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

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

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

July Seedy Sunday - Winter Garden Activities

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will be on 6 July from 10.30am - 12.00pm. 

With cooler weather finally here, there are so many delicious crops we can be growing.

We'll be discussing:

• a variety of crops that enjoy winter temperatures. 
• ways to protect your vegetable garden from frost.
• growing fruit trees from seed.
• activities you can plan for over the next couple of months before spring. 

This is a time of year many of us prune deciduous trees while they are dormant. We'll talk about some of the ways to reuse prunings, fallen leaves, bark and other free organic matter to build a healthy soil. We'd love to hear your recycling ideas and tips too!

If you have some spare cuttings, seeds, surplus produce, questions or ideas to share please bring these along. We had an enjoyable meeting last month with everyone going home with freebies to plant or eat from other member's gardens.   

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 July

According to the moon calendar, we are now starting a cycle of prolific growth for above ground plants continuing through until 10 July - the ideal time to get stuck into Winter planting. Beans, peas, brassicas (like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard and kale), leafy greens (like spinach, chard, rocket and lettuce) + many other vegies grow well at this time of year.

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

Read this article if you need help with identifying caterpillars attacking your plants - there are some helpful resources to help you work out the pests from the beneficial insects.

Do you need some ideas for organic solutions to get these naughty ladies under control in your garden? Cabbage white butterflies are awesome mothers and love big families - which means it can be the battle of Caterpillars vs Your Vegetables. Find out 13 ways to work with nature for more produce on your plate and sneaky integrated pest management strategies to try.

Large White Cabbage Butterfly caterpillars
Photo: www.loosha.nl - ginny@loosha.nl

QLD Garden Expo

The annual Queensland Garden Expo is on again this month from Friday 11 - Sunday 13 July at the Nambour Showgrounds. As always, it's a great place to learn with many free lectures and demonstrations on growing and cooking food crops, gardening, pruning, fruit trees and much more. You can find the programs for the 3 days on their website.

Our favourite place of course is the Giant Kitchen Garden - there's always an interesting display with many speakers sharing their passion on topics to help you learn and grow a productive food garden. This year I'll be speaking on the Sunday at 1.15pm on Micro Gardening: How to Intensively 'Farm' in Containers - Techniques for highly productive crops in pots. I'm looking forward to sharing many tips from my experiences in our climate.

What to Plant in July

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

December Seedy Sunday - Seed, Plant & Crop Swap

The last 'Seedy Sunday' for 2013 will be on 1 December from 8.30am - 10.30am. We take a break in January and meet again on Sunday 2 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, design idea, technique, plant, recipe, 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.

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

November Permaculture Noosa Seed Savers Meeting

If you'd like to visit and support our sister seed saving group at their next meeting, here are the details.

DATE:           Thursday, 14th November 2013 from 9:30am to 11:30am

PLACE:         "A touch of the Past" Coffee Shop 18 Reserve St, Pomona

TOPIC:          Water and Rainfall Variability 

We all know that water is essential to the growth of plants. Many vegies need a lot of it. Yet at this time of year we may have to struggle through weeks of no rain. Then when summer comes we may instead have to deal with waterlogged garden beds. The discussion will address these challenges.

Permaculture Noosa’s Seed Savers Group is meeting as usual on the morning of the second Thursday of the month to process and package seeds for their seed bank. The seeds in the seed bank are not retained long term, but instead sold cheaply to members of the Sunshine Coast community to ensure the circulation of crops suitable for our region.

They welcome anyone who has an interest in seed saving.

The processing and packaging tasks are so simple that even those with no experience can participate. While the group works, they chat about their gardens and have a discussion about a specific, relevant topic. This month they are taking up a topic that has proved only too relevant in recent years – how to deal with highly variable rainfall.

Want more info? Email Maria at seedsavers@permaculturenoosa.com.au or visit 

www.permaculturenoosa.com.au.

November Seedy Sunday - Growing Food in Hot Weather

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will be on 3 November from 8.30am - 10.30am. With a little recent rain and warmer temperatures, it's time to think about what to grow during the coming hotter months of the year and what crops to plant now.

At our meeting we'll be discussing what to grow in your garden right now - the challenges and successes plus a seed swap as usual. It's a great place to network, meet your neighbours and like-minded locals in our community plus pick up tips and plant material.

You're welcome to come along and share any surplus produce, seeds or cuttings that are growing well in your garden at this time of year or just soak up local knowledge to learn what to grow and how to seed save. Beginners, people new to the area and long distance visitors are all welcome.

It’s a great way for everyone to grow their garden for free. If the weather is kind and not wet or humid, we’ll process more seeds to share/swap.

What to do now in the garden:

There is always a cycle of life in the garden and when some crops are no longer suitable to grow because they can't take the heat, there are always other sun worshippers that will thrive in our climate conditions.

Many lettuces and greens will have flower heads and seeds forming so it's a good time to save those or get planting some of our favourite summer crops like tomatoes, pumpkins, zucchini, cucumber, ginger, turmeric, capsicum, eggplant, sweet potato, sweet corn, snake beans and melons.

Sweet potato can be propagated from the tuber or by vine cuttings.

What to Plant in November

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. Check out these guides for what to plant now:

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

October Seedy Sunday & What to Plant Now

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will be on 6 October from 8.30am - 10.30am. With very warm 'Spring' days here (feeling more like Summer) and cool nights, there are many crops suitable for sowing as seeds or seedlings. Late winter crops and those finding it too hot (such as some lettuces, mustard and rocket) likely have seed heads ready for collection in the garden.

Rocket going to flower - seed pods form after flowers drop

How to Grow Rocket

You're welcome to come along and share any surplus produce, seeds or cuttings that are growing well in your garden at this time of year or just soak up local knowledge to learn what to grow and how to seed save. Beginners, people new to the area and long distance visitors are all welcome.

It’s a great way for everyone to grow their garden for free. If the weather is kind and not wet or humid, we’ll process more seeds to share/swap.

What to do now in the garden:

The mild spring conditions over the past few weeks opened a window of opportunity to harvest seeds for saving and sow early spring crops. With warmer weather definitely here and typical hot wet (and sometimes very dry) summers, it's time to think about what crops you are going to grow and which are all in the 'too hard' basket!

Subtropical summers can make being outdoors both uncomfortable and often fruitless for many gardeners with an increase in hungry pests gobbling more of your grub than you do. Rather than sweating it out fighting nature, you may want to consider the benefits of growing at least some of your crops in containers. They offer you an easy, low-maintenance and low-energy alternative to garden beds.

Having your crops in portable planters over spring/summer also means you can move them in/out of the sun, heavy downpours, storms and super hot weather to reduce stress. They are far less likely to have greedy grasshoppers, fruit flies and other pest insects visit and you can easily net them for low cost.

If you haven't already, here are some things to do in your garden:

• Add a thick layer of mulch to all your garden beds and around fruit trees to retain moisture, reduce the need to water as frequently, prevent weeds and feed your soil.
• Sow cover crops or green manures if you decide you don't want to grow in a particular garden bed (a kind of living mulch you can chop and add organic matter back into your soil). Or try growing low maintenance sweet potatoes that provide a heavy green cover over the bed while providing you with nutritious food.
• Plant spring and summer flowers to attract beneficial insects so the good bug populations in your garden will keep the predator:pest balance in check as the weather warms up.
• Add a bird bath to your garden if you don't have one and make fresh water available daily. The birds will be attracted to bathe and drink and as a bonus help manage your pest insects by having a free feed.

• With grass and plants growing faster as the weather warms up, there will be more nitrogen-rich plant material to build your compost so add these to your compost system and create this valuable resource for your garden.
• As needed, replenish your soil with organic fertilisers, minerals, compost and organic matter.
• Tip prune your herbs regularly and start some cuttings for extra plants to grow or swap/share.

What to Plant in October

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. Check out these guides for what to plant now:

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

‘Seedy Sunday’ & Spring Planting

The next 'Seedy Sunday' will focus on Spring Planting on 1 September from 8.30am - 10.30am. Warmer days and cool nights are a perfect time to plant many early spring crops and harvest the last of winter seeds from the garden.

Nasturtiums - sow to attract beneficial insects and many other uses

How to Grow and Use Nasturtiums

Come along and share any surplus produce, seeds or cuttings that are growing well in your garden at this time of year or just soak up local knowledge to learn what to grow and how to seed save. Beginners, people new to the area and long distance visitors are all welcome.

It’s a great way for everyone to grow their garden for free. If the weather is kind and not wet or humid, we’ll process more seeds to share/swap.

There will also be a few members of Permaculture Noosa Seed Savers bringing along their Seed Bank and their "bulk"/unpackaged seeds to exchange. Maria (the co-ordinator) will be happy to discuss how their group operates and how all the members have an opportunity to make a contribution. She is keen to pick up a few ideas from the group at Eudlo so it would be great if you could be there for shared knowledge and reciprocal seed sharing.

What to do now in the garden:

The relatively mild conditions of spring and early summer allow us to grow a wide variety of vegetable, herb and fruiting crops. To maximise an abundant production in your home garden, take advantage of this time of year to sow seeds and seedlings as soon as you can before pests and inclement weather make summer gardening difficult.

• Plant flowers to bring in beneficial insects so your good bug populations are in your garden to keep the predator:pest balance in check as the weather warms up.
• Top up bird baths and provide nesting materials for birds so they will visit your garden and help manage your pest insects by having a free feed.
• Add organic fertilisers, minerals, compost and organic matter to build your soils and plenty of mulch to retain moisture.
• Give your leafy green crops a foliar spray of diluted seaweed in the early morning to boost their growth.
• Tip prune any herbs that need a haircut and start some cuttings for extra plants to grow or swap/share.
• Heavily mulch any unused garden beds to prevent weeds until you are ready to plant out.

If your pea crops are finished, allow some pods to ripen and save seeds for next season

What to Plant in September

According to Green Harvest's Spring Sowing & Planting guide:

Early spring is a good time to plant perennial food plants such as yacon, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, water chestnuts, ginger, turmeric, galangal and chokos. Potatoes can be planted into well-mulched beds; only use certified seed potatoes to avoid introducing damaging viral diseases to your garden.

Sow seeds or plant seedlings of herbs such as basil, coriander, cress, borage, catnip, chamomile, chives, dill, lemon balm, sweet marjoram, Mexican tarragon, peppermint and sage. Vietnamese balm can be sown now.

Plant flower seedlings and sow seeds of sweet alice, cosmos, marigolds, phlox, salvia, nasturtiums, sunflowers, snapdragons, Queen Anne’s lace, verbena and statice. 

Fresh green and dried brown nasturtium seeds - time to harvest/sow

In subtropical areas, sow vegetable seed or plant seedlings of broccoli, corn, celeriac, Chinese cabbage, capsicum, carrots, parsnip, cabbage, silverbeet, lettuce, radish, rosella, beetroot, rocket, tomatoes, eggplant and spring onions; all these can be planted now. Plant carrots and parsnips from seed only; root vegetables should not be transplanted.

After all danger of frost has passed, plant out corn, cucumbers, capsicum, cape gooseberries, eggplant, okra, zucchini, rosella, squash, watermelon, tomatillo and tomatoes. Soil temperatures need to be around 20°C to germinate seeds of warm season vegetables. To check, see if pumpkin seeds are germinating by themselves from old compost; if so, then the soil is warm enough. Sow larger seeds such as beans, pumpkins, melons and corn directly in the ground. Remember that corn is wind-pollinated and needs to be grown in a block, not a row, for pollination to be effective.

September is an ideal time to plant many crops in your garden from seeds or seedlings. If you want to raise seeds, sow in seed trays or small pots to transplant out when your seedlings have been sun hardened.

Check out Gardenate's calendar or the Gardening Australia Vegie Guide to learn more about what you can start sowing or planting out now and into October.

During September, the 1st, 2nd, 22nd and 23rd are ideal days to sow all your root crops according to the Moon Calendar.

Plant your above ground crops like lettuce, silverbeet, rocket and celery from 7th - 17th September as this is the time when the high sap run will produce strong foliage growth. It's also an ideal time to take cuttings, sow your flowers, divide plants and liquid fertilise your crops.

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 & 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

August 'Seedy Sunday' & What to Plant Now

The next 'Seedy Sunday' meeting is on 4th August from 8.30am - 10.30am. With the weather warming up and more like spring than winter, there are plenty of options for planting crops for an early spring harvest.

August is a good time to start raising basil seeds

Come along and share any surplus produce, seeds or cuttings that are growing well in your garden at this time of year and connect with other locals in your community to learn more about growing food crops in our subtropical climate.

What to Plant in August/September

August is an ideal time to plant many crops in your garden from seeds or seedlings. If you want to raise seeds, now is a good time to sow in seed trays or small pots to transplant out when the warmer weather arrives and your seedlings have been sun hardened.

Check out Gardenate's calendar or the Gardening Australia Vegie Guide to learn more about what you can start sowing or planting out now and into September.

During August, the 3rd, 4th, 24th and 25th are ideal days to sow all your root crops according to the Moon Calendar.

Plant your above ground crops like lettuce, silverbeet, rocket and celery from 9th - 19th August as this is the time when the high sap run will produce strong foliage growth. It's also an ideal time to take cuttings, sow your flowers, divide plants and liquid fertilise your crops.

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 & 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

July 'Seedy Sunday' & Winter Planting

At the next 'Seedy Sunday' (7th July from 8.30am - 10.30am), Winter planting continues so come along and share any surplus produce, seeds or cuttings that are growing well in your garden at this time of year.

What to Plant in July/August

The cooler months are an ideal time to sow many edibles in your garden - check out Gardenate's calendar or the Gardening Australia Vegie Guide to learn more.

During July, the 4th, 5th, 25th and 26th are ideal days to sow all your root crops according to the Moon Calendar.

Plant your above ground crops like lettuce, peas, rocket and celery from 10th-20th July as this is the time when the high sap run will produce strong foliage growth. It's also an ideal time to take cuttings, sow your flowers, divide plants and liquid fertilise your crops.

QLD Garden Expo

The QLD Garden Expo is also on this same weekend from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th July so some members including myself may be not be able to come along to this month's meeting. I'll be in the Giant Kitchen Garden area at the Expo instead and presenting a workshop from 12.30pm - 1.15pm on 'Easy, Low Cost Edible Gardens for Busy People' on the Kitchen Garden Stage.

The weekend is packed with free lectures and demos with many speakers sharing tips on how to grow and cook just about everything! It's a great place to pick up fruit trees, seedlings, tools, tips and everything you need for your home garden.

Check out the edible Kitchen Garden display or invite those who could benefit from being inspired with what to grow in our subtropical climate.

July 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 & 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

June 'Seedy Sunday' & Winter Planting

At the next 'Seedy Sunday' (2nd June from 8.30am - 10.30am), Winter planting continues so come along and share any surplus produce, seeds or cuttings that are growing well in your garden at this time of year. It's a great way for everyone to grow their garden for free. If the weather is kind and not wet or humid, we'll process more seeds to share/swap.

If you can't make it this Sunday, I'll be presenting a Grow Your Garden for Free: Propagating & Seed Saving Workshop from 9.00am - 11.00am at Cotton Tree Community Gardens, 2 Fifth St, Cotton Tree on Saturday 22 June. You're welcome to book for $5 and join in.

Taking cuttings is one way to grow your garden for free

Winter Planting 

According to the Moon Calendar, 5-6 and 26-27 June are ideal times to sow seeds or seedlings for your root crops this month. Get your above ground crops like lettuce, peas, a variety of herbs, dwarf beans, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Asian greens, cabbage, chard and silver beet planted between the 11th and 21st June as this is the time when the high sap run produces strong growth. It's also an ideal time to take cuttings, sow your flowers, divide plants and liquid fertilise your crops.

Beetroot seedlings ready for planting

You can prepare your soil and garden now for planting by adding more organic matter like compost, rock minerals and mulch. After heavy rains, many nutrients leach and leafy greens need plenty of nitrogen so ensure you top up your garden with organic soil conditioners or blood and bone to replenish your soil.

Sweethearts Cafe provides a relaxed informal atmosphere where we can enjoy a social and learning experience, sharing local knowledge and building resilience into our gardens at the same time. Plus they have delicious local and organic food and coffee.

What to Bring on the Day (if you can!)

If you have any seeds or plant material to share, please feel free to bring this along. We'll have our seed bank and some local seeds to process (weather permitting). To enable more hands-on activity, it would be helpful if you could please bring any of the following:

• any spare shallow trays or plates (this enables us to sort and blow off chaff)
• sieves & strainers (kitchen sieves of any size are useful to remove chaff from seeds)
• teaspoons (for measuring into bags)
• pastry or artist brushes (for brushing away chaff from seed)

Tray and sieve - tools you can use to seed save at home

The more of these materials we have, the more engaged people can get involved in the various stages of seed processing. Bring a recycled plastic bag/newspaper to take plant material home.

Sweethearts Cafe offer us a large space to meet 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 & 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!

By Anne Gibson

April 'Seedy Sunday' & Autumn Planting

Last month we had a great turn up for our Root Crops Workshop and shared lots of tips, seeds and plant material around the table. According to the moon calendar, the 6th, 7th, 27th and 28th April are ideal days to continue to plant your root vegetables and bulbs including garlic, beetroot, radishes, carrots, potatoes, parsnips and turnips so start planning now!

The root crops we talked about growing in Autumn

At the next 'Seedy Sunday' (7th April from 8.30am - 10.30am), Autumn planting continues so come along and share any surplus produce, seeds or cuttings that are growing well in your garden at this time of year. If the weather is kind and not wet or humid, we'll process more seeds to share/swap.

Autumn Planting 

Ideally, get your above ground crops like lettuce, peas, a variety of herbs, dwarf beans, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Asian greens, cabbage, chard and silver beet planted between the 12th and 22nd as this is the time when the high sap run produces strong growth. It's also an ideal time to take cuttings, sow your flowers, divide plants and liquid fertilise your crops.

Beetroot seedlings ready for planting

You can prepare your soil and garden now for planting by adding more organic matter like compost, rock minerals and mulch. After heavy rains, many nutrients will have leached and leafy greens need plenty of nitrogen so ensure you top up your garden with organic soil conditioners or blood and bone to replenish your soil.

Sweethearts Cafe provides a relaxed informal atmosphere where we can enjoy a social and learning experience, sharing local knowledge and building resilience into our gardens at the same time. Plus they have delicious local and organic food and coffee.

What to Bring on the Day (if you can!)

If you have any seeds or plant material to share, please feel free to bring this along. We'll have our seed bank and some local seeds to process (weather permitting). To enable more hands-on activity, it would be helpful if you could please bring any of the following:

• any spare shallow trays or plates (this enables us to sort and blow off chaff)
• sieves & strainers (kitchen sieves of any size are useful to remove chaff from seeds)
• teaspoons (for measuring into bags)
• pastry or artist brushes (for brushing away chaff from seed)

The more of these materials we have, the more engaged people can get involved in the various stages of seed processing. Bring a recycled plastic bag/newspaper to take plant material home.

Sweethearts Cafe offer us a large space to meet 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 & 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!

By Anne Gibson