Category: Miscellaneous

Fern-tastic native plants for your indoors
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.

Adiantum aethiopicum (Image: Greg Jordan 2019a, © University of Tasmania)

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.

Asplenium bulbiferum (note the bulbil growing from the leaf blade) (Image: Greg Jordan 2019b, © University of Tasmania)

Blechnum nudum (Fishbone Water Fern)

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.

Blechnum nudum (Image: Greg Jordan 2019c, © University of Tasmania)

Cyathea australis (Rough Tree Fern)

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?

Cyathea australis (Image: Greg Jordan 2019d, © University of Tasmania)

Dicksonia antarctica (Man Fern or Soft Tree Fern)

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:

Habitat Plants: Liffey (North)

Plants of Tasmania Nursery: Ridgeway (South)

Redbreast Plants: Flowerdale (North), Margate (South)

Wildseed Tasmania: Online – Note ferns sold as spore only

CULTIVATION & MAINTENANCE TIPS

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!

#indoorplants #houseplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #fern #ferns #nature #plants #green #forest #nativeplants #Tasmania #SaveTassiesForests #TasTreeFern #WorthMoreStanding #BlueDerbyWild

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References

Habitat Plants 2021, Catalogue, January 2021, viewed 11 February 2022, https://habitatplants.com.au/hpwp/wp-content/uploads/Catalogue21-4.pdf

Hanks, Margaret 1996, A Grower’s Guide to Ferns, Palms and Climbers, Murdoch Books, Sydney

Plants of Tasmania Nursery 2015, ‘Plant list – Ferns’, viewed 11 February 2022, https://www.potn.com.au/plant_list_ferns.html

University of Tasmania 2019, Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants, viewed 11 February 2022, http://www.utas.edu.au/dicotkey/dicotkey/key.htm

Images

Böse, Wolf n.d., Fish Smell by Wolf Böse from the Noun Project, viewed 7 October 2021, https://thenounproject.com/term/fish-smell/462288/

Gemcuts 2021, Jewellers Loupe 10x – 21mm, viewed 18 February 2022, https://www.gemcuts.com.au/jewellers-loupe-10x-21mm

Hampshire, Gail 2014, Scale Bugs on Ivy, 1 April 2014 (CC BY 2.0), viewed 7 October 2021, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scale_Bugs_on_Ivy_-_Flickr_-_gailhampshire.jpg

Home Hardware 2021, Cyclone Floral Snips, viewed 6 September 2021, https://www.homehardware.com.au/cyclone-floral-snips-6246417

Jordan, Greg 2019a, ‘Adiantum aethiopicum‘, Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants, University of Tasmania, viewed 18 February 2022, https://www.utas.edu.au/dicotkey/dicotkey/ferns/zAdiantum1.htm,

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,

https://www.utas.edu.au/dicotkey/dicotkey/ferns/sAsplenium_bulbiferum.htm

Jordan, Greg 2019c, ‘Blechnum nudum‘, Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants, University of Tasmania, viewed 18 February 2022, https://www.utas.edu.au/dicotkey/dicotkey/ferns/zBlechnum_nudum2.htm

Jordan, Greg 2019d, ‘Cyathea australis‘, Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants, University of Tasmania, viewed 18 February 2022, https://www.utas.edu.au/dicotkey/dicotkey/ferns/zCyathea_aust2.htm

Kittykittymaomao 2020, Newly unfurled monstera deliciosa leaf. The leaf is soft and delicate until it matures., 31 May 2020 (CC BY-SA 4.0), viewed 7 October 2021, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New_Monstera_Deliciosa_Leaf.jpg

Short, David 2016, One of the blighters that have taken a fancy to our orchids. – perh. Pseudococcuslongispinus – červecpaprsčitý, 21 October 2021 (CC BY 2.0), viewed 7 October 2021, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mealybug_(32636243590).jpg

Sullivan, Jon 2016, aphids, insects, viewed 7 October 2021, https://pixnio.com/fauna-animals/insects-and-bugs/aphids-insects (Jon Sullivan on Pixnio)

Tann. John 2012, Male Dark-winged Fungus Gnat, a species of Sciaridae. Dargo Victoria Australia, September 2012, 15 September 2012 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dark-winged_Fungus_Gnat_(8009214159).jpg, viewed 7 October 2021, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dark-winged_Fungus_Gnat_(8009214159).jpg

The Container Connection n.d., ‘CottaPot™ Sub Irrigation Single Wall Planter Exterior’, viewed 18 February, http://containerconnection.com.au/product/cottapot-sub-irrigation-single-wall-exterior/
18/02/2022
‘Currant’ flavour of the month

Sometimes the best plants are those that you do not have to grow yourself!

Living on a bush block in northern Tasmanian, we are lucky to be surrounded by native plants, including some edible species. Take the Prickly Currant Bush (Coprosma quadrifida) for example. This plant is one of several edible coprosma species in Tasmania. Luckily for us, it is growing abundantly where we live and is currently fruiting. So, I decided to set out on a little harvesting expedition yesterday.

Whilst out harvesting, I only wanted to find the female Prickly Currant Bushes. This species is dioecious. Put simply, that means that these bushes either have only female flowers or only male flowers, i.e. different sexes. Given I wanted to find fruit, I needed to find female plants. And I want to know where they are for next year too. The block we live on is 70 acres so you can get lost if you don’t know where you are going. So, I decided to take along a GPS to record the locations of the female plants, i.e. those I picked the currants from.

Here I am recording this female plant as a Waypoint on a GPS so I can find it next time

I was fairly prepared for this task, or so I thought. I had a sunhat on, a big pot strapped around my waist for fruit to fall into (not attractive, but very practical), and gloves to protect me as I picked the fruit. It’s not called the Prickly Currant Bush for nothing!

Readers: There was one thing that I forgot to consider. Can you think what that was? (Answer below this image).

Harvesting the currants. Gloves are a must! And long sleeves too as I have now learnt. It is not called Prickly Currant Bush by some for no reason!

Yes, a long-sleeved shirt!

I ended up with a few scratches on my arms. Nothing major. However, I also saw lots of little spiders and other insects. Next time, I will wear long sleeves. It also pays to pay attention to where you are walking. Snakes are out and about at the moment, so if you want to go out harvesting these currants, make sure you are safe. If you have gators, wear them.

Cleaning the currants – first stage

Back at the house, I then had to clean the currants. The first layer of inedible debris came off quite easily by allowing it to float to the top of a container in which the currants were soaked in water. Obviously this matter was lighter than the currants. Yep, a free science lesson as I am that way inclined today! In the end I resorted to sorting other flotsam and jetsam by hand as it did not want to separate out easily in the water. For example, immature/unripe fruit. That took a little time, but the final result was worth it.

All 759 grams of currants!

All that work and only 759 grams harvested! We will just have to savour the flavour 🙂

This small harvest may not seem like a big deal. However, I am stoked that we were able to find so many currants so close to home. I only ventured 200 metres from the house. There are many more plants around, so I think I will go out next weekend too. However, I will remember to leave some fruit on each plant for the wildlife to enjoy.

Native currants ready to eat!

Now what to do with these currants? Rees Campbell, local author aka The Feisty Tasmanian, has a recipe for Bush Berry Pie on page 131 of Eat Wild Tasmanian. I might adapt that recipe to make it plant-based, i.e. sans eggs or cream. I am not sure how that will work! Otherwise, we will just eat them fresh by the handful. Ludovic made a sauce using these currants last year. However, that takes a bit more work removing the seeds from these small fruit (5-10mm diameter). We need a more heavy duty strainer to be able to tackle this task.

Did you know that there are over 150 edible native plants growing on this island? !f you want to know which species are edible and how to use them, then I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Rees’ book. Also, come along to the Tasmanian Garlic and Tomato Festival in Selbourne on Sunday 21 March 2021. Rees will be conducting two workshops and a cooking demonstration where she will describe some of the more useful plants, how to grow, harvest and cook with them.

Rees Campbell seen here with her book ‘Eat Wild Tasmanian’ (Image: www.feistytasmanian.com)

I got involved in the Tasmanian Garlic and Tomato Festival as I just love garlic and tomato and cannot imagine life without them. Anyway, more on that in my next blog. I am going to take some time out for ‘afternoon tea’ and enjoy some of these beautiful currants.

A bientôt!

#gardening #bushtucker #nativeplants #tasmania #localproduce #feistytasmanian #tasmaniangarlicandtomatofestival #discovertasmania

21/02/2021
Making of a Jewel

Recently I have been working on my 3D skills. I would like to show you the process that I take to develop each of my 3D models, using the example of one of the most amazing plants I have seen. This plant is Macodes petola, also known as the Jewel Orchid. Nature is amazing! I am always surprised by the form and shape you can find in it.

First of all you need to find some reference images. I recommend the free program PureRef. Just drag and drop any images from the web or your computer and organise your own pin board.

After that you can start modelling in 3D. I use Blender, a fully open-source 3D software as it is as powerful as most of the commercial programs.

You now need a pot for your indoor plant. And a special plant needs a special pot. I found this old pot with human feet made by the Egyptians in the Predynastic Period (ca. 3900–3650 B.C)

I then modelled the pot using the same process that I used for the plant itself, i.e. in Blender.

When you have completed your 3D modelling, you can start the really fun part: texturing. Let’s bring life to the clay. For this you need to unwrap your 3D shape on a flat surface because the textures are in 2D. Then you can ‘paint’ the shape with the texture you want.

And finally we come to the rendering part. This is when you take a picture of your finished model and incorporate it into an environment that you like with appropriate lighting. For this render, I chose to put the plant on a stand in a museum.

And the good thing with 3D plants is they don’t need too much care, they are living in the cloud.

https://cc553bc7-bdf6-4be5-91fe-23e4cbc251ef.usrfiles.com/html/2b2e4b_d767b483cae16e027c4ea8ac7906fbf4.html

#blender #3Dmodeling #3Dplant #macodespetola #jewelorchid #indoorplant

28/05/2020
Getting garlicky

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.

A bientôt!

#growyourown #garlic #tasmania #gardening #gardeninspiration #food #tasty

19/05/2020
Breaking ground!

This week, we finally broke ground on a project that we have been working on over the last couple of months! Excavation works started so that our client can realise the enclosed raised garden beds and compost bays that you can see in Ludovic’s plan below.

3D render of the raised garden beds and enclosure designed by Ludovic, with compost bays below.

Looking at the plans you may be forgiven for thinking that this is more like a prison potager than a productive garden for a free-spirited local who loves her cooking. However, with plenty of possums, quolls, wallabies, pademelons and even deer residing in the neighbourhood, these tough measures are necessary to ensure our client gets to eat her produce!

The garden on our first site visit

Excavation to level out the garden for the raised garden bed enclosure. The compost bays will be built below.

You may be wondering “Why the raised beds?”. Our client loves her new home and wants to stay there. She is thinking long-term. As she ages, she would like to keep gardening so wanted an option that was a little easier on the back and the knees. And there is another important reason why we designed this garden to be raised. Take one look at the next photo and you may be able to guess what that reason is!

Clay sub-soils on site are not exactly free-draining and would require extensive remediation. Putting any plant in this environment would see its roots drowned. Raised garden beds are one way of overcoming this problem.

This excavation was definitely not a whole-scale clearing of the site, although it may look like that from the photos above. The rocks in the foreground have been retained and re-positioned along the western edge of the yard. Our client’s beloved Mountain Pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) was carefully lifted by the excavator and temporarily planted in a ‘safe site’ to the top of the yard until the garden is finished. The Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) below takes pride of place in front of the kitchen window. Its leaves turn a beautiful red colour in autumn.

This Japanese Maple is one of our client’s favourite plants in the garden. So it is definitely staying!

Well it has been a big week in this particular garden. So it is time for us to take a little break over the weekend. Stay tuned over the coming weeks as Ludovic commences construction of the raised garden beds and compost bays.

A bientôt!

29/11/2019
Too much light?

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)

12/11/2018
Gardenfest!

Now I am not normally one for formal English gardens. However, today I was drawn away from our hillside retreat to Entally House, an historic estate close to Launceston. Why the drive? Well, it was a beautiful day. And the estate was hosting its annual Gardenfest. So a great time to connect with local growers and the like. Here are a few shots of what caught my eye, and that of Ludo and Celeste too!

Wow! I just love the complementary colours of this iris. Purple and yellow together … my all-time favourite combination. I remember having a “tartan” skirt with these colours as a teenager that I was immensely fond of.

This grass tree looks simply stunning against the blue sky. And somehow it is a jarring image, given that here we see a very iconic native plant set in a very colonial garden.

Looking the other way … another view of the grass tree which gives us a very different feeling with all the background foliage it contrasts with.

Staghorns or Elkhorns? I can’t remember and I can’t tell from this photo. Are they Platycerium superbum (I love that name!) or P. bifurcatum? Help 🙂

Ludo and Celeste outside the Entally House conservatory, reputedly the oldest surviving in Australia.

Inside the conservatory.

Purple! And green! Together!!! The colours of the suffragettes (I will stop using some many exclamation marks. I promise!)

I love the brown and yellow of this iris flower. It really caught my eye, even against all the purples and pinks of neighbouring plants.

“Ginge” the house cat. Resting peacefully in the vegetable garden. Chillax dude! Far from the madding crowds.

Big wheels keep on turning! Well maybe not in the case of this rather antiquated vehicle.

Sure Celeste! Please take Ludo’s phone and get some plant photos. Hmmm, well that is an interesting angle of the tree.

C’est moi dans l’arbre (or something like that!). Some very prickly climbing roses here providing lovely shade. Just don’t get too close.

The walled garden. Something about this shot reminds me of France rather than England. Looking at it now takes me back to our visit to Villandry, a French chateau famous for its parterres. Not quite a parterre here but the box hedge and purple flowers set against the blue sky just take me back.

Hallelujah! I have seen the light … so to speak.

Indoor plants have been around for ever! Although viewing some Instagram feeds, you would think they were only discovered this century.

I love this succulent arrangement for its simplicity.

Bringing the outside in , Victorian-style.

We love Frank and Karen Strie from Frank’s Char. They produce high quality biochar to help improve your soil’s health. Check out their website: http://www.terrapretadevelopments.com.au/

A beautiful succulent display that I think Karen Strie put together. It reminds me of bonsai or fairy gardens. Quite lovely as it is not overdone. And I say that, not usually liking mushrooms like this.

Celeste on “Rhododendron Road” (look closely and you will be able to see why I named this road such)

Well I am tired but happy after our traipsing around the lovely Entally Estate. So that is all there is for now. I hope you have found some inspiration from these photos.

A la prochaine fois!

11/11/2018
Artificial plants? Are you for real?

The title of my latest article for Hort Journal Australia should leave you with no illusions as to my feelings for fake plants. You can take them, I will leave them!

But rather than getting all hot under the collar here on my blog reliving bad memories of “plastic fantastic”, click here to read my article for yourself. Then make up your own mind!

Faking it: Upon closer inspection, these plants shine just a little too brightly (Image, Karen Smith, Hort Journal Australia)

We’re heading down to Hobart for the next few days, ostensible to take in the proceedings of the International Plant Propagators’ Society’s conference. I bet there are no fake plants there!

Stay tuned to hear about our trip down south…

A bientôt!

22/05/2018
Green walls … look behind the facade

Green walls are becoming more popular as more people living in smaller spaces in urban environments look to green whatever space they have available.

Patric Blanc, a French botanist, is credited with inventing the modern green wall, or what the French call “Mur Végétal”. Blanc and his team have created some stunning displays including the eye-catching One Central Park, Sydney.

Other businesses here in Australia and also internationally are following this trend with green walls installed in more and more indoor and outdoor settings. Installers make various claims about not only the aesthetic, but also the environmental and health benefits of these walls, often without really having done the science.

Green walls based on science (Image: Junglefy)

But a word of caution, if you want a green wall that truly improves your #indoorairquality engage a designer who understands how such a system works scientifically. Some businesses spruik the benefits of their #greenwalls without fully understanding how plant or substrate selection influences the take up of indoor air pollutants.

To find out more about how green walls , read my latest article “A breath of fresh air in the green wall industry” in the April issue of Hort Journal Australia. Skip to pages 28 to 29 to get to the good bits 😉

Jusqu’à la prochaine fois!

(Until the next time…)

18/05/2018
Friend not foe: Insects and geckos helping defend the US

How can an insect or a gecko help American defence, you may be asking? And potentially horticulture at the same time?

Sceptical? Well, I was a little too when researching for my latest article for the Nursery and Garden Industry Australia’s National Nursery News newsletter.

However, I found out that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) creates breakthough technologies and capabilities for national security. Threats to food crops are seen as posing significant risks to the security of the USA.

So how does an insect help? Click here to read my article to find out more on DARPA’s work and its potential application in horticulture. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction!

The Z-Man Geckskin took its inspiration from a gecko (Image: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [DARPA])

30/04/2018
Sustainable Living Expo – We’re coming to the party! Will you?
Following on from their successful Energy Expo last year, Tamar Natural Resource Management (NRM) has decided to give this year’s event a broader sustainable living theme. And guess who they have appointed to deliver it?! 🙂

We are thrilled to be working with Tamar NRM to plan, deliver and evaluate its expanded Sustainable Living Expo. Tamar NRM’s small but dynamic team work on a range of environmental, agricultural and urban programs in the Tamar Region, all issues that we here at Inwardout Studio care deeply about.

The 2018 Sustainable Living Expo, to be held on Saturday 6 October in Albert Hall, Launceston, will:
- Present the benefits of sustainable building design and sustainable living,
- Showcase sustainable living options to reduce costs and benefit the environment,
- Demonstrate energy saving technologies and options for homes, farms and business,
- Show the pathways when converting to sustainable energy sources, and
- Promote local business and local knowledge.
Interested? Mark the date in your calendar now and “like” Tamar NRM’s Facebook page to stay abreast of Expo news. We’ll be creating an Event page soon. Or drop us a line at gabrielle@inwardoutstudio.com or 0400 431 277 to find out how you can exhibit or volunteer.

Au revoir!

#sustainableliving #sustainablebuilding #renewableenergy #plasticbagfree
13/04/2018
Growing great garlic!

I headed out yesterday desperately seeking garlic. No, Tasmania had not suddenly been invaded by vampires. I had received notice that Jenny Edlington was selling what she calls “seed garlic” at the Liffey Valley Market.

Now technically the garlic cloves we plant to produce new garlic bulbs are not seeds. However, I won’t quibble with Jenny on that one. For $15.50 I picked up four top-notch garlic bulbs from Jenny. If this may seem a little expensive to you, just remember that each clove can potentially produce a whole new bulb with between 10-15 cloves … if treated right!

Yummy, locally-grown garlic! But not for eating now 🙁 (© Ludovic Vilbert)

So how do you look after garlic? Jenny shared her tips with us, with a little elaboration from me:

1. Prepare the growing bed first.

Garlic does really well in well-drained soils rich in organic matter .Jenny and many other garlic growers recommend incorporating a layer of mushroom compost five to ten centimetres deep into the top few inches of soil. No, this is not compost made from mushrooms, as I must admit I first thought! It is a sterile mix usually prepared for growing mushrooms in. Mushroom compost is generally made from a mixture of straw, peat moss, gypsum, lime, cottonseed meal, cottonseed hulls, corncobs, cocoa bean shells, chicken litter and/or horse stable bedding.

2. Choose garlic bulbs with large cloves.

More stored energy to help produce those new bulbs!

3. Plant when the season changes to much cooler nights, usually April to May.

In Melbourne you will probably have to wait until May, but here in Tassie some of us can look forward to cooler temperatures just a little earlier! So hence why I am getting my garlic bed ready now for planting in a few weeks.

4. Separate bulbs immediately prior to planting and plant basal end down ten centimetres deep, twenty centimetres apart in raised beds.

The basal end is the flattened end of the bulb where the roots will develop from. Now I have grown garlic a little closer together than twenty centimetres, more like ten centimetres apart and had success. However, if you really want a plant to thrive, you do need to give it room to grow.

NB. See the basal plate at the bottom of the garlic clove. This is the bit you “stick” into the soil (© University of Alaska Fairbanks)

5. Mulch with straw.

Prevent weeds growing that may compete with the growing garlic for resources.

I am so glad to have met Jenny at the Liffey Valley Market. She has so much experience and knowledge of how to grow fruit and vegetables here in this cool climate. And Jenny is not the only local grower selling excellent fresh produce at this market. These markets are very precious as they provide not only the opportunity to purchase great produce, but also the chance a chance for locals and visitors to get together, have a yarn and share their growing tips. Priceless! But more on the market another time!

For now, I have a bed to prepare!

Next Liffey Valley Market: 9am–1pm, Saturday 14 April 2018, 1443 Liffey Rd, Liffey TAS 7301.

(Look for the old schoolhouse on top of the hill as you turn right from Bracknell Rd)

Harvesting garlic? More on that later too. Don’t expect to do that until November/December. Like a great wine, it needs time to develop 😉

11/03/2018