Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA)

I just wanted to throw a wee nod in here for SGA. :)

I think they're excellent and I love watching their Footprint Flicks with the ever enthusiastic Helen Tuton (AKA The Barefoot Gardener).  Helen specialised in soil science and sustainable soil management, so she's a girl after my own heart.

Anyway, the Footprint Flicks are entertaining and a good starting point for those in particular who want to increase their knowledge in certain areas, so please take a look.

As for Helen, she hasn't done much on her own blog, but you can follow her posts and those of the other SGA writers on their site.  Helen's "In Your Patch" posts are good for those of us who're not entirely sure what we should be planting or doing in our garden and give a good summary by climate.

SGA also provide workshops and training, produce booklets and have an online shop.  I like the Home Harvest Booklet, which is a good read for those who are completely new to gardening, especially growing their own food, and don't know where to start.

Why not take a look?
:)

Myrtle Rust

Myrtle Rust, the Uredo rangelii fungal pathogen, was first discovered in NSW at a cut flower production property.  This was in late April 2010.

Action was taken quickly to try to prevent it's spread: a quarantine area was established around the property; affected plants were sprayed with a fungicide, before being removed and destroyed; movements of people and plants to and from neighbouring properties were traced; a surveillance program was put in place; properties approved to import plants in the family Myrtaceae were investigated, but no signs of disease were detected.

Myrtle rust on a Melaleuca paperbark (courtesy of the DPI)

Digging the Dandenongs

I've had people ask me about the title for this blog, which I had thought was mostly self explanatory, but for those who don't get it...

There's a little bit of a dual meaning, or if you prefer, a play on words. :)

The Beginning

We moved into our little hill cottage in the Dandenongs on 30th October 2009 and loved it instantly!

Why are plants in botanic gardens so healthy compared to mine?

One of the things that I can't reiterate enough to the home gardener is the importance of using mulch.

When we visit a botanic garden and marvel at the health and vigour of the plants there, we often wonder what it is that they do that makes them so healthy in comparison to our home garden.  Is it a special kind of chemical fertiliser?  Do they use a brand of pesticide that you've not tried?  Is it that they water a lot more than you do?

In truth, the answer to those questions is generally no.  Most botanic gardens work as closely with nature as they can, which means avoiding chemicals.  They also try to avoid watering whenever possible, because on such a large scale the costs do not bare thinking of.

So, what is the secret?

Simple: mulch.

Next time you visit a botanic garden, or indeed any kind of organised garden (check out those at Melbourne, Healesville and Werribee zoo's too!), take time to have a look underneath the plants and ask a guide about their mulch.

Mulch your home garden and soon it will be as healthy as the best botanic garden around :)

Plant for the Planet

This month, the UN's Billion Tree Campaign, which was patronised by Wangari Maathai (founder of the Green Belt Movement) and Prince Albert II of Monaco, was placed into the hands of the Plant for the Planet Children's Initiative.

Some sceptics thought that this was the UN effectively dumping a project that was no longer getting publicity, but I want to say now that those sceptics were wrong.

Very wrong.

A Sad Day - The Passing of an Amazing Woman: Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai
Courtesy of dirtthemovie.org

Today I read on the BBC website that Wangari Maathai, a truly brave and inspirational woman, passed away yesterday after a struggle with Ovarian Cancer.

Aerating Your Soil with Perlite

One of the biggest problems we have with soil in Australia is one of compaction.  Agricultural soil becomes compacted through over-tilling, over-cropping and use of machinery.  Garden soil becomes compacted from the building process and then us walking on it when wet.  Soil in a natural bush environment also becomes compacted as a result of various processes, including water saturation.

If soil is compacted, then there are a reduced number of pore spaces available for water and air infiltration.  The soil will drain very slowly.  It may become anaerobic.  There will be little root penetration.

In short, a compacted soil is not great for growing plants in!

Zeolite

Zeolite is currently high on the list of soil amendments I use, following a close behind good old common or garden compost.

Soil Amendments

For me, the core of sustainable agriculture, horticulture, or just plain gardening, is the soil.

Caring for the soil, increasing it's carbon, nutrient and water holding capacity, and reducing or stopping practises that lead to soil degradation, should be the foundation block upon which any sustainable land management practise is built.