5. Good Organic Gardening - September-October 2016 AvxHome.in

GARDEN CALENDAR | Spring
Things to do in
October
It’s mid-spring and everything in the vegie patch and orchard is erupting with
flowers and delicious fruits. It’s a great time to be growing and harvesting
By Jennifer Stackhouse
Vegetables
COOL & TEMPERATE
In all but the coldest areas, plant summer
crops now, including corn, beans,
cucumber, tomato, zucchini, squash and
pumpkin. As they grow, tie tomato stems
to tall stakes and train climbing beans and
cucumbers onto a tepee or trellis. Use soft
ties to avoid damaging stems. Make the
most of the good growing times ahead with
succession planting. Every few weeks, sow
more seeds or plant a few more seedlings
of leafy greens such as lettuce and English
spinach (best in cooler zones) to keep a
continuous harvest happening. To help
shade crops as the heat intensifies, sow a
row of sunflowers along the western side of
the vegie patch — or use this space for a
block of corn or a trellis of beans.
TROPICAL
If your family enjoys corn straight off the cob,
grow your own sweetcorn crop. Sow seeds
directly into the soil. For best results with this
wind-pollinated plant, sow corn in blocks at
least a metre square rather than in long rows.
Also plant beans now. Snake beans do well in
hot climates but perform best when trained
onto a support such as a trellis. Borlotti beans
provide colourful seeds, which can be eaten
fresh or stored as dry beans. Any climbing
vegetable can also be used for instant shade
over leafy greens.
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Fruit
COOL & TEMPERATE
The flowers on fruit trees may herald a
bumper crop but only if all the mechanisms
are in place for pollination. Many fruit
trees require another variety to provide
the pollen (this is called cross-pollination).
Without cross-pollination, fruit may fail
to set. For a long-term solution, plant
pollinating varieties, but for a short-term
option bring in cut branches of flowers
to act as instant pollinators. Simply place
them in buckets of water under fruit trees;
the bees will do the rest. If bees are in short
supply, fruit set will be poor. Attract bees
to the garden with flowering herbs such
as basil and borage along with flowers
including daisies and lavender. For a ready
supply of pollinators — as well as other
benefits — consider installing a beehive.
TROPICAL
As soon as there’s ripe fruit ready for harvest,
the local wildlife are onto it. Pick fruiting
crops regularly to try to beat the birds or
use exclusion bags around individual fruit
clusters. Bird netting (stretched tight) or fruit
cages are the only sure ways to keep birds,
possums and wallabies away from edible
plants. If you are using bird netting, check it
regularly for trapped animals, including bats
and reptiles as well as birds. Control fruit fly
by using eco-friendly fruit-fly baits. Renew
them regularly. This is also a good time to
make new plantings but, if conditions are
likely to become waterlogged through the wet
season, plant fruit trees into slightly raised
beds to allow better drainage.
Compost & soil
COOL & TEMPERATE
Repot plants that have been in a container for
a while. Select a pot that’s just slightly larger
than the current container. For best growing
results in containers, check that the mix you
are buying meets the Australian Standard
(look for the ticks on the bag). Potting mixes
are sold for general purposes but may also
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be customised for specific plants or garden
use. Specialised potting mixes include those
for vegetables as well as for propagation of
cuttings or raising seed. Organic products are
also available. Top off containers with a fine
layer of compost or organic mulch.
TROPICAL
Grow living groundcovers using prostrate
plants — including nasturtium, sweet potato
or pumpkins — to cover the soil with a
green alternative to mulch. Even grass helps
protect soils from the erosion caused by
heavy downpours and is an ideal companion
for orchards. For a dense cover over the soil,
select plants that form roots as they grow
such as sweet potato (shoots or sprouted
tubers can be planted now). Groundcover
plants also help to keep soils cool and
discourage weed growth. Zucchini is an
efficient smotherer of weeds .
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