- 10 hours ago
Gardening Australia S37E08
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00:00Ho, ho, ho!
00:05Hey! Hi!
00:11Whoa!
00:17Hey!
00:19Hey, mate.
00:21Hey!
00:34With summer well and truly behind us,
00:36the real work in the garden begins.
00:39So many rewarding tasks ahead.
00:42Welcome to Gardening Australia.
00:44Let's get stuck in.
00:47I'm going to create the perfect low-maintenance pot
00:50of unusual succulent beauties for shady indoor spaces.
00:53If you live in a cool climate and love autumn colour,
00:57then I've got some top tips
00:59on how to bring deep, fiery reds, dazzling oranges
01:03and golden yellows into your garden.
01:06Around two and a half years ago, we visited my dad's place.
01:10Well, these days, you can hardly recognise the place
01:13and I can't wait to show you around.
01:15And how beautiful are these?
01:17I'm learning everything there is to know about growing
01:20and preparing this ancient aromatic fruit.
01:23It's a quince and you get to smell along with me.
01:33Certain people really stand out
01:36for what they bring to the gardening world.
01:38Not just their plants, but their attitude,
01:42the vibe they share with the party.
01:44Jerry is checking in with one of my favourite humans
01:48and I know you're going to love him as much as I do.
01:52I'm in Kapalabar,
01:5520 kilometres south-east of Brisbane's CBD
01:58and I'm visiting my friend
02:00and Queensland horticultural icon, Barry Cable.
02:04And I can't wait to see what tropical treasures
02:07he's added to his collection.
02:12Hello, Barry.
02:13G'day, Jerry.
02:14Good to see you.
02:16Great to see you.
02:18Barry made the jump from truck driving
02:20to collectible plants decades ago
02:23when a chance encounter led to the purchase
02:26of a greenhouse business.
02:28My wife was looking for a shade house
02:31to grow some plants in.
02:33We sourced out a shade house manufacturer.
02:36I liked what they did.
02:37I liked the business so much.
02:39The old story,
02:39I liked it so much I bought it.
02:43Around 12 years ago,
02:45Barry retired fully
02:46and his love of plants has only skyrocketed since,
02:51well and truly cementing him
02:52as a certified fixture
02:54in the Queensland horticultural scene.
02:58I only retired from work, not from life.
03:02I sit on over 10 horticultural societies
03:05and that involves a lot of committee meetings,
03:08it involves a lot of plant sales, coordination,
03:13benching plants for competitions and stuff like that.
03:17And you help with the ECHA?
03:18And I help with the ECHA, yeah.
03:19I'm on the horticultural committee of the ECHA as well.
03:22How long have you been involved with the exhibition?
03:25One way or another I've been involved with the ECHA for 50 years.
03:2950 years of volunteering?
03:31I mean, that's almost as long as I've been alive, Barry.
03:36Barry's garden of over 2,000 square metres
03:39is a cornucopia of horticultural delights.
03:43I'd have thousands of plants here.
03:45Including technicolour bromeliads, obscure aeroids,
03:51rainforest ferns and tropical orchids
03:54in every shade imaginable.
03:58I love coming here.
04:00Every time I come, it's something different.
04:03Oh, Gerry, I just love plants and I love experimenting.
04:09One of Barry's experiments is a growing collection
04:12of some of my all-time favourite plants.
04:16A morphophallus titanum, or corpse flowers.
04:20Oh, Barry, you're a man after my own heart.
04:23I love these things.
04:25They are so exciting to grow.
04:28They are terrific.
04:29These are incredibly rare.
04:31There's only 1,000 of these left in the wild.
04:34So every single one of these is special.
04:37I love them so much, I've got more than one.
04:40And one of yours recently flowered.
04:42Yes, I was so excited.
04:45I flowered that one in 2020,
04:47and again, just recently it flowered.
04:50It was terrific.
04:55The column in the centre of the plant is called the spadix,
04:59and the sheath that surrounds it is known as the spade.
05:02The spade resembles huge petals,
05:06and as it gradually unfurls,
05:09the spadix heats up to 37 degrees Celsius,
05:13or 99 degrees Fahrenheit,
05:15and rhythmically pulses to shoot out powerful fetid odours.
05:20In the wild, these permeate the thick, still jungle air,
05:25attracting insects as pollinators,
05:28which normally feed on dead animals,
05:30or lay their eggs in rotting meat.
05:33Hence the name, corpse flower.
05:42Look at this, Gerry.
05:43I have a surprise for you.
05:46Oh, wow.
05:47It's sprouted again.
05:49It has.
05:50And incredibly, Barry's backyard beauty
05:53has bounced back within a matter of weeks.
05:56Wow.
05:57That is impressive.
05:59They're really exciting.
06:00That's what I'm saying.
06:01They're so good.
06:03What actually are your recommendations for growing this plant?
06:07Water, you've got to be careful of that they're not too wet,
06:10but moist.
06:11And food, I just use all the organics,
06:15a bit of slow-release fertiliser, feed them up.
06:18When they're growing like this is now,
06:20it needs to have plenty of food.
06:22And drainage.
06:23Yeah, and good drainage.
06:24I use a mixture of good quality growing medium,
06:29bagged potting medium.
06:30I throw in there some cow manure, garden soil,
06:34and just mix it all together
06:37and make sure that it's a nice, open, well-draining mix.
06:43When I last filmed with Barry in 2016,
06:47the main focus of his collection was his award-winning Phalaenopsis,
06:52or Moth Orchids.
06:53Is it a process where you get excited,
06:56or you get a little bit stressed about it?
06:58I get excited about it.
07:00I just love it.
07:03Oh, my goodness.
07:05Everything's changed.
07:06What prompted all this?
07:09He's since shifted gear
07:11and now dedicates his main greenhouse to aeroids.
07:14The Phalaenopsis were getting really out of hand.
07:17So many of them, so much repotting,
07:20so much work to do to keep them in good condition.
07:24Now, tell me about some of your favourite aeroids,
07:27if you have any.
07:28I've got several favourites.
07:30So, this Magnificum would be one of them.
07:34OK.
07:35I just love the leaf on them and the flowers.
07:38So, this is a brand-new leaf,
07:40and this is one of the leaves that they're best, that they're prime.
07:45Fully formed and coloured.
07:48I mean, this is gorgeous.
07:49It actually glows.
07:50Yes, it's one of the things that attracted me to them.
07:53They've got that inner light.
07:55And this is another favourite of mine.
07:58It looks very similar, but it's a different species?
08:02Yes, it's a cousin, clarinervium.
08:04The leaf pattern and shape is a little different.
08:07It's a fantastic houseplant, isn't it?
08:09Yes.
08:10But it does need filtered light and humidity
08:13and protection from cold.
08:15Plenty of water.
08:16Yeah.
08:16Yes.
08:17This is gorgeous.
08:18What is it?
08:19It's Anthurium wacareanum.
08:21And this one, apart from having handsome leaves,
08:24it's got a cute flail too.
08:25Yes.
08:26Yes.
08:26Very good.
08:27Another reason to grow them.
08:32Barry also loves his Alocasia macrorrhizos hybrids,
08:37huge ornamental taros that scream tropical foliage.
08:42I love the variegation in these fellows.
08:45What an amazing variation.
08:47Yes.
08:48Very attractive plant.
08:50Really got me into it.
08:52Very easy to look after these ones.
08:54Plenty of water and just a normal potting medium.
08:57And if you do lose the leaves,
09:00you can cut them back and restart them again.
09:03Yes.
09:03And you haven't lost the plant.
09:05No, that's right.
09:06And they'll multiply as well.
09:08There's a little one down here starting to come up from the place.
09:10So it is.
09:11Yes.
09:12Fabulous thing.
09:13And I like the philodendrons too.
09:16These fellows here.
09:17I just like the pink on the leaf of these.
09:21Yes.
09:21And the variegations as well.
09:23Again, it's the bright colour and the randomness.
09:26Yes.
09:26And they'll grow really well up a pole or on a tree.
09:30Yes.
09:37And Barry's Shade House features the only custom-built wet wall
09:42I've ever seen in suburban Brisbane.
09:44It behaves like a massive evaporative cooler,
09:48which these plants love.
09:50It's got exhaust fans up the other end,
09:53which pull the air through the wet wall
09:55and keeps the temperature from rising above 32 degrees.
10:00So it cools and humidifies.
10:02It cools and humidifies.
10:03And how about in winter?
10:05I have a gas heater outside that blows hot air into here
10:09and stops it dropping below 12.
10:11So really, living here is like living in cans.
10:15Yes.
10:15This is fantastic in here.
10:17It has double insulated as well,
10:19which helps with the cost of the heating and the cooling.
10:21So this is a gold-plated growing space.
10:26Nothing can fail.
10:27Unless I fail.
10:34And Barry's got another trick up his sleeve
10:37that has greatly enhanced his growing success,
10:39which he's going to show me later in the program.
10:49What's happening at the base of this tree?
10:51Well, you can see there is a huge swollen lump
10:54at the base of this eucalypt.
10:56And it's a thing called a lignotuber.
10:58It's an adaptation that many eucalypts have
11:01to re-sprout or regrow after damage.
11:04Things like bushfire.
11:05It's a really common feature that you'll find
11:07a lot of mali eucalypts, which traditionally will have that ability
11:10to have multiple stems.
11:12And that is because they are re-shooting from the buds contained on this.
11:17It is an incredible feature for survival,
11:19but I reckon it also looks absolutely gorgeous.
11:24What are the best plants for birds?
11:26When it comes to attracting birds into your garden,
11:29there are so many beautiful plants to choose from.
11:32Nectar-filled flowers like grevilleas
11:33are an obvious choice for the insect and honey-eaters,
11:36but just like everything else, diversity is key.
11:39The foliage of grasses can provide shelter for species
11:42that forage in the ground, like thornbills,
11:45as well as nesting materials and seed for species like finches.
11:48And when it comes to offering seed,
11:50you cannot beat the ala casuarina and banksia,
11:53whose spectacular seed pods hold a favourite snack
11:57for some of our most beloved of birds, the black cockatoo.
12:01Why are some leaves purple?
12:03Most leaves are green, but some leaves turn red, orange or purple
12:08in autumn before they fall.
12:10But what about plants that have purple leaves all year round?
12:13Leaves that appear red and purple have high levels
12:16of anthocyanine pigments that absorb red and purple light.
12:20They still have chlorophyll to photosynthesise,
12:23but a lower proportion.
12:25For some plants, purple leaves don't provide any advantages.
12:29They can actually lead to slower growth.
12:32This can occur through mutation
12:34or be encouraged through selective breeding.
12:37Others turn purple in response to stress
12:40or lower light conditions.
12:42It's thought that the purple pigments
12:44can actually help reduce the absorption of light
12:47so they can be protective to plants
12:49that are not used to a lot of sunlight.
12:58Some plants deserve a closer look.
13:02What they lack in stature,
13:04they more than make up for in beautiful, intricate details.
13:09And if you're short on space at your place,
13:12these may be the perfect fit.
13:14Tammy's got all the details.
13:25I love the intricate leaf patterns
13:27and symmetry of these unusual-looking plants.
13:30They are truly tough and thrive with very little care.
13:34Haworthias are succulents native to South Africa,
13:36where they live in arid and shady environments,
13:39making them perfect companions for indoor life.
13:42They've adapted to low-light conditions
13:44by having translucent leaf structures
13:46that help maximise light absorption.
13:48For my pot, I've selected several varieties
13:51of Haworthia and Haworthiopsis.
13:53I'm also including some Crassula and Sedum.
13:56And for the edge of the pot,
13:57I've chosen String of Pearls and Calicia
13:59to spill over the sides.
14:03Begin with a wide ceramic pot
14:05and make sure you use a succulent or cacti mix.
14:08It's free-draining and gritty,
14:10and it prevents the roots from staying wet.
14:12I'm putting the slightly bigger ones in the centre
14:14and then going to range all the little ones around them.
14:17The first one is Haworthia royal emperor.
14:21It's got these thick, heavily textured leaves
14:23with small white bumps.
14:25These thick, fleshy leaves hold water,
14:27so it can go for a long time without a drink.
14:33If your plants have too much soil and root growth,
14:36remove around half so they fit more neatly into your pot.
14:40This bulby-looking Haworthia fairy
14:43is slightly different with its low-growing nature
14:45and semi-transparent leaves.
14:48And it'll look great next to the royal emperor
14:49because they have such different textures.
14:57Haworthiopsis are closely related to Haworthias,
15:00but differ in leaf texture,
15:02having thicker, rougher leaves that are less transparent,
15:04like the zebra plant.
15:07Normally it'd be green,
15:08but you can see that it's a little bit red,
15:10which means it's a bit stressed,
15:11either from not enough water or not enough light.
15:14But even though it's a bit stressed,
15:16the plant is totally fine,
15:17which is why it's great for beginners.
15:20It will be very forgiving
15:21if you forget to water it for a while.
15:26This is Haworthia kuperai neon light.
15:29It is known for its jelly-filled leaves
15:31that look like raindrops
15:32and are just about as transparent.
15:34A very pretty addition to my pot.
15:43I love the unusual Haworthia truncata.
15:46Like a lot of succulents,
15:47it can live a long time, up to 50 years.
15:49It's also known as horse's teeth.
15:52And you can see why the elongated leaves
15:55why it's called that.
15:56It's a great textural contrast
15:58against these other pointy-leaved plants.
16:09The rosettes of the Haworthia multifolia
16:12will grow up to seven centimetres,
16:14but slowly,
16:15and it blooms with small
16:16but pretty white or pinkish flowers.
16:21I'm happy with the Haworthias in there now.
16:24There's a mix of different textures, colours and heights.
16:27Now I'm going in with some other plants.
16:29This is a Crassula.
16:30It's also a succulent native to South Africa.
16:33And it's got these small variegated leaves
16:35and kind of an arborescent quality
16:37with how it's growing up the stems like that.
16:51For the little gaps between the plants,
16:54I've selected sedum.
16:55And I love the neon sort of yellow of this look
16:59because it really pops against the sea of green and reds.
17:04The Stringer Pearls vine is perfectly adapted for this pot.
17:08It's also a South African native from dry desert regions.
17:12So this plant is too big to fit in this pot.
17:15But what I'm going to do
17:16is actually take a few of these stems as cuttings
17:19and then insert them into the potting mix
17:21and they'll eventually root and grow and trail over the sides.
17:29Calicia pink lady is a low-growing succulent
17:31with lovely pink waxy leaves.
17:34With the Calicia, I've separated them into smaller clumps
17:37and also placed them around the pot.
17:40And to finish off,
17:41I've just dressed the top of the soil with some small gravel.
17:44It just helps keep everything neat, tidy
17:46and looking pretty handsome.
17:49Water your pot sparingly.
17:51These plants can tolerate a lot of neglect.
17:53You can water probably about once a month
17:56and less so in the cooler months.
18:00A pot of succulent perfection.
18:03This is a slow grower
18:05and it will produce fascinating textures
18:07and tolerate most indoor low-light spots.
18:27Let's celebrate autumn in our cool climate zones.
18:31I love the bright reds, the burnt oranges
18:34and the eye-popping yellows that this season brings.
18:37What's more, I've got some tips
18:40on how you can bring these intense colours into your gardens.
18:46High up in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney,
18:49Windy Ridge Garden is a place
18:51where deciduous cool climate shrubs and trees thrive.
18:55If you're lucky enough to live in the cooler southern zones of Australia,
18:59then autumnal colour can be yours in either a patio pot or a mixed border.
19:06So why do leaves change colour?
19:08It's really interesting.
19:10Leaves produce these sun-blocking pigments rich in reds, yellows, oranges and purples.
19:16But these are masked during the summer growing season by high chlorophyll production,
19:22which turns the foliage green.
19:24But as the plants slow down their growth in autumn and winter,
19:29the more colourful underlying pigments begin to show through,
19:33becoming more and more intense with bright sunny days and chilly nights.
19:42Japanese maples are a classic choice for compact gardens,
19:46and there's one for just about every space.
19:50Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum come in a wide range of cultivars,
19:55including dwarf forms and weeping types
19:58that are ideal for pots, courtyards or layered plantings.
20:03In autumn, they steal the show with colours that range from lemon yellow and apricot
20:10to scarlet and deep purple.
20:16The dwarf ginkgo mariton is an outstanding choice for small spaces,
20:22with its fan-shaped leaves turning a vivid golden yellow in autumn,
20:27arguably one of the brightest of all trees.
20:30The tree-formed version has a single trunk
20:35that reaches about 1.5 to 1.8 metres in height,
20:39making it ideal for containers or small-feature planting.
20:44Ginkgo trees are living fossils,
20:47dating back over 150 million years,
20:51making a striking connection between ancient heritage
20:54and contemporary gardens.
20:59Have a look at these dogwoods, corner species.
21:03They're putting on an incredible show at the moment.
21:06Their foliage turns all shades of purple and red during the autumn.
21:12Dogwoods are great all year round,
21:15and come spring, they're covered in classic four-bracked flowers
21:19with small central blooms.
21:24One of the real hidden gems of the season is Fothergilla.
21:28Its leathery green leaves turn a blend of crimson, orange, yellow and even burgundy,
21:35often lasting well into early winter.
21:38The zigzagging branches add interest even when the leaves have dropped.
21:44It's a small shrub that's just as revered
21:47for its springtime bottle-brush-shaped white fragrant flowers.
21:53Fothergilla attracts pollinators and is low-maintenance,
21:57making it a good all-rounder for the cool climate gardener.
22:03So, get planting.
22:05Autumn is the perfect time to put deciduous shrubs into the ground.
22:11The soil is still warm,
22:13and there's plenty of time for the roots to get established
22:16before winter sets in.
22:18Whether that's a flame-coloured maple or a golden ginkgo,
22:22a single shrub can bring drama, colour and life
22:26to your garden for decades to come.
22:29And in a small space, that really counts.
22:48As you may know, I've recently bought this 7.5 hectare property
22:53in South Australia's Mid-Murray region,
22:55about 80 kilometres northeast of Adelaide.
23:02So, getting my new kitchen garden up and running using wicking beds
23:06is one of my top priorities.
23:08Choosing the right spot to grow your veggies
23:10is one of the first tasks to consider.
23:13Veggies need lots of sun, warmth,
23:16protection from extreme weather and lots of water.
23:22Growing close to brick or stone building walls is a great trick
23:25to make use of reflected heat when it's cold and built-in shelter.
23:30Or, if that's not an option, strategic placement
23:33where trees or fences block winds will make a big difference
23:37to soil drying out and plant damage.
23:40I've chosen to grow my veggies in this old stone outbuilding.
23:44The walls will create a favourable microclimate
23:47and protect the veggies against the sometimes 70k winds we get here,
23:51as well as the extreme heat and cold.
23:54The stone walls will help to keep this space insulated in the cold weather
23:58and I can attach shade cloth over the roof structure
24:01to prevent exposure when it's really hot.
24:03It'll also give me protection from hungry birds.
24:07I'm using food-grade IBC containers, as I've done in previous gardens.
24:13First off, cut the IBC in half.
24:17Now, to do this I'm using an angle grinder,
24:19which creates quite a few sparks,
24:21so make sure you use the proper safety equipment.
24:24The angle grinder cuts through both the metal frame and the plastic,
24:28but it's a bit fiddly and it takes a bit of time.
24:38Once you've separated the two halves,
24:41undo the screws that hold the metal cage to the plastic tank.
24:45This enables me to turn the cage upside down
24:48so the sharp cut edges are facing down
24:50and the top edge is nice and smooth and isn't a hazard.
24:55I'm only using the bottom half.
24:57If you're using the top half,
24:59it's worthwhile sealing the cap with silicon so there's no leakage.
25:03They're strong and long-lasting,
25:05but there's a new set of layers and materials used,
25:08which increases their water-holding capacity
25:11from 66 litres up to 144 litres of water per bed.
25:15That's a huge increase,
25:17perfect for growing thirsty veggies in this hot, dry climate.
25:22These raised beds have a reservoir of water,
25:25which is drawn up from the bottom into the top layer of soil
25:28through capillary action.
25:30Water likes to attach to water
25:32and will flow upwards against gravity.
25:35This means you don't have to water the plants as frequently
25:38as they're continuously drawing water from the reservoir as needed.
25:42The pallet allows for a small gap under the bed,
25:46just enough to get something underneath to move them easily if needed.
25:51These will eventually be clad with timber like this one.
25:54As light can get through transparent IBC plastic,
25:57the reservoir has the potential to become a breeding ground
26:00for blue-green algae, which loves warmth, light and nutrients
26:05and can be toxic.
26:07This cladding also provides extra insulation,
26:10which is really important in this extreme environment
26:14with temperatures from below zero to 45 degrees.
26:18Now for the layers.
26:20I used to use scoria in the reservoir layer,
26:22but I've found these plastic pallets give me
26:24far greater water-holding capacity.
26:26Now they're all a bit different
26:28and you do have to fiddle around to cut them to fit,
26:30but once they're cut they can just be flotted into position.
26:34They're really strong and sturdy
26:36and they'll take the weight of the soil.
26:38These plastic pallets can be found new and second-hand quite readily.
26:43There are lots of specialty sellers around
26:45or you might be able to pick them up for free from local warehouses.
26:50Next you need to create an overflow.
26:53To do that I'm using a commercially available tank outlet fitting
26:57which has rubber seals so it will never leak.
27:04I'm drilling a hole and fitting the tank outlet
27:07and adding an adjustable elbow
27:09which allows you to change the amount of water contained in the reservoir.
27:13When the elbow is facing upwards the reservoir remains full,
27:17but in periods of heavy rain it can be positioned to drain freely.
27:24Now we need to create a way for the water to wick from the reservoir layer up to the soil
27:29and for that I'm using second-hand plastic plant pots filled with perlite.
27:34These are jammed into the holes in the pallets.
27:36You might need to experiment with the best type for your pallet
27:39and split the sides of slightly too large pots if needed.
27:46These are then packed with perlite, our wicking material.
27:50Make sure you moisten the perlite first to settle the dust.
27:55Perlite is a naturally occurring volcanic glass
27:58which when treated creates a lightweight porous material perfect for wicking.
28:10I'm adding a geotextile layer secured with tape
28:13to help stop the soil and the reservoir materials mixing together.
28:17This will maintain the wicking process for longer
28:19and ensure the space for water doesn't fill with soil.
28:25When it comes to wicking beds, the most important part is the soil.
28:30Organic matter has better wicking action
28:32so I want 50% of the mix to be compost and aged manure
28:36so you might need to add extra to a pre-made mix.
28:40Fill to 30 centimetres, any higher
28:43and the wicking action may not reach the top of the soil.
28:48Now it's time for the fun part.
28:50When you're starting from scratch
28:52it's always good to choose some quick growing crops
28:54that will reward you for your hard work as soon as possible.
28:58Go for seedling greens like lettuces, spinach,
29:02silverbeet and herbs and you'll be eating a salad within a month.
29:07Pumpkin and corn will eventually go into in-ground beds
29:10as they take up a lot of space.
29:17Water well from the top to start the wicking action,
29:20wetting the soil thoroughly all the way down.
29:23Once wicking well, your reservoir might only need a weekly top-up
29:27from the inlet in warm weather.
29:29The overflow point should be level with the start of the soil.
29:33If it's not, add a piece of threaded pipe to adjust the level.
29:37To check when you need to top up the water,
29:40check the overflow point on the side of the bed.
29:42If the water's run out, it's time to top it up.
29:46To prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your water reservoir,
29:49I like to put a cap over the inlet pipe.
29:51Now as you can see, I've got two more beds to finish making
29:55and once I've done that, I'm going to add organic fertiliser
29:58and mulch like I would for any veggie bed.
30:03With young plants, it's a good idea to continue watering them from above
30:07until they become established and their root systems have grown,
30:10which will enable them to access water from below.
30:14This is just the beginning of a whole new patch
30:17that will be pumping out heaps of produce really soon.
30:21An oasis of fresh food in the desert.
30:27Still to come on Gardening Australia,
30:30Hannah keeps it in the family.
30:32So, Dad, how many gum trees do you think you've planted here?
30:35More than you wanted. 13.
30:39Millie shows us a fruit full of personality
30:42and all the jobs to keep you busy this weekend.
30:53Earlier in the show, I caught up with my friend,
30:56Queensland gardening icon, Barry Cable,
30:59to explore the new additions to his home garden of tropical treasures.
31:03Now Barry's back to share a new technique he's designed,
31:08which has greatly enhanced his growing success.
31:11I first came across this idea of growing semi-hydroponically in 2017
31:18at one of the many garden societies meetings that I go to.
31:22I wanted to try it on an orchid and I did it on one this size.
31:28It was slightly smaller.
31:30And here it is today.
31:32And that's the original test?
31:34Yes.
31:35So, was it doubled in size?
31:37It's doubled in size easily.
31:39The size of this now mature Dendrobium fimbriatum
31:43is proof the technique works.
31:45The performance is outstanding.
31:48I've never been able to grow this particular orchid
31:51to that size in that time using any other method.
31:55I call it my no-frills way of growing orchids.
31:59Well, I'm hooked. Can you show me how it works?
32:02You look for a pot with no drainage holes.
32:05If you can't find one, you plug it up with silicon.
32:09Then I use a soldering iron to poke four holes
32:15about five centimetres up from the bottom for drainage.
32:19We'll do this one here that's in my normal bark potting medium.
32:24So we'll take it out of that.
32:27We'll try and get all that chunks of bark out from there like that,
32:32any other rubbish that might be in there.
32:34Get it as clean as we possibly can.
32:37It's not a bad root system on this to start with.
32:40But it can be so much better. I know it can.
32:44And we'll just wash it off to be sure
32:46that there's no organic material left in there
32:51to contaminate what we're putting it into
32:54and get rid of the water.
32:57So we'll put all that to one side.
33:00Now, Gerry, it's all about the mix.
33:02So two parts clay ball, one part perlite,
33:07and one part 15mm crushed quarry gravel.
33:11So it's blue metal.
33:12Blue metal, yes.
33:13White.
33:14So we're going to tip the perlite in here.
33:17We're also going to tip the quarry gravel in here.
33:22And then we have to give it a mix-up.
33:27And that's ready to go.
33:31So now we're going to backfill it
33:34as you normally would with any normal potting medium.
33:37I'm going to first put some material in the bottom of it
33:41so as we get our height right.
33:43And what I really like about this system
33:46and this particular material
33:48is that it just goes down and mixes amongst the roots
33:51and settles in nice and firmly
33:54to hold the orchid nice and firm
33:57without having to jam everything in there and hold it tight.
34:00It just sits there like that.
34:02And that little tap just makes everything gel together.
34:06Just settles it in nicely, yes.
34:09Then I need to water that in.
34:12And look at that. It's full already.
34:15The excess water is now running out of these holes,
34:18which means when I put it back in the shade house
34:21and we have a week of wet weather,
34:24that orchid can't be overwatered
34:26because the excess water runs out the bottom holes.
34:28And in hot, dry weather,
34:31how frequently would you have to water it now?
34:33In this type of system like this,
34:35on hot summer days,
34:37I would water that, say, every three days.
34:39So that's a saving?
34:41That's a big saving, yes.
34:45The part of the pot below the holes
34:47acts as a water reservoir
34:49and the perlite wicks water up to the plant
34:53where it can be accessed when needed.
34:55The inert mineral nature of the perlite
34:58means many common fauna and bacteria pathogens
35:01that can infect plants are unable to persist.
35:06Because the medium is completely inorganic,
35:10I have to add some fertiliser into the medium.
35:13I apply liquid fertiliser,
35:15but about half of what I would do
35:18with plants growing in normal potting medium.
35:21Barry's had great success with this technique
35:24and now has hundreds upon hundreds of plants growing in it.
35:28There's phragmipedium orchids,
35:31soft cane dendrobiums and aeroids.
35:33But there's one standout plant that's the Achilles heel
35:37of many gardeners that Barry says works best of all.
35:41Jerry, I'll tell you what does really, really well in this mix
35:44is maiden hair ferns.
35:46Now here's one here in my normal soil-type potting medium.
35:51So have a look at that.
35:53We'll put it over here
35:55and I'll draw your attention to this one here
35:58that is in my semi-hydroponic mix.
36:00Now what do you think the secret is?
36:03Is it the consistent moisture?
36:05Absolutely, 100% yes.
36:09And Barry's got some impressive examples
36:12that might just have you wondering
36:14if you're ready to have your heart broken all over again.
36:20So how long have you been gardening, Barry?
36:22Oh, about 30 to 35 years.
36:25I've just turned 80 and I've never felt better.
36:32Barry came to gardening late in life
36:34and his infectious energy shows us a life lived with plants
36:38no matter what your age or stage is a life well lived.
36:43His many achievements demonstrate how much a home gardener
36:47can accomplish in a short time with the right attitude.
36:51He is a star whom I greatly admire.
36:56Some people call me mad Barry,
36:59but my physical and mental health, fantastic.
37:13I love revisiting a garden after some years have passed.
37:17It's like jumping through time
37:20and you get to see how the plants are living up to their potential.
37:25And we know that you all love a revisit too.
37:28Hannah is checking in on a garden close to her heart.
37:32And it's taken some great strides since we last saw it.
37:37Let's check it out.
37:42You might remember we visited my dad's place
37:45around two and a half years ago.
37:47He'd previously lived in Toowoomba for almost two decades
37:50on a 40 acre property that he regenerated.
37:53So moving to Hobart to a much smaller place was a big change.
37:57Oh, beautiful.
38:00But he was keen to get stuck into the garden
38:02and I couldn't help but get involved in the design and planting.
38:05And because it's a pretty steep rock, we had our work cut out for us.
38:11Well, you're not going to recognise a place.
38:14The growth of the plants has been outrageous.
38:17It was challenging because it was so steep.
38:20And as I said at the time, I can get down very difficult to get back up again.
38:24Yeah.
38:24And that's when you came up with the idea of terraces and steps.
38:28And that made all the difference.
38:30But it was barren.
38:32But like it's come so far, hey?
38:34It has. I have a policy and practice of over planting.
38:38I wanted to get the whole lot into a very small place.
38:41You sure have done that.
38:42Considering this upper terrace gets, you know, solid shade but also solid sun,
38:46what are a couple of the plants that have worked here really well?
38:49There's a mix here of trying to get Tasmanian plants in,
38:52as well as mainland plants, such as Franklin Heath.
38:56There's the Flinders Island Heath.
38:59There's a couple of Vamma's Veronicas.
39:02I've been quite struck by these, the snow grass in particular.
39:06They're beautiful. Yeah.
39:07It's got those pastel colours through it.
39:09It's a local.
39:11And there's another one there, which is Lobila diari.
39:15Yeah, yeah. I think that's right, isn't it?
39:16Yeah, it's close enough.
39:18But it's a local, again.
39:20And you're liking these Grevilleas as well.
39:22The Raeolitica, when it's in flower,
39:24and the honeyeaters come down from the mountain, they're into it.
39:27And the honeyeaters also love the Selvias, don't they?
39:30They do, they love them. Yeah.
39:37But it's the gum trees that Dad really loves.
39:41So, Dad, how many gum trees do you think you've planted here?
39:44More than you wanted.
39:46Yeah. Thirteen.
39:47Because I said something like,
39:49I was maybe a bit of an inappropriate number for a small space,
39:52but what are you saying?
39:55Tough.
39:56Tough.
39:58There's been enough denuding of gum trees in this country.
40:03It needs a little bit of a focus replanting.
40:05Now, this lemon-centred gum, I remember planting that with you.
40:09It's just like a little baby.
40:10It's coming along beautifully.
40:12It is. It is.
40:13You know, despite planting an inappropriate amount of gum trees in a small space...
40:16It's not inappropriate.
40:17I'll stop saying that now.
40:18You will.
40:18You've got a beautiful, cosy collection of eucalypts.
40:22You've made sure they're not encroaching onto neighbours' properties or power lines or any infrastructure.
40:26You've been smart about it.
40:27I have.
40:28Yeah.
40:28Yeah.
40:31To help Dad access the terraces, these steel steps do the job.
40:36And they look great.
40:38This lower terrace is looking so beautiful and full, Dad.
40:42You can hardly see the retaining wall anymore.
40:45How would you describe this lower terrace when we first built it with the earthworks?
40:51Slimy sludge clay.
40:53A little bit damp, wasn't it?
40:54It was.
40:55Yeah.
40:55But you've chosen plants that can deal with it but also love that.
40:59They're all...
41:00They're all wet-loving plants.
41:01And so there's the sedges, rushes and chalistamins, melaleuca.
41:06And they've done well, such as this tassel cord rush here.
41:10Oh, so pretty.
41:11Which is coming into flower for the first time since I've been here.
41:15And that is striking as well.
41:17This is a lime bottle brush.
41:19And within the pond there, there's two more different small types of rush.
41:25So you really embrace the microclimate down here.
41:29Exactly.
41:29It's wetter, even shadier, a bit cooler.
41:32And so you've just selected plants that can really thrive back.
41:35The main thing was wet soil-liking species.
41:41After our last visit, Dad decided to turn part of the eastern edge of the property
41:46into a courtyard paved with recycled bricks.
41:51It's a sitting area. It's a good place for a coffee or a wine.
41:57I emphasise getting grevilleas in here.
42:00The larger ones, they've worked okay.
42:03Got another gum tree I see behind me.
42:05And that was in contradiction to your aspiration of putting a fruit tree in there.
42:10It's the perfect place for a little veggie garden.
42:12Exactly.
42:13Baby lemon tree.
42:14Yeah, you wouldn't want to be sitting in the veggie garden,
42:16sort of getting in the road of the veggies.
42:18Very nice.
42:19You've got cascading flowers as well everywhere.
42:22Yeah.
42:22Simple.
42:23Very simple.
42:24Wasn't known as Elysium, but always known as Sweet Alice because of the sweet scent they
42:30give off.
42:30and the pelargoniums and the age-old daisies.
42:41Back in 2023, I could see the potential of Dad's verge.
42:49Oh, I'm loving this forest that's spilling out to your house Dad.
42:56This is your deserted verge.
42:58Oh, no longer more.
42:59Look, check it out.
43:00It's pumping.
43:01Is it yellow gum?
43:02Is that right?
43:02Yeah.
43:03Yeah.
43:03And what made you choose the yellow gum trees in particular for this spot?
43:06Well, one, they're a reasonable size and also they are on the recommended plant list for
43:13this local government area.
43:15Nice.
43:15As a street tree.
43:17Yeah, great.
43:17But also having an understory of those which, once again, could bring insects and maybe
43:24even the occasional bird.
43:26Yes.
43:27But also the floral display.
43:32Yeah.
43:32You're creating ecosystem health for the whole neighbourhood.
43:35Hopefully.
43:35Yeah, definitely.
43:38We'll see.
43:40You know, I just enjoy plants full stop.
43:43I relate to vegetation more than inside walls.
43:48Yeah.
43:48Even though the walls might be well painted and sort of have really nice adornments hanging
43:54from them.
43:55Yeah, plants are heaps prettier, hey?
43:57Yeah.
43:58Yeah.
43:59Even roses.
44:01Even roses.
44:03Roses can be very nice.
44:12Some fruits get all the attention, but when you step off the beaten track for a little,
44:19you can find a whole new world of flavour.
44:22Millie's visiting an orchard that's growing fruit you probably won't have at your place.
44:28But things could change after this story.
44:39It's harvest day at this family run quince orchard at Bannockburn in the Mirable Valley
44:45near Geelong.
44:46A lot more than last year, Murray.
44:48There are 13 varieties of quince growing here.
44:52And today I'm joining owners Libby and Gary Dusome and some of their friends to help
44:57harvest these ancient aromatic fruits.
45:00So you've already been picking right through here?
45:03Yes.
45:03Yes, yes.
45:04Most of this is picked already, but we've got a few left and we've got another whole
45:07quadrant to go through yet.
45:10Libby and Gary moved from Melbourne to this two hectare property 40 years ago and raised
45:15their three children here.
45:17The clay soils, hot summers and cold winters are ideal for quince trees, which can handle
45:24tough conditions.
45:27This is quince country.
45:29It's quince country because you've seen the soil, Millie.
45:31It's very, very dry and it's a very heavy clay here and I don't think there's any topsoil.
45:36But the good thing about clay, it does grow things.
45:40How are you actually pruning a tree like this?
45:43It's always a challenge because quinces are very wild growers.
45:46Even though you do prune, they'll just take off again and grow in all sorts of directions.
45:52So you've got to keep at them.
45:53And usually we try and clean up so they're not growing into the middle.
45:56So we'll cut some of these ones coming into the centre.
45:59So like this sort of thing?
45:59Yeah, like back there.
46:00Yep.
46:01The quince is on all the varieties fruit right at the end of the branch.
46:06Right.
46:06Right off the end.
46:07So don't take all of that new growth off because that's where your tips are and that's where
46:12the fruit's going to be.
46:13That's right.
46:14They do need plenty of light, plenty of warmth and lots of sun to ripen and they love it
46:19and respond well.
46:20So how do you know when a quince is ripe?
46:23Well, it's when they become more yellow than green and they start to become a lot more
46:28fragrant.
46:28And so when you're walking through the orchard you can smell the fragrance of them.
46:33And they also come off a lot more easily when they're ready to pick.
46:36If you just give them a little tug and they come off then they're ready to pick.
46:40Can I have a go?
46:41You can have a go.
46:45Oh, it's perfect isn't it?
46:48Oh, I can smell that it's ready to eat.
46:50Yes, it's ready to eat.
46:52They're just a beautiful fruit with a beautiful history and a long history from ancient times.
46:58They used to be called golden apples.
47:00They're a fruit that is old fashioned but I know why they were so well loved because
47:07they're so versatile.
47:09You can use them in cooking, in savouries or jellies.
47:14And you can't eat them fresh.
47:15They're hard as a rock, aren't they?
47:16Yes, they're hard as a rock although they do bruise easily.
47:20But they are beautiful cooked and all quinces have all different characteristics.
47:26And I want to show you some of the different characteristics.
47:29Let's go.
47:30Well, I want to taste them.
47:31Okay.
47:31Let's go.
47:33Alright Libby, now for the exciting part.
47:36What are we cooking today?
47:37So we've got three varieties.
47:39Pineapple, Portugal and Vandermann.
47:42So they look much the same.
47:43Yes, but they actually are different when they're being cooked and they taste a little
47:49bit different and they react a little bit differently.
47:51Right.
47:52Some taste sweeter than others.
47:53Some hold their shape more than others.
47:56And then you just pop it in.
47:58So you can just cover that in water and just poach them plain?
48:02Yes, you can.
48:04Probably the hardest one.
48:05Or you can add a little bit of syrup and poach them.
48:08In here is melted butter, golden syrup, soft brown sugar, a little bit of cinnamon, and
48:16then a little bit of water to soften it.
48:18So completely healthy.
48:20Yes, but beautiful.
48:22The oven's ranging from about 150 through to 170, so on a slow oven.
48:29For three, you can three to four hours.
48:33And then this will just go a really golden, dark, rich red colour.
48:43The quince orchard's been growing for three decades.
48:46And over the years, the Jusens have made and sold quince paste and jelly commercially
48:51and always given fruit away to neighbours and family.
48:57Nowadays, they partner with an apple orchard, where the two fruits are combined to make a fizzy drink.
49:04I know that this is a big part of your life, but this whole garden and the orchard have really
49:08played a big role in your life over the last couple of decades.
49:12Mm.
49:12Can you tell me a little bit about your foundation?
49:15Mm.
49:16Sure.
49:17So, 20 years ago, our daughter Melanie was killed in a car accident just not far from our house here.
49:24And following that, we set up a foundation to support health and education in Vanuatu called the Melanie Jusen Foundation.
49:34Mm.
49:35And part of the profits from Quincy Fears goes towards supporting the foundation.
49:42And our two other children, Andre and Ash, are very much involved in the foundation.
49:49And Melanie and I travelled to Vanuatu a year before she was killed.
49:53Yeah.
49:54And I worked in the hospital and she also did some support in the admin at the hospital.
49:59And from then, before she was killed, like the people of Vanuatu really, for both of us, it made a
50:08real impression on us.
50:10Yeah.
50:11And she spent much of her year 12 at a high school in Geelong.
50:16She spent much of that time raising money to donate to Vanuatu.
50:21Melanie was passionate about it.
50:23Mm.
50:23And that's sort of how it developed out of that.
50:26One of the patrons is the actor, Martin Sheen, you know, best known for his role in The West Wing
50:33and Apocalypse Now.
50:35We met him while we were walking the Camino in 2009 and...
50:41The Camino in Spain.
50:42Yeah, in Spain.
50:42And then, basically, he wanted to know all about Mel and what happened.
50:47And we've had a regular contact with him ever since.
50:52Well, my friends, you certainly found something worth fighting for 10 years ago when you began the Melanie Jusin Foundation,
51:00named in loving memory of your daughter Melanie.
51:03He's an interesting man because he's got a real heart for people who are underprivileged or downtrodden and a really
51:12good man too.
51:13It's such a beautiful thing to be able to do with this project that you started together, to be able
51:19to continue to contribute to her memory.
51:22Yes, in honour and memory of Melanie.
51:26We feel that it is helping in some way.
51:29And we also feel, well, I know, especially for me, working in the garden and working with the quinces is
51:35quite therapeutic.
51:36And I feel like when I'm there, Mel helped to plant the quinces.
51:42She helped to make the jelly in the early days.
51:45Melanie was killed six weeks before her 19th birthday.
51:48And a lot of people donated plants, roses and different things.
51:52So, you know, the garden and the quinces and everything, it's all part of that story.
51:56It's very, very closely connected to us.
52:08Oh, wow.
52:11Yes, so these are all our varieties that we've been able to grow this year.
52:15So we have 13 of the 15 varieties in Australia.
52:20We have 12 of those producing fruit.
52:22And they're also different, like some are really round.
52:25This is really long and quite a different shape.
52:27And this one is ginormous.
52:29Yes, that's Missouri Mammoth.
52:31Do they have different vigour?
52:32Are some just better producers?
52:34Yes, some produce more.
52:36The Fullers is a really good backyard variety.
52:39It's a good all-round quince because it's resistant to the fungal disease fleck.
52:45So if you've only got space for one tree, this could be it?
52:47Put a Fullers in.
52:48And if you've got the space, all of them?
52:50Yes, all of them.
52:53Put them all in.
52:58Oh, they look amazing.
52:59And this is so much darker.
53:01And they're lovely with ice cream.
53:04Everything's better with ice cream.
53:05Concur.
53:08They do have like a sourness to them.
53:10Mmm.
53:11But they're not just a wholly sweet fruit.
53:12No.
53:13But they take on the spices and the sweetness.
53:17So beautiful.
53:17They've got quite complex flavours, the quince.
53:20But they're soft and really palatable.
53:23Mmm.
53:24Can we try the apple and quince drink?
53:26Yeah, sure.
53:27Good afternoon.
53:28Cheers.
53:28Cheers.
53:34It's an absolutely catastrophic life-changing event, enduring the death of a child and our
53:42daughter.
53:42But the challenge, I guess, is to try in that sense to find the good in somehow through humanity
53:51and support and love.
53:53And are you proud of what you've achieved?
53:57Yes, I think so.
53:58Yeah, I think we're proud.
54:00I think that, um, also very humble because I think that, you know, it's been a huge team
54:07effort in many ways.
54:09It has been a real healing process for us, some of the work that we've done with our quinces.
54:24It's off to work we go.
54:26Your jobs for the weekend are here and ready to rock.
54:34Cool temperate gardeners, as our thoughts turn to eggs, make sure you save your own
54:39eggshells, grind them up for compost or place them around your brassicas to deter cabbage white butterfly.
54:45Now, I'm not big on haircuts, but perennial sages and salvias will benefit from a haircut this weekend.
54:52Give them a good chop, almost to the ground.
54:54You'll see new growth coming away from the centre of the plants in no time.
54:59With autumn leaves falling, get out the rake and tidy these guys up.
55:04Running a mower over the top of raked leaves, chops them up nice and fine.
55:08Perfect to plump up your compost.
55:11Don't be a bunny.
55:13Get a cracking crop of carrots sown this weekend in warm temperate gardens.
55:17Sow seed into soft, fluffy soil in a nice sunny spot and keep them moist while they germinate.
55:24Divide clumping native plants like kangaroo paws, dianellas and lomandras by cutting into sections with a sharp spade,
55:31leaving around five shoots per cutting.
55:34Pot up in a protected spot.
55:36Start harvesting autumn raspberries, which should keep cropping right through until winter.
55:41If other critters are getting to the fruit before you are, some taut, well-installed netting should keep your crops
55:47safe.
55:49Subtropical gardeners, why not share some succulent cuttings with friends?
55:53Take a small stem cutting or leaf, allow to dry for a couple of days and pop into free-draining
55:59potting mix.
56:00It's that easy.
56:01If you're planting on some sensational spring colour, it's time to get your cold-loving bulbs into the fridge.
56:08Hyacinths, tulips and daffodils should be chilled now until planting time in winter.
56:14Flowering now are the Easter daisies, tough perennials that will provide colour for months.
56:20Whites, blues, pinks and purples, these old-fashioned asters are stunners and the bees love them.
56:27Tropical gardeners, if you've got a sweet tooth, try growing stevia.
56:31Known as the sugar herb, this tropical perennial is perfect for pots and the leaves used as a sugar substitute.
56:38Improve a tired veggie bed with a DIY green manure mix using old, out-of-date seeds sown thickly.
56:46You'll be surprised what grows.
56:48Just make sure you till them into the ground before they flower.
56:52Indoors or out, hoyas are a tropical must-have.
56:55These wonderful wax flowers are tough, attractive, evergreen climbers, and they put on bunches of butte blooms from spring through
57:03autumn.
57:04In arid zones, get stuck into autumn fertilising.
57:08Give trees, shrubs and lawns some organic pelletised fertiliser
57:12and feed the last of the summer veggies with a lovely liquid potash.
57:16A favoured food of bilby's are the bulbs of the bush onion.
57:21A great addition to gardens, these attractive perennial native grasses are fab in a sandy soil and produce showy seed
57:28heads.
57:29If you've got spare space in your patch, sow some mustard seeds.
57:33These fast-growing foliage plants will reward you with lovely leaves in as little as three weeks.
57:39Go on, spice up your life.
57:42Get out there gardeners and have a great one this weekend.
57:46If you haven't already, head to our website and sign up for our regular Gardening Australia newsletter.
57:58Well, we're all done for another week, but I ear we've got plenty brewing for next time.
58:04Here's what's coming up.
58:08I'm meeting a backyard grower to explore his collection of curious, captivating carnivorous plants.
58:14Then we knocked down the sheds and found ourselves with a pile of concrete.
58:19I'm catching up with a kindred spirit who's using recycled materials to create some experimental crevice gardens.
58:26And from a rugby field to a swamp and now the internationally recognised Hunter Wetland Centre.
58:32A haven for plants, birds and over 160 industrious volunteers.
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