Member's Gardens > Stories from the One Acre Plot > Part 5 August 2006
by Phil Ryan

My spraying routine was thrown right out of kilter by the rain in June. It rained for a whole week. What a glorious sight – steady, misty, soaking rain, all 25 mm of it! It’s amazing how a week of desperately needed rain, after you haven’t had any for many months, can lift your spirits. The relief and pleasure is just fantastic, so spare a thought for all those who are still waiting for a little rain.

My annual records show that in the last three years we have had rain at the plot during June. One year we had nearly 80 mm. Normally by now I would be in the thick of my winter veggie season, but not this year. It has been too dry, and with a record hot April I deemed planting could be a waste of precious resources. However, with this historical information at my fingertips, in May this year I took a gamble on it raining in June and planted out a hundred or so veggie seedlings. Thankfully, it paid off, and the veggie gardens are doing extra well.

Now that the cooler weather is finally here I have been able to reduce the number of times a week that I need to water the veggies and the pot plants. For the veggies it is every three days and the pot plants every five days – but I still do the finger test to ascertain if they need watering. Foliar spraying (with seaweed, etc) is vital to all my plants, trees and shrubs, so I make sure I have a program in place. It’s a very reliable way to feed your plants and saves on your water.

This time last year I was well into harvesting a bumper crop of broccoli, snap peas and cauliflower, which, after lightly blanching, were bagged and frozen and kept us supplied until quite recently. This year its been a totally different season. I lost a mixed bed of cauliflowers and broccoli to the cabbage moth, plus a lot of other hungry insects. Yes, I sprayed and I dusted with all my various organic mixtures and potions, etc., but they won the battle. However, when all else fails, bring out the mossie nets. Yes, I know its supposed to be winter time, but this year the season is different, so on went the mossie nets – and, you know, the results are simply amazing. The best unspoiled veggies I have ever grown at the plot, even though they are a little late. So, for what its worth, I share this little gem of experience with you. Prevention is so much more rewarding and satisfying, but I know not to get too carried away - in case the nasties start eating the mossie nets! Then its back to square one! However, at present the score is one all!

‘The gardener’s shadow’ is an old, often quoted Chinese saying, meaning that ‘the shadow’ is the best fertilizer. Spending time observing your plants can be the best medicine you can give them. Prevention I am learning has to be one of my most important jobs at the plot. I am constantly amazed with what nature can spring on me – things that shouldn’t be occurring because its not the time, or season, suddenly start to happen. “Hey! Hang on a minute. You’re not supposed to be doing that, etc. etc.” count for very little with nature. So, if you’re ‘shadowing’ your plants every day, or on a weekly basis, then you’re giving them the very best fertilizer they can possibly get!

Talking about garden pests, Francis Michaels of Green Harvest Organic Garden Supplies gave a most informative talk about combating pests at the recent Nambour Garden Expo. She is a walking, talking encyclopedia on how to deal with pests in your garden. She illustrated her point with a story about the removal by farmers of vast amounts of hedges from the English countryside. More space was wanted and the hedges were taking up very valuable space that could be used on which to grow more crops. Well, when the hedges went, so did the wildlife, all the myriad of insects and tiny birds that the hedges gave a home to and protected. Within a year the farmers were losing the war with a plague of insects infesting their crops. Suddenly, the penny dropped and a very harsh, yet invaluable lesson on pest management was driven home – no amount of chemicals and super poisons could replace the inhabitants of the hedges and the invaluable, unseen work that they achieved. Francis went on to explain further the importance and value of birds, spiders, frogs, insects etc. in the garden and the various ways to encourage a sustainable and healthy garden.

Green Harvest publish a fantastic Australian organic gardening resource guide. It’s a goldmine of information that will seduce you with its text and pictures. The catalogue has a unique system of keys and symbols to advise if the plant is suitable for your climatic zone, when to plant, how big, what soil conditions etc., etc., etc. Full colour pictures make identification of plants a breeze and the text is written in a very easy to follow manner. The good news is that we will have a quantity of this masterpiece to give out at our August meeting. For our country Members, simply write direct to Green Harvest, PO Box 92, Maleny Q 4552 for a post free copy.

Right now at the plot I am going flat out getting things potted up for our 1st October BOGI Fair. Having been at the Nambour Garden Expo for some four days and being inspired by what various organic gardeners have achieved with their plant showings, I am up and running with all stops out to have the best plants I can produce for this year’s BOGI Fair. So, here’s hoping you will be doing the same. It’s only through your actions and deeds that we’ll encourage the general public to realize that, yes, it is possible to grow your own fruit and veggies – and to love doing it!

Remember, the best place to store citrus (except lemons) is ON THE TREE. And, finally…If a single fly can lay over one million eggs in a season, how many could a married fly lay?

Wishing you lots of joy and contentment in your organic garden!