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Gardening Australia - Season 37 - Episode 08: Autumn: Seasonal Colour & Tropical Treasures
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00:05Hey!
00:06Hi!
00:11Whoa!
00:17Hey!
00:19Hey, buddy.
00:22Hey!
00:24Hey!
00:25Hey!
00:27Hey!
00:28Hey, buddy.
00:34With summer well and truly behind us, the 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 on how to bring deep fiery reds,
01:02dazzling oranges and 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?
01:18I'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 for what they bring to the gardening world.
01:38Not just their plants, but their attitude.
01:42The vibe they share with the party.
01:45Jerry 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, 20 kilometres south-east of Brisbane's CBD.
01:58And I'm visiting my friend and Queensland horticultural icon, Barry Cable.
02:04And I can't wait to see what tropical treasures he's added to his collection.
02:12Hello, Barry. G'day, Jerry. Good to see you. Great to see you.
02:18Barry made the jump from truck driving to collectible plants decades ago
02:23when a chance encounter led to the purchase of a greenhouse business.
02:28My wife was looking for a shade house to grow some plants in.
02:33We sourced out a shade house manufacturer.
02:36I liked what they did. I liked the business so much.
02:39The old story, I liked it so much I bought it.
02:43Around 12 years ago, Barry retired fully
02:46and his love of plants has only skyrocketed since,
02:51well and truly cementing him as a certified fixture
02:54in the Queensland horticultural scene.
02:57I only retired from work, not from life.
03:01I sit on over ten 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.
03:46Including technicolour bromeliads, obscure aeroids,
03:51rainforest ferns and tropical orchids
03:54in every shade imaginable.
03:59I 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.
04:16Amorphophallus 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.
04:36I 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
04:48and 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
05:12or 99 degrees Fahrenheit
05:15and rhythmically pulses to shoot out powerful fetid odours.
05:21In 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 say.
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.
06:25I use a mixture of good quality growing medium,
06:29bagged potting medium.
06:30I throw in there some cow manure, garden soil
06:35and 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
06:49was his award-winning Phalaenopsis, or 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.
07:06Well, what prompted all this?
07:09He's since shifted gear
07:11and now dedicates his main greenhouse to aeroids.
07:15The Phalaenopsis were getting really out of hand.
07:18So 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.
07:34Okay.
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 house plant, isn't it?
08:09Yes.
08:10But it does need filtered light and humidity and protection from cold.
08:15Plenty of water.
08:16Yes.
08:17This is gorgeous. What is it?
08:19It's Antherium wacareanum.
08:21And this one, apart from having handsome leaves,
08:24it's got a cute flavour too.
08:25Yes, yes, very 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.
08:48Yes.
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.
09:11Oh, yes, so it is.
09:11Yes.
09:12Fabulous thing.
09:14And 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 I've ever seen in suburban Brisbane.
09:44It behaves like a massive evaporative cooler, which these plants love.
09:51It's got exhaust fans up the other end, which pull the air through the wet wall and keeps the temperature
09:57from rising above 32 degrees.
10:00So it cools and humidifies.
10:01It cools and humidifies.
10:03And how about in winter?
10:04I have a gas heater outside that blows hot air into here and 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's double insulated as well, which helps with the cost of the heating and the cooling.
10:22So 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 that has greatly enhanced his growing success, which he's going to show
10:41me 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 at the base of this eucalypt.
10:56And it's a thing called a lignotuber.
10:58It's an adaptation that many eucalypts have to re-sprout or regrow after damage.
11:04Things like bushfire.
11:05It's a really common feature that you'll find on a lot of mallee eucalypts, which traditionally will have that ability
11:10to have multiple stems.
11:12And that is because they are reshooting from the buds contained on this.
11:17It is an incredible feature for survival, but 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, there are so many beautiful plants to choose from.
11:32Nectar-filled flowers like grevilleas are an obvious choice for the insect and honey-eaters, but just like everything else,
11:38diversity is key.
11:39The foliage of grasses can provide shelter for species that forage in the ground, like thornbills, as well as nesting
11:46materials and seed for species like finches.
11:48And when it comes to offering seed, you cannot beat the allocasurina and banksia, whose spectacular seed pods hold a
11:56favourite snack for 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 in 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 of anthocyanine pigments that absorb red and purple light.
12:20They still have chlorophyll to photosynthesise, but 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 or be encouraged through selective breeding.
12:37Others turn purple in response to stress or lower light conditions.
12:41It's thought that the purple pigments can actually help reduce the absorption of light so they can be protective to
12:49plants that are not used to a lot of sunlight.
12:58Some plants deserve a closer look.
13:01What they lack in stature, they more than make up for in beautiful, intricate details.
13:09And if you're short on space at your place, these may be the perfect fit.
13:14Tammy's got all the details.
13:25I love the intricate leaf patterns and 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, where they live in arid and shady environments, making them perfect companions for
13:41indoor life.
13:42They've adapted to low light conditions by having translucent leaf structures that help maximise light absorption.
13:48For my pot, I've selected several varieties of Haworthia and Haworthiopsis.
13:53I'm also including some Crassula and Sedum.
13:55And for the edge of the pot, I've chosen String of Pearls and Calisia to spill over the sides.
14:03Begin with a wide ceramic pot and make sure you use a succulent or cacti mix.
14:08It's free draining and gritty and it prevents the roots from staying wet.
14:12I'm putting the slightly bigger ones in the centre and 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 with small white bumps.
14:25These thick, fleshy leaves hold water, so it can go for a long time without a drink.
14:33If your plants have too much soil and root growth, remove around half so they fit more neatly into your
14:39pot.
14:40This bulby looking Haworthia fairy is slightly different with its low growing nature and semi-transparent leaves.
14:48And it'll look great next to the Royal Emperor because they have such different textures.
14:57Haworthiopsis are closely related to Haworthias, but differ in leaf texture, having thicker, rougher leaves that are less transparent, like
15:05the zebra plant.
15:07Normally it'd be green, but you can see that it's a little bit red, which means it's a bit stressed,
15:12either from not enough water or not enough light.
15:14But even though it's a bit stressed, the plant is totally fine, which is why it's great for beginners.
15:20It will be very forgiving if you forget to water it for a while.
15:26This is Haworthia kukeri neon light.
15:29It is known for its jelly-filled leaves that look like raindrops and 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, it can live a long time, up to 50 years.
15:50It's also known as horse's teeth.
15:52And you can see by the elongated leaves why it's called that.
15:56It's a great textural contrast against these other pointy-leaved plants.
16:09The rosettes of the Haworthia multifolia will grow up to seven centimetres, but slowly.
16:15And it blooms with small but 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 and kind of an arborescent quality with how it's growing up the stems
16:39like that.
16:51For the little gaps between the plants, I've selected sedum.
16:55And I love the neon sort of yellow of this look because it really pops against the sea of green
17:01and 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, but what I'm going to do is actually take
17:17a few of these stems as cuttings and then insert them into the potting mix and they'll eventually root and
17:23grow and trail over the sides.
17:29Colisea Pink Lady is a low-growing succulent with lovely pink waxy leaves.
17:34With the Colisea, I've separated them into smaller clumps and also placed them around the pot.
17:40And to finish off, I've just dressed the top of the soil with some small gravel.
17:44It just helps keep everything neat, tidy and 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 and less so in the cooler months.
18:00A pot of succulent perfection.
18:03This is a slow grower and will produce fascinating textures and 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 and the eye-popping yellows that this season brings.
18:37What's more, I've got some tips on how you can bring these intense colours into your gardens.
18:46High up in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, Windy Ridge Garden is a place where deciduous cool climate shrubs
18:53and 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 that are ideal for pots, courtyards or layered plantings.
20:03In autumn, they steal the show with colours that range from lemon yellow and apricot to 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.
20:31The tree-formed version has a single trunk that 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, dating back over 150 million years,
20:51making a striking connection between ancient heritage and 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 with 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.
21:39The zigzagging branches add interest even when the leaves have dropped.
21:43It's a small shrub that's just as revered for 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.
22:10The soil is still warm and there's plenty of time for the roots to get established before 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 to 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 seven and a half hectare property in 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 is one of my top priorities.
23:08Choosing the right spot to grow your veggies is one of the first tasks to consider.
23:13Veggies need lots of sun, warmth, protection from extreme weather and lots of water.
23:22Growing close to brick or stone building walls is a great trick to make use of reflected heat when it's
23:27cold and built-in shelter.
23:30Or, if that's not an option, strategic placement where trees or fences block winds
23:36will make a big difference to 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 and 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 to 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, which 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, undo the screws that hold the metal cage to the plastic tank.
24:45This enables me to turn the cage upside down so 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, it's worthwhile sealing the cap with silicone so there's no leakage.
25:03They're strong and long lasting, but there's a new set of layers and materials used,
25:08which increases their water holding capacity from 66 litres up to 144 litres of water per bed.
25:15That's a huge increase, perfect for growing thirsty veggies in this hot dry climate.
25:22These raised beds have a reservoir of water which is drawn up from the bottom into the top layer of
25:28soil through capillary action.
25:30Water likes to attach to water and will flow upwards against gravity.
25:35This means you don't have to water the plants as frequently as they're continuously drawing water from the reservoir as
25:42needed.
25:42The pallet allows for a small gap under the bed, just enough to get something underneath to move them easily
25:49if needed.
25:51These will eventually be clad with timber like this one.
25:54As light can get through transparent IBC plastic, the reservoir has the potential to become a breeding ground for blue
26:01-green algae,
26:02which loves warmth, light and nutrients and can be toxic.
26:07This cladding also provides extra insulation, which 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, but I've found these plastic pallets give me far greater water
26:25holding capacity.
26:26Now they're all a bit different and 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 and they'll take the weight of the soil.
26:39These plastic pallets can be found new and second-hand quite readily.
26:43There are lots of specialty sellers around, or you might be able to pick them up for free from local
26:48warehouses.
26:51Next you need to create an overflow.
26:53To do that, I'm using a commercially available tank outlet fitting, which has rubber seals, so it will never leak.
27:04I'm drilling a hole and fitting the tank outlet, and adding an adjustable elbow, which allows you to change the
27:11amount of water contained in the reservoir.
27:13When the elbow is facing upwards, the reservoir remains full, but in periods of heavy rain, it can be positioned
27:20to 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, and split the sides of slightly too large
27:42pots if needed.
27:47These 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, which when treated, creates a lightweight porous material perfect for wicking.
28:10I'm adding a geotextile layer secured with tape to help stop the soil and the reservoir materials mixing together.
28:17This will maintain the wicking process for longer, and 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, so 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, and 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, it's always good to choose some quick-growing crops that will reward you for your
28:56hard work as soon as possible.
28:58Go for seedling greens, like lettuces, spinach, silverbeet and herbs, and you'll be eating a salad within a month.
29:07Pumpkin and corn will eventually go into in-ground beds, as they take up a lot of space.
29:17Water well from the top to start the wicking action, wetting the soil thoroughly all the way down.
29:23Once wicking well, your reservoir might only need a weakly top-up from 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, check 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, I 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 and mulch like I would for any veggie bed.
30:02With young plants, it's a good idea to continue watering them from above until they become established and their root
30:09systems have grown, which will enable them to access water from below.
30:14This is just the beginning of a whole new patch that 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, Hannah keeps it in the family.
30:32So, Dad, how many gum trees do you think you've planted here?
30:35More than you wanted.
30:36Thirteen.
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, Queensland gardening icon, Barry Cable, to explore the new additions
31:01to his home garden of tropical treasures.
31:04Now, Barry's back to share a new technique he's designed which has greatly enhanced his growing success.
31:11I first came across this idea of growing semi-hydroponically in 2017 at one of the many garden societies meetings
31:21that I go to.
31:22I wanted to try it on an orchid and I did it on one this size, it 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 is proof the technique works.
31:46The performance is outstanding.
31:48I've never been able to grow this particular orchid to 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.
32:10Then I use a soldering iron to poke four holes about 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, any other rubbish that might be
32:33in there.
32:34Get it as clean as we possibly can.
32:37It's not a bad root system on this to start with, but it can be so much better.
32:42I know it can.
32:43And we'll just wash it off to be sure that there's no organic material left in there to contaminate what
32:52we're putting it into and get rid of the water.
32:57So we'll put all that to one side.
33:00Now, Jerry, it's all about the mix.
33:02So two parts clay ball, one part perlite and one part 15 mil 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 as you normally would with any normal potting medium.
33:37I'm going to first put some material in the bottom of it so as we get our height right.
33:43And what I really like about this system and this particular material is that it just goes down and mixes
33:50amongst the roots and settles in nice and firmly to hold the orchid nice and firm without having to jam
33:58everything 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.
34:14It's full already.
34:15The excess water is now running out of these holes, which means when I put it back in the shade
34:21house and we have a week of wet weather, that orchid can't be overwatered because the excess water runs out
34:27the bottom holes.
34:28And in hot, dry weather, how frequently would you have to water it now?
34:33In this type of system like this, on hot summer days, I would water that, say, every three days.
34:40So that's a saving.
34:41That's a big saving, yes.
34:45The part of the pot below the holes acts as a water reservoir and the perlite wicks water up to
34:52the plant where it can be accessed when needed.
34:55The inert mineral nature of the perlite means many common fauna and bacteria pathogens that can infect plants are unable
35:04to persist.
35:06Because the medium is completely inorganic, I have to add some fertiliser into the medium.
35:13I apply liquid fertiliser, but about half of what I would do with plants growing in normal potting medium.
35:21Barry's had great success with this technique and now has hundreds upon hundreds of plants growing in it.
35:28There's phragmipedium orchids, soft cane dendrobiums and aeroids.
35:33But there's one standout plant that's the Achilles heel of many gardeners that Barry says works best of all.
35:41Jerry, I'll tell you what does really, really well in this mix is 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 and I'll draw your attention to this one here that is in my semi-hydroponic
36:00mix.
36:00Now what do you think the secret is? Is it the consistent moisture?
36:06Absolutely, 100% yes.
36:09And Barry's got some impressive examples that might just have you wondering if you're ready to have your heart broken
36:16all over again.
36:20So how long have you been gardening, Barry?
36:22Oh, about 30 to 35 years, I've just turned 80 and I've never felt better.
36:31Barry came to gardening late in life and his infectious energy shows us a life lived with plants, no matter
36:39what your age or stage, is a life well lived.
36:43His many achievements demonstrate how much a home gardener can 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, but my physical and mental health, fantastic.
37:13I love revisiting a garden after some years have passed.
37:17It's like jumping through time and you get to see how the plants are living up to their potential.
37:24And we know that you all love a revisit too.
37:28Hannah is checking in on a garden close to her heart and it's taken some great strides since we last
37:36saw it.
37:37Let's check it out.
37:42You might remember we visited my dad's place around two and a half years ago.
37:47He'd previously lived in Toowoomba for almost two decades on a 40 acre property that he regenerated.
37:53So moving to Hobart to a much smaller place was a big change.
37:58It's beautiful.
38:00But he was keen to get stuck into the garden and I couldn't help but get involved in the design
38:04and 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.
38:18It was challenging because it was so steep.
38:20And as I said at this time, I can get down very difficult to get back up again.
38:24And that's when you came up with the idea of terraces and steps and 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 as well as mainland plants,
38:54such as Franklin Heath.
38:56There's the Flinders Island Heath.
38:59There's a couple of other Veronicas.
39:02I've been quite struck by these 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 Lobilla diere.
39:15Yeah, yeah. I think that's right, isn't it?
39:16Yeah, it's close enough.
39:17Yeah, but it's a local, again.
39:19And you're liking these grevilleas as well.
39:22The rhyolitica, when it's in flower, and the honey eaters come down from the mountain,
39:26and they're into it.
39:27And the honey eaters also love the selvias, don't they?
39:30They do very lovely.
39:31Yeah.
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?
39:45More than you wanted.
39:46Yeah.
39:46Thirteen.
39:47Because I said something like I was maybe a bit of an inappropriate number for a small space,
39:52but what do you say?
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.
40:19You've got a beautiful, cosy collection of eucalypts.
40:22You've made sure they're not encroaching onto neighbours' properties or power lines
40:25any infrastructure.
40:26You've been smart about it.
40:28I have.
40:28Yeah.
40:32To 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 wet-loving plants.
41:01And so there's the sedges, rushes, and colistamines, 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've really embraced 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.
41:52It's a good place for a coffee or a wine.
41:56I emphasise getting Grevilleas in here, the larger ones.
42:02They've worked okay.
42:02Got another gum tree I see behind me.
42:05And that was in contradiction to your aspiration of putting a fruit tree in there.
42:10The 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, sort of getting in the road
42:17of the veggies.
42:18Very nice.
42:19You've got cascading flowers as well everywhere.
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.
42:51I'm loving this forest that's spilling out to your house, Dad.
42:56This is your deserted verge.
42:58Oh, no longer more.
42:59Let's check it out.
43:00It's pumping.
43:01Is it yellow gum?
43:02Is that right?
43:02Yeah.
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.
43:09And also they are on the recommended plant list for this 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 even
43:25the occasional bird.
43:26Yeah.
43:27But also the floral display.
43:32Yeah.
43:32You're creating ecosystem health for the whole neighbourhood.
43:35Hopefully.
43:36Yeah, definitely.
43:38We'll see.
43:40You know, I just enjoy plants full stop.
43:44I 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.
44:13Some fruits get all the attention.
44:15But when you step off the beaten track for a little, you can find a whole new world of
44:21flavour.
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 Moorable 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 Dusam 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.
45:03Most of this is picked already, but we've got a few left and we've got another whole quadrant
45:08to go through yet, so.
45:10Libby and Gary moved from Melbourne to this two hectare property 40 years ago and raised
45:15their three children here.
45:18The 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 dried.
45:33It'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
46:12where the 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?
46:47Oh, I can smell that it's ready to eat.
46:50Yes, it's ready to eat.
46:51They're just a beautiful fruit with a beautiful history and a long history from ancient times.
46:58They used to be called golden apples.
47:01They'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.
47:33All right, Libby.
47:34Now for the exciting part.
47:36What are we cooking today?
47:37So we've got three varieties, pineapple, Portugal and Vandermann.
47:41So they look much the same.
47:44Yes, but they actually are different when they're being cooked.
47:48And they taste a little bit 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.
47:57So 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 then a little bit
48:17of water to soften it.
48:18So completely healthy.
48:20Yes, but beautiful.
48:22The oven's ranging from about 150 through to 170.
48:27So on a slow oven, for 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 Juicens have made and sold quince paste and jelly commercially and always given fruit away
48:53to 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.
49:12Can you tell me a little bit about your foundation?
49:16Sure.
49:18So, 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.
49:34And 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.
49:48And 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.
50:00And 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 and 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.
50:53Well, my friends, you certainly found something worth fighting for 10 years ago when you began the Melanie Jusen Foundation,
51:00named in loving memory of your daughter, Melanie.
51:04He'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, she helped to make the jelly in
51:44the early days.
51:45Melanie was killed six weeks before her 19th birthday and 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.
51:57It's very, very closely connected to us.
52:08Oh, wow.
52:10Yes, 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, this 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 and 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.
53:11Like they're not just a wholly sweet fruit.
53:13No.
53:13But they take on the spices and the sweetness so beautiful.
53:17They've got quite complex flavours, the quince.
53:19Mmm.
53:20But they're soft and really palatable.
53:23Mmm.
53:24Can we try the apple and quince drink?
53:26Yeah, sure.
53:27Cheers.
53:28Cheers.
53:34It's an absolutely catastrophic life-changing event, enduring the death of a child and our
53:42daughter.
53:43But 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.
54:01I 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
54:14quinces.
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 those eggshells,
54:40grind 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
54:51this 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 rake leaves chops them up nice and fine, perfect to plump
55:09up your compost.
55:11Don't be a bunny.
55:13Get a cracking crop of carrots sown this weekend in warm temperate gardens.
55:18Sow 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 lamandras 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
57:00and they put on bunches of butte blooms from spring through autumn.
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.
57:17A favoured food of bilby's are the bulbs of the bush onion.
57:20A great addition to gardens, these attractive perennial native grasses are fab in a sandy soil
57:26and produce showy seed heads.
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
57:48and sign up for our regular Gardening Australia newsletter.
57:58Well, we're all done for another week.
58:00But 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
58:22to 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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