While this Autumn has been lovely so far, the lack of rain is very concerning and a likely indicator of what may well be in store for us in years to come.
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How can we future-proof our gardens to ensure we can still grow food to eat?
- Seed-save local varieties that have proven themselves to handle the drier conditions.
- Reduce the size of your patch to something more manageable, so the water you do use is targeted in application and able to keep what you do pay attention to, alive.
- Focus on your soil. This really is key to ensuring your plants are healthier and more able to tolerate drier conditions, staying disease and pest free.
I use worm castings and compost to increase the biological activity in the soil. I avoid any sprays that may kill beneficial bacteria. I plant green manure crops and dig them back into the soil, boosting nutrient content.
I also mulch with material that adds to the soil biodiversity as it decomposes - my favourite being silage but I've also used leaf litter and even live mulches like sweet potato vines and warrigal greens.
I make sure weeds are kept to a minimum so the water that is applied reaches the plants that I want to receive it.
And lastly, I plants species that can handle the drier conditions - recently I had bumper crops of mouse melons, chilli, and strawberry guava (pictured) - all grown from seed saved over the last several years.
I also recently had the Cert II Horticulture TAFE students plant several Australian natives in the school garden - native lemongrass, goji berry, lemon verbena, and redback ginger.
It's that time of the year again - time to wage war on the white cabbage moth. This white butterfly, the most common species of butterfly in Australia, wreaks havoc on all brassicas. And if you're feeling guilty attempting to kill a butterfly - you need not. It is an introduced species. It lays its eggs usually on the underside of leaves, these hatch, and the lime green caterpillars then go about eating everything they can find. They can strip a plant bare literally overnight. It's a certainty that if you don't do something to control these caterpillars, you'll have no brassicas this season.
Control methods? Firstly, try a barrier to stop the butterflies laying, so a fine mesh exclusion net. If using this method, be sure to thoroughly check the underside of every leaf in your existing brassica crop to ensure you don't already have them before setting up your netting.
Secondly, try picking them off. You'll need a sharp set of eyes as these caterpillars are very well camouflaged.
Thirdly, my preferred method - spray with Dipel. It's not often I recommend a specific product but in this instance it is warranted. This organic method works. The active ingredient is derived from a beneficial bacteria found in soil, plants, and also certain insects.
It is toxic to caterpillars, rain fast just an hour after application, and is harmless to other animals including humans and pets, and other insect pollinators. Find it at your local hardware.
It's not expensive and is easy to apply. If you don't have one, grab a hand bottle sprayer or slightly larger 5L handheld pump action sprayer while you are there.
What to plant in May?
Get those brassicas into the ground if not in already. Cauli, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and all cabbage varieties, I particularly like Chinese cabbage or Lombok cabbage, as unlike all other cabbage varieties, it grows relatively fast. Asian greens, like bok and pak choy are also fast growers.
Kale - all varieties.
Peas - in they go, protect from snails and slugs. Garlic. Potatoes, turnips, any of the root veg. Onions - spring, brown, white, and shallots. Lettuce in sunny spots. Silverbeet anywhere. Beetroot in sunny spots.
Broadbeans if we get some rain, otherwise hold off for a bit longer.
And that about wraps it up for May. Remember to turn your retic off, or at least reduce your watering length. Good luck in your war against the white cabbage moth and I'll see you in a month.
May we all have received some decent rain by then. Happy gardening.
Terri Sharpe is Coordinator and Garden Specialist of the Margaret River PS Kitchen Garden Program and a Horticultural lecturer at South Regional TAFE, Margaret River.
