Gardening and Landscaping

Hi, Newlands community! 

I am a gardener based here in Preston. 

Please get in touch if you want to discuss any help with gardening. 

Thanks a lot!

Gardening Meditation & Produce Swap

Caring for the Soul ~ Gardening Meditation

Gardening Meditation is a sliver of time where societal expectations, to-do lists and worries can be left at the gate. In Gardening Meditation we are together in the vegetable plot, gently tending the soil while relaxing with the sounds of nature. It is deeply rejuvenating and enjoyable. Sometimes no weeding is done at all, just lying on the earth! I offer seasonal meditations, questions, poetry and other words to facilitate the process of softening and coming home to ourselves. CERES Joe's Market Garden is an oasis in the city, a farm that is a meeting place for local and diverse communities, with LOTS of heart. And there's the wholesome Farmgate serving fresh vegetables, pop-up 'Heartbeet' Cafe and delicate tunes for before and after the session. Usually the 4th Saturday of every month, with June and July being the 3rd Saturday.

Next session: this Saturday 15th June

10-11.30am at 34 Edna Grove Coburg, CERES Joe's Market Garden

$10 can be paid on the day

Inquiries: Felicity 0414 420 606

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West Preston Produce Swap

We would love to invite you to a produce swap and cuppa on Sunday June 16th, 10am-12pm on our nature strip at 5 Knapp St Preston.

Bring homegrown and homemade goodies to share and go home with other people's bounties. Including but not limited to:

Home grown vegetables and fruit

Homemade preserves, pickles and other kitchen creations

Recipes

Cut flowers, bulbs

Seeds, seedlings

Craft, poetry

All are welcome and we'll love to meet you and have a cuppa. Bring a cup :) 

Any questions? Felicity 0414 420 606

Gardeners.....

Greetings, Friends.

Earlier in the year I came across this article with Sustainable Gardening Australia. Pauline from SA was wanting to see if people were interested in growing Malabar spinach, save the berries and send them to her, where she then sent all of them to a researcher in Europe (related to research on cancer treatment).

As in  a veggie garden we were already planting the spinach (you can eat the leaves), I started collecting the berries, freezing them, and then once harvesting finished I sent all that I had collected to Pauline in SA. I agreed that this year I would invite as many people as I could to join in the project. so below is the link for anyone interested and please share it around.

With thanks,

Nora from Coburg.

https://www.sgaonline.org.au/malabar-spinach-research-project/

Gardener

Gardening Work.

My friend Mr Akbar F. has recently settled in Australia and is an excellent gardener, available any day except Thursdays, at $30 per hour.

Akbar can respond to calls or text messages on his iPhone. However, he would prefer me to field any queries in the first instance. If you can offer him casual/regular gardening work please contact me on 0428 84 95 98 or email (preferred): rhudson38@optusnet.com.au. 

Please include your own details for Akbar’s future reference, if convenient.

Rosalie Hudson.

Prune in June

A group of lemon-loving locals have stepped up their fight against the native gall wasp, launching a campaign asking Melburnians to Prune in June.

The tiny wasp, which is native to northern New South Wales and Queensland, lays its eggs in the branches of citrus trees, causing bulging lumps called gall.

Save Our Citrus Melbourne was formed last year by two gardeners concerned about the spread of gall in Melbourne's lemon trees.

Co-founder Kaye Roberts-Palmer said they were initially focused on their local council area of Darebin, but soon expanded their sights to the whole of Melbourne.

"We did a few talks and we were amazed by the interest — it's just grown and grown," she said.

Lemon trees 'important to Melbourne culture'

The group has launched a Prune in June campaign, which includes online videos aimed at teaching people how and when to prune their citrus trees.

Ms Roberts-Palmer said that along with olive trees, lemon trees were "Melbourne icons".

"I think they're really important to Melbourne culture; along with the footy, along with the coffee, I think they're something that should survive and thrive," she said.

Ms Roberts-Palmer said a lemon tree she saw at a friend's rental property was an example of what could happen when gall-infected branches were not pruned.

"It looks like the tree has cancer ... it is very depressing," she said.

"The good news is that citrus trees are a very hardy species."

Older trees with extensive root systems can be cut right back and still survive, she said.

Pruning in June stops gall spreading.

Ms Roberts-Palmer said it was important to prune citrus trees while the weather was still cold.

"We really want everyone to get out in June and prune their citrus trees," she said.

"In the winter months the citrus gall wasp is still dormant, and so what we can do as gardeners is get out there and cut off the galls."

PHOTO: Citrus gall wasps cause woody galls on citrus twigs. (Submitted: Pia Scanlon)

She said the gall wasps would spread if owners waited until spring to prune.

"The wasps start hatching and flying around," she said.

Pruned galls should be soaked in water for two weeks, then bagged and thrown in the rubbish.

Videos, workshops teach citrus owners how to prune.

Ms Roberts-Palmer said learning how to prune citrus correctly was crucial to maintaining a healthy tree.

"When you're cutting into the tree, you're actually wounding the tree," she said.

The group's instructional videos show viewers what a gall looks like and how to prune it off the tree.

Along with the videos, Save Our Citrus is conducting a series of how-to prune workshops throughout June.

Ms Roberts-Palmer said controlling the spread of gall in Melbourne would take several years of concerted effort.

"There's no natural predator in Victoria that's going to affect this gall wasp," she said.

"It's really about us all getting together and pruning."

A list of workshops times and venues is available on the Save Our Citrus Melbourne Facebook page.

Weed Dating

Weed dating! It's actually weeding and actually speed dating, so come prepared for both!

Do you want to meet singles who share a passion for farming/ gardening?? You might meet the lover or the friend of your dreams!!!

Let Joe's Garden together with the dolset tunes of the Church of Burt (a Burt Bacarach cover band!!!!!) do the match making while you speed date while weeding your local farm.
This event will be a super inclusive event for people who are of any age over 18, Straight, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in confirm your spot by booking your tickets or contacting joesgarden@ceres.org.au for more info
or book tickets through this link
https://www.eventbrite.com.ar/e/weed-dating-at-ceres-joes-market-garden-tickets-33036255329

Tickets include a lunch made from the farm and a coffee / tea.

For more info, email joesmarketgarden@ceres.org.au

Garden Volunteers

ARE YOU BORED? LONELY?

DO YOU ENJOY GARDENING?

INTERESTED IN PERMACULTURE?

GROWING VEGGIES?

We have a garden in Hadfield

(north of Pascoe Vale) and

we are starting a gardening group.

We have chickens and

will soon have fish and aquaponics

and vegetables and other plants.

WE AIM TO CREATE AN URBAN FOOD FOREST

and we are looking for friendly,

enthusiastic people to join us.

If you might be interested please

call or text Michelle 0426 239 611.

Lonely Tomatillo

Hi Neighbours

I have a lonely tomatillo in my garden, after snail attacks eradicated the other seedlings. From what I've read, they're not self-pollinating plants, so although it's covered in flowers it won't set fruit. 

If anyone else is growing tomatillos and wants to join forces in the hopes of getting fruit for green salsa and other Mexican cooking, get in touch and let's swap some flowers to have a go at hand-pollinating. 

Cheers,

Mel.

 

0420 717 022

Hot Tip

Gardeners! Don't take that unwieldy mirror bush to the tip! For free pick-up call Melbourne Zoo, where today's horticultural disposal conundrum is tomorrow's elephant shit.

Weed Spray

Hi all,  I recently made this weed spray for the garden and it's great!  I just used Earth Choice dishwashing liquid as that's what I had. I'm sure any sort of dishwashing liquid would work.
Enjoy!

Gardening

Garden Time

Tuesdays 1pm – 3pm

Come and learn some new skills led by a permaculture facilitator.

All welcome – kids too!

No need to enrol just come to 20 Murray Rd Coburg North.

Garden Design and Construction

25-30 years experience in garden design & construction.

 

Nature strips transformed.

Small handyman related garden work.

Courtyards or large gardens.

Design plans drawn for council submit or customer pre approval.

Contact Chris Hand (Lefty) for more information on 0416 199 225.

Ripe near me

I was just reading on the Down to Earth blog about Ripe Near Me and I thought it might interest Newlands News people. It's a way of listing produce that you have grown and want to give away or sell, and that is growing somewhere on public land.  If you are looking for produce it is very easy to find too. It looks like there is already a little bit of activity in our local area. http://www.ripenear.me/

Free Nandina shrubs

Hi all
I have just pulled up two nandina shrubs which are sitting in my drive looking for a home. They are hardy and change colours across the year. Please take one or both! Sooner rather than later would be advisable as I expect they won't like being bare rooted under the hot sun in the next couple of days.
Cheers
Cecilia
20 Golf Road Coburg Nth
0422 779 840

Garden Swap?

Hi All,

I am on Meadow Street and have a great veggie garden and I am hoping I can do some garden help swaps over summer.

 I am away from the 28^th of December for  week and then away from the 18^th of January for a week.

I am after a person / couple of people to do a bit of watering for me – in return for picking what they can see in the garden – zucchinis coming now – lettuce and greens and soon tomatoes.

 I am very happy to repay the favour and do some watering in the middle couple of weeks of January.

 Please let me know if you can help me out.

Rachael.millsom@gmail.com

0431290174

Thanks all and have a wonderful Christmas.

 Rachael.

Welcome in the Spring!

Leave your garden in loving hands.

Chris is an experienced tree worker with a holistic approach. 

 

Available for:

• Garden spring cleaning
• Pruning and trimming of trees and bushes
• Felling
• Advice about returning trees to good health
• General gardening care

 

Phone: Chris on 0435 086 323 or email: c.polifka@gmx.de

 

Newlands Gardens Triplets

Three events (not babies!!!) related to fertility are upcoming in the Hood.

 The first one celebrates the abundance of our gardens and the kindness to others: the Open Table mob (http://www.open-table.org/sample-page/) organise community dinners each first Sunday of the month. They are quite adept at making up a meal with whatever turns up, in whatever quantities. If there are donations in excess of what they need for the night, they hand it out to the dining guests to take home.

As next week is Fair Food Week (fairfoodweek.org.au/) Open Table and  Moreland Food Gardens Network (http://www.morelandfoodgardensnetwork.org/) are hosting a feast, gathering some food-vulnerable people and sustainable food activists, next Sunday 25^th August.

The idea is to draw on the various gardens around Moreland for crowd-funding the fresh elements of the feast. I will contribute from my own garden and also wonder if there is any chance of contributions from our community of Newlands (or beyond) gardeners.

 If that sounds like you and your garden:

1.     Email me by Friday night (pascalelocal@hotmail.com) what you have to contribute – I’ll compile amounts and let the Open Table’s chefs know – they are creative but value a bit of notice. No need to go pillaging the pantry, they are only after excess garden produce –even a leaf or a sprig, one lemon or one potato are welcome (more if you have, obviously!); put together that what will make a feast (yes, they know there could be quite a bit of silverbeets and winter greens, cabbagey stuff and citrus). If, by any chance, you had excess eggs, honey, jams and pickles or you make your own bread or baked goods, of course that would be welcome – but not essential.

2.     Bring the stuff to my place (for those who do not know me, I’ll give you the address by return email) between Friday 3pm to Sunday 11 am. There will be buckets and boxes provided in my driveway.

3.     I’ll make sure it all gets to the feast on Sunday.

 The second event celebrates the abundance and sharing between our Newlands gardeners and food lovers (if you eat, you can be in!) with the

First Birthday of the Newlands Gardens Food Swap.

Sunday September 8^th -2-3pm - Hutchinson Place.

Yes we have a plan B if it rains. Bring whatever home grown or made food you have in excess to share and swap– BTW that extends to knowledge (about food or gardening), cuttings, seedlings … I have just started on tomatoes seedlings and others and may have raspberries’ cuttings ready. As always, there will be free pots, potting mix and rooting hormone if you want to strike cuttings, share seedlings and so on.

 The third event is the very essence of fertility: The Feed for Food Co-op is organising its spring order of these bearers of Fertility – various straws and manures …

Pea straw: $12.90

Wheat straw: $11.90

Chicken - cow manure – Mushroom compost: $4.90

 Sheep manure: $5.50

 You can also order chicken feed if the tons of buckwheat that our neighbourhood rescued from getting landfilled has ran out (thanks Mel for that!).

Mixed grains – 25Kg - $22.90

Organic pellets – 25 Kg - $38.50

Red Hen – 30Kg - $28.90

Any items that Andrew’s on Sydney Rd sells can be added to this list as long as you have a clear name for it and its price.

Our aim is to connect neighbourhoods’ gardeners and prevent many small trips down Sydney Rd when you could pick it up locally with a trolley or wheelbarrow.

Email your order to melmate@hotmail.com before 12/09/13 and pay for it (preferably by direct deposit) by 15/09/13 for a delivery the following week. Delivery point (or points if really a lot gets ordered) will depend on who orders this time.

 Enjoy the coming of Spring!

Local Gardener Wanted

Hello Neighbours!

Does anyone know of a reliable gardener that is in the local area?  Our former gardener is no longer undertaking residential clients so we are on the lookout for someone who can help us out. 

We are looking for a gardener to do some mowing, racking of leaves, some occasional whipper-snipper work, clearing of paths and to take all the clippings away. 

If you know of someone or are you ARE that person, please get in touch. 

Thanks

Lee

sandwithl@hotmail.com

Help Needed

Hi everyone,

A dear friend of mine and her three lovely young children, who've had a somewhat troublesome Christmas period, is now in urgent need of a handy gardener type of person who can come and mow, trim, and do general garden maintenance at her West Preston house. If anyone can help, she would be extremely grateful. Ideally the work would have to be done this weekend (thankfully it's not going to be a hot one!)

Please contact me in the first instance and I will pass on relevant details: 0407046422, or reply to this fab post.

Thanks heaps!
Giuliana

Plague Soldier Beetles

Not sure if anyone else is infested with these critters but I did a bit of research and they are are called Plague Soldier Beetles.  These beetles are harmless (although distasteful to predators) and congregate in large numbers for mating purposes.  The larvae of this species live in the soil and feed on soft bodied invertebrates, while the adults feed on pollen and nectar. They do not eat the plants but sometimes the weight of them can break branches.  The air is full of them darting around at our place but apparently they move  on in a few days (we've had they for a week so hopefully soon!)

More info here:
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Plague-Soldier-Beetle