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Gardening Australia 2025 Episode 32

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00:01Ee-!*e- eee!
00:06Hey! Hey!
00:20Hey, buddy.
00:30Hello, and welcome to Gardening Australia.
00:36This week on the show, I'm out on the road
00:38catching up with a friend who's got a project she needs a hand with.
00:43I'm assuming that's me.
00:44I do believe it is.
00:46Well, that is not all that we have in store for you this week.
00:48There is so much on your way.
00:50Here's what's coming up.
00:53I'm checking out a golf club in coastal Adelaide
00:56where, alongside the perfectly manicured tees, greens and fairways,
01:01there's an amazing array of native plants, birds and insects.
01:05Have you had any surprise plants pop up at your place?
01:10Well, I'm going to show you how to take advantage
01:12of the desirable volunteers
01:14and put a stop to the unwelcome guests in your garden.
01:19I'm in an organic food forest near Port Douglas
01:21where two chefs are working with the tropical climate
01:24to grow South East Asian staples.
01:27And we meet a plant collector who's unleashing the dragon.
01:32This tree is so mysterious, not only for me,
01:36but also for botany, for science.
01:44This week, I'm visiting Millie in central Victoria.
01:47And I love it.
01:48Every time I come out here, she's always got a job on the go.
01:52And, yeah, sure, I could have a cuppa,
01:54but it's so much more fun to do something together.
01:58Last time I was here,
01:59we put together this nifty chicken run that doubled as a bench,
02:03which satisfied the chickens but also the visitors.
02:07So I can't wait to see what she's got ready to go this visit.
02:17Millie.
02:18Mate.
02:18Always good to be here.
02:20Oh, great to see you.
02:21Yeah.
02:21Oh, thanks for coming.
02:23Squid's here.
02:24The garden's changed.
02:25Guys, you've done a lot of work since I was last here.
02:27You know, I love a little bit of creative construction
02:30and I've got something for us to work on today.
02:32You up for it?
02:32I'm always up for working together.
02:35So this is the spot.
02:36It is a really nice little position in the garden,
02:40right where the chooks are,
02:41but I've always thought it's quite underused.
02:44I think we need to build a little platform
02:46and I reckon you're just the guy to help me do it.
02:50All right.
02:50I love a task.
02:52So the base is nice and stable.
02:54I've gone nice compacted gravel here
02:56and then we've got a nice soft layer on top.
02:58I've got more.
02:59And I've decided to use these kind of off-the-shelf footings.
03:04It'll go in nice and easy.
03:05It'll be really stable.
03:06And of course, if I ever want to move it
03:08to get a machine in or something,
03:10it can just come straight back up.
03:11There's a little bit of tweaking to get the level right,
03:14but once they're set,
03:16then we just build up the ground.
03:19Now, this isn't an exact science.
03:24Millie's given me a rough layout
03:26of where she feels this needs to be
03:29in terms of the extent of the deck.
03:32And what we've done is just put a string line up
03:34so that we can make sure that the front of the deck
03:38lines up off the wall here
03:41and then we'll do the same here.
03:43We'll run another string across there as we go.
03:46So it's just step by step.
03:48That's going to kick back probably about here, I reckon.
03:50Yep.
03:51I think that'll end up tapering in here
03:53and that'll end up tapering in here
03:54and then that third barrel will go,
03:56kind of running almost up to the base of the glintzes.
03:58To the tree, yeah.
04:00And I think that block needs to sit off the rock wall from memory.
04:03Off? Okay.
04:03Okay, that's good.
04:07It just gives us such a solid sort of platform,
04:10but also it'll drain really well, I hope.
04:17So far, so good.
04:19We're almost there.
04:20A little bit of tweaking
04:20and I reckon we're ready for the bearers.
04:25Now, the timber that I'm going to use
04:27for both the frame and the surface of the deck
04:29is the same stuff.
04:31It's Macrocarpa salvaged windbreak farm trees
04:35cut into a sleeper.
04:36This is 150 millimetres deep
04:38and about 50 millimetres wide,
04:41which means it's a really strong and stable bit of timber.
04:44I've already prepped it
04:46and put a little bit of bitumen paint
04:47on that top edge of the bearer
04:50because I want it to be as weatherproof as possible.
04:53And I've also fixed a few joist hangers,
04:55which means when we get these external ones into place,
04:58we'll easily be able to cut and fit
05:00some of the framework
05:01that's going to reinforce and stabilise our platform.
05:05So I've tried to prep them a little bit.
05:08Once we have the blocks level,
05:09we then add the bearers.
05:11They're the horizontal beams
05:13that sit across the blocks
05:14to support the platform.
05:17That level is nice across there.
05:18Yep.
05:21That's pretty close.
05:22Ooh, happy!
05:22Yeah.
05:28Joist hangers are like a supportive stirrup.
05:32They're screwed into the beams
05:33and hold the joists in place.
05:37I'm just further sealing all the joins
05:40and the top sides with a bitumen paint
05:42because they're going to get a little bit of weather
05:45and they're also going to be the surface
05:46that we're screwing into.
05:47So the more weatherproof it can be,
05:49the longer this will last.
05:50Ready to try on some of our dance floor?
06:00Look at this.
06:01It's beautiful.
06:03Now we need to measure and cut the timber to size
06:07for an easy slide into place.
06:10And each beam is screwed in for stability.
06:13Yeah.
06:13One more.
06:14Can do.
06:15Look at that.
06:17Now these boards are really, really thick
06:19so they're going to be stable in the weather.
06:21But the really important thing to remember
06:23if you're choosing any timber for decking
06:25is it mustn't be too thin.
06:27The basic rule of thumb
06:28is it needs to be maximum four times as wide
06:32as it is thin.
06:33And that means you're reducing any risk
06:35of the board itself warping.
06:39So I've just clamped this end board on here
06:42because that's our fixed point
06:45and from here we're going to work our way back
06:48towards the quince tree.
06:50Now we want to have a gap between these boards
06:54because it's going to expand and contract across the seasons.
06:58That's going to be a good space,
06:59allow lots of air movement underneath the deck
07:02and a bit of movement in the boards.
07:03Nice spacing.
07:19Yeah, I'm happy with the spacing.
07:21The fixing lines, the screw lines are really important
07:24because your eye catches those, you know,
07:26and they've got to be right.
07:28Later in the show we'll be adding some finishing touches
07:31to fully deck out this space.
07:39Why do some fruit trees drop their fruit prematurely?
07:43This could be for a few different reasons,
07:45including that your tree may not be getting enough water consistently.
07:49Your fruit trees also may be inundated with pest or disease,
07:53so always keep an eye and check them thoroughly
07:55and some winter spraying of a fungicide may be helpful.
07:59And finally, it may be that your fruit trees need thinning
08:02of the fruit when they're really young to prevent overcrowding
08:05and this will help them to grow to their tastiest and biggest size.
08:09What makes a succulent plant, well, a succulent?
08:13Well, succulent plants have to capture and use water really efficiently
08:18because they come from really harsh, hot, dry environments originally.
08:22And this one I can actually show you on the leaf, if I pull one off,
08:26this is, look at that, you can see the juice in there,
08:30that's really, that's why it's called a succulent plant
08:33because it does store the water like that.
08:36This is this one here, this is a typical little one,
08:38like little jelly beans all on the stem
08:41and it's called donkey's tails.
08:43That's a very fleshy little plant.
08:44This one is Black Prince, it's an Echeveria,
08:47and this is a Crassula.
08:48So, many different varieties, many different textures and foliage,
08:53they make a great ornamental plant.
08:55Why does compost get hot?
08:57The composting process is driven by bacteria,
09:00breaking down organic matter and heat is generated as a by-product.
09:05When the conditions are right, temperatures can exceed 60 degrees,
09:09which is what you want to break down weed seeds and pathogens.
09:13Now, as a general rule of thumb,
09:14the bigger the pile, the hotter it will get
09:17and the longer it will retain heat.
09:25The incredible thing about local native plants
09:28is that sometimes some of them persist,
09:31even as our cities grow around them.
09:34There's so much biodiversity to be found in unexpected places.
09:39In our next story, Sophie's taken out the nine iron
09:43to find that native plants are thriving
09:46in a place you wouldn't expect.
09:56Now, I'm no golfer,
09:58but I've come to the Glenelg Golf Club in Beachside, Adelaide
10:01to see the work being done here
10:03to transform as much of the course as possible
10:06into important native habitat.
10:09The 49-hectare course is alongside the Adelaide airport
10:14and surrounded by urban development.
10:18But nestled between the fairways and sand bunkers,
10:21there's a home for precious local native plants,
10:24birds and insects.
10:28For the past seven years,
10:30the club's biodiversity manager, Manina Gilbey,
10:33has dedicated herself to transforming
10:36as much of the golf turf as she can
10:38into high-quality native habitat.
10:42When people think of a golf course,
10:44they don't think of biodiversity.
10:46They're not usually linked.
10:47No.
10:48It's really amazing
10:49because people don't think about the contribution
10:51of golf courses to urban biodiversity.
10:54With lots of urban infill,
10:55there aren't many places for animals and plants anymore,
10:59so golf courses are one of the last bastions
11:02of biodiversity in the suburbs.
11:05And so what have you been able to green up?
11:08So we've been doing areas like just in front of the tee,
11:12naturalised rough,
11:13and also some other areas that are out of play.
11:16Is there anywhere that you've got your eyes on?
11:19Well, virtually everywhere.
11:22But you're not allowed to...
11:23Not allowed to go everywhere,
11:24but, yeah, like try and plant around the tees where we can
11:27and, yeah, try and include as much diversity
11:29of plant species as we can.
11:32OK.
11:33Yeah.
11:38Look at these gorgeous golden flowers.
11:41They're absolutely stunning, Sophie.
11:43This is Potolepus jaceoides.
11:45It's an endangered Potolepus on the Adelaide Plains.
11:48Wow, and being a member of the Composite family,
11:50look at all those hundreds of little flowers,
11:53all full of nectar and pollen.
11:54I bet the beneficial bucks love it.
11:56Yes, they do.
11:57I have a photo of two native bees asleep together
12:00in one of the flowers.
12:01Wow.
12:02And I've not seen it before,
12:03so you're reintroducing it?
12:05Yes.
12:05Collecting the seed?
12:06Yes, that's right.
12:07There's been a project in Adelaide to collect the rare seed
12:10and distribute it around the place
12:12so that we can actually have more populations of them.
12:14This is surrounded by Ostrosteipa nodosa,
12:17so local grass.
12:18Not endangered, but lovely anyway.
12:20It's beautiful with the sun behind it.
12:22And there's another Potolepus that's endangered in Adelaide,
12:25which we have here as well,
12:26Potolepus regata varlitoralis.
12:28Currently not in flower, but still lovely.
12:33Wow, look at this.
12:34Yes, this is a rare plant called
12:36Telotus nobilus subspecies angustifolium.
12:39We've been growing this here in the rough for a couple of years.
12:42So it would have been from the Adelaide Plains?
12:44That's correct.
12:45It is starting to sell seed,
12:46and we can now collect the seed
12:47and hopefully start growing more of them.
12:49How exciting.
12:51Yes.
12:51And you've got chocolate lilies,
12:53which are always a favourite,
12:54and mun trees.
12:55And, of course, people know mun trees
12:57as being beautiful for making jams or a bush food.
13:01But look at the seed heads on this lamandra.
13:03I know.
13:03It's beautiful, isn't it?
13:05This was grown from seed
13:06from our remnant plant population here.
13:09And this one's a female,
13:10so they have female and male plants.
13:12Wow.
13:12Really attractive to insects when they're in flower.
13:17This area here, Sophie,
13:18where we've been looking at
13:19critically endangered and rare plants,
13:21this naturalised rough area,
13:22used to be managed turf.
13:24So how did you transform it into what we see today?
13:26So the grass was scraped away,
13:29and then it gave us the opportunity
13:30to plant all of these lovely plants.
13:32How amazing.
13:33So what's the benefit to the golf course to do this?
13:35So far, we've converted
13:37more than 2.5 hectares of managed turf.
13:40into naturalised rough.
13:42Wow.
13:42So this reduces some of our chemical inputs,
13:45our resource inputs,
13:46also our water inputs,
13:48but a great opportunity to increase biodiversity
13:50and plant lots of lovely plants.
13:52Absolutely.
13:52To benefit the birds, bees and butterflies.
13:55Amazing.
13:55That's right.
14:01So how did you come to be here?
14:03Because not every golf course
14:05has a biodiversity officer.
14:06I started here as a vegetation officer,
14:08and then eventually my role became expanded
14:10and I became the biodiversity manager.
14:13So as an environmentalist,
14:15did you get a bit of negative feedback initially?
14:17Yes, exactly.
14:18I had friends that said
14:19that this would be a career-ending move,
14:21but in fact, it's been the opposite,
14:24which is remarkable.
14:25So we have an interesting topography on this course, Sophie.
14:35We have an area that's equal to sea level,
14:38and then we have another area
14:39that's 23 metres above sea level,
14:41meaning we've got different microclimates to plant in.
14:45And what sort of wildlife has your planting attracted?
14:48We have over 344 insect species here
14:51and over 95 bird species.
14:54So having that diversity of insects
14:56means that it attracts microbats
14:58and also some amazing birds.
15:00We have the yellow thornbill,
15:02the yellow rumped thornbill.
15:03We've even had the fairy wrens come and visit,
15:06you know, the splendid fairy wrens,
15:07which is pretty amazing.
15:09Absolutely.
15:09And we also have larger birds,
15:11like birds of prey,
15:12like collared sparrowhawks
15:13and black-shouldered kites.
15:15And then because we've got a lot of watercourses as well,
15:17we have opportunities for waterbirds to come and feed
15:20on crustaceans and frogs and fish.
15:23And what about the grebes?
15:24Oh, we all love the grebes.
15:26All of the golfers talk about them.
15:27So every year they nest on the eighth waterhole
15:30and they have at least three babies, sometimes five.
15:33So it's lovely to see them.
15:35And they're currently breeding at the moment,
15:37which is pretty exciting.
15:38How does it make you feel
15:40to be able to see the creatures happy in a secure habitat?
15:45Yeah, it just makes me feel like we're achieving something here.
15:48It's almost like planted and they will come.
15:51So it shows that what we're doing here
15:52is doing a lot for the environment.
15:55And what about tree species?
15:57We've been removing declared weeds on the property,
16:00so things like tamarisks and swamp oaks,
16:03and replacing them with more appropriate native species,
16:06like this colitrus.
16:07And some of these plants are much better for bird habitat.
16:10So far we've planted over 600 trees.
16:13And what do the golfers think about this transformation?
16:15Initially they were very sceptical
16:17and they couldn't work out
16:18why we were doing such a variety of plants.
16:21But I think now that they see the colour
16:22and they see the variety of insects,
16:24I think they're now on board with the biodiversity.
16:30What do you hope to achieve with what you're doing here?
16:33I hope to change people's misconceptions
16:35about golf courses being a waste of space
16:37or a waste of land
16:38and their status as private land
16:40actually protects the animals and the plants.
16:43If it wasn't for golf courses, Sophie,
16:44this land would probably be industry or housing.
16:49I love the fact that I'm making some sort of change
16:51and I feel like everybody has the chance
16:54to make some change themselves
16:56by planting some indigenous plants in their garden
16:59and all of our small changes can lead to big change.
17:07Oh, blooming marvellous.
17:23The tree waratah, aloxalonflamium.
17:27It's fantastic, even in Latin.
17:30And those red flowers, well, they just demand attention.
17:34It's a rainforest tree from northeast Queensland
17:38where it gets to heights of 30 metres.
17:43This tree is more like 10 metres
17:45and it's doing very well.
17:47In fact, tree waratahs will grow just fine in cooler climates.
17:52This one is just an hour south of Sydney.
17:55What it does need is good drainage,
17:58pretty regular watering
17:59and full sun or light shade.
18:02But it can cope with a range of soils
18:04and even a light frost.
18:07And while it's drawing gasps from passers-by,
18:09it's also providing food and habitat
18:12for native birds, animals and insects.
18:15As a feature tree, it is truly spectacular.
18:19Great for biodiversity
18:20and a stunner in any setting.
18:32When the foliage on a citrus looks like this,
18:39the tree is needing a bit of a helping hand.
18:43Leaves that are yellowing, mottled
18:45and not developing properly
18:47are all symptoms of a trace element deficiency.
18:51Essentially, the tree, in this case,
18:53a Tahitian lime,
18:54is not able to access the nutrients it needs.
18:56Now, this could be for a few reasons.
18:59Poor soil fertility,
19:01root competition
19:02or alkaline soil.
19:04In my case, it's probably all three.
19:06Now, it's not fatal,
19:08but it does stunt growth
19:10and also limit fruit production.
19:12Thankfully, there's a few things we can do to address it.
19:17Firstly, reduce the competition
19:19for nutrients in the soil.
19:21Removing this vigorous alyssum will help.
19:26Secondly, apply an organic flower
19:29and fruit fertiliser around the base.
19:32Like all citrus varieties,
19:34this Tahitian lime is hungry,
19:37so it needs feeding on a regular basis.
19:40And finally, apply trace elements
19:42as a foliar spray
19:44so the plant can take in the nutrients
19:46quickly through the leaves.
19:48A little bit of TLC now
19:49and your citrus trees
19:51will turn around in no time.
19:59Have you ever dreamed of uprooting everything
20:02and moving to the tropics?
20:05Spending your days basking in the warmth
20:07and growing tropical fruit,
20:10herbs and veggies?
20:12Well, Tammy's checking in with two chefs
20:14who have done just that.
20:19My garden is a tropical food forest.
20:27You can just come out and pick and forage from,
20:30and it's abundant with life,
20:31from the soil to the bugs and the birds.
20:34It's a gorgeous place to be.
20:40I'm near Port Douglas
20:41in far north Queensland,
20:43on the edge of Kuku Yulanji
20:45and Yirukanji country.
20:48I'm visiting a large coastal property
20:50where the gardener has learned the importance
20:52of bending to the will
20:53of a sometimes intense tropical climate.
20:58It's just the way it is up here.
20:59You need to grow what grows in the wet
21:02and grow what grows in the dry.
21:05And it's an education in itself,
21:07knowing when to start that time of year
21:11and when to stop and when to start again.
21:13Across one and a half hectares,
21:16friends and business partners,
21:17Rachel Boone and Ben Wallace,
21:19grow and harvest a huge range
21:21of edible tropical Southeast Asian plants.
21:24Almost everything they grow
21:26goes straight into the kitchens
21:27of their two local restaurants.
21:32So, Rachel, you're the main gardener?
21:35I am.
21:36But you're both chefs?
21:37Yes.
21:39But Ben is the main chef.
21:41Yeah.
21:42It was Rachel's dad
21:43who first bought this property 20 years ago
21:45and planted it out with Thai kitchen staples.
21:50So wild.
21:51Like, grass up taller than me.
21:54After he moved back to Thailand,
21:56Rachel decided to move up north
21:58and tend the garden.
21:59I don't do much in this garden.
22:02I say that I am just a guardian
22:03of soil and birds and the ecosystem.
22:06And I just go with the flow
22:08because you have to up here.
22:10It's going to survive if it wants to be here.
22:13And you've got to be at peace
22:14with what grows in the tropics.
22:17And your garden is pretty resilient too.
22:19I mean, Cyclone Jasper came through
22:20and just flattened all the bananas.
22:23Destroyed the lot.
22:26We go through these natural disasters up here
22:28and lots of rain,
22:30lots of dramatic weather systems
22:32and then gardens get completely, like, smashed.
22:35Now we're back.
22:36It's back.
22:37That's amazing.
22:38Like, the amount of growth that has been put on,
22:41like, you'd think it never happened.
22:42Right?
22:43That's the tropics for you.
22:44That's the tropics.
22:46And do you use banana much at the restaurant?
22:48We do.
22:49So we use the leaf for presentation
22:51and the banana bell blossom in salads.
22:55And what about the fruit?
22:56I, the fruit myself,
22:58all the chickens get that tasty snack.
23:04And everything else,
23:05I start the very beginnings of new garden beds
23:08to build the soil.
23:10So I lay down the banana trunk and leaves
23:13and start building that soil up
23:15and protecting that from the dry season.
23:18As in any successful garden,
23:21everything is governed by the seasons.
23:23And here in tropical far north Queensland,
23:26there really are only two.
23:27Dry and wet.
23:30So what is it like gardening in the wet?
23:33It rains every day for months.
23:36Like, hard, heavy, non-stop rain and humidity.
23:41You want to garden from, like, sunrise to 9am.
23:47You've got a three-hour window.
23:48That's it.
23:49Without feeling overwhelmed with heat.
23:52And then you're done for the day.
23:53It's just too hot and rainy.
23:55And, yeah, it's wild.
23:59But during that time,
24:01the garden just does what it wants.
24:04It's a growing food forest.
24:07Like, it is green.
24:08It's lush.
24:09And when you talk about a food forest,
24:11is this what you mean?
24:12It is.
24:13I am using, like, companion planting.
24:15So I've got the moringa tree supporting the passion fruit.
24:18And at the base of the passion fruit,
24:20I have the pandan.
24:21So it's all just working together
24:23and supporting each other's growth.
24:25So now that we're in the dry season,
24:27how has your garden evolved?
24:29I have now just ripped out a lot of, like, the pumpkin from the wet.
24:34And what we want to start doing now
24:36is planting your more Mediterranean.
24:38So you can plant tomatoes
24:40and you can plant cucumber and cucamelon
24:43and companion flowers like marigolds.
24:46And it's time to get in the garden
24:49and grow all these gorgeous dry season things.
24:52All that water and nutrients you're getting from the wet season here
25:00supports the dry season
25:02when you don't get any water.
25:05It, at times, can be quite exhausting,
25:08but it is beautiful.
25:09And without the wet,
25:11then you don't have the gorgeous dry.
25:14You need both to create this ecosystem.
25:18This is gull and gull.
25:31You can split this really easily.
25:33It's a fast-growing plant up here.
25:36I cut these back really harsh
25:37and I use them for mulch or soil building.
25:41And we use the root in our red curry and yellow curry paste
25:45and it's hot and spicy.
25:50So what is it about Thai food
25:52or South East Asian food that you're attracted to?
25:55So for me, it's mainly like the flavour bomb
25:58that you can get from it,
26:00which I feel is not as one-dimensional as Western food.
26:03There's a lot more things going on,
26:05sweet, sour, hot, salty, spicy.
26:08I'm half Thai
26:09and growing up with Thai food,
26:13and we always had a restaurant.
26:15My parents had a restaurant
26:16and we always had a garden.
26:18And I remember, like, my youngest memories
26:21of that garden,
26:22sourcing some of the ingredients
26:24for the restaurants from there.
26:26And that's just continued in my life
26:28and I enjoy it, yeah.
26:31I started my apprenticeship quite young
26:33on the south coast of New South Wales.
26:36I really wanted to move to Europe
26:37to try work in some Michelin star restaurants over there.
26:40So I went to England first
26:42and then over to France
26:44to work in a Michelin place there.
26:46And then after that,
26:47then I was in Sydney
26:49working at various hat restaurants
26:51and then was in Melbourne after that cooking
26:53and now up here, yeah.
26:56I mean, that's a lot of different climates.
26:58Yeah, it is.
26:59Yeah, this is definitely the hottest one.
27:01But is it the favourite one?
27:02It is, yeah, yeah, definitely.
27:04So you guys have two restaurants
27:06and this garden supplies both of them?
27:08Yes, it's a lot of work
27:11but it's so fulfilling.
27:13We're sourcing most of our aromatic herbs,
27:16all of our macrot lime leaf,
27:18lemongrass, beetle leaf, limes...
27:21Currie leaf.
27:22Currie leaf.
27:23The list goes on.
27:27While most chefs would have whole stalks
27:29of lemongrass delivered to their kitchen,
27:31small changes in the way Ben Harvest
27:33ensures a steady supply.
27:34By cutting the lemongrass stalks above ground level
27:38rather than pulling them out completely,
27:40they'll continue to regrow for future harvests.
27:43Ben and I are really great
27:44at observing the change in our garden
27:47and then with that,
27:48we then change our menus.
27:51That's where we share this great connection
27:53of teamwork because I can grow
27:56and he can create.
27:58Thank goodness.
28:01So in the restaurant,
28:02what's something that you're really enjoying
28:04cooking at the moment?
28:05So we're lightly curing some coral trout,
28:08which is a local reef fish from the area.
28:10Then we're using what's in season from the garden.
28:13So at the moment,
28:13we've got fresh rosella,
28:15Thai basil,
28:16lemongrass,
28:17we've got the small
28:18South East Asian Scud chillies,
28:20also using limes from the garden as well.
28:23And so we're kind of mixing that all together
28:25with a chilli sauce
28:26and then just putting it on top of the beetle leaf.
28:28So it's just a flavour bomb.
28:30Oh God, I'm like salivating.
28:34Having the connection with the restaurants
28:36and then having the garden,
28:38I don't think we could do it without the garden.
28:40Yeah, it's pretty good.
28:41Like you can just taste the difference
28:43from like growing stuff organically,
28:45the slow process,
28:46the flavour's just way more intense.
28:48Obviously,
28:50South East Asian food,
28:50Thai food,
28:51that is my favourite.
28:53And to grow those herbs
28:54and the fruit
28:56that go into the food
28:57that we make and create,
29:00that's a special feeling for me
29:02and being up here is awesome.
29:08Still to come on Gardening Australia,
29:11Hannah learns to love legumes.
29:15I help Millie get decked out
29:17and we meet a man with an obsession
29:21for a plant that has no comparison.
29:30One thing I love about gardening is change.
29:34Nothing's constant.
29:35Even in our own little patch,
29:38there's always surprises,
29:39new opportunities
29:40and ongoing arm wrestles.
29:43Jerry knows this better than most.
29:46And after gardening in Brisbane
29:48for more than 20 years,
29:50he's sharing some of the wisdom
29:51he's picked up along the way.
29:56As gardeners,
29:58we strive for picture-perfect continuity,
30:01yet we often forget
30:02how much change is happening.
30:04And this is because
30:06all ecosystems exist
30:08in a state of natural flux.
30:11This is what allows them to survive
30:13and be a part of global ecology,
30:16which means we cannot escape
30:18the natural world in which we garden.
30:21And this includes
30:22the plants that set up shop
30:24without invitation.
30:25Naturally,
30:30not all volunteers in the garden
30:32are welcome.
30:33Weeds can be the bane
30:35of many gardeners' lives,
30:37mine included.
30:38If you know where the weeds come from,
30:40that can help you
30:41turn off the tap.
30:44Underneath this flowering gum
30:45where birds and bats feed
30:47are asparagus fern,
30:50corky passion fruit vine,
30:52celtis and maria.
30:55Knowing that these
30:56are the only places
30:57that I'll find these weeds
30:59in my garden
31:00means that I can reduce
31:02the need to do weeding everywhere.
31:05For me,
31:06weeding this patch
31:07is an all-year-round job,
31:09but weeds can arrive
31:11via a few other surprising pathways
31:13you may not expect.
31:16I was given a packet
31:17of mystery seed
31:18by someone recently.
31:20They said the plant
31:21came from Mexico
31:22and that it made
31:23a nice source.
31:25It turned out to be
31:27Porophyllum ruderal,
31:29commonly known
31:30as Yerba porosa.
31:32Porophyllum ruderal
31:33is also an environmental
31:35and agricultural weed
31:37in Queensland.
31:38By the time it had grown enough
31:40that I could ID it,
31:41I pulled it out
31:42and I haven't stopped.
31:44Have a look.
31:45This one's got seed.
31:47It doesn't taste nice
31:49and it doesn't make
31:50a pleasant source
31:51and what's worse
31:53is this seed
31:54has crumbled off
31:55and sown itself everywhere.
31:57This is a little monster.
32:00Always be sure
32:01what you're about to grow
32:03is from a reliable source
32:04and then you can be certain
32:06what the eventual plant will be.
32:09Once you've identified
32:10a plant like this,
32:12a quick internet search
32:14can tell you
32:15whether it's a keeper
32:16or a threat
32:17and that way
32:18you can avoid opening
32:20an unwanted chapter
32:21in your garden.
32:24New nursery plants
32:25are another way
32:26to pick up unwanted interlopers
32:29and a good way
32:30to avoid this
32:31is to quarantine
32:32any new plant acquisitions.
32:35This is fatua weed
32:37which hitchhiked
32:38to my place
32:39via a nursery plant.
32:40It's a horrid native weed
32:43which I've now been battling
32:44for the past two years.
32:46I recommend removing
32:47the top few centimetres
32:49of potting mix
32:50when you get home
32:51and replacing it
32:52with fresh stuff.
32:53This will remove
32:54any weed seed
32:55lurking in that top layer.
32:58Set it aside
33:00for about a month
33:01on an impervious surface
33:02away from other plants.
33:04Check it regularly
33:05and if anything
33:06rears its ugly head
33:08pull it out.
33:10I give my neighbours
33:14a helping hand
33:15I mow their lawns
33:17and as they say
33:18no good deed
33:19goes unpunished
33:20I'm starting to share
33:22their weed flora.
33:24I now have weeds
33:25in my garden
33:25like this tropical chickweed
33:27that I've never had before.
33:30Weeds in the lawn
33:31have stuck to the underside
33:33of the mower
33:33clinging on for dear life
33:35until they drop off
33:37at my place.
33:38To prevent this
33:39from happening again
33:40I rinse down the mower
33:42before moving it back home.
33:44This involves
33:45flipping it over
33:46and giving the underside
33:47a good spray
33:48with the hose
33:49to wash out
33:49any shredded grass
33:51and weeds
33:51that may be hiding.
33:55One of my most
33:57treasured plants
33:58is my Euphorbia
33:59giraldii.
34:00The common name
34:01is Thornless
34:02Crown of Thorns.
34:04This plant
34:04comes from the northeast
34:06of the island
34:07of Madagascar
34:08and due to pressures
34:10such as land clearing
34:11and farming
34:12its habitat
34:13has been reduced
34:14to two square kilometres
34:16of rainforest
34:17and because of this
34:19it's been declared
34:20as critically endangered
34:21in the wild.
34:23It's never without flowers
34:24and one feature
34:26is these usually
34:27open in pairs.
34:29According to
34:29international records
34:31this beguiling plant
34:32has never been known
34:33to set seed
34:34or to germinate
34:35from seed
34:36in the wild.
34:38Possibly
34:39one of the reasons
34:40why this is
34:41critically endangered
34:42is because
34:43there is a lack
34:44of pollinators
34:45in its natural habitat.
34:47But
34:48here in Brisbane
34:49due to a happy coincidence
34:50of cross-cultural
34:52pollination
34:52it reproduces
34:54by seed.
34:55How do I know?
34:57Wherever I put this plant
34:59stingless bees pop up.
35:01I've noticed
35:01various species
35:02visiting the flowers
35:04and
35:04incredibly
35:05I've found
35:06two volunteer seedlings
35:08in my garden
35:08suggesting the plant
35:10is indeed capable
35:11of setting seed
35:12despite what
35:14the literature says.
35:15Now the next step
35:17is to collect
35:18some of the seed
35:19and I've only
35:20just noticed
35:21for the very first time
35:22this plant
35:23has a fully
35:24developed ovary
35:25and inside the ovary
35:27will be the seed.
35:28These are likely
35:29to burst out
35:31so what I'm going to do
35:32is I'm going to
35:33enclose it
35:34in some pantyhose
35:35to capture those seed.
35:38Now I like using
35:39pantyhose
35:40because it collects
35:41even small seed
35:43and I have no idea
35:44how big these seed
35:45will be.
35:46Plus
35:46if it rains
35:47it will dry out
35:49really quickly
35:49so there's no issue
35:51with mould
35:52and that
35:53sets the scene
35:54for the next chapter
35:55with this cryptic plant.
35:59Almost all plants
36:00fungi,
36:01bacteria,
36:02insects and animals
36:03are where they are today
36:05due to natural movement.
36:07Without it
36:08the earth
36:08would be lifeless.
36:10There's a lot going on
36:12in your own backyard
36:13and there's plenty of plants
36:15willing to do
36:15the hard work for you.
36:17By tapping into this
36:19you can better understand
36:20the natural flux
36:21of life
36:22in your garden.
36:36Another one?
36:38Let's go get some peas.
36:44Check this out.
36:45My broad bean
36:46and pea crops
36:47have been growing
36:48beautifully
36:48over the cooler months
36:49and we're bursting
36:51to flower and crop
36:52as soon as spring arrived.
36:54And even though
36:55it's pretty wet
36:56and misty
36:56here today in Hobart
36:57it's still harvest time.
37:05Green peas
37:05are delicious
37:06straight off the plant.
37:08You can harvest them
37:09when they're pretty young
37:10but nice and full still.
37:12They're so tasty,
37:14crunchy and fresh.
37:15Oh, puppy wants a pea.
37:19My family loves peas
37:21so much
37:22they've actually put
37:22in a second crop here.
37:23These are sugar snap peas,
37:24my personal favourite
37:25but they've been smashed
37:27around by the wind
37:27a fair bit
37:28so I'm coming in
37:29to do some extra planting
37:30here to make sure
37:31there's plenty of peas
37:32to go around.
37:34Like all legumes
37:35they're best grown from seed
37:36so you can directly
37:37sow them into the soil
37:38and soak the seeds
37:40overnight in a cup of water
37:42because it'll help
37:43with germination.
37:43They need good friable soil
37:46with lots of organic matter.
37:48I've already dug in some compost
37:49into this patch.
37:50This helps hold moisture
37:52as they don't like to dry out.
37:54Sow the seeds around 5cm deep
37:57in a sunny spot.
37:58Climbing peas can be spaced
38:00around 15cm apart.
38:02They do need a structure
38:04to climb up.
38:05I use a range of things
38:06including mesh trellises
38:07but also stakes and string.
38:14Broadbeam plants grow tall
38:16and upright.
38:17As soon as they start producing pods
38:18they get top heavy
38:20and need staking
38:20especially if you live
38:22in a windy garden like mine.
38:24Now you can see
38:24I haven't staked mine
38:25but I'll still be harvesting
38:26from them.
38:27You can also get compact varieties
38:29that don't need staking.
38:32Shoots and flowers
38:33can be harvested at any time
38:35but watch out for aphids
38:36as the weather warms up
38:37so pinch out the growing tips
38:39as soon as pods start to form
38:41and that will also direct
38:42the plant's energy
38:43into developing bigger pods.
38:45Tips can be eaten fresh
38:47or steamed
38:47and flowers are great in salads
38:49but if you pick too many flowers
38:52you'll sacrifice pods.
38:53And with broad beans
38:55if you leave them too much longer
38:56the beans will develop
38:57a thick fibrous coat
38:59which can have an unpleasant taste
39:01but you can blanch the mature beans
39:04in hot water
39:04to loosen the coats
39:05then to slip them off.
39:08If you have an abundance
39:09of broad bean pods
39:09you can leave them to mature
39:11and dry on the plants
39:13store the dried seeds
39:14to sow next year
39:15or use them in soups
39:17falafels and hummus.
39:19Yum.
39:20Because diversity
39:21is your best friend
39:22as a gardener
39:23I've also got a few
39:24other kinds of beans
39:25to plant
39:25including the scarlet runner bean
39:27which can perennialise
39:29over seven years or so
39:30plus two different types
39:32of bush beans.
39:34The scarlet runner beans
39:35need their own trellising
39:36so these ones will be planted
39:38at the base of this archway
39:39so they can grow up and over
39:40and when it comes to planting
39:42just follow the same guidelines
39:43as the peas.
39:45Meanwhile, the bush beans
39:46are freestanding
39:48so they can manage
39:48on their own.
39:49these next crops
39:53will be ready to harvest
39:53in the early summer.
39:55Peas and beans
39:56are so versatile
39:57and dead easy to grow
39:59and pretty hassle free
40:00so why not give them a go
40:02for some ample rewards.
40:04Today, I've been helping Millie
40:13create the perfect spot
40:15for an afternoon cuppa
40:17in the garden.
40:18All it needs now
40:19are some finishing touches.
40:22Millie,
40:23what a little feature
40:25this has become.
40:26It looks fantastic.
40:28It's pretty amazing, isn't it?
40:29It's going to be
40:30a very well used
40:31part of the garden
40:32but it is part of the garden
40:34and I think it is
40:35missing something.
40:37I know exactly
40:37where you're heading
40:38because no project
40:39is complete
40:41without one thing.
40:42Plants.
40:43Definitely.
40:44Let's get some in the ground.
40:45Okay.
40:45Okay.
40:45Okay.
40:59So this rosemary
41:01that Millie's chosen here
41:02is a blue lagoon.
41:03It gets these
41:04beautiful blue flowers
41:06but its form
41:07is a bit more prostrate
41:09so it tends to spread
41:10over the ground
41:11and only grow
41:11to about a metre
41:12and when you think
41:13about the position
41:14that she wants it here
41:15it's perfect
41:16because it's going to create
41:17this nice backdrop
41:19for the deck
41:20which reveals
41:21once you come around
41:23behind this.
41:24I reckon it's a perfect choice
41:25for this spot.
41:29Cut it in half
41:33and get two plants
41:35for the price of one.
41:41I haven't grown this before
41:43this is a little
41:44ground cover form
41:46of a salt bush
41:47and I reckon
41:49it is a great one
41:50to try here.
41:51I've actually found plants
41:52are quite happy
41:53growing in gravel
41:53but I am making
41:55little planting pockets
41:56I'm digging out
41:57a little bit of a hole
41:58I'm filling it
41:59with some good quality mix
42:00and then hopefully
42:01this will sort of spread out
42:02from underneath the deck
42:04a little bit like
42:05those crashing waves
42:06under the jetty.
42:14I'm using a few things
42:15I've dug up
42:16this veronica
42:17and little brackers comb
42:19that's doing very well
42:20down the hill
42:21where it's a bit wetter
42:22but I'll be curious
42:23but I'll be curious
42:23to see if it does
42:24as well here.
42:25So I'm continuing
42:27Millie's theme
42:27of the salt bush
42:28running along
42:30the underside
42:31of the deck here
42:32and what's really nice
42:33about that
42:34is that it's going
42:35to get sun
42:35but in effect
42:38this sort of grey
42:39blue green
42:40is kind of like
42:41the water
42:42that Millie
42:43is going to be
42:44sitting above
42:45on her deck.
42:46I like the planning
42:47behind this.
43:05It's looking great
43:06and you know
43:06I've got lots of plants
43:07that I'm testing
43:08as always there
43:09so I'll be excited
43:10to see how they go.
43:12Yeah but there's
43:12one final test.
43:15Let's get a cuppa.
43:17Job well done.
43:21Oh thanks for your help.
43:22It is always so great
43:23to have a bit
43:24of a creative idea
43:25and then have
43:27other skilled hands
43:28give you a hand
43:28to actually
43:29get it on the ground.
43:30I've loved every second
43:32and what a result
43:32and here we are
43:33sitting on the
43:34completed deck
43:35having a cuppa.
43:36My day,
43:37my week is complete.
43:38So good.
43:39I can't wait
43:40to spend time here
43:41just taking it all in.
43:47Some people fall
43:55head over heels
43:56in love
43:57with just one
43:58genus of plant.
44:00That passion
44:01can be so contagious
44:02that you actually
44:04start to see
44:05those plants
44:06through their eyes.
44:08Our next story
44:08is with someone
44:09who's completely
44:11dedicated
44:11to a plant
44:13that has
44:13no comparison.
44:15When I saw
44:24my first
44:24dragon trees
44:25I could not
44:27imagine
44:28that such a tree
44:29could ever exist.
44:32Absolute
44:33stunning
44:33symmetry
44:34of the branches
44:36and orange
44:38berries
44:38and my question
44:40was
44:41what are you
44:42doing here
44:43in this place
44:44and what
44:45is your name?
44:48My name
44:49is Dr. Joe
44:50Kravtchyshen.
44:51I am botanist.
44:53I've been living
44:54in Hoppers Cross
44:55in Melbourne West
44:56for 40 years now.
44:59I spent 30 years
45:00here working
45:02as a high school
45:03teacher
45:03and also teaching
45:04my native Polish
45:06and for 30 years
45:09I'm involved
45:10in growing
45:11and research
45:12in dragon trees.
45:14the dragon trees
45:18evergreen plant
45:20so it looks
45:21like a tree
45:22but botanically
45:24it's not
45:25a real tree
45:26it is more
45:28like grass
45:29or lilies
45:30or cactus
45:31or something
45:33like this
45:33so it's not
45:34a real tree.
45:35the name
45:39of the dragon tree
45:40or dragon blood
45:41tree
45:42comes from
45:43Dracaena
45:44Draco
45:45in ancient
45:47Greek
45:48Dracena
45:49means
45:50female
45:51dragon
45:52there are
45:54three groups
45:55of dragon blood
45:56trees
45:57now
45:58one group
45:59is coming
45:59from the
46:00Canary Islands
46:01another one
46:02from
46:03Cape Verde Islands
46:05and the third one
46:07is from
46:07Morocco
46:08from North Africa
46:09this particular one
46:12is coming
46:13from the
46:13Canary Islands
46:14and those
46:16plants
46:16are the biggest
46:18the largest
46:19the oldest
46:20and the best
46:21known
46:22this particular
46:24tree
46:25is 17
46:26years old
46:28I have been
46:29growing it
46:30from the seed
46:31with time
46:33I have learned
46:34and I got
46:36to realize
46:36that
46:37this tree
46:38is so mysterious
46:39not only for me
46:41but also
46:42for botany
46:43for science
46:44so this is why
46:46I started
46:47to cultivate
46:48my interest
46:50so I started
46:51growing them
46:52then I got
46:54in touch
46:55with prominent
46:56botanists
46:57that have done
46:58some research
46:59in this area
47:00then I went
47:02to the Canary Islands
47:03myself
47:04three times
47:05just to learn
47:06more
47:07how do they grow
47:08in their
47:09native areas
47:11they've got
47:15the bark
47:16that is silver
47:17in color
47:18to reflect
47:19sun
47:19the leaves
47:22are being
47:23covered
47:23with very
47:24thick layer
47:25of wax
47:26like substance
47:27to reflect
47:28extra heat
47:29also
47:30the leaves
47:31are able
47:32to collect
47:33water
47:34direct
47:35to trunk
47:36store
47:37in the trunk
47:37therefore
47:39the trunk
47:40is full
47:41of water
47:42and basically
47:4380%
47:45of weight
47:46of the trunk
47:47comes with
47:48water
47:49like botanic
47:50water
47:50painted
47:51this tree
47:53has originated
47:55from the
47:56Cape Verde
47:57islands
47:58a group of
47:59islands
47:59close to
48:00equator
48:00the typical
48:02things for this
48:03tree is
48:04very large
48:06very wide
48:07crown
48:07and short
48:09trunk
48:10and also
48:11a little bit
48:12shorter leaves
48:13because plant
48:14is growing
48:15in very dry
48:16hot conditions
48:18all year
48:19around
48:20and in
48:21over there
48:21plant can
48:22flower all year
48:24around
48:25botanically
48:26it is called
48:27suspicious
48:28Cabo Verdeana
48:29the plant
48:31in here
48:32is flowering
48:34during springtime
48:35and is having
48:37about 50,000 flowers
48:40and only very
48:41small numbers
48:43of flowers
48:44about 1-2%
48:46would have a chance
48:48to fully develop
48:49to the berries
48:50berries
48:51when mature
48:52they are orange
48:53sweet
48:55sour
48:55bitterly
48:56bit
48:56very tasty
48:58very attractive
49:00to the birds
49:01these high girls
49:04are coming
49:05from Morocco
49:06they are growing
49:08high
49:08in Atlas Mountains
49:11in Moroccan
49:13language
49:14high girls
49:14means
49:15not accessible
49:16so it is very
49:18difficult
49:19to get
49:20into them
49:21and they have
49:23been discovered
49:23by two botanists
49:25one Frenchman
49:26and one person
49:27from Morocco
49:28about 25 years
49:30ago
49:31so very
49:32very recently
49:33it all started
49:38about 30 years
49:40ago
49:40I spotted
49:41this very
49:42very unusual
49:43tree
49:44and had
49:45very nice
49:46orange berries
49:47so it was
49:48just in front
49:49of a dental
49:51clinic
49:51I knocked
49:52the doors
49:53lady came out
49:55and I
49:55introduced myself
49:57tell you
49:57look I'm just
49:58botanist
49:59I like this
50:00tree very much
50:02can I just
50:03grab couple
50:03of berries
50:05they look so
50:05nice
50:06and the lady
50:07told me
50:07okay you can
50:08take them all
50:09so I have
50:10taken about
50:11300 of them
50:12and at home
50:14I started
50:15growing them
50:16later on
50:18I still have
50:19a date
50:20with this tree
50:21so every Sunday
50:22I just look
50:23at it
50:24and one Sunday
50:25I saw
50:26this tree
50:27was chopped
50:28down
50:28I got a
50:29little upset
50:30and I
50:30proposed
50:31him
50:32can I
50:32take
50:33buy all
50:33this
50:34stuff
50:34he told me
50:35okay
50:35you can
50:36take it
50:37for free
50:37at least
50:38I don't
50:38need to
50:39go to
50:39the tip
50:40with it
50:40so this
50:41is how
50:42I have
50:42brought
50:43house
50:43into the
50:44house
50:45here
50:45and
50:46put it
50:47in
50:47at the
50:48back
50:48and
50:49I just
50:50looked at
50:51this
50:51stamp
50:51almost
50:52every day
50:52and from
50:53time to
50:53time
50:54gave it
50:54a hug
50:55because
50:56the dragon
50:57tree
50:58I'm
50:59growing
50:59it
50:59for 30
51:00years
51:00from
51:01the
51:01stump
51:02without
51:03roots
51:04without
51:05branches
51:05each branch
51:09is growing
51:10about
51:10four or five
51:11years
51:12goes to
51:13flowering
51:13rebranches
51:15then
51:16produces
51:17more branches
51:18more flowering
51:19and so on
51:20and therefore
51:21I collect
51:22the berries
51:23and
51:24collect
51:25the seeds
51:26they look
51:26like this
51:27and I
51:28grow them
51:29into
51:30that many
51:31trees
51:32in my
51:32area
51:32now I've
51:34got about
51:35four or five
51:36hundred trees
51:37coming from
51:38this one
51:39they are
51:40different sizes
51:41shapes
51:41and age
51:43they can be
51:45propagated
51:45from cutting
51:46but
51:46if you want
51:47to get
51:48large
51:49number
51:50of plants
51:51you have
51:51to propagate
51:52from the
51:53seeds
51:53if you
51:54are impatient
51:55and have
51:57to have
51:57a big tree
51:58you can
51:59propagate
51:59from the
52:00branch
52:00my
52:03best
52:04ever
52:04experience
52:05with dragon
52:06trees
52:07I had
52:08in the
52:08Canary
52:09Islands
52:10because
52:10over there
52:12they are
52:13the biggest
52:13trees
52:14known
52:14up to
52:15about
52:1520 meters
52:16tall
52:17diameter
52:18about
52:198 meters
52:19and
52:21one of
52:22them
52:22is called
52:22dragon
52:23million
52:24arrow
52:24just like
52:25here
52:26dragon
52:27million
52:27arrow
52:27and
52:28the name
52:29indicates
52:30that
52:30it is
52:31about
52:311,000
52:32years
52:33old
52:33they are
52:34they are
52:34the oldest
52:35traveling
52:36plants
52:38known
52:38their
52:40ancestors
52:40used to
52:42live
52:42soon
52:43after
52:44the
52:44dinosaurs
52:44about
52:46between
52:4760 million
52:48years ago
52:49and
52:502.5 million
52:51years ago
52:52so they are
52:53really
52:54living forces
52:55of great
52:56survival
52:57they are
52:59interesting
53:00also from
53:01this point
53:01of view
53:02how was
53:02it possible
53:03for this
53:04species
53:05to survive
53:06for that
53:06long
53:07so they
53:08can also
53:08give us
53:09advice
53:10on other
53:11survival
53:11it means
53:12that if we
53:13want to
53:14survive
53:14we have
53:15to adapt
53:16to current
53:18changes
53:19whatever
53:19they are
53:20so this
53:21is what
53:21excites me
53:22about
53:23these trees
53:24it's time
53:32to get
53:33that blood
53:34pumping
53:34your jobs
53:35for the
53:36weekend
53:36are here
53:37and they're
53:37waiting
53:38for no
53:39one
53:39in cool
53:45areas
53:45trees can
53:46be assessed
53:47now for
53:47a post
53:48frost
53:48prune
53:49trim
53:50branches
53:50that have
53:50died
53:51in the
53:51frost
53:51to allow
53:52the new
53:53growth
53:53to come
53:53through
53:54it's time
53:55for tomatoes
53:56get them
53:57into fertile
53:58ground
53:58along with
53:59two tablespoons
54:00of potash
54:01before
54:02watering in
54:03feed sprouting
54:05peonies
54:05with high
54:06phosphorus
54:07slow release
54:08pellets
54:08apply it
54:09in a ring
54:10around the
54:11plant
54:11away from
54:12crown
54:13and stems
54:13in warm
54:16areas
54:16spring blooming
54:17anemones
54:18are out
54:18in abundance
54:19and will
54:20love a liquid
54:21fertiliser
54:22lunch
54:22snip off
54:23finish foliage
54:24at the base
54:25as needed
54:26cut back
54:27overgrown
54:28vines
54:28to keep
54:29things under
54:29control
54:30be sure
54:31to wear
54:31eye protection
54:32to avoid
54:32falling twigs
54:33and sap
54:34did you know
54:35purple coneflowers
54:37echinacea purpurea
54:38can be propagated
54:40by root
54:40cuttings
54:41divide with a spade
54:43then replant
54:44in sandy
54:44compost
54:45in subtropical areas
54:48bedding plants
54:49like calendula
54:50can be treated
54:51as short-lived
54:52annuals
54:52at your place
54:53add liquid
54:54fertiliser
54:55throughout the season
54:56and dead head
54:57regularly
54:58looking for a shade
55:00loving cactus
55:01ripsalus
55:02bacchifera
55:03has edible
55:04sweet fruits
55:05that are ready
55:06to harvest now
55:07try your hand
55:09at making
55:09a kokodama ball
55:11check out our website
55:12on how to make
55:13your very own
55:14living ornament
55:15in tropical areas
55:17tuck in
55:18a tassel fern
55:19line a coir
55:21hanging basket
55:21with expanded
55:22clay balls
55:23then pot up
55:24your fern
55:25with an aerated
55:26mix of perlite
55:27and orchid bark
55:28it's cashew season
55:30mulch trees
55:32and keep them
55:33well watered
55:34about one metre
55:35away from the root
55:36zone
55:36fallen fruits
55:38should be left
55:38to dry
55:39before roasting
55:40allow guavas
55:42to ripen on the tree
55:43to develop
55:44their full flavour
55:45they'll want
55:46a heavy prune
55:47after this harvest
55:48to stimulate
55:49the next batch
55:50in arid areas
55:52it's the optimum
55:53time to plant
55:54eggplant
55:55tomatoes
55:56and capsicum
55:57water in
55:58with seaweed solution
55:59to protect
56:00from transplant
56:01shock
56:02plant remain
56:03or cos lettuce
56:0420 centimetres
56:06apart
56:06in a bright
56:07shady spot
56:08with good airflow
56:09harvest the outer
56:11leaves first
56:11for a continuous
56:13supply
56:13divide aloe vera
56:16and repot
56:17into a coarse
56:18free draining
56:18mix
56:19these succulents
56:21love the sun
56:21and if you do too
56:23they'll soothe
56:24your scorched skin
56:25that should get you
56:28grooving in the garden
56:29this weekend
56:30make sure to follow us
56:32on social media
56:33and use
56:34hashtag
56:34ABCmygarden
56:36to show us
56:37how you're growing
56:38well that's all
56:46we could fit in
56:46to this week's show
56:48but we've got
56:49plenty coming your way
56:50next time
56:51check it out
56:52I'm taking the plunge
56:55to check out
56:56this South Hobart
56:57swimming pool
56:58that's been transformed
56:59into a pond
57:00full of aquatic plants
57:02frogs
57:03and insects
57:04there is so much life
57:09down here
57:10I'm learning
57:12how to keep things
57:13neat and tidy
57:14with some heavenly hedging
57:16and we meet
57:18someone living
57:19the Mediterranean dream
57:21you
57:22the wind
57:26you
57:28you
57:29you
57:31you
57:32you
57:32you
57:33you
57:35you
57:37you
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