Summer

Next time you bake a Christmas cake for a friend, try baking one in a terracotta flower pot. Once the cake is devoured, they can reuse the pot to plant up their favourite plant.   Ingredients 1.5kg mixed fruit 1/2 cup of your favourite sherry/brandy/rum 2 tbsp apricot jam 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 5 eggs 250g butter, melted …

A favourite in warm temperate to tropical Australian gardens where they can grow year-round, the passionfruit originates from South America. This lovely climber has it all; lush foliage, beautiful flowers and delicious fruit! Planting Passionfruit In warmer zones with mild winters, passionfruit can be planted throughout the year. Plant only during the warmer time of year, from October to March …

Pawpaws are like a gift from the gods! Easily grown in home gardens, their delicious, sweet flesh can be enjoyed at the breakfast table for most of the year. Native to southern Mexico and central America, pawpaw flourishes in the tropics and subtropics where individual trees can be productive for up to 6 years. Which sex to buy? Pawpaw trees …

Summertime can see us either embracing the summer heat at the beach or enjoying more time indoors alongside our indoor jungle friends.  Keep your leafy jungle companions happy with these easy tasks.   A breath of fresh air Indoor plants don’t enjoy extremes of temperature. The living areas in your home suit them best as these rooms tend to be …

With colour, vigour, and charm, what more could coloured foliage coleus ask for? Plectranthus scutellarioides (formally known as Solenostemon scutellarioides) Coleus create a riot of foliage flair in dull shade-loving areas. This colourful annual and in most parts of Australia perennial, will brighten any lush landscape with their variety of varied foliage patterns and colours throughout the whole year. When growing coleus, keep in mind …

Lawn grubs are easy to control. Sprinkle Searles Dead Grub Pro (Bifenthrin) granules evenly over the ground where lawn grubs are present and water it in well.   The granular shaker bottle means there are no messy concoctions or spraying. For the white curl grub, use the hessian bag test (mentioned earlier) after a week to make sure all grubs are gone. Keep …

Hoyas will quickly become a gardeners favourite after they experience their hardiness and scented pendulous blooms during the warmer months. With many variations available to suit different climatic zones and large pendulous blooms, this hardy evergreen climber will grow on you. Most commonly grown, and familiar to many as the wax flower, the Hoya carnosa is easy to grow. Australia …

A simple throw together salad using your favourite piscine morsels delivering the taste of summer.   Ingredients 450g tin of premium tuna (tinned or cooked salmon or smoked trout can be used as a substitute) 1 cucumber, thinly sliced 200g medley cherry tomatoes handful baby spinach 50g olives 1 red onion, cut into wedges 1 avocado, sliced thinly 3 cooked …

Cucumber is one of the easiest crops to grow and their health benefits and body temperature cooling properties make them an ideal addition to any summer salad.   When to plant cucumbers Cucumbers are a warm season crop and should be sown or transplanted in spring once the soil has warmed up, and through summer. For dry tropics and tropical  …

Basil Plant basil in a sheltered position and keep it well-watered in the heat of summer. Pruning (or regular harvest) can keep the plants compact and also extend their productive life. Unlike most herbs, its flavour increases with cooking. Includes sweet basil, purple basil, etc. Chives Hardy in garden beds or in pots, plant chives in full sun but don’t …