Coming up

Sophie visits a protea flower farm, Jerry gets tips from an expert orchid grower, Jane tackles citrus gall wasp and Tino shows you how to do a simple test that will help you understand your soil better.

Gardening Australia Weekly Quiz

A) Around 500
B) Around 1000
C) Around 1300
See next week’s newsletter for the answer!

Answer to last week’s quiz question:
Q) What is the most consumed vegetable in Japan?
A) - c) Daikon

DIY Project

Running out of space to grow vegies? Tino demonstrates an easy way to make a cheap vertical garden using a pallet! It’s a simple and fun project to do this weekend and a great way to increase your growing space!

What to plant this weekend

Tropical Climate Zone

• Beans (Climbing and bush)
• Carrots
• Onion
• Potatoes

Subtropical Climate Zone

• Jerusalem artichoke
• Mustard greens
• Parsnip
• Shallots

Arid Climate Zone

• Cauliflower
• Radish
• Shallots
• Sweet potato

Temperate Climate Zone

• Broad beans
• Endive
• Peas/Snow peas
• Radish

Cool Climate Zone

• Asparagus
• Chicory
• Shallots
• Silverbeet

Jobs for the weekend

• It’s not too late to sow spring-flowering sweet peas! Pop in a two-meter trellis and sow seeds direct in a sunny spot. (Against a warm north wall is perfect!) 
• Mid and late season onions can be planted now. Into manure-rich soil, sow seeds in shallow lines, thinning them out to 15cm spacings once they have germinated. 
• Plant growth slows in places where we get cold winters, and when growth slows, nutrient uptake slows, so hold off feeding plants until the warmer spring months kick in.

• In warm temperate areas, Calendulas are winter winners. Excellent at attracting beneficial insects, the showy orange flowers are also edible, and add gorgeous, tasty colour to a salad.
• In pots or plots, sow some fast-growing fenugreek. As a sprout or planted out, this annual herb has a sweet, curry flavour, and is great as a green manure, cover crop or indoor edible.
• Sure, it’s winter, but there is no better time to plan for warm-season edibles. Find a sunny section of garden at your place and start a compost heap for sowing melons and pumpkins come spring.

• ts bare root rose time in the subtropics! There are loads of varieties that cope well with heat and humidity. Why not make contact with your local rose society for their recommendations 
• Grab a hard-bristled broom, some white vinegar and water and clean grubby pavers. Dilute the vinegar one part to ten in a spray bottle, apply to pavers and get scrubbing! Beaut stuff!
• You can have your flowers and eat them too. Sow Cosmos sulphureus now, a tough, self-seeding annual with showy, edible flowers and foliage, perfect in stir-fries...and the garden!