LFC News July 5 2023

Jul 062023
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Ann Stanley, Lucy McRobert, Rebecca Haschek and Robin Gale-Baker.

Since I (Guy) started writing this newsletter in 2015, people sometimes send me emails saying nice things about it. The number of different people who have done so has now exceeded 500 in total. Have a look at the 501 testimonials.

Plant your bare-rooted fruit trees now (by Robin Gale-Baker)

We are bang in the middle of the season (June, July and August) for planting bare-rooted fruit trees and many/most nurseries are selling them. But what are they exactly and why are they worth planting?

Bare-rooted fruit (and nut) trees are grown in the paddock and dug up when dormant. 90% of their roots are trimmed off, and they are placed in bags of damp sawdust and sent to the nurseries for us to purchase. Only deciduous trees go dormant and thus only deciduous fruit trees (e.g. apples, pears, apricots, cherries, plums and peaches) can be obtained bare-rooted.

There are several advantages to planting bare-rooted trees. First, they are generally cheaper than potted trees. Second, planting them in winter allows them to establish while dormant and they will take off energetically in spring as long as they have been well-pruned at time of planting.

To plant, dig a hole as deep as the roots but twice as wide. If there are any broken roots, cut these off with sharp secateurs to prevent suckering. As Melbourne’s soil is mostly clay-based, add some gypsum (clay breaker) and some compost and then fan out the roots. Make sure the graft is above ground. Backfill and water. If you think it necessary to stake the tree, do that now and remember to use soft-tie to tie the tree to its stake.

Pruning is key. To balance the 90% of root removal, prune off 90% of the whippy branches. Your tree will come unpruned and if it is a vase shape you are after, cut out the central leader – that’s the vertical, centre branch. Select 3 or 4 side branches and prune these by about two-thirds, to an outward growing bud. The tree will look brutalised but this is necessary. In spring, you will reap the reward as the remaining buds burst into flower and the tree takes off.

Recently, I (Robin) helped prune an orchard on a property purchased this year. It was clear that the fruit trees, which are 3 or 4 years old, were not pruned at time of planting. All have central leaders intact and this has adversely shaped the trees. Some of these leaders I was able to be prune out but others not and would require cutting at about knee height to allow new shoots to emerge. Over time, 3 or 4 shoots will need to be selected and developed with extra shoots pruned off so that a decent shape can be established. Vase shaped trees are not just aesthetic but allow sun to penetrate and air to circulate in the centre of the trees, keeping them free of fungal infections.

Grafted fruit trees (by Lucy McRobert)

[Lucy is a horticulturalist at Nillumbik Nursery in Diamond Creek. Nillumbik Nursery currently has around 100 varieties of grafted fruit trees for sale. They also write a monthly newsletter with gardening tips which you can sign up for here.]

Grafting combines the desirable attributes of two plants by physically splicing together the rootstock (lower half) and the scion (upper half). This allows your favourite fruits and trees to grow in conditions they would otherwise find less than ideal.

Grafted plants are more expensive due to the additional time and expertise required to produce them.

Why grafted?

Fruit trees are almost always grafted. Here are three reasons why.

  • Dwarf rootstock limits the size of the tree. This is great for those with limited space, container growing or increasing diversity of plants in an area. It can also mean less work. You probably don’t want or need to produce commercial quantities of fruit. Producing more than you can consume (or give away) is resource intensive and can leave you with wasted fruit.
  • Vigour can be increased by using fast-growing rootstock, thus reducing how long we need to wait.
  • Resilience and disease resistance: using rootstock that is tougher and more tolerant of local conditions creates tougher, hardier plants that may otherwise fail to thrive. Fruit trees (including citrus) are almost always grafted, but this technique is no longer limited to fruit trees and deciduous ornamentals. Although ‘native’ encompass all Australian plants, growing conditions around the country are varied and grafting makes it much easier to grow species outside their native range, like growing plants indigenous to WA in Melbourne.
How to care for grafted plants?
  1. Select a plant with a firm, stable, well-healed graft union (the meeting point between rootstock and scion).
  2. Plant at the same depth as it was in its pot. To prevent infection, don’t cover the graft with soil and mulch.
  3. Monitor for growth below the graft. This is growth from the rootstock, not the scion. Remove any shoots below the graft. Remember that rootstock is selected for its vigour and can take over if not monitored and maintained.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

As you should know from previous newsletters, there is now a weekly radio show “about the power of locally grown food to connect us more strongly with our communities and the land we inhabit.” ‘Local Food Connections’ is on 3CR (855 AM) every Sunday morning, 10-10.30am and is hosted by our very own Ann Stanley. Tune into the station (855 AM) or listen to the livestream at https://www.3cr.org.au/streaming.

Audio recordings of past shows are available on their website. Their first show featured Angelo Eliades (on sustainability and permaculture) and their second featured Anna Matilda (on foraging and rental permaculture). Note that Angelo and Anna are both occasional contributors to this newsletter. Also note that, for ‘technical reasons’, the first show only starts at 3:30 minutes into the recording.

The next show, on 9th July, will feature yours truly.

Do you know?

Rebecca Haschek has sent in the photo right of an insect on her mandarin tree. Is it a good guy or not? Email me with your responses.

Want a job?

Open Table is looking for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). 0.6 to 0.8 EFT. Based in Coburg. Applications close: 10th July. Read more and potentially apply.

Open Table is a not-for-profit organisation that shares free food with those in need in neighbourhoods across Melbourne. They use surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away and turn it into nutritious meals to share with the community, in order to reduce food insecurity and food waste.

Something for you to read

Duncan Cocking, from Kyneton-based Leaf, Root & Fruit, has begun writing a 37-part(!) series of articles on establishing a vegetable patch from scratch. The first three articles are now available and cover:

For his writing career to be viable, Duncan needs some of his subscribers to upgrade to be paying subscribers. Subscription is $80 pa. Subscribe here.

Once again, it’s Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July is now in its 12th year.

From PIP magazine, here is a list of 65 ways to reduce your use of plastic.

Mitcham Community Meal

Mitcham Community Meal provides a free community dinner every Sunday evening, where each meal is cooked by a different local community group. During June, the cooking teams were Crossway Baptist Church, Tulsi’s crew, Team Frawlsta and Team CCC. Look at some photos of these teams, plus those of previous teams.

What veggie seeds to plant in July

Here is a list (see the July planting guide for more detail):
Beetroot
Coriander
Lettuce
Mizuna
Mustard greens
Onion
Peas
Radish

The shortest list of the year.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was Gardening Australia’s visit to the Edible Forest.

b33e661f-c100-4ebe-9ffa-847952e0da4e.jpgJoke (or pun) of the week

A screwdriver goes into a bar. The bartender says, “Hey, we have a drink named after you!” The screwdriver asks, “You have a drink named Philip?”

Read more jokes.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Make your own beeswax wrap; Sunday, 9th July, 2-3.30pm; free; Reservoir.

Share your tricks and tips while you make beeswax wraps. Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden.

Billy Cart Bread Co.; Saturday, 15th July, 1-3pm; $60 ($30 per hour); Thornbury.

Talk yeast, grain and fermentation. Match local bakeries’ signature breads, savoury and sweet treats with a collection of beer styles.

Beeswax wraps; Wednesday, 26th July, 10-11am; $10; Box Hill South.

Make our own beeswax wraps. All materials will be provided. Organised by Box Hill South Neighbourhood House.

Composting workshop; Friday, 4th August, 10-11am; free; Box Hill South.

Learn the basics of home composting: how to set your compost up, how to maintain it and what not to add to your compost. Organised by Box Hill South Neighbourhood House.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 5th August, midday-4pm; $82; Brunswick.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Amelia Shaw Bar with Pizzini Wines; Co-Conspirator’s Brewing Co with Fin Wines; Hotel Railway with Philip Lobley Wines; Inner North Brewing Company with Bobar Wines; Joey Smalls with MoBo Vino; The Brunswick Green with Wangolina; The Cornish Arms Hotel with Saint & Scholar; and Welcome to Brunswick with Good Clean Fun Wines.

Mushroom farm tour; Saturday, 5th August, 2-2.30pm; $27 ($54 per hour); Alphington.

Go on a walk-through tour of The Mushroomery, showing how the farm operates and how mushrooms are grown. Due to potential fungal contamination, it is important that you wear very clean clothes. Organised by The Mushroomery.

Urban wine walk; Saturday, 12th August, midday-4pm; $82; Brunswick East.

This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass. The participating venues and winemakers: Atticus Finch with Vino Intrepido; Bouvier Bar with Rhino Tiger Bear; Craftsmans Corner with Best’s Wines; Eydie’s with Konpira Maru; Noisy Ritual with Noisy Ritual ; Teller with Valentine Wines; The Quarry Hotel with Rob Dolan Wines; and Uncle Joe’s Wine Bar with Greenhouse Knight.

Grow your own mushrooms; Thursday, 17th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $160 ($53 per hour); Collingwood.

You will learn the practical skills to grow a never-ending supply of mushrooms yourself, gaining the knowledge to create a self-sufficient, closed-loop ecosystem. You will also learn the 4 step lifecycle of mushroom cultivation, tips for harvesting and alternative applications for different growing mediums and species. Tutor: Eric Fenessy from Uncle Steezy’s Hot Sauce.

Collectors whisky tasting with Craig Molyneux; Thursday, 17th August, 7-9pm; $97 ($49 per hour); Abbotsford.

Craig Molyneux collects Australian whiskies from up-and-coming distiller. The whiskies available for tasting and discussion will be: Straight Batt Single Malt, Coastal Stone by Manly Spirits Co., Hidden Lake Single Cask 938, Bellarine Distillery Bad Boy Billy, Waubs Harbour Small Cask Bond 3, Anthropocene VI Small Reserve Release and Koroit Whisky.

Introduction to worm farming; Thursday, 24th August, 7-8pm; free; Mill Park.

Learn the ins and outs of worm farming with Kathleen Tants.

Edible weeds walk; Saturday, 26th August, 10.30am-12.30pm and again 1.30-3.30pm; $30 ($15 per hour); Coburg.

What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries? Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.

In July
In August
Regular events

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Cooking from the pantry (8 sessions); on 8 consecutive Tuesdays from 18th July, 9.30am-midday; $50 ($3 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

This is a cooking course that will develop your basic skills and confidence around the preparation of food. Taste test your creations and share a meal at the end of each class. This course will run in a supportive group session and has possible pathways to further study. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani

Warm up with a no waste cooking workshop; Tuesday, 18th July, 6.30-8pm; free; Greensborough.

Open Table will share helpful tips and tricks about reducing food waste and how to make zero waste recipes.

Cooking class (10 sessions); Wednesdays, from 19th July to 6th September, 1-3pm; $160 ($8 per hour); Ringwood.

This class is designed for those new to cooking and who have little to no experience preparing and cooking food. The various sessions will cover: essential cooking techniques; kitchen safety; how to create simple, healthy meals; how to add more nutrition to your food; and how to cook low-cost foods in response to the cost-of-living pressures. Instructor: Shabina. Organised by Central Ringwood Community Centre.

Gozleme and baklava workshop; Wednesday, 26th July, 6.30-8.30pm; $65 ($33 per hour); Balwyn North.

Arzu will teach you how to make gozleme and baklava from scratch. Turkish coffee will be served. Includes ingredients. BYO some containers (you will be going home with what you cook, usually about 1.2 kg of baklava and 3-4 gozlemes), apron and oven tray. Organised by Trentwood at the Hub.

Friday night sake making; Friday, 28th July, 6-8pm; $125 ($63 per hour); Fitzroy North.

Make your own sake using rice, koji and water and time. This is a 3 step process and you’ll take home stage one in a 3 litre jar – with koji for step 2 – and a couple of bottles for the final bottling step. Also taste some doburoku at different stages of its fermentation process.

Truffle cooking demonstration and dinner; Friday, 28th July, 6.30-10pm; $155 ($44 per hour); Kew.

Chef Joe Vargetto will make three dishes (cannoli, roast chicken and moscato zabaglione) as he shares his ideas and tips on using truffles. You will get to enjoy all three dishes accompanied with wine.

Croquembouche; Saturday, 5th August, midday-4pm; $134 ($34 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Tish will teach you the art of making croquembouche, starting with how to make the choux pastry and the creme patisserie and then how to cook toffee and build the croquembouche. Take an apron, a container to put extra profiteroles in and something to carry the croquembouche (base of a container at least 20cm). Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani

Croissants; Saturday, 12th August, 1.30-4.30pm; $64 ($21 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make the dough, the art of the fold, rolling the perfect croissant and how to prove and cook your eight croissants at home. Take an apron and a container. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani

Warm up with Italian cooking; Thursday, 17th August, 7-9pm; free; Mill Park.

Rosa, from Rosa’s Traditional Italian Cooking, will prepare fresh homemade pasta and sauce. You will get a chance to taste the pasta and even have a go at making some yourself.

Dumpling making workshop; Friday, 18th August, 6.30-8.30pm; $75 ($38 per hour); Park Orchards.

Make Chinese dumplings from scratch. The dough you prepare can be used for either boiled dumplings (shui jiao) or potstickers (guo tie). Then make vegetarian dumplings. Facilitator: Miki. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

French patisserie – advanced; Saturday, 19th August, 1.30-4.30pm; $74 ($25 per hour); Lower Templestowe.

Learn how to make escargot, danishes and pain au chocolate (chocolate croissant). Take an apron and a container. Organised by Living And Learning @ Ajani

The food of Southern Thailand; Sunday, 20th August, 10am-2pm; $180 ($45 per hour); Panton Hill.

Start with fish cakes served with rice noodles and Thai cucumber pickle; then learn how to blend Thai aromatics to make a citrusy chu chee paste that you will also upscale into a Thai red curry paste by adding dry spices. From these two pastes you will make a chu chee seafood curry. Finally, learn to make Thailand’s kanom khrok (coconut pancakes). Then sit down for lunch. Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree.

Veggies in desserts; Sunday, 27th August, 10am-3pm; $120 ($24 per hour); CERES.

What you will learn: foods which make your brain brighter; how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet; and foods that can build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace. Learn how to create healthier versions of your old favourites. The desserts are dairy-free and gluten-free using a variety of ingredients: nuts, seeds, vegetables, whole grains, fats, spices, legumes and unrefined sugars. The menu will include: chocolate kidney bean slice; spiced pumpkin donuts; rich chocolate beetroot truffles; lime + spinach cake; strawberry + cauliflower cheesecake; and sweet veggie mousse.

In July
In August
Regular classes

 Leave a Reply

(required)

(required)