The key ingredients for growing food in Canberra all year

And there are plants that can be grown by each of us, no matter where we live, either in garden beds, raised beds, planter boxes or even smaller pots on balconies. I was impressed to see one of our own World War II veterans of Bomber Command, Clive Gesling, at the age of 92, growing three tall, bushy tomato plants in big pots on his balcony just last year.

I am often asked what are the key elements for growing. For me, there are just five key aspects to gardening: sunshine, water, good soil, suitable plants and labour.

We usually have plenty of sunshine in Australia, so we can be thankful for this. Some plants need care from the hot afternoon sun but this can be achieved by planting in a location where trees, buildings or fence lines provide natural afternoon shade.

Water is so vital. For those of us who live in cities such as Canberra, there is a guaranteed water supply. Many have installed their own water tanks to help with backyard water supplies, as water does come with a cost. For those of us who live in rural locations, having a supply of water is critical to all efforts to grow plants.

Many Australian natives are more drought tolerant but in the past year, we have seen even big eucalyptus trees die, as the past summer was the last straw for those weakened by years of drought. Fast growing hakeas and callistemons are hardy, good shrubby, windbreak trees to plant on the western side of gardens. Flowering natives also provide a good habitat for the wrens, finches and honeyeaters, as well as beneficial insects and bees.

We can protect our soil and moisture levels with an active mulching program, for all small trees and newly planted vegetables. I recommend lucerne hay as a mulch, as this legume plant will add much to the soil as it breaks down. It is quite an expensive option, so the bales of organic sugar cane mulch also provide a beneficial mulching option.

Good soil is like black gold for a gardener. Australia is a very old country and its soil structures are often depleted of goodness. And in many urban locations, what little good top soil that existed before housing was built, was bulldozed or carted away by the construction firms. So many of us have challenges on this front. Take care when buying in garden soil supplements, to verify content. Avoid buying mixtures with high volumes of undecomposed wood chip or sand or low amounts of loamy soil.

We can definitely work to improve our soil, by building up the humus content of our soils. Composting our vegetable food waste, our autumn leaves and our grass clippings can be maintained throughout the year. Canberra is surrounded by many horse establishments, so sources of animal manure to add to the compost is close by.

Suitability of plants is also critical for success. Fruits need varying levels of winter chill but then need to avoid frosts during their flowering periods. The timing of planting is also critical for the summer vegetable crops, especially in regions like Canberra where you can still have very low overnight temperatures until mid December. The Canberra Gardener is an excellent reference book for local gardeners to have on their bookshelf.

Families have, over the centuries, had their own labour force for home-style growing of fruits, berries and vegetables. However, times have changed for many. Children have become very busy with sport or studies and often move away in search of work opportunities. But there are friends who would just love to come and help in the garden over springtime. Some young volunteers have done wonderful things to assist the elderly in their neighbourhoods.

As with most farms in Australia, Loriendale has been helped by the provisions of the Department of Immigration which permits overseas young people to work and travel during their 12 months in Australia. Late spring is a time when everything is growing rapidly and when irrigation needs to be checked and functional. However, that is the time when most of our local young people are completing their final exams. Harvest time is another time in the year when local and overseas young people can enjoy outdoor work with the sun on their backs.

Winter time could be regarded as downtime for some gardens but it should not be for most gardens or any orchard. This is the time to actively gather and mix materials for winter composting, to clean up the orchard and remove infected apple leaves (into the compost), to prune the fruit trees, cut off old brambleberry canes and plant out new beds of berries.

We have two students from southern France assisting us in our winter program. They are studying sustainable agriculture at highly reputable agricultural institutes. Eva Tournaire is at Supagro, in Montpellier, and Clemence Medeville studies at El Purpan, in Toulouse. The young ladies are completing their major internships in biologic agriculture at Loriendale over this European summer holiday period. They have much dedication to learning the best ways of growing fruits and vegetables, by research and by doing.

I wish all my regular readers well as they embark on future seasons of growing to be able to overcome seasonal challenges and enjoy the produce of their own gardens.

Roasted pears and apples with thyme

2 large Josephine pears

2 late-season apples

1 tbsp honey

40g butter

2 tbsp fresh thyme

Heat oven to 200C. Peel, core and quarter apples and pears and place in a baking tray. Gently melt the butter and honey together. Add in the fresh thyme and pour over the slices of pears and apples.

Bake for 35 minutes until cooked and golden. Serve with a hot roast meal.

This week in the garden

Owen Pidgeon runs the Loriendale Organic Orchard near Hall.