Landscapemyard

17/10/2020

CAPSICUM
SCIENTIFIC NAME Capsicum annuum FAMILY Solanaceae
HISTORY Also known as Bell Pepper or Sweet Pepper and is part of the nightshade family. This sweeter pepper cultivar was developed in the 1920s in Szeged, Hungary from hot peppers that originated in Central Americas. The hot pepper seed was imported into Spain in 1493 and spread through Europe and Asia from there.
NUTRITION Very high in Vitamin C; High in Vitamin B6; Moderate in Vitamin K & Manganese.
USES As a culinary vegetable even though it is botanically a fruit. Fresh, salad, stuffed & roasted. Barbeque, stir-fried. Used in Paprika spice
LIFECYCLE Perennial grown as annual. Can be biennial in pots if winter protection.
TOLERANCE CONDITIONS Prefers temperate and subtropical conditions. Not frost tolerant. Require heat and full- partial sun but protect against extreme heat. Likes well drained soil.
METHOD TO START Can seed direct but seedling best.
SOW/PLANT Plant in spring after temps reach 16 C for a late summer and autumn harvest. Cultivate and add compost and bonemeal to soil ahead of planting. Plant in well ventilated area to avoid fungal disease. Don’t plant after other members of Solanaceae family (Tomatoes, Potatoes, eggplants, chilies). Preferably crop rotate after other root crops. Plant in raised garden if drainage is poor. Plants need 50-70cm sq area.
CARE Protect from extreme heat. Larger varieties may need staking. Water regularly, mulch and side dress with compost, compost tea or worm p*e.
TIME TO MATURITY 10-12 weeks
HARVEST Can twist off or cut off. Harvest regularly. As fruit mature the colour and flavour change. Pick once big enough and for your culinary needs. Can save seed from mature fruit but beware of seed from plants that have may be crossed with nearby chillies.
TROUBLESHOOTING Aphids, slugs, snails, To***co Mosaic Virus, Tomato root knot nematodes. Poor drainage, lack of water.
TYPES Varieties in 2 main types
• Block shape
• Long shape

15/10/2020

Capsicum Nutrition

13/10/2020

FIXED LINE IRRIGATION MAINTENANCE
Over time a fixed line watering system will end up in disrepair. With birds loving water they are naturally attracted to it and love to pull at sprinklers and emitters. Also, during periods of disuse insects, dirt and even small worms can find their way into lines.
Prior to irrigation in the summer undo the end of lines and flush. Then do up the line ends and disconnect the sprinklers and micro sprinklers and re flush. Then reattach operate and see which sprinklers are still blocked. Those still blocked can be taken off and either air or water used under pressure in reverse to clear. Those still blocked after this procedure should be replaced.
Adequate water is vital to all plants. They all vary in their needs but a well-designed, operated and maintained system will go along way to a successful landscaped project or garden.

11/10/2020

This Weeks Gardening Quote

10/10/2020

Dance of Beauty

10/10/2020

IRRIGATION BASICS
WATER IN WATER OUT
Water that enters a garden area ends up leaving in the following ways
• Transpiration where water vapour diffuses out plant leaf, stem and flower stomata
• Evaporation from soil and water bodies
• Runoff
• Ground water recharge
We don’t want to waste water by causing runoff and its not our job to recharge the ground water (leave that to nature). Together the transpiration and evaporation that occur is called Evapotranspiration (ET). The aim is to apply just enough water to allow for the ET that occurs. That sounds simple, except it’s not. For one thing other than with uniform plantings (e.g. grass, ground covers) the transpiration rates of your plants all vary. Evaporation rates also vary depending on how much bare dirt there is. Thus, all irrigation has some inefficiency. The aim is to minimise this inefficiency level.

09/10/2020

ORANGES NUTRITION
I was surprised at the Nutritional Profile of oranges given that it is the most common cultivated fruit tree in the world.
Food for thought.

08/10/2020

SWEET ORANGE
SCIENTIFIC NAME Citrus x sinensis FAMILY Rutaceae
HISTORY Sweet orange is a hybrid between pomelo and mandarin. Varieties of sweet orange arise through mutations. It originated in an area that included Southeast China, Northeast India and Myanmar. First mentioned in Chinese Literature in 314BC but thought to have a much longer history. Prized by sailors to ward off scurvy. By 1987 it was the most cultivated fruit tree in the world. There are a wide range of other oranges, some of which are inedible.
USES Fresh; Juice; Marmalade; Oil from skin as food flavouring, perfume, solvent in cleaning and other household products including wood conditioner, detergents & air fresheners; Natural slug repellent in gardens. For aesthetics in gardens.
NUTRITION High in Vitamin C; Moderate in Thiamine (B1) and Folate (Bg)
LIFECYCLE Perennial tree
TOLERANCE CONDITIONS Sensitivity to frost varies by cultivar. Considered sub-tropical but will grow in temperate areas if right cultivars chosen. Some cultivars produce smaller sour fruit in cooler climates. Prefers rich, well-drained soil in full sun. PH range 6-7.5.
METHOD TO START By grafting or budding scion onto root-stock
SOW/PLANT Choose a cultivar suitable to your growing region especially for frost sensitivity. Can plant most of year but best after frosts in spring in temperate areas. Plant on mound if poor drainage. Dig bigger than needed hole and fill bottom of hole with compost. Then a layer of soil before planting. Heel in firmly. Water regularly to start. Self-fertile.
CARE Mulch and side dress with compost, chook pellets, worm p*e or compost tea. Water regularly in warmer months. Can be pruned to fit shape desired and remove dead wood but otherwise needs little.
TIME TO MATURITY 3 years to first harvest. Remove most fruit in first 2 years.
HARVEST Ripen from late autumn to early spring. Harvest with twisting pulling action and can store for weeks in refrigerator. Can let fruit stand on tree for some time but will eventually deteriorate.
TROUBLESHOOTING Root Rot, Fruit fly, Scale, Bronze orange bug, Citrus leaf miner and wood borers. Lack of nutrition, water and drainage. Heavy frosts.
TYPES Many cultivars but main types include
• Common orange
• Valencia orange
• Navel orange
• Blood orange

06/10/2020

Gardening for Beauty

05/10/2020

TOP 10 MISTAKES IN LANDSCAPING
1. Lack of theme, style, balance and cohesiveness
2. Incorrect planting distances
3. Poor drainage or Irrigation
4. Root damage to drains, paths and buildings
5. Poor plant selection for climate and soil
6. Lack of planning for pets especially dogs
7. Lack of planning for children
8. Under engineering structures
9. Cost over run
10. Too higher maintenance requirement

03/10/2020

02/10/2020

MELBOURNE PLANT/ SOW OCTOBER
Amaranth, Asparagus, Beans, Beetroot, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Buckwheat, Burdock, Cabbage, Capsicum, Carrot, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Chilli, Choko, Cucumber, Eggplant, Endive, Globe Artichoke, Gourd, Horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, Kohl Rabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Luffa, Mustard Greens, Okra, Orach, Parsnip, Peanut, Perilla, Potato, Pumpkin, Radish, Rhubarb, Rocket, Rockmelon, Rosella, Salsify, Silverbeet, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Onions, Squash, Sunflower, Swede, Sweet Potato, Sweetcorn, Tomatillo, Tomato, Turnip, Watermelon, Wombok, Yacon, Yam, Zucchini, Most Herbs.

Successively plant/ sow to avoid later over supply.
Watch out for late frosts and protect especially in outer suburbs.