a lot of other little birds.
the characteristic shape of Thornbills are short tail, short sharp body , sort of like a ping pong ball.

Brown Thornbill photo Birds of  Australia

Often these birds are hard to identify because they’re not a conspicuous bird and are rarely seen on the ground.
But being a rather inquisitive bird it will usually come out if you make squeaking noises.
Let’s find out about how to best identify this LBB.

I'm talking with Dr Holly Parsons, Manager of Birds in Backyards.



Brown Thornbill photo barwonbluff.com.au
 

 Brown Thornbills will quite happily visit your garden, the park, or your local nature strip, particularly where there are large patches of remnant vegetation or shrubby creek lines.
Did you know that the Brown Thornbill sticks around its home territory for life? Apparently marked birds known to be 11 years old have been re-captured several times, never having moved more than a few hundred metres from where they were first caught.
If you have any questions about Brown Thornbills or any other bird, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

VEGETABLE HEROES

Florence Fennel Foeniculum vulgare dulce and var. azoricum
Did I really mean Florence Fennel?
You might think that I’m trying to get you to grow that roadside weed that is found all over Australia.
No, I’m talking about the culinary fennel.
That other fennel was probably the Fennel  mentioned in the seed  inventory list brought out to Australia by the First Fleet in 1788.
Fennel is a member of the Apiaceae family, which include parsley, caraway, dill, cumin, anise and carrot.
Did you know that in Ancient Greece fennel juice was used as an effective cure for poor eyesight, night blindness and cataract?
In medieval Europe, fennel and St John's wort were used together to ward off evil.
The real fennel Florence fennel Foeniculum vulgare Azoricum Group;

 is a cultivar group with a sort of bulb at the base that you can use in cooking, salads and stir fries.
Also the real fennel or Florence Fennel has a much milder anise-like flavour, than wild Fennel and is more aromatic and sweeter.
Where  and When to grow it?
This plant is best in hot, dry climates but will grow in practically all climates of Australia. Knowing when to sow the seeds is the key.
Timing is crucial: if sown too early, cold can cause bolting; if sown too late, plants won't fatten up before the winter
Now is ideal, when the temperature is stable, day length is consistent and there's at least 16 weeks for bulbs to develop.
In sub-tropical areas, you can plant or sow seeds from March until May, in temperate zones, from February until May, in cool temperate zones, you have from February until about mid- March, and for cold or mountain districts, it was February then not again until November/December unless you have a greenhouse.
When to Sow:
For arid areas you have March and April and again in July.
Should you have a soil thermometer, Fennel is best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C  and as a general rule of thumb, soil temperatures are around a few degrees cooler than the current air temperature.
Florence Fennel is a perennial that’s rather stocky and really only grows to about 60cm.
It resents disturbance and responds to any shock by bolting: so you’ll only get feathery fronds and flowers, but no swollen stems.
Because the bulb grows only partially below ground, and mostly above ground it suits those districts with heavy soils. Otherwise, you can grow it in a pot-by itself.
What Does Florence Fennel Like?

Florence Fennel

Florence Fennel isn’t too fussy with soils as long as the veggie bed, or garden bed is well drained as has compost or decayed animal manure dug in, In cool temperate districts cut back the plant to about 10cm above the ground as winter draws nearer.
Fennel likes a well-drained soil, fertile from having been manured the previous year.
When planting your Florence Fennel seeds –sow them about  5mm deep, and unless you’ve got a lot of space, you don’t need more than 2 or 3 because they need spacing of about 30cm.
Never let the soil dry out because water is needed for germination, steady growth and swelling.
If roots become visible or plants seem unsteady, earth them up to stabilise them.
This will help make bulbs white and tender and, later, exclude frost.
After about 6 weeks you can hill out the soil around the emerging bulb so that, like Celery, the base stays white and is more tender than if you allow the sunlight to turn it green.
To Hill or Not to Hill.
Hilling up is just mounding soil or mulch around the base of the plant.
You can make sleeves out of newspapers or use bottomless milk cartons to keep the hilled soil from getting into the leaves of the Fennel plant.
Plants take several months to mature that’s 3-4 months after sowing.
When they look big enough to eat use a garden fork to loosen the roots and cut the bulb off about 2.5cm above the ground.
This way you’ll get more feathery shoots that can be used as celery/dill-flavoured seasoning in the kitchen.
 The bulb is best sweet, ripe and fresh (try it raw in salads) but it will also keep for several weeks in a cool, dry place.

Florence Fennel flowers with seed.

You can get root cuttings from plants that have been lifted during spring, so any if you attend a garden club, ask if any members have this plant.
There are plenty of seed suppliers in Australia that have Florence Fennel Seeds.
Why is it good for you?
The fennel bulb is also an excellent source of Vitamin C
Did you know that if you don’t get enough Vitamin C that’s linked to the increase in the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis?
 Fennel also has folate (Vitamin B), fibre and potassium.
One cup of fennel has 10.8 per cent of the daily fibre intake, 5.9 per cent of the daily folate and 10.3 per cent of the daily potassium.
TIP:An advantage of growing Florence fennel are that it attracts parasitic wasps and very small Praying Mantises.
It’s free of pests and it looks great and the Fennel bulb is delicious baked, too why not try it grated raw in a salad or baked in lasagne.. Definitely worth a try.
AND THAT WAS OUR VEGETABLE HERO SEGMENT FOR TODAY!

DESIGN ELEMENTS

 Scorch Damage on Plants
This garden series with Garden Designer Peter Nixon, is all about garden challenges thrown at us mostly by nature but also due to a situation in your garden that you might need to fix.

Today’s garden challenge is about scorch damage- that’s the browning of plant tissues, including leaf margins and tips, and yellowing or darkening of veins which may lead to eventual wilting the leaf dropping off.


What can you do? Let’s find out. I'm talking with Peter Nixon Garden Designer. www.peternixon.com.au




Aniseed Myrtle, scorch damage. photo M Cannon

Sunburn on plants sounds a bit far- fetched but that’s what happens and if the air is hot enough, flowers will dry and curl up even if they’re in shade.

Affected plants may sometimes recover through watering and fertilization (if the cause is not over-fertilization).

Light pruning may also help to reduce the water-pumping load on the roots and stems.
Make sure that the watering you do actually gets down into the soil.



If you have any questions about scorch damage in your garden, write in and let us know what happened our email address, or just post it realworldgardener@gmail.com

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Ficus carica Edible Figs

Know to Egyptians as the “tree of life,” this fruit tree is small enough to fit most gardens.
Better still these trees ( figs) don’t need  pollination for you to get the fruit.
Let’s find out more. I'm talking with the plant panel;Karen Smith editor of Hort Journal and Jeremy Critchley, the owner of the Green Gallery Nursery, www.thegreengallery.com.au

Figs can be grown in most parts of Australia, as they love a hot, fairly dry climate.

Edible figs grow to around 3m tall and 5m wide but can be larger.
They need a sunny spot because full sun is vital not to mention well-drained soil.

Figs can be planted virtually year-round but, as they are deciduous, so why not wait until in winter, so you can grow your own at that time from a hardwood cutting.
They can also be grown in large containers. Figs are long-lived
Fig trees don't need to be pollinated to develop sweet seedless fruits.
Each species of fig tree has its own specific fig wasps.
Botanical Bite.
Fig fruits are lined with unisexual flowers inside the fruit.
So how do the flowers get pollinated?
We think of figs as fruit but the fig is actually what's scientifically called an infructescence or scion of the tree, known as a false fruit or multiple fruit.


Fig Brown Turyey

At one end of the fig fruit is a small hole or orifice (ostiole) which is easy to see.
In the middle of the fruit is a narrow passage, which allows the specialized fig wasp Blastophaga psenes to enter the fruit and pollinate the flower.
Quite often the wasp loses one or both of its wings on its journey inside the fruit.Figs fruit should be picked when they are slightly soft to the touch and smelling sweet.  Although according to some fig connoisseurs, pollination produces a more delicious fig with a superior nutty flavor due to the seeds.
Figs will NOT continue to ripen once they have been removed from the tree, so pick them when you need them and handle them with care as they can bruise easily