Alice Springs Vegie Garden Companion: A Handbook for Growing Food in Arid Australia.

Alice Springs Vegie Garden Companion: A Handbook for Growing Food in Arid Australia.

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  We acknowledge thetraditional owners and people of this land. Big Thanks This revised second edition of the Alice Springs Vegie Garden Companion would not have been possible without the efforts of all those who contributed to the first edi- tion. Thank you. Editor, Katrina Patton, has gone way beyond the call of duty to share her love of gardening and commitment to local food Contents growing. Katrina has edited, written sec- 3 Getting Started tions, designed and produced this version. Her vision and skills have taken it to a new 10 Water level. 14 Soils Geoff Miers has generously contributed years of experience to these pages, hours 17 Compost to the editing process and ongoing support for the project. Thanks also to Chris Brock 22 Chickens for his dedication to the cause and tireless contributions, and to Tim Collins for his 24 Pests help on the Bush Foods section. 29 Integrated Pest Management Big love to Fiona Rogers, Lucy Scott and & Companion planting Grace Pullen for the beautiful artwork. 32 Seedsaving Finally ALEC acknowledges the support of the Northern Territory Government. In 35 Planting by the Moon 2009, ALEC Coordinator Jimmy Cocking, applied successfully for an Environment 37 Vegetables Grant towards a Gardens For Food project as a practical community adaptation to 42 Fruit: the big four climate change. 46 Other Fruit This precious resource, the Alice Springs Vegie Garden Companion, has been created 50 Herbs through a community effort. It will assist local food production throughout arid Aus- 52 Bush Foods tralia for many years to come. 54 Garden Directory Ruth Apelt Arid Lands Environment Centre Spring 2010 1
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  Welcome to thesecond edition of the Alice Springs Vegie Garden Companion: A handbook for growing food in arid Australia. This Getting Started edition has been produced as part of our Gardens For Food Project A variety of vegetables, fruits and herbs can be grown in and around Alice - to inspire, encourage and assist people to grow their own food. Springs, some are easier than others, and all will do better with a little bit of Today, the home vegie patch is making a comeback as people adapt to climate planning and preparation. The following are some general tips for the less change and the environmental impacts of how food is produced. There are hundreds of experienced gardener. bountiful back yards in and around Alice Springs, and plenty of space for more. Planning The 2006-2007 Alice Springs Vegie Garden Companion has indeed become a companion Choosing the location for your garden is the most important factor in ensuring a successful for many gardeners in Alice Springs. The community has celebrated this resource as peo- and abundant garden with minimal effort. Select a site that gets some sun all year round, par- ticularly winter sun, that is when the sun is low to the north. Patchy shade in summer is great In this revised and expanded edition we have added sections on fruit trees, bush foods, however if shade is provided by trees, consider that their roots can take water and nutrients chickens, more on compost, a section for people with less experience and more. away from your vegetables. Most trees have extensive root systems, which may or may not compete for water and nutrients with your vegetables. An area that doesn’t have shade or trees Before colonisation, Arrernte people sustained themselves for thousands of years, gather- on the northern boundary is great and some shade or trees on the southern boundary is okay. ing food and medicine from this arid landscape. In the early colonial days people culti- vated the land here and grew most of the food they needed to sustain themselves. Once you have a couple of positions in mind take time to sit in your garden and observe it: Until the 1970’s Alice Springs grew most of its own veggies. Since then, the complexities and conveniences of modern life have taken over. But these days the language of climate build better soil. You can also test soil from your garden with a home pH testing kit or take change includes concerns for food security, community resilience, and the need to reduce some samples into a nursery for testing. food miles and carbon footprints. Growing food is an empowering action that individuals and communities can take to or dig trenches to bring it to your fruit trees and vegetable garden. address ALL these challenges! And the taste of freshly picked produce is always beyond compare, without the need for pesticides and packaging. The higher nutritional value is - confirmed by research. ally). If you find you have a garden that receives more sun at one end than the other, you could plan for winter crops in full sun and summer crops with more shade. You can also put up In a nutshell, home grown is cheap, good for you and good for the environment. And it’s shade cloth if the summer sun is too strong. fun. It is our hope that this little book can accompany you along the journey that is grow- ing food in arid Australia. Paths and compaction Compaction occurs when the garden soil is walked upon. It is bad as it prevents water, air and essential nutrients from penetrating the soil. Include paths and stepping stones in your plan to There is lots happening in and around Alice Springs. You might want to… avoid it. them on facebook. Soil preparation It is very important to prepare the soil, as rarely in arid conditions will it be deliciously rich sharing seed and knowledge locally. and ready to be planted into. See the Soils section for information on how to identify your soil an eye out for gardening workshops. Check type and prepare it for growing food. notice boards at nurseries or ask around the com- munity garden and DesertSMART COOLMob networks. Email [email protected] for more infor- mation 2 3
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  No-dig garden beds Pots and Container Gardens Getting rid of weeds & Couch A no-dig garden creates a garden bed on You also might consider gardening in pots, Most grasses and weeds around Alice top of the existing soil by layering organic tubs and boxes if you have limited space, Springs can be easily pulled from your matter which will break down to form your sunlight or really bad soil. Generally the garden. If you are making a no-dig raised garden bed. The layers will shrink as they bigger the tub/pot the better. Large con- garden bed you may not need to remove break down and will need regular additions tainers retain moisture longer, heat up and most weeds, simply cut it and leave it on the of compost and mulch. It’s like building a flat cool down more slowly and can require less ground, to get smothered by your garden. compost pile but with a lot more carbon and frequent watering. Couch grass however is a different story. It Foam boxes, big pots, old baths or tubs can will grow right through. Couch grass is hard This method is a solution to poor quality be used to grow vegetables successfully. to take out of a growing garden so it is best ground soil. Weed management is much to eradicate it and take measures to prevent easier because they are off the ground which it re-entering before creating your new also makes it harder for dogs to get into the garden. garden. Couch spreads by put- ting out runners so it is Make a no-dig garden bed essential that all roots must be dug up and You will need: removed from your - garden. If the runner breaks up, Fill them with a mix of good soil, slow castings) try to find all pieces, release fertiliser, potting mix, compost, sand, worm castings or composted manure. Mulch each piece can sprout as you would any other garden bed. Renew into new grass. should do it. with compost and fertiliser between each keeping weeds out and garden soil in) 4. Top it off with a thick layer of mulch/ major crop. If you do this well, it is much easier to keep couch from re-entering your garden by you want to plant out straight away Pots may need to be watered daily in sum- digging a trench around your garden bed mer and less in winter. Placing a deep tray and burying a short fence corrugated iron of water beneath the pot allows the plant to 1. Trample or mow the grass leaving the clip- to prevent runners. If your soil is too heavy, suck up water as it requires. Put some twigs pings there. If you have couch grass, remove following and pulling up roots may not be or gravel in the bottom for drainage. Keep an option. an eye on the water level here, if the tray Other grasses and weeds will be smothered. straw/hay and water well. stays full for days then there is perhaps too A spray of Glyphosate works well on couch much water or the roots of the plant are too 2. Lay down a double layer of cardboard 5. Cover with hessian to keep moist, check grass as a one off application then protect shallow. Change the water every few days if or ten layers of newspaper, overlapping by the borders to prevent re-infestation. Get- it starts to attract mosquitoes. about a third. Dip each in a bucket of water ready to be planted. ting rid of it while the vegie garden is in before laying out. Some things will just grow better than oth- 6. OR to cheat a little and use your no-dig a minimum by regular pulling, and then garden bed straight away, make holes in the ers in pots. Herbs and salad greens are great places to start but experiment and see what bed and fill them with soil and compost or a replanting. cheap potting mix. Plant seedlings or seeds works for you. 4 5
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  Wicking Garden Beds Wicking Garden Beds Need: A wicking bed is a garden bed that is sealed underneath and uses capillary action to ‘wick’ water up into the roots of the plants. It is possible for water to ‘wick’ 30 cm up through the You may choose to make a large wicking soil. 1. Space for water to be stored. Wicking garden beds are built inside a plastic liner design). It might have timber or corrugated Simple but effective, they are very suited to arid conditions and areas with erratic rainfall. In or water proof container. Water can also be iron sides or might just be mounded up a lit- this regard they are considered an adaptation tool for the impacts of climate change on food trapped in recycled cut open drink bottles tle. It might be dug into the ground or built production. buried under the soil or amongst gravel/sand up above it entirely. at the bottom of the liner/container. Why a wicking bed? the plastic out around the bed to catch more 2. An overflow point 20-30cms below the water run-off into the wicking bed. a pipe with holes in is used to distribute the water underneath the soil. To learn a lot more about the wicking garden principles go to www.waterright.com.au Understanding the basic principals of a wicking garden bed enables us to go on and experiment with all kinds of variations. You may choose to use the wicking bed principles on a small and cheap scale, using recycled materials. Big wicking garden beds work extremely well with a worm farm situated inside them. A bucket with several inch-holes drilled in it is enough. For garden bed ideas and how to make a polystyrene box garden with wicking princi- ples see www.easygrowvegetables.com 6 7
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  How to HandPollinate Seeds and seedlings and squash need bees to pollinate them. If there aren’t many bees around and your baby of tender shoots. You may choose to sow seeds in pots in a sheltered area or nursery that gets pumpkins daily water. If you decide to buy punnets from the nursery, make sure they are not too old and root-bound otherwise they will fail. If planting punnets straight into the garden, you will dropping off with- out developing, you may need need to water daily, so another strategy is to plant these into large pots in your nursery area to hand polinate. until their roots have reached the bottom of the pots. It just takes three easy steps: Hardening off is the process of slowly introducing young seedlings to the harsh realities 1. Identify the female and the male flowers. of garden bed life. Going straight from the protected nursery to the garden can be a bit of shock, so about a week before you want to plant your seedlings out, start hardening them off. 8'(#$%()*#+2$0#.5$0)$9)&#$%,+20$ Gradually restrict the amount and frequency of water. Move seedlings outside to expose them 2)$*',0$4.0,($/)4$"'-#$%()*#+2$ to sunlight, start with just an hour or two and gradually increase this time every day over the *,0"$(,00(#$)-'+,#27$ hardening off week. !!"#$%#&'(#$%()*#+$*,(($"'-#$ Transplanting evening. Prepare the soil and water the area thoroughly. Water seedlings a couple '.$)-'+/$)+$*"'0$())12$(,1#$'$ of hours before planting them out in prepared garden beds. If planting out 3455,.6$%+4,0$3#()*$,07 in hot weather, seedlings can be covered for a few days with shade cloth. Be gentle! Try to handle them as little as possible and do them one at a time so they aren’t lying around exposed. Don’t plant the stem deeper than it 2. Pick the male flower and pull back the petals to originally was, it may rot. expose the stamen which can be used like a little ‘brush’. Pruning fruit trees is important to have healthy trees and increasing the quality and quan- 3. Brush the pollen off the male flower stamen onto the stigma on the tity of fruit. Prune in winter. Prune young trees to promote growth by being a little ruthless and removing at least half of last seasons growth. Cut right back to an outward facing bud fertilised and will continue to grow. to encourage the tree to grow out from the centre, not into itself. For trees over 3 years old, prune trees to encourage fruiting. Remove old, dead or diseased wood. Light thinning may be necessary, the tree will now put its energy into fewer bigger and better fruit instead of many Planting times The key factor to a successful garden, particularly in Alice Springs, is planting each thing at not so good fruit. For more information, see the pruning section under the specific fruit tree the right time. Refer to the planting chart. You can also subscribe to weekly, Root pruning may be necessary if they have become root bound from be- fortnightly or monthly free planting ing in a pot for too long. When planting out root bound plants trim roots just enough that they can be gently teased out a little with your hands. Cut www.gardenate.com. foliage a little too to balance it out. 9
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  Water Alice Springs’main water supply is ground water. More than two thirds of water Summer vegetable watering in Alice Springs goes on our gardens, and much of that is due to unnecessary With adequate mulch and well developed organic soil, established gardens should be able to over-watering. It is essential that over watering is reduced, not only to preserve cope with 3 waterings a week. This infrequent heavy watering encourages plants to develop deep roots while mulch reduces evaporation. Watering time will vary with your type of sys- our precious resource but also to reduce potential build up of salts in the soil dig a hole to see how far water is penetrating. New plants and seedlings will still need daily watering until their root systems develop. Daily light watering encourages shallow rooting mulch. and is mostly unnecessary for summer crops, except in really sandy soils where water drains too quickly. In the peak of summer, a supplementary daily watering may be necessary if plants seem to be drying up and not coping with the heat. The key to effective watering is in the soil. Sandy soils hold little water and require small amounts of water frequently while soils with more clay hold and Winter vegetable watering spread more water, requiring more water less frequently. Introducing lots of Winter gardens require much less water but you should still irrigate at a similar frequency organic matter into the soil and applying mulch will drastically reduce water- consumption in sandy soils particularly. and the soil. You will need to observe how long you need to water and how fast your soil dries out. Seedlings will still need daily watering in sunny weather but otherwise may cope with a Watering systems twice-weekly regime. A watering system is essential to grow food at home in Alice Springs as rainfall is unreliable. There are a range of irrigation systems that are best suited for differing situations and garden Watering fruit trees Fruit section for specific info on each tree) types. Below is a guide for citrus tree and grape vine watering. Newly planted citrus may need to be watered daily for the first few weeks during establishment and then slowly space the When planning your gardens try to place plants with similar water needs together. Vegetable waterings out more over time. You will also notice that over time the need for watering will gardens, citrus and fruit tree orchards, exotic gardens and native gardens have very different increase as the tree grows. Use the drip line of the tree to guide your watering and move out water requirements. Each section of the garden should have its own separate watering system so and expand your drippers as the tree grows. Do make sure that the trunk of the tree is free that volumes and durations can be tailored to meet the plant needs. of mulch and dirt as this will encourage termites, ants and collar rot, a fungal disease that will ring-bark and kill the tree over time. Whatever system you do decide on, consider running a separate line to each bed. This way you can turn off sections that don’t need watering avoiding unnecessary waste of water. References and more information Water Wise by DesertSMART COOLmob & Power and Water is a new free booklet on how to save water in your home and garden, packed with detailed information and lots of helpful tips. www.desertsmartcoolmob.org The Alice Springs Library has lots of books with tips Good Gardens With Less Water by Kevin Handreck * Watering regime is based on using eight adjustable drippers per tree each producing 25 litres per hour. Watering time required equals one hour for 200 litres. 10 11
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  Automated timers Octaflow, Shrublers, Overhead watering/ Sprinklers Timers are great. They automatically apply Octamitters Choose biodegradable detergents with low water throughout the week at a specified time Whatever you call them, they that doesn’t need it and through evaporation. amounts of sodium and phosphorus. Don’t of day and for a specified length of time. They are essentially just emitters which 50% of water applied in Summer via micro- use greywater that has bleach, fabric bright- allow you to moderate and experiment to see let out a greater volume of water to sprays and misters is lost through evapora- eners or other strong chemicals in it. For your the most effective combinations of watering meet plant needs. These are great un- tion. Misters may be of benefit in the nurs- health, it is best not to use greywater on root times and amounts. They also let you go away der fruit trees where a large volume ery where fine sprays of water are required to vegetables or let it come into contact with the for a while knowing your garden will get wa- of water is required in a short period carefully water seed trays germinating seed- parts of plants you are going to eat. tered. Automatic controllers ideally need to of time. These high volume emitters lings. be reprogrammed four times a year reflecting should not be installed on lines that Water Harvesting the seasonal variations. Many timers have a Flood irrigation Rainwater, unlike the tap water here, is low manage plant water needs. This traditional method uses a fast release of in salt and not alkaline. Whilst rainfall in Al- rain has fallen to save water. water to flood and thoroughly wet the soil. ice Springs is not going to sustain a vegetable For deep rooted crops flood irrigation can be garden, it makes sense to make the most of it. Dripper tube/ Weeping hose / Sub- Check out what rebates are being offered by Drippers most appropriate however for shallow rooted surface dripline crops it can be wasteful. This method is best the Federal Government and Northern Ter- Drippers are the most ef- This method has slightly different names for ficient watering method recommended for citrus and other high wa- ritory Government on rainwater tanks instal- slightly different products but essentially a ter usage fruit trees, in which case a mound lation costs. if planned and installed length of hose or poly well. They can be posi- around the tree needs to be formed to hold pipe that has holes the water in a ‘saucer’ preventing it from Making the most of rainwater doesn’t require tioned at appropriate distances in it which slowly along poly pipe and vegetables spreading. a water tank. By observing where the water release water that naturally gathers and flows in your yard, you can be planted next to them, so the water is lies slightly under only supplied where it is needed ensuring Twice a year throughout the garden a deep can then build trenches, swales and diversions ground or under watering, once in late November and again to redirect the water to your fruit trees. Run- good root growth. Individual drippers of cer- mulch in your garden. tain types can be turned off so only the parts in late January has the benefit of giving deep off water from roofs, driveways and paved ar- Dripper tube with inline emitters can be pur- rooted trees a good water while at the same eas also can be diverted. In heavy rain, water of your garden that are planted out get wa- chased with differing spacings, or in the case tered and the flow rate can also be adjusted time flushing surface salts back down into the could flood the vegetable patch. Avoid this of weeping hose the entire length is porous subsoil. by creating sumps where water can pool and according to plant needs. Installing an irriga- and slowly releases water. These methods are tion system with drippers requires a commit- soak into the ground. Paths and lawn areas ideal for vegetable gardens as watage and loss can function as these low points. Catch rain- ment in installation time and set up costs but through evaporation is significantly reduced. Greywater will save time and water in the long run. water in containers for pot plants and indoor As with all irrigation systems an inline fil- Using household greywater on fruit trees will plants. ter should be installed to prevent blockages. help further reduce water consumption. You Bury pipes under soil or mulch as exposure Weeping hoses are quite prone to blockages could: to sun causes quite rapid pipe deterioration. with calcium and should perhaps be covered Drippers and other emitters should be con- in mulch at all times to reduce evaporation. nected to 4mm feeder line that connects with the main irrigation line. This allows for the emitters to be moved away from the base of Established citrus and mulberries can usually the plant as it grows. Extra emitters may need cope with up to 3 washing machine loads a to be added as the plant grows. Installing and week. Citrus and fruit trees solely irrigated regularly cleaning an inline filter is essential Calcium with grey water will, in the longer term, de- to keep it free from blockages. teriorate in health. Grey water should be used build up can be dissolved in conjunction with mains water. with vinegar 12 13
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  Soils Working organic matter into Central Australian soils is your basic challenge. Soils in Alice Springs are typically low in organic content and nutrients due to the arid climate, past high Salt rates of erosion and their ancient age. Part of any vegetable gardener’s seasonal routine should include regular work on replacing nutrients used by the past crops, adding compost plants become more drought sensitive. In some areas of Alice Springs irrigation water has material and mulching. Over time, vegie gardeners become familiar with the characteristics of their patch and can quickly recognise when soils are low in organic matter, waterlogged of plants. The soil’s surface develops a crust and or dry, or full of life ready to bear a bumper crop. Increasing the water holding capacity of 833+9-*-#.63-+*.$&-"0+)"+ the white salt deposits are visible. Rainfall helps sandy soils is a matter of increasing and consistently adding organic matter. Clay and sandy 83)(-+:2$)"*0+(%'3&+),2$%9-+ reduce salinity problems by flushing salt deposits ;)#1+#1-+.&&)#)%"+%<+%$*.")(+,.#= deeper into the soil, away from the plant root- composting), worm castings and aged manure. Clay soils benefit from gypsum, coarse sand #-$>+(%,2%0#/+1','0/+;%$,+(.0#= - and organic matter being incorporated into the soil. )"*0/+.*-&+,."'$-7+ lems by managed watering and heavy mulching. Soil Type A general appreciation of the soil characteristics of your vegie patch will greatly assist in the Preparing Soil Organic manures and fertilisers are preferred as they add nutrients as well as much needed management and improvement of the soil. You can determine your soil type by feeling its humus, which increases water-holding capacity, and improves soil structure. Preparing soil texture and observing its clay content. Soil textures in Alice Springs vary widely. properly takes time and beds should be prepared well in advance to planting. Soil type test Start by moistening a handful of soil with Watch how long your ribbons are: Ribbon length = Type of soil Breaker” should be added at the recommended rates to help break up the clay clods. On high 5mm to 25mm = Sandy soils: low fertility. pH soils sulphur should be added. one or two drops out as you clench it tightly in your fist. Once you have the soil mois- Organic matter rapidly breaks down and leaches away. Quick draining. Quick safe method Clear the site and dig in a commercial organic fertiliser with a good blend of well-composted with your thumb to push the soil over the organic matter. A blend of compost and potting mix will give you a soil condition you can index finger and out of your hand in a thin point between extremes, favoured by gar- ribbon. As the ribbon lengthens, continue deners. Rare animal manures can sometimes be hot or too concentrated and cause root burn. If using fresh animal or bird manures you need to blend into the soil and irrigated weekly for up to of moist soil. Sand grains can be felt easily nutrients but prone to water logging. 10-12 weeks before planting. amongst the smooth and slippery silt and clay. Slower Method Soil pH Gradually building up the soil with good compost is best. Worm castings and properly made The pH of a soil is a measure of the degree of acidity or alkalinity of the soil. Measured over a scale of fourteen points with pH 7 being neutral, less than 7 is acid and more than 7 is p.17). Composted animal manures and com- !"#$%&'()"*+,%$-+%$*.")(+ alkaline. Most vegetables prefer a slightly acid soil, pH 6.5. Alice Springs town water supply posted kitchen scraps are the most common materials used to increase the organic content ,.##-$/+0'(1+.0+(%,2%0#+(."+ is slightly alkaline and is high in dissolved calcium salts. Over time, irrigated soils tend to - of vegetable garden beds. Adding compost to 1-32+$-&'(-+.34.3)")#5+."&+ soil improves the soil nutrition, structure and 0.3)")#5+2$%63-,0+)"+0%)307 to the plant roots and nutrient deficiencies may become apparent, with yellowing of leaves water holding and drainage capabilities. To or stunting a common symptom. Cheap pH test kits can be purchased from nurseries to achieve optimum growth compost needs to be determine what the pH of your soil is; some nurseries will even check a sample for you. added to the soil for at least every second crop. There are heavy feeding crops such as toma- Prevention of alkalinity can be achieved by regular applications of compost and sulphur and toes, corn, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli that require more nutrients and these can be fol- by avoiding excessive irrigation, over-fertilising and any use of lime or dolomite. lowed by light feeders such as carrots, beetroots, swedes, radish, turnips, parsnips, and rocket. 14 15
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  Green Manure cropsare planted for the sole purpose of being dug back into the ground in order to increase the amount of organic matter in the soil. Examples include:- clover, beans, oats, wheat, sorghum and mustard. They are fast growing and should be dug composting). Green manures are vigorous and keep down weeds as well as fixing nitrogen in the soil in the case of legumes. Liquid Fertilisers/ Soil Conditioners Liquid fertilisers can provide a useful adjunct to other sources of nutrients in the garden. They can be commercial mixtures such as Fish emulsion, Nitrosol or seaweed extracts, or can be homemade. Homemade fertilisers can be made using various manures, worm castings,weeds or even prawn heads. Whether your preference is for organic or inorganic sources of plant nutrients, or a combination of both, regular application of fertiliser is necessary to replace the nutrients used by the previous crop. Make sure the recommended rates are not exceeded. Although they do encourage fast growth there are also downsides to consider. You may be force-feeding plants rather than letting them take the nutrients they need from compost. Seaweed extracts, unlike other fertilisers, are low on nutrients and can be given to plants at all stages of growth. They are biostimulants containing various growth promoting substanc- es. Benefits include longer flowering, increased root growth, increased yields, increased microbacterial activity, increased nutrient content in foods and increased drought and frost resistance. All are particularly relevant to Central Australia. Compost teas that are sprayed onto plants leaves have also proven to be beneficial due to their bacterial content which ap- parently enables nutrients to be taken up. Worm Farms and Vermicomposting Worm castings are one of the best fertilisers known. Worm farms are ideal for the home garden as they require very little effort and are capable of turning a household’s waste into rich worm castings and fantastic liquid fer- tiliser. Commercially available worm farms are compact, clean and convenient. They easily allow ‘worm juice’ liquid fertiliser to be tapped off and diluted with a little water and used to feed plants. Worm farms can easily be made at home, look online for designs or experiment with buckets, foam boxes or old baths make their home cool, dark and moist. With cold winter temperatures in Alice Springs your worms will slow down and hibernate in the winter. They are not dead, and they have laid eggs so come the warmer months they will heat in. If possible move your worm farm to a more sheltered position. If you have an active hot compost pile you could put some worms in it during winter, although worms in your compost during summer might die. In summer pay particular attention to keeping your worm farm constantly moist, cool and out of direct sun. Ensure garden beds are moist and mulched before adding worms or they will dry out and die. 16
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  Compost Good compost isessential to sustainable food production in arid conditions. Composting at home is also a great way to reduce the amount of household waste sent to landfill whilst creating nutrient-rich fertiliser that will greatly benefit your garden, costing only your time and energy. Soils that receive regular doses of healthy compost can generally hold oxygen, nutrients and water better, have good drainage and encourage an environment of helpful micro-organisms. Making good compost takes persistence, patience and observation of trials and errors. Effective compost making also requires a bit of time, energy and attention. If you don’t have plenty of space, time and energy, perhaps a worm farm is a better option. Compost bins are a great option for the home garden. There are numerous different and error and learning from your mistakes. The location of your compost bin, the blend of ingredients used and turning it are all key elements to successful composting. The secret to successful composting is layering and adding small quantities of different materials as you build up your compost bin. Add layers of both - pings, cow manure, sand, food scraps, vacuum contents and hair will make for a good blend. Bokashi buckets allow you to compost your daily food scraps and make liquid fertiliser reasonably quickly, with minimal space, mess, time and energy. They’re relatively expensive, however if ease of use makes the differ- ence between having a readily available supply of compostable material or not, it’s definitely worth it. The contents of the Bokashi Bucket are usually added to the garden and disappear within weeks. The contents of the Bokashi Bucket can however be added to the compost bin. When for example placed in a tumbler com- decomposition. A Compost Pile - ume of material, from 1 to 2 cubic metres. Once you have started the heap avoid adding new material to it unless you suspect a shortage of a particular component. Ongoing food scraps can be composted in a worm farm or compost bin/bucket. There are lots of books, websites and workshops on composting and all the different ways of doing it. It is also something you will get better at with practice. A combination of tech- niques is ideal. 17
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  How to Makea Healthy Compost Pile Select a shady, well-draining posistion for the pile, you may want to build a three-sided box Carbon – Woody, brown, dry to stop contain it a little. It takes careful observation and practice to Putting your compost pile inside your get the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and water chicken coop means when you turn it in the right proportions so keep at it!! bugs that will be uncovered. Don’t put meat, fish, bones, dairy, A diverse mix of ingredients will help get the de- sired amounts of approximately 3 parts carbon to Nitrogen- Fresh, green, wet pet faeces or oils in your compost. 1 part nitrogen. This is not the only ratio to follow for success, but both are needed as micro- Meat, fish and dairy may be com- organisms need nitrogen to break down carbon. posted in a Bokashi bucket. Also try to limit the amount of bread You will also need water and a garden fork. you put in or just give it to the coffee grounds, tea) chickens or worms. Start with coarse twigs or straw to allow for some breathing, then add a layer of green/nitro- - als. The soil adds micro-organisms to get the heap started quicker but is not essential. Water each layer as you go. Example quantities are given in the illustration below. Turning compost is hard work, but vitally important to the aerobic process. Turning your Finish up with shredded newspaper on top or cover with a tarp or someother material to compost pile every few days is great, once a week is essential. If you don’t turn it, you might keep the pile from drying out. have to wait a year or more for your compost. Check moisture levels and add water whilst turning. Protecting your compost pile from larger animals such as dogs can be done by fencing off the compost pile with an simple chicken wire and star-picket fence. Moisture Especially in Central Australia it is important to keep an eye on your compost moisture levels. You want your compost moist but not saturated. Cover with moist hessian sacks to keep the pile from drying out. Temperature Soil layer - posting process and will kill pathogens and weed seeds. If the pile doesn’t heat up, it might be too small or might need turning or watering. Nitrogen layer The end result - Humus Compost should take between 6 weeks to 4 months to mature, the length of time taken is dependant on the method used and how vigilant you are in turning the pile. Its ready to put on the garden when it is dark brown and crumbly but still moist, and most of the original Carbon layer material is unrecognisable. This earthy smelling material is called humus and is full of ben- eficial nutrients and micro-organisms for your garden. Sticks & carbon for 19
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  Compost pile Troubleshooting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he Alice Springs library has: Recycle Your Garden and The ultimate organic guide both by Tim Marshall The Healthy Soil Handbook published by Earth Garden Books Worm Farm Management by Eric Wilson Organic Growing with Worms by David Murphy www.bokashi.com.au has more information on Bokashi bucket composting www.wormfarmguide.com has lots of information on composting and worm farming in- The DesertSMART CoolMob information sheet Composting in an Arid Environment www.desertsmartcoolmob.org 20
• 14.
  Mulch Mulch is anessential part of any arid garden as it drastically reduces the amount of water wasted whilst protecting plants and soil from weeds and extremes in soil temperature. Mulching: More on Mulch: Avoid putting mulch right up to the plant evaporation stems and tree trunks to prevent ‘collar rot’ dds nutrients to the soil as the mulch damage. Loosen regularly if it gets com- slowly breaks down pacted to ensure free movement of water and air. - gal soil borne diseases Mulch should be applied thickly at a depth of at least 7-10cm. warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot reducing stress for plants Organic mulch can be made of straw, hay, dry grass, woodchips, sawdust, native by reducing runoff grasses, even shredded paper. You can col- encouraging deep rooting in plants as pea-straw) by the bale from nurseries and garden supplies. For best results apply a slow release nitrogen fertiliser prior to alkalinity problems spreading the mulch as raw organic material will draw nitrogen from the soil away from the plants. Different types of beneficial invertebrates will also benefit from a protective layer of mulch. These bugs aer- ate the soil and convert mulch and compost into organic material plants Buffel grass grows wild around Alice Springs. It consti- can use. tutes a serious fire hazard and needs to be cut regularly. In conjunction with LandCare, local gardeners have had More Information great success collecting cut Buffel grass and using it as The Alice Springs Library mulch. Try cutting it yourself using a whipper snipper has The Magic of Mulch by with a metal blade. Michael J. Roads and The Miracle of Mulch by Mary Horsfall. 21
• 15.
  Chickens Chook health Prevention is the best medicine for chook health. If your chooks get regular green feed, clean food and water then you are most of the way there. You could also plant a a vegie garden. They provide chicken manure, recycle kitchen scraps, lay eggs and ‘chook garden’ near the chook pen where you can grow herbs such as comfrey, net- can provide hours of entertainment for old and young alike. There are also wider tle, tansy, wormwood and kale which all have medicinal properties to keep chooks benefits to the community- with scraps going to chickens instead of landfill you are healthy. reducing the production of tonnes of Chooks make a great family pet Green feed can be weeds from your garden or specially grown for the chooks, various methane, a potent greenhouse gas. types of kale, chicory or raddicio are good. Local weeds growing on the streets and parks like Sow thistle, Dandelion, wild lettuce and clover are all common in Alice Springs, In summer, ensure chickens always have especially during the winter and they are full of good stuff that will make the chickens’ eggs ample water to avoid dehydration and dark orange, taste great and be healthier for you. Chickens like many animals are a pretty death. Water feeders are available that they need more of that item. designed to be heavy or hard for them www.poultryone. to knock over. Alternatively, make the Chicken Manure com has lots of great container large enough to be too heavy to “Everyone I know has times when their chooks go off the lay Fresh chicken manure is too ‘hot’ for young plants and can burn them, move when it is full. You may also want to but it never seems to be the same time for everyone.” due to its high nitrogen content. An easy way round this is just to wait with advertising boxes hook the chickens’ water into the irrigation - Bron Grieves until you clean out the whole coop and add the manure and hay to your dispersed throughout) compost which will break it down quickly. Keeping the compost pile in about raising chick- in the shade to minimise evaporation. When chickens pant like a dog with their wings held the chook pen also attracts bugs for the chickens to eat, however if you ens, building coops, out from their body, they are hot but should be fine as long as they have water and shade have lots of chickens they may spread the pile out too much; allowing tips on feed, wing throughout the day. It is also normal for your chickens to eat less during summer because clipping and general they are not burning energy to keep warm. If you have the space and the time you could also add manure to the soil care for chickens. and allow it to break down over 10-12 weeks before planting into that In winter, as the days get shorter chickens may lay less and eat slightly more. They are hardy soil. Alternatively you can bury lines of chook poo 30cm away from your seedlings when to most winter conditions, although winter rain may test them so see if you can provide some shelter from this. Make sure all perches are wooden and not metal. Keeping the coop chooks warm in winter. The coop should be situated so that they get some direct sunny spots Varieties some time during the day. They also need a dry spot with dirt so they can dust bathe. During There are a variety of chicken breeds to choose from, some the first year of laying they may lay well all through the winter. are better with children and don’t mind being held, others are great layers and they all have their own personalities. Ask around for what other people have and then look in the classified section in the local newspapers and check notice boards to find some. As most people are When building a chook coop consider: looking for egg layers - Isabrown chickens are easy to get for this purpose. They lay very well and have lovely out big eggs but only for a couple of years. As they begin to Protect them with a layer of brick, rocks or tiles. misshapen eggs. Heritage breeds will lay longer and as they are deciduous providing shade in summer and warm Bantam) are especially good with children. sun in the winter of 12 meters from a house 22 23
• 16.
  Pests Aphids A variety of pests and diseases are common in Alice Springs but a particular set of plants. They reproduce very quickly, reach large numbers and make many fortunately most can be controlled easily. If you are unsure what vegetables seem unappetising. Their sap sucking can also drastically reduce seed production your pest is, ask your local nursery if they provide free pest identifica- on flowering and fruiting plants. Control Caterpillars & Loopers There seems to be an infinite variety of caterpillars in Alice Springs. The proximity of our to avoid using them. Soapy water smothers and suffocates aphid while not harming preda- diverse native bush means a diverse moth and butterfly fauna are always ready to make tors. Pyrethrins are effective but will also kill predators and sometimes the oils they contain can burn plants in warmer weather. Aphids take a while to breed up in the warmer weather of spring but it is usually inevitable. If you are planning on saving seed from plants like broc- a major problem. before aphids have reached large numbers. The key to successfully controlling aphids is to Control maintain a stable population of predators. This also means maintaining some aphid popu- Derris dust is the powdered root extract of a tropical vine. When caterpillars eat leaves with lations throughout the year. The exception to this is the grey cabbage aphid. Try to have a derris on them, they die quickly. It is only effective for one day and needs to be reapplied if period in the summer when you have no brassicas that will support these so you do not have problems persist. It is however toxic to fish and care must be taken if using it on windy days. to deal with an early outbreak of grey cabbage aphids in late winter/ spring. Dipel bacterial culture comes in a powder. The powder is mixed with water and sprayed on plants. Caterpillars that eat the bacteria die as the bacteria multiplies inside them. Slaters Although not normally recognised as a major pest, certain garden practices can encourage Grasshoppers/ locusts slaters in plague proportions. When in these large numbers they can cause significant damage - to certain vegetables and almost all seedlings. Part of the reason they can be a pest in Alice ing or chooks. Most grasshoppers come from the bush and will come by Springs and not in other places is that we have no introduced blackbirds, which are a major hopping so good fencing can keep a lot of them at bay in the early stages of an out- break. predator of slaters in other capital cities. Control Control Covering young fruit trees with fly screen or shade cloth is a good idea. As is netting off young You can also make decoy areas that are more attractive to the slaters than your garden. Make a plants and seedlings. Greenguard fungal spray is an alternative that will remain effective until washed off. It does work well but currently is only sold in large batches that have to be mixed chickens eat a certain number of slaters but they may need to be supervised so that they don’t up all at once resulting in hundreds of litres. Slugs and snails - In Alice Springs our dry environment limits their population and most of the time it would carb”. be too dry for them to move large distances. Drip irrigation probably also limits their activity while spray irrigation would encourage them. Snails are most problematic with new seedlings. Red Spider Mite Control Beer traps attract snails, which eat their fill and then Autumn. Their presence is indicated by white spotting on the leaf ’s surface and silk webs on drown. Iron-based snail baits are harmful only to the underside of the leaf. They are particularly fond of tomatoes, capsicum and chili plants but slugs and snails and break down to harmless sub- will feed on other plants as well. They are more likely to infest plants in sheltered areas near stances in the soil. Some baits contain metalaldehyde houses or in hot houses where humidity levels are slightly higher. and although harmless in their breakdown products, Control they can be harmful to a range of helpful garden crea- Or use non-toxic tures as well as pets. commercial sprays suffocate them.)” - Geoff Miers pest oil). 24 25
• 17.
  Fruit fly Nematodes or Eelworms Fruit fly affects many fruit trees but also tomatoes, capsicums, chillies and eggplants. These These microscopic unsegmented worms feed on the roots of a wide range of plant species, flies breed up over the summer months using successive fruit crops. They pupate in the which in turn reduces the amount of nutrients taken up by the plant. Affected plants appear ground beneath fruit trees so cleaning up and disposing of fallen fruit breaks their life cycle. to have large knots or nodes or have variously deformed root systems with few fine roots. Unfortunately fruit fly are very mobile so their numbers will depend on your neighbourhood’s As a consequence the growth of plants is retarded and their growth can be drastically af- cleanliness practices. Stung fruit can be drowned for a week in water or placed in a plastic bag fected. The most favoured soils for nematodes are moist, warm, sandy soils. Most gardens in the sun for the same period. If you live in the rural area, you may be isolated enough for with nematodes have had them introduced from contaminated soil, which can occur on frut fly to be less of a problem. Control Control Home made fruit fly traps only catch male flies but importantly they indicate when fruit flies There are various ways to minimise the impact nematodes have. Some plants are more sus- are present in your garden. On noting their presence you need to initiate other actions. Sticky ceptible to nematodes than others. The worst effected include tomatoes, okra, cucumbers, traps also indicate the presence of fruit fly attracting both male and female flies. You may want to use fine netting to keep fruit fly off your fruit trees and tomatoes, or put a cloth or netting weather vegetables may be affected, they will still do quite well. bag around each fruit. Be careful you aren’t unintentionally breeding fruit fly in your compost Soil solarisation: Use a large sheet of black plastic ensuring you secure the edges. The tem- perature build up under the plastic simply cooks the soil killing the nematodes in the top it and die. This product may work better in more humid climates where it is less likely to dry out. It can also be used as a bait to put in traps. Green manure: It is most desirable to grow a green manure crop that is totally resistant to Certain fruit trees are more likely to be affected by fruit fly due to the fruiting time. Anything nematodes, such as Velvet Bean, French marigold, sorghum, some crotolaria species, white that fruits in mid to late summer may be quite susceptible such as late fruiting citrus, decidu- mustard, oats, wheat and others. Each crop adds rich organic matter to the soil and it is ous fruiting trees and some exotic fruits. known that nematodes dislike organic matter in the soil so by adding compost and manure, populations will also fall. A well composted organic soil will reduce the nematode popula- White Cabbage Caterpillars and Moths tion by up to 90% It’s the blue-green caterpillar of the white winged moth that does the damage by Beware mulberries and figs: They are very popular with nematodes. If these tree roots eating large holes in leaves. They like other vegetables such as broccoli, brussel invade your vegetable garden, your efforts to reduce nematode populations may be nullified sprouts and salad greens as well as cabbage. as their roots can support a constant population and allow crops to be re-infested. Control : Nematodes are not very mobile so it is possible that you only have an Scatter washed half white egg shells or place white golf balls around your garden to deter isolated occurrence. Moving your vegetable garden can be a solution. them. Pick them off when you have them. See pp.29-31 for companions and integrated pest management ideas. Spray weekly with Dipel, a safe environmentally-friendly biological con- Resistant crops: These following vegies may still have nematodes but they can produce a trol, it only affects caterpillars and grubs. For severe outbreaks spray with pyrethrum for an reasonable crop despite this: instant kill. Asparagus Sage Chives Mustard Broccoli Basil Cress Onion Mealy Bug Brussel sprouts Chinese greens Garlic Radish These funny little creatures are commonly seen on branches and fruits of citrus. Cabbage Cape gooseberry Globe artichoke Rhubarb - Sweet corn Chicory/Raddiccio Horseradish Shallots tended by ants which harvest nectar that is excreted. Parsley Celery Jerusalem artichoke Snake beans Control Coriander Chillies Leek Sweet potato Physically squash them with your fingers, pick them off, cut-off small branches severely af- fected, spray with an oil or soap spray covering the insects to smother them. A soap spray with garlic/chili can be most effective. Confidor is an environmentally sound systemic spray that is absorbed into the plants sap stream and is consumed by insects that feeds on the plant. 26 27
• 18.
  What to do? @+*%*0 !"#$%&#*0 '&6%-&/09+%4&2* @-&2):%*0 (+%%&0$/%88"30$"+*&(%0$ L"*1/$ 58*49$,&2%4#2$48'2#%+%7$ J%:";%$1*+#2$">$18*&#2$ 3*#%+0$ =1),72$ '&7%+$8%*;%2$*&7$"&$&%3$ ",8$ (+"3#) "'#5+%*92 21+*/ larve eating fruit from the inside, possible dark M4"N I+',#$I8/ patches visible on fruit &*#'+*8'+%$ ";%+$%*4)$>+',#< skin K*#%+1,88*+2$ P*&7$+%:";%$*#$&,()#$"+$ Q,1%8$"+$ )"8%2$4)%3%7$,&$8%*;%2 O$H""1%+2 %*+8/$:"+&,&( Q%++,2$7'2# P*&7$+%:";%$*#$&,()#$"+$ R+*22)"11%+2$ )"8%2$4)%3%7$,&$8%*;%2$ R+%%&('*+7$ %*+8/$:"+&,&(<$!%#->%&4%$ O$$H"4'2#2 O$2#%:2 >'&(*8$21+*/ ">>$/"'&($#+%%2< 2#'&#%7$"+$&"$(+"3#)0$ !"$S',49$2"8'#,"&20$L%%$ !%:*#"7%2$$ 7,2#"+#%7$5'85"'2$+""#2$ *5";%$"+$K":1*,"&$ M%83"+:2 @8*&#,&(<$ J%7$L1,7%+$ Spray milk and water on white spotting on leaves Confidor F,#% both sides of leaves 4)%3%7$2%%78,&(2$"+$ 18*4%$5*++,%+2$*+"'&7$ L8*#%+2$O$ F%#),"4*+5$ 8%*;%2$#"'4),&($#)%$ 2%%78,&(2$"+$+%:";%$:'84)$ F,88,1%7%2 1%88%#2< (+"'&7 >+":$*+"'&7$2%%78,&(2 L8'(2$*&7$ )"8%2$,&$8%*;%20$%*#%&$ P*&7$+%:";%<$Q+,1$ G+"&N5*2%7$ 2&*,82$ 2%%78,&(2 ,++,(*#%<$T%%+$#+*12< 1%88%#2 7,2#"+#%7$*&7$2)+,;%88%7$ 6)+,12 $@%2#$",8$ 8%*;%2 ?),#%$ P"8%2$,&$8%*;%2$*&7$8"#2$ L1+*/$3,#)$ K*55*(%$ @,49$#)%:$">><$ Q,1%8 K*#%+1,88*+ *5"'#
• 19.
  Integrated Pest Management& Companion Planting using chemicals in the garden by utilising a range of tools including observation, ben- eficial predators, companion planting, crop rotation and good garden hygiene. IPM is about managing pest’s numbers, not eliminating them. Does it really matter that a lettuce leaf diverse, balanced garden ecology where nature introduces its own control tools such as predators like the ladybird that will feed on pesty aphids. The most important thing to consider during pest outbreaks is to look closely before spraying method that will preserve the predators. Healthy soil full of organic mat- ter grows healthy plants which are naturally more resistant to pests and diseases. Observation A lot can be learnt from experimenting and observing what happens in your garden. Keeping a record of your observations is good practice and can prepare you in advance to likely major outbreaks giving you time to plan and initiate preventative measures such as building physical to pests it’s ok. Share your observations with your friends, neighbours, community garden- ers so everybody can learn from each other. Planting at just the right time also encourages healthy plants which are more resistant; keeping notes of when you planted last year can help with this too. Garden hygiene Prune fruit trees to open up and allow air flow as well as promptly removing dead and dis- eased parts. Remove diseased plants and infested fruit from the garden immediately. Break the fruit fly cycle by placing infected fruit in a sealed bag Planting natives and adding ponds, in the sun or submerged in a bucket of water for a weeks water features, rocks and logs will or so. provide habitat and attract birds and wildlife into your garden that will Beneficial predators help eat a range of insects, grasshop- There are a host of tiny garden predators in all gardens. pers and pests. These are the good guys. They might be small, but their effect can be profound. The aim of organic gardening is to increase the populations and varieties of beneficial predators so that they are present throughout the year. There are many flowering plants that are recommended to assist in maintaining predator populations. These plants flower early in the spring or throughout winter and so keep predators around ready for when pests begin to build up in spring. Letting your vegetables go to seed is also a great way to attract and breed up predators, especially coriander, carrots, Chinese greens and broccoli. Chinese greens are especially good as they will readily flower during the winter if they are up to that stage in their growth. Mulch can also provide a habitat for beneficial predators. 29
• 20.
  Some Beneficial Predators Companion Planting Companion planting is about growing plants that benefit from each other when Parasitic wasps planted together. They either repel or confuse pests, attract predators, provide These are probably one of the least known but most effective predators in the beneficial growing conditions, attract pollinators and can improve the quality and flavour garden. Most pest species would be targeted by at least one if not several kinds of other plants in the same garden bed. Some plants also seem to ‘dislike’ each other and do of parasitic wasps. not grow as well when planted near You can download a beautiful free companion planting Brachyonid and ichneumonid wasps one another. chart from the IDEP foundation at http://www.idep- These wasps are predators of caterpillars, beetles and grubs. You will know they are around foundation.org and find more information at Sustain- when you find a parasitised cocoon. These look the same general shape as a normal Some popular companions: able Gardening Australia www.sgaonline.org.au cocoon but the cocoon is instead made up of many hundreds of what appear to be tiny maggots. To encourage these wasps you may want to allow a crop to get eaten by caterpil- desirable oil that will attract or detract many pests depending on where it is planted you see around. - golds will deter spider mites and white fly on tomatoes Aphelinids As the name suggests, these wasps parasitise aphids. If you have grey cabbage aphids you will probably notice brown shells amongst the other living aphids. Closer inspection will near cabbages, beans and tomatoes reveal a hole where the wasp burrowed out and you may also see the tiny wasps hovering - over or even laying their eggs in the live aphids. sicas from white cabbage butterflies Lady beetles Lady beetles and their larvae are perhaps the most recognisable garden predator. Different lady beetles eat different insects including aphids, Crop Rotation whitefly, scale insects, mealy bugs and mites. Lady beetles become less active - Example rotations for one garden bed over the winter and can be found sheltering on fence posts. Such shelters are impor- ing the nutritional requirements of each tant to encourage more lady beetles. The larvae look nothing like the adults but are plant) but can be as simple as rotating your nitrogen into the soil more like a grub with six legs, dark coloured with some yellow stripes. crops, you probably do it already! Following simple principles of crop rotation of annual cabbage) - good winter crop in Alice Assassin bugs vegetables will improve the effectiveness of Assassin bugs prey on a range of larger insects that can sometimes be troublesome. They your crop rotations. corn ) - summer crop These include: carrot ) It’s good to have as many beds as possible. the same nutrient demands If you have space for four beds, rotate four that there would be at least one of these parasitic flies for each pest in the garden. crops maybe one can be a green manure capsicum, tomato) in the same patch for 2-3 crop . There are numerous other groups of arthropods years including beetles, earwigs, centipedes and spi- ders that act as predators in the garden. The Alice Springs library has Bug: The Ultimate reduce diseases and pests, produce Gardener's Guide to Organic Pest control by healthy plants giving maximum returns Tim Marshall. and importantly, make full use of the family groups together) 30 31
• 21.
  Seedsaving Saving seed Save seed from plants which have shown tolerance to pests or diseases, large and productive Saving the seeds of your crops has many ben- efits to both the gardener and the community. seeds came from a plant that enjoyed living in Alice Springs! A friend of ours, Gwynne in Firstly it is much cheaper to save your own Darwin, has selected a variety of wilt-free tomatoes from one original plant. She now grows seeds than to buy new seeds all the time. Also thousands of fruits each year. begin to adapt the vegetable variety to your local area. These plants will perform better. chance that there has been hybridisation. However if a few simple rules are followed this need not be the case. Conserving biodiversity Around the world thousands of vegetable varieties are being Isolation lost due to the domination of corporate agribusiness. These For some varieties of vegetables, isolation from each other is required. In the home garden this usually means only growing one variety or only letting one variety flower at the same time. conserve our genetic and cultural diversity by growing, Very mobile pollinators like Blue Banded Bees can travel large distances between plants like eating and saving seed from open pollinated varieties. tomatoes and capsicums so caging might be appropriate. Saving seeds in Alice Springs is somewhat easier than other places due to the dry climate. Seeds may stay on plants in the Caging One potential solution to saving multiple varieties is netting off one of your varieties. For garden without breaking up and there seems to be little preda- some vegetables you may have to alternate the days because they need to be insect pollinated tion on seeds. The low humidity means seeds are easy to dry and to keep dry, and dry seed lasts much longer when stored. exchange is much simpler. Generally, the more plants you save seed from, the higher the chance of preserving the genetic heritage of the plant. Pollination is the process that allows seeds to be produced and understanding how this takes place in different Some vegetables like corn will very quickly lose genetic traits if seed is saved from too few plants, whereas dwarf beans do not seem to lose any vigour when seed is saved from a single type”. they won’t pollinate successfully. In Alice Springs weeds such as wild lettuce and wild radish Open pollinated can cross with certain vegetables, so try and reduce the weeds in your vicinity if you are sav- These are seeds that have been produced in natural outdoor situations ing seed. where pollen is exchanged between plants via insects or the wind. This exchange of genes im- proves a vegetable’s chances of adapting to changing conditions whether that be soil, weather Sorting and processing seed Seed can be dried on the plant or harvested and dried in a dry, shady genetic diversity and a loss of vigour in that variety. place. Once the seed has been taken off the plant and sorted it should be dried for another week in a bag or envelope with its name and Cross-pollinating harvest date. Seed that is not completely dry will go mouldy or have a Many vegetables need pollen from another flower and sometimes another plant in order to much shorter keeping time. produce seeds. Insects are the main way plants are able to cross-pollinate and plants have Self-pollination Self-pollinated plants don’t need insects to exchange pollen between flowers. They can be parsnips are only viable for one year. genetic recombination can still occur, meaning that you can still get different looking plants coming from the one seed pod. Although these plants can produce seed without insect help, 32 they may also be cross pollinated by insects. 33
• 22.
  Local seed networks Your local seed network may be a group of friends or neighbours or it may be an organised group like Alice Spring Seed Savers. Alice Springs Seed Savers have a seed bank of many varieties of vegetables that have been growing in town for generations. By growing and sharing seed you are continuing an ancient tradition of selection and nur- ture which has produced the majority of our vegetable varieties today. Difficult to save seeds with significant insect attack. Others are tropical plants which fruit in winter and can be subject to damaging frosts. them around Parsnip Beetroot Turnip Silverbeet Pigeon pea The Seed Savers Handbook by Jude and Michel Fanton gives in depth information on how to save different vegetable seeds. Look up the Australian Seedsavers Network website: www.seedsavers.net for further information or to purchase The Seed Savers Handbook. Find the Alice Springs Seedsavers group online at http://www.seedsavers.net/lsn/ alice-springs-seed-savers 34
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  Planting by theMoon Planting by the moon is an ancient agricultural method that has been practiced by many cultures around the world for thousands of years. The influence of the moon on all living things is related to the gravitational interactions of the earth, sun and moon. This influ- ence is easily seen by observing the changing of ocean tides; it is the same gravitational force that affects plants in your garden. Planting and gardening by the moon has been your plants and produce. It is easy to try it for yourself, the extent to which you plant by the moon can be as simple or complex as you want. Do not plant 12 hours either side of a change in phase. The waxing moon is increas- ing in light and is a good time to plant and transplant and also a good time to apply liquid fertilis- ers. Good time for above ground growth and activity, so plant. Towards the 1st quarter New crescent - plant leafy crops, moon 2nd quarter towards full cereals and grains - great time to start moon -transplant seed- planting - plant annuals and flowers lings and make full moon 4th quarter and new moon make compost and prepare 3rd quarter waning moon garden beds for planting when the new crescent moon comes herbs) out. - best time to prune trees and take cuttings - plant root vegetables - plant fruit trees - applying solid fertilisers The waning moon is decreasing in light and is a good time to plant root crops. Best for underground growth and activity. 35
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  As well asplanting with moon phases, planting by the moon can also take into account the moon movements into and through astrological signs: For fruit and seed growth FIRE SIGNS: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius When you plant in a FIRE sign, the Moon’s influence is channelled into the fruit and seed of the plant. Wheat, corn, tomatoes, beans, squash, peas and all fruit. Plant now to get quality seeds for next year. Harvest fruit and seed crops as well. The very best seeds are obtained from a Fire sign Full Moon. This is an excellent time for any cultivating, tilling or ploughing. Plant garlic, leeks, onions, peppers or chicory if you are looking for an exceptionally spicy crop. For blossom growth AIR SIGNS: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius When you plant in an AIR sign, the Moon’s influence is channelled into the blossom better in a Water sign). Plant now if you want fragrance and beauty. The Moon in Gemini is good for flowering herbs, while the Moon in Aquarius is good for planting or harvest- a good time for cultivation, weeding or eliminating pests. If you can’t plant now, plant in Fire. For root growth EARTH SIGNS: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn When you plant is an EARTH sign, the energy of the Moon is focused into the roots of the plant. Carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes, and all tubers. Plant now to produce strong, hardy well-anchored plants. Turn compost heaps. The Moon in Capricorn will produce an exceptionally hardy plant which will last through dry weather spells. When the Moon signs are considered to be extremely fertile, so if you can’t figure out what sign you should sign or a Water sign. The best day to cut grass is in this sign in the waning moon. For leaf growth WATER SIGNS: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces When you plant in a WATER sign, the energy will go into the leaves. Lettuce, spinach, grass, cabbage, cress, any leafy growth will thrive planted now. This is considered to be - ing. Start composts heaps. Sow grass. Don’t harvest now, crops will decay too soon. Plant melons, grapes, any fruit with high water content will do well at this time. See website from the Permaculture Association of South Australia for more detailed informa- tion on planting and gardening with the moon in the southern hemisphere. www.users.on.net/~arachne/MoonPlanting.html Thomas Zimmer’s Astrological Moon Planting Calendars are very popular and are available from Afghan Traders, some nurseries and online. Detailed and complex gardening calendars and guides for Australia are available online each year. 36
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  Vegetables Winter vegetables The wintervegetable is designed to germinate with the first rains, and grow in the warm pre winter - ary to April). Over winter they continue growing more slowly and then in spring, speed up growth again and flower. For some winter vegetables spring will cause flowering whether they were planted one month ago or three months ago. Some of these while the conditions are mild so that they mature in the summer warmth but before it gets really hot. The growth period for many vegetables is 3 months during warm weather but can be longer when growing over winter. Most winter vegetables can withstand frost although some like peas may not fruit in frosty weather. Planting in cold weather can lead to slow growth and disappointing results. Of course there are many different winter vegetables and each have their own preferences. Summer vegetables These grow only during warm weather, and are generally not frost tolerant. Summer vegeta- bles can be commenced earliest in pots that are sheltered from frosty weather. This can be done in July for tomatoes while the majority of Summer vegetable seeds can be planted from late August through to late September. The only limitations are late frosts, so one can wait until Septem- ber or be ready to cover up sensitive plants when it may get frosty. In Alice Springs 2 lots of summer crops can be grown, the first - etables production may extend over the whole period while some Favourite Perennials Asparagus is ideal for Alice Springs vegie gardens and will continue to produce for up to 30 be ready to harvest in the first or second year depending on the age and health of the crowns. Plant them about 40cm apart as they will continue to multiply and each year you will have frosts have browned the fern off. Chili Grow well in pots which allows them to be moved to sheltered spots to avoid frosts in winter and slightly shaded spots in the middle of summer. Shallots Best planted in autumn and can become a perennial. Can grow very well and big in Alice. 37
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  Best Vegetables forthe Winter Garden Best Vegetables for the Summer Garden Broccoli Pumpkin Planting times can vary depending on variety but best planted in March/ April. Sow seeds Shelter from early frosts. May need to hand pollinate in in seed trays and plant out seedlings when 5-10cms tall. Your plants will keep sending out smaller heads for as long as you can keep picking them. Do not let any of the shoots flower Queensland blue and butternut) Pumpkins are fairly resistant if you want to keep picking them. Aphids may be a problem in early spring. to grasshoppers! Store only with a long stem. Cabbage Cherry tomatoes Are heavy feeders, prepare beds well with lots of compost. Harden off and transplant seed- Do better in hot climates than other varieties of tomato. Stake them lings at 5-10cms. Ensure daily watering in warmer months and mulch around each plant. as they grow to prevent them from touching the ground. These will fruit Autumn planted cabbage will taste better and have less pest problems than summer, matur- throughout the summer while large tomatoes will not once the weather turns ing cabbage which can get very strong flavoured. Watch out for caterpillars and pick them hot. Fruit fly leave the small tomatoes alone. Snake Beans flavour gets stronger. Can harvest well into summer. Plant in August onwards and provide sturdy stakes as they are quite vigorous. This is the only bean that will produce in really hot weather in Alice Springs. Keep picking to encour- Ethiopian cabbage: A loose leaf cabbage that grows well all year round. Pick individual age fruiting otherwise they will slow down production. Chickens and children love the leaves as you need them. beans that have gone too far. Other bush beans must be planted in very early August before Chinese greens the hot weather. Seeds can be sown close together for lots of small plants or further apart for bigger leaves. Sweetcorn Watch out for caterpillars on young plants. Tends to produce for much longer than pak tsoi and bok choy before going to seed. Can be grown in summer if watered several times a day. pick when the silks start to get dry. May not set fruit well if they are flowering in very hot Lettuce weather so stick to optimal planting times. Mound soil around stems to help stabilise the The Leaf/bunching, Cos and Butter-head lettuces grow better than the traditional hearting or Iceburg variety in arid conditions. The leaves can be picked individually as needed. They pollination between plants and plant several crops 6 weeks apart. can be direct sown into the garden and watered frequently until established, shade cloth may be required in warm weather. Mulch around and between plants. Late summer sowings Watermelon Give plenty of room and they will benefit from plenty of compost. Plant in full sun away from pumpkins as the pumpkins will take over. Ensure deep watering and mulch thickly. Peas Like full sun and very fertile soil. Stake well and pick frequently or they will Zucchini slow down production. Observe optimal planting times. Silverbeet means daily in summer) otherwise they will set large fruits Grows quickly in warmer weather but also survives the frost. Good and slow down production of any more flowers and fruit. spinach for Alice but is not nematode resistant. Plants will spread more than 1 metre wide. Plant enough Fennel female flowers for pollination. Easy to grow in good fertile soil. Plant in March/April. You can plant directly or in pots for later transplant- ing. Likes full sun in winter. 39
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  Tips for GrowingOther Vegetables in Central Australia Kale Spring Onions grow very well. Sow in pots Amaranth is an easy to grow, hardy sum- Celery Likes lots of water and very fertile nero. Will keep growing over summer but mer spinach. Grow it once and you will soil. Can grow summer but more trouble can get a hammering from pests. If it sur- plants are 15 cm tall in pots, place the pot in have it forever. Pick the tips and free when planted in Autumn. vives it will grow again through the follow- a bucket of water then tease out the roots. cook as for spinach. ing winter. This will cause less damage to roots. Chicory /raddicio grows well, pest toler- Artichoke Grow very well in ant and heat tolerant. Deep rooted and Kohlrabi Grows well over winter season Squash May require hand pollinating to Alice. does not require as much water as lettuce. and goes to seed in the second year achieve fruits. Chickens love it. Doesn’t mind soils with Brussel sprout - Strawberries need an acidic to neutral high pH. Leeks like very fertile soil and cult to successfully get to head in Alice soil for best results. Add lots or organic mounding. Springs, strictly observe planting times. Choko: frost sensitive. matter to the soil prior to planting. Must be planted in early February so it ma- Mustard greens grow well but appreci- When grown in containers the pH can Cucumber Have sturdy frame or let crawl tures in the coldest weather of the year. ate filtered sun in summer. be controlled more easily however they on the ground or through mesh. Susceptible Beetroot feed well with worm castings to nematodes. Compost well. are hungry feeders need regular feeding. Okra has an acquired taste but very or compost but not too much manure, it Do not plant too deep, Leave crown above Eggplant fruiting is affected by heat but productive in hot summer conditions. Pick struggles in soils with high pH. try adding soil. will produce buckets in the Autumn. Thai frequently or they will set fruit and slow sulphur to soil. down production. Swedes: Plant in a sunny position with long thin varieties may be more heat toler- Broadbeans are frost tolerant but will not ant and some African varieties. Onion do not like competition from weeds, fruit in frosty weather, doesn’t mind high over winter Endive is great over winter but gets chewed mulch well. Onions will be ready in 5-9 pH. Sweet potato: Watch out for sweet potato by pests in summer. Cape gooseberry will not tolerate hard leaves dry up. French Bean Climbing and dwarf. Watch if they are too numerous). Will not produce frosts. Fruits late Autumn early Winter. Parsnip do less well in soils with a high out for Red Spider Mite damage. Grow the great roots if the soil is too fertile. Cauliflower Plant so they are not matur- bush varieties and plant in early August or pH. Frosts and cold weather can improve ing in hot weather. Allow lots of space and again in February so they are not flowering flavour. Tomatoes are frost intolerant. Tomatoes fertiliser for these are big hungry plants. in hot weather. Hill for wind hardiness. will not set fruit in hot weather, it’s thus best Potatoes do well if planting times are fol- to plant two crops annually one early August Capsicum are sensitive to frost. In sum- Garlic grows well in Alice. Observe plant- lowed. Don’t plant where other solanums and another in late January. mer plant in a location that provides some ing times and turn water off when mature have been previously shade. Not many pest but watch aphids and Rhubarb requires care and attention to Turnips are sensitive to high pH soil, try fuit fly. The long thin varieties produce best rather than seed, it ought to be planted grow in Alice, it needs a full protective foli- adding sulphur and compost. in hot weather while the bell shaped ones before the shortest day of the year and har- age canopy for mid summer. Try full winter will produce well as the weather cools in vested before the longest day. sun and summer shade with lots of compost. Autumn. Ginger prefers acidic soil and needs pro- Rocket grows year round, self seeds. Carrots Stick to optimum tection from the frost. planting times. Press down Rockmelon flourishes with lots of water, soil firmly when planting seeds Jicama mulch and sun. to ensure good seed to soil for winter. Plant in late spring and wait for Rosella contact. Keep soil moist in hot climber to die in mid winter. Grasshopper leaves cooked during summer. Pest resistant. weather. When young, water lightly resistant. a couple of times a day. Thin out as Spinach less hardy than Silverbeet as it is soon as real leaves appear to make more prone to heat damage and bolting to space and prevent competition for seed. water. 40 41
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  Fruit Citrus The big 4 reliable fruiting plants for the Alice Springs area are citrus, grapes, mulberries and Alice Springs is an ideal place for citrus. The combination of warm temperatures and gener- ally mild frosts means we can successfully grow most citrus varieties. you will have more than you can eat! Soil Preparation sometimes known as flood irrigation. Drip- Choose an area that is warm and sunny, pers aren’t really suitable and you will need somewhere out in the open without com- to find a product that spreads the water, e.g. Mulberry petition from other tree roots and sheltered Octaflows, trench irrigate by hand with a from strong winds. Choose a frost free, hose or bucket cooled bath water onto trees. well-drained site and prepare clay soils well Establishment and remember that as the tree grows you will - need to expand watering to beneath its full - canopy. ing regime to every 4 days. Prepare an area 1.5m in diameter with See p. 11 for suggested watering regime of Variety compost or aged manure. Commercially established trees. There are several varieties of mulberry. The black is actually the English variety, slower available fertilisers can also be used. Try to rid your area of couch grass before you plant Pruning citrus is required to: growing but perhaps with a superior flavour. Then the white mulberry of which there 1) keep the branches at a reachable height is a dark and light variety. Much faster growing than the black and the fruit are still and prevent fruit from touching the ground yummy. They are also great shade trees. Weeping Mulberry- lots of reachable fruit. Varieties 2) remove old woody/dead branches to en- Choose the fruit you like to eat because you courage fresh new productive ones Watering 3) remove sap shoots which start growing will have an abundance! If you have the Mulberries have deep roots and adults will survive without direct water by searching space, try to select different varieties that will out down deep and also outwards with their extensive roots. Drippers in one or several 4) reduce quantity of fruit to improve qual- fruit at different times ensuring an extended rings around the tree will do, but 360° ‘shrubblers’, adjustable and can go into your exist- - ing irrigation system, will deliver more water than drippers. Decrease water from April 5) open up the interior allowing air flow to ent varieties on the same tree extend fruiting to August when the tree is dormant and start watering again when new leaves emerge. limit pests and diseases time with limited space. Generally, varieties Mulberries are very hardy and may survive and even 6) avoid limb damage from weight of too that fruit in the coldest part of winter will thrive without watering. much fruit have less problems with fruit fly. Maintenance Planting out Fertilise twice a year, once in July/August Prune in May to maintain shape. The canopy must Plant from late March to early May or in which is just before a growth period and be kept low enough unless you are happy to climb again in February/March before fruit reach to get your fruit. The light fruiting white October). Place the pot in a container of maturity and ripen. Cow manure, compost mulberry has particularly vigorous straight water or seaweed fertiliser overnight before or commercial fertilisers all work well. Make branching and the prunings are great for planting. Ensure the site is also thoroughly sure not to touch the trunk of the tree with use in the garden although borers get to watered before planting, and avoid planting the fertilisers and cover with mulch. Apply a them in year 2. in the hottest part of the day. small amount of fertiliser to young or strug- gling trees monthly between July and April Problems Watering is fine. Nematodes like them but they still grow Watering is really important whilst the trees well, grasshoppers will have an impact on are still young and forming and proper care Problems younger trees. Generally pest free. Some varie- when young will ensure big strong healthy Fruit fly can be a problem. When trees are ties may flower too early and have their flowers burned trees. Citrus have surface feeding roots small you might consider caging the tree off by the frost. which means the plants grow best when the for the first couple of years to protect from 42 whole surface of the soil is wetted, this is grasshoppers. 43
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  Grapes Fig Table grapes are another highly reliable Alice Spring fruit. Use them for shade in the summer on a trellis and they let through the winter light later in the year. Kids love them but you do have to protect Figs are a luxury which we can enjoy in Alice earlier than them from ring-necked parrots who want your share as well as theirs. It is easy to dry your own grapes with the temperatures here can dry them and preserve them for the whole year. in summer. Establishment Establishment Like grapes figs can be established from planting winter prunings, shoved in the ground and watered. Also like grapes they are best planted in winter, around June. Dislike windy the ground in winter and keep them watered and you will have more grapes. Later, if need spots. be, transplant them to their final spot. An area that is free from shade and competition from other trees and shrubs is best. Plant them where you need summer shade and winter sun such Varieties Again there are many types of figs, try local nurseries for available varieties. Deanne and Black Genoa are popular. varieties, cutting grown plants are highly susceptible to attack from nematodes. Watering Varieties High delivery drippers may be suitable in a ring around fig trees and a generous layer There are lots of varieties that grow well in Alice Springs and are available at most nurseries of mulch. They have a shallow and competitive root system. several months. year, the early light crop being Maintenance borne on last year’s old wood, the Watering Figs are best pruned only lightly in late June to July in main crop is borne on the current Twice a week, drippers can be used successfully. See p.11 for suggested watering regime for order to: season’s wood.”- Geoff Miers established grapes. Decrease water from April to August when the vine is dormant. 2) keep them at a height where fruit can be picked Maintenance 3) thin out branches which may result in a battle to pick fruit. Different varieties of grapes require different methods of pruning, be sure to note the variety Do not allow suckers to grow, pinch them out to maintain shape and suggested pruning when you buy your grapes. Yearly pruning of growth back to one to 4 main leaders. Prune late June to July. Liquid fertilise weekly around October to ensure lots of Problems fruit. For figs and Figs can support nematodes although they don’t seem to be much Problems affected by them. Grasshoppers may be a problem to young citrus: Removing all trees. Fruit fly is a menace especially for later fruiting figs. The Caterpillars are a problem in summer especially when the vines are young keep a close watch as fruit from the tree in one day they seem ok and the next day they are defoliated. Control with Dipel or pick them off. the first year will allow humidity around fruiting time can be detrimental to fruit with Grasshoppers can also a problem. it to put all its energy rotting taking place. Net trees or else birds will get all your into formative fruit. bags in the past, but it rained heavily last growth. year and we lost a lot of our grapes to mould. I plan to make bags from fly wire mesh this year” - Judy Buckman 44 45
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  Other Fruit Trees Many fruit trees can be grown in Central Australia, its just a matter of finding the Carob right conditions for them. The following is just some tips. Experiment and see A what happens. seed grown and produce edible seed pods. Some varieties are better than others Almond like salty or grey water. Drainage must be years to produce edible pods. Water if you want your tree to grow fast and produce well. Are grown widely in desert regions in the perfect. Citrus can take an extended period Male and female trees are required to produce fruit. Middle East and in back yards in Alice. of water neglect but not avocados. Regular - Date vive) but production will improve with a are a must. Require lots of water to fruit well, but will also stay alive and fruit minimally on minimal good water supply. Drippers anywhere un- water supply however they can flourish on relatively poor quality water and are therefore der the canopy provide adequate water for Banana perfect for greywater and waste watering. almonds, which distribute their own water. You can grow nice bunches of bananas in Can be grown from seed. You will need a male plant to fertilise the female plants. Like a yearly application of fertiliser and is Alice Springs. They must be protected from Remove offshoot from base of grown trees, new trees can be grown from planting these off- a generally heavy feeder amongst the fruit frost, and need good drainage. Plant on a shoots when they are about 15cms in diameter. Largely free from pests and disease although trees. Prune lightly. mound. Feed every 6 weeks, and mulch - As almonds are one of the earliest flowering well. Use organic manures, compost, grass ary and April. clippings kitchen scraps, the straw from the may suffer from late frosts. Almonds need chook shed and anything else you can find. Feijoa some chilling so may not do well north You cannot overfeed a banana. Bananas These can fruit in Alice but may be sporadic. They tend to flower during the hotter months. of Alice. Bees pollinate them so a lack of love moisture and humidity, and are toler- Protect from fruit fly. Same watering regime as citrus. pollinators may be a problem. Try an ‘All- ant of grey water. Must water and mist in-one’ variety that is self-fertile and grows regularly, particularly in dry times. Rain Guava no more than 3m high. Fruit fly can be a water from the hose down over them at Grow into a nice shady tree, and set fruit well, but are affected by fruit fly. Protect young trees least once a day during the hotter months. from frost. Same watering regime as citrus. Passionfruit Apples and Pears Plant in March. Prepare for good fruiting in September - October by applying a Liquid ferti- Although apples can generally be quite acceptable from the supermarket, there are frost and chooks. Chooks love to eat the leaves. many tasty varieties that will never make it to your table because of their appearance or Pecan keeping qualities. Apples need significant Imagine growing a big deciduous shady tree with nuts as well. They grow into big trees and chilling so our options here may be limited most are self fertilising. to low chill selections, try tropical varieties Pecans spend quite a few years sending down roots to get to the water table before they really such as Anna. take off. They need regular watering especially when fruit are forming. Avocado By all accounts Avocados have a wide Pistachio climatic tolerance and should grow well in While Pistachios originate and are grown in the middle east, and are grown in the Riverland Alice if the young trees are protected from in south east Australia, they have not been as successful here as hoped. The small deciduous trees grow well here, and produce some fruit but not huge crops. Male they won’t survive waterlogging and don’t and female plants needed. Well worth persevering. 46 47
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  Loquat Hardy trees. Fruitfly love the fruit, best to net Pineapple Pomegranate the whole tree. Needs slightly acidic soil and is best grown Grow well in Alice. Drought tolerant but grows and fruits better with regular watering and in 40cm pots. Twist top off pineapple and feeding as for citrus trees. Plant in full sun. Bears fruit at 5-6 years old. Mulch. You can ob- Mango remove outside leaves to expose a 2-3cm stem They certainly grow not far north of here; area for roots to form. Leave cutting to cure to overcrowding in winter. May need to net trees, or bag individual fruits, to protect from and several people have a mango in their for a day or two. Need a free draining potting birds and chickens. back yard in Alice that produces fruit in some mix. Two parts of general purpose potting years. Limitations of mangoes in Alice are mix to two parts washed sand and 1 part Stone fruit- Peach/nectarine/plum/apricot perhaps the flowering time which perhaps co- compost works well. Pineapples don’t like Look to purchase low chill varieties as they are far more prolific in fruiting particularly if incides with the coldest time of the year. They alkaline soil, so add a teaspoon of sulphur mild Winters are experienced. Check with your nursery as some stone fruit require two need to be protected from frost. Kerosene to the potting mix, and water a teaspoon of varieties to ensure pollination and fruit set. lanterns under the canopy work well. powdered sulphur in around the plant twice Watering a year. - Olive A dripper placed to drip water down into the - Once established, there are not many more centre of the plant, for a few minutes each ing points can be anywhere under the canopy. Peaches are heavy feeders and need a good hardier plants than Olives, and they can application of fertiliser yearly survive with little water. Depending on your location they may be able to tap into a water adequate water. table. However they do produce a bigger and Pruning Fertilise with chicken manure pellets tossed Most stone fruit grow fast and need heavy pruning of old lateral growth every year. Also, higher quality crop with additional water and into the lower leaves, or very close to the remove half of the side shoots from laterals and all weak or dead branches, bearing in fruit may wrinkle if water is lacking. Give base of the plant. Mulch well with pebbles or mind that fruit develops on last season’s growth. Apricots and Plums do not require prun- them a big drink once a week, bath water is gravel. Protect from frost. Can’t cope with ing to fruit but to maintain shape and to remove old dead wood. Treat cuts in apricots trees fine. Some varieties are better picked green wet roots. with a copper based fungicide to prevent infection entering the tree. or black but most are fine to pick both green and black. Problems Late frosts may be a problem as peaches are early flowerers. Most stone fruit will attract Paw Paw fruit fly, bag each fruit or net the whole tree. Wind may be a problem when the fruits are Protect from frost, as fruits will develop in young so plant in a more protected position if possible. At fruiting time fungus may be a Autumn and not ripen until spring. Plant under the canopy of other trees, or along resistant rootstock, so nematodes may be a significant problem. Gumosis is an issue with the north facing side of a building to protect Apricots so use good hygiene when pruning. them. Corrugated roofs and fences will in- crease the risk of frost damage if the trees are Varieties planted close to them. There are many varieties of stone fruit and new ones being produced all the time. Selecting Grow well from seed, and can produce in their first year. If your supermarket paw paw will allow for easy netting from fruit fly ensuring you actually get to eat the fruit! Ask at is delicious, save and plant the seeds. Male your local nursery. You can grow them from seed and expect reasonable results. plants produce their flowers on long stalks. Female plants produce their flowers close to female plants. The only way of ensuring that A fruiting pineapple in Alice Springs is to plant the jet black seeds rather than those of a paler colour. You can buy bisexual red paw paw plants. 49
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  !"#$% Most herbs are relatively easy and extremely rewarding to grow in arid conditions. Can be grown in containers, in herb garden close to the kitchen or amongst the veg- Parsley: plant March - April and etables to help deter pests and attract predators. Most herbs behave similar here as September- October for con- Thyme they do in other climates. Some, such as rosemary and oregano, prefer more sandy tinuos supply. A biennial which Grows very well in Alice and will soils. will last over summer if planted live for years in garden in spring. Flat leaved varie- soil. Somewhat drought When harvesting try to resist removing more than a quarter of the plant material ties do well and self seed. tolerant. and allow for some re-growth before repeat harvesting if the plant has been previ- Popular with hoverflies ously heavily cropped. but few pest problems. Very Lemon Grass: Vig- good for you! orous tropical grass. Basil: The Thai varieties seem to be last longer when grown over Try to obtain varieties less palatable to grasshoppers. Frost winter. Loves the warmer Rosemary: take cut- which don’t go to weather but will seed quickly - seed as they potted planted under shelter in spring. Some aphid problems tober. Quite drought are better with full sun to extend your as per coriander in early tolerant when planted quality. crop into winter. Very attrac- spring. in the ground. You tive to bees when flower- Marjoram: plant can get upright or Native Lemon Grass ing. March, April. Plant Au- crawling varieties. Flowers Full sun. Tolerates popular with bees. Likes dryness once estab- Chives: Plant Per- ennial and will live good drainage but are very lished but appre- October, Grows in the garden for hardy. ciates occasional strongly and self many years as water. Propagate seeds. long as watering is from division or seed. adequate. Sage Coriander: Plant late Perennial that march to August. Sow Mint: plant August will live direct to avoid transplanting for years in shock and bolting to seed Alice Springs and try to plants some seeds weather. Best confined to gardens. every month. Must not be water a pot unless you want to all Tarragon: stressed - most importantly in over the garden. Some caterpillar plant August- warm weather. Can be effected by attack will be experienced. Best September. aphids but usually when bolting any- approach is to trim off, fertilise with Grows well in way. Retain these plants for hoverfly / compost, water and encourage a new good soil with lady beetle food. crop. adequate moisture. Dill: Oregano: plant March, April. sowing is good or be very gentle when September. transplanting. Biennial. Plants will 50 51
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  Bush Foods Bush Potato/ Desert Yam Native bushfood plants range from short-lived annuals to long-lived perennials and can be Vine or shrub about a metre high or if unsupported can spread ten- herbs, grasses, groundcovers, climbers, shrubs and trees. Those listed below are all perennials drils along the ground. Has impressive bright pink/purple and and once established all are drought resistant and able to survive long periods without water- red flowers. The edible tubers are sweet and can be eaten ing or rainfall. raw or cooked, similar to sweet potato. Dig up tubers Most central Australian native plants, and this includes bushfood plants, grow, flower and Planting fruit in response to rainfall and may not produce a crop at the same time each year. This In spring. Grow from tubers, cuttings or purchase young plants from aspect of their growth can be manipulated by watering the plants to stimulate flowering and a nursery. Prefers a frost free area. fruiting. There is very little in the way of published data on the best water cycle for central Care & Problems Australian native plants, however, infrequent deep watering is a general practice that will - ods target plants growing in red sands and this facilitates easier digging and harvest. The best stimulate good flowering when the water is turned on. It is recommended that this should be establish fruit-set. Bush tomato or Bush Rasin A small shrub that spread via suckers and under right conditions will spread. Fruit is eaten Central Australian native bushfood plants provide great habitat for wildlife, use comparatively when yellow or when dried out to a dark brown colour. Do not eat the green unripe fruit- it little water and provide an insight to one aspect of traditional Aboriginal life. A simple inter- is poisonous. The flavour changes at various stages, from sweet when ripe and yellow to more net search will provide lots of recipes and tips for cooking with bush foods. Planting Bush banana A quick growing woody vine that climbs other trees and shrubs. Produces sweet edible flow- good drainage and consistent watering to produce fruit. Very drought hardy, they can disap- ers and fruits which are tastiest when small and tender. Older fruit becomes woody but may be cooked or roasted. The leaves are also edible, steamed or raw. treated seed but young plants are easily obtainable from nurseries. Planting Care & Problems Fruit is poisonous when green! Flowering and fruiting plants are very attractive to meat easier to buy young plants from nurseries. Plant in full sun in an area free of root competi- ants and these aggressive ants can make harvesting tricky. Commercial growers have taken tion for best results. to growing Bush Tomato as an annual because the root suckers tend to produce less flowers Care & Problems and fruit. It is still not known if there are ways and means of stimulating the root suckers to produce higher quantities of fruit. despite regular watering and attention. Best results are from plants in 140mm pots, planted whilst actively growing and then not allowed to dry out for several months to give time for the root system to grow and establish into the soil. Bush Passionfruit Has sweet fruit that ripen in summer. With the exception of susceptibility to frosts native passionfruit are hardy shrubs that are easy to grow. Quandong Planting Will grow from seed and germinate within 14 days. Seeds are available from Olive Pink Bo- produce good crops which take 9 months to mature and ripen, if they receive summer rain. tanical Garden and Nurseries. Planting Plant somewhere sheltered and warm to protect from frosts, especially important when - plants are young. This is a useful plant for growing in the semi-shaded areas under trees and they need to parasitise the roots of other plants. Care & Problems Care & Problems - Avoid over watering as this can lead to sudden death. Irregular deep watering once a fort- treated for caterpillars will usually recover and the large numbers of black and white but- night for the first two years should then be discontinued and Quandong should then only terflies look great. Apply a high potassium fertiliser when flowering to encourage good fruit. Make sure that ripening fruit is picked early as it is a keenly sought food source for native long-lived. birds. Small black ants on the buds and fruits will also make this one tricky to harvest. 52 53
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  Alice Springs GardenDirectory Just some of the people and places that can assist you to grow your own food in Alice Springs. Alice Springs Nursery Watershed Sells worm farms and a range of food plants Tangentyere Nursery Bloomin Deserts Nursery & Landscaping For native plants and fruit trees. Lot 1020, Sells vegetable seedlings, fruit trees and seeds. Also has a nice cafe. 14 Hele Crescent Afghan Traders Geoff Miers Garden Solutions Will do pH testing and pest identification, stocks composting worms, Bokashi buckets, Alice Springs Library food plants and bush foods. 13 Lindsay Ave Has lots of books on gardening for food. www.alicesprings.nt.gov.au/library Greening Australia Nursery Stocks a variety of bush food plants at DesertSmart CoolMob affordable prices. Behind Charles Darwin Water audits and producing the wonder- University. Nursery open Thursdays 9 to 4. ful Water Wise Action in Central Australia www.desertsmartcoolmob.org Ilparpa Nursery Hydroponic supplies & general garden needs Olive Pink Botanic Garden Has a bush foods garden and sells some bush Rainbow Reticulation & Centre Land- food plants and seeds. www.opbg.com.au scaping Supplies Large range for irrigation and landscaping L5776 Ross Highway, Seedsavers Alice Springs Find their stall at various community events. Laucke Mills Or see http://www.seedsavers.net/lsn/alice- Stocks a variety of chicken feeds/grains/sup- springs-seed-savers plements and has a notice board with chooks for sale. Sell lucerne hay and straw. Arid Lands Environment Centre Lindsay ave. cnr Warburton st. Old East Side. www.alec.org.au Safe Business Systems NT Supplier of Bokashi composting buckets. Land Care www.alicespringslandcare.com 54
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  Arid Lands EnvironmentCentre www.alec.org.au Lindsay Ave. cnr Warburton St Alice Springs Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper using soy based inks.