The Radish

Winter Citrus

Justin — Tue, 29 May 2012 22:17:59 +0000

In case you hadn’t already noticed the multitude of orange globes hanging from backyard trees all over the Downs, citrus season has arrived and it’s a beauty. I’m getting lots of reports from home growers that their trees are bearing heavily this year. Mandarins in particular are enjoying a bumper season. A couple of gardeners [...]

Ben Hewitt on Milking a House Cow

Justin — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:02:31 +0000

“Our idea of ‘convenience’ has been utterly transformed over the years.” Check out this excellent little post from Vermont writer and smallholder, Ben Hewitt. I’m half way through Ben’s book The Town That Food Saved, and it’s an deeply insightful read. Get’s right to the heart of a few issues with the movement toward local [...]

Zone Out

Justin — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:18:32 +0000

Hello Radishers, Mad May, as I’ve been calling it, is nearly over. This is my busiest month of the year, with Toowoomba Gardenfest and the Hampton Festival bookending four weeks of mayhem in the Russell household. It’s been a wonderful four weeks, full of inspiration and some overwhelmingly positive feedback from my readers, which is [...]

Use Soil Amendments with Caution

Justin — Thu, 17 May 2012 01:54:34 +0000

Gardenfest is finished for another year and in spite of the limited time organisers had to prepare it was another resounding success with good crowds out to enjoy some superb autumn weather. Thanks to all those Secret Garden readers who came up to say hello – it was a privilege to meet you and hopefully [...]

Last Call for Propagation Workshop

Justin — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:17:27 +0000

We still have places remaining for our “Propagating Food Plants” workshop this Saturday, which Kylie and I are running as part of the Hampton Food and Arts Festival (which is on the following day, Sun 20th!). We’ll kick things off with a guided tour of our edible garden, then learn the various techniques that can [...]

Gardens are the Stuff of Life

Justin — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:00:06 +0000

One of the more interesting gardens I’ve come across is ‘Prospect Cottage’ home of the late British film-maker Derek Jarman. Built around an austere fisherman’s cottage at Dungeness, a shingle headland that juts out into the English Channel between Dover and Hastings, Jarman’s garden interests me for a few reasons. One is that it is [...]

Catch Justin at Gardenfest This Weekend

Justin — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:35:55 +0000

Gardenfest is Toowoomba’s premier gardening event, and Radish readers have the opportunity to catch me at various times over the weekend. I’ll be doing some stints on the plant clinic, so come armed with questions and problems (preferably of the gardening kind!), and I have three speaking sessions spread over the three days. I’d love [...]

Persimmon Passion

Justin — Wed, 02 May 2012 01:54:31 +0000

If any culture has an eye for an attractive plant, it’s that of Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun has given us such beauties as camellias, ornamental cherries, Japanese maples, azaleas and…persimmons. I bet you did a double take on that last one. Persimmons? Too right! Though the oriental persimmon is native to China, [...]

Florence Fennel

Justin — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 06:51:18 +0000

Roasting in the oven as I write – the fennel, not my lovely wife!

Rosemary for Remembrance

Justin — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:09:45 +0000

Hello Radishers, To celebrate Anzac Day I want to share one of my favourite articles of the last six years, written back in April 2008. It’s a favourite for a few reasons, not the least of which is that it made my Mum cry. The article must have hit some right notes, so I hope [...]