Gardening Australia – September 2019

76 SEPTEMBER 2019 GARDENING AUSTRALIA

PHOTOS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATSKY, ALAMY, ISTOCK

GROW A WARATAH

Waratahs are renowned for being tricky

o grow, but there are some newer

ybrids that seem to cope with a broader

ange of growing conditions. Several are

rosses between the New South Wales

waratah (Telopea speciosissima, left)

nd either the Tasmanian waratah or

he Gippsland waratah, or both. Popular

ew types include the Shady Lady

eries with fl owers in red, yellow, pink

r white. All waratahs require perfect

rainage so, if there’s any doubt, your

est bet is to grow your plant in a large

ontainer. Feed with a specifi c native

lant fertiliser, and prune immediately

fter fl owering. Mulch with a layer of

ucalyptus leafmould.

Prunefigtrees(above)topromote

newgrowththatbearsfruitinsummer

Sow coloured carrots and astonish

friendswhentheyproducepurple,

yellow,creamandorangeroots

Prune rosemary, and use prunings

tomakeskewersforlambkebabs

(soakthemfirsttoavoidburning)

Plant elephant garlic, a form of

leek,ifyoumissedoutontheearlier

plantingseasonfortruegarlicbulbs

Rejuvenate old, tired citrus by

cuttingbackhardandremovingall

butthemainbranches

Sprinkle dolomite or lime onto

vegiebedsifyoursoiltendstobe

acidic.Ifunsure,buyapHtestkit

Heap fresh animal manures or

mushroom compost for a few weeks

beforeaddingtothesoilorusing

asmulchinthevegiepatch

Twist excess small fruit from

crowded clumps on peaches and

plums,leavingindividualfruitwell

spacedwithroomtodevelop

Harvest nettles and other edible

weeds,suchaspurslane,fromthe

gardentouseinyourcooking

Prune rambling berries such

as loganberry and boysenberry

Make a herb wheel

A herb wheel is a simple and attractive way to grow several herbs in a small

space. Choose a sunny spot not too far from the kitchen, then clear the area and

improve the soil. Run a string line from a central peg to mark a circle representing

the perimeter of the wheel. Decide which material to use to defi ne the sections of

your wheel; bricks and stones are popular, and fl exible to place. If you use straight

pieces of timber, your wheel may have to be designed in a hexagonal or octagonal

shape. Once the dividers and edging material are in place, plant a different type

of herb in each section. At this time of the year, basil, thyme, oregano, dill, chives

and parsley are good choices, but you can experiment with many others.

Edible garden