What's growing on?
Welcome to the September edition of the Gardens for Harvest Newsletter.
Our local Indigenous people- the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation refer to this as Poorneet- Tadpole Season.
September is fantastic for gardeners! So much to plant in most regions of the country. The chill is almost gone from the mornings, and the afternoons are getting longer. Blossoms are bursting and you can smell spring in the air wherever you go. If you have been hibernating through winter now is the time to get out and into it. Read on for some fabulous September gardening advice for your area.
Improve Your Soil
Prepare your Yummy Yard for spring planting by improving your soil. Lightly dig over the soil popping in plenty of organic matter including top-notch compost and well rotted manure. Don’t forget to mulch the beds with a straw mulch. This bed will be awesome come planting time… and you will have the greatest Yummy Yard in the street!
Try some colour
Why not try some lovely colour in your patch as well like nasturtium, snapdragons, phlox, petunias, marigolds (French) and celosia. They are great at attracting pollinators and beneficial insects to your patch, and they look fantastic as well. Now is the time to plant some sunflower seeds. Find a sunny spot where you would like to see some happy sunflowers later in the year and plant the seeds to double the depth of the seed. Cover lightly with dirt and wait… they’ll be popping their heads up in no time!
Citrus Gall Wasp
Check your citrus trees for gall wasp and remove affected sections by pruning well below the gall. Don’t compost this or put it in the green waste bin. It’s a good idea to cut through the gall to expose the larvae to air – which they hate – before putting it in a bag and popping in the rubbish bin. Or you could soak the galls in water for a week or two – or burn them.
Other things you can do are to hang sticky yellow traps on the tree in mid-August as they attract and trap the emerging adults, but make sure you take the traps down by November as they also kill beneficial insects.
Do not use a fertiliser that is high in nitrogen, as this promotes soft growth which provides ideal conditions for the wasp. Use a balanced fertiliser or compost.
A biological form of control – introducing wasps that prey on citrus gall wasp – is used in orchards and home gardens. Megastigmus brevivalvus and Megastigmus trisulcus are natural enemies of citrus gall wasp. They lay their eggs inside the eggs of the citrus gall wasp and when their eggs hatch they destroy the host.
Megastigus brevivalvus is sold to home gardeners in some states, but it is only available for a two-week window around October/November. If you are able to get some of the parasitic wasps, they must be released soon after the citrus gall wasps have emerged.
This is your absolute last chance to do something about gall wasp before they hatch out and take over the world, so don’t put action off!
Mulch Now!
Top up mulch on your veggie patches, herb gardens and ornamental beds. Choose a sustainable, low environmental impact mulch, one that will enrich your soil as it breaks down.
Look after your tools
On really cold days, why not head out to the shed and sharpen, clean, oil and maintain your garden tools. Sounds tedious, but it’s really rewarding, and will save you cash and plant illness in the long run.
Indoor Plants
Now is a great time to re-pot your Indoor Plants. Give them a bit of a feed with a seaweed tonic afterwards to keep them happy.
August gardening tips | Sustainable Gardening Australia (sgaonline.org.au)
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Cool to Cold Areas
- There’s a bit happening in the veggie patch so you could try leeks, onions, parsley, parsnips, cauliflower, peas, radish, silverbeet, lettuce, swedes and turnips. Don’t you just love the start of spring?
- Don’t get over excited… it’s too early for tomatoes just yet!
- In the herb patch pop in some chamomile, dill, coriander, echinacea, catnip and thyme. Also try lemon balm but keep it in a pot, as it has a tendency to take over! Plant these after the frost risk has passed.
- Green manure crops like faba beans, barley, lupin, wheat or field peas are good to go now… improve that dormant veggie patch!
August gardening tips | Sustainable Gardening Australia (sgaonline.org.au)
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Do you follow Gardens for Harvest on Facebook? Here's the link:
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Healing in our Gardens
We are really pleased to announce that our Community Recovery team will be holding the Healing in our Gardens program launch event for our storm impacted community on Saturday 3rd September at Mist@Olinda in the beautiful Botanical Gardens at Olinda. If you were impacted by the June 2021 storm, and would like to learn more about our free Program of events, activities and resources this Healing in our Gardens Program can offer you, please join our Community Recovery team on September 3 rd at this program launch.
You will be able to meet some of the wonderful community groups, nurseries, organisations and people helping us to bring Healing in our Gardens to you, and learn more about or register for upcoming free events, activities and resources available, to help you and our other storm impacted residents, restore, reconnect with or rebuild your private gardens damaged or destroyed in the June 2021 storm or from subsequent clean-up works.
The Healing in our Gardens program will have three main focuses.
- My Garden Sanctuary - where residents can come together and learn more about how to restore, reimagine and rebuild their own gardens
- Lending a Hand - where residents can connect with and support each other and their communities, by sharing their gardening knowledge, experience, or physical skills.
- Beyond my Fence - where residents can come together, learn more and be involved in supporting and caring for their local environment, biodiversity, sustainability, and place.
More details about the September 3 rd Healing in our Gardens Launch event will be shared with our communities and community groups in the coming weeks, via flyers, emails and across our Recovery Website and social media platforms.
We know many still have a long recovery journey ahead, but do hope that Healing in our Gardens provides a positive, meaningful and practical step forward that helps you and our other storm impacted residents to continue your healing journey in and through your garden, home and the beautiful environment which we live within.
If you would like to register your interest to attend our Launch Event on 3 rd September, or receive more information about Healing in our Gardens, please contact Deb Sargentson – Community Recovery at D.Sargentson@yarraranges.vic.gov.au
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PYV 30th Birthday Celebration
Sunday 11th September noon – 4:30pm
maximum 100 participants
Location:
Sydney Halbish Memorial Hall
Don Valley
We are planning an afternoon of celebration for the whole family including:
Lunch – fully catered by Koha Cafe (Warburton) – Vegetarian lunch (including gluten free options) consisting of: Soup, Choice of Curries with rice, Jacket Potatoes with butter & cheese, Side salads.
Keynote speaker – David Holmgren (co-originator of permaculture)
David will be speaking about permaculture and its ability to help create connected and healthy communities and its impact on community.
This is a unique opportunity to listen to and learn from one of the originators of the permaculture concept.
Celebration of our history – Some stories and acknowledgement of our achievements.
Kids entertainment (during the presentations) – ‘The Dreaming Space’ will create ‘Wonder, Joy and Curiosity’ with a permaculture theme for the kids while the formalities are on.
Cost:
$20 per member (18 y.o. and over)
$25 per person – non-member (18 y.o. and over)
$15 per person – (youth 11 to 17 y.o.)
Free for Children 10 y.o. and younger
Please book early, as this event is limited to 100 people.
Events – Permaculture Yarra Valley
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September Gardens for Harvest Workshop
Preparing for Warm Season Growing with Stu Ryder
This workshop will cover a range of topics to improve summer gardening success, including:-
selecting and propagating appropriate warm season crops, soil & garden preparation, crop rotation & successional plantings, summer green manuring, watering strategies, and managing healthy plants for high yield.
Bio
Stu has over 20 years experience as a backyard grower, small scale organic market gardener and permaculturist. He’s propagated 10’s of thousands of seedlings, and experimented with many techniques to improve quality, quantity and consistency applicable to small scale growing. He’s passionate about promoting backyard production to improve localisation and resilience in our fragile food systems.
Thanks to Eastern Regional Libraries for hosting this event for us. This will be at the Lilydale Library.
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL via this link:
Yarra Ranges Council - Warm Season Planting Workshop With Stuart | Eastern Regional Libraries (yourlibrary.com.au).
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Yarra Valley Food Network
Inspiro is excited to announce the launch of the Yarra Valley Food Network website, in partnership with Yarra Ranges Council, Bendigo Bank (Warburton and Yarra Junction) and Koha Café.
YVFN is an online hub for bartering, swapping, selling and giving away excess local produce. The website is designed for EVERYONE to have access to information about locally grown and produced foods. The website encourages, enables and shares information, supporting the health of the community and supports local growers, even backyard ones!
Website: www.yvfn.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/yvfoodnetwork
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Nourish Network
A support service for disadvantaged school families. Our members enjoy morning tea and a chat or participate in a craft activity, and collect a self-selected food parcel. We have a variety of fruit, veg, and bread along with dairy and frozen meals when available.
During our monthly "market days", we may also have non-perishable food, pre-loved clothing, a masseuse & occasionally a hairdresser.
Nourish Network Yarra Ranges Council
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Connecting community with resources & contact form
Do you have a resource to add to this page? Or a kitchen, some land, a garden or space to share with a community group? Please let us know so we can add it to our available list of resources.
Other Resources - Yarra Ranges Food Connections
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Mooroolbark Urban Harvest – Food Swap
- When: Monthly on the 2nd Saturday @ 10:00 – 11:30am
- Where: Red Earth Community Park Brice Ave, Mooroolbark VIC 3138
- Contact: Claire Smith Ph:0425 700 280
- Cost: Free.
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The Valley Market ECOSS
Market @ ECOSS
Come visit us every Friday from 3:30pm-6:00pm
at Yarra Valley ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn.
http://www.ecoss.org.au
Market @ Warby
The Valley Market Warburton replaces the Warby Summer Produce Market. First Sunday of the month 11am-3pm.
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Indigenous perspectives on decolonial futures
Event description
This online gathering aims to explore cultural difference, Western culture, colonisation, modern societies as well as Indigenous worldviews, perspectives and philosophies from around the world, including Australia, Africa, New Zealand and the Americas. Practical decolonial actions that flow from these perspectives will also be considered along with potential emergent decolonial futures. Formats will include presentations, interactive exercises in small breakout groups and general questions and discussion.
This gathering will be facilitated by Dr. Yin Paradies, an Aboriginal-Asian-Anglo Australian of the Wakaya people from the Gulf of Carpentaria. Yin is Professor of Race Relations at Deakin University, where he conducts research on racism and anti-racism as well as teaching and researching Indigenous knowledges and decoloniality. He is a radical anarchist scholar and ecological activist who is committed to understanding and interrupting the devastating impacts of modern societies. He seeks meaningful mutuality of becoming and embodied kinship with all life through transformed ways of knowing, being and doing that are grounded in wisdom, humility, respect and generosity. Yin lives in the intentional community of Moora Moora, having moved to the mountain in 2020 to be in community, cultivate a closer connection to Country, and engage in an ethos of down-shifted collective sufficiency, voluntary simplicity, frugality, direct democracy and radical localisation.
Date and time
Sun 13th Nov 2022, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Online Event
Zoom link will be emailed on the day of the event.
Indigenous perspectives on decolonial futures, Hosted online, Sun 13th Nov 2022, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm AEDT | Humanitix
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How do I stop a cockatoo from attacking my property?
Flocks of sulphur crested cockatoos are known to aggressively attack wood on trees, decks, outdoor furniture, window sills and houses. Such destruction is common, particularly in spring. There are many theories why they do this, but they do like to chew, particularly soft woods used for building, such as cedar.
How to deter cockatoos
Cockatoos are very intelligent and a well-planned strategic program needs to be set up to deter them.
- don't feed them - they will congregate where there is food and leave when the supply is gone, so check no one else nearby is feeding them
- make a scarecrow that looks like a bird of prey
- string fishing line over the area - this makes it hard for them to land
- paint any timber white - they do not like it
- give them a quick spray with a water bottle or hose
- hang netting over the affected area
- use taped alarm calls or a motion-activated alarm (providing it does not disturb your neighbours).
Persist until the birds go - this may take more than a week.
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November 1st to 30th 2022
Urban Agriculture Month 2022
Growing Edible Towns and Cities
From 1 to 30 November 2022, join us for the second national #UrbanAgricultureMonth. The month will feature a range of self-generated events, from open gardens, workshops, guided tours, communal feasts, and other hands-on learning experiences.
To get #UAM2022 ready, read the below guidelines for a quick overview of what UAM is all about. Then, add the details of your event to the online form - your event will be featured on our events map ready to be shared far and wide!
Urban Agriculture Month 2022 -
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Yarra Valley Regional Food Group.
Runs 3rd Sunday Every Month
In line with the world's fastest growing food trend for seasonal fresh produce the inaugural Yarra Valley Regional Farmers Market was held in March 1998. The concept has been an outstanding success for regional producers, for local consumers and for visitors, many of whom come to the Yarra Valley specifically to check out the region's growing reputation for exceptional and exciting food and wine.
Yarra Valley Food Group
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July Bee Group Meeting
September Bee Group Meeting & AGM
Sun, 18 Sep 2022
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Annual General Meeting of the Yarra Valley Bee Group will be held in person (only) on 18th September 2022 beginning at 2pm.
Please note that to avoid the Grand Final Weekend, we have moved our meeting to a week earlier than usual.
This will not be on the last Sunday of the month - but the week before.
Monthly Speaker - TBA
In preparation for the AGM meeting, please view the following:
AGM Minutes 2021
Agenda
Committee Nomination Form
Proxy form
All are welcome to attend the AGM. However, only financial members are entitled to vote. If you are unsure of your financial status, please email us to check at yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com
Do you love your Bee Group?
Do you want it to continue?
Then we need your help!
To allow this great club of ours to continue, we need nominations for the Office Bearers for the YVBG Committee. These include President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
You don't need to be an experienced beekeeper to nominate for these roles. Whether you're a Newbee or an Oldie, we'll look after you!
Like any club, there is a lot going on behind the scenes. However, the more help we have, the more we can grow. Please join our friendly and focused committee so that together we can help our YVBG group thrive. Did I mention that there are only four meetings a year!
Click here for position descriptions or go ahead and fill out a Committee Nomination Form. Please return to us no later than the 16th September.
Positions are also available for the General committee. Examples of how you could help as a general committee member:
- Book Borrowing and Equipment Library
- Newsletter
- Social media
- Help to coordinate our presence at public events
- Monthly meeting coordination
- Membership Coordination
- Swarm Collection and Bee removal
Want to talk to someone before committing? Feel free to email us on yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com
Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the newly renovated ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom).
Yarra Valley Bee Group | TidyHQ
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Healesville Community Garden
Growing delicious food, celebrating community and getting creative is what we love doing at Healesville Community Garden. Located at Coronation Park, River Street, Healesville 3777
Follow this link for details:
Healesville Community Garden Yarra Ranges Council
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Yarra Valley ECOSS Community Garden
Our community garden is a place for everyone to come and get their hands dirty while creating community connections and new friends. You can propagate seeds for the garden in our nursery. You are welcome to come in and have some fun Tuesday to Friday between 9am and 4pm. If you would like to come and volunteer in the garden and you haven’t before please go to the contact page or drop in and have a chat with us and we will get you started.
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♻️🥕 A rebate of up to $40 is available to Yarra Ranges residents to purchase eligible items for home composting and to start composting their food waste at home.
👩🌾🌱 Food waste makes up around 40% of the contents of our rubbish bins. Composting at home helps to reduce our food waste and creates valuable soil additives that can be used in vegetable and ornamental gardens.
Find out more and apply on the Yarra Ranges website »
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Gardens for Harvest would like to respectfully acknowledge that we are operating on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Woi Wurung language group of the Kulin Nation.
We wish to work respectfully with our local elders and community members, to protect and care for country. We send our respects to our local Indigenous community and all First Nations people, as well as all natures inhabitants on the earth, under the earth, in the water and in the sky. The seen and unseen.
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