Having a Swale of a Time in the Garden

The Good Earth

with permaculture experts, Lucinda Coates and Margaret Mossakowska


Photo by M. Mossakowska

Do you have a boggy patch in the garden?
What about watering you garden without turning on the hose?
Sounds impossible, but there are ways you can save water from disappearing down the stormwater drain but altering the landscape of your garden.
And no, it doesn’t have to look ugly at all.

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Know you know that a swale is a slight depression that runs along the contour of the land.  It can be deep or shallow, or even hidden (a ditch filled with mulch, pebbles or any other material,  )The dirt from digging the swale is usually used to make a raised mound on the downhill side. You can make them any size you want.

Note: a swale is not a drain but stores water in the soil. By stopping the run-off, it prevents soil erosion as well.    How it works is this: Rain falls on your property, and instead of running straight down the slope, it runs to the swale and gathers. There it soaks in slowly, forming a lens of water underneath the swale. This provides a area of shallow sub-surface water downslope from it for an amazingly long time, so your grass will stay greener, and you won't need to water very often.

If you have a question about any building swales or anything about permaculture that hasn’t been covered in the show so far, why not drop us a line. to realworldgardener@gmail.com or by post to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675,  or post them on Real World Gardeners facebook page, we’d love to hear from you.

Vegetable Heroes:

Microgreens.

What are microgreens?
Microgreens are very young edible greens from vegetables, herbs or other plants.
It has to be said, growing microgreens is the speediest way to growing leafy greens.

You’ll be cutting them in 1-2 weeks.

Plus, they add packets of flavour to salads of larger leaves and the best part, it couldn’t be any easier.

You can grow them indoors all year round, you don’t even need a sunny windowsill.

Micro greens grow to about two and a half to four cm long, including the stem and leaves.

A microgreen has a single central stem which has been cut just above the soil line during harvesting.

The first leaves that come out from any plant are called cotyledon leaves and usually one pair of very small, partially developed true leaves.

So, leaf and stem are never bigger than 4cm in height and 2 1/2cm across.

• Microgreens even though they’re really small have intense flavours  but not as strong it would’ve been if the plant was left to grow to full size.
• Usually I start talking about the history of the vegetable or fruit at this point.
• There’s not much history at all about micro greens.
• Maybe they started off as a fad in the 1990’s who knows?
• They seem to be catching on more and more, because you can get seeds marketed as micro greens from major chain stores that have a gardening section.

How about greens, like all types of lettuce, Basil, Beets, Coriander and Kale that are harvested with scissors when they’re really, really, small?

Not at all like sprouts, but grown in a similar way and  picked or more correctly, cut at a later stage of growth.

Sprouts are only the germinated seed, root stem and underdeveloped leaves.

Microgreens are the mini-versions of the much larger green vegetable.

 

Sprouts are also grown entirely in water and not actually planted.

Microgreens are mostly planted in soil or a soil alternative like sphagnum moss, or coco peat.

Plus you grow microgreens in light conditions with plenty of air circulation and not in a jar.

You might be wondering why you’d want that?

What’s wrong with growing salad vegetables in the garden?

This might be more for the busy gardener who’s run out of space or time available to grow a full garden of vegetables.

So how do you grow Micro greens?

There are a couple of ways to grow Microgreens.

The first method is to grow your greens in soil like organic, potting mix, cocopeat, vermiculite, sieved compost or worm castings.

Use seedling trays or boxes and fill the tray with your selected soil mix 2 - 3 cm deep and moisten the mix.

Soak the seed overnight then sprinkle the seeds evenly on top of the mix and gently pat them down; then cover with 0.5 cm of mix.

Cover the tray with a lid or another inverted tray to help keep the seeds moist until they sprout.

Then water often using a sprayer.

Adding diluted organic nutrients e.g. kelp or compost tea to the sprayer will improve the nutrient levels in the microgreens.

Microgreens are usually harvested when there are four or more leaves. Cut the shoots just above ground level with scissors.

TIP:

Many types of vegetable seeds as micro greens and will regrow and can be cut several times.

Afterwards the tray contents can be added to the compost heap.

The second way of growing your microgreens has come out this year, and it’s using something called a Growing Tray.

This tray holds a reservoir of water and has holes in it so the plants can grow their roots down into the water.

Growing your microgreens this way makes it superbly easy for all home chefs and gardeners to have a steady supply at their fingertips.

You don’t even need soil, just a spray bottle of water and the seeds.

But you do need to remember to spray the seed, 2-3 times a day until the roots develop, then keep water reservoir topped up with fresh water until harvest a couple weeks later!

You can buy them in stores or via mail order and online.

Microgreens seed packet range includes 5 mixed packets, each containing 3 varieties typical to a regional cuisine: http://mrfothergills-seeds-bulbs.com.au/home.php

Flavours of the Mediterranean - Basil Italian Mix, Rocket and Sunflower

Flavours of France - Sorrel, Chervil and Sunflower

Flavours of Western Europe - Cress, Amaranth Red Garnet and Pea Morgan

Favours of Eastern Europe - Kale Pink, Cabbage Red and Pea Morgan

Flavours of the Orient - Mustard Ruby Streaks, Garland Chrysanthemum and Coriander

TIP:

One thing to keep in mind, the seeds used to grow microgreens are the same seeds that are used for full sized herbs, vegetables and greens.

So, If you want to use up that packet of Cabbage, Celery, Chard, Chervil, Coriander, Cress, Fennel, Kale, Mustard, Parsley, Radish and Sorrel, rather than throwing it out. Grow the seeds as microgreens.

TIP:

Never use parsnips for micro greens as seedlings they’re apparently poisonous!

Coriander seed takes longer to germinate than other micro greens – up to three weeks.

Partly due to the tough outer coating of the seeds, preventing water from penetrating.

You need to break the seed coat to give it a hurry up by crush the seeds lightly then soak overnight to speed up germination and improve success.

Why are they good for You?

Just because they’re mini greens doesn’t mean they have a high concentration of nutrients or even a miracle food. No such luck.

So they have proportionally smaller amounts of the same nutrients that the full sized vegetable that they would’ve been has.

They are eaten as thin, delicate plants - as miniature variations on salad greens and herbs. They provide texture and colour when used as garnish, or exciting flavours when used as part of salad mixes

If you have any questions about growing microgreens or where to buy the seeds for sowing, just drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com

Or by post 2RRR, PO box 644 Gladesville NSW, 1675

 

 

Design Elements

with landscape designer Louise McDaid

Inspiration Series

Inspiration from the Pine Cottage garden at this year's Chelsea Flower Show

Do you know someone who thinks a cottage garden is a row of Agapanthus, lawn and maybe a fountain?
Yes, I know someone who thinks just that.
What is a cottage garden then?
It started in England in the 1870’s and is an informal design but lots of plants.

Even mixing ornamental or decorative plants with edible plants, and a rose covered gateway.This year at Chelsea, there was a modern twist to the cottage garden.
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The earliest cottage gardens were more practical, you could even say, took a leaf out of modern day permaculture.
These gardens had  an emphasis on vegetables and herbs, along with some fruit trees, perhaps a beehive, and even livestock!

If you have a cottage garden, send in a photo, and I’ll send you a copy of Jane Davenport’s the Garden Guardian.
Send it to our email address, or just post it.

Red Hot Garden Design

FEATURE INTERVIEW:

Head Gardener, Sydney Living Museums, Dave Grey talked to RWG about volunteer opportunities at two of the properties.

Six volunteer positions are on offer which presents a rare opportunity for locals to go behind the scenes and work in the idyllic sprawling gardens of Vaucluse House and at Rouse Hill House & Farm.

Garden volunteers will be given a range of benefits for their time including free entry to twelve Sydney Living Museums properties during the period of their service, as well as invitations to social outings and tours and talks at Sydney Living Museum properties.
Volunteers will meet on a Monday fortnightly from 9am-1pm over an initial period of six months (approximately eight hours a month). Orientation training is provided for all volunteers.

To read the full position description and access an application form please visit our website at www.sydneylivingmusuems.com.au and follow the links to Volunteering> Current Opportunities

VEGETABLE HEROES

Potatoes, Solanum tuberosum
It’s always interesting to find out where our vegetables started and how they became popular. And this is true of the humble potato.
Farmers in the Andes Mountains of South America first discovered the potato 7,000 years ago.
They had it to themselves until the mid-1500’s when the Spanish Conquistadors invaded Peru.
In Spain, when it did arrive, it was thought of food for the underclasses, or feeding hospital inmates.
Around 1780 the people of Ireland adopted the potato as a food crop because potatoes contain most of the vitamins you need to survive.
The potato is a member of the nightshade or Solanaceae family and its leaves are poisonous.
NOTE:A potato left too long in the light will begin to turn green.
The green skin contains a substance called solanine which can cause the potato to taste bitter and green potatoes can upset the stomach, so don’t try them.
TIP:Always grow potatoes from Certified Seed Potatoes from reputable suppliers.
Yes it is possible to simply buy some from a specialist green grocer and keep them for seed, or use leftover potato peelings.
What’s wrong with that? You run the risk of introducing diseases such as Potato Virus Y, Potato Blight or Potato cyst Nematode. If you use leftovers or buy from supermarkets or green grocers. You might think it’s only a small risk, but once you get potato blight into your soil, it’s their forever. No chemical will shift it.

When to Plant
Potatoes can be planted now all over Australia'
In temperate and sub-tropical districts, August to October is the best time.
Arid areas, August until December is your best time.
In cool temperate zones, you have from September through to January.
Cooler areas have a bit of extra time to order some of the more unusual varieties before they grow in the ground.
Choose a Variety?
How about Cranberry Red.
Cranberry Red has red skin and red flesh, great in salads, for boiling and baking. 
These stay red, even after cooking.
Or what Potato Sapphire that has purple skin and purple flesh
Purple Sapphire I’m sure is sold also as Purple Congo, is perfect for mashing, boiling and roasting, and yes, it stays purple after cooking.

 

Purple mash, Yum, and yes, I’ve cooked it.

 

And for a good all rounder, try growing Royal Blue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Potato Royal Blue is oblong, with purple skin and dark yellow flesh.

If you’re buying through mail order or online, you have until the end of August to buy them. After that, they’re not available.

 

To grow your Potatoes-

 

• Put seedling potatoes into a trench in as deep and rich a soil as you can get.
• Plenty of compost and manures please.
• And as they grow pile the earth up around them.
• You will need to hill the rows or potato container several times until the potatoes have flowered .
• You need to do this to stop the greening of tubers and also protect them from potato moth.
• Also, hilling up the soil and mulch will give you more potatoes as they tend to form on roots near the surface.
• That means, as you pile up the soil, you get new roots, and more potatoes....
• Chicken manure or blood and bone should be dug through the bed as potatoes need a lot of phosphorus but not too much nitrogen.  Too much nitrogen will mean lots of leaves rather than potatoes.
• Keep the water up and but only water moderately as potatoes will rot in soil that is too wet.

TIP:They can also get a fungus growing inside them if the soil’s too wet.

When you cut them open, they’ll have grey patches inside which actually do taste mouldy. Ewwww!

• You can add fish emulsion and seaweed extract when you’re watering too.
• Potatoes can also be grown in your black compost bin if you’re not using it for compost. Plant the seed potatoes at the bottom, let them grow to about 50cm,( so with your ruler that’s  almost 2 x ruler heights) then, over the top and add 8cm of soil, let them grow a little more, add some more soil, and so on, in the end a stack of potatoes.
• Pick your potatoes when the vine has died down to the ground, that’s if you want the most potatoes, but they can be harvested from when the first baby potatoes are formed.  The lower leaves should be turning yellow – this happens about 3 to 4 weeks after flowering.
• If you plan to store your potatoes, cut off the foliage and let the potatoes rest in the ground for 3-4 weeks to allow the skin to 'set', they keep longer this way. Store in a dark, cool, well ventilated spot. 

 

Roasting Potatoes include: Arran, Royal Blue, Cara, Celine, Desiree, Maxine, Picasso, Ruby Lou, Romano, King Edward, Kondor, Maris Piper, Stemster and Valor.

For Chip Potatoes try: Nadine, Kestrel, King Edward, Desiree, Kennebec.

For Boiling Potatoes try: Nadine, Dutch Cream Kestrel, Desiree, King Edward.

For Mashing Potatoes try: Kestrel, Nadine, King Edward, Tasmanian Pinkeye.

For Salad Potatoes try: Nicola, Tasmanian Pinkeye, Ponfine.

 

Why are potatoes good for you?

The potato is densely packed with nutrients. The Irish couldn’t be wrong could they?

A medium potato provides vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6 and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.

Potatoes are known as the foods people crave when they are stressed. 

Why? because the carbs in potatoes (about 26%) help make space for tryptophan and this, in turn, boosts the serotonin level in the brain.

High serotonin levels help boost your mood and help you feel calm.

To preserve these nutrients it is important to peel the potato just prior to cooking and not leave it exposed to the air or standing in water any longer than necessary.

www.heritageseeds.com.au www.pleasanceherbs.com.au

      www.greenharvest.com.au www.broersen.com.au www.newgipps.com.au

www.fourseasonshebrs.com.au and www.diggers.com.au

 

 Design Elements

with Landscape designer, Louise McDaid

 I have a friend who for years has been trying to get the pink blue and white hyacinths to flower at the same time.

Each year she buys these bulbs and has attempted to plant them in pots at different times. But no, with repetitive stubbornness, these Hyacinths just refuse to comply, as if obeying some other higher order.

So what do you need to do to get other flowers to open at when you want them too? Here’s a bit of a hint….

I never can get my blue flowers to open up at the same time as the yellow flowers in the front garden. So to beat this conundrum, I’ve planted bushes with yellow foliage like Abelia, Frances Mason, and variegated Buxus to name a couple.

If you want a white garden, there’s plenty of plants with white in the leaves, that you could add. Then you need to pick something from each season that has a white flower whether annual or perennial, it doesn’t matter.

It could also be a tree like the Handkerchief tree, which is much admired in English gardens, but grows equally well in Australia.

 

Plant of the Week:

Kniphophia Species

Sometimes, plant of the week features something not because it’s in flower, but because it’s a good time of year to either order them, prune them or propagate them in a very easy way.

This plant is no exception. of  Kniphophia

Light up your garden with the many colours of torch lillies or Kniphofias.

They’re very tough plants that cope with neglect.

Start of your collection with Kniphofia “Princes Beatrix” Or Little Maid. You’ll be hooked on how easy they are to grow once you do.

Kniphofia-bare rooted perennials (to order this time of year.)

This is the time of year to buy bare rooted plants.

For those that aren’t familiar with buy a bare-rooted planted.

That means a plant with no soil, no potting mix nothing. Usually they’re dipped in something to prevent the roots from drying out too much and wrapped in some sphagnum moss or just newspaper. They’re much lighter to post, and establish a lot faster.

When Spring comes, they’ll take off like mad.

 

Bare rooted plants are not just for professionals or experienced gardeners.

They’re dead easy to plant out, and even kids can manage them.

Roses and fruit and nut trees have been traditionally sold as bare-rooted plants for many years.

Perhaps people are no longer aware that you can buy bare rooted perennial plants.

 

• Why buy bare rooted perennials?

Because these days, a lot of nurseries and garden centres no longer offer the variety that they used to, and you can get a whole lot more interesting stuff from mail order catalogues and over the internet.

Today, we’re looking at bare rooted Kniphophias or Red Hot Pokers. Also called, torch lily, knofflers or poker plant, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, same family as Australia’s native grass trees.

The genus Kniphofia is named after the 16th century German professor, J.H.Kniphof.

These Kniphofias are native to Africa.

 

The common name though has not a lot to do with the colour, because the flowers come in so many colours these days.

There’s two types- ones that die down to the ground in winter-these are the Herbaceous species and hybrids have narrow, grass-like leaves 10–100 cm long.

 

Then there’s the evergreen species. These have slightly wider, strap-shaped leaves up to 1.5 m (5 ft) long.

All plants have spikes of upright, brightly coloured flowers well above the foliage, in shades of red, orange and yellow, often bicoloured.

The flowers have lots of nectar and are attractive to bees

 

With most perennial plants, the roots are fairly fibrous and withstand handling quite well too.

 

Kniphophias are versatile clumping plants  great in mixed garden beds, large pots, mass plantings and for architectural character.

 POSITION :-Full sun gardens

 MAINTENANCE :-Hardy with few problems and easy to grow. Tolerates windy coastal gardens, hot conditions and are frost hardy. Remove spent flower heads.

 FLOWERING seasons vary with individual varieties.

 

I’ve grown this one

Kniphofia ‘Princess Beatrix’

One tip about red hot pokers is that they don’t enjoy rich animal manure around their crowns so be careful.

Other than that they are pretty easy to grow given anything like reasonable soil and a sunny position.

Kniphofia ‘Princess Beatrix’ is an old variety with tender soft peachy apricot flowers during the warmer months. Although the flower stems make about 120cm in height it is a mistake to plant them in the back of a border crowded by other plants. 120cm x 80cm.

Another one I grow Kniphofia pauciflora 'Little Maid'

An attractive perennial grass suitable for full sun gardens forming a dense clump of strap-like leaves with ivory/pale lemon flowers during summer/autumn.

FLOWERING:-Ivory and pale lemon red hot poker flowers appear above the foliage in summer and autumn.

Grows to about75cm high x 50cm wide

Kniphofia ‘Strawberries and Cream’

This Kniphofia has coral-pink flowers when they open, turn to cream making for a charming effect. It flowers for many months from spring until late summer.

I cut the evergreen leaves down to about 15cm every winter to keep the plant tidy. 120cm tall by 80cm wide.

Kniphofia hybrid cultivar Dwarf Yellow Poker

is an evergreen perennial with a clumping habit. Striking yellow flower heads in summer. It has long narrow, arching foliage. Drought tolerant once established.  Prefers a full sun to part shade position.  Frost and wind tolerant. Suitable for pots and containers.

Grows 70cm high x 30cm wide.

Kniphofia uvaria

Red Hot Poker is an evergreen perennial with a clumping habit. An eye catching feature in any garden with vibrant burnt orange and yellow flowers in spring and summer. It has long narrow, arching foliage. Drought tolerant once established.  Prefers a full sun to part shade position.  Frost and wind tolerant. Suitable for pots and containers.

Grows 1.5m high x 90cm wide.

Details

Both varieites are supplied as: Bare rooted plant

Suitable climate zones: Cool, Temperate, Arid, Semi-arid, Mild Tropical, Tropical Climate Guide)