Heard about the benefits of using seaweed on your home garden, but not sure where to start? Why not buy a local Tasmanian product or, if adventurous, harvest your own! Here’s how …
Seaweed is one of my favourite foods to snack on, and your plants like ‘eating’ it too! There is plenty of this marine macroalgae floating around Tasmania (or used to be, but I will get to that in a moment), so it should come as no surprise that this state has several businesses built on this product.
I had the pleasure to meet Chris Russell from Kelpomix Tasmania at a marketing workshop held by the Northern Midlands Business Association this week. Chris and I got along like a house on fire; I like anyone who appreciates a good pun. If you have seen a bag of his product Kelpomix featuring not only kelp (seaweed) but also a kelpie (dog), well, you will understand what I mean! We got talking about the usefulness of seaweed on the garden, something Chris knows a thing or two about!
Me (left) speaking with Chris Russell from Kelpomix Australia about the virtues of seaweed.
Chris harvests bull kelp (Durvillaea potatorum) from Granville Harbour on Tasmania’s west coast. Chris says his business must abide by multiple regulations to ensure that bull kelp is harvested sustainably. He only harvests cast kelp as harvesting, cutting or pruning of living kelp is not permitted. Cast kelp is that seaweed which has detached from the ocean floor and washed up onto a shore. Chris estimates that less than 10 per cent of detached ‘plants’ wash ashore. This seaweed has accumulated nutrients washed out to sea, including minerals, amino acid builders and growth-promoting hormones that can benefit all plants.
At Kelpomix, Chris uses this kelp to produce a range of solid and liquid garden and farm inputs for dairy, beef, sheep, viticulture, cropping/hobby farmers and gardeners. I won’t go into all these products now; however, I will flag those that may be of interest to the home gardener – you! Kelpomix has a Garden Mulch product that is suitable for gardens and lawns and can be used as both a compost and mulch. Kelpomix’s Liquid Kelp product can be used as a soil drench and/or foliage spray. It also produces a Premium Potting Mix with added kelp.
Other Tasmanian businesses with seaweed products on the market include Seasol and Marrawah Gold. You probably have heard of Seasol. This business is now owned by DuluxGroup (Australia), the parent company of Yates, another well-known gardening brand. As far as I can find, Seasol still operates a manufacturing facility just outside Launceston. The iconic Seasol product is made from a blend of brown kelp, including bull kelp (Durvillaea potatorum) collected from King Island and Marrawah on Tasmania’s west coast, Chile bull kelp (Durvillaea antarctica), and knotted kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) sourced from the North Atlantic. This seaweed concentrate can be applied to the foliage and soil around a range of plants at the time of transplanting and planting including ferns, indoor plants, vegies, herbs, and annuals, as well as lawns and large/stressed trees.
Marrawah Gold is a local Tasmanian seaweed product made from bull kelp harvested on this island’s north-west coast. Its ‘Lawn and Garden’ liquid product contains seaweed extract made from the stem (stipe) of this seaweed and can be sprayed on the foliage of a plant or used as a soil drench.
If you are an experienced gardener, you may like to collect your own seaweed to use on your garden. You are allowed to collect beach-cast seaweed for personal use on your garden if you meet the conditions laid out by Fishing Tasmania as follows. As a recreational harvester of beach-cast seaweed, you do not require a licence if you meet the following conditions:
Only take for private use and not for profit or commercial use.
Only take from public access beaches or where the landholder have given permission for beach access.
A daily limit of 100 kilograms per person per day.
No take from Marine Nature Reserves.
No take any seaweed that is in the water or attached to the seabed.
A tip from me … Bull kelp is quite thick, so unless shredded, it may take some time to break down in a home compost if that system is not ‘hot’. If you want seaweed that will decompose more quickly, then take the finer ‘leaved’ species that you find on the beach.
How to use beach-cast seaweed on your garden
Angus Stewart, former Gardening Australia presenter on ABC TV, is a more recently arrived Tasmanian who has written about using seaweed in the garden. Angus is a very experienced plant breeder so he knows his plant science! He says that seaweed extracts condition the soil with humus and supply small but useful quantities of nutrient as well. That is, seaweed extracts are not complete fertilisers but still very useful in your garden as they contain useful plant hormones and can increase root development. The latter reason is why liquid seaweed extracts are applied to seedlings when transplanting them from their pots into a garden. If you want to know more about the science behind seaweed’s utility in the garden, check out Angus’ article ‘Using seaweed products in the garden‘ on his Gardening with Angus website.
Angus recommends washing seaweed clean of salt before adding it to your soil or compost heap, and to chop it up with a spade to hasten its decomposition. Whilst I must point out that the 20kg bag limit Angus mentions in this article is not applicable here in Tasmania (see above), I would still encourage you not to take more than you need. When speaking with Chris from Kelpomix, we both lamented the reduction in the bull kelp population along the east coast of Tasmania due to warming waters which are resulting in lower levels of nutrients and increased salinity, not to mention the arrival of the ravenous long-spined sea urchin which feasts on this algae. Whilst that is a story for another day, it is also a very important reminder to only take what we need.
Why not eat some yourself?
Why not feed yourself at the same time as feeding your garden? If you are at the beach planning to harvest some beach-cast seaweed for your garden, then consider collecting some for your kitchen too.
In 2023, Rees Campbell, aka the Feisty Tasmanian, wrote and published The Seaweed Supplementto complement her book, Eat More Wild Tasmanian. This publication is a very handy and informative guide to the who, what and how of edible seaweeds cast on Tasmanian beaches. Rees provides some very helpful advice on how to collect seaweed safely, along with some tips on how to use it in the kitchen. For example, bull kelp (palawa kani: rikawa) can be barbecued, its laminae (flat, leaf-like parts) cut up and cooked into stews as a vegetable, or cooked to a pulp and added to dishes. Rees says this seaweed is great in a kelp chutney.
Ludovic and I have collected seaweed from Tassie’s north coast in the recent past to incorporate into our compost. We love doing this as it also means a trip to the beach; although trying to save fuel, we only ever really do this when we have another reason to visit the coast. That is not as often as we would like! So this weekend, I am going to do something a little different and pay a visit to my local hardware store (the one that does not start with ‘B’). I will buy myself some Kelpomix to trial on our garden, thereby supporting a local business. Why not consider doing the same? Or if you are lucky enough to live near the coast, why not harvest your own beach-cast seaweed. The seaweed you gather will improve your garden, and the time spent in nature will benefit your mental and physical health and well-being. Enjoy!
À bientôt!
Disclaimer: I mention a few businesses and products in this blog, but just so you know—I am not affiliated with any of them, and I am not being paid or sponsored to promote anything. I am simply sharing what I have found useful or interesting in my own experience.
What other tree can give you as much value in a public landscape, rural property or private garden as a blackwood? Acacia melanoxylon provides edible, ornamental, environmental and agricultural benefits to those people who choose to grow it. Could that be you?
Seen below is, not an eye, rather the seed of a blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) around which is wrapped a reddish-coloured aril, a type of elaisome. Bet you didn’t think you were getting a botany lesson today! Elaiosomes are nutrient-rich structures attached to the seeds of certain plants, including acacias, composed of lipids, proteins, and sugars and serves as an attractant. The aril on a blackwood seed entices birds to eat the seed, thus facilitating its dispersal to new locations through their droppings.
The red aril wrapped around this Acacia melanoxylon seed provides a tasty treat for birds, thus aiding in its distribution (Image: Ludovic Vilbert, Inwardout Studio).
Whilst humans don’t eat the aril, we can eat the seed after roasting. Blackwood seed can be harvested and roasted, and used in a variety of dishes after crushing and roasting. Rees Campbell outlines how to collect and cook this seed in her book, Eat More Wild Tasmanian. If you are interested in exploring this further, I highly recommend you get yourself a copy of this book or at least follow Rees on her Feisty Tasmanian page on Facebook. That is her area of expertise, not mine. I usually leave the cooking in our home to Ludovic, so that is all I will see on the edible aspects of acacia for the moment. However, I do have a couple of things to share about the use of this tree in the garden more generally. Firstly though, let’s explore its distribution and growing requirements.
Acacia melanoxylon belongs to the Fabaceae (Legume/Pea/Bean family). The name melanoxylon means black wood, thus its common name – backwood. This species is sometimes referred to as Hickory, Sally Wattle and Mudgerabah on the Australian mainland. In Tasmania, the palawa kani word for this plant is rriyalimana (Campbell, 2022). Koories called it by various names, including Mootchung, and Burn-na-look.
Blackwood has a widespread distribution, from northern Queensland to southern Tasmania, and at altitudes from sea level to 1250-1500m. It is common from as far north as Atherton Tableland in Queensland, along the highlands of New South Wales and Victoria into Tasmania. It occurs again in Mt Lofty Ranges region of South Australia. In Victoria, it is found particularly in the Otway Ranges and Gippsland districts. However, the trees providing this timber grow best in Tasmania, where it occurs throughout native forests from sea level to 1000m in elevation but it really thrives in swamp and riverine areas.
If you are looking to grow blackwood, here is a summary of its usual growing conditions and environmental tolerances:
Rainfall – Grows in areas with a mean annual rainfall of between 705 – 1500mm. Very common on a variety of sites where annual rainfall exceeds 600mm (including basalt plains of Western Victoria).
Climate – Preferred conditions are sheltered sites in cool and warm humid climatic zones, with a high annual rainfall (900mm). It will grow in climates with a mean hottest month between 23-36°C, and the coldest month between 1-10°C, other conditions permitting of course. It will tolerate 1- 40 frosts a year.
Soil – On clayey and basalt soils. Grows well on fertile soils (krasnozems, acid brown earths, alluvial and brown loams), intermediate sites (red or yellow podzols and gley soils) and dry sites (red brown earths). For good results, a pH of 6-6.5 should be maintained.
In Tasmania, blackwood is a large erect tree growing up to 30 metres tall (Launceston Field Naturalists Club, 2019). However, it can grow up to 50 metres in height in the blackwood swamps of the north west, but is usally shorter in the understorey of wet eucaltypt forests and a shrub in drier habitats (Wiltshire & Jordan, 2018).
In large enough spaces, and in the right climate and soils, I like to include blackwoods in our landscape and garden designs. Once mature, and with a little uplifting of the lower branches, this species can make a very attractive evergreen shade tree. It has such a beautiful form.
Acacia melanoxylon seen by Baxters Road, at the Pipers River Boardwalk carpark in Tasmania’s north-east (Image: cowirrie via iNaturalist, CC0).
Blackwoods are also reputed to be fire retardant plants, i.e. plants that will not burn in the first wave of a bushfire, but may burn once dried out (Marriott, n.d.). In our designs, I do not place blackwood in the Building Protection Zone (BPZ) immediately adjacent to the house, i.e. the defendable space in the event of a bushfire; rather in the Fuel Modified Zone (FMZ). This outer zone sits between the BPZ and unmanaged vegetation beyond the defendable space. Vegetation in this zone is managed to a more moderate level to substantially decrease the fround fuel and restrict the fuels available to an approaching bushfire.
In addition to slowing down bushfires, blackwood provides excellent value as a windbreak and shelter for animals. Unlike eucalypts, blackwood allows pasture growth up to its trunk and so is a preferred livestock shade tree by landowners. Blackwood is also used extensively in agroforestry. Its timber is highly prized as one of the best cabinet and furniture woods in the world. It lives in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria Rhizobium and this, particularly in arid areas, substantially augments the soil nitrogen available for other plants of the community. And I have only just touched upon its habitat values and now aesthetic appeal! Consider its beautiful flowers which generally appear in late winter to the middle of spring (August to October) here in Tasmania and dark, leathery phyllodes, which are modified leaf stems fulfilling a similar function to leaves in regards to plant photosynthesis.
Blackwood flowers are yellow, fluffy spherical heads; and its ‘leaves’ are technically phyllodes, modified leaf stalks that function like leaves (Image: cowirrie via iNaturalist, CC0)
What’s not to like about blackwood? If you have a rural property or a very large suburban block, I really would encourage you to grow one (or several), if your site conditions allow of course.
If you would like to know more about how you might include this magnificent plant in your garden or rural property, please reach out to me at gabrielle@inwardoutstudio.com. But for now, I will bid you goodnight …
A bientot!
References
Campbell, R. (2022). Eat More Wild Tasmanian. Fullers Publishing.
Launceston Field Naturalists Club. (2019). A guide to flowers and plants of Tasmania. Reed New Holland Publishers.
When is a daisy not a daisy? You may be surprised by the answer!
Usually we associate the term ‘daisy’ with summer-flowering plants used in an ornamental garden. However, there are many edible ‘daisies’. Well, to be correct, there are many edible members of the Asteraceae (Daisy family) such as lettuce (Lactuca sp.), yes lettuce! Two other edible ‘daisies in disguise’ include the globe and the Jerusalem artichokes.
Globe artichoke
The spectacular globe artichoke (Cyanara cardunculus var. scolymus) show below is a perennial thistle-like plant grown for its edible flower buds, specifically the fleshy base (heart) and leaves (bracts). We love to steam the heart and bracts gently, then serve with a lemon and garlic sauce and salt for dipping. The simple pleasures in life!
We didn’t get around to harvesting this particular individual in time to eat it (summer holidays and all that), receiving a fantastic floral display instead. When an artichoke matures and is left to flower, its tightly packed bracts (the edible part) open up to reveal the vibrant purple florets. These florets are attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies. However, unfortunately for us, this flowering means that the artichoke is no longer suitable for eating, as the bracts and heart become tough and fibrous once the plant has flowered.
This globe artichoke was left to flower in our garden.
There are many varieties of globe artichokes available, varying in plant and bud size and bud colour. These large, architectural perennials can grow up to 1.5m tall and 1m wide, and they possess large, silvery grey-green leaves. A very ornamental addition to an edible garden!
Jerusalem artichoke
The terms globe artichoke and artichoke often refer to the same plant. The ‘globe artichoke’ specifically refers to the Cynara species with edible flower buds, while ‘artichoke’ can either be shorthand for globe artichoke or refer to other unrelated plants , including one that can be planted in your edible garden, although with caution!
The Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) is a completely different plant to the globe artichoke. Whilst both ‘artichokes’ belong to the Daisy family and are perennial plants, the Jerusalem artichoke is more closely related to sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) and puts on a very floriferous display in the garden. This ‘artichoke’ is grown for its edible tubers which have a nutty and sweet taste. However, when harvesting those tasty tubers, many small tubers can be remain in the soil. Tubers left in the ground, whether intentionally or unintentionally, are likely to sprout again in spring, making it challenging to remove artichokes permanently from a particular location if they are no longer desired.
The flower of the Jerusalem artichoke brightens up this garden (Image: Wilder Kaiser via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0).
To cultivate Jerusalem artichoke without them becoming a pest in your garden beds, then I highly recommend the advice of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) here: How to grow Jerusalem artichokes. Do note however, that the planting and harvesting months provided by the RHS are for gardeners in the northern hemisphere, only understandable given it is a UK institution!
If you need more advice about selecting which variety of globe or Jerusalem artichoke to grow, or how to cultivate it in your garden, speak to your local nursery or garden centre. Or ask a friend who has grown them before, especially if their garden has similar climatic conditions. Avoid the big box stores … this is not generally their area of expertise!
During the whirlwind that was March, one particular plant caught my eye. Which one and why?
Technically, I remember first glancing ‘my plant’ in February, although I have probably seen it before at the ‘wrong’ time of year and not given it any notice. Ludovic and I had made our way up onto the Central Plateau for a site visit in Miena where we have been working on a residential building and landscape design. On the drive up the Highland Lakes Rd, we stopped for a genteel stroll around Pine Lake where I observed many members of the Proteaceae (protea family) (Hint: ‘My plant’ also belongs to this family, and is the only member of its genus).
Me at Pine Lake examining some Golden Orites (Orites acicularis), a close relative of ‘my plant’
Feeling a little optimistic (cocky) we decided to make another stop before our site visit, the ‘walk’ up Projection Bluff. Promoted as a 1.5 to 2 hour walk of medium difficulty, I do believe this should be called a ‘scramble’, as that is how I felt (i.e. scrambled) after only gaining around 100 metres elevation. I called it quits early, concerned about the ability of my knees to make the distance and to remain intact so that we could proceed with the afore-mentioned site visit. However, I did see ‘my plant’, although the specimens on show here were a little shabby and past their seasonal peak (Hint: ‘My plant’ likes heights, unlike me).
Out and about at (but not up) Projection Bluff.
Ludovic talking passive solar homes with a visitor to our display at the Sustainable Living Festival. The bonsai Chinese Elm can be see at the right.
Sustainable Living Festival
Not long after our failed ascent up Projection Bluff, we had our feet firmly planted on solid ground for a week or two. Our energy was diverted into putting together a display to promote Inwardout Studio at Tamar NRM’s Sustainable Living Festival in Launceston. Our display featured a scale model passive solar home built by Ludovic and a bonsai Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) loaned to us by the Bonsai and Penjing School of Tasmania. This bonsai elm was rather impressive and attracted a lot of attention, including from me. However, it wasn’t long before I returned to the mountains hoping for a glimpse of ‘my plant’.
On the weekend following the Sustainable Living Festival, we decided to take a break and made two walks in one weekend.
Ben Lomond
The spectacular dolerite cliffs on display at Ben Lomond National Park.
The first of our two walks on the second weekend in March was at Ben Lomond National Park, starting at Carr Villa and making our way up to Legges Tor, which at 1,500 m high Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service says is the second highest peak in this state. There was no snow at the time we visited this alpine plateau. As the midday sun gained in strength, the fog dissipated and we had a beautiful view of the spectacular dolerite cliffs and columns in this area. And of ‘my plant’!
Given the lovely weather, I urged Ludovic to make the drive up Ben Lomond’s infamous Jacob’s Ladder, fearing that I would chicken out at any other time of the year. We returned safely to Launceston to rest overnight or I would not be writing this blog! The next day we decided to go coastal and took a short walk in the Narawntapu National Park near Green’s Beach on the north coast. However, ‘my plant’ was not to be seen there! (Hint: Maybe just a tad too salty and dry?).
Gleichenia alpina seen here in Wellington Range, Tasmania (Image: Miguel de Salas via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0 DEED
Sandbank Tier
The week following our trip to Ben Lomond, I had the pleasure of having another walk on the Central Plateau.In my ‘side gig’ (Associate Lecturer in Geography) at the University of Tasmania, I led a group of second-year students from the Newnham campus to join their Sandy Bay counterparts on an ‘Earth, Climate, Life’ field trip to explore Sandbank Tier. There were some really ‘cool’ plants there including Gleichenia alpina (Alpine Coral-fern). According to the University of Tasmania’s Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants, G. alpina is a relatively common native groundfern that grows in boggy alpine and subalpine vegetation. Its dichotomously divided foliage is a hallmark of its genus and a very striking feature. Yet alas, this fern is not the plant I am talking about, although ‘my plant’ was present at this location (Hint: I do recall a colleague incorrectly referring to ‘my plant’s’ red ‘flowers’ here, which are not red at all, rather white).
Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show
We then made a trip interstate to the 2024 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. Each year, I visit the show to find out what is happening in the world of landscape design and interview designers of the Show Gardens for my monthly Landscape feature in Hort Journal Australia. This year, indigenous and native plants took pride of place in the ‘Wurundjeri biik – Indigenous Garden’, ‘Through the Looking Glass, and ‘Saltbush’ displays. My eyes though were captured by one Show Garden in particular.
Nadia Cole and her team at Platylobium Landscape Design worked closely with Atlas Concrete and Landscapes to realise ‘Australian Idyll’. This garden featured a modern take on a classic bush hut installed by Spaces in Places set lightly in an alpine-like environment through which a boardwalk built by Sanctum Homes meanders. Nadia’s design recreates the experience felt by trekkers on the Overland Track in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. I felt at home looking at the beautiful Mountain Pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) featured in this garden. Speaking with Nadia whilst she led me on a tour, I cheekily asked her why ‘my plant’ was not part of her plant palette (Hint: My plant is a feature of Tasmania’s High Country).
Australian Idyll by Platylobium Landscape Design at the 2024 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show [MIFGS] (Image: MIFGS)
Dry’s Bluff
Not one for rest this month, the week after we returned from the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, we were out and about on yet another walk much, much closer to home. Actually on the same mountain we live on, Dry’s Bluff here in Liffey. Our friends Karen and Stuart were visiting from the mainland and wanted to squeeze in a short walk before completing a multi-day hike at Cradle Mountain. Yes, they are fit! They have even completed the 40-day Australian Alps trek.
Dean’s Track up Dry’s Bluff is rated as Tasmania’s toughest day walk with an ascent of 1000m over 3km. I am not as fit as Karen and Stuart and this walk almost broke me … twice! However, somehow I pulled the physical and mental strength together and made it to the top. Those inclined to mention ‘The Abels’ given the topic of this conversation might pedantically point out that I did not reach the real summit of Dry’s Bluff. Pooh pooh them. I had to make molehills to get up this mountain, i.e. take one step at a time. I savoured my time on my own personal summit as this walk has been on my bucket list for some time.
Seen here with my brother JP on top of Dry’s Bluff – I made it! We live just below and to the right of where this photo was taken.
I also enjoyed observing the plants along the way, a convenient excuse to pause for a breather some might say. Yes, that too!
This native bittercress was found sheltering under some rocks near the top of Dry’s Bluff.
One of my little plant finds near the top of Dry’s Bluff was a member of the Brassica family, yes, the same family as broccoli. This native bittercress belongs to the Cardamine genus, I thought perhaps Cardamine franklensis? However, the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) records show C. paucijuga, C. lilacina, C. gunnii and C. tenuifolia have all been observed within 2km radius of Dry’s Bluff. So I will just call it a native bittercress for now! And not too far from this location, we found some specimens of ‘my plant’. Although let me just say, I won’t be walking back up there to view them any time real soon!
If you want to view ‘my plant’ up close and personal, I recommend visiting Pine Lake instead, the boardwalk around that waterbody makes for a rather sedate stroll although you may need to rug up against the cold.
So which plant is it?
The Plants of Tasmania Nursery calls this endemic plant a Tasmanian alpine gem and says it is rarely available. Sob, sob …
I have spoken to Herbert Staubmann from Habitat Plants who says he has grown it occasionally. Fingers crossed I can get some!
I would like to include this plant in the residential garden we are designing in Miena, as its white flowers followed by red seed pods are highly ornamental. Imagine the contrast when grown together with the Golden Orites!
“Well, I probably be able to imagine this colourful combination if I only knew which plant you were talking about?”, you are probably saying right now.
The wait is finally over … I introduce you to Bellendena montana (Mountain Rocket).
According to the University of Tasmania’s Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants, Bellendena montana is the only species of this ancient genus. This small erect shrub grows to about 60cm in alpine and subalpine heaths and woodlands. It is best grown in a cool, moist, well composted spot or pot, and requires winter cold in order to obtain a good red on the seed pods.
And now for some images of ‘my plant’ taken over the last month or so as we traversed the top of Tassie.
Bellendena montana (Mountain Rocket) in the middle with Orites acicularis (Golden Orites) in the foreground (Location = Pine Lake)
The leaves of the Mountain Rocket have a very distinctive shape (Location = Projection Bluff)
A slightly different view of the Mountain Rocket’s flowers (Location = Dry’s Bluff)
Mountain Rocket set against a stunning backdrop (Location = Ben Lomond)
The observant of you may have noticed the Mountain Rocket visible in the foreground of another shot at Ben Lomond included earlier in this blog.
Well after the effort of this blog, I am almost as beat as I was on my way up Dry’s Bluff. That’s a wrap for this evening. I hope you enjoyed this trip around northern Tasmania.
If you are looking to create a lush, indoor jungle to call home, consider including native Tasmanian ferns in your plant palette. However, make sure you only buy them from reputable retailers to ensure our unique Gondwanan rainforests remain protected.
Tasmania has more than 50 species of fern, ranging from mighty tree ferns to small, floating Azolla, including the following which are suitable for indoor use, although with some limitations:
Adiantum aethiopicum (Common Maidenhair)
Asplenium bulbiferum (Hen and Chicken Fern)
Blechnum nudum (Fishbone Water Fern)
Cyathea australis (Rough Tree Fern)
Dicksonia antarctica (Man Fern or Soft Tree Fern)*
Adiantum aethiopicum (Common Maidenhair)
Adiantum aethiopicum has a very delicate habit, but it is actually a quite vigorous suckering fern that can quickly form a large clump. It is very easily grown in a moist position in filtered sunlight. A. aethiopicum is the only member of this genus in Tasmania. It is a moderately common and very distinctive native fern that grows in dry places. It is a small fern with small, wedge- or diamond-shaped leaflets widely spaced on branched, wiry rachises.
Consider for use indoors in hanging baskets, plant stands, or table top planters.
Asplenium bulbiliferum (Hen and Chicken Fern or Mother Spleen Wort)
Asplenium bulbiliferum is a common native fern that grows in the understorey of wet forest throughout Tasmania. It grows on rocks (lithophytic), on the ground, or often as an epiphyte on Dicksonia antarctica. It is a moderate sized-fern with leaves up to 60cm long. These leaves are divided many times and darken with age. One of the most distinctive features of A. bulbiliferum is that it often produces bulbils, small plants growing from upper parts of the fronds. The only other Tasmanian fern to do this is Polystichum proliferum, which we have growing along the creek on our bush block. These are such easy plants to ‘propagate’, so you can have fun growing them.
Consider for use indoors dish garden, green wall, terraria (closed) or potentially as a kokedama.
Blechnum nudum is a very common native ground fern in wet forests wherever they occur in Tasmania. It is a relatively large and hardy ground fern, sometimes developing a short trunk, and grows to ~1m. The fronds are erect and pale green, and can grow up to 1m long, although usually reach 60-70cm in length. B. nudum prefers a damp semi-shaded position, although it can handle some sun.
Consider for use indoors as a floor plant or green wall.
Cyathea australis is a slender stemmed tree fern with fronds up to 2.5 m. It has a moderate to large trunk (often a few metres tall and 20-30cm in diameter) that is not fibrous.
The common name (Rough Tree Fern) refers to the trunk with its hard persistent stalks of old leaves, not the foliage itself, which is much softer than that of Dicksonia antarctica.
Consider for use indoors only when young, e.g. as a floor or feature plant. Unless you have a huge atrium or greenhouse in which you can control the humidity and has enough room for this fern to grow up. Remember though that this fern still needs shade, so how are you going to provide this?
Dicksonia antarctica is the only species of this genus in Tasmania and by far the most common tree fern on the island. It can be found in wet sclerophyll forest and rainforest throughout Tasmania (except in at high altitudes and on very nutrient poor sites). It has a thick fibrous trunk (often ~20-30cm wide at mid height), that may be as much as 15m tall, with long arching fronds to 2m. Its common name (Soft Tree Fern) refers to the fibrous trunk, not the foliage itself, which is much harder than that of the other tree ferns, e.g. Cyathea australis. D. antarctica prefers a sheltered, moist, cool, shaded position.
Like C. australis, consider D. antarctica for use indoors only when young. Remember though that this fern also prefers a shaded position, so how are you going to provide this in this environment? And where will you relocate it when it outgrows your indoor space?
Ludovic amongst Dicksonia antarctica on the bush block where we live (Image: Gabrielle Stannus)
Where to buy these plants?
Tasmanian rainforests are under threat from logging, mining and climate change. The harvesting of tree ferns from these native forests is highly contentious. Many large D. antarctica come from old growth forests being logged. Please buy your Tasmanian ferns only from reputable retailers, including the following:
These simple cultivation and maintenance tips apply to both native and exotic ferns grown indoors. This is not an exhaustive list, but hopefully it answers your basic questions and gives you enough information so that you know what questions you need to ask next.
LOCATION
You might think of this as ‘aspect’ in an outdoor landscape. Look at the environment in which these plants can be found naturally. How can you recreate this in your home? Ferns generally like a good deal of light, but not direct sun. Which room in your house has this filtered light? Do not place these ferns close to windows that receive the hot afternoon sun, i.e. on the western side of your home. The ferns listed above also like shelter from the wind and a humid environment, i.e. one which has similar conditions to those where it is found in ‘the wild’.
Whilst your bathroom may seem like the ideal environment for your ferns, be mindful that they can also be places of quite severe temperature drops. Water droplets from your shower can cool and condense on surfaces in your bathroom if not extracted well. How can you keep the temperature relatively even? Also, avoid hot water splashing onto and burning the fronds.
Tip: Rotate your plant a quarter-turn each week to allow even light and therefore foliage development across the plant.
GROWING MEDIA
We do not really use ‘soil’ in indoor plantings. What we use instead is a fully constructed growing media, e.g. a potting mix. A growing medium provides physical support/anchorage, water, (dissolved) oxygen and (dissolved) nutrients to plants in the place of soil. Pay attention to your potting mix! A good quality substrate (without fungus gnats) is critical to ensuring that your fern’s roots thrive and do not rot. Specialty fern potting mixes are available on the market or you may consider making your own mix. A good quality fern potting mix should contain both organic and inorganic materials. The organic material could include contain coir, peat moss, compost or a combination of those. The inorganic components provide for drainage, e.g. perlite, vermiculite, pumice. If you want to read more about this topic, check out this blog from Fern Gardening: ‘The best potting mix for ferns‘.
Tip: Buy an Australian Standard potting mix to ensure it is well drained, re-wets easily, has a suitable pH, and is free of pest and disease.
WATERING
According to Hanks (1996), lack of humidity and dehydration is often responsible for the failure of ferns indoors. The trick is to keep the media in which your ferns are growing moist through regular and even watering. Ferns generally like some moisture around their roots at all times, but do not necessarily like waterlogging. Summer cooling (air conditioning) and winter heating of your home can adversely impact your ferns as they both dry indoor air, thereby reducing humidity. To maintain humidity, firstly place your ferns away from direct sources of heating and cooling, and mist their leaves with a water sprayer. Also, place your fern pots over water, sitting on top of some pebbles or similar and not actually in the water itself (root rot – no thanks!). As the water evaporates, humidity around the plant increases. New generation Plant Parents even purchase humidifiers for this purpose, although that is not necessarily required if you follow the simple tips listed above.
Many horticultural professionals claim that indoor plants suffer from overwatering, and rarely from underwatering. Too damp a potting mix attracts pests we just don’t want. More on that shortly. It also potentially leads to root and stem rot meaning your fern’s roots cannot supply essential nutrients to the stem and leaves, and the leaves cannot provide the products of photosynthesis, e.g. sugars, to the roots.
So how do we know when to water our ferns? Well many of you may just stick your finger in the potting mix to find out. IF the top third of your finger comes out dry, well a watering is required. However, you can use a soil moisture meter to get a more accurate reading without disturbing the plant’s root zone.
Tip: Consider placing your fern in a sub-irrigated planter to take the guess-work out of watering. These planters introduce water from the bottom, allowing the water to soak upwards to the plant through capillary action. You can even make your own sub-irrigated planter using a cover pot, elevated interior pot and wicking material.
FERTILISING
Fertilise during periods of active growth, i.e. spring through to early autumn. Whilst seaweed and fishmeal solutions are excellent tonics, consider the smell they may introduce into your interior. Could they be a little ‘on the nose’? Ensure that the product you choose does not smell. Many organic fertilisers include bone meal, dried blood, fish emulsion, and other components that give off a noticeable and undesirable odour, with interior plantscapers saying they may be a poor choice in an enclosed indoor space. And be careful that these solutions may not be complete fertilisers, i.e. do not contain a balanced N-P-K ratio critical for plant development. N = Nitrogen, P = Phosphorus and K = Potassium. Plants normally require higher levels of nitrogen and potassium than phosphorus.
Nitrogen (N) is essential in the formation of protein, and protein makes up much of the tissues of most living things. Phosphorus (P) stimulates root growth, helps plants set buds and flowers, and produce seeds. It also helps plants use other nutrients more efficiently and helps turn energy from the sun into usable energy for your plants. Potassium (K) helps plants grow strong stems and keep growing fast. Plants lacking in potassium do not have enough energy to grow properly grow, their roots are not well formed, and they have weak stems, the edges of older plant leaves appear burned, and potassium deficient plants cannot regulate and use water efficiently.
Use controlled-release fertilisers in pots AND water-soluble fertilisers in green walls and hydroponic situations. Plant roots are highly efficient at absorbing nutrients whereas plant leaves can only handle very dilute nutrient solutions otherwise leaves will mark or burn. So only use foliar applications when your plant needs trace elements, e.g. has a deficiency.
Be mindful though that the more you feed your plant, the more it will grow and the more pruning that you may need to undertake.
Tip: Look for new fronds developing at the base of your fern that tell you that now is the time to fertilise. Your fern is in active growth mode!
PRUNING
Remove old, dry fronds below the green ones. Depending on your own preferences of course. I like to let the old fronds stay on for as long as possible to enable any phloem-mobile nutrients, e.g. nitrogen, return to the plant.
Tip: Buy a good pair of secateurs or floral snips and clean them regularly after use with methylated spirits to avoid cross-contamination of disease between plants. Most scissors just don’t cut it in this situation (no apologies for the bad pun!). Steel wool soap pads, commonly used to clean grotty dishes in the kitchen, are excellent for cleaning these tools.
PEST & DISEASE MANAGEMENT
Mealybug and other scale insects can be difficult to treat on fern leaves given their delicate nature.
Most scale insects are female and capable of reproducing without males. They become permanently attached to their feeding site and lose their legs, where they feed with their piercing mouth parts. Their protective shells, a defense against predators, makes treatment difficult.
Mealybugs are a type of scale insect and they often hide on underneath of leaves. They look like small bits of cotton. Mealybugs usually feed on the joints between the leaves and the stems or on the leaf veins themselves with their piercing, sucking mouth parts. This causes the leaves to turn yellow and fall from the plant. Some people suggest wiping the mealy bugs with methylated spirits, I would recommend pruning affected branches before they spread. Or you could try applying Eco-neem, a registered organic insecticide that controls a broad range of chewing and sucking insects including mealybug, aphids, mites, fungus gnats in soil plus more. It will also control sooty mould. Alternatively Eco-oil can also control mealybugs, scale and aphids, whilst also attracting beneficial insects (but they have to be in your home for this to happen!). More on that later!
Aphids prefer tender new growth and they love flowers. Most of you though will be growing your indoor plants for their foliage, and not their flowers. Ferns are vascular plants but they do not flower, reproducing instead via spores. So this may be less of a problem for you. They are notorious for spreading disease, e.g. sooty mould. Wash aphids away from your plants or remove them with your fingers or a cotton swab. Apply Eco-neem or rubbing alcohol and use sticky traps to capture them. Prune infected areas.
Fungus gnats look like fruit fly. They breed in moist, overwatered potting mix where they lay their eggs in the top layer. This can damage plant roots. Make sure you water your plants evenly. To control fungus gnat, lay sticky traps or apply Eco-neem. Also, consider replacing the potting mix in which your infected plant is situated, cleaning all traces of this mix from your plant’s roots gently with water before potting up in new fungus gnat egg-free mix.
If you want a more natural solution to control pests on your indoor plants, consider the use of beneficial insects. Check out Bugs for Bugs, Biological Services or EcoGrow, all Australian suppliers of beneficial insects. Bugs for Bugs have a handy guide called ‘What’s your pest?” on their website that tells you which beneficial insects are suitable for use on which plant pest. For example, Cryptolaemus are Australian native ladybird beetles that predate and eat mealybugs.
Consider isolating infected plants whilst you are treating them to avoid further infestation amongst your plants. It is also a good idea to isolate new plants for a time when first bringing them into your home to ensure they do not bring in pests.
Tip: Buy yourself a jeweller’s loupe to magnify those little critters on your plants so you can identify them properly. A magnifying glass can also be useful in this situation.
We could go on and on! There is so much more to know about growing ferns indoors. And we haven’t even touched exotic fern species. We will leave that for another time.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to contact us via our website or message our Facebook page.
A bientôt!
NB. I do not receive product endorsements from any of the businesses listed above. And I am definitely not an affiliate of Amazon!!! 😛
*Edited (19/06/2025) to refer correctly to Dicksonia antarctica rather than D. australis. Thanks to my dad for pointing out the error. Nice to know the family reads my blogs!
Jordan, Greg 2019b, ‘Asplenium bulbiferum (note the bulbil growing from the leaf blade)’, Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants, University of Tasmania, viewed 18 February 2022,
Our Tree Aeonium was the highlight of our display at Tamar NRM’s Sustainable Living Festival 2021 at the Windsor Park Community Precinct. Note the emphasise on the past tense. Read on to find out how it fared …
Getting to the event itself took a little planning. Looking back now, I would say we were a little optimistic thinking that we could fit all our plants into our smallish Nissan Pathfinder. We left the packing of our Tree Aeonium until last. Given this aeonium was the central feature of our event display, we wanted to minimise the amount of time it spent in our car. However, moving this plant into the car, I managed to bump the top of the aeonium, slightly weakening its stem.
All packed and ready to go!
The Cube
Nonetheless, our Tree Aeonium survived the journey to town and was the hero of our display. Botanically known as Aeonium arboreum var. atropurpureum ‘Schwarzkopf’, this branching succulent shrub caught the eye of festival-goers, many of whom said they had one of their own but had never seen it flowering. “What are you doing to make your plant flower?”, was the question we were asked by more than a few patrons. Finding the right spot for any plant is critical, as is watering and feeding it appropriately. The Tree Aeonium is winter active/summer dormant and requires good drainage. Therefore I am very careful to avoid over-watering it. And when I first noticed its flower buds appearing, I fed it with a liquid fertiliser.
For those of you who came along to the festival and wanted to know which other plants were in our display, here is a quick list:
The Tree Aeonium’s bright yellow flowers and contrasting dark purple leaf rosettes were a real show-stopper
Plant stands
Our plant stands on display
We had several more plants on show in our standing planters located at the rear of our stall. These plants were (from top to bottom in the picture to the right):
Ludovic made these plant stands for Blooming Tasmania’s annual Spring Festival in 2018 using plywood machined on a CNC router.
The Container Connection generously donated the beautiful Deltini planters in which these plants are housed for that same display. These sub-irrigated planters make watering your plants a whole lot easier. Plus they are very easy on the eye and suitable for tabletop arrangements.
Indoor plants: Keeping you and your plants healthy
During the festival, I gave a presentation on ‘Indoor plants: Keeping you and your plants healthy’. I hoped to inspire those in the audience to consider how plants contribute to both the physical and mental wellbeing, especially as they can help to improve indoor air quality. However, more on that topic another time. I received some great questions from people listening to my presentation, including the following:
Which ferns will fare well inside my house?
Which, if any, indoor plants are toxic to pets?
What types of sub-irrigated pots would you recommend?
Stay tuned for my answers to these questions in the near future when I can bring myself to write another blog. Right now though, I am quite frankly ‘zonked’. That is, I am very tired. It has been a busy few weeks in the lead up to this festival, updating our website, developing my presentation, preparing other event materials, and generally just making sure our ‘normal’ business activities tick over (not to mention teaching geography at the University of Tasmania). Both Ludovic and myself though are very thankful that this event was able to go ahead given many other similar events across Australia have been cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chlorphytum elatum, a close relative of the Spider Plant seen in our display (Chlorophytum comosum), was used in NASA trials testing plant’s ability to remove formaldehyde
Well, we eventually got home in one piece. Ludovic has put his flat-packing skills to good use and the Cube is safely stored away until the next event. However, the same cannot be said for our Tree Aeonium.
Our Cube is all packed away until the next event
Packing the car as we left the festival site, the wind picked up and our Tree Aeonium could not withstand its force. The terminal rosette broke off and its lovely inflorescence fell to the ground. And then on the final leg of the journey home, several branches broke off. I salvaged those, and cut them back to essentially make stem cuttings. I also collected many of its leaves to trial some leaf cuttings. All these cuttings are all now having a couple of days in the ‘fresh’ air so that the cuts can callous over before I place the pieces in a propagating mix in which they hopefully develop roots and then become new aeoniums.
The crowning glory of our display in its final resting place
Stay tuned for news on how those little babies fare. In the meantime, I will bid you all a good night and depart for bed. Faire de beaux rêves!
When seeking garden design inspiration, sometimes the best place to look is indoors.
Heading into town the other weekend, we were driving past City Park when I asked my partner to stop. There was a place I wanted to see that I had not visited for a while. Living on a bush block has its advantages, i.e. tranquillity, beauty, clean air and so on. However, sometimes I just want to see what else is out there in the big wide world. Well at least in the rest of Tasmania! 😉
The John Hart Conservatory is a fairly unassuming building in the centre of City Park in Launceston constructed in 1932. Conservatories typically play an important role in botanical education, conservation, display and scientific research. Some conservatories are similar to zoos, in that botanists propagate rare and endangered plant species in them as a zoo-keeper would protect endangered animals in their facilities. The John Hart Conservatory is what I consider to be a display conservatory, affording locals and other visitors with an opportunity to view plants that they do not necessarily grow in their own gardens … yet?
If visiting City Park in Launceston, take the time to check out the John Hart Conservatory
The current display is full of vibrant, colourful textured foliage, with a few floral displays thrown in for good measure. After viewing this display for the first time, the word ‘texture’ just kept leaping into my head.
Texture and layers abound in this display
The horticulturist behind this display considered all planes when considering the layout, with hanging baskets very much a feature here. However, the centre of the conservatory is devoid of plants, perhaps my only ‘criticism’ of this design. Whilst voids in design can allow for light to enter spaces, I think a central feature display may have provided more mass in this instance.
A multitude of Coleus varieties provided foliage colour.
The displays laid out along the perimeters of this space though were lush and vibrant.
Ludovic admiring the displays
Cordylines added texture and a different dimension.
Hanging baskets reminded us that we should always look up!
Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ drapes from above
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed these photos. I have been a little slow to ‘put pen to paper’ so to speak recently. I highly encourage you to visit the closest conservatory to you to see what you can find growing there. Most likely that conservatory will be located in a botanic garden. Click here for a list of botanic gardens in Australia to find one near you.
I always listened to my teachers at school. However, I would be lying if I said that I followed their words exactly. Take for example, one of our latest garden designs in the northern suburbs of Melbourne where I put a slightly different twist on a ‘woody meadow’.
The ‘woody meadow’ is a local Australian take on the prairie meadow of the New Perennial movement. Think Piet Oudolf. No annuals here please! Instead, the woody meadow is a low-input naturalistic planting design suitable for use in public landscapes, based around Australian plants.
Two of my former teachers at the University of Melbourne were actively involved in designing the first so-called ‘woody meadows’ in this country; John Rayner and Dr Claire Farrell. Claire Farrell supervised me as I completed my final research project, despite me not having enough credit points left to complete the compulsory statistics subject beforehand (but that is another story!). John Rayner, the Associate Professor and Director of Urban Horticulture within the University of Melbourne’s Green Infrastructure Research Group, was lucky enough to have me as his student in my first ever semester! (Poor John!) I interviewed John on this project for Greenlife Industry Australia. Click here to read my article. John also generously shared his team’s Woody Meadow plant list with me.
Let’s just say I was paying homage to my teachers in selecting low-maintenance native plants that suited the local climate and context of our client’s garden, more specifically the ‘Front’ section in the plan below. Ostensibly, I had Base, Bump and Emergent layers, although on a greatly reduced scale when compared to the mass plantings my teachers worked on. I wouldn’t go as far as calling this a ‘woody meadow’. However, I was certainly inspired by the work of my teachers. I hope you will be too.
NB. No garden is ever no maintenance. If any gardener tries to sell you a design as such, don’t believe them!
Our take on a woody meadow
Front garden
A variety of native small trees, shrubs and ground covers have been selected to provide flowering interest throughout the year, including winter. These varieties are planted densely so that visitors must use the granitic sand path to access the house, thereby reducing compaction of garden beds.
Garlic is one of our kitchen mainstays. Last year we grew eight varieties of garlic to see what suited the growing conditions here in northern Tasmania best, not to mention our palate! This year we decided to narrow down our planting selection. We have selected three varieties that will satisfy our taste buds over a longer period of time and planted them out at the start of May.
Tasmanian Purple
The Tasmanian Purple is a hardnecked garlic belonging to the Turban Group. It is a big garlic! You can expect each bulb when fully grown to produce around 8-10 chunky cloves in cooler climates.
Total we planted: 60 cloves.
Expected harvest date: Early season, early December
Tasmanian Purple: This garlic variety is the biggest of the bunch (well at least what we have grown!)
Rojo de Castro
My personal favourite! This is a Hardneck garlic in the Creole Group. It just oozes flavour. Some people describe the taste as ‘nutty’. I love adding this to a dish where garlic is the hero.
Total we planted: 42 cloves.
Expected harvest date: Mid season, early to late January
Rojo de Castro: This garlic variety is full of flavour
Lokalen
Despite having a name suggesting a character from Vikings, this Softneck garlic from the Silverskin Group is really more of a quiet achiever. Well, at least in my opinion. It grows decent sized cloves and quite a few of them. They are a bit easier to get a knife through them without cutting your fingers!
Total we planted: 44 cloves.
Expected harvest date: Late season, early February
Lokalen: This garlic variety closes off the harvest season
Note that the expected harvest time for each garlic is based on Tasmania’s cool climate. If you are not fortunate enough to live on the Apple Isle, then check out your local growing conditions to see when you can expect to harvest these beautiful garlic varieties.
The Australian Garlic website is a good … no make that excellent place to start. It has some great information on planting and harvest times, as well as the number of cloves you can expect to yield for each bulb.
Sun
Full sun is the key here. Just because a plant will grow over winter doesn’t mean it doesn’t need sun. The shoot is sending down energy to help that clove turn into the bulb. So feed it!
Soil
Garlic needs moist not damp soils, otherwise the bulbs may rot. We enriched these clay soils with a lot of mushroom compost and sheep poo before planting our bulbs. What we have ended up with is slightly raised beds, given they are planted on a slope.
Spacing considerations
Allow at least 30 cm between rows. Some gardeners prefer to allow a little more room between rows, i.e. up to 40 cm, depending on the variety. Space each garlic clove at least 10 cm apart in each row. And yes, a little further apart if you know the variety you are growing is a larger plant. For example, I gave a little more room to grow to the Tasmanian Purple than the Rojo de Castro.
NB. When I am talking about garlic here I am referring to cultivars of Allium sativum, and not Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum (Elephant Garlic). Elephant Garlic is more closely related to leeks. It needs more room, not surprising really given its common name.
Ludovic is experimenting with a less linear spacing pattern in the bed at the front of this image
Planting instructions
A good rule of thumb when planting a garlic bulb is the … rule of thumb! By that I mean you should plant a garlic clove to the depth of approximately an adult-sized thumb. Now I know not all thumbs are the same length, and not all garlic cloves are the same size either. For the more metric-minded, garlic should be planted to a depth of around 5 cm.
When sowing garlic cloves remember the rule of thumb!
Right way up!
Remember to place each garlic clove into its hole with the ‘pointy’ end sticking up. The pseudostem and leaves will develop from this part. They will want the sun so they will need to grow above ground, not further down into the soil. The ‘flattened base’, or base plate, of the clove is where the roots will grow from.
Pointy end up, flattened base down
Remember to water in after planting. I plan to mulch these beds once the garlic has sprouted. Until then I will need to make sure I keep on top of any weeds that may pop up.
Really there’s not a lot more that needs to be done now until harvest time. Stay tuned for news as we get close to that date.
I have been stuck indoors for way too long over the Tasmanian winter. With writing and other deadlines keeping me tied to the computer, I have been itching to get out and continue with a little propagation experiment I started this time last year.
A golden oldie! Written by NA Wakefield and printed by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria way back in 1975.
Living in a cool temperate rainforest, it is not hard to be inspired by your surrounds. I have been wanting to propagate ferns growing on the block where we live to experiment with in green wall plantings and other crazy ideas, e.g. kokedamas. Finding a copy of ‘Ferns of Victoria and Tasmania’ on my dad’s bookshelf, I got to reading and learnt that there are some fern species that are relatively easy to propagate, i.e. you don’t have to go to the trouble of collecting and germinating spores to grow them.
One such plant is Polystichum proliferum, commonly known as the Mother Shield Fern. According to the University of Tasmania’s ‘Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants‘, P. proliferum is the only member of this genus in Tasmania and is often confused with immature plants of Dicksonia antarctica (Man Fern or Soft Tree Fern). D. antarctica does not possess the obvious dark brown scales on the underside of its leaves. This common and widespread ground fern can be found in wet forests in Tasmania, as well as eastern New South Wales and Victoria.
One of the most interesting features of P. proliferum is its ability to reproduce via bulbils, small plantlets growing from upper parts of its fronds. You carefully layer bulbil-bearing fronds onto the ground and fix them with pegs until rooted or removed and then place them in pots.
You can see the bulbil growing here on this Polystichum proliferum frond. It is a lighter green colour compared to the dark green frond supporting it.
Today, I finally got around to giving this propagation technique a go myself, well actually it is the second time I have attempted this, but more on that later.
Setting off into the forest to find me some ferns!
I did it slightly differently to what was recommended above. Rather than pinning down the fronds directly onto the ground, I used a fencing pin to hold each bulbil-bearing frond onto a pot containing a blend of orchid/bromeliad potting mix.
Pinning the frond down with a pin. Make sure that the bulbil is located centrally in the pot and has contact with the potting mix without the frond being under too much tension.
I then watered each plantlet in with a little Seasol, ostensibly to help the bulbils kick start the development of their roots, and left them in situ, i.e. still attached to their mother plant in the bush sans protection from the wildlife (fingers crossed!).
Grow, baby, grow! A dash of Seasol for good measure. Note that I have propped up this pot so that it hopefully stays in place and is not knocked over by the resident wombat.
This is not the first time that I have attempted to propagate P. proliferum from a bulbil. This time last year, I used a slightly different technique removing a segment of frond to which a bulbil was attached, then dipping it in rooting gel, before placing it in a pot filled with standard potting mix. You could place similar frond segments into moist sand in a punnet or tray and keep moist until roots have formed, when they can be potted on or planted out. I just decided to see if my way would work and save time. The result? Check out the little baby in the image below!
This is the Polystichum proliferum that I cut from its mother tree last year, potted up and then housed on our balcony. Despite its exposed location, this fern seems to be doing quite well. Notice the new fronds growing (lighter green in the middle). You can also see the original frond on which this plant was first growing as a bulbil (brown dying fronds). I probably should remove those fronds now as it looks like they have been exhausted of all nutrients now.
Where to from here?
My next experiment? Propagating the Microsorum pustulatum (Kangaroo Fern) that grows on the trees (epiphytically) and rocks (lithophytically) along the creek on this block. These ferns can be propagated by layering the growing points of their rhizomes and then removing carefully the portions that have formed fresh roots. I thought I would give propagating this fern a go last year. However, I made one fatal mistake.
After potting up the M. pustulatum rhizome sections I collected (more accurately, my dad collected), I left those pots outside in plain view of the local wildlife. Not surprisingly, they (most likely Bennett’s Wallabies) decided that there is such a thing as a free lunch and nibbled those ferns before they could grow on. I have vowed not to make the same mistake this time!
So here’s hoping my new little P. proliferum babies will proliferate in peace until the time comes when they can be potted on.
Heading back up the hill … job done … for now.
A bientôt!
PS. Special thanks to my little helper Celeste for taking all these photos xxx
Today, we are happy to show you another part of what we can do at Inwardout Studio … ‘digital’ plants!
If you are an architect, interior designer or horticulturist seeking different ways to visualise your concepts, you may want to check out our new collection of ‘digital’ plants. We have started to build these 3D models for use in our visualisation.
You can view our collection online on Sketchfab or check out a few examples below.
When looking for new plants to use indoors, why not investigate your own ‘back yard’ for inspiration?
Australia is home to thousands of plant species. Yet perhaps relatively few of them end up in our interior plantscapes. Some of the more well-known native plants in use indoors include Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig), Schefflera actinophylla (Umbrella Tree), Asplenium spp. (Spleenworts), and Blechnum spp. (Water Ferns). Brachychiton rupestris (Bottle Tree) even gets a guernsey. What other beauties could we cultivate indoors?
Here in northern Tasmania, I am fortunate enough to live in a cool temperate rainforest. It is indeed a beautiful place to be, especially if you love plants! I love nothing better than to unwind by walking out our door and heading into one of the shady gullies that run through our block.
Our backyard … well parts of it! (Image: Ludovic Vilbert, Inwardout Studio)
A couple of plants have caught my eye and I am very keen to try them out in an indoor design, especially given their relative ease of propagation.
Microsorum pustulatum (Kangaroo Fern)
The deeply lobed leaf of Microsorum pustulatum resembles a kangaroo paw hence its common name (Image: Ludovic Vilbert, Inwardout Studio)
Microsorum pustulatum (syn. Microsorum diversifolium) is a native fern found from Queensland to Tasmania. It is commonly found as an epiphyte in rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest and in more open places in the sub-alpine zone. However, it can also grow on the ground, rocks and logs.
M. pustulatum possesses fleshy, creeping rhizomes which form large clumps. Whilst it can be propagated sexually via spores, it can also be reproduced asexually dividing and layering the growing points of its rhizomes.
This so-called Kangaroo Fern can be used in ferneries, especially on a section of tree trunk fern, or placed in a hanging basket or pot. I am keen to trial this plant in a green wall design as I reckon its epiphytic growth habit will suit that environment well.
Here Microsum pustulatum is seen growing as a lithophytic plant on a rock (Image: Ludovic Vilbert, Inwardout Studio)
Polystichum proliferum is a very common and widespread ground fern in wet forests in Tasmania. The plants are large clumps, with large, dark-green divided leaves.
Like M. pustulatum, P. proliferum can be propagated sexually from spores. However, P. proliferum often produces bulbils, plantlets growing from the upper parts of the fronds, as does Asplenium bulbiferum. As the weight of the bulbil increases, the frond sags until the bulbil can take root in the soil underneath. Growers of this species can carefully layer the frond on the ground and fix with a peg until rooted or they can remover the bulbil and place it in a pot.
The architectural foliage of this Mother Shield Fern sees it used as an accent plant in bush gardens. I also want to trial it out in a green wall design or as a beautiful potted plant specimen.
A bulbil growing from the tip of a Polystichum proliferum frond (Image: Ludovic Vilbert, Inwardout Studio)
NB. Before you collect any native plants from public and/or private land, make sure you check out whether they are listed as a threatened species. There are State and Federal laws protecting endangered plants. And that is a good thing!
Tired of the same old plant palette being presented for interior plantscapes, I recently went looking for ‘new’ indoor plants. What I found in my research were some species commonly used outdoors that can be considered for temporary use indoors. Here in Tasmania, we are accustomed to bringing in some plants to overwinter indoors given our climatic conditions. However, we don’t necessarily think of these species as being “indoor plants”. Well, let that attitude change!
Check out the Anthurium schlechtendalii pictured below. Whilst anthuriums are already well-known and commonly used indoors, it is usually for the ‘floral’ effect provided by their spathes and spadices, which are similar to the popular Peace Lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.). However, it is the foliage of A. schlechtendalii (Pheasant’s Tail) that really catches the viewer’s eye. Its leaves possess prominent midribs and lateral veins making it a striking addition to an interior plantscape . And its long, slender brown spadix is also quite attractive. Growing to 1.5m wide, this epiphyte is suitable for indoors use and even on a patio. A. schlechtendalii can be used for temporary and even permanent installation indoors as a potted plant.
So if you are seeking to ‘freshen up’ your indoor garden with a temporary new look, check out some other plant suggestions from the Interior Plantscape Association members I interviewed. Click here to read my full Hort Journal article on pages 34-35.
A bientôt!
Anthurium schlechtendalii (Image: Big Leaf Wholesale Nurseries)
Believe it or not, there can be such a thing as too much light for indoor plants. Interior plantscapers are accustomed to receiving requests for plants that can grow in low light situations. Also as challenging are those designs specifying plants capable of growing in high light levels indoors. So I recently wrote an article for Hort Journal on this very topic.
Those of you seeking inspiration to help green your homes with indoor plants may also find this article informative. Click here to read the article. Skip to pages 32-33 to get to the good stuff.
If you need more detailed design advice, please contact us here at Inwardout Studio.
A bientôt!
Sansevieria ‘Hahnii’, S. ‘Superba’ and S. trifasciata on a brightly lit window sill (Image: Green Design)
Growing medicinal cannabis … what do we here at Inwardout Studio have to do with that, you may be asking? Are we seeking an alternative income perhaps?
I put together this information piece for NGIA to inform #growers of recent changes to #legislation opening up #export opportunities for medicinal cannabis. Want to know more? Click here to read the full article.
Cannabis in production in Colorado, USA (Image: Chris Beytes, GrowerTalks magazine)
And don’t worry. I am sticking to what I know best! So stay tuned for more horticultural musings from ‘moi’!
Fancy calling a plant “Super Bum” right?. Well that is what I thought when I first saw the botanical name of the Staghorn Fern in print.
Platycerium superbum. How would you say it? Which syllable would you emphasise?
Well let me tell you that when I first read this name several years ago now, I was reluctant to even say the name aloud as I was unsure as to how to pronounce it. My brain told me that it should be said as Platycerium “super-bum“. Now that sounded more like a plant you’d find growing in Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s Treehouse book series for kids.
I know now (fortunately for my career) that the correct (i.e. least embarrassing) way to pronounce the botanical name of the Staghorn Fern is Platycerium “superb-um“. The specific ephiphet “superbum” means “superb”. Figures really, doesn’t it!
Platycerium superbum in its natural rainforest environment (Image: The University of Melbourne)
The architectural foliage of this epiphytic fern certainly is superb!
Growing to 1.5-2 m x 1 m, this evergreen plant provides year-round foliage interest in the garden. The Staghorn Fern prefers full shade to semishade, not surprising given its real home is in the rainforests of New South Wales and Queensland. It can grow in temperate, subtropical and tropical climates, tolerating cold to 0 ℃.
Here in Tasmania and other parts of southern Australia, the Staghorn Fern will need a frost free, humid site. Try it indoors. This plant can survive without attention for some time as the pocket of fronds collects water. Be careful not to over-water or you may cause the plant to decay. Organic matter such as leaf-mould and well-rotted manures can be used to supplement nutrients. Many people choose to grow this fern on a board.
One of the best things about this ‘awkward’ name is that I can remember it very easily. Other plant names just don’t roll off the tongue so easily. Crepidiastrixeris denticulatoplatyphylla or Ornithogalum adseptentrionesvergentulum anyone?
And fortunately as there are several other ‘superb’ plants, including Ensete superbum (an Indian banana), Eryngium alpinum ‘Superbum’ (Alpine Seaholly) and Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta Daisy). So no tricking me up on that specific epithet now!
The simple white daisies of Leucanthemum x superbum are borne on stout, leafy stems (Image: The University of Melbourne)
What plant names have taken you aback? Share your mispronunciations or similar with us on Facebook. Don’t worry, we will laugh with you, not at you 😉
Good news from our little ‘prison farm’. The garlic has sprouted!
“Let me out!”. “Not until December, although with good behaviour, we may consider your release in November.” (Sounds like someone has started talking to the plants!)
We were a little delayed in actually planting our Allium sativum bulbs. They only went into the ground on 1 June 2018. With the cooler temperatures here in Liffey, we probably could have planted them in later April, early May. More time to store that precious sunlight energy before harvesting the cloves in November or December.
Fingers crossed we will have enough garlic to harvest to get us through one year of consumption. We put fifty bulbs in. So if each bulb grew into a clove containing ten bulbs, then we could potentially produce 500 bulbs of garlic!
The garlic is sprouting next to its close cousin, the leek (Allium ampeloprasum). Both the leek and the silverbeet (Beta vulgaris ‘Fordhook)’ have survived throughout summer and are still with us in these cool temperatures.
Now you are probably wondering why the ‘high security’? What did these poor little buggers do to deserve such harsh treatment. Well it is for their own protection of course (isn’t that what they always say in the movies?). We have quite a few native and introduced animals seeking a free lunch here. Usually we just see wallabies, echidnas and wombats, although there are possums and rats about. Not to mention the deer. Oh dear!
Last Monday we spotted seven juvenile deer prancing on the lawn at the bottom of the hill below the house. With their hard hooves, I want them well away from our lightly-tilled soil. And with their voracious appetites, I am not game to see whether or not they like garlic. I do!
Bambi and co … not so cute in the vegie plot!
I clearly prefer garlic to Bambi. That won’t change anytime soon I am afraid. So the garlic will have to stay caged up until its release later this year. I can’t wait. I love the stuff. I just hope we will have enough to get us through the next year. Although between myself and the Frenchman, we do use more than just a little bit in our cooking.
Anyway, there is still a little time until harvest. So I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Fingers crossed we have a bountiful supply. If not, there is always the local farmers’ market.
Jusqu’à la prochaine fois!
PS. L’ail is French for ‘the garlic’. In the proper sense of translation, not as in ‘Yoplait is French for yogurt’.
While the weather is starting to cool down here in Tasmania, things are actually heating up in the kitchen. Our Capsicum annuum ‘Ring of Fire’ may have been a late bloomer, but as the adage goes: better late than never!
The ‘Ring of Fire’ – Johnny Cash wrote a song about it. Don’t believe me? Google it 😉
The ‘Ring of Fire’ measures 70,000 ~ 85,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHUs). The Scoville Scale measures the sensory heat or pungency of chillis. Whilst not quite up there with the Carolina Reaper (>1.5 million SHUs), this little beauty packs a punch nonetheless.
Our baby arrives home
When putting our summer garden plan together, we were a little unsure whether we would be successful in growing chillis here in Liffey. Despite our garden being at an altitude of 400m and in a cool climate growing zone, we decided to test our luck. Initially we planted the seedling into a pot and placed it on our balcony which faces almost due-north. I thought it would receive more sunlight at this elevated position. I was right. However, the poor little ‘Ring of Fire’ was at times hammered by the local winds. The consequence was that although flowers were developing, they were not being pollinated as pollen was being dispersed elsewhere.
Flowering but not setting fruit
So we moved the pot to a position in our vegetable plot sheltered from these winds by a mature Acacia melanoxyon (Blackwood). Pretty soon our little baby was producing fruit. However, the onset of fruit occurred as the heat of the short Tasmanian summer was fading. The sun was starting to dip in the sky, and that Blackwood was now shading out our precious chilli.
And so the ‘Ring of Fire’ was returned to the balcony where its fruit have been able to ripen. And they continue to ripen even though it is almost May! So far we have picked 18 chillis. There are perhaps 30-40 fruit still ripening. Not bad for one plant!
The Ring of Fire in its current position on the balcony. Note the vegetable plots in full shade to the rear
This little beauty measures eight centimetres. Pas mal!
Our chilli yield is yet to measure up to that of Regan Parkinson, another local chilli enthusiast. Parkinson grows 53 chilli plants inside a home made polytunnel in his home in Launceston, including the deadly Carolina Reaper.”They [chillies] absolutely love heat so it’s pretty important in Tassie if you want to grow chilli successfully you have a glasshouse or a polytunnel,”said Parkinson in an interview with ABC Northern Tasmania.
I am not quite sure what Parkinson would make of our attempts to grow chilli outdoors here in Liffey. If like us, you want to grow chillis and other edible plants in Tasmania, talk to a grower who specialises in cool climate varieties. We did our research and purchased this plant as a seedling from Inspirations Garden Centre in Exeter, northern Tasmania. Sadly this lovely little nursery closed its doors not long after. However, Inspirations Vegetable Seeds is now trading online. Its claim to fame is that it sources top quality, high germination vegetable seeds for cool climate regions. Perfect for Tassie!
Our chilli sunbathing
Recently I purchased some Raphanus sativus var. sativus (Black Spanish Radish) seeds through Inspirations’ online store. Now we are just awaiting a delivery of local mushroom compost to add to the plot before sowing these seeds, along with our precious garlic sourced from Jenny at Liffey Market.
And in the meantime, we are enjoying these delicious, pungent chillis in pizza, pasta, Asian-inspired dishes and with our breakfast beans. We have saved some seed too. So cross fingers, next summer we will propagate even more seedlings and increase our yield.
Okay so I have a new plaything, for this week at least. What is it, you are asking with great anticipation? Google Images. Don’t know what that is? Then Google it! Or click here to jump straight into it.
All jokes aside, Google Images is a very helpful starting point if you want to make an initial identification of a plant species. You simply upload a photo of the plant you have found, and compare it to images retrieved by Google which are similar in appearance.
However, it is not exactly a fool-proof identification tool, and you do need to have some knowledge about plants in order to make it work for you. For example, it really helps if you submit a clear photo of the plant in flower. Hmmm. One thing I have learnt during my time playing with Google Images is that my photographic skills are in need of, one might say, “some improvement”. I uploaded one photo of a plant only to be told that it was “soil”. Yes, soil!!!
Any taxonomists reading this would probably be having heart palpations right now. Yes maybe it is time to revert back to some more tried and trusted means of identifying plants. I am not a plant geneticist, so I don’t have access to DNA-sequencing technology. However, in the olden days (i.e. before the World Wide Web), botanists and the like relied upon “keys” to help them identify plants. What are these special “keys”, you might be asking? Well they are not the key to the city or the key to your brand new car. However, plant keys are books containing some very useful information about plant species. However, you do need to have a basic understanding of plant terminology, i.e. plant parts, and it really helps to have at least one flower and leaf of the plant you want to identify.
However, getting access to botanical keys can be laborious. For a start, they are often b*oody heavy, volume after volume of hardback horticultural heaven. Today more and more botanical keys can be found online. The trick is in knowing where to find them. One of my favourite online keys is VicFlora, an absolute essential if you want to identify an indigenous plant in my home state Victoria.
Whilst I am no digital native, it is obvious I spend a fair bit of time online. So it probably won’t surprise you to know that I also turn to Facebook for expert plant advice. Yes, Facebook! There are many useful plant identification pages and groups operating on that platform. But my go to when I need help and I want it right now (who doesn’t these days?!) is the Plant Identification Australia group. The admins of this group well and truly “rock” when it comes to helpful, prompt advice on identifying any plant growing in Australia. If they don’t know the answer, they will know who will know.
Well, all this talk of plants is making me hungry! Yeah it does that to me. So it is time to leave you all as I go to partake of my dinner.
Until the next time, bonne nuit!
PS. That’s French for “Good night”, but those of you in the know re: Google Translate just found that out, didn’t you! 😉
