New Venue & Time for Future Meetings

Hi everyone

After meeting for many years at the wonderful Sweethearts Cafe, Eudlo, our group will be relocating to nearby Ilkley for future meetings. Thanks to current and past owners for your hospitality towards our group.

From Sunday, 7 June 2015, we will have a NEW VENUE and an earlier meeting time.  The new venue, kindly offered by our members, Roy and Jackie Gasson has plenty of cover (perfect for our hot summers and wet weather). There is plenty of space to meet and process seeds and plant material regardless of what our climate throws at us!

Please see the details below:

Time: 8.30am - 10.00am
Cost: Gold coin donation
Roy Gasson's Pottery Shed
145 Ilkley Road, Ilkley 4554
Sunshine Coast, Queensland

CLICK LINK for Google Map & Directions

Entrance to property from Ilkley Road, Ilkley

This is the parking area. Turn in the driveway and travel past the first little brick house
and park nose in to the right hand side.

Walk down the pathway to the pottery shed

Following is a list of the meeting dates for the rest of 2015.

Add them to your diary now:

Sunday 7 June - The Gassons will be providing refreshments and morning tea (covered by gold coin donation)
Sunday 5 July
Sunday 2 August
Sunday 6 September
Sunday 4 October
Sunday 1 November
Sunday 6 December

Safe Seedlings

If you don't have time to sow seeds and want to plant safe seedlings grown from organic or heirloom, seeds, there are some local organic seedlings suppliers. Try David at Yandina markets on Saturday mornings, Max Lindegger at Crystal Waters, the monthly Witta markets, Yandina Feed Barn and Kunara at Forest Glen. 

Please be wary of buying non-certified organic seedlings from nurseries or any other retail outlet. If you're not aware, many growers are raising seeds with neonicotinoids (insecticides) that are toxic to bees. If you inadvertently purchase these seedlings or plants, you may not only be contaminating your garden with chemicals but also be innocently killing the very pollinators you need to grow your crop successfully. 

Learn more in these articles:

• 4 Step Guide to Improving Pollination & Your Harvests: Part 1
• Protecting Bees from Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Your Garden

What to Plant in June

With cooler temperatures now upon us, it's time to make sure your winter crops are in. Lots of vegetables, herbs and flowers grow well at this time of year, without the greedy grasshoppers taking an unfair share!


Check out these guides for other ideas/tips:

Gardenate - Subtropical zone.

ABC Vegie Gardening Guide.

Aussie Organic Gardening.

Garden Visits

Lissa Clayton and our friends from Brisbane Local Food have also invited our members to join their free monthly garden visits at any time. It's a great opportunity to learn, swap seeds, cuttings and plant material as well as learn from each other and what grows well in SEQ. You may want to consider car pooling and bringing this up at each meeting to see if a group can enjoy the drive and visit together.

You can find out more about BLF Garden Visits here. The 2015 Calendar of upcoming gardens is also on their website. RSVP online.

June 13th Garden Visit is at Albany Creek

July 5th Garden Visit is at Deception Bay

August  30th Garden Visit is way over the other side of Brisbane at Ellen Grove

Sept 19th Garden Visit is at Brighton 

Hope to see you soon.

Autumn Seed Savers & What to Plant Now

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will be on Sunday 3 May from 10.30am - 12.00nn.

Thanks especially for Ted and Merryl's hospitality last month at their place. We had a great turn out and loads of seeds, plants, cuttings and tips shared around. Oh, and fabulous food!! Thanks to everyone for making it such an enjoyable meeting.

With the current rain and relatively warm soil temperatures, there are so many edible plants that are growing well in the garden right now. It's a great time to take cuttings to swap and share, sow moisture-loving vegies and herbs and apply soil conditioners.

Bring along:

• any seeds you have to process; 
• plants to sell/swap; 
• planting material such as cuttings or tubers; 
• surplus produce; 
• newspaper/carry bag to take goodies home.

Autumn Planting & Activities

With moisture now in the soil, temperatures cooling down and pest insects like grasshoppers slowing down, it's a wonderful time of year to fill your garden with winter vegetable seeds and seedlings.

That means less watering and work having to tend to pest and disease problems. Here are some activities and planting ideas for this month:

• Maximise summer/autumn growth by chopping back any plants that need a haircut. Arrowroot, comfrey, perennials and pruned shrubs/trees will all provide you with masses of nitrogen rich green material to build your compost. Chop woody prunings to use at the base of compost piles to help aeration and balance carbon. 

Arrowroot - chop and drop as mulch or add to compost as a nutrient accumulator

• Add soil conditioners and organic fertilisers to the soil during the rain to boost growth.
• Sow fast growing edibles like lettuce, rocket and other leafy greens to take advantage of soil moisture. Mulch well.
• Start preparing soil for planting bare-rooted fruit trees available in winter. They are much cheaper and quicker to establish.
• Citrus trees will benefit from another feed now. Remember to mulch your garden well.
• Nasturtiums love the cooler months and have so many uses. Make sure to sow some seeds in your garden now if you haven't already. Once you have them, they will self sow every year.

• Get all your brassica crops in now e.g. kale, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. 
• Remember to plant some American upland cress (also known as land cress) to attract the Cabbage White Butterflies to lay eggs on as a sacrificial plant. The leaves are toxic to the caterpillars so this ends the life cycle.   
• Plant herbs like coriander, dill, chives, mint, and parsley. They thrive in this weather. Give your other perennial herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, lemon grass and lemon-scented verbena a haircut to shape them and provide plenty of fresh herbs for teas or drying.
• If you can get your hands on some dragon fruit, pop them in now.
• Sow some flowers for winter pollination - here are a few suggestions.

What to Plant in May

Check out these guides for more options for planting this month:

Gardenate - Subtropical zone.

ABC Vegie Gardening Guide.

Aussie Organic Gardening.

Current Moon Cycle

To maximise your harvests, consider planting by the moon cycles. We are in a period of prolific growth for above ground plants until 2 May, so get planting with all that soil moisture! This is followed by a few days that are ideal to sow seeds for sprouts and microgreens. 7-8 & 14-15 May are the best times to tuck in root crops.

If you're planning on sowing seeds, seedlings, transplanting, taking cuttings, fertilising or dividing plants, this may help!

Learn more about the Benefits of Moon Gardening. Moon Calendars are available online any time for $12.50.

This month's Seed Savers Meeting

We meet at Sweethearts Cafe who offer us a large space to get together for free (saving us a hall hire fee so no cost to you) but as a business are in effect hiring out that area to us for a couple of hours.

So as a courtesy please remember to at the very least order a tea/coffee or a yummy breakfast, to support the cafe. They have a delicious local and organic menu. Visit their website for more info @ http://www.sweetheartscafe.com.au/aboutus.html.

Venue: 2 Anzac Street (cnr Rosebed Street), Eudlo.

FREE to attend so bring a friend and carpool! Hope to see you soon.

By Anne Gibson

Autumn Crop, Plant & Produce Swap

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will be over Easter on Sunday 5 April from 10.30am - 12.00nn.

As Sweethearts Cafe will be closed this month and reopening from 15 April, we will be meeting at a temporary alternative venue: Ted and Merryl's place at 33 Greenhaven Close, Burnside (Nambour).

This is an opportunity for a seasonal Autumn Crop, Plant and Produce Swap. So bring along:

• a fold up chair if you have one;
• any seeds you have to process; 
• plants to sell/swap; 
• planting material such as cuttings or tubers; 
• surplus produce; 
• newspaper/carry bag to take goodies home and/or 
• morning tea to share.

Please consider neighbours and access when parking in the street and car pool if possible.

We appreciate Ted and Merryl's hospitality this month. Thanks so much!

Autumn Planting

With slightly cooler and now wet weather, now is the time to get planting autumn crops. Here are a few suggestions:

• Beetroot - Green Harvest advises: "Beetroot 'seeds' are actually cork-like fruit containing 2 to 6 true seeds. Soak seed clusters in warm water for one to two hours then sow 12 mm deep, directly into fertile, well-worked, well-drained soil in a sunny position. Rows should be 30 cm apart; once the seedlings emerge, thin them to 10 cm apart. Avoid adding too much nitrogen as it promotes leaf growth at the expense of root development. Beetroot does well with a soil pH of 6.5 to 7.5. An application of Backyard Blooms will give a potassium boost for more vigorous root growth. Supply trace elements by applying Natrakelp liquid seaweed; it will help with disease resistance too. 

• Harvest the roots in 55 - 70 days, depending on the variety. For sweet and tender beetroot, start harvesting at golf ball size. Beetroot is happy to share a bed with onions, silverbeet, lettuce, cabbage, beans, dill, peas or strawberries."
• Alternatively, grow beetroot as microgreens. Bulls Blood is my favourite to sow for lovely young tender leaves as opposed to roots.

• Garlic - Refrigerate bulbs before planting and wait until the 8-9th April to sow the cloves. See this 5 step tutorial for preparing, planting and harvesting. 

• Peas - Choose climbers if you have the space for a trellis or vertical structure. Dwarf or bush varieties are more compact and suit pots and small spaces. Either way, now's the perfect time to put them in before 3 April. There are many suitable varieties from snow peas to sweet sugar snaps - Green Harvest have seeds available or visit Yandina markets on a Saturday at Dave's stall where he raises heirloom and organic seedlings if you want a head start. Check out this Easy Guide to Growing Peas for tips. 

• Rocket - This peppery salad herb is a cool season favourite. Sow seeds now and they'll be sprouting in 2-3 days. Check out this tutorial for tips.

• Beans - Climbers are generally more prolific over a longer period than bush bean varieties so make your choice depending on space and time you have to put up a trellis.

• Other suggestions include pick 'n' pluck lettuces, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, silverbeet/chard and carrots.

Autumn Activities

• April is one of the worst times of year for White Cabbage butterfly caterpillars. There are many strategies you can use. See Coping with Caterpillars for some suggestions. Land cress (also known as American Upland Cress) has been found to be toxic to the caterpillars so interplanting with your brassica crops may be a quick solution. You can source seeds from The Seed Collection. 

• If scale or aphids are appearing on your citrus or fruit trees, use a hose to remove most of them for a few days or spray with Eco Oil. 

• Take the opportunity to compost excess green waste around your garden. Remove fallen fruit and do a general clean up and mulch. 

• Harvest your basil for pesto now before it starts to die back with cooler weather.

• Dead head marigolds and other flowers. Harvest the seeds.

Current Moon Cycle

To maximise your harvests, consider planting by the moon cycles. We are currently in a period of prolific growth for above ground plants until 3 April so get planting with all that soil moisture!

If you're planning on sowing seeds, seedlings, transplanting, taking cuttings, fertilising or dividing plants - now's the time to do it!

Learn more about the Benefits of Moon Gardening. Moon Calendars are available online any time for $12.50.

Hope to see you at the meeting. Remember to BYO friend and a chair this month!

By Anne Gibson

Autumn Planting in the Subtropics

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will be on 1 March from 10.30am - 12.00nn.

Come along to share seeds, plant material and surplus produce + process any seeds into our seed bank.

If you are growing strawberries, it's likely you'll notice the runners are ready for transplanting. Separate from the mother plant and bury under a thick layer of mulch.

Citrus leaf miner is common at this time of year so remember to remove the leaves and bin them, then treat with Eco-Oil.

Ants have been active with so much moisture in the soil.  Check they are not supporting aphids that are attacking new growth. If so, hose off with a sharp spray.

After the rain we've had, many nutrients will likely have leached from your garden beds and pots so replenish minerals and slow release fertilisers + top up with mulch.

Caterpillars also can become a problem at this time of year. Hand picking early in the morning is one solution. Consider netting also. Start chilling your garlic bulbs ready for planting too.

If your comfrey, arrowroot and other support species are doubling in size like mine are, chop and drop these to build your soil or make comfrey tea to boost nutrients depleted from too much rain.

Here are some articles/resources to help you with Autumn planting:

• Green Harvest Autumn Notes - What to grow, how to manage seasonal pests and garden activities.
• Coping with Caterpillars Part 1 and Part 2.  Help with pest caterpillars and Organic strategies for dealing with them.
• 5 Step Guide to Growing Gorgeous Garlic - Tutorial on how to grow garlic organically.
• Brisbane Insects - A fascinating website resource on insects in SEQ - very helpful for identifying who's in your backyard.

Current Moon Cycle

To maximise your harvests, consider planting by the moon cycles. We are currently in a period of prolific growth for above ground plants until 4th March so get planting with all that soil moisture!

If you're planning on sowing seeds, seedlings, transplanting, taking cuttings, fertilising or dividing plants - now's the time to do it! Try sowing crops like beetroot, climbing beans, capsicum, carrots, leeks, eggplant, chillis, mustard greens, lettuce, radish, pumpkin, parsley, zucchini and other early autumn vegies. You'll reap the rewards.

Learn more about the Benefits of Moon Gardening. Moon Calendars are available online any time for $12.50.

Beginners, people new to the area and long distance visitors are all welcome.

What to Plant in March

Check out these guides for more options for planting during Autumn:

Gardenate - Subtropical zone.

ABC Vegie Gardening Guide.

Aussie Organic Gardening.

This month's Seed Savers Meeting

We meet at Sweethearts Cafe who offer us a large space to get together for free (saving us a hall hire fee so no cost to you) but as a business are in effect hiring out that area to us for a couple of hours.

So as a courtesy please remember to at the very least order a tea/coffee or a yummy breakfast, to support the cafe. They have a delicious local and organic menu. Visit their website for more info @ http://www.sweetheartscafe.com.au/aboutus.html.

Venue: 2 Anzac Street (cnr Rosebed Street), Eudlo.

FREE to attend so bring a friend and carpool! Hope to see you soon.

By Anne Gibson

February in the Garden & What to Plant Now

The first 'Seedy Sunday' for 2015 will be on 1 February from 10.30am - 12.00nn.

We'll be sharing seeds, plant material and surplus produce + processing any seeds into our seed bank.

REMEMBER: If bringing something fresh like herbs or cuttings, please wrap the stems in some wet newspaper or paper towel. Alternatively, pop seedlings into a toilet roll 'pot' for easy transplanting.

If you’re new, come along and meet our friendly group – we enjoy listening to what others are doing or plan to do. It’s a great way for everyone to learn, grow their garden for free, meet your neighbours or network and connect with like-minded members in the community – we’ve formed some wonderful friendships this way.

This Month in the Garden

There's still a lot of moisture in the soil from recent rain, especially if you have mulched well. With all the rapid growth, it's an ideal time to chop and drop this organic matter to build your soil. Add to worm farms, compost systems and as mulch.

Nutrients leach quickly in this weather, so check your fertilising routine. All plants benefit from regular applications of seaweed. Consider netting or shade structures to protect delicate seedlings and most plants from sunburn on hot days.

If you're struggling to grow in garden beds in this unpredictable weather, try raising seeds or seedlings in containers. You have much greater control and there are many benefits.

Coping with Pest Insects

If plants are lacking nutrients, they will often be attacked by pest insects.

One strategy you can use for coping with grasshoppers!

Grasshoppers and white cabbage butterflies are amongst the opportunistic pest insects in residence in most gardens right now. These are some organic strategies that may be helpful solutions to try:

Coping with Caterpillars - Part 1
Coping with Caterpillars - Part 2

Current Moon Cycle

If you want to maximise your harvests, consider planting by the moon cycles. According to the moon cycle, we are currently in a prolific period of above ground growth until 3 February. So if you're planning on sowing seeds, seedlings, transplanting, taking cuttings, fertilising or dividing plants - now's the time to do it! Try sowing crops like tomatoes, climbing beans, basil, eggplant, chillis, capsicum, cucumber and other summer vegies.

I'll have some Moon Calendars available for $12.50. They also make a wonderful garden gift. Or you can pick one up online any time.

As usual, at our meeting we'll be discussing what to grow in your garden right now - the challenges and successes plus sharing seeds from our seed bank.

Beginners, people new to the area and long distance visitors are all welcome.

What to Plant in February

Although our soils and microclimates differ in our subtropical gardens, it's a good time of year to grow basil, climbing and dwarf beans, beetroot, capsicum, chives, chillis, leeks, cucumber, cut-and-come again lettuce varieties (in a moist, shaded position), mustard greens, pumpkin, radish, melons, silverbeet, zucchini, tomato and corn.

Spring Onions grow well right through the year - a must have crop in your garden. The seeds are very easy to save.

Check out these guides for other ideas/tips:

Gardenate - Subtropical zone.

ABC Vegie Gardening Guide.

Aussie Organic Gardening.

This month's Seed Savers Meeting

We meet at Sweethearts Cafe who offer us a large space to get together for free (saving us a hall hire fee so no cost to you) but as a business are in effect hiring out that area to us for a couple of hours.

So as a courtesy please remember to at the very least order a tea/coffee or a yummy breakfast, to support the cafe. They have a delicious local and organic menu. Visit their website for more info @ http://www.sweetheartscafe.com.au/aboutus.html.

Venue: 2 Anzac Street (cnr Rosebed Street), Eudlo.

FREE to attend so bring a friend and carpool! Hope to see you soon.

By Anne Gibson

Seed, Plant & Crop Swap + Summer Strategies

The last 'Seedy Sunday' for 2014 will be on 7 December from 10.30am - 12.00nn. We take a break in January and meet again on Sunday 1 February - same time, same place.

In the spirit of giving at this time of year, the idea this month is to celebrate the friendships we've made and share or swap something from our gardens with each other.  We'll also chat about surviving summer in the sub-tropics. What can we grow easily despite the heat, wet, storms, hail and greedy grasshoppers? Have a think about your summer garden and share your experiences - this is sure to prove enlightening, entertaining and helpful!

Come along for a fun social morning and bring something to share – here are some ideas:

• a bunch of herbs or surplus produce 
• a friend or neighbour!
• a tip, technique or design idea
• a plant or recipe
• what you've learned from a growing experience you've had this year
• a book, website, course, business or resource you’ve found helpful (jot it down on a piece of paper)
• some seeds or a few cuttings that are growing well in your garden (there must be a herb or plant that needs a haircut right?!)

• photos of your garden to inspire us 
• your garden journal, Permaculture design or site map for your property
• a bulb or seedling
• a quick demo or plant profile on something you love growing
• a local supplier where you source your garden needs 
• something that has inspired you (e.g. you may have joined a community garden or been involved in a project that helped you learn)
• Or think up something else you'd like to share! 

NOTE: If bringing something fresh like herbs or cuttings, please wrap the stems in some wet newspaper or paper towel.

If you’re new, just come and tell us about your garden – we enjoy listening to what others are doing or plan to do. It’s a great way for everyone to learn, grow their garden for free, meet your neighbours or network and connect with like-minded members in the community – we’ve formed some wonderful friendships this way. If the weather is kind and not wet or humid, we’ll process more seeds to share/swap.

If you want to maximise your harvests, consider planting by the moon cycles. I'll have some Moon Calendars available for $12.50. They also make a wonderful garden gift for Christmas. Or you can pick one up online anytime.

As usual, at our meeting we'll be discussing what to grow in your garden right now - the challenges and successes plus sharing seeds from our seed bank.

Beginners, people new to the area and long distance visitors are all welcome.

What to Plant in December

While we all have different microclimates in our gardens, there are always some general guidelines on what we can plant during this time of year. Basil, climbing and dwarf beans,  beetroot, capsicum, chives, chillis, cucumber, ginger, lettuce, mustard greens, pumpkin, radish, melons, silverbeet, zucchini, tomato and corn are just some of the edibles good to plant now.

Check out these guides for other ideas/tips:

Gardenate - Subtropical zone.

ABC Vegie Gardening Guide.

Aussie Organic Gardening.

This month's Seed Savers Meeting

We meet at Sweethearts Cafe who offer us a large space to get together for free (saving us a hall hire fee so no cost to you) but as a business are in effect hiring out that area to us for a couple of hours.

So as a courtesy please remember to at the very least order a tea/coffee or a yummy breakfast, to support the cafe. They have a delicious local and organic menu. Visit their website for more info @ http://www.sweetheartscafe.com.au/aboutus.html.

Venue: 2 Anzac Street (cnr Rosebed Street), Eudlo.

FREE to attend so bring a friend and carpool! Hope to see you soon.

By Anne Gibson

Growing Food & Seed Saving in a Dry Garden

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will be on 2 November from 10.30am - 12.00pm. Come join our table and enjoy meeting like-minded locals.

On the menu this month:

• processing, labelling and storing dill, coriander, lettuce, spring onion, mustard and rocket seeds.
• identifying drought-tolerant crops for seed saving.
• a variety of crops to plant now and how to prepare for them. 
• strategies for growing food crops in hot, dry weather.

Dill seeds ready for processing

Many leafy greens like tatsoi, baby spinach, mustard, some lettuces, coriander and rocket often bolt to seed, now warmer weather has arrived. Bring along any seeds you would like to process for the seed bank, especially if you have winter crops that have finished.

Just grab a paper bag and collect up any seed heads that are fully developed and turning brown. The seed pods should be full and ripe. 

It's time to sow crops that can take the heat. We'll be discussing some varieties and sharing experiences and growing strategies. 

'Salad Bowl Red' and 'Green' Lettuce Varieties are more heat tolerant

Trees that are in stress may be dropping leaves. Use these to build your soil.

If you have some spare cuttings, seeds, surplus produce, questions or ideas to share please bring these along to our meeting.    

We love new faces so bring a friend or neighbour - perhaps someone who'd like some company or needs a little support in their garden. Our group welcomes beginners, visitors and people new to our community area. We also sow seeds of friendship when we are together.

Activities for November

If you are growing brassicas like kale or cabbage, you may find white cabbage butterflies and the diamondback butterflies laying eggs, with caterpillars taking their toll.

Using sacrificial trap crops (those that attract the butterflies to lay their eggs on) is one organic strategy that may help. I use nasturtiums for white cabbage butterflies but Asian cabbages like Bok Choy (Brassica rapa) are attractive to the diamondback butterflies. The idea is to check the leaves of your trap crop plants for eggs and remove before they pupate, ending the life cycle. Alternatively, plant Land Cress (Barbarea vulgaris). When the diamondback larva hatch, they eat the leaves, but die from the toxic natural plant chemicals (saponins).

Some grasshoppers are appearing. They are best removed by hand early morning when they are more docile. If you only have a small area with these crops growing, you may want to consider netting to exclude these visitors who take more than their fair share!

Grasshopper party on Sweet basil leaves

Time to plant summer crops but make sure your soil has moisture holding capacity or an irrigation system. In this dry weather, establishing seedlings can be a challenge. You may have to be a vigilant 'plant parent' for a few weeks until they are established.

Try putting in zucchini, beans, cucumbers, eggplant, capsicum, corn, pumpkin, basil, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. It's also a good time to prepare for turmeric, yams, yakon, galangal, arrowroot, taro, cassava and ginger that thrive in our humid, wet summer.

If you're growing food in containers, these are some dry season strategies to get the most from your crops in pots.

If you haven't already, make some bamboo tepees for climbers like beans, tomatoes and cucumber. Bamboo is a cheap sustainable material and easily to grow in our climate. Why not put in a clumping variety so you have your own building materials on hand?

Cucumber growing on bamboo tepee frames with repurposed baling twine

Consider what shade structures you are going to use in the coming months to protect your crops in the heat. Position tall potted plants to help shade vulnerable ones or start planting shady microclimates now.

What to Plant in November

Check out these sites for tips and planting guides:

Gardenate - Subtropical zone.

ABC Vegie Gardening Guide.

Aussie Organic Gardening.

This month's Seed Savers Meeting

We meet at Sweethearts Cafe who offer us a large space to get together for free (saving us a hall hire fee so no cost to you) but as a business are in effect hiring out that area to us for a couple of hours.

So as a courtesy please remember to at the very least order a tea/coffee or a yummy meal, to support the cafe. They have a delicious local and organic menu. Visit their website for more info @ http://www.sweetheartscafe.com.au/aboutus.html.

Venue: 2 Anzac Street (cnr Rosebed Street), Eudlo.

FREE to attend so bring a friend and carpool! Hope to see you soon.

By Anne Gibson

Spring has Sprung - What to Plant Now!

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will be on 7 September from 10.30am - 12.00pm. Come join our table and enjoy meeting like-minded locals.

We'll be chatting about:

• a variety of crops to plant now and how to prepare for them. 
• rooting herbs from cuttings.
• the many uses for nasturtiums in a Permaculture kitchen garden. 

With the arrival of warm, sunny spring weather, it's an ideal time to start planting early, with warm season crops.

Many winter edibles will also be going to seed like the brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, tatsoi, mustard and mizuna). You can watch a video here or follow these instructions on how to process and save brassica seeds.

So grab a paper bag and collect up any seed heads that are fully developed and turning brown. If rain is forecast, timing your seed collecting is important. It's better to harvest the seed heads and let them dry under cover, than have them rot during days of rain. There are also some handy tips about the cabbage family here.

Tatsoi in flower - brings in the bees before the flower head produces seed.

If you haven't already got your compost ready, now's the time to boost it! You will need plenty in the months of high growth ahead. You can use:

• fallen leaves
• prunings/solarised weeds
• grass clippings as you start to mow more often
• fireplace ash if you've got some 
• kitchen scraps
• manure etc

If you have a worm farm, harvest some castings and use these to help get your compost active.

If you have some spare cuttings, seeds, surplus produce, questions or ideas to share please bring these along to our meeting.    

We love new faces so bring a friend or neighbour - perhaps someone who'd like some company or needs a little support in their garden. Our group welcomes beginners, visitors and people new to our community area. We also sow seeds of friendship when we are together.

Activities for September

The first grasshoppers may be appearing after overwintering, so consider exclusion netting if you want to keep your garden free of them.

Watch out for white cabbage butterflies (both large and small) that love the brassica family. They are still very active and lay eggs on the underside of leaves. Do a regular check before they hatch and do too much damage.

Fruit fly baits should be out early to minimise damage to susceptible crops.

Remember to deep water your vegetables and keep well mulched, as it's usually dry this month.

Sugar cane, lucerne and grassy hay are all good mulches

Plant some herbs like dill, rocket, coriander and basil as companion plants. Allow them to flower, rather than just harvesting for leaves. The bees and beneficial insects will love you for it. They help bring in predator insects to keep pest insects in balance in the months ahead.

Get some trellises ready for climbers like beans, tomatoes and cucumber.

Shade structures will be important very soon so think about what solutions you have on hand.

What to Plant in September

Check out these guides for tips and planting guides:

Gardenate - Subtropical zone.

ABC Vegie Gardening Guide.

Aussie Organic Gardening.

This month's Seed Savers Meeting

We meet at Sweethearts Cafe who offer us a large space to get together for free (saving us a hall hire fee so no cost to you) but as a business are in effect hiring out that area to us for a couple of hours.

So as a courtesy please remember to at the very least order a tea/coffee or a yummy meal, to support the cafe. They have a delicious local and organic menu. Visit their website for more info @ http://www.sweetheartscafe.com.au/aboutus.html.

Venue: 2 Anzac Street (cnr Rosebed Street), Eudlo.

FREE to attend so bring a friend and carpool! Hope to see you soon.

By Anne Gibson