Real World Gardener-Horticulture, Gardening, Learning to Grow

 

PLANT OF THE WEEK

FOXGLOVE HYBRIDS

DIGITALIS DIGPLEXIS

 

If you’ve ever been to an international flower show in the northern hemisphere, chances are you turn green with envy when you see how easily these flowers can be grown.

 

These are tall plants that hover above most other flowering annuals you have in the garden but breeders have gone to the trouble of creating a sort of intergeneric hybrid that flowers for several months instead of several weeks. 

 

Of course the flowers are magnificent, so let’s find out what it is.

 

PLAY: Digiplexis digitalis_19th July 2017

 

That was Karen Smith editor of www.hortjournal.com.au

 

Unlike standard foxgloves, which produce a single terminal spike, ‘Illumination Flame’ will develop several flower spikes simultaneously.

 

To get more flower spikes and a more bushy plant, just pinch or tip prune the stems.

 

Plant breeders also recommend because it’s a vigorous tall plant, that if you do want to grow it in a pot, choose a fairly big one.

 

If you have any questions about this Foxgloves or foxxies as some like to call them, email us [email protected]

 

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Indoor Plant Series part 2

 

Phaelenopsis orchid

 

Phaelenopsis orchid

Indoor plants for warm climates.

So you live in a climate that's warm all year round.

 

Does that mean you need to grow anything indoors?

 

True, you can grow almost anything indoors in tropical and subtropical climates, as well as outdoors too. 

 

All you need to remember ks that the most important elements required for healthy houseplants include light, water, temperature and humidity.

 

If any or all of these factors aren’t properly met, your houseplants will inevitably suffer.

 

You might be sweltering under the fans in the heat of a subtropical summer but what about your indoor plants?

 

Can they cope or is this the climate where they thrive the best?

 

So let’s find out more in this new series on indoor plants.

 

I'm talking with Julia Levitt, Landscape Designer and Director of www.sticksandstonesld.com.au

 

The good news is that tropical plants usually enjoy warmer conditions and don’t perform well once indoor temperatures fall below 130-160C.

Plus they like a lot of humidity, that means at least 50%, but better at 70% or more.

Most of the tropical, ornamental indoor plants with attractive foliage & colourful leaf patterns are suitable for hot & humid climates.

For example Dieffenbachia or Dumb Cane, Dracaena, house ferns of many kinds, Tricolor plant, snake plant, Philodendron, Money plant, Syngonium etc

 

If you have any questions about indoor plants why not email us [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 

THE GOOD EARTH

Keeping Goats with Robyn Rosenfeldt editor of PIP permaculture magazine

Have you ever kept a sheep goat or pig in your backyard in suburbia?

Sounds a bit far fetched but I do remember see a couple of sheep keeping the lawn down in the front yard of near where I used to live which was only 8km from the CBD.

So what questions should you ask yourself about goat keeping and why would you want to anyway?

What are the benefits?

On the line is Robyn Rosenfeldt, editor of PIP magazine whose standing by to answer all these questions and more.

Hello and welcome to Real World Gardener Robyn.

 

First why keep a goat or two in suburbia?

 

How much space do you need for say 2 goats?

 

Do You Want to Keep Goats So That You Will Never Have to Mow Your Lawn?

 

If so, think again. Goats will eat your rosebushes clean, carefully devouring every single leaf and flower. However, they’re not going to mow your lawn.

 

They’ll nibble at grass here and there in a sort of unorganized fashion, creating a look very similar to Rod Stewart’s hairstyle.

 

How much work is involved? Ie milking, feeding, building a goat pen?

 

Do goats make good pets?

Do I need to exercise my goat and take my goats for a walk?

What information does the prospective goat buyer need before getting their first goat?

 

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com

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PLANT OF THE WEEK

Albany Woolly Bush

Adenanthos sericeus

Are you a fan of Western Australian plants?

They grow so many wildflowers, banksias, and Eucalypts with huge inflorescences or inflo’s as those in the now like to call them.

But how do they do in other parts of Australia, particular if they’re grey and fluffy and have been used mostly as a Christmas tree?

Albany woolly bush flowers

 

Let’s find out …I'm talking with Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au a

PLAY: Adenanthos Silver Lining_5th July_2017

The greyness and upright growth of the Albany woolly bush makes it look sort of snow covered making it the perfect choice if you want a real Australian Christmas tree.

NEW VARIETY OF WOOLLY BUSH

Adenanthos Silver lining (40 cm x 1.5 m) is a very attractive native ground cover with fine, silvery grey foliage that is both soft in appearance and to touch,

'Silver Lining' is a low water user, thriving in dry conditions.

Adenanthos Silver Lining image supplied by Plants Management Australia www.pma.com.au

All Adenanthos are particularly well suited to coastal zones as long as you proived them with well drained or sandy soils.

Susceptible to borers and dieback (Phytophthora)

Woolly bush is best suited to dry summers rather than humid climates.

Some growers suggest that plants need rocks for anchorage in windy sites.

Fertilise with low P 1.6%

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com

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Juniper Berries.

You probably missed it but 14th June was World Gin Day.

Why I mention this is because Australia is producing some of the best gin in the world.

You heard right, there’s a micro distillery industry that’s sprung up in Australia for making boutique gin.

 

But here’s the thing, it’s been said before on this show, you can make your own gin.

So let’s find out more.

I'm talking with  Ian Hemphill Owner of www.herbies.com.au and author of The Herb and Spice bible.

 

PLAY: Juniper Berry 2_5th July 2017

Why everybody is falling in love with juniper today is because it's a thing to make your own gin.

Relatively a cinch but you need a good recipe.

You'll find one on Ian's site, just search for GINSPIRATION.

Australia's leading gin distilleries combine spices such as a cardamom, cinnamon and star anise with Australian oranges, Tasmanian Pepperberry leaf and lemon myrtle, a native Australian plant.

The juniper is still there but it is layered with a blend of modern Australian flavours, Southern European citrus and South East Asian spice, all of which makes it an entirely too drinkable gin.

Cooking with Juniper

Juniper berries go great in slow cooked casseroles and stews.

Juniper berries are also tasty when cooked with Salmon. Just place a few berries in with other herbs such as garlic, dill and add some lemon slices when baking or roasting whole salmon.

Juniper berries

If you have any questions about making your own gin, check out “ginspiration” or Ian’s webpage, or email us [email protected] or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com

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The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

PLANT DOCTOR

 Brown Rot of Stone Fruit

This fungal disease can appear on a lot of plants including veggies and a lot of fruits, but today Plant Doctor is concentrating on stone fruit.

Before you tune out, you might discover that some fruit that you purchase might have this problem.

This segment explains why that piece of fruit that’s sitting innocently in your fruit bowl can suddenly go off.

So let’s find out more about this problem and what to do about it. 

 

That was Steve Falcioni, General Manager of www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au

The first signs can be the blossoms of your peach or nectarine trees turning brown and falling off prematurely.

You may not notice this happening in the first season, but if your trees have been infected. you will notice brown patches on your fruit that eventually cause the whole fruit to rot.

 You may not have any blossoms on your stone fruit trees, but there are still things that you can be doing as preventative measures for Brown Rot.

If this has happened then next season what you need to do is then to observe your blossoms when they appear to see if they’re dying prematurely.

Of course if you’ve had this problem before you need to spray as a precaution. Sprays with copper or sulphur in them work well as do eco Fungicide that contains potassium bi-carbonate.

Brown rot of stone fruit can leave mummified fruit stuck to the branches.

These are all barrier sprays and need to followed up regularly through the growing season.

If you have any questions about Brown rot of stone fruit, or have some information to share, drop us a line to or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

 

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Sacred Bamboo

Nandina domestica varieties, not for plant snobs.

 

Nandina L

Image suppled Plants Management Australia www.pma.com.au

emlim image supplied by Plants Management Australia www.pma.com.au

Are you a plant snob or know someone who is a plant snob?

By that I mean refuses to plant anything that’s commonly sold.

Someone who can’t imagine planting out star jasmine or murraya because it’s “oh so yesterday” and why would you want that rather than some rare species of plant that no-one else has.

The trouble is it’s the way those common plants are used that turn us off rather than

Let’s find out more…I'm talking with Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au 

 

The varieties we mentioned were Nandina were Obsession with new red growth, Nandina Blush staying red in Autumn and Winter.

In the winter months, Blush™ Nandina turns vivid red all over. It is 20% smaller than Nandina domestica ‘Nana’, Size: 60-70cm high x 60-70cm wide, a perfect height for fences, borders or hedging.

Nandina Lemon Lime a new evergreen,  with no red at all and looking more like a low bush bamboo plant. So compact that you never need to trim it.

If you have any questions about the new varieties of nandina, why not write in to If you have any questions about the new varieties of nandina, why not write in to If you have any questions about the new varieties of nandina, why not write in to If you have any questions about the new varieties of nandina, why not write in to

 

 

 

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com

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PLANT OF THE WEEK

Greengage Plums

 

Today’s plant of the week is in the productive side of gardening.

 

If you like making preservers, jams and jellies, you might want to grow this heritage tree, whose fruit is unavailable in supermarkets or greengrocers.

Don’t know why, because it just has the most superior taste of all fruits of the same kind.

Let’s find out more…

Greengage plums-small and delicious.

I'm talking with Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au

Did you know that the first true greengage was bred in Moissac, France, from a green-fruited wild plum originally found in Asia Minor; that original greengage cultivar is known as the cultivar 'Reine Claude Verte'

Yalca fruit company write in their website that

“The Green Gage plum is an amazing eating experience – sweet and very richly flavoured but balanced with perfect amount of acidity.

Singled out by the author of the Australian Fruit Tree book, Louis Glowinski, as his favourite fruit overall (a big rave, given his book covers a fairly significant proportion of the fruit kingdom) but this is a great plum.”

Sounds delicious.

Anyone fancy an almond and greengage plum crumble?

 

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com

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SPICE IT UP

Selim Pepper,  Xylopica ethiopica

Are you a bit of a kitchen whizz with a kitchen garden full of exotic herbs?

Or do you just rely on the same old staples of spices like, rosemary, oregano, parsley, sage, maybe some chilli pepper or paprika occasionally.

To be confident about using other spices you need to know a bit about them and sometimes, a bit of advice on how to use an unusual spice will give you the kick a long that you need to try something in that casserole or stew that you always make.

So let’s find out more about one such spice. 

I'm talking with Ian Hemphill, spice guru and owner of www.herbies.com.au who has also written the Herb and Spice bible.

 

PLAY: Selim Pepper_14th June 2017

 

Selim pepper is also known as African pepper, Ethiopian pepper, Grains of Selim, Uda Pods, Guinea pepper, kimba pepper and Senegal pepper.

 

Not only is this spice hand picked but it’s possibly one of the rarest spices that Ian’s company has sourced for some time, so that in itself is something to want to try at least.

To use this spice crush the pods in a mortar and pestle then separate the fibrous bits out and use the remaining powder.

Xylopica ethiopica

You can just throw in the whole pods then remove them when cooking has finished.

Ian says the flavour won't be as strong if you do that.

Selim pepper is not as hot as Grains of Paradise and is good in long slow cooking as with the African Buka stew made with beef.

The plant is not grow in Australia and it's unlikely that your supermarket will have the spice, so you’ll have to order it online from Herbies Spices

If you have any questions about Selim Pepper, or have some information to share, drop us a line to or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com

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The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Desert Rose

Adenium obesum

 

For the last couple of weeks I’ve been featuring old fashioned shrubs that have outstanding features, namely the flowers and the fragrance.

Today’s feature plant is no less outstanding, and is in fact desired by collector’s worldwide because of its unique characteristics.

A rose is a rose, except if it's a desert rose.

That doesn’t even include the flower, which is pretty special too.

Let’s find out more…

 

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

The NT (Darwin) News blog writes

“Keen gardeners who are serious about Adeniums have impressive collections of different colours, leaf form and variegation, and search online for the more rare and unusual types.

Most people find them a fascinating plant, mainly for their unusual shape, bulbous caudex (fat base) and stunning flowers.

Similar to frangipanis, they are a succulent that is drought tolerant and can survive long periods without water.”

Too much water will cause them to rot, as it would for any succulent, and growing them in well-drained soil is essential.”

If you have any questions about the Desert Rose, why not write in to [email protected]