Volume 13 November 2010 Issue 11

24 Pages·2010·3.05 MB·English

by  R Reichelt

Volume 13 November 2010 Issue 11
Pg2 Club Information 11 Perpetual Spinach, Radium Weed
3 Notice Board to Treat Skin Cancer
12-13 Getting to Know You - Interview
4-5 Workshops / Conferences
14 Practical Preventative Measures
6 The Experiment (continued)
15 Fruit Fly, Instant Containers
7 Weeds in the Organic Garden,
16 Companion Planting for Nov
Rooster needs new home
17 Companion Planting for Dec
8 Starting a Garden, Tuscany Kale
18-20 What to Plant in Nov
9 CCA Treated Pine in school
21 Preparing for Dec
gardens
22 What to Plant in Dec
10 Chronicle Yves Gagnon
23 Preparing for Jan
OUR NEXT MEETING: Thursday 20 January
NOVEMBER 2010 Page 2 GCOG
THE AIMS OF G.C.O.G. Inc. 2010 Committee
1. To promote organic sustainable food raising
for home gardens and farms. President Maria Roberson
[phone]
2. To foster research into improved methods of
405 Piggabeen Rd,
organic farming and gardening.
Currumbin Q 4223
3. To provide information and support to all
Vice President Ross Davis
those interested in the various aspects of organic
[phone]
growing.
Treasurer Diane Kelly
[phone]
Meetings Held: 3rd Thursday of the Month Secretary Karen Hart
The Meeting Place, Cnr Guineas Creek Rd. and [phone]
Coolgardie St, Elanora.
Membership Diane Kelly
Doors open 7.00 pm; Begin at 7.30 pm Entry is $1 Membership Asst Roger Behrendorff
members, $3 visitors.
Newsletter Editor Dorothy Coe
(No meeting in December) [phone]
PO BOX 446, Palm Beach
Annual Membership Fees: QLD 4221
Single: $20. Family: $30.
To renew or start memberships please send Newsletter Assistant Diane Kelly
cheques (payable to GCOG) to Diane Kelly - or just Publicity & Website Steve Dalton
pay at the door. C-ordinator 0414 464 564

Advertising Tali Filip
Seed Bank: $1.50 ea.
0402 438 563

Members Market Corner: Please bring plants, Guest Speaker Lise Racine

books and produce you wish to sell.
Trip Co-ordinator Maria Roberson

[phone]
Raffle Table: This relies on the kind generosity of
Librarian Heather Ryan
members to donate items on the night. Tickets -
[phone]
$1ea or 3 for $2
Library Assistant Pauline Behrendorff

Library: Books 50c, Videos, DVDs $2, Soil Test Kit
$2. Available to members for 1 month.
Seed Bank Peter Seymour-Smith

[phone]
Advertising: $10 an issue, or $100 for 11 issues (1

year).
Seed Bank Assistant Graham Boyle

Newsletter: contributions welcome by post or
email (preferred). Please send to Dorothy at Thanks to other contributors:
[email protected]
Please put [GCOG] in email ‘subject’ box. Diane Kelly, Ross Davis, Lise Racine, Roger
Griffiths, Liz Spittall, Margaret Reichelt, Rob-
ert Edwards, and Dorothy Coe.
GCOG Page 3 NOVEMBER 2010
Green Fingers
Notice Board Potting Mix

71 Lawrence Drive
Membership Renewals NERANG
Phone: [phone]

Overdue: Dorryl & Rita Mahon, Tony
COW MANURE
Hall, Fraser & Kerstein Trueman,
$7.30 per 30 ltr bag, or
Jacqueline Zantiotis, Leah Galvin, Mel
$58 per metre
Kidd, Henry Blonner, Greg & Val

Sbeghen, Peter Aubort COMPOST
$7.30 per 30 ltr bag, or
November: Ross & Jenny Davis, $58 per metre
Karen Hart, Marie Rudd
PREMIUM POTTING MIX
January 2011: Linda Beleski, Marion $9.00 per 30 ltr bag

Symons, Peter & Patricia Edwards,
SEED RAISING or PROPAGATING MIX
Anissa Loades, Rodney Boscoe, Rog-
$11.50 per 30 ltr bag
er Griffiths

NEW—ECO-Z PLUS POTTING MIX
Welcome to our new members: Gai $8.00 per 30 ltr bag
Morrow and Darrell & Marion Williams
And much, much more.
Guest Speakers Call us for a full list of products.

[email protected]
Nov: Christmas party
www.greenfingerspottingmix.com
Dec: No Meeting

Gold Coast Organic Growers are
HINTERLAND CHOICE
Online at….
MEATS
Website:
QUALITY MEAT SPECIALISTS
www.goldcoastorganicgrowers.org.au
Wholesale & Retail
Blog:
http://gcorganicgrowers.blogspot.com We Sell Certified
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gcorganic GRASS FED BEEF
HGP FREE &
NO PRESERVATIVES
Prostate Awareness Also available now:
Twin Towns & Tweed Coast Free-range chickens & eggs
Just a click away:
www.prostateawarenessaustralia.com or Earle Plaza, Price Street, Nerang 4211
contact Ross Davis for more info: Ph/Fax: [phone]
[email protected]
NOVEMBER 2010 Page 4 GCOG
Soil Conference
SEASONS ON THE MOUNTAIN
Tamborine Mountain Open Gardens When: Saturday, 27th Nov 2010, 9.00am-
4.00pm (Registration from 8.15am)
Introducing: New Format—Three seasons
Where: Undumbi Room, Parliamentary
Autumn: Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th May Annexe, Parliament House, Brisbane,
Winter: Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th August George Street (entry via Alice St - UBD
Spring: Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd October 4J13)

www.tmbotanicgardens.org.au Although the soil biological ecosystem is
considered the most diverse, it is poorly un-
derstood. Our conference will give you an
introduction to all aspects of soil and will
Miami Organic Farmers Market have a strong focus on aspects of soil biolo-
gy. Scientists from Queensland and inter-

state will guarantee a hugely interesting

learning experience and a better understand-
Where: Miami State High School
ing of soil resource management needs.
2137-2205 Gold Coast Highway, Miami

When: Every Sunday, 6am to 11am
Program highlights are:
Contact: David Whyle

Telephone: [phone] or 1300 668 603
Email: [email protected] Dr Peter Kopittke/University
of Queensland: Introduction to Soils
Dr David Eldrige/University of NSW
To cultivate one’s garden is the on Microbiotic Soil Crusts and their role
politics of the humble man. in soil and ecological processes
(Chinese Proverb) Associate Professor Peter McGee/
University of Sydney on Mycorrhizal
Fungi and their Function in Soil and Ap-
plication to Restoration
Sustainable Gardening Workshops
Dr Geoff Monteith/Queensland Muse-

um on Dung Beetles and their effects on
Come along to Council's free sustainable gar-
soils
dening workshops where you can learn all
about composting and worm farming to recy- Dr Geoff Dyne/Australian Government
cle your waste and improve your garden. Land and Coasts Qld Section: A hidden
diversity: native earthworm species and
A series of workshops will be held at the fol- their role in soil processes and ecosys-
lowing locations from 10am to 12noon. To tem integrity
register for a workshop near you, call Dr Diane Allen/Qld Dept of Environment
[phone]. and Resource Management on Soil Car-
bon and Soil Health
Composting and Worm farming Merline Olson/Soil Foodweb Internation-
Workshops al on How to Measure Soil Biomass

Prof Richard Haynes/University
Saturday 11th Dec 2010 - Joan Park of Queensland on Soil Contaminants
Community Centre, Southport and Bioremediation
GCOG Page 5 NOVEMBER 2010
Dr Chengron Chen/Griffith University Revive & Replenish
on Global Changes and Soil Microbial Health Store & Cafe
Community (incl effects of fertilisation on
microbes) Making organic
food affordable!
And to relax and meet there will be a so-
cial post-conference BBQ held at The store offers...
the Qld Maritime Museum, Southbank (walk Locally produced groceries
across the Goodwill Bridge from conference
Gluten free products
venue)
Fresh fruit & veggies
Conference Fee: $50,
Post Conference BBQ: $12 Herbs & spices
Snap frozen organic meals
For further information, please contact Jutta Ready to cook and take home packs
Godwin on 0407 583 441,
Organic seedlings
email [email protected] or visit

http://www.cubberlawitton.org/p23327
Sit and relax in the café or take-away...
Hot and cold savouries, pies & cakes
Daily chef speacials
FREE Community Workshop Organic coffee
Freshly squeezed juices
Griffith University EcoCentre — Invites you to
Smoothies
attend the Sustainable and healthy living

workshop series:
Pre order weekly fruit & veggies for pickup

and home delivery.
Grow Your Own Food

Spend over $10 and receive a stamp. When
With special guest Celebrity gardener
you collect 10 stamps, receive a $10 store
Jerry Coleby Williams
credit.

Morning session: A 2 hour presentation by
15/33 Tallebudgera Creek Road
Gardening Australia TV presenter, organic
West Burleigh | Tel: [phone]
gardener - Jerry Coleby-Williams.

Afternoon session: FULLY BOOKED
Gold Coast Rose Society

Inc - 11th Anniversary
When: Saturday, 4th December 2010,
Annual Rose Show.
9.30am – 3.30pm
Where: Griffith University EcoCentre
Where: Robina Community
Nathan Campus
Centre (opposite David

Jones carpark).
Organic vegetarian lunch and afternoon tea
When: Saturday 20 Nov - 11.30am-5pm
provided
Sunday 21 Nov - 10am-3.30pm

RSVP early to attend. Cost: $3.00

RSVP to Lisa Malcolm by 1st December Hundreds of Champion Roses on display,
2010 Telephone: [phone] Floral Arts, Bromeliad Society display and
Email: [email protected] sales. Raffles, Digital Photo competition etc.
Home baked refreshment available.
NOVEMBER 2010 Page 6 GCOG
The Experiment The Experiment
(continued from last month) By Ross Davis
By Ross Davis
35 days later …
It is now 35 day since these plants, (Super
market cucumbers & Big Beef tomatoes) were 12 Nov 2010 Tomato’s, notice the trusses are
transplanted into the Hot house. Now the 8 inches apart.
fourth crop in the same soil.
That means the potash level is about correct,
I use; Good Compost and Sulphate of potash too much Nitrogen and the trusses are further
& blood and bone in the growing of these apart and the plant is open to disease when
plants. To date there has been no sprays the level of nitrogen is high.
used, but this morning there was some small
caterpillars on the tomatoes. So I will need to
use some ―Success‖ a ―yates‖ product. Why
do I use ―Success‖? It is rated as organic and
it works well, I find it has more success that
other similar products, the powdered ones do
not perform as well for me in the
hot house.

The first cucumbers will be picked this week.
18th Nov 2010.

Above pics taken 9th October
GCOG Page 7 NOVEMBER 2010
Weeds in the Organic Garden sheltering emerging seedlings, although it
From Diane Kelly should be eradicated before it competes too
much.
Any piece of ground left untended rapidly
becomes covered in weeds. As the weeds Remember, too, that before you get rid of all
slowly build up the fertility of the soil, the weeds that some are attractive to bees, but-
patch of ground becomes suitable for nettles, terflies and insects. They should not be al-
brambles and tree seedlings. A profusion of lowed to compete with other plants, of
these weeds, especially nettles, can indicate course, but if you have a patch of ground at
a potentially rich site. Deep-rooted weeds the end of the garden where they will do no
like dock and thistles are also good for the harm, it is worth allowing some to survive.
soil as they bring up nutrients, making them Weeds that attract beneficial insects include
available for future crops. nettles, poppies, groundsel, herb robert and
dandelion.
The types of weed will always be those most
suited to the conditions, so: Most of all, weeds are a useful source of
fertility, admirably suited to their conditions
by self-selection. They produce a wealth of
If they consist of acid-loving plants such
green manure at times when other plants
as daisies, small nettles and sorrels, the
cannot use the soil and act as a valuable
topsoil is probably acidic
groundcover over winter. They are also su-
Lime soils are indicated by cowslips,
perb mineral accumulators, making these
knapweed and silverweed
accessible to crops after they have been dug
Damp conditions encourage nettles, in or mulched. Clovers and vetches fix nitro-
buttercups, bugle and rushes gen, comfrey is well known for accumulating
Lots of docks mean that horses or their potassium, as are nettles and sorrel, yarrow
manure have been on the land as the and thornapple. Stubborn-rooted perennials,
seeds pass through their intestines un- such as comfrey and nettles, will have to be
checked mulched rather than dug in if they are used
Lots of tomato seedlings could mean as green manure – and you will need to dig
that sewage sludge has been used up the roots later, unless you want an annual
Beware of any land that grows few crop.
weeds!!
Source: Bob Flowerdew, Organic Garden
Basics
Good Weeds & Bad Weeds:

Weeds are, as we are always being told, just
Rooster needs new home
plants in the wrong places. Many are other-

wise valuable garden plants or even crops –
Robert Edwards acquired some
poppies, feverfew and red valerian, for exam-
chicks from the local school and
ple. Many weeds are edible: chickweed and
two turned out to be roosters. One
dandelion leaves are delicious in salads; fat
already has a new home and we
hen, nettle and ground elder can be cooked
are just looking for another home for the se-
like spinach, while the roots of dandelion,
cond one.
horseradish and vetch are all edible. In

some gardens, weeds may be the last re-
He’s about 3 months old, quite a large bird,
maining of the original flora and so help pre-
white in colour.
serve insect and wildlife populations. A

stand of weeds not only fixes and stabilizes
If you would like the rooster contact Peter on
the soil, but can act as a miniature hedge
5525 1688.
and windbreak,
NOVEMBER 2010 Page 8 GCOG
Starting a Garden If all goes well (that’s not always the case,
By Lise Racine as you well know for yourself) I have a green
manure crop sowed by November.
You would like a garden next autumn? Then Hopefully (keep your fingers crossed) be-
start now… fore Christmas that crop has been slashed
and another one is sown on top. If I would
Every now and again I get questions asked: start a garden from scratch, that’s what I
would do except that first I would spread
What can I plant now (hear “very now”)? some raw animal manure and then follow
with two green manure crops.
Can I buy compost from you? I want to

plant now.
The last crop will be slashed late January,
I planted xyz and they didn’t do well. What
early February (weather permitting) and then
can I do?
I’ll start cultivating the soil over 3 to 4 weeks

to work the green manure in. That brings
If the catch phrase in real estate is ―location,
me to the very first week of March; the beds
location, location‖ I would say that in the gar-
are formed, the seedlings are ready to bust
dening world it is ―preparation, preparation...‖
out of their punnets and the seeds are pa-
you get the drift.
tiently waiting to come out of the packets

and meet the elements while you get ready
Another overused phrase: we live in an in-
for a good workout.
stantaneous world but hey, it is so true. And

you see it the gardening world plenty. But
A good choice of green manure for summer
guess what, if Rome wasn’t built in one day
here are: borlotti beans, buckwheat, corn,
(sorry this is the wisdom time here) neither is
lab lab, sorghum, wyn cassia, red kidney
a good garden. A good garden soil develops
beans.
over time with attention, care, right feeding,

proper cultivation at the right time. It is like
Ideally go for a mix of some legumes(30%)
bringing up children. They are not grown up
and more grains (70%).
overnight (some of us wish); they need the
nurturing, the caring, the rest, the attention
done over a period of time and more. Any
Tuscany Kale
gardens follow the same rule.
By Roger Griffiths

And preparation is one of the cornerstone
Tuscan Kale was grown for the first time this
elements. I find summer a great time to put
winter from a pot, from Bunnings I think.
the work in, so your soil will be well balanced

and ready for action in autumn. That sort of
Anyway, it has been a surprising success. It
time frame works well for me: my children are
grew through the winter on a strong thick
still as school, so comes early December it is
stalk. The big benefit is that the leaves can
school holiday time for 6 weeks. To add to
be taken one by one rather than taking out
that, I don’t do well in very hot conditions, I get
one whole cabbage plant.
headache easily no matter how much water I

drink, the children are after me wanting to go
We have used leaves for coleslaw, as an
to the water hole or the beach or the movies
addition in some fancy meals, and even as a
(that’s when it gets stinking hot).
finely chopped leaf among tomatoes and

mushrooms for breakfast!
And I figured that in Canada the soil gets a

nice rest for at least five months of the year.
Spring has well and truly arrived and the
What rest does our soil gets? Nothing! Not
kale is looking like it will be around and pro-
fair I reckon. So I plan my growing from
ducing for quite some weeks to come.
March until October.
GCOG Page 9 NOVEMBER 2010
CCA Treated Pine in school gardens decking and children’s play equipment."
From Liz Spittall Common sense would dictate that the
APVMA restrictions would also apply to gar-
Exert from an email sent from Biological den beds (as they do to sand pits) because
Farmers of Australia Group to a local school. this timber can leach arsenic (a known carcin-
ogen) into compost and soil for up to 20
It has come to BFA's attention that CCA years. There are a number of factors that
treated timber has been used to construct affect the amount of arsenic leached from
garden beds and other structures in some treated timbers, and some species of food
school gardens. crops can absorb high levels of arsenic.

CCA treated timber is first on the list of As young children have a tendency to put
'Things To Avoid' in the published Introduc- their fingers in their mouths, and tend to be
tion to the BFA's Organic School Gardens less careful about washing their hands, they
program. can ingest significant amounts of leached
arsenic from the surface of CCA treated tim-
Problems with CCA treated timber: bers. Children are, of course, more vulnera-
Following the phase-out for all domestic uses ble to all pesticides because their organs are
of CCA treated timber in the US, EU, Cana- still developing and young children eat more
da, Indonesia and Vietnam, and restrictions food per kilogram of body weight than adults
on its use in Japan, the Australian Pesticides do.
and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)
conducted a review of timbers treated with The regulations proposed by the APVMA
copper, chromium and arsenic as a preserv- allow the use of CCA treated timber for
ative (CCA treated timber) and, as a result, in 'structural timbers' and the timber industry
March 2005, declared this preservative to be has included retaining walls in that descrip-
a restricted chemical product (RCP) in the tion. However, the APVMA Review (page 11)
public interest. clearly states, structural timbers "where fre-
quent contact is unlikely, and the level of ex-
The APVMA proposed regulations came into posure and risk, is low".
effect at the end of March 2006 restricting
the uses of CCA for timber preservation be- Once installed:
cause APVMA "were not satisfied that the Research by the US EPA (in 2005) found that
continuing use of CCA for timber used in penetrating sealants can reduce, but not elim-
structures with which the public (and particu- inate, arsenic migrating from the treated
larly children) are likely to come into frequent wood. The data show sealants that can pene-
and intimate contact is safe". trate wood surfaces are preferable to prod-
ucts such as paint, because paints and other
Included in the restrictions is: (10.1. iv) "not film-formers can chip or flake, requiring
permitting uses of CCA timber treatment scraping or sanding for removal, which can
products for timber intended for use as gar- increase exposure to arsenic.
den furniture, picnic tables, exterior seating,
children’s play equipment, patio and domes- US research (Gray and Houlihan, 2002: 4-6),
tic decking, and handrails". has found that arsenic levels on CCA-treated
wood remained high for 20 years, and that
Page 15 of the APVMA's "Pest Management timber had to be re-coated every 6 months,
in Schools" document, published in 2009, making the maintenance of this timber to re-
states: "The APVMA has restricted the use of duce students' exposure a tedious and ex-
copper chrome arsenate (CCA) timber treat- pensive process.
ments, which are no longer permitted for More info. http://www.herinst.org/CCAtimber/
timber intended for use as exterior seating, recommendations/insitu.html
NOVEMBER 2010 Page 10 GCOG
Chronicle Yves Gagnon steams emanating from a ―plantureux‖ emer-
By Lise Racine ald green foliage onto which perl hundreds of
crystal-like water droplets, perfectly round
Hello club members. and rolling; while the toads and frogs rival in
their stridulations to mark their place in the
Here is a ―free-lance‖ style translation of an pond and the night. These fragments of live
article I came across a few months ago. The are pure and perfect. I am there, present,
article was written by a very interesting fellow conscious, totally at my place and probably
in Quebec. He defines himself as an happy. I take root in time and space.
―agroecologist‖. He has an organic garden
that he established with his wife 30 years ago. A fundamental Look-out
I did show photos of his garden in the presen- The gardener is precious for the Life be-
tation about my visit to Quebec in 2008. He cause he/she observes the time. Perma-
has written quite a few interesting gardening nently secure to the environmental condi-
books over the years and continues now to tions, because the success of his harvent
give workshops on the topic. depends on it, he fills the role of climatic con-
ditions look out. Gardener for more than 30
So here is his article that was published in years, I am in a position to state that the cli-
August this year. matic changes are not an imagination but a
truly terrifying reality.
Chronicle by Yves Gagnon
When we first arrive, there was frost system-
Profession: Gardener atically early June; then if the frost did not
When I need to define my occupation on a come at the end of August, it was unavoida-
form or in an interview I invariably choose the ble early September. For a total of a growing
denomination gardener. I am told then that season of 80 to 85 days with no frost. For
the information requested is about my work the last 5 years, the last frost come on aver-
and not my hobby. So I confirm: gardener. age mid May and the first one at the end of
Most probably that the title of author, teacher September for a growing season of 130 days
or agroecologiste would look better on the with no frost, an increase of 50 days. A
form but I do not wish to create a false im- growth of more than 60% in 30 years. We
pression. are not talking here of climatic variation but
well and truly of a climatic metamorphose.
So it is, I am a gardener. Full time in spring,
Summer and autumn part time. In winter I put In 2008, our council area was declared
away by hoe but my brain continue to garden. ―sinistre‖ since all the roads that were leading
The tingling in my fingers find relief through to it were physically cut off by the torrential
cultivating some peas and wheat or the writing rains. Last year, the incessant rain favored
of some texts on the topic. Then the cycle the propagation of mildiou on the potatoes
restarts with the first seedlings. and the tomatoes who died in most cases.
The black fly come back now for a second
I like gardening because it allows me a perfect cycle in autumn. In May this year we didn’t
communion with the earth. One evening early have any rain for 4 weeks. Then the bush
June, after a rain that was long to come, I fires that blanketed cities of Quebec, Montre-
walk around the garden so I can smell the al and Trois-Rivieres with a penetrative and
perfumes; the lupins and the iris waltz sur- acrid fumes. I leave the rest. Apocalytic.
rounded by a diaphanous twilight mist; the
poppies, even a bit beaten by the rain, burst In the same vein, our prime minister Stephen
through the humid air with their surrealist red Farmer who wants to impose Economy as
that sparkles at the extremity of delicate the only topic of discussion during the next