Gardening and growing great plants.

Macadamias - The Aussie Nut !

by Dennis Ting - Gardenworld Nursery

Yes that's right.  Macadamias are the true blue Aussie nut originating in the northern NSW to southern Queensland coastal areas.  Everyone is familiar with these expensive nuts now and knows they are delicious. 

Even better still for us down in Melbourne is that they will grow and crop successfully down here.  I have been growing the trees here for over 10 years now and they all produce wonderful crops of delicious nuts.  Well perhaps not as many nuts as up north but still a worthwhile quantity every year. 

These trees can grow huge in the warmer parts of Australia but I feel that three to four metres might be the limit down here for a grafted tree.  Really great for home gardens and the spare corner where it can be left alone to grow happily. 

What is the appeal you ask in growing these trees in the home garden? 

Goji Berry - The Super Fruit

By Dennis Ting - Gardenworld Nursery 

The Goji Berry (Lycium barbarium) plant is a recent addition to the range of plants we have in the garden centre.   

It is widely known as being a "Super Fruit" packed with vitamins, anti-oxidants, amino acids and polysaccarides.  You have to believe its properties given the price currently charged for Goji juice, dried berries and similar products!! 

We have had these plants in the nursery for just over a year now and there is still some amazement expressed by customers when they see the plants and wonder whether it is possible to grow these in Melbourne. 

I have been growing these plants here for several years now and harvest my fruit in December each year so let me tell you a bit about them. 

The plant itself looks fairly ordinary with thin canes and long dull green leaves.  It is actually a member of the Solanaceae family (tomatoes and chillies).  The plant has several growth flushes during the season and in between tends to rest with no active growth.

Tamarillo - the tree tomato

Growing Tree Tomatoes - A Quick Fruiter!!! 

By Dennis Ting - Gardenworld Nursery 

Walking around the garden centre the other day I was thinking about a question I often get asked by many customers.  "If I plant an apple or peach tree how long is it going to take before I can see worthwhile crops of fruit?"  The answer to this obviously varies depending on how quickly the fruit tree becomes established and settles into regular bearing but usually this is some years.  

There are however a small range of fruit bearing plants which grow rapidly and can produce good crops from within one or two years of planting believe it or not!   

One such plant is the Tree Tomato (Cyphomandra betacea) sometimes known as Tamarillo especially by the Kiwis who have commercialised it!  And yes it is related (distantly) to the vegetable tomatoes that you are used to.  But don't be put off by this as the fruit are much much better!! 

Growing Citrus

by Dennis Ting - Gardenworld Nursery

As we come into autumn and the cooler weather this presents an ideal time to plant citrus trees in the home garden.  This weather allows the new plants to put out roots into the surrounding soil and get established before the warmer weather in spring.  This strong root growth is then available to support the trees demands in spring with the heavy leafing out and possible flowering too. 

Citrus deserve more of a place in our gardens as Melbourne's climate has warmed up over the years and winter cold is no longer an issue for most types.  Also our summers have become warmer and longer and citrus thrive in these conditions. 

Survivors In The Heat

 By Dennis Ting - Gardenworld Nursery

Following on from the four very hot days at the end of January, Melbourne was again hit by an extremely hot day on Saturday 7th February 2009 when temperatures reached 46.4c during the day with strong gusty winds in the afternoon.  These conditions have resulted in the Tragic Bush Fires throughout Victoria. 

We have had customers come in and report that they have been seeing damage on plants that in previous years never experienced much damage due to high temperatures which is not surprising given the intense extremes we have seen this year. 

For the home gardener the questions must begin to be asked about whether we are seeing a permanent change to our climate with warmer winters (less cold and frosts) and hotter and more extreme summers? 

Recovering From The Heat

By Dennis Ting – Gardenworld Nursery

 

The record temperatures experienced in Melbourne for four days last week have certainly taken their toll on the gardens which are already suffering from the effects of drought together with limited watering due to current restrictions.

 

On the Saturday it had cooled down and I fielded numerous inquiries from customers who both visited and phoned us at Gardenworld.

 

The first question was usually along the lines of the plants were kept well watered at the roots but still got burnt.  The answer to this one is that with an ambient temperature of 45c and low humidity the atmosphere is acting like a dryer so no amount of water is going to help.

 

Curtain Lace an Alternative Material to Net Fruit Trees?

By Dennis Ting – Gardenworld Nursery  

Following on from my segment early this month with Rob Pelletier on 3AW’s The Big Backyard program on “Exotic Fruit and Nut Trees for Melbourne” there have been repeated requests on my new technique to keep the Cockatoos (and other birds) off my Walnut tree here in Melbourne. 

As anyone who is attempting to grow a few fruit or nut trees in their own backyard the major pests are birds who will start taking the fruit and nuts before they are even remotely ripe for human consumption (and enjoyment!).  The months of hard labour nurturing the crop can all be to nought if suitable prevention measures are not found.