Beans on Trees And Welcome Swallows

WILDLIFE IN FOCUS

The Welcome Swallow is a native bird that makes a mixture of twittering and soft warbling notes.
The Welcome Swallow belongs to the family of Passerines which are Australia's songbirds.
Easily spotted flying low around sport’s fields and open grassy areas, it’s probably one you seen but probably not seen it still for long enough to make out its markings.
What is this bird?
Let’s find out .I'm talking with Dr Holly Parsons, Manager of www.birdsinbackyards.com.au

Welcome swallows belong to a group of songbirds and do have a lovely call if you ever hear them when they’re still.
They are mainly metallic blue black with a light grey chest but their characteristic feature is the lovely long forked tail, sometimes with spots.

They're on the wing the majority of the time catching their prey which is mainly insects.
They make mud nests on the sides of houses and buildings which can be a nuisance, however, they're only a short time in the nest, 2 - 3 weeks, so it's not that much of an inconvenience.
Remember that they are native and therefore a protected species.
Wait until the young swallows have fledged before removing the nest if it's in an awkward location.
The welcome swallow is found in most places of Australia and it’s only in Tasmania that they migrate across the Bass Strait for the winter.
Although there has been reports of young fledglings staying put in Tasmania for their first winter.
You can catch up that segment by listening to the podcast www.realworldgardener.com
If you have any questions about welcome swallows 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

Is there a fruit or vegetable you detest?
Maybe it’s the texture of it in your mouth you can’t stand, or the smell puts you off, especially when it’s being cooked.
I’m not talking allergy type of detest, but purely because, Nah… you just don’t like it.
You don’t order any food that even has a slight hint of it being there.
That’s my lot with corn.
Well, after seven years of broadcasting, I’ve only mentioned sweetcorn once, and it’s time to look over what corn cob lovers want to hear.
So you might think I know nothing of corn growing, but no, from my years at Yates in technical advice, it seems that growing corn has its fair share of problems and I’ve heard and solved most of them.
Sweet Corn  or Zea mays var. saccharata  is a grass, native to the Americas.
Yep, a grass.
But wait, Corn is actually a vegetable, a grain, and a fruit.

Sweetcorn Honey & Cream

It’s a vegetable because it’s harvested for eating; a grain because it’s a dry seed of a grass species; and a fruit because that’s the botanical definition.
Corn (Zea mays) is sometimes called a vegetable grain.
Did you know that a vegetable is defined as a plant cultivated for an edible part or parts such as roots, stems, leaves, flowers, or seeds/fruit, corn is a vegetable?
If you wanted to be very picky, all cereal grains could be called vegetables, but for some reason the cereal grains are separated from the rest of the "vegetables" such as peas, lettuce, potatoes, cabbage
Corn has a long, long history.
Apparently tiny ears of corn have been discovered at ancient village sites on the Mexican plateau or the highlands of Guatemala.
Kernels dating back to 6600 BCE have also been found in caves in Mexico.
There’s even evidence that in central Mexico, about 7000 years ago, sweetcorn was domesticated from wild grass.
However, the fresh, or sweet corn, the kind we like to eat as corn on the cob, didn’t come about until the 1700s.
Along with wheat and rice, corn is one of the world’s major grain crops.
Would you have guessed that only 9 percent of all the corn grown is used to produce food for humans?
64% of all corn grown is used as feed for livestock.
Then there’s food manufacture which include corn meal and other food products such as cooking oils, margarine, and corn syrups and sweeteners (fructose) and breakfast cereals, flour.
But there’s also non-cooking uses such as dyes, paints, chemicals, Ethanol, a renewable fuel made from corn, has shown the possibility of becoming a major renewable fuel for the world’s automotive industry.
That’s just to name a few.
 Much of the corn now grown around the world is genetically modified for herbicide and/or pest resistance, so a good reason to grow it yourself.
Sweet corn belongs to the grass family. Poaceae
There are various different types of corn and some have been around longer than others.
By the way, Popcorn is made from a corn variety that dries on the stalk, while the corn we eat on the cob is referred to as sweet corn.
When to Plant-
You can plant sweetcorn all year round in tropical and subtropical climates, for temperate and arid zones, from September to the end of January, and for cool temperate districts, October to the end of January.

TIP: Before planting out your corn, soak the seeds in a shallow saucer of water overnight.
You can either sow the seeds directly into the garden, 25cm or a hand span apart in short rows 50-60 cm apart, or in seed trays.
Dig in some pelletized manure of some sort a couple of weeks before you plant the corn.
By sowing your corn seed directly into the garden you mightn’t always get a 100% germination rate; and you may have breaks in your rows, particularly if you’re growing the high sugar varieties.
Try growing your corn in seed trays or in punnets first, then transplant the seedlings out into the garden, when they are 50 to 75mm tall.
You’ll have complete rows then.
Corn being a grass has no nectar or odour to attract a physical pollinator.
In fact all grasses are wind pollinated, so sweetcorn needs to be planted closely for pollination.
You could also try planting your corn in a circle.
Something you need to know.
If you’ve experienced partially formed cobs or a low amount of cobs it’s most likely a pollination problem.
Corn plants have separate male and female flowering parts.
The male flowers or tassel are at the top of the plant and female flowers or silks form the kernels on the cob.
Pollen grows on these tassels.

corn Tassels

It then falls down onto the silks, or female parts of the plant.
Each silk is connected to a kernel of corn inside each ear.
If pollen reaches the silk, it causes a corn kernel to grow.
If a silk doesn't receive pollen, the kernel stays small.
Tip: Don’t wet the tassels as they emerge.
If you have a small garden and are in need of space, you could also plant climbing beans and cucumbers in between the rows of corn, the beans and cucumbers will climb up the corm stems, making a temporary trellis.
The seed for the beans and cucumbers need to be sown out at the same time as the corn.

Corn silks

Hints and Tips.
 A good tip is, once the corncob has been pollinated (the corncob tassels have gone brown and you can feel the cob forming) cut the top flower off about a 10cm up from the cob.   Hopefully this will let the plant concentrate on feeding the cob, making it grow larger and sweeter.
Remember: Corn likes lots of compost, comfrey, old animal manures, liquid fertilisers and heaps of mulch (around the main stem of the plant) give them a good soak around the roots, every second day, depending on the weather conditions
What’s the most asked question about growing sweet corn?
Q Poor germination and too few corncobs.
Can be caused by a number of problems. For example: 
 poor seed quality - if the seed is old or hasn't been dried or handled properly after harvest; 
 seed rots (Pythium and Rhizoctonia fungi); 
 planting into cool, wet soil, planting too deep and soil crusting.
Supersweet corn has lower vigour than normal sweet corn and needs warmer soil to germinate, but generally has poorer germination ability than normal sweet corn. 
 Uneven plant stands can also be caused by soil crusting and insects, mainly cutworms and wireworms; 
 Nematodes, particularly root lesion nematodes, are often associated with poor crop establishment and growth.
Why is it good for you?
As corn cobs mature they develop more starches and sweet corn is one of the few vegetables that is a good source of the kind of slowly digested carbohydrate that gives you long-lasting energy.
Corn is an excellent source of dietary fibre vitamin C and niacin (one of the B group vitamins) and folate (one of the B group vitamins)
Corn is also good source of potassium to help balance the body’s fluids if you eat salty foods.
Lastly 100g corn kernels has 395kJ Corn is high in fibre.
THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY

BOOK REVIEW

With a plethora of gardening books being constantly published RWG has steered away from book reviews, until now that is.  


This following feature interview is sort of a book review because I’m talking with the author and her ideas about why she wrote the book in the first place.Let’s find out what it’s all about.
I'm talking with Sophie Manolas, nutritionist and author of The Essential Edible Pharmacy.


Sophie’s aim  was to quote from her book, “ to simplify the process of making the best dietary choices and to show you that whole foods in their own way, are superfoods.
Use it as bed time reading, a recipe book, or just advice on what nutrition you get from certain veggies, fruit or nuts.

But what you don’t get is how to exactly grow everything, there wasn’t enough room.
That’s where Vegetable Heroes fills the gap.
Maybe I need to write a gardening book.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Black Bean Tree, Castanospermum australe

The seeds from this tree are a real novelty.

Not only do they come in large boat like pods, but nature has packed them in like large sardines, or perhaps rounds of cheese.

Would you believe this tree made it into the top 10 toxic plants according to interflora?

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 reason the black bean tree made it into the top 10 toxic plants is because those large seeds weighing about 30g each, that I mentioned earlier are actually toxic.

You’re not meant to eat them, but interestingly the Black Bean seeds are also used as food in some aboriginal communities after extensive preparation to remove the toxins, of course!
Not really for your garden because the tree is quite large growing to 15 + metres.
The roots are also water seeking and this tree should not be planted near drain pipes or buildings.



Water The Garden, Grow the Plant from Mexico

TOOL TIME

Hand watering is often necessary to top up natural rainfall or irrigation.
Except you’re sick of continually buying watering nozzles for your garden because they keep breaking down and just not working.

So you go down to the garden centre or big box store to see what is on offer because those cheap supermarket ones don’t seem to last.
There are three main types:(1)-hand held jet nozzle and (2) pattern or dial nozzle that can have up to 8 patterns  that include jet, mist, shower and soaker.(3)watering wand or elongated nozzle.
So which one should you get and is it money well spent?
This next segment answers all those questions.
Let’s find out .I'm talking with Tony Mattson general manager of www.cutabovetools.com.au

It would seem the plastic watering nozzles are not an investment unless you want to buy one every few months.
Then you have to decide if you’re the sort of gardener that likes that dial with lots of different patterns or is quite happy with that sturdy jet nozzle that fans out to do the garden bed.
The blokes seems to go for the jet nozzle so they can hose down the path, wash the car and maybe fan out the water so it does a bit of the garden.
The ladies on the other hand prefer the dial type of nozzle with a variety of patterns.
Tony mentioned that often these nozzles clog up and either don't turn off or stop working properly because of either calcium build up or dirt.
Look for ones that you can clean out, such as pictured below from the Cut Above Tools RangeMade of sturdy metal, the back can be removed and cleaned out.

You can catch up that segment by listening to the podcast www.realworldgardener.com
If you have any questions about watering nozzles or have some advice to share, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

VEGETABLE HEROES

This weeks Vegetable Hero is ZUCCHINI or Cucurbita pepo.
Did you know that Archaeologists have traced their origins of squashes to Mexico, dating back from 7,000 to 5,500 BCE, ?
So What Do They Look Like?
It wasn’t that long ago I talked about zucchinis, but today it’s a zucchini with a difference.
Ever heard of Zucchini tromboncino?
If you’re a lover of zucchinis, you’ll love this one because it fruits for months.
Zucchini Tromboncino is an heirloom vegetable common throughout Italy.
It was developed in Liguria, in northern Italy and the Italians love the taste of its fruit.
So what does it look like?
For starters, the fruit has a very pale green skin which can also have faint white stripes. 
The really nice thing about this variety is that all the seeds form in the bulbous part at the end.
That means you’ve got a whole long length of stem with no seeds.
Tromboncino is a highly vigorous, growing easily to a height and width of 1.5m and possibly more depending on where it is situated in the garden.
The good news is that it’s a vining plant, which means it can be trained up a trellis to make great use of vertical spaces and so the zucchini hangs straight.
Another reason to grow Tromboncino is this zucchini has an outstanding flavour and doesn't get too big if you turn your back too long.
Although this zucchini’s fruit can grow to a 1m long it’s best picked at 25cms long.
Regular zucchinis have a similar shape to cucumbers and can be dark or light green.
You can also get golden zucchinis that are a deep yellow or orange colour.
The best times to sow Zucchinis for those who haven’t this season are;
In temperate areas, from September through to January, in Cool temperate areas, you have been October and January, in arid areas, yes that’s you in Alice Springs and Broken Hill, you have a bigger window, September through to March, sub-tropical zones, August to February, but for tropical areas, now’s too hot.
Your Zucchini planting time is April to August.
Very different from the rest of Australia!
Having said all that Zucchinis are great for the beginner gardener because they are quick and easy to grow.
Prepare your soil with the usual digging in some compost or cow manure.
Zucchinis are light feeders so won’t need much more than an occasional feed with some liquid fish fertiliser.
Sow your zucchini seed where you want them to grow.
Mound up the soil  about 30cm long by about  and then make a indent up to your first knuckle, or even 7 cm deep, and drop in 3 seeds.
When they shoot up pick the strongest one and discard the others. It will get too crowed otherwise.
TIP: Planting your seeds deeply will make your plant more drought tolerant.
Just like cucumbers, zucchinis take up a lot of space so maybe try growing them vertically.
That way there’s also improved air circulation so the fungal problems are a lot less.
If you have heavy soil or only have a balcony garden, you could grow them in pot which would need to be about 30cm diameter.
TIP:The important tip with growing them vertically is have lots of soft ties, like old panty hose cut into strips, so you can tie up the stems as they grow.
That way they won’t flop all over the place and probably break their stems.
If you don't get many bees or pollinating insects around your way you might need to pollinate the zucchini flowers yourself.
Get a cotton wool bud and take some pollen from the male flower. Male flowers tend to be on the end of a long narrow stalk. Female flowers are a lot closer to the main stem and have a swelling behind the petals. Just like female flowers on pumpkins. Look inside the female flower. There should be a golden formation. Dab the male pollen all over this female part. Hopefully in a few weeks that swelling behind the female flower will grow into a zucchini.

Zucchini leaves photo M Cannon

Fully grown zucchini leaves tend to look a motley silvery grey colour which looks like the fungal problem powdery mildew.
Unless you’re watering the leaves this shouldn’t happen.
Powdery mildew grows on wet zucchini leaves or on any veggie leaves that are wet.
By watering where it’s needed most, the roots, not the leaves you shouldn’t get this problem.
In summer you'll need to keep your zucchini's water levels high,because they dehydrate very quickly on hot days so mulch them heavily (but remember to keep the mulch away from the main stem).
Zucchini problems
There are two main problems that gardeners have when growing zucchinis.
When the fruits are 5cm long, they rot and drop off.

This is a pollination problem.
You might have to pollinate them yourself.
Next year grow a whole lot of flowers nearby like Borage, nasturtiums or marigolds.
The second problem sounds like blossom end rot where fruit almost ready to harvest starts rotting from the top.
If this happens you need to add dolomite lime to the soil at the time of planting.
Too late this season. Otherwise it can be caused by irregular watering, that means, too much drying out in between waterings.
If your plants have many days of no water and then a glut of it, blossom end rot can develop, ruining the fruit.
By picking your Zucchinis regularly, usually when they’re about 20cm long; this helps the plant keep on cropping. If you let Zucchinis grow too big-like a metre long, they’re not much good as a vegetable to eat because they become too tough and contain mostly seeds.
The flowers are also edible - they can be used in salads, as garnish, and even fried.
Why is it good for us?
The zucchini vegetable is low in calories, about 15 calories per 100 g fresh zucchini.
1/2 cup of zucchini also contains 19% of the recommended daily amount of Manganese
As well as Zucchini containing large amounts of folate and potassium, the rind contains the nutrient beta-carotene, so to get the most out of your zucchini, you should also eat the rind.
If you want some unusual varieties, go online to buy the seeds of Goldfinger Hybrid, or Costata Romanesco-speckled with light coloured ribbing.
Storing Zucchini-Store zucchini fresh and unwashed in a cold dry place, like the fridge, for about 3-5 days.
After that they start to get soft and wrinkly, and nobody wants that. Makes you wonder about the zucchinis that you buy in supermarkets. How has their shelf life been increased? Better to grow you own.
THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY.

DESIGN ELEMENTS
Contemporary Style Gardens part 2
Last week we explored what makes up a contemporary style of garden.
It’s probably not a style that too many gardeners are familiar with so today we’re going with a second part but in more detail about what you can plant in this style of garden.

Contemporary Gardens photo M Cannon

Let’s find out. I'm talking with Landscape Designer and consulting arborist Glenice Buck

Contemporary gardens are really just present day gardens that don’t hark back to historical designs.
The contemporary garden palette doesn’t have a collection of plants but just a limited palette of plants with repeat plantings.
Choose from architectural plants such as Draceanas, Cannas, Allocasias, NZ Flax, Mexican lilies and Yuccas.
Alcantarea imperialis-  (Imperial Bromeliad) There are many different varieties of bromeliad, this is one of the larger growing species known for its grey green leaves.  It will reach approximately one metre in height.
There is also a variety known as “Rubra” which has deep red leaves.
Dracaena marginata – One of the hardiest plants you could grow in your garden. 


Dragon's Blood Tree photo M Cannon

It has rigid slender stems which hold its terminal heads of narrow leaves normally with a red margin.  This plant can be used in a range of conditions from a hot exposed site with little water to lower levels of light outdoors or even indoors in good light.
Agave attenuata – A succulent leaved plant known for its silvery green rosettes of foliage and its drought tolerance.   It will multiply easily and works well in mass plantings or as a potted specimen.
Cycad revoluta (Sago Palm) – Originating from Japan this species has palm like leaves which grow out in a radial pattern from the trunk forming a circular head of foliage.  These leaves are spiky to touch.
 

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Mecican Lily Beschorneria yuccoides

Fitting right into the modern garden or providing a backdrop for the perennial or cottage garden, this plant is a true standout.




So let’s find out.















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


Yes, who wouldn’t want contrasting grey-green foliage with a magnificent display of large, pink, bell shaped flower spikes held up high during Spring and Summer?
The Mexican Lily prefers full sun, but just as much success in a part shade position. Provided it is planted in a well-drained fertile soil and given room to grow.
Although one thing to be said for this plant is that it possess few of the annoying habits that spiky plants seem to possess, such as: Stabbing you.; Dying after flowering; Rotting in winter; Slow growth'





   




 

Sweet Boronia for a Modern Garden

SOIL SAVVY

Fertiliser:Inorganic vs Organic
Did you know that farmers have used fertilisers on their crops for thousands of years?
In fact Egyptians, Romans, Babylonians, and early Germans are all recorded as using minerals and or manure to increase the productivity of their farms.

Organic Fertilisers photo M Cannon

But have you ever wondered how plants actually take up the fertiliser that you throw around on the soil?
After all the fertiliser is an actual solid mostly, so how does the plant use it?
Plus, is there a reason for being told to water in the fertiliser after you apply it?
Let’s find out . I'm talking with Penny Smith, horticultural scientist who specializes in soil science.

There are two groups of fertilisers: chemical based and organic based.
Organic fertilisers can be anything from processed green waste, to pelletised chicken manure and cow manure.
Pro's of organic fertilisers is that they contribute to a better soil structure in general.
Inorganic fertilisers are chemical based.

Inorganic fertilisers photo M Cannon

However, they need to be broken down by soil microbes before being available to the plant.
The pros of inorganics is that they are immediately available to the plant without the middle man soil microbes.
Fertilisers are after all minerals that must first dissolve in water so that the plant can absorb them through their roots.
So in effect, the plant has to be able to sort of drink up the fertiliser, before it gets transported up the stems and leaves.
You can catch up that segment by listening to the podcast www.realworldgardener.com

VEGETABLE HEROES

Heirloom Lettuce
LETTUCE is scientifically Lactuca sativa,
The Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) belongs to the daisy  or Asteraceae.family.
Lettuce is great in salads, tacos, hamburgers, need I say more!
You might think it too boring to be a hero, but the earliest mention of lettuce in history is a carving on an Egyptian temple.
Did you know that Lettuce was considered an aphrodisiac in Egypt?
Not only that but ancient Greeks used lettuce as a medicinal plant to induce sleep?

Lettuce seedlings. photo M Cannon

So where did the first lettuce grow?
It’s thought to have started in the wild as a prickly lettuce, found as a weed in the Mediterranean.

Nothing beats the freshness of home grown lettuce but why should you grow heirloom varieties.?

• Exceptional taste is the No. 1 reason many gardeners mention for choosing heirloom varieties.
• Many heirloom vegetables have been saved for decades and even centuries because they are the best performers in home and market gardens.
• Being transported to markets isn’t a main concern so taste always came first.
• If you’re into saving seed, heirloom varieties are the only ones that produce viable seed.
• Hybrid varieties only produce seed from one of the parent or sometimes the seed is sterile.

By the way, just how old does a cultivar have to be, to be an heirloom ?
Some authorities say heirloom vegetables are those introduced before 1951, when modern plant breeders introduced the first hybrids developed from inbred lines
So good reasons to grow heirloom veggies, but why grow heirloom lettuce?
What you mightn’t realise is that the flavour is lost in as little as 24 hours, and there’s no way supermarket lettuce is only 24 hours old.
So let’s go planting.
Lettuce can be planted all year round in all areas of Australia.
Having said that, in Arid districts, it might be a good idea to avoid the hottest months of the year, and in cool temperate districts, you might want to grow your lettuce in a greenhouse or undercover somewhere during winter.
But hang on, not all kinds of lettuce are created alike!
For all areas, planting or sowing in the spring and summer months, should only be the loose leaf types of lettuce.
Now’s the time to be planting
The hearting varieties are OK in the coolest months. (The upper temperature limit to grow heading lettuces is 28°C)
Summer is just too warm for the hearting types.
The most heat tolerant kinds of lettuce are the open leafed varieties (Looseleaf).
All the pretty fancy lettuces you see in the shops, the frilly and curly varieties, they are your lettuce varieties you need to grow.
What’s the best way to grow tasty lettuce?
Lettuces taste best when they are grown as fast as possible and for that they need lots of water and plant  food.

After that, Lettuces need good soil that’s light, free draining and rich in organic matter.
Ideally your soil should hold lots of water and lots of nitrogen and other nutrients.
Sandy soils need help from your compost bin or worm farm.
If you have clay soils, growing lettuce shouldn’t be a problem, as is growing them in pots.
Lettuce has shallow roots, so they dry out easily.
You must keep up a steady supply of water because any set back will at least, make them tough and bitter, at worst it will cause them to bolt to seed straight away without making any leaves for you!
So make sure they never get stressed (e.g. by forgetting to water them).
To sow lettuce seed, either spread the seed very thinly along a row and cover lightly with soil, or rake it in.
For all you balcony gardeners, any largish pot will do for 3 or 4 lettuce seedlings.
Lettuce seed is very fine so you’ll get a few clumps.

lettuce Freckles

Thin them out, you know the drill.
If the weather warms up in your district and your soil sandy, you will need to water daily.
Stick your finger in the soil if not sure.
By the way, lettuce seed doesn’t germinate that well at soil temperatures over 25⁰C.  So if you are sowing it in a pot, keep the potting mix cool by putting it in light shade until the lettuce seed germinates.
TIP:If your lettuce grows slowly even though you’re giving them plenty of water, then they need more plant food.
Did you add organic compost, manures or worm castings to the veggie bed before you sowed the seed?
If you didn’t, then you need to supply extra nutrients, especially nitrogen. Some of the liquid fertilisers will do right now.
Some heirloom lettuce varieties for you to try are,
Lettuce Freckles-yep it’s freckly and it’s a butter lettuce as is Lettuce Tennis Ball.
Lettuce Amish Deer Tongue- Amazing two-in-one lettuce that can be cooked like spinach or used like lettuce, so you have a hot or cold vegetable to suit the season. Repeat harvest makes it a highly productive choice for space saving gardens.
Lettuce Crispmint is an outstanding variety with excellent flavour and crisp, minty green leaves.

Lettuce Grandpa Admire's

Seed Savers in the US have over 200 varieties of lettuce and rate this as one of their best.
Lettuce Grandpa Admires, is another heirloom with a bit of history.
 In 1977, Chloe Lowry made this family heirloom available to the world.
Named for her grandfather, an American Civil War veteran and custodian of this variety, Grandpa Admire's is a beautifully soft butter lettuce with bronze-tinged leaves.
It’s one of the slowest to bolt, making it the best choice to grow for summer salads.
So why is it good for you?
Lettuce is very good for digestion and promotes good liver function. It can reduce the risk of heart attacks and is good for healthy eyesight. It has good levels of Vitamin C, beta-carotene and fibre.
You won’t put on any weight eating Lettuce  because most varieties have over 90% water and are extremely low in calories.
Lettuce contain the sedative lactucarium (lactoo-caree um) which relaxes the nerves but not upsetting digestion.
THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Contemporary Garden Style part 1
This series is about garden styles and today it’s contemporary styles.
No, contemporary doesn’t mean astro turf, or concrete with a couple of plants in pots.

Contemporary or Modern Garden Photo M Cannon

Nor does it mean minimalist planting.
It also doesn’t mean you have to have a modern or contemporary house to have one of these types of gardens.
So what gives? Let’s find out what actually makes up a contemporary garden.
I'm talking with was Landscape Designer and consulting arborist Glenice Buck 

.
Angular lines, plants with architectural qualities, low maintenance are all the aspects of modern or contemporary style of garden.

Modern Garden photo M Cannon

Contemporary gardens usually have strong structural lines in their shape, they are used to make a statement or to be a focal point in the outdoor area.  They will vary in size and shape but the one thing all have in common is they use plants with strong form.  These plants may be short and spreading or tall and narrow but they will definitely stand out. 
So if you like architectural plants such as Draceanas and Yuccas, then maybe that’s the sort of garden you should plan. 

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Brown Boronia and hybrids, Boronia megastigma

This plant, Boronia megastigma or Brown Boronia, has a bit of a reputation for dropping dead soon after you brought it home.
Sure the intoxicating scent lured your to buy it in the first place and the mass of flowers seemed like a bouquet, ready made.
So what are the tips for hanging on to this plant?
So let’s find out. 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

Boronia megastigma Lutea

Horticultural Notes:
Don’t let the plant dry out but don’t overwater it, especially in humid weather because this plant and many other Australian plants are prone to getting root rot fungus that loves moist warm soil.
Yes the flowers stems are great cut for your vase.
Brown Boronia doesn't always come in the colour brown.
There are a number of cultivars have been selected which have more attractively coloured flowers while retaining the fragrance. These include:
Lutea - yellow both internally and externally.
Chandleri - burgundy-red on the outside, yellow inside.
Harlequin - striped yellow and brown on the outside, yellow inside

The biggest tip is don’t expect your Boronia plant to last for more than a couple of years.
The other tip is dappled sunlight and not hot afternoon sun.
Mulching with gravel seems to help prevent root rot, but most importantly, well drained soil is essential.


 

Grains of Paradise with Radishes



SPICE IT UP

Quite a few hundred years ago pepper wasn’t so available so it was really expensive.
So what did spice merchants do to get the most out of this rare commodity?
They adulterated it with this Grains of Paradise, a particular spice that was considered inferior to pepper.
Now the tables have turned and this spice is the rare commodity and  it definitely isn’t used to bulk up your pepper corns.
Let’s find how to use it.
I'm talking with Ian Hemphill, owner of www.herbies.com.au and author of the Herb and Spice bible.


The Grains of Paradise plant looks just like a Cardamom plant with those mid green strappy leaves. The main difference is that the flower stems are  hidden down inside the leaves.


Grains of Paradise plant

Grains of Paradise is still wild harvested and no commercial way of growing the plant has been formulated.
Although Ian recommends using Grains of Paradise in slow cooking, there are recipes on the web which suggest you can rub the ground grains onto your steaks, kebabs and fish before throwing them on the Barbie.
There’s even recipes which include the grains in marinades for vegetables, fish and chicken or in a lemon vinaigrette.
If you have any questions about Grains of Paradise or have some recipes to share, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

VEGETABLE HEROES

 Watermelon Radish Raphanus sativus acanthiformis.

Have you thought why we don’t see too many radishes being served up in salads these days except for the floral radish on the side?
Yes, they seem to have gone out of favour but that’s about to change
The word radish stems from the Roman word “Radix” that means “Root”, and it belongs to the mustard family.
Did you know that radishes were first grown in China thousands of years ago, then in Egypt before the building of the pyramids?
What’s more interesting is that in Ancient Greece the radish was so revered, that gold replicas were made and offered to the god Apollo.
Perhaps the Pandora people can make a gold radish to hang off their bracelets?
As usual there are myths and legends about eating vegetables throughout history and in England in the 1500’s,  it was rumoured that eating radishes cured kidney stones, intestinal worms and gave you a blemish-free complexion.
If only that were true.



Watermelon Radish
Today we’re concentrating on one particular type of radish although there are many types, and that is the watermelon radish.
Watermelon radishes are an heirloom variety of Daikon radish.
They’re a member of the mustard family, which includes arugula or rocket and turnip.
An interesting watermelon radish fact tells us that the Chinese word for these radishes is ShinRi-Mei, meaning “beauty in the heart.”
That name is because the inside of the radish is a lovely rose pink, much like the colour or watermelon flesh.
They’re also known as Misato, Asian Red Meat or Radish Rose Heart.
Their Latin name is Raphanus sativus acanthiformis.
What Does It Taste Like?
As to what watermelon radishes taste like, they have a milder, understated taste compared to other radish types and are a bit less peppery in flavour.
Unlike other radish types, the flavour actually mellows even further the more mature the radishes become.
Radish Watermelon You'll never see this one on the supermarket shelf.
When you slice through the bland looking white skin of this radish you’ll see that it looks like a mini watermelon with white 'rind' surrounding a bright pink interior;
Radish watermelon is delicious.
Note: This type of radish takes longer to mature; instead of 28 days , you’ll be waiting double that.
The unusual varieties are available through mail order seed companies such as Eden seeds orwww.diggers.com.au  online.

Growing Radishes.
But there is more than one way to grow radishes.
Not only are radishes sown direct in to the vegetable garden, but radish seeds can be even grown in a sprouter and eaten just as you would eat mustard and cress or any other sprouted bean or seed.
When to sow.
Radishes grow in all climates and like to be in moist shady places, especially on hot summer days.
Plant them all year round in tropical and subtropical areas, in temperate zones they can be grown almost all year except winter, and in spring, summer, and autumn in colder districts.
Radishes are closely related to cabbages, so they need much the same type of thing.
The best thing about radishes though is that they’re quick, being ready 6-8 weeks after planting and because of that you can plant them among slower growing veggies like carrots.
TIP: Radishes will take light frost. And radish seeds can be sown directly into the garden when soil temps are above 4⁰ C. but germinate best between 12⁰-23⁰ C.
To sow seed, make a shallow furrow (about 6mm deep,) lay down some chicken poo pellets or something similar, cover with a little soil and sprinkle in some radish seed. They also love a dose of potash.
You could also fill the furrow with compost or seed raising mix and water it in.
Important TIP: Seedlings will appear in a couple of days but makes sure you thin them out to 5cm apart otherwise your radish won’t grow into a big enough sized root for the dinner table and you’ll end up with mostly leaf.
Feed with a liquid fertiliser such as worm tea every week at the seedling stage.
Tip: As radish is one of the fastest growing vegetables, too much fertiliser causes the leaves to outgrow the root.
Long leaves have no shelf life, just look in your local supermarket

Add caption

Pick the radish when they are the size of a ten cent piece and leaves about or 10cm long.
Make sure radishes have enough water and don't let them become too enormous.
If they are water deprived or get too big, they can become bitter.
How to Cook with Watermelon Radish?
Radish flavour is best when they’re eaten raw.
Think radish and lentil salad or in pasta salad.
Tip: soak your radishes in iced water for a couple of hours for extra crispness.
You can also pickle those radishes or cook them by roasting or steaming and them mashing.
You’ll lose that pink colour  of watermelon radish though.
Why are they good for you?
Radishes are a very good source of fibre, vitamin C, folic acid and potassium, and a good source of riboflavin, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese.
Radishes are also mildly anti-inflammatory, which is another good thing. A diet containing anti-inflammatory foods can help to control inflammation in the body, which is an underlying factor of so many allergies and illnesses.
THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY

DESIGN ELEMENTS

GARDEN DESIGN STYLES-TROPICAL
This series is about garden styles which RWG has visited over the years with different designers.
Saying the words tropical garden style probably conjures up swaying palms, white sandy beaches, azure coloured ocean with a backdrop of tropical jungle?

Certainly there’s a water element, and a palm or two somewhere, but what else is there and can you go tropical in cool temperate districts?

Tropical Style Garden

All these questions are answered in the podcast. I'm talking with Landscape Designer and consulting arborist Glenice Buck  www.glenicebuckdesigns.com.au

Tropical Styles in Garden Design

Large leaves immediately give you that tropical feel, and as for palms, be creative and go for more exotic palms like the Flame Thrower palm which grows a bright red new leaf.
Not all palms have to be tall.
You could perhaps choose the Walking Stick palm which grows to only 2-3 metres.
Whatever palm you choose, please don’t plant that weedy Cocos Palm whose leaves look like they been shredded by an eggbeater.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Hellobores, Helleborus x hybridus,

They’re a dependable addition to your garden with flowers that last for many months from late winter to early Spring.
They love the shade , they’re not weedy and they’re quietly beautiful.
You wouldn’t think these plants would be on a plant collector’s list but they are.
So what’s so good about them?

So let’s find out. I'm talking with the plant panel were Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au


 

Botanical Bite
The flowers have five petal-like sepals surrounding a ring of small, cup-like nectaries which are actually "petals" modified to hold nectar.
The sepals  remain on the plant, sometimes for many months.
Flowers colours range from apricot, yellows and greens through to soft and deep shades of pink, maroon and even deep, dark plums or slate greys and, of course, cream to crisp whites.
There's also spotted or picoteed (narrow band of colour on edge of petals) whilst others may feature double petals for a ruffled, romantic appearance.

Some say the secret to grow Hellebores is addling garden lime or dolomite.
Others say grow them under deciduous trees.
Lenten Rose is really only Helleborus orientalis, while those with a range of colours are hybrid Hellebores.
Wherever you grow them, grow lots of them, because that’s how they look best.