Heavenly Heliconia
Not all heliconias grow well in Brisbane, but those that do are a real knockout. Newly imported cultivars and locally bred selections mean Brisbane gardeners keen to achieve that tropical look are now spoilt for choice.

The parrot’s beak heliconia (Heliconia rostrata) is possibly the best-known representative of the genus. Established plants flower this month and will display their 600mm long, red and yellow hanging blooms continuously through until May. Plants grown in more shaded conditions reach up to 3 metres in height, whereas specimens in full sun grow less that half this size.    

Novice gardeners should start with the golden-yellow flowered, Heliconia Birdyana. More hardy and cold tolerant than most other species, this selection can produce flower stems throughout the year. The upright growing flower heads reach up to 40cm long and grow to an equivalent width. Plants grow 1.5m-2.5 metres tall, depending the degree of exposure to sunlight.

If you need something to screen an ugly outlook or just create a backdrop for other planting, consider Heliconia Richmond Red. Growing to the size of a banana plant, its 3-5metre high clumping foliage really creates that tropical feel. Tall flower stems are topped by yellow edged, red flower heads up to 45cm in height. Peak flowering occurs during spring with individual blooms persisting for 3-4 months. Spot flowering also occurs throughout the year. 

Columbia is the centre for diversity of heliconia species. In the wild, plants are pollinated by hummingbirds, but locally, noisy miners are attracted to the nectar filled blooms.

All heliconias prefer rich, well drained soil. Prepare the soil prior to planting by incorporating plenty of nutrient rich compost or other organic matter. Plants should be watered heavily two to three times each week. Mulching will reduce weed competition and help to retain soil moisture.

Sprinkling pelleted fertiliser over the mulch three to four times each year then watering in well to provide the constant supply of nutrients plants require for good growth. If all this seems too difficult or your soil is heavy clay and poorly drained, try growing your heliconias in big, bold pots. 

Create An Oasis with Less Water

Start With The Soil – Organic matter within the soil acts like a sponge. It absorbs and holds on to moisture, making it available to plant roots. Good gardeners know that to maintain a healthy soil you must continuously add organic matter. Compost and animal manure improves the capacity of the soil to retain moisture. Soil additives like coir peat can also be added to soil to improve its water holding capacity.

Not All Mulch Is The Same - While bark mulch looks good, helps to retain moisture and reduces the need for weeding, it does not feed your soil. Not all mulch is the same. Gardeners seeking to reduce water use in the garden would be better advised to select soil improving mulch products like cane mulch, pea straw or chopped lucerne. These products do require regular replenishment. This is because they break down into the soil, providing nutrition for your plants, encouraging the build up of beneficial soil organisms and increasing soil organic matter.

Choose Your Plants Carefully  - Some plants naturally require less water than others. Plants that originate from drier regions, those with felt-like hairs or thick leathery leaves are often adapted to drier conditions.  Some species that are waterwise once established include:
Natives – grevillea, acacia, banksia, grafted Geraldton wax, austromyrtus and helichrysum daisy.
Herbs – rosemary, thyme, oregano, chives, lavender and parsley.
Grass-like plants – variegated liriope, black mondo grass, dianella and lomandra.
Fruiting/culinary trees – Lemon (Villa Franca/Lisbon), Kaffir lime, starfruit, bay tree and mulberry.
Exotics – old fashioned roses, groundcover gardenias, bougainvillea, salvia, dwarf oleander, bromeliads.

Group Plants According To Water Needs -  Water restrictions should not stop you establishing flowering annuals, vegetables or other plants that require regular watering. Simply group these thirsty plants in areas of the garden where you are more likely to see and water them. Plant flowering annuals in focal points where they create high visual impact. Plant annuals, vegetables and moisture loving herbs together to save water.

Anti-transpirant Sprays – Applying anti-transpirant sprays such as Stressguard or Envy to the foliage of plants can reduce water loss by up to 50%. Products remain active on the leaf surface for six weeks or longer, depending on conditions. Potted plants and hanging baskets will benefit from their use. Apply them when establishing new plants or apply treat the entire garden to significantly stretch the intervals between watering.

Fertilise Sparingly – The more you fertilise your plants, the more water they require. Use limited quantities of organically based fertilisers and only apply these products after rain or when they can be well watered in. Remember that liquid seaweed is not a fertiliser, but a soil conditioner and plant tonic. Seaweed can be applied at any time and is especially useful during dry periods. Seaweed helps to encourage strong root growth. It thickens the cell walls of plants, making them less susceptible to drought stress.

Be Kind To Your Lawn – Fit new blades to your lawn mower so that the grass is cut cleanly. Raise the cutting height of the mower a notch or two higher. Taller grass provides shade for the roots and reduces evaporation from the soil surface. Mow regularly without the catcher. Mulch the grass clippings in to soil. Reduce the use of fertiliser. More fertiliser will make your lawn thirsty. When you do apply fertiliser use an organically based product. Ensure that rainfall or water applied to the lawn penetrates deep down to the roots. Use a garden fork to aerate the lawn, apply seaweed or use a commercial soil wetting agent.

Recycle Grey Water - The water that goes down the drain from your laundry, kitchen and bathroom is wasted. This grey water could be reused on your garden, saving valuable potable supplies. Simple diversion values available from hardware stores allow water to be temporarily diverted for garden use. You may need to reassess the laundry products you use if you intend using grey water on the garden. Look for products with low sodium and phosphorous levels or simply recycle laundry rinse water.

Low Phosphorous/Low Sodium Products Include: Aware Environmental Concentrate, Planet Ark Ultra Concentrate, Trinature Herbal Concentrate, Eco-wise Washing Soda, Biozet, Lux Pure Soap Flakes, Aura, Envirocare Plus, Bushland, Earth Choice, Australian Earth Concentrate (according to independent research undertaken by Lanfax Laboratories NSW). Use common sense when recycling grey water. Grey water should not be stored. Apply it directly to the soil, rather than spraying it into the air or allowing it to come in contact with plant foliage and lawns. Only divert grey water when the soil is dry and the water can be readily absorbed. Never allow grey water to drain into neighbouring properties.  Use grey water around the garden, rather than concentrating its use in one area.

Make Every Drop Count – To be most effective, water should be applied to the root system of plants. When watering by hand, move back the mulch, water the roots of each plant and replace the mulch. Ensure that the water you apply penetrates the soil by using liquid seaweed or soil wetting agents to aid infiltration.

Mexican Fire Cracker

Low care, drought tolerant plants with strong architectural lines are certainly in vogue. A striking new release known as Euphorbia Mexican Firecracker is the latest addition to this range of trendy plants.

The plump, naked green stems resemble a mass of Barrier Reef coral with the stems ends developing a distinctive orange tinge in winter that reverts to yellow during summer. The plant looks particularly effective potted into a complimentary container and placed against a rendered wall backdrop. With a little up lighting, this new release makes a striking courtyard or entrance feature.

An attractive, purple leaf form of the African Milk Tree (Euphorbia trigona ‘Rubra’) has proved also a popular release. Its upright growth habit, angled stems and diminutive red leaves make for a striking potted specimen.

Euphorbias are a highly diverse group of plants with over 4,000 different species. Comprising anything from groundcovers to large trees, they are found throughout warmer parts of the globe with a number of species native to Australia. Folklore has long attributed the nuisance weed known as petty spurge (Euphorbia peplus) with curative properties for skin cancer. With preliminary research conducted at our own Department of Primary Industries research facility at Redland Bay, the plant is now coveted by pharmaceutical companies in the US and will soon be available as a topically applied cream.

Brisbane’s floral emblem, the poinsettia, is a member of the euphorbia genus, illustrating the diversity prevalent in the genus. Norfolk Island has its own unique species (Euphorbia norfolkiana), which is now so rare that it is listed as critically endangered.

Down Size Your Vegies

Once upon a time, gardeners keen to grow vegetables waited months for their crops to mature and took pride in growing the biggest cabbage or longest carrot. It was all a bit intimidating for novice green thumbs who lacked the experience and patience to achieve similar results.

Modern cuisine now favours a smaller, younger and more tender harvest. These leafy greens are much quicker and easier to grow. If you are short on space, you can even grow them in pots. Take wheat grass, sunflower sprouts and pea sprouts as examples. Simply sow your seeds into a seedling tray. Water, wait ten days or less and you are ready to harvest.

Sweet baby spinach, colourful beetroot leaves, silverbeet or pungent, nutty rocket takes a couple of weeks with leaves best harvested when they are around 10cm long. The same applied to celery and parsnip greens grown from seed. They add great flavour to soups and casseroles or can be added to stir fry dishes. Non-hearting lettuce and open-hearted cabbage varieties known as kale, take just a few weeks to grow. Because the leaves are picked from the bottom up, you can achieve a progressive harvest over 4-6 weeks.

Those with a little more patience could try growing their own baby carrots, turnips and parsnips. Several large commercial seed companies including Yates, Mr Fothergills and Kings Seeds now produce a wide range of organic seeds. These seeds are not treated with the pink, green or grey fungicide dusts commonly visible on conventional vegetable seeds. This makes them ideal for gardeners wanting to grow and harvest vegetables within a very short time frame, as there is no risk of any residue. Keep them in mind when growing gardens with children.

Growing vegetables from seed is an inexpensive option and you can also forget about the pest problems that plague conventional gardeners when you downsize your vegetables. These crops grow so quickly you will be able to beat the bugs to the harvest.

Wheeze Free

While many of us spend autumn furiously planting bulbs and annuals in preparation for spring displays, those who suffer from allergen-induced asthma can view this activity with dread.

Is it possible to grow a low allergen garden? The Asthma Foundation certainly thinks so. They recommend avoiding wind pollinated species like grasses and replacing them with plants that are pollinated by birds and insects.

If you sneeze and wheeze your way through spring consider reducing lawn areas or replacing your existing lawn with one of the new fine leaf selections of buffalo grass. Buffalo grass does not produce large quantities of pollen. Remove weeds as soon as they appear to avoid flowering and reduce the need for weeding by using gravel mulch and groundcover plants.

Members of the daisy family such as chrysanthemums, calendulas and marigolds should also be avoided. Replace these with begonia, alyssum, petunia, nasturtium, impatiens, pansy, phlox, verbena, snapdragon, nemesia and cornflower. Bulbs like daffodils, iris and sparaxis are also generally a sound choice.

When it comes to garden shrubs, roses, lavender, abelia, native bottlebrush, leptospermum, westringia and banksia are fine. So too are azaleas, plumbago, gardenias and camellias.

Avoid planting trees such as olives, white cedar, cypress hedges, mulberry and liquidambar. Replace them with native lilly-pilly, citrus, magnolia and bay trees.

Keep in mind even those gardeners who are not affected by asthma, may develop dermatitis through contact with plants including grevilleas, poinsettias and primulas. Always wear a hat, long sleeves, long trousers and gloves when working in the garden. This will help avoid direct contact with plants that may cause skin irritations.

Top Ten Tips

Ten Top Tips for Successful Gardening
Apply these principles and you cannot go wrong.

Prepare the Soil
Prepare your soil by improving a small section at a time. Aerate the soil and add organic matter. Avoid buying soil in if at all possible, work with what you have or try the no-dig method.

Choose Your Plants Carefully
Select plants that suit your climate, soil type, gardening expertise and lifestyle. If you never water and rarely apply fertiliser, be honest. Nursery staff will then be more likely to suggest ‘bullet-proof’ plants when you ask for suggestions.

Plant Out On The Day of Purchase
How often have you purchased plants from a nursery, then let them sit on the back verandah for weeks before planting them? Shop in the morning and plant out on the day of purchase.

Always Add Compost When You Plant
No matter how well you have prepared your soil, adding compost every time you plant puts fresh pockets of compost all around your garden and innoculates the root zone around plants with benificial organisms.

Make Your Own Compost
Any compost is better than none when it comes to planting, but homemade compost gives your plants a shot in the arm.  It is a source of inoculant that places billions of beneficial fungi and bacteria in close contact with the root system.  Fungi and bacteria stimulate the release of soil nutrients and aid plant growth.

Always Water Plants In With Liquid Seaweed
Watering eliminates any air pockets and brings the soil/compost mix in close contact with the roots.  Liquid seaweed is a great plant tonic.  It stimulates soil microbes, helps to build disease resistance, reduces planting shock and generally aids the plant’s transition from the pot to the garden.

Give Plants Follow-Up Watering Until They Are Established
Newly established plants require a good soaking at least twice a week for a fortnight or more following planting. Give them more water than other plants in the garden for at least three months. This applies to drought tolerant plants.

Prune Little and Often
Tip prune young plants to encourage bushy growth, prune out dead wood and old flowers whenever you see them. Trim plants little and often to keep them neat.

Apply Fertiliser
Fertilise the entire garden at least twice each year (August and January for preference). Always water well before and after you apply fertiliser.

Keep Simple Pest Control Products Handy
Oil and soap sprays control pests (aphids, scale/sooty mould, citrus leaf miner etc) and sulphur and copper help control diseases and mites (powdery mildew, anthracnose, black spot, two spotted mites). Keep them on hand.

Remember - If gardening becomes a chore, your garden is either too big, poorly designed to suit your needs or you are trying to grow the wrong plants.

Star Fruit

Star Performer
The angular fruits of the carambola or star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) are produced in abundance with trees bearing two crops each year, typically during early Autumn and late Spring.

Carambola trees make great garden specimens. They are relatively quick growing, form small trees with attractive pinnate foliage, produce fruit at a young age and suffer from very few pest and disease problems. Trees will loose a significant amount of foliage during long periods of dry weather or very cold conditions, but seem to have a remarkable ability to recover as soon as rain occurs or warmer weather returns.

Clusters of small pink flowers form within the canopy. While fruit develop quickly, they can be hard to spot as they are well camouflaged amongst the foliage. It is often not until the fruit matures to a lighter yellow colour that you realise the tree is laden.  

Trees respond well to pruning and can be kept to around two metres in height while still producing a substantial harvest.

Seed grown plants vary enormously in growth habit and fruit flavour, so take time to investigate grafted forms of selected varieties before you plant. Honey Sweet, Thai Knight, Maha, Fwang Tung and Kary are just a few of those available. Take a taste test of some of these varieties by visiting several fruit shops, then select a variety that appeals to your tastebuds.

Possums love to feed on the fruit, but there is usually plenty to go round. A flower caterpillar occasionally finds its way into the central core of fruit, but this rarely warrants control.