So if you like ginger in your tea or a ginger tea you can grow Thai Ginger, Zingiber officinale. Easy to grow if you follow the tips. If you intend to grow it in a pot, make it a large one, at lest 500mm diameter, use a good quality potting mix with good drainage. And don’t plant to deep, enough to allow the rhizomes to develop above the soil line. If you wish to plant in ground, ensure the soil has good drainage and some protection from the hot afternoon sun as leaf is prone to scorch. You will need to keep the soil moist and as with pot culture keep the rhizomes close to the soil surface but cover with mulch at least 75mm and moist, this will help with harvest. For a mild ginger, harvest young rhizomes and for stronger and more fibre allow the rhizomes to mature. You can harvest at any time during the growing season and of course ginger keeps well. Remember it will go dormant during the cooler months, so at some stage you need to harvest all the above ground rhizomes before they shrivel.

 The Tamrillo, Cyphomandra once known as the ‘Tree Tomato’ until the Kiwi’s changed it’s name in 1967. Reason being there is only a hint of tomato, it’s more a flavour cross between a passionfruit and kiwifruit. Fast growing with large floppy leaves, prefers a light well drained soil in a sunny position, protected from strong winds. Training is easy, just lop the top off the plant when it reaches 1 metre (this won’t take long) this encourages tree to branch out at this level and develop 3 to 4 main branches. Use soil enriched with organic matter as this also helps control nematodes. Varieties available are the Sweet Gold and the stronger tasting Red, the Yellow is said to be milder in taste and sweeter. All forms have a good shelf life  and remember the new crop is born on new wood, so you will need to tip prune after harvest.

 Visit our website www.beaudeserthardware.com.au to view this article, plus previous articles and more…

Plantman

We are happy to announce we are now agents for Feelfree Kayaks. They have a range of robust moulded UV treated polyethalene  Kayaks which hold up to 3 paddlers suitable for family use, fishing or touring. Checkout our instore display and ask for a brochure or go to http://www.feelfreekayaks.com.au/ for information about the full range.

The latest release from the Seasol company “Powerfeed for Vegies” is delivering good results, based on the feedback from customers. I still have a few samples left, so if you are purchasing some vegie seedlings, just ask us for a sample sachet.

For those of you who are growing the edible fig varieties be aware that at this time of the growing season your fig may be attacked by clustering sawfly larvae. These pests can do some serious damage to the leaves and it doesn’t take them long to completely skeletonise a leaf. For control I would suggest spraying with pyrethrum or spinosad. Avoid using carbaryl as this is now not recommended for edible plants.

If you are in a zone that will grow Poinciana, then you may also grow the “Yellow Flame Tree” Peltophorum pterocarpum, a native of south-eastern Asia and northern Australasia. Growth habit is similar to the Poinciana Delonix regia  and is often referred to as the “Yellow Poinciana”. General flowering is in summer then followed by reddish/brown seed pods. It is regarded as drought resistant once established however this could take a few years. So if you have an area that can accommodate a large spreading shade tree, it’s well worth considering the “Yellow Flame”.

For those of you who have been asking me about the “Cape Gooseberry” I now have a supply available. What I would like in return is a jam recipe for this interesting, hardy old berry, that I will post on our website.    www.beaudeserthardware.com.au

Photo Courtesy Forest & Kim Starr

Plantman

Hass is a fast grower that is frost tolerent to -1°C and grows into a large tree.

Hazzard is a semi dwarf with good fruit bearing and some frost tolerence.

Rincon has a spreading habit and is good for pots. It’s frost hardy to -3°C/-4°C. It has long necked pear shaped fruit.

Wurtz is a dwarf plant that is gereat for tubs.

Pinkerton is an ideal backyard variety has a small seed and top eating quality.

We are now stocking 2 liquid fertilisers from the Plant of Health range of high performing natural fertilsers. Trace Elements are the most leached of all nutrients and deficiencies are common. Bio-Trace is a concentated form to ensure luxury of supply. Click Here for more information.

 Silica & Potash are essential for strong healthy blooms and this super concetrated form is the easy way to maintain luxury levels. BFA Registered. Click Here for more information.

After a lot of discussion with my favourite supplier he is now producing this form exclusively for The Garden Centre with arrival this week in small numbers. This special zucchini is the Globe Zucchini (Courgette rondes). This one you won’t find in your local supermarket. It’s a high yielding variety that has very firm flesh and a lot less watery.

Click on this link to read my previous article on this variety.

Two very hardy Hibiscus for your consideration:-

The first Hibiscus syriacus, Syrian Hibiscus a native of Asia is a medium sized deciduous shrub around 2.5m to 3m, bears snow white flowers with very striking red “hearts” in the centre. Mostly flowering in summer with occasional spot flowering, prefers a medium to well drained soil in full sun to part shade. Tolerant to frost but I have my doubts about being truly drought tolerant. Fertilise well in spring and prune after its main flowering. I intend to maintain my specimen as a very compact low shrub no more that 1.5m. This form would blend in well with other Hibiscus.

Hibiscus mutabilis, I think mutabilis means “variable” and the variety I have now is ‘Tony’ which is a bright deep pink form, occasional throwing lighter pink flowers followed by the darker form. Native to China. This variety is capable of 3m but best pruned around 1.5m – 2m. As this form is deciduous, I would do any hard pruning pre-spring. Likes full sun but will tolerate part shade, plenty of mulch as it does not enjoy overly dry conditions, but don’t overwater. (Once established it will cope better with the dry.)

Another great product from Seasol has been released and its developed especially for use on vegetables. ‘Powerfeed For Vegies’. A fertilizer and soil conditioner in one that stimulates vigorous growth and promotes higher yields. For seedlings or young plants apply at the rate of 25mL to 9L and for more established plants increase this rate to 24mL to 9L every 1 – 2 weeks. Use within 24 hours of mixing and always wash the edible produce before eating.

GET A FREE SAMPLE OF POWERFEED FOR VEGIES

LIMITED TIME ONLY

JUST ASK AT THE GARDEN COUNTER AND MENTION YOU SAW IT IN THIS COLUMN.

Plantman

Growing parsley is beneficial for roses, tomatoes, carrots and asparagus when grown together.

Growing chives with carrots, roses or parsley is mutually beneficial.

Marigolds planted among your vegetables reduces problems with nemitdes and the bright flowers attract bees that assist with pollination.

Avoid growing fennel near cabage or lettuce.

The onion group are good companions for most vegetables except beans and peas.

Thyme and cabbage grow well together.

Parsley and mints aren’t good companions and should be grown separately.

Cabbage love to grow with mint, oregano and penny royal but not with strawberries or tomatoes, so try to keep the bad companions apart.

For your convenience we stock the four popular Absco shed models below. The rest of the Absco range of sheds, aviaries, carports and garages are also available from us on request. To find out more about them visit us at the store discuss your needs and pick up a pamphlet or checkout the Absco Website.

Spacesaver Model ZA15081SK ZINCALUME
1.52m(W)x0.78(D)x1.95m(H) Peak, 1.8m (H) Wall, Single Hinged Door Wind Rating: ABSCO 147 (W41 Cyclonic)

$199.00

Spacesaver Model ZA23081SK ZINCALUME
2.26m(W)x0.78m(D)x1.95m(H) Peak, 1.8m (H) Wall, SINGLE HINGED DOOR Wind Rating: ABSCO 147 (W41 Cyclonic)

$299.00

Spacesaver Model ZA23151SK ZINCALUME 2.26m(W)x1.52m(D)x2.08m (H) Peak, 1.8m(H) Wall, SINGLE HINGED DOOR Wind Rating: ABSCO 147 (W41 Cyclonic)

$399.00

Premier Model ZA30232GK, ZINCALUME
3.0m(W)x2.26m(D)x2.0m(H) Gable, 1.8m(H) Wall, DOUBLE HINGED DOORS Wind Rating: ABSCO 147 (W41 Cyclonic)

$499.00