June 23rd, 2017
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.
PLANT OF THE WEEK
For the last couple of weeks I’ve been featuring old fashioned shrubs that have outstanding features, namely the flowers and the fragrance.
Today’s feature plant is no less outstanding, and is in fact desired by collector’s worldwide because of its unique characteristics.
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A rose is a rose, except if it's a desert rose.
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That doesn’t even include the flower, which is pretty special too.
Let’s find out more…
The plant panel were Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au
The NT (Darwin) News blog writes
“Keen gardeners who are serious about Adeniums have impressive collections of different colours, leaf form and variegation, and search online for the more rare and unusual types.
Most people find them a fascinating plant, mainly for their unusual shape, bulbous caudex (fat base) and stunning flowers.
Similar to frangipanis, they are a succulent that is drought tolerant and can survive long periods without water.”
Too much water will cause them to rot, as it would for any succulent, and growing them in well-drained soil is essential.”
If you have any questions about the Desert Rose, why not write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com
June 23rd, 2017
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.
THE GOOD EARTH
Make Your Own Beeswax Wraps
Plastic is back in the media as being bad for the environment, so much so, that some countries have banned the use of plastic bags.
Why? Because it never breaks down, instead it turns into smaller and smaller particles which our wildlife consume.
Some sea creatures mistake soft plastic bags floating in the ocean for jelly fish with dire consequences.
Soft plastics such as what you use for wrapping your sandwiches are just as much of a problem as the bags because, it doesn’t break down ever.
So what else can you wrap your sandwiches in other than putting it in a plastic container?
I talk with Margaret Mossakowska, Director of www.mosshouse.com.au and course coordinator for Permaculture North in Sydney.
You can spend the dollars and buy the ready-made beeswax wraps, or you can do it yourself quite cheaply.
Margaret's tip for lunchwraps.
You can buy beeswax from markets and bee-keepers associations.
Densely woven cotton cloth-about the thickness of a man's business shirt or cotton bedsheet.
Cut them into squares 40cm x 40 cm.
Place the cotton squares between several lavers of greaseproof paper and sprinkle grated beeswax over the cloth.
Spray a couple of times with Jojoba oil for ease of spreading.
Place some butchers paper over the greaseproof paper and iron to heat up the wax so it's absorbed into the cloth. Then it's ready to use, just mould it into shape for wrapping sandwiches or other food except meat and cheese.
So go on, kick the plastic habit and make some beeswax wraps yourself If you have any questions about beeswax wraps, or have some information to share, drop us a line to or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675
June 16th, 2017
WILDLIFE IN FOCUS
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Australia has plenty of water birds but do you think of our waterbirds as hanging around the seashore?
That’s probably true of a lot of water birds but others prefer inland areas where there’s plenty of water as in creeks, rivers and lakes.
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Egretta garzetta
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In fact some water birds like open areas with shallow fresh water while others go for coastal swamps, shallow seasonal meadows and marshes, stony rise lowlands and large saline lakes.
There's more than one Egret that lives in Australia, so how to tell which it is that you're looking at.
they look similar so it is quite confusing.
Which one is white with black legs?
Let’s find out more.. I'm talking with Dr Holly Parsons, Manager of Birds in Backyards.
All Egrets tend to be white with long legs and a long beak.
The distinguishing features is that the Little Egret has a black bill with dark grey-black legs.
Both the Cattle Egret and the Little Egret get flumes on the back of their head when they're breeding.
The colour of the Cattle Egret's plumes are orangey-yellow, but the Little Egret's plumes are white.
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Breeding plume of Little Egret
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It's so important to retain Australia's wetlands.
Wetlands support a rich diversity of plants and animals including a large number of waterbirds that depend on them for food, shelter and breeding.
The Little Egret hunts for fish and other small water creatures in shallow water and may be found in the company of other wading birds, but rarely with others of its own species.
If you have any questions about the little egret, or have some information to share, drop us a line to or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675
June 8th, 2017
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition
PLANT OF THE WEEK
Dombeya spectabilis
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Dombeya "Pink Ball."
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Dombeya "Pink Ball."
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If you like the idea of a flowering shrub with hydrangea sized flowers, but much taller than a hydrangea, then consider this next plant.
Let’s find out more…
The plant panel were Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au
Did you know that the main specialty of this tree is that it has a long flowering time which starts from April to August in some districts.
During this time even a 3 year old single plant will have around 5000 -12,000 flowers every day and each of them consists of around 40 – 70 petals filled with honey and pollen.
Perfect if you’re into keeping bees. If you have any questions about the Dombeyas, why not write in to
Flower Fact:
The interesting thing is that as the flower opens, the edges of the petals are dusted with pollen functioning perhaps as a pollen presenter, which is somewhat unusual especially for the perianth.
June 8th, 2017
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
All About Seaweed Products
Is Seaweed Solution Good for Your Plants
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Gardeners want healthy plants
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Market research shows us that even though we think we would buy Australian products, we tend to purchase on price.
Does that apply to gardening?
Hopefully you would choose an wholly owned Australian company with only 65 employees, whose name is synonymous with the word seaweed.
Just like we say hoovering instead of vacuuming.
Let’s find out more.. I'm talking with Lisa Boyd, one of the Directors of Seasol and Robyn Stewart the new PR Manager of Seasol.
Lisa said that Seasol is 100% organic.
SEAWEED SOLUTIONS ARE NOT FERTILISERS.
Traditional fertilisers have Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). Seaweed solution has only a very small amount of Potassium.However, seaweed solution can provide benefits that traditional fertilisers can't.
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Brown Kelp washed up on the seashore
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So what can seaweed solutions do:
- They can be used all year round.
- They can be used to help plants recover from transplant shock.
- Help plants get cope disease better.
- Is taken up by the leaves and the roots of the plants.
Seasol is made from brown kelp that's washed up on the shores of King Island. The collection of kelp is strictly controlled because it provides habitat for the plovers.
Whether or not you use it just a few times or religiously every couple of weeks, the benefits of seaweed solution have been proven to benefit the plant and the soil it grows in If you have any questions about seaweed solutions, or have some information to share, drop us a line to or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675
June 1st, 2017
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.
DESIGN ELEMENTS
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Floriade Venlo photo M Cannon
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Green Walls
You may not have thought of the idea of having a green wall in your garden.
You might’ve thought that they were really expensive.
Some facts first about green walls.
Green walls can provide:
• aesthetic improvements
• protect the building they are attached to because they shield the the building or fence from the sun.
• reduce building heating and cooling costs due to increased insulation
• increased property value
• a place to grow food
• rain water run-off management and water filtering/pollution reduction
• habitat creation and increased biodiversity
• cooling effect
• cleaner air, with less pollutants
But did you also know that green walls suit any size garden, even if you have a large garden?
Why?
How do you achieve this?
Let’s find out? I'm talking with Peter Nixon from Paradisus garden design. www.peternixon.com.au
You can make your own green wall using recycled material or you can buy ready made ones from the big box stores that have garden supplies.
They’re fine too.
If you have any questions about green walls, why not contact Peter or email us here at realworldgardener@gmail.com
June 1st, 2017
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.
PLANT DOCTOR
Black Spot on Apples; Apple Scab
We all love to eat perfect apples but if you grow apple trees, then watch out for this.
If you’ve ever grown roses you would’ve heard about the fungal disease called black spot that starts of as black blotches on the leaves.
The spots become bigger, in some cases joining up, the leaves turn yellow, and then drop off.
Sound familiar?
Well you’ll be surprised to learn that there is another type of black spot, don’t worry, it’s not on roses, but it appears on apple trees.
In fact this disease is a serious problem for apple orchardists.
Let’s find out more..
Black spot on apples looks different than black spot on roses because there isn’t the typical yellowing of the leaves.
The spots are also more irregular than blackspot on roses.
The problem with this fungal disease is that it also spreads to the apples, especially in humid weather.
Spotting on fruit develops a corky layer which resembles a scab. If this happens on young fruit it can also cause cracking. On mature fruit it's still a problem with the appearance of corky scabs on the surface, affecting the re-sale value.
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Apple Scab
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One thing to note, if your tree has had it in the past, be a good neighbour and spray your plants to prevent further spread because it’s a major problem for orchadists.
If you have any questions apple scab or apple black spot. or have some information to share, drop us a line to or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675 and I’ll send you a packet of seeds.
May 25th, 2017
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.
PLANT OF THE WEEK
Lewisia "Elise"
Did you know that the plants we call succulents include sempervivums, sedums, aloes, kalanchoes, echeverias and other fleshy-leaved species?
You mightn’t know what all these genera look like, but generally, you would thing that succulents are those plants with thick, juicy leaves, like Aloe Vera, or Hen and Chicken plant or maybe even Donkeys Tails and Jellybeans.
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Jeremy holding a Lewisia "Elise"
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This next succulent though you may not have heard of.
Not only is it tough but it has lots of pretty flowers.
I'm talking with the plant panel : Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au
Succulents are plants that have evolved in some of the toughest growing conditions on earth, and a lot are actually at their best when grown in hot sun and poor soil.
Lewsia is a succulent plant that is low growing with cupped leaves.
The pretty starry flowers occur on multi-branched stems and are about the size of a 10 cent piece (Australian). The flower colours are various shades of oranges, yellows and pink and some with a striped effect.
Lewsia resents too much water, and watering from overhead will lead to fungal rots and eventual death.
Watering from the bottom, if plants are in pots is the best method for this succulent and possibly a lot of other succulents.
The original Lewisa species required some cold weather before flowering, but this variety is bred to flower in warmer conditions.
Succulents are plants that have evolved in some of the toughest growing conditions on earth, and a lot are actually at their best when grown in hot sun and poor soil.Not all though, so don’t be fooled into thinking that they need to grow in desert like conditions.
They’re not cacti so don’t walk away and never water them.
If you have any questions about the Lewisia Elise, why not write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com
May 19th, 2017
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition
PLANT OF THE WEEK
Hibiscus Trade Winds
The flower on this week’s plant of the week is often associated with Hawaii and other tropical places but did you know that it originates in China?
We tend not to think of China as being a tropical place but I would imagine, some districts would have a tropical feel to them, perhaps up north near the coast.
And not all tropical plants are frost tender, so.
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Hibiscus Tradewinds-Jeremy holding the flower.
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Let’s find out about this plant. Listen to the podcast.
The plant panel were Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au
Consider the Hibiscus Tradewinds if you want large decorative flowers and a tropical feel to your garden even if you live in a frosty climate.
As Jeremy said, they Tradewinds can be grown in a pot so you can move it under cover when winter or frosty weather arrives.
May 19th, 2017
REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
REALWORLD GARDENER NOW ON FACEBOOK
The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.
THE GOOD EARTH
Preparing for Winter Vegetables
Growing winter vegetables is different from the warmer months of the year because you have different amounts of sunlight, cold winds, and in some districts, frost to contend with.
Then there's controlling plant diseases in your veggie patch?
How well do you know your plant families?
Did you know that you shouldn’t plant veggies from the same plant family in the same spot year after year?
That’s all part of crop rotation which means of course you need to know your plant families.
There’s good reasons for practising crop rotation, but what if you only have enough room for a couple of veggie garden beds, what does a gardener do?
Let’s find out..
PLAY: Preparing for winter veggies_10th May 2017
That was Margaret Mossakowska, director of www.mosshouse.com.au and Permaculture North Course coordinator.
Soon you’ll be saying things like Brassicas, Solanacea, and Fabaceae with ease and know what veggies belong to these families.
Brassicas are all the cabbages, broccoli, kohlrabi, brussel sprouts and cauliflowers.
Solonaceae are the tomates, capsicums, peppers, chillies and potatoes.
Alliums, the garlic, leeks and onions,
Fabaceae or legumes, peas,and beans,
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Created by Margaret Mossakowska
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Margaret’s tip to fertilise your garden is to use your homemade compost or if you don't have any than add fertilisers like pelletised chicken manure or chook poo. This is important for members of the Brassica family because the grow a lot of greenery.
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Margaret's garden
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I’ll be posting an image of the crop rotation diagram that Margaret mentioned at the beginning of the segment on my website blog post page.
If you have any questions about winter veggie gardening or have some information to share, drop us .
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