PLANT OF THE WEEK

Gaillardia x grandiflora are commonly called Blanket flowers.



Would you like to grow dazzling daisy like flowers that get their common name from the bright colours of blankets?

Gaillardia are a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family, Asteraceae, native to North and South America.

Apparently North American Indians wove really bright blankets and the fields were these grow look like they’re covered in these blankets.

These are easy to grow plants that have some frost tolerance and definitely can cope with neglect.

I'm talking with the plant panel ;- Karen Smith editor of Hort Journal and Jeremy Critchley, the owner of the Green Gallery Nursery, which is a wholesale nursery by the way

The shades are red, yellow and orange and now some with pink in them. 
Look for Gaillardia Sunset Cutie and Gaillardia "Fanfare" that has tubular petals.

Regarded as a mushrooming plant, meaning that it goes upwards then outwards to give it a mushroom habit. Perhaps a low mounding habit might be a better way to describe their growth.
To grow Gaillardia you need a full sun position and very well-drained soil.
They prefer loose, sandy soil that isn't overly fertile. Sounds like poor soils are good for them.

The petals of some are frilled, while others have a unique, tubular shape.  Why not try some of these varieties -Gaillardia 'Tokajer' With marmalade-orange flowers that shade subtly to peach at the tips, this 60cm variety may need staking.

Gaillardia 'Burgundy' As its name suggests, this variety bears large, 3 inch wide wine-red blossoms on a 60 – 75 cm tall plant.

Gaillardia 'Oranges and Lemons' has softer colours than other blanket flowers, with peach-colored, yellow-tipped blossoms with gold central cones on a 60cm tall plant. Hardy.

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

Shade for Outdoor dining.

This garden series with Garden Designer Peter Nixon, is all about garden challenges thrown at us mostly by nature but also due to a situation in your garden that you might need to fix.

So far we’ve been covering hail damage, but will also cover sun scorch, garden loopers, and today’s garden challenge is about you and your friend or family are sitting around the outdoor dining table and then everyone runs indoors because there’s no shade.

Or you might have a fabulous perennial garden with a seating area, but where's the shade?

So what can you do? Let’s find out. I'm talking with Peter Nixon, garden designer.

You could go for the pergola with the ubiquitous Wisteria growing over it.

Or you could make yourself a shade hut or a dining canopy.

What you could make yourself is a shade hut or a dining canopy.

For example Peter suggests that you could have 4 galvanised steel posts, 3 1/2 metres apart and over the top of that you could put a canopy such as Nature Reed.

Or if you want a pergola, grow a deciduous climber on it that will drop it’s leaves in winter so that you can enjoy some winter sun.

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.comREALWORLD 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

SOIL SAVVY

Phytophthera cinnamomi  or commonly called Dieback

If you’ve ever noticed some browning off of branches or limbs on your trees and shrubs, chances are you don’t have a pest but a fungal disease in your soil.

Phytophthera can be isolated if you notice it in one or more plants in your garden because it will affect plants individually.

Although Phytophthera doesn't discriminate as to which plant it affects.

Let’s find out about you can do about it. I'm talking with Penny Smith, Horticultural Scientist, specialising in soils.

The scientific name of this fungal dieback is phytophthora cinnamomi  and this fungus was probably introduced into Australia through European settlement.

It has now spread to affect hundreds of thousands of hectares of native vegetation, in just about every state in Australia.

Phytophthera also affects parklands and even Botanic Gardens.

So the big tip was if you think you have it in your garden when you’re watering your plants that have compost around it, the phytophthora fungus is less likely to spread through your garden because the organic matter is an inhibitor to that fungus.

If you have any questions about phytophthora or any other fungal disease, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
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The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Brugmansia sp. Angel Trumpets.

Want to grow a showstopper that stops people in their tracks and even gets them out of their cars taking photos?Well this tree is one of those, because when it’s in full flower, it’s spectacular. Plus in the evening there’s a sweetly scented perfume that wafts through your bedroom window.Let’s find out more.

Angel Trumpet. Brugmansia versicolour photo M Cannon

I'm talking with the plant panel:-Karen Smith editor of Hort Journal, www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, the owner of the Green Gallery Nursery www.thegreengallery.com.au 

Most Brugmansia are fragrant in the evenings which is an adaptation to attract pollinating moths in the country of origin being the tropical regions of South America.

Brugmansia are mostly woody trees or shrubs growing to 3-5 metres, with pendulous, trumpet like, flowers.

They come in shades of white, yellow, pink, orange, green, or red.

Flowers may be single, double, or more.

Brugmansia are easily grown in a moist, fertile, well-drained soil, in sun to part shade, in frost-free climates. 

Morning sun is an ideal position for your Angel Trumpet. 

Fertilise with an organic fertiliser during the warm months.

Until recently only a few pale coloured common varieties were available in Australia.

Now plant breeders have dreamed up a whole new range. 

Here’s some to get you started; Aztec Gold with strong lemon yellow flowers and Hot Pink with deep lolly or hot pink flowers and My Clementine with deep golden yellow frilly double flowers. Mmmm, must get that one.  

For lovers of gardening books, Alistair Hay's book "Huanduj" has all the new cultivars.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

This garden series with Garden Designer Peter Nixon, is all about garden challenges thrown at us mostly by nature but also due to a situation in your garden that you might need to fix.Today’s garden challenge is twofold.

Living Fence with Murraya paniculata

 Firstly white cabbage moths can lead to big troubles not just in your veggie patch and secondly; you may have inherited a few things that you don’t necessarily like, in particular that front boundary fence. 

You can change that without it costing too much. 

What about a front living fence:Let’s find out. I'm talking with Peter Nixon, garden designer.

Living fence-Muehlenbeckia and Plumbago. photo M Cannon

For a living fence some of the plant suggestions were Solanum longiflora, Plumbago and Muehlenbeckia, Hibbertia scandens, 

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
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The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

PLANT DOCTOR

Tomatoes are almost the number one plant to grow in the vegetable garden.

Shall we say, botanically a fruit, but we call it a vegetable?

Home grown tomatoes. photo M. Cannon

Last week Plant Doctor looked at the pests that are attracted to your tomatoes, but today we’re looking at the diseases that your tomatoes can succumb to.

Not that you can’t grow healthy plants but in case you’ve had problems and are on the point of giving up, here’s how to deal with some of these diseases.

I'm talking with Steve Falcioni, General Manager of www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au

Some of the disease problems we talked about are the wilts:-Verticillium wilt which prefers cooler conditions and has a dark brown centre if you cut the stem; Fusarium wilt which occurs more in warmer conditions and has a pinky brown centre when you cut through the stem.

Basically you have to pull out and destroy the plants and not put them into the compost because they will the disease will spread.

Then there's the spotty problems like Septoria or Target Spot which are a combination of fungal and bacterial disease. This can cause spotting on both the leaves and the fruit.

You might be starting to think that there’s too many pests and diseases that go for your tomatoes, but don’t let that stop you from growing them, because they are enjoyable to grow.

Prevention where possible is always best and fortnightly sprays of seaweed solution strengthens the cell walls of the plant. 

Blossom end rot is not a disease but a calcium deficiency. Sometimes caused by lack of sufficient water or irregular watering during dry times.

Adding a sprinkle of Dolomite around the plant when first putting them in will help solve this problem.

Blossom end rot. photo M Cannon

Another tip is to not have the plants flopping around but staked up and remove the lower leaves.

The biggest tip is to rotate where you grow your tomato plants rather than planting them in the same spot year after year.

If you’ve only got one dedicated spot for your veggie bed, then you may have to rethink where you put these tomatoes, say in the front garden amongst your perennial flowers.

If you have any questions about pests of tomatoes or have some information to share, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

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

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

PLANT OF THE WEEK

NEW FUCHSIAS

As gardeners, we know that flowers have a season.

Some flowers bloom in Spring, like tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs.

Some flowers bloom in winter, such as Camellias, and Luculia, French Lavender.

Fuchsias photo M Cannon

But then it’s all over for another year.

Would you like a shrubs, even though it’s relatively small, that flowers all year long?

Let’s find out more. I'm talking with the plant panel - Karen Smith editor of Hort Journal, www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, the owner of the Green Gallery Nursery www.thegreengallery.com.au



Jollies Nantes



One of the big tips for any type of Fuchsia, is don't have them sitting around in water because they'll rot; especially young plants.

Two varieties mentioned was Fuchsia ‘electric lights which is a Fuchsia that can be grown in full sun.

It never gets to more than 30cm so it’s perfect for container planting or front of garden borders.

Jollies Tarbies

Jollies Menton

Jollies Fuchsia Line is from the German breeder Brandkamp  who have modernized the familiar range of the famous bedding and balcony plant Fuchsia in the last few years.

The Jollies series are named after French towns: Nantes, Menton and Tarbes.



REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au  and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
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The complete CRN edition of RWG is available on http://www.cpod.org.au/ , just click on 2RRR to find this week’s edition.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

This garden series with Garden Designer Peter Nixon, is all about garden challenges thrown at us mostly by nature but also due to a situation in your garden that you might need to fix.

Today’s garden challenge is for those gardeners that are gardening on alluvial or riparian soil.

Alocasia brisbaniensis

That’s soil that’s a big boggy and occasionally gets inundated with water or even might get flooded.

The soil is without much structure and sometimes when you dig into it, it has a sour smell.

If that’ sounds like your type of garden then listen to what you can do to help your soil and your plants to grow better.

Let’s find out… I'm talking with Peter Nixon, garden designer www.peternixon.com.au

The soil develops that sour smell if it's anaerobic, meaning there's no oxygen in the soil.

You can help by incorporating lots of organic matter.

Find yourself a good local source of organic material to

Ornamental Banana - Ensete ventricosum

improve that soil surface.

Even if you build raised beds that are 30cm high, unless they’re shallow rooted, your plants will eventually have to deal with that not so good soil.

If you want to select plants to suit these growing conditions, planting clump forming bamboo, anything from the Aroid family-Calocasia, Alocasia brisbaneiensis, the Taro group and Musa species or banana plants are suitable to grow in this soil.

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

Most gardeners will know that tomatoes are botanically a fruit, but as we also know, we think of tomatoes as vegetables.

Tomatoes looking great. photo M Cannon

Why is it that we love to grow tomatoes so much?

Probably because store bought tomatoes are somewhat lacking in flavour and they’re relatively easy to germinate and get growing.

But then, unless you have ideal climatic conditions, often you’re tomato plants are besieged with problems.

Let’s find out about how to deal with pests on tomatoes in part 1 of what’s going on with my tomatoes?

Sap suckers can be grouped together: aphids, whitefly and mites. The last 2 tend to live on the underside of the leaf and causes a silvery appearance.

The problem won't go away and unless you treat it, your tomato plants will suffer more.

aphids tend to cluster on the tips of the new shoots and leaves causing leaf distortion.

Spray with eco Oil which is a botanical oil and less harmful to beneficial insects.

Some of the solutions are pretty easy, like when dealing with pests that suck the sap of your plants.

On the other hand fruit fly needs to be tackled early in the growing season; that's back in Spring.

Hang out a fruit fly lure to check when they first start to appear, then begin using Spinosad based spray such as Eco Naturalure.

Garden loopers are easy to pick off if you can spot them. Check amongst your Basil plants, especially if you've planted them near your tomatoes.

Garden loopers could first start on your Basil plants then progress to your tomatoes. photo M Cannon

If you have any questions about pests of tomatoes or have some information to share, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

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.comREALWORLD 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

Ficus carica Edible Figs

Know to Egyptians as the “tree of life,” this fruit tree is small enough to fit most gardens.

Better still these trees ( figs) don’t need  pollination for you to get the fruit.

Let’s find out more. I'm talking with the plant panel;Karen Smith editor of Hort Journal and Jeremy Critchley, the owner of the Green Gallery Nursery, www.thegreengallery.com.au

Figs can be grown in most parts of Australia, as they love a hot, fairly dry climate.

Edible figs grow to around 3m tall and 5m wide but can be larger.

They need a sunny spot because full sun is vital not to mention well-drained soil.

Figs can be planted virtually year-round but, as they are deciduous, so why not wait until in winter, so you can grow your own at that time from a hardwood cutting.

They can also be grown in large containers. Figs are long-lived

Fig trees don't need to be pollinated to develop sweet seedless fruits.

Each species of fig tree has its own specific fig wasps.

Botanical Bite.

Fig fruits are lined with unisexual flowers inside the fruit.

So how do the flowers get pollinated?

We think of figs as fruit but the fig is actually what's scientifically called an infructescence or scion of the tree, known as a false fruit or multiple fruit.



Fig Brown Turyey



At one end of the fig fruit is a small hole or orifice (ostiole) which is easy to see.

In the middle of the fruit is a narrow passage, which allows the specialized fig wasp Blastophaga psenes to enter the fruit and pollinate the flower.

Quite often the wasp loses one or both of its wings on its journey inside the fruit.

Figs fruit should be picked when they are slightly soft to the touch and smelling sweet.  Although according to some fig connoisseurs, pollination produces a more delicious fig with a superior nutty flavor due to the seeds.

Figs will NOT continue to ripen once they have been removed from the tree, so pick them when you need them and handle them with care as they can bruise easily