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00:05Hey.
00:19Hey, buddy.
00:22Hey, buddy.
00:24Hey.
00:33Hello and welcome to Gardening Australia.
00:37The GA team is so happy to be back.
00:41We're ready for another year connecting, growing and sharing with you all.
00:47Today I'm on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula in Victoria
00:51with a group of locals who have turned a vacant veggie patch
00:56into a thriving community hub.
01:00I'll introduce you shortly, but first, here's what else is coming up.
01:06I'm meeting a couple that have created a classic cool climate garden
01:10in the Adelaide Hills.
01:11It's taken them five decades and it's still evolving.
01:15There's a saying in life that the future is now,
01:18and that is no more true than talking about planting
01:21and protecting our beautiful native species.
01:24And today I get to meet an amazing gardener
01:27who is doing both of those things and spreading the word.
01:31We've all heard of a sea change, even a tree change.
01:35But have you heard about a berry change?
01:38Today I'm meeting a couple who've traded suburbia
01:41for a regenerative berry farm.
01:44And we meet a man who's passionate about conserving cockatoos.
02:03I'm on Bunurong Country at Cool Art Wetlands and Homestead,
02:08a large public property on Western Port Bay,
02:13about an hour's drive from Melbourne.
02:15This was once a private family estate,
02:19but now the 35 hectares of gardens, bushland and wetlands
02:26are managed by Parks Victoria.
02:30Not far from the old homestead,
02:32a group of enthusiastic volunteers have poured their energy
02:37into revitalising the historic kitchen garden,
02:40turning it into a communal food-growing area fit for the future.
02:46It's something about this place.
02:48It's just so calm and relaxed, and we just have a great time.
02:54Diane Otto is the president of the Cool Art Community Garden,
02:58and she says it's a pretty easy group to lead.
03:03There's such an atmosphere between everyone,
03:06the energy, the volume of conversation.
03:09We're very good friends.
03:10We've developed deeper friendships.
03:12We go hiking together,
03:13doing all sorts of other things outside the garden as well.
03:16The best part is that there's an enormous mix
03:19because we have at one end
03:21someone with horticultural expertise,
03:23then we have people who've been gardening all their lives
03:26and know lots about it,
03:28and then we have people down the other end
03:30who've come because they really want to learn,
03:31they want to join in,
03:32and they want to learn how to do everything.
03:34So we learn off each other every week.
03:38For me, I just love it.
03:40It's like all my cares disappear.
03:43It is so tranquil here,
03:45and it's nestled in beautifully.
03:47We seem to have perfect weather
03:49every Thursday that we're here,
03:50and it's just, it's a gem.
03:53So there was a garden here originally,
03:56but you've gone along and upgraded the garden beds?
03:59That's right.
04:00It was a herb garden.
04:02I think it was done in the 1980s
04:05where they put down all the bricks,
04:06but because it was low to the ground,
04:08we wanted to make it more accessible
04:10to anyone and everyone,
04:11and we were lucky enough to get a grant,
04:13and the group designed and made all of these wicking beds.
04:17They are brilliant.
04:18It means we don't have to be down here
04:20on a daily basis watering,
04:22particularly when you've got new seedlings planted.
04:25The new group has strategically removed
04:28a few extra bricks from around the raised beds
04:31to create little pockets
04:33for their companion flower plantings to grow.
04:36Such a simple idea,
04:38but really effective,
04:40and it frees up the precious space in the raised beds
04:44for their productive crops.
04:47So I notice you've got some really sound infrastructure.
04:52Yes.
04:53Not something we planned to have at all,
04:56but little four-legged friends came along
04:58and started eating all the produce.
05:00They managed to climb up corrugated iron beds
05:02that are about 800 or 900 high
05:05and eat everything,
05:05so we had to do something quite serious.
05:09And again,
05:10our group engineered and made all these covers
05:12to keep them out.
05:13And I mean,
05:14it makes a big difference
05:15because if people are putting in
05:16all these volunteer hours
05:18and then you turn up and it's shredded.
05:20You come back and find
05:21that all the brassicas have been eaten by rats.
05:24It is devastating, yes.
05:26Now, I notice there's a few beds
05:29outside of the garden.
05:31Is there expansion plans?
05:33There are indeed.
05:34We wanted to grow more produce
05:36and in particular,
05:37we wanted to be able to grow taller produce.
05:39So we needed room for sweet corn,
05:42tall tomatoes, broad beans,
05:44all of those sort of things.
05:46We don't run it like other community gardens.
05:48People don't rent or own a patch.
05:52We all do our own thing.
05:54There's no,
05:55this is what we're doing,
05:56dit, dit, dit,
05:56said by me or anyone else.
05:58People come in and say,
05:59I'd like to plant raspberries.
06:01So they're allowed to.
06:02I'd like to plant potatoes.
06:04Someone wants to try edamame.
06:05So we're allowed to do what we like, really.
06:08And it seems to work really well.
06:11Now, I've noticed
06:12there is a hive of harvesting activity going on.
06:16What's all the produce being picked for?
06:19The majority of the produce we donate
06:22to Western Port Community Support Centre
06:25for those people who need the food.
06:28This week, I'm going along for the ride.
06:35We're heading about 15 minutes down the road
06:38to the coastal town of Hastings,
06:41where another group of volunteers
06:43from the Western Port Community Support Centre
06:46are sorting donations for Fresh Food Tuesday,
06:50a weekly fresh food drive
06:52for people experiencing food insecurity.
06:59Wow.
07:00There's quite a selection here.
07:02Yeah, beautiful capsicum, herbs.
07:05It's great.
07:06Georgie, you're the manager here.
07:08How many people are coming in
07:11and participating in the market
07:14and taking home some fresh produce each week?
07:17So every week,
07:18we're seeing around 100 to 120 people
07:20coming in to pick up fresh produce.
07:23That's the presenting adult.
07:24That goes home to feed children and partners.
07:28So that equates to around 300 people
07:31that we're feeding
07:32just from the one week of fresh food market.
07:35Now, I had the privilege of seeing
07:38all of that beautiful produce being grown
07:41at the Cool Ark Community Garden.
07:44Where is the other produce coming from?
07:47So the bulk of the produce that we give out
07:49comes from our food rescue agencies,
07:52Second Bite and OzHarvest.
07:54And those agencies pick up food
07:56that the supermarkets are no longer willing to sell
07:58but is still perfectly viable for consumption.
08:01So it gets donated to agencies such as ours.
08:05How important are the volunteers
08:08and the community groups
08:11in helping this program exist?
08:14Without the volunteers, we wouldn't have a program.
08:17They're sorting food.
08:19They're unloading trucks.
08:21They're getting it ready.
08:22They're dealing with the clients.
08:23It's crucial that we have our volunteers.
08:25They are key to the program continuing.
08:28What's it like to have the food
08:30grown by the volunteers at Cool Ark?
08:32Oh, it's amazing.
08:34They come in every week.
08:35We have, you know,
08:36two or three crates of beautifully fresh produce.
08:39There's nothing better.
08:40It's basically been picked that morning.
08:42It's wonderful.
08:43And everyone, you know,
08:45who comes in really notices
08:46the stuff that we get from our community partners
08:48and local farms
08:49is always the most popular stuff.
08:52It's super fresh.
08:53How important is this for people?
08:56It is so important.
08:58We've seen the cost of living crisis
09:00has really impacted our local community.
09:03More and more people are coming in every week.
09:05And it's crucial to keeping food on the table
09:07for so many of our families
09:09who are experiencing food insecurity.
09:11Everyone deserves fresh produce
09:13and that's at the heart of the program
09:15and that's why we do what we do
09:17to make sure that we're feeding our local community
09:19and they have access to free, healthy produce.
09:26Coffee, tea, muffins, everybody!
09:28What do you think it means to everyone
09:30to be contributing to community well-being?
09:36Look, I feel really proud about it.
09:38I just think it's a great thing to do.
09:41We all are learning and sharing here,
09:43but to share even further with those we know are in need
09:47makes us all feel pretty good, really.
09:50Community gardens all around the country
09:52play so many roles.
09:55I mean, think about it.
09:56They're knowledge banks.
09:58They're unofficial tea rooms.
10:00They're debrief spaces.
10:02They're a place to grow and sustain
10:05not just ourselves,
10:07but all those people around us.
10:19One of the easiest ways to tell
10:21if you're over-watering your indoor plants
10:23is to check if the soil is too wet or soggy.
10:26When the soil is too damp,
10:27you may see yellowing and wilting leaves.
10:30These are signs that roots may be in trouble.
10:32Plants should never sit in water.
10:34My remedy is to keep plants
10:36in black plastic nursery pots,
10:37which I drop into decorative pots.
10:40That way, I can easily lift them out
10:42to make sure they're not drowning
10:43and also water if necessary.
10:46Plants will need a bit more watering
10:48in the warmer weather
10:49when they're actively growing,
10:51but less in the drier seasons.
10:54Where's the best spot to plant mint in the garden?
10:56Well, it's a really hardy plant.
10:58It'll take full sun to part shade.
11:00It does like regular watering
11:02but can also take dry conditions.
11:04It'll always bounce back.
11:05The most important thing is
11:06don't plant it in your garden beds.
11:09Have a look at this.
11:10Somehow, some got in there
11:11and I'm still battling to get it out.
11:14The best thing to do is plant it in a container
11:16or a pot well off the ground
11:18and that way it's safe and contained
11:21and it won't get away from you.
11:23Are snails native to Australia?
11:26There's about 65 species
11:28of freshwater and land snails and slugs
11:31which have been introduced into Australia
11:33and only a few of these have become pests.
11:36The common garden snail is the most common of the whole lot
11:41and they were introduced from the Mediterranean
11:43about 120 years ago.
11:46And interestingly, it doesn't occur in my garden
11:48because I don't have enough lime in my soil
11:51for them to form their shells.
11:53But I do have three other introduced species
11:56that keep me busy.
11:57There's at least a thousand known native snails in Australia.
12:02They're part of our natural inheritance
12:05and there's probably two or three times more
12:08waiting to be formally described.
12:11In the wild, they're recyclers.
12:13They help to make compost
12:15so they're a virtue and not a vice.
12:23Cool climate gardens can really stop you in your tracks
12:27when they're done well.
12:29Sophie's found a classic with an old school plant
12:33whose flowers have never really gone out of fashion.
12:46So often, gardens come to life through trial and error
12:49like this beautiful backyard haven in Stirling
12:52in the Adelaide Hills
12:53which has been five decades in the making.
12:58The garden has evolved with many makeovers
13:00and lessons learned along the way
13:02by Jenny and Ted Zietz.
13:05So how did you go about setting up the garden?
13:08Very haphazard.
13:09We just planted things wherever we saw a spot.
13:12It went from there.
13:14But hydrangeas definitely take center stage.
13:16Yes.
13:17Why is that?
13:18Mainly because we had so much shade to start with
13:20and they're easy to grow.
13:22So you've propagated them?
13:24Yes, yes.
13:25Almost all of them.
13:27Have you ever counted how many you've got?
13:29No, no.
13:31I'd started once
13:31but I didn't bother after about 100 or so, 200.
13:35Wow.
13:38There's an assortment of large established trees
13:42densely underplanted with shrubbery and ferns
13:44creating a lovely cooling and calm space.
13:48You've created this from scratch.
13:51That must have been a lot of work.
13:54But don't forget that's over 50 odd years.
13:57Yes.
13:57But it was a lot of work.
13:59Yes.
13:59So what was here when you came here?
14:01Nothing.
14:02Literally nothing.
14:03There were a couple of bushes.
14:05We thought they were bushes
14:06and they grew into huge basket willows.
14:09They started by planting lots of large native trees
14:12that were all the rage in the 70s.
14:15We always thought big is best
14:17and so we planted so many big trees
14:22but not the right sorts of course.
14:24We had them all through the garden
14:26where it was too wet for them.
14:28Then they'd fall over.
14:29Fell over.
14:29So that's been our problem.
14:31We just lurched from one thing to another.
14:35Eventually we cut most of them down.
14:36We were just so naive
14:38and we just fell into it really
14:40and then we had to deal with it.
14:43Had no choice.
14:45But I don't know what I'd do differently now.
14:49I think I'd buy a smaller block.
14:51LAUGHTER
15:00Now we're at the bottom of a valley.
15:02Was that a problem?
15:04Yes.
15:05LAUGHTER
15:06The water.
15:07We're at the bottom of the water table really
15:10and all the little creeks running and collecting
15:13and it was a marsh.
15:14So it was a bog.
15:15So how did you go about starting to transform it
15:18into what we see today?
15:21Digging channels?
15:22We rolled up the grass and then dug channels
15:24all the way down to this lower area
15:26and it just drained over one summer really.
15:30And the plants that we're looking at
15:32that look spectacular at the moment are hydrangeas.
15:35Yes.
15:36Did you always love them or was it just they'll grow?
15:39They'll grow.
15:40Wow!
15:41LAUGHTER
15:42Well, I discovered they grew pretty easily
15:44and we had so much shade.
15:46They didn't take much water then
15:47because there was so much water underground.
15:49Now, of course, it's different.
15:51Now they'd require water, water, water constantly.
15:54So it's gone from being boggy...
15:56Yes.
15:56..and now it's actually dry.
15:58Dry, yes.
16:00Too dry.
16:01Yes.
16:01So, yes, now we have to bring water in.
16:06Jenny and Ted were school teachers
16:08but retirement means more time in the garden.
16:12While Jenny's the main gardener,
16:14Ted has played a huge part in landscaping and building.
16:19Now, I'm seeing lots of rocks and edging and all that.
16:23How did that come in?
16:25By hand.
16:26LAUGHTER
16:28We did everything on the cheap, really, I suppose,
16:30at the beginning because we didn't have a lot of money.
16:33Hmm.
16:33So we chose the cheapest option, the easiest option
16:36and that became really what we did right throughout.
16:41And I am a cheapskate.
16:43That's why we did it on the cheap.
16:44LAUGHTER
16:50Now, you've got so many hydrangeas
16:53but you've also got different types here.
16:55Yes, we have.
16:56I've got the mop heads, the double.
16:59I've got the Japanese type.
17:01I love those.
17:02They're in the garden I grew up with.
17:03I'm very fond of them.
17:05So they have that sort of rolled lip on the edge of the petal
17:08and to me their petals are a little bit more leathery
17:10and they last better as a cut flower.
17:13Yes.
17:14Paniculata.
17:15And lace caps too, I think.
17:16And lace caps, yes, that's right, yes.
17:18And what's your favourite?
17:20Oh, the mop heads.
17:21I mean, that is ginormous.
17:23It's almost hat size.
17:25Yes, yes, I have quite a few big ones now.
17:30After the sea of blue hydrangeas,
17:33now I see this beautiful drift of pinks.
17:36Yes, it's unusual that I've had such a change in colour this year.
17:41Really?
17:41So they're usually all...
17:43Pink.
17:44Wow.
17:45And a lot stronger pink too, more along these lines,
17:48whereas they're a little bit pale this year.
17:50Okay, so they're pink in alkaline soil and blue in acid soil.
17:55So we'd have to presume that because it's been a dry year
17:59and the blue ones are growing under the cypress,
18:01that's affecting the pH.
18:03I think you're probably right.
18:04But see, I love also, as the hydrangea flower ages,
18:07it gets that greenish hue,
18:10which I particularly like,
18:12but I don't think it's your favourite.
18:13No, no, normally I'd be deadheading that in a flash.
18:17Because then it shows up all the other colours, you see.
18:19Cut it off.
18:21Mulch it.
18:22Well, see, I think that colour in a vase looks beautiful.
18:25It's got this beautiful aged patina to it.
18:27Okay.
18:28She's not commenced.
18:30Well, we go in and she'll be cutting them off.
18:35Now, there are many different opinions
18:36on how and when you should prune your hydrangeas.
18:39Some people do it in autumn, some in late winter.
18:42When do you do yours?
18:43I do mine mainly in late August, even into September,
18:48and I prune the non-flowering stalks lightly,
18:53down to the third double bud from the top,
18:56and the flowering ones, I go right down to the bottom,
18:59the bottom double,
19:00or maybe sometimes the second double from the bottom.
19:03Wow.
19:04Well, it obviously works.
19:06Mostly.
19:14But it's not only hydrangeas.
19:16There's camellias, hellebores, Japanese windflowers.
19:20Hostas.
19:21Oh, yes, they must be gorgeous.
19:22Yes, they are.
19:24Not so much the flowers, of course.
19:26No.
19:26Just the leaves, but I like those, yes.
19:29And you've even got amazing bromeliads.
19:31Yes, I love bromeliads.
19:32They're very easy to propagate.
19:34Break a bit off and stick them in the ground and they go.
19:39I can actually look at it now and be pleased,
19:42whereas once upon a time I'd come down and think,
19:44oh, that's got to be done, there's work there,
19:46I've got to fill that space.
19:47But now I can actually appreciate it
19:49and that makes me feel really good.
19:51I don't think about it.
19:53I just accept it as it is and I like it
19:57and that's about as far as I would go, I guess.
20:14Frangipanis are so hot right now
20:16and they come in a range of colours.
20:18But the ones I'm really interested in
20:20are the dwarf frangipanis.
20:22They're perfect for pots
20:23and you can create a great look
20:25by dressing them up with some colourful ground covers.
20:32Of all the frangipanis available,
20:34there are only a few true dwarf varieties
20:36that are small in size.
20:37A dwarf frangipanis grows to about two metres,
20:40unlike the five to eight metre giants
20:42you see growing out in gardens on the street.
20:45Dwarf frangipanis have small root systems,
20:47making them perfect for pots.
20:49And like all frangipanis, they're sun lovers.
20:52So they're happy on a north-facing balcony
20:54or in a sunny courtyard.
20:57I'm planting up the frangipanis
20:59with some colourful ground covers.
21:01So I'll need to start with a decent sized pot,
21:03at least 40 centimetres.
21:05This one's also lightweight
21:06so I can move it around easily.
21:08A couple of dwarf varieties
21:10that you can find at your local nursery include
21:12Lulu, Petite Pink, Petite White
21:16and Everlasting Love.
21:19I'm using a succulent and cactus mix
21:21because frangipanis are kind of like succulents
21:24with their thick, fleshy stems.
21:26They also come from the coastal tropics of Mexico
21:29so they're used to growing in sandy soils.
21:34Now that I've got enough potty mix,
21:35it's time to pop my frangipanis in its pot.
21:43When choosing plants to go with your frangipanis,
21:46look for plants with similar needs
21:48and you'll get a better result.
21:52Any succulent that loves the sun will do.
21:55I've chosen Portulaca, also known as sun jewels.
21:59They have bright tropical colours
22:01that will hang over the pot
22:02and flower at the same time.
22:05Now I'm adding Tradescantia,
22:07also known as spiderwort.
22:09This Tradescantia would add that little extra sparkle
22:12and it's got a really interesting leaf form.
22:16The good news is that these plants
22:18have the same feeding regime
22:19and will do well with a controlled release fertiliser.
22:25A dream tropical combo featuring a dwarf frangipani.
22:28They are long-lived small trees
22:30and they are perfect in pots
22:31and love sunny spots.
22:33Yep, frangipanis are so hot right now.
22:45One of the real privileges of this job
22:48is travelling around the country
22:50and seeing what people get out of the show.
22:53The little tips or the big aspirations
22:57that they pick up and take with them
23:00on their gardening journey.
23:02Millie's visiting an avid Gardening Australia viewer in WA
23:06who's flying the flag just about as high as it gets
23:11for the next generation.
23:13When you think of escopees,
23:14you probably wouldn't think about plants,
23:16but some plants are escopees.
23:18I'm talking about weeds.
23:20It's always so exciting
23:21to see new people embrace gardening
23:24and many of the next generation of Green Thumbs
23:27are also pretty good
23:28at documenting their gardening talents.
23:31Breaking news, I'm here with an escopee.
23:33What have you got to say?
23:35This is Millie Rose.
23:38And my name is Millie Ross.
23:40It's uncanny, isn't it?
23:41And I knew it was so special
23:43that the next time I was in my hometown,
23:45I had to pop in for a visit.
23:48We first met at the Kalamunda Garden Show,
23:50but today I'm on Millie's turf
23:52to find out a little bit more
23:54about her gardening and presenting journey.
23:56Millie!
23:56Oh, hey, Millie!
23:57How are you?
23:58Oh, I'm so good!
23:59Is this the garden you've been making all the videos about?
24:01Yes, so this is my nan's garden,
24:02which I've actually rewilded into a native garden.
24:05Wow!
24:06Oh, I love this hibiscus.
24:07Yes, that's a cottonwood hibiscus
24:09and then an exotic one as well.
24:11What's happening here?
24:12This is Eremophila crazy mac.
24:13They've got lots and lots of pink flowers.
24:16And then down here,
24:17we've got a Leshenaltia biloba,
24:18which I got inspired to plant
24:20because of Shannon Murphy
24:21from the Kings Park Gardening Australia story.
24:25Right.
24:25So then I was determined to plant one
24:27and see if it would survive,
24:28and it's absolutely thriving.
24:29It's got flowers everywhere.
24:31That colour is just like the sky.
24:33Yes!
24:34Blue is very rare in nature,
24:35which is why it makes it even more special.
24:37Let's go and have a look down the back.
24:39OK.
24:42So here is the birdbath.
24:43The birds actually weren't very attracted to it,
24:46but then we realised the birds needed a restaurant,
24:48so we decided to plant some local native plants
24:51around the birdbath.
24:53So over here,
24:54this is a beautiful Grevillea John Evans,
24:56Connor Stylis Kandikens,
24:59Grevillea Molly,
25:01Paterburgia violacea.
25:03Here's a Grevillea gin gin gem.
25:04That's beautiful.
25:06Yes!
25:06It was a tiny little tube stock when we first got it.
25:10We actually got it from a council free trees event,
25:12and then we just gingerly planted this little tube stock,
25:15and then it was just like...
25:17And when you put in the restaurant,
25:20did that mean the birds started to come to the bath?
25:22Definitely.
25:22We've been seeing all kinds of birds,
25:24like wattlebirds,
25:25willy-wag tails,
25:27all sorts of different birds
25:28attracted to the birdbath
25:30and sucking nectar out of the Grevillea.
25:33Is it rolling?
25:34Yeah.
25:36Millie's a Gardening Australia purist,
25:38but she does tell me she doesn't love the music.
25:41So, for her story,
25:43she's putting me straight to work.
25:45What's all of this stuff?
25:46Like, you're making videos,
25:47but what, are we going to mulch a garden bed here?
25:49No, so these things are here,
25:51so you can do foley,
25:53which is, like, sound effects.
25:54So then we can do this
25:56to kind of create a library of sounds
25:57that we could use
25:58for this Gardening Australia segment.
26:00All right.
26:11What is this?
26:12This is my Uncle's Seed collection.
26:14Oh.
26:15Good sounds?
26:15Yes, definitely.
26:16So I was thinking maybe brassicas?
26:20Oh, yeah.
26:21They rattle?
26:22Yes.
26:35So in here,
26:36this was a neglected patch.
26:38We thought this could be more real estate for some natives,
26:41so this is a beautiful Grevillea spirit of Anzac.
26:44I love its colours and the texture of its leaves.
26:47Oh, this has got a good species name.
26:49Califeminis hirsutis.
26:52Costa hirsutis?
26:52Do you know what hirsutis might mean?
26:54What?
26:54Hairy!
26:55Oh, my gosh!
26:56Has it just fallen?
26:57Oh, yes, it does look like cosmet.
27:02I just planted the Eremophila nivea.
27:04I made a little well around the plant
27:07so that it kind of captures the water.
27:09So now I'm going to plant this Myoporum parvifolium.
27:13Now let's plant him.
27:16Hey, Millie, I hear that your love of gardening
27:18has grown well outside your grandmother's garden.
27:20Yes, definitely.
27:22I actually joined the Friends of Lake Weller.
27:24I've been coming down on the third Saturday of every month,
27:27watering, weeding and planting and other things as well.
27:31And why did you start making videos?
27:33Well, I've kind of been making videos
27:35ever since I was a very little kid.
27:36I got inspired by shows such as BTN and Gardening Australia
27:40and David Attenborough and lots of conservation shows.
27:43And then I got an action camera.
27:45Yes!
27:46And it's really kind of accelerated my filmmaking.
27:54So we've got them all in the ground.
27:56What do we need to do now?
27:57OK, so I need to do something.
27:59What?
28:00The Josh Byrne effect.
28:01What?
28:02So, um, Josh Byrne, um, I've noticed in lots of his stories
28:06he puts the camera on, on the ground
28:08and then, like, either, like, waters the camera.
28:22And I've been doing that in lots and lots of my videos,
28:24so I thought, why not do one right now?
28:26You're talking about a camera manoeuvre,
28:28not a planting manoeuvre.
28:30Yes!
28:31I love it.
28:31All right, let's go.
28:32Show me how it's done.
28:33So I put my action camera down on, next to the plant
28:37and then I water it.
28:38It's waterproof, by the way.
28:40You'd want to hope so.
28:45Millie's videos have been a great platform
28:47for encouraging others to support a project
28:49that's been instrumental in restoring
28:51and revegetating a local bushland area.
28:56Oh, how beautiful is this, Millie?
28:59Yes, this is a beautiful anegosanthus specimen
29:01or red and green kangaroo pork.
29:03It's iconic, isn't it?
29:04Yes, it's like one of the symbols of Australia.
29:07Right, I can see them all the way up through the bush
29:08and lots of other things here.
29:10Yes, like there's eucalyptus and hard and burges
29:12and canettias and all sorts of different species
29:15because they're revegetating the local bushland
29:17and bringing it back to its glory.
29:19And what do you do to look after these plants?
29:21So we do three main things at the Bushcare Mornings.
29:24We do watering, weeding and planting.
29:26And then this year we planted 1,500 native plants.
29:29Wow.
29:30Yes.
29:31That must feel good.
29:33Yes.
29:33And it's the only spray-free site in the reserve
29:35so that means that there's lots of weeding needs to be done.
29:38Well, I'm happy to give you a hand.
29:41Oh, yeah, let's get weeding.
29:43Let's do it.
29:47What do you like about being part of that big group of gardeners?
29:51It's really satisfying.
29:52I have actually made a change, like I have planted a plant
29:56and I've helped to revegetate this patch of bushland.
30:00You're into plants, you're into science.
30:03Yeah.
30:03And you're into conservation.
30:04And filmmaking.
30:05And filmmaking.
30:06Why does it matter?
30:08Firstly, science communication is very important
30:10because we need to educate the public
30:12and the work the friends are doing benefits the wildlife
30:15and the whole ecosystem and as well as humans
30:19because we're very reliant on the environment for survival.
30:21It's true, isn't it?
30:23Yes.
30:23And it's pretty good fun.
30:25Yes, definitely.
30:28Being part of the Gardening Australia family is such a privilege.
30:33We get to share the stories of so many amazing people.
30:37And spending today with Millie has filled me with so much excitement
30:42for all of those voices that we're yet to hear.
30:45I reckon our future is green.
30:49Still to come on Gardening Australia,
30:52Jerry's creating life from dust.
30:56We meet a Carnaby's crusader.
30:59And we get you working on the jobs for the weekend.
31:10Imagine spending your days on a regenerative berry farm in Tassie,
31:15surrounded by the literal fruits of your labour.
31:19Sounds like a little slice of heaven to me.
31:22And Hannah is checking it out.
31:37Today, I'm taking you for a look around a beautiful farm in Hobart's north,
31:42where they're combining two of my favourite things,
31:44caring for the land and berries.
31:50And I've timed my visit perfectly, because blueberry season is on.
31:57So in Tasmania, we grow cool climate berries,
32:00so they're called Canadian highbush berries.
32:02They're deciduous, whereas a lot of the ones in the mainland would be evergreens.
32:06And our berries need what's called chill hours,
32:09so our berries need up to 700 chill hours to get good fruit set,
32:13which means very low temperatures across winter.
32:15At this time of the year, casual workers are busy harvesting blueberries.
32:19And farm owners David and Catherine make the most of the long day-low hours too,
32:25scaling back their day jobs in allied health,
32:27so they can focus on the farm while it's at its peak.
32:32So have you folks always been berry farmers?
32:35We haven't.
32:37So we had a quarter-acre block at Glenorchy,
32:40so we had Veggie Garden and the chickens there,
32:42and then we were looking to expand a little bit and get some acreage,
32:46but ideally close to town for our other jobs.
32:49And then in our research, we found a blueberry farm
32:52and got a little bit excited at the possibilities.
32:56They decided to take the massive plunge
32:58and purchase the 18-acre farm around six years ago.
33:02Was it a steep learning curve taking on a farm like this?
33:06Yes, very steep.
33:08Yeah, yeah, it's like shooting for the moon.
33:10No, it is very steep and the lining's continuous, yeah,
33:13and you do the foundations by mistakes, I think, trial and error.
33:18What do you love about growing berries?
33:20I like the smoothies in the morning.
33:24Half a kilo at a time, yeah, so it's good.
33:27With a clear taste for them,
33:29David is well qualified to show me how to pick the perfect blueberry.
33:34On this side, we've got the Brigitte's,
33:37and on the other side, we've got the Elliot's.
33:39Elliot's, OK.
33:41If you take one, the Elliot's are...
33:43I'll try one, yeah.
33:43The Elliot's are quite tarty.
33:45I find them tarty.
33:46Some people love them, call them sweet.
33:48Yeah, I find them tarty.
33:49Yeah, definitely got that edge, don't they?
33:51I love it.
33:52Beautiful.
33:53Oh, should I try this one now?
33:54Oh, yeah, yeah, have a go.
33:56Have a pick.
33:58Yeah.
33:59It's like, pow, love it, love it, yes.
34:01And the other...
34:02I'll have another one.
34:03And the other secret is when you do and you pick your own,
34:07they go blue,
34:08then it's two weeks before the sugars come through.
34:10Yeah, so you have to wait.
34:12Like, don't trust your eyes.
34:14Don't trust your eyes.
34:15Trust your taste buds.
34:16You actually pick them and you taste them.
34:18And if you like them, you keep on picking.
34:20If you don't, you move on.
34:21OK, I'll just take one more for the right.
34:24Now, do you have any favourite picking techniques?
34:27Oh, look, why don't we have a look over here?
34:29Yeah.
34:29This is Elliot.
34:32Look, there's two things about this bush.
34:35Yeah.
34:35So what we do, the first pick that we do is a selected pick.
34:39So what you do, you find the biggest, bluest berry that you can
34:41and you pick it.
34:42You taste it, then you put it in your bucket.
34:44So just one by one.
34:45One by one.
34:46You might get two blueberries a bunch, but later on in the season
34:49when they're all blue, say, once again, you hold it
34:52and you tickle the berries.
34:53Yeah.
34:54And then what will happen is the right ones will fall.
34:56Great.
34:56So you're not pulling.
34:58You're just, like, giving it gentle little tickle.
35:00Gentle little tickle.
35:00Nice.
35:01And the only thing that you've got to watch out for in our bushes
35:04are the frogs.
35:05Oh, the little frogs.
35:07That's a wonderful thing to have to look out for.
35:11I reckon having frogs around the farm is a big deal.
35:15And the biodiversity here is something Catherine says
35:17they've worked hard to create.
35:19So we've wandered down some different paths with that
35:22and we've settled on calling it a regenerative agriculture approach,
35:25which is soil first, basically,
35:27looking after that soil microbiology,
35:30trying to build the life under the soil
35:33as well as biodiversity in the field as well.
35:36Because some people might look at this and go,
35:38look, it's a monoculture of blueberries,
35:40but if you look closer, it's actually incredibly diverse
35:43in terms of the plants that you're growing here,
35:45but also around the farm.
35:47Yes.
35:47Yeah.
35:47And that's all part of it is biodiversity,
35:50which then brings in biodiversity of animals.
35:52So we do, when we bring people in for pick your own,
35:55I'll say that it might look messy to some people,
35:58but that's what we want to see is lots of different things.
36:01And then we see different pollinators,
36:03different bugs, different frogs, different birds.
36:12What do you love about working here?
36:14I love bluebirds.
36:17That's number one.
36:18One of the farmhands, Dylan,
36:20has become a champion for native wildlife on the farm,
36:24documenting species that visit
36:26and planning ways to increase diversity.
36:29Hey, Dylan, how did you come to be working at this berry farm?
36:33I did picking for about a month
36:35and I found out that wasn't my thing.
36:37So I went to TAFE and did all the relevant things
36:40and I'm back here kind of dealing with plants.
36:44After learning about native seed saving,
36:46Dylan's role has now evolved to include propagating seeds
36:49from the remnant bushland around the edges of the property.
36:53So we have a variety of eucalypts here.
36:55We have one that is down at the end of the driveway,
36:58which is eucalyptus cordata,
37:00which is nearing its way to the endangered list,
37:02currently listed as threatened.
37:04So we're hoping to collect seed, propagate that
37:07and spread it a bit more
37:09and hopefully bring it back from that line.
37:11And then we have the more general sort of eucalypts
37:14just to kind of bring back
37:15some of the diversity that was out there.
37:18This is all part of increasing biodiversity
37:21and the whole ecosystem health for the farm.
37:24Yeah, so it kind of helps giving a home for our moths
37:27and all them type of things outside the netting
37:29so they can help us inside the netting.
37:31I definitely think that's the way farming should be heading,
37:34to kind of look after the land
37:35instead of kind of bend it to what we want.
37:44What kind of practical things, when you say soil first,
37:47like you came into a working farm,
37:49did you have to make some really big changes?
37:51We did, yeah.
37:52So this farm was managed what we would call conventionally.
37:55So it was sprayed with weed killers
37:58every couple of weeks at this time of year.
38:00There was a bare patch of soil
38:01probably about that wide along each row
38:04where just nothing grew.
38:05That was dead because of the weed killer.
38:07So the principles that we operate it by
38:09are having living things in every bit of soil,
38:12having the mulch, which helps with the water retention
38:15so we don't have to water as much.
38:16So having mulch cover, having living cover.
38:19So you can see we've got some clover here.
38:22And we're chemical free, which means for us
38:24we don't use any herbicides or pesticides or fungicides,
38:28even organic ones.
38:29So if you use organic herbicides,
38:31it still kills that microbiology in the soil,
38:33even temporarily.
38:35So we choose not to use any.
38:37Spray free, chemical free.
38:38And do you have to feed these blueberry bushes at all?
38:41We do.
38:42So we use organic fertilisers.
38:44David does that through the irrigation system.
38:47But we're doing less and less and less of that.
38:49And less water.
38:50We're using less water too.
38:51So it's significantly less this year
38:54than what it would have been four years ago.
38:55Yeah, five years ago.
38:57Production of fertilisers isn't good for the planet.
38:59So the less reliant we are on that,
39:01and that's that resilience, that system resilience.
39:03We don't need fertiliser because, look, we can do it ourselves.
39:06Healthy soil, where you've got all that rich life underneath,
39:10it's amazing what it does for us.
39:12Yeah, the saying, healthy soil equals healthy plants
39:14equals healthy humans.
39:16Healthy humans, yeah.
39:17It's directly licked.
39:26Furns.
39:27They're one of those groups of plants
39:29you can easily get carried away with.
39:32And I should know,
39:33because I've had to grow at plenty of them in my time
39:36and I've killed more than my fair share.
39:39Now, this next story I'm very excited about
39:42because Gerry's going to show us
39:44how we can all grow our fern collection
39:48that little bit more.
39:49And, you know, a little bit of fresh rainwater,
39:53they love it.
39:57Who doesn't love a fern?
40:00These foliage plants offer a soft, delicate touch of green
40:04and can thrive in a variety of environments,
40:07from cool, damp, shady corners to bright, sunny spots.
40:12We have more than 400 species in Australia,
40:15including some iconic, world-famous plants
40:18like tree ferns, maidenhair, bird's nest,
40:23elkhorn, fishbone and rabbit's foot.
40:26You name it.
40:29Propagating ferns from spores
40:31is an inexpensive way of producing masses of plants
40:35for very little effort,
40:37as long as you know what to do
40:39and you have a little patience.
40:42Firstly, you have to identify the fern
40:45and collect the spores.
40:47This is the frond of a bird's nest fern.
40:51Ferns reproduce by a fascinating process
40:54using spores rather than seed.
40:58At maturity, fern fronds will produce
41:01raised bumps called sorey,
41:03which release fine, dust-like spores.
41:07You'll need to remove the sorey,
41:10cutting them off.
41:16Because this is so big, I'm going to fold this in half
41:20so I can fit it into a paper bag.
41:26And then you can hang this up somewhere cool,
41:29dry and well-ventilated for a couple of days.
41:34During that time, the sorey will burst open
41:37and release the spores into the bag.
41:43The next step is to prepare a planting medium.
41:47You'll need a clean, sterilised jar,
41:50and this is a spaghetti jar,
41:52and some growing medium.
41:54I never use seed-raising mix or potting mix
41:57because they invariably contain nutrients.
42:00And nutrients encourage algal growth,
42:03which can overwhelm and swamp the germinating fern spores.
42:09Instead, I use coir peat.
42:12It holds moisture well,
42:13and most importantly, it's nutrient-free.
42:17Place a layer of moist coir into your container.
42:21I also want to show you another method
42:24that my grandfather showed me,
42:26which uses the surface of an old brick
42:29to germinate the spores.
42:31So look at the cracks and grooves on this brick.
42:35They're the perfect surface for a fern spore to germinate on.
42:38And then look at this side, covered in moss.
42:42And this moss is a perfect seedbed
42:45for fern spores to germinate on.
42:48So this brick is sitting in a shallow tray of water.
42:52I'm going to cover it with this dome
42:55to keep everything inside moist and humid.
42:59And the brick will wick up water,
43:03keeping it constantly moist as the fern spores germinate.
43:07This is a Victorian-era wicking bed.
43:13Now we need to sow the spores.
43:18Gently tap the spores onto both the surfaces.
43:22Do this on a still day or indoors
43:24to prevent the spores from blowing away.
43:31To help the spores settle in,
43:33I'm misting and replacing the lids.
43:35I'll then place them in a spot with bright, indirect light.
43:44Next, you have to watch and wait.
43:47You'll have to wait a few weeks or maybe a few months
43:51before fern sporelings emerge.
43:53And the reason for this is that fern reproduction
43:56involves two stages known as the alternation of generations.
44:02First, you'll notice a flush of tiny green,
44:06almost translucent, scale-like structures on the surface,
44:10which won't grow much bigger.
44:12These are called profali.
44:15And that's the first generation,
44:18and they reproduce sexually.
44:20And that will produce what is a recognisable fern.
44:24To do that, they need a film of moisture over their surface.
44:28So it's important to occasionally mist the surface
44:32to keep that moisture content high.
44:35Now, this whole process can take months.
44:39So patience is important.
44:41But if you've never done this before,
44:43it's fascinating to watch.
44:46As soon as these sporelings are big enough for you to handle,
44:50you can prick them out,
44:52put them into pots, and grow them on.
44:55During the whole of this process,
44:57they should remain in bright but indirect light
45:01and sheltered from the wind.
45:02And moisture, constant moisture, is really important.
45:07Once they reach seedling stage,
45:10that's the time that you can introduce nutrients
45:13to help boost their growth.
45:15And seaweed solution is absolutely perfect.
45:19Now, you can never have too many ferns.
45:22And when your ferns are loaded with spores,
45:25that's your cue to get propagating.
45:38Cool art is an absolute twitch's paradise.
45:43You don't need to look very far
45:45to see all those elements of nature
45:47that birds and, of course, us gardeners love.
45:51Lots of plants, trees, shelter, and water.
45:58In our next story,
45:59we meet someone devoted to safeguarding
46:03one of WA's most iconic bird species.
46:16They are simply the most beautiful bird on the planet.
46:19They are spectacular.
46:23Not only visually, but their soft coos,
46:27the noises that they make.
46:32They are so romantic and chanting
46:34and, as you can tell, I'm absolutely besotted with them.
46:40I'm Dean Arthrell.
46:41I'm the director at Carnaby's Crusaders,
46:43which is a not-for-profit dedicated
46:44to all things black cockatoos in Western Australia.
46:48We have three species of black cockatoos
46:51in the south-west of Western Australia.
46:52The one that we focus on here are the carnabies.
46:55They are found from north of Kalbarri to east of Esperance.
46:58They breed in certain areas, which we are in one of them.
47:01We are surrounded by breeding pairs of carnabies at the moment.
47:04They're a large black and white cockatoo.
47:07They're loud, gregarious, and they are just beautiful.
47:13These birds are a semi-migratory species.
47:16So they move into the wheat belt and other breeding areas,
47:19and then they move back into wintering areas,
47:22which is the Swan Coastal Plain and largely Perth.
47:25That landscape has changed dramatically over the last 200 years.
47:29So what used to be their food bowl is now suburbia.
47:32So they're finding it harder and harder every day
47:35to basically scratch out a living and survive.
47:37The main driver of population decline
47:39is essentially lack of habitat
47:41through land clearing and deforestation.
47:44We've seen Bankshire woodland disappear
47:46across the Perth landscape quicker than ever before,
47:49despite the fact that Bankshire woodland
47:51is a federally protected ecological habitat.
48:02We are in Bindoon, which is in the Shire of Chittering.
48:05We're about 45 minutes north of Perth.
48:07Our property sits on what was part of an old sheep station.
48:10Today it's a bit of beautiful Wondoo woodland.
48:14When we moved out, unfortunately,
48:15one of the first things that I did was hit a galah
48:17and I needed to find somewhere to take it.
48:19So I joined the local wildlife club
48:21as a result of that interaction
48:23and became fairly entrenched
48:25in kind of wildlife rescue from therein.
48:28Within the wildlife club, there was a gentleman there
48:30that was fabricating these strange black artificial hollows.
48:34So I was like a moss of the flame.
48:36I really wanted to understand what he was doing.
48:39I knew that we had black cockatoos active in the area.
48:41So, of course, I took one home
48:43and started tinkering with artificial cockatoo hollows.
48:50I placed the cockatoo tube
48:52in the single largest tree that we had on the property
48:55and learnt over the course of two years
48:57that every creature under the sun came and looked at it,
49:00went inside it, checked it out, but nothing bred in it.
49:05So I then relocated that artificial tube
49:08into a more secluded location
49:10and found that we had a pair of carnabies within six weeks.
49:13And that particular hollow has actually produced,
49:16I think, five carnabies
49:18over the course of the last seven or eight years.
49:20Our first success back in 2018
49:22obviously really lit the fire.
49:23We started adding more artificials every year
49:26onto our home property,
49:27literally to the point where we were asked
49:29by several other wildlife members
49:31to install on their property.
49:33We were that busy that we decided
49:35to take a leap of faith and leave work full-time
49:38and basically pursue this as a full-time operation.
49:42And then it snowballed and grew from there
49:44to the point now where we actually have
49:46about 550 artificials up across Western Australia.
49:50Their bread and butter is marri,
49:52carimbia callifilla,
49:53honky nut as we know as kids,
49:55bankshia, haikia and grevillea,
49:57all very important food species for these guys.
49:59They're a bird with a large beak
50:01and they're capable of getting into hard-capsuled fruit.
50:04And they largely don't have to compete
50:06with many other species because of that beak.
50:10We've planted several food species across our property,
50:13some of which are more notable,
50:16probably haikia francisiana,
50:17which the birds arrive for every year and devour.
50:22What's interesting about the haikia francisiana
50:24is the seed pods are very, very hard.
50:27When they crack them open,
50:28it sounds like a clicking noise.
50:30So it sounds like there's a whole bunch of people
50:32with Spanish canisters in the firebreak
50:35because when 20 or 30 birds arrive
50:37and eat at the same time,
50:38it's just click, click, click, click, click, click.
50:40So yeah, it's quite magic to watch and listen to.
50:46Over the last kind of four or five years,
50:48our role within that conservation landscape
50:51has changed quite dramatically
50:52and it's largely been driven
50:53by the general public's thirst for information.
50:56So along with the artificial hollow installation,
50:58we do lots of school visits.
51:00We talk to lots of students across Western Australia.
51:02We visit land care centres and any other groups
51:04that are really willing to learn
51:06about what they can do to improve outcomes
51:07for black cockatoos,
51:09whether it's becoming an advocate,
51:11planting food in their garden
51:12or putting up artificial hollows on their property
51:15to support black cockatoos.
51:17Doing what I do, people are aware of obviously
51:19the fact that we look after cockatoos as well.
51:22In that pet keepers landscape,
51:24they are quite accessible.
51:26So from time to time when people realise
51:28that these birds are very high needs,
51:31they're high maintenance,
51:32that they don't make great pets,
51:34they don't have the skill set
51:35to be rehabbed and released,
51:37we are sometimes asked to take on those birds
51:40as free homes or rescues, if you like.
51:43Our infrastructure has grown quite significantly
51:46and it's taking up more and more space.
51:49We obviously want to provide the optimum accommodation
51:52for our beautiful birds,
51:54of which we have about 110 currently.
51:56There you go, Jandy.
51:57There you go.
51:59So they started arriving five or six years ago
52:02and they haven't stopped.
52:04Come on.
52:04Good board.
52:06There you go.
52:06Some of our tame and interactive birds
52:09serve as our educational birds.
52:10They are ambassadors for the species
52:12and their capacity to drag people in
52:15and captivate them
52:17and make them aware of the plight of these birds
52:19is really key and critical to what we do.
52:24People fall in love with them at the drop of the hat.
52:26When they see them up close,
52:27the first comment is,
52:28oh my God, I didn't realise how big they are,
52:31but how beautiful they are as well.
52:33So we like to harness the power of these beautiful birds
52:36and they're a great way of recruiting people to the cause.
52:39So Jeddah is a forest red-tailed black cockatoo
52:42native to the south-west of WA.
52:45Jeddah is about two and a half years old
52:47and Jeddah is probably my main educational bird.
52:50As you see,
52:51it is very comfortable with the limelight
52:54and being handled.
52:56He's probably visited a hundred schools
53:00in the last couple of years.
53:05A few years ago,
53:06I lost my brother to depression.
53:08I didn't realise that at the time,
53:09but ever since,
53:10I've been trying to save every other thing in my life
53:13and this has been a really positive way
53:15to kind of channel that.
53:18I've learnt a lot from other people
53:19that have been willing to share their knowledge
53:21in the black cockatoo space.
53:23I'm also a studying arborist at the moment,
53:25but yeah,
53:26anything that I can learn about these beautiful birds
53:28is fuel for me.
53:34Having 15 pairs of endangered carnabies
53:37arrive and breed on your property,
53:39that's certainly success as far as I'm concerned.
53:42In a very small footprint,
53:44we're having a dramatic impact.
53:46And if we extrapolate that out to the landscape
53:48across Western Australia
53:49and we look at the regions that we're working across,
53:53over the last four years,
53:54we've actually fledged 200 endangered carnabies
53:57out of our artificials,
53:58which I think is a pretty good result
53:59for a little not-for-profit.
54:02We work for the birds.
54:03The birds don't pay much,
54:04but we love what we do.
54:06And that role,
54:07as far as keeping the Western Australian public informed,
54:09is really, really important.
54:10People want to know what they can do,
54:12how they can contribute,
54:13and this is a great way
54:15that we can keep people engaged,
54:16keep people informed,
54:17and have an impact
54:18and make a real difference.
54:26In cool temperate gardens,
54:28it's time to manage
54:29some of those wild and whippy branches
54:31on your apple and pear trees.
54:33Prune summer growth back to leaf nodes
54:36with cuts on an angle.
54:38Who doesn't love a good leek?
54:40These delicious oniony alliums
54:42are easily grown from seedlings.
54:44Make a shallow trench,
54:46lay down the leeks,
54:47and cover the roots with soil.
54:48They'll straighten up in no time.
54:51What's not to love
54:53about Grevillea australis?
54:55Tasmania's only native Grevillea.
54:58Tough foliage
54:59and terrific spring flowers,
55:01this is a high country must-have.
55:04Warm temperate gardeners,
55:06make sure your water
55:07is working well for you.
55:08Water plants deeply,
55:10but less often.
55:11Water in the morning
55:12and put your water
55:13where it's needed the most,
55:15the soil.
55:16Carrot seeds can be slow to grow,
55:18so now's the time
55:19to give them a go.
55:21Sow seeds direct
55:22in soft, fluffy soil
55:24and keep them moist
55:25until they've germinated
55:27with a hessian
55:27or shade cloth cover.
55:29Sun-loving stunner,
55:31the silver foliage
55:32of the Santalina
55:33is a showstopper.
55:35A hardy perennial growing
55:36to around 60 centimetres,
55:38this plant makes
55:39an excellent low border
55:41around garden beds
55:42or paths.
55:44Bring some bling
55:45to your subtropical garden
55:47with the showy
55:48Brazilian plume flower.
55:49These shade lovers
55:50have stunning showy spikes
55:52of bright pink flowers
55:54and they're blooming now.
55:56Why not whack in some radishes,
55:58the original fast food,
56:00ready to pick, pickle or plate
56:02in just four to six weeks.
56:05Now that moraya are coming
56:06to the end of their flowering,
56:08it's time to give them
56:09a tidy up and tip prune.
56:10This will keep them
56:11from setting seeds
56:12which are easily spread
56:14into bushland by birds.
56:16In the tropics,
56:18the yellowing and dying down
56:19of taro foliage
56:20means it's time
56:21to harvest the tubers.
56:23Lift them from the ground
56:24only as you need them.
56:26They store heaps better
56:27in the soil.
56:29Scale up your cooking
56:30with the fish herb.
56:31This amazing plant
56:33is dead easy to grow
56:34in the tropics
56:35and tastes just like fish sauce.
56:37So it's perfect
56:38in Vietnamese and Thai dishes.
56:41Love your bananas?
56:42Your garden loves them too.
56:44Banana skins
56:45are a tremendous source
56:46of potassium
56:47for fruiting
56:48and flowering plants.
56:49So chop up the peel
56:51and add to your soil.
56:52Yum yum.
56:54Sow the seeds for Swedes
56:56in arid zones.
56:57These butte brassicas
56:58need full sun
56:59and planted now
57:01they'll be ready
57:02to harvest in winter.
57:03Eat them fried,
57:04mashed or roasted.
57:06Ripening now
57:07are fruits
57:08of the billy goat plum.
57:10A small tree
57:10native to the Northern Territory
57:12and said to be
57:13one of the richest sources
57:15of vitamin C
57:16in the world.
57:17Bring some summer colour
57:19to your pots or patch
57:20with some vivacious verbenas.
57:22Pretty perennials
57:24providing bright,
57:25long-lasting blooms
57:26for much of the year.
57:28Verbenas are perfect
57:29in hanging baskets.
57:31Get out there gardeners
57:32and have a great one
57:33this weekend.
57:34If you haven't already,
57:36head to our website
57:37and sign up
57:38for our regular
57:39Gardening Australia newsletter.
57:47Well,
57:48that's the first cab
57:49off the rank
57:50for the year ahead
57:51and it feels so good
57:52to be back.
57:53We've missed you.
57:55But we're only
57:56just getting started.
57:57Here's what's in store
57:58for next week.
58:01It's summer
58:02and it's time
58:03to prune your fruit trees
58:04to keep them healthy
58:05and productive.
58:06We all love
58:07spending time
58:08in the garden
58:08but there's
58:09one thing
58:10we don't
58:11necessarily
58:12want to come across
58:13and it's
58:13one of these
58:14fellas.
58:16A snake.
58:17But with a little bit
58:18of care
58:19and understanding,
58:20there's no reason
58:21why we all
58:22can't
58:22coexist together
58:24happily.
58:25And we meet
58:26a horticulturist
58:27dishing up
58:28some menu
58:29inspiration.
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