A good nursery for buying your fruit trees is Daley’s, near Kyogle NSW, www.daleysfruit.com.au

GARDEN CALENDAR

This information mainly applies to northern NSW and Queensland.

MAY

• This is a good time to sow clover, lucerne or barrel medic as a ‘living mulch’ or groundcover in your orchard. Sowing a cool season green manure in the vegetable garden will build up the soil for spring planting.

• Maintain fruit fly traps if you have guava or loquat trees, destroy any spoiled fruit.

• Check the lower trunks of your apple trees for woolly apple aphid; destroy any colonies by painting with methylated spirits. Remove any corrugated cardboard bands that have been in place to trap codling moth caterpillars and burn. Check ladders and fruit boxes and destroy any cocooned caterpillars. Try to keep poultry under the trees for a few weeks to clean up the area. Check stored apples regularly.

• Plant new citrus trees in May/June, always remove fruit before planting, or better still select trees without fruit for more vigour. Do not fertilise young trees until 3-4 months after planting.

• Plant dormant fruit trees until August.

• Cut back the autumn abundance of growth and build a compost heap. Now is a good time to cut back ‘mulch’ plants such as comfrey or arrowroot and spread the mulch around fruit trees

• Test the pH, excessive acidity or alkalinity will interfere with uptake of nutrients by plants. Remember never to apply lime at the same time as fertilisers as this leads to a loss of nitrogen, caused by it converting to ammonia and off-gassing. Allow 3 weeks between liming and fertiliser applications. Never add lime to a compost heap as this also leads to a large loss of nutrient into the atmosphere.More info on pH

• In cooler areas plant seed or seedlings of broccoli, parsley, celery, Asian vegetables, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, peas, spinach, onions. Plant carrot, parsnips and turnips from seed only, root vegetables should not be transplanted. In warmer frost-free areas beans, capsicum, eggplant, okra, zucchini, potatoes and tomatoes can also be planted. Browse the Organic Seed Shop

JUNE

• Winter is the time when the old saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ certainly applies. Give your garden a good cleanup; collect fallen fruit, rake leaves and collect weeds for compost, clean out old piles of wood or wire (don’t forget to wear your gumboots and garden gloves). Reducing over-wintering sites for pests and diseases in this way will have benefits later.

• Deciduous fruit trees should be pruned. Remove loose bark with a wire brush; this will help destroy over-wintering two-spotted mite and codling moth grubs. Check for borer damage and destroy borers with a fine wire.

• Cut the old stems of asparagus down; top-dress with well-rotted manure or compost and mulch.

• Cut back and transplant deciduous trees and shrubs.

• Spray stone fruit for peach leaf curl (lumpy pinkish blisters), shot hole (gumming of fruit buds), rust, brown rot and freckle at early bud swell with lime sulphur. Collect mummified fruit.

• Check under cabbage and broccoli leaves for the small yellow eggs of white cabbage butterfly. Rubbing the eggs off with your fingers works but is only for the Zen-minded. Spray with Dipel to protect young seedlings.

• In late winter check citrus trees for any sign of bronze orange bug, spray with potassium soap spray or Pest Oil. These bugs can squirt an extremely caustic solution so wear protective gear, especially for the eyes.

• Gall wasps attack citrus trees and cause swellings in the stems. Prune out any affected wood and burn, if possible.
• Watch for aphids on soft shoots of citrus and roses, check for beneficial insects such as hoverflies and ladybeetle larvae before controlling them. If some of the aphids look like little brown balloons, they have been parasitised by a micro-wasp. Spray Natrasoap potassium soap spray as a least toxic control in the absence of predators.
• After rose pruning, spray with lime sulphur to control two-spotted mite and powdery mildew.
• Plant a green manure specifically for soil diseases such as nematode and fungal root rot in beds that have had problems over the summer. A good choice is rapeseed (syn. canola) or Indian mustard.
• Control scale by spraying with Pest Oil or Eco Oil .

JULY

• After all danger of frost has passed, prune passionfruit vines of unwanted growth, mulch and water well. Prune the passion fruit by cutting all laterals (shoots coming from the main stem) back to two buds.
• Control scale by spraying with Pest Oil, band trees with grease or sticky barriers to stop ants.
• Top up the mulch around fruit trees.

WINTER FRUIT TREE PRUNING AND MAINTENANCE

Traditionally deciduous fruit trees (pear, apple etc) were pruned during winter. Early summer pruning has become common and has improved benefits for training young trees as it allows for smaller cuts with less stress to the tree. This is only commonsense, if you allow an undesirable branch to grow all summer, cutting it off in winter will mean a much greater wound for the tree to heal. Summer pruning can often be done just by ‘rubbing off’ an unwanted bud with your fingers. Always avoid pruning on rainy days, as dry weather aids in healing the cuts.

Winter is still a good time to do fruit tree maintenance, such as removing deadwood or crossing branches. Begin by preparing your tools, sharpening secateurs and loppers and apply linseed oil to any wooden handles.

The correct tools make the job easier, the basics you need are: secateurs for small, precise cuts, loppers for removing suckers, especially thorny ones and a good quality pruning saw for the bigger branches.

The only really safe ladder for outside work is a 3-legged orchard ladder, with foot pegs that push into the ground. Safer still is keeping fruit trees pruned low, as the fruit will be within easy reach for foliar feeding and harvesting and there is less risk of a fall.      

Remember your aim in pruning in a home garden is different to that of a commercial grower. It is essential you keep the tree small and manageable, so it can be covered easily to protect the fruit from birds, bats and possums; and in many areas, from fruit fly.

How to begin:

• Step back from the tree and try to see the main branch structure that you need to develop. It is a good idea if you are new to pruning to make a habit of regularly stepping back as you work, to see the tree as a whole. Your aim is primarily thinning the branch structure rather than just shortening every branch.

• Begin by removing all dead or damaged wood, as well as suckers from below the graft. Clear away soil around the suckers and cut as low as possible to prevent a re-appearance.

• Next remove branches growing towards the centre of the tree. These are generally not fruitful and tend to harbour pests and disease. Over-crowding also prevents entry to the centre of the tree by insect eating birds. Always remove branches that are rubbing together. Step back and take another look.

• Aim to prune out narrow-angled branch crotches, as these harbour pests such as borers and can break under the weight of fruit; a 60° angle where any branch joins the main trunk is best.

• Shorten back last season's growth; my general rule is “if I can’t reach it, I cut it off”. Tall fruit trees usually just end up feeding the birds. Most fruit trees can be kept under 3m in height.

• Finish up by removing loose bark with a wire brush; this will help destroy over-wintering two-spotted mite and codling moth grubs. Check for borer damage, particularly in citrus shoots. The first sign you notice may be a shoot wilting. Bend the shoot gently, it will bend at the point that the borer is hiding. Cut the shoot at this point and find the borer and destroy it. A narrow piece of wire is useful for pushing down borer holes to kill borer. Check the crotches of stone fruits for Fruit Tree Moth Borer larvae hiding in sawdust.

Sharpening - All You Need to Know

WINTER CITRUS CARE
Take the following steps to keep your trees in top condition:
Citrus trees are very hungry feeders with high requirements for trace elements, so regularly spray with Natrakelp seaweed fertiliser. Fertilise citrus trees in April/May and remember to water well after fertilising. Spread the fertiliser as evenly as possible to just past the drip-line of the tree. Compost or animal manures can be used starting with about 4 kg for a 1-year-old tree to 20 kg for a mature 8-year-old tree. Blood and bone contains mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, boost it into a more ‘complete’ fertiliser by adding a ¼ cup of sulphate of potash to every kilo of blood and bone. Remember to regularly water from flower bud formation through to fruit set to retain a good crop. Prune in June or July before the spring bud burst in frost-free areas. In frost-affected areas delay pruning until after the last frost. Remove dead or damaged branches, branches growing inwards and very low branches to improve air circulation. After pruning, the lower edge of the canopy should be 60 cm clear of the ground. Always remove shoots from below the graft as soon as possible, as they steal vigour from the tree and if left too long, leave large wounds for disease to enter when they are cut. Gall wasps attack citrus trees and cause swellings in the stems; prune and burn galls before September. If citrus fruit had fruit fly damage the previous year then a regular application of the organically certified fruit fly control Eco Naturalure is needed.
For more detailed information on Organic Citrus Care

COPING WITH AN ABUNDANT HARVEST OF LEMONS OR LIMES

Citrus are easily the most commonly grown fruit tree in Australian backyards, probably because they simply can’t be beaten for usefulness and ornamental appearance. Every garden should have at least one citrus tree, for the fragrance of the blossoms alone. There is a cultivar of citrus for every climate zone; in warmer areas Tahitian limes are a better choice than lemons if there is only room for one tree. A lime tree would always be my first choice of a fruit tree to plant.  Lime trees are smaller than other citrus trees, crop over a longer period, are seedless and less thorny than lemons and the fruit can be used in a similar way. Of the lemons ‘Eureka’ is a good choice for the home garden, it is thornless, has few seeds, is ever-bearing and less prone to fruit fly damage than a ’Meyer’ or ‘Lemonade’.

Once your tree is full size you will have an abundance of fruit to deal with or give away. We preserve our harvest in a variety of ways, probably our favourite being lime/lemon cordial for refreshing summer drinks and lime/lemon butter for toast and pancakes. All the following recipes use lemons or limes interchangeably.

BASIC INSTRUCTIONS:

• Have more clean, dry jars & bottles on hand than you think you will need.

• Always use heavy-based, stainless steel saucepans for your preserving.

• Organic white sugar dissolves much faster than raw sugar, with only a tiny difference in nutritional value, so we generally use white sugar, particularly for preserves like lemon/lime butter.

• Sugar, vinegar or salt are the main traditional preservatives; reducing the quantity within a recipe of any of them may greatly affect the keeping qualities of the finished product.

• Never fill a pot more than 2/3 full (half full for jam or marmalade) as during the cooking process the fruit mixture will froth up and can easily boil over, making a big clean-up job.

• Always bottle jam immediately into a hot, oven-heated jar (do not heat the lids!) and screw the lid down tightly.

• Label with the name and the date and store in a cool place.

LEMON/LIME CORDIAL

• 2.5 kg sugar

• 2 litres of water

• 3 litres of lemon/lime juice

• 25g citric acid (optional)

• thinly sliced rind (optional)

Wash at least 8 glass cordial or juice bottles. Dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat until completely dissolved and the mixture gently simmers. Add the citric acid and stir until it dissolves and add the lemon/lime juice and rind (if using) and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes and remove from the heat. Bottle immediately into bottles that have been rinsed with boiling water to sterilise and turned upside down to drain; they do not need to be dry inside, just hot. Seal  filled bottles immediately.

LEMON/LIME BUTTER

Most recipes for lemon butter only make a cupful or two. I prefer to make a big batch if I'm going to be standing there stirring for a while.

• 350g butter, cut into small pieces

• 900g castor sugar

• 8 eggs, beaten

• thinly pared rind of 6 large lemons (or 9 limes)

Place all ingredients in a double saucepan over gently simmering water. Cook, whisking gently, until the butter has melted & the sugar completely dissolved. Pour the mixture through a strainer & discard the rind. Return the mixture to the double saucepan, cook, stirring frequently for 30-40 minutes or until mixture thickens (it should coat a metal spoon thickly & if you draw your finger across, does not run back together). Pour immediately into jars & seal. Once open, refrigerate. Lemon butter does not keep as well as jam, and should be used within 3-4 months.

TANGY LIME MARMALADE

This is a tart version of marmalade, if you prefer your marmalade quite sweet, increase the sugar to 2kg.

• 1 kg limes

• 1 ½ litres water

• 1 ½ kg sugar

Wash and slice the unpeeled limes thinly, discard any seeds. Soak the limes in a large bowl with the water overnight. Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer gently, covered for about 1 hour or until the rind is soft. Take the pan off the heat and add the sugar, stir over the heat until the sugar is dissolved. Do not allow it to boil before the sugar is dissolved or large sugar crystals will form. Once the sugar is dissolved, bring it to the boil, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. The jam will froth high in the pot, so make sure the saucepan is not too full to begin with. When the jam stops frothing and settles to a hard boil, start testing for setting. To do this, chill a saucer in the freezer at the beginning of the cooking time. Place a spoonful of the hot jam on the cold saucer, put it back into the freezer for a minute, take it out and push your finger across the top of the jam. If it crinkles then it is set. Immediately remove the jam from the heat and bottle and seal. Marmalade sets as it cools so just crinkling well is the best guide to setting point. If you continue to cook it, the pectin responsible for the 'jelly' effect will start to break down and the jam will become syrupy in texture.

MOROCCAN PRESERVED LEMONS/LIMES

• 20 lemons/limes

• 1 cup of coarse sea salt

• extra lemon/lime juice

This is very easy to make and can be used to add a delicious flavour to many savoury dishes. Wash and dry each fruit, cut each fruit into quarters, nearly all the way to the base but keep the fruit intact. Pack each fruit with 1 heaped tablespoon of sea salt. Pack by pushing fruit down hard, until the juice runs, into a large sterilised jar with a plastic lid. Then cover the fruit with extra juice and sprinkle some extra salt. Make sure you choose a jar that your hand fits into easily. Seal the jar and leave for at least 6 weeks. The lemons/limes are ready for use when the skin is tender. Moroccan lemon/limes will keep at least 6 months but should be refrigerated after opening. To use, remove a fruit from the brine, discard any seeds or pith, finely chop the rind. One or two pieces of preserved chopped fruit stirred into yogurt makes a great sauce for fish or lamb. Added to a beef, lamb or chicken casserole it gives a great flavour. Do not add extra salt to a dish without checking for taste, as the brined fruit adds saltiness.

GLOBAL WARMING – A BACK YARD PERSPECTIVE
It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the problem but at least organic gardeners and farmers have always been part of the solution. Organic strategies such as composting, worm farms, green manuring and mulching are designed to keep carbon in the soil where it belongs, rather than in the atmosphere. The Rodale Institute in the USA says, “If only 10,000 medium sized farms in the U.S. converted to organic production, they would store so much carbon in the soil that it would be equivalent to taking 1,174,400 cars off the road.”
58% of humus is carbon so as we build a healthy, fertile, biologically active soil we are also storing carbon. When green waste, lawn clippings, food scraps etc are thrown out with the rubbish and taken to landfill, it doesn’t usually decompose to form compost but instead becomes a rotting mess that gives off methane, a greenhouse gas.
Healthy organic soils offer many benefits to the gardener including increased root development and improved soil aeration, moisture and nutrient retention. They stay warmer in winter due to the heat given off by the abundant living organisms found in organic matter. These soils also have a ‘disease suppressive’ effect. Plant diseases that may be common in stressed, low humus, conventionally farmed soils are often absent in organic soils. The amazing array of living organisms that reside in a healthy organic soil are responsible for the ‘disease suppression effect’.
Soil microbial life includes fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes, predatory nematodes, mites, algae and amoeba. These mainly reside in the top 10 cm of soil. It is not unusual for a healthy soil, high in organic matter, to contain up to 2 tonnes live weight of bacteria per hectare. Even a gram of soil (1/5 of a tsp) can contain 1000 million bacteria, 1 million actinomycetes and 100,000 fungi with hyphae up to 5m long.
This abundant life is responsible for processing any raw organic material into humus and releasing nutrients from rock minerals. Fungi and micro-algae help the soil particles to clump together which improves the soil structure and increases the ‘space’ in the soil. Space is where the action is, without the all-important space there is nowhere for plant roots, soil life, air or water to occupy. Good soil can feel ‘spongy’ to walk on and contain up to 50% space. Soil without space is compacted and lifeless. Without the ‘glue’ produced by the micro-organisms the soil loses structure and becomes ‘dust’, able to be lifted by the wind into a dust storm.