Planting and growing organic fruit and vegetables in your own backyard not only has the benefits of the yield at your doorstep, but it is the journey to water and nurture a garden, writes gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON.
The health and wellbeing benefits of a growing home garden is priceless, apart from giving you a welcome break from everyday life
The best times to be out in a midsummer Canberra garden are early in the morning or later in the evening, avoiding the midday heat.
Planting and growing organic fruit and vegetables in your own backyard not only has the benefits of the yield at your doorstep, but it is the journey to water and nurture a garden.
There’s nothing more satisfying than growing something from seed and eventually eating it. Apart from the health benefits of garden-fresh food, there’s the bonus of exercise in gardening.
Wellbeing is found in the satisfaction of seeing and smelling plants and flowers that we’ve grown. Our senses in the garden focus on sight, sound, smell, touch and taste.
With a little creativity, a sensory garden can be planted anywhere in our home, on a balcony, window sill or in the garden.
Failing that, there’s always the local bushwalking tracks, bike paths and parks that can be explored in an afternoon or a walk around the neighbourhood to see what plants grow locally.
A quick daily walk and healthy home-grown produce to eat, who could ask for more than that?
THERAPEUTIC Horticulture Australia (THA) is a groundbreaking organisation that supports horticulturally based therapies for a broad range of people for their health and wellbeing.
Seasonally, there are meet ups in our region. If you need further details, please contact me and I’ll forward your details to the right person.
AMONG the herbs I like to grow that make me happy are coriander, basil, tarragon and dill. These are the herbs I use in the kitchen to add to meals and are easy to grow in our climate.
I purposely plant curry plant (Helichrysum italicum) in my seating area so when I brush past it emits an aroma.
Underfoot planting such as sage, lemon balm and thyme are all medicinal herbs that are good for the mind.
Oils can be used from most herbs and the most popular are lavender rosemary and chamomile.
DILL and basil need hot summers and a frost-free climate to grow well. I grow them in abundance and always pot them up to grow indoors and in my glasshouse (on a heat bed) over winter. These plants will be planted in the ground come spring.
Common basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an annual in our climate. Perennial basil is from the same family but different to common basil. Its flavour is woodier and has a spicy clove aroma.
Growing basil from seed is easy and can be done when the temperature is around 23C for germination. If sowing this time of year, sow in small trays with a seed-raising mix and keep moist. Plant out when there are four sets of leaves.
I have been successful with dill in the garden and have it self-seeding in a small patch that has winter protection. The striking flowers are a magnet for pollinators as well.
Jottings
- Prune summer growth off grapevines.
- Order spring-flowering bulbs for planting in autumn.
- Do not deadhead hydrangeas, let them be antique!
- Pinch outside shoots on pumpkins to promote female flowers.
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