How to grow your own garlic

Imported garlic is treated with methyl bromide as a biosecurity requirement, so if you can, buy Australian garlic or better yet, grow your own.

Garlic likes well-prepared soil with plenty of organic matter; it dislikes competition from weeds. Picture: Xuan Nguyen

Imported garlic is treated with methyl bromide as a biosecurity requirement, and can also be bleached and treated with growth regulators. So if you can, buy Australian garlic or grow your own. It’s relatively easy to grow and doesn’t take up a lot of space. Although garlic generally prefers cooler climates, there are so many different varieties (more than 1000 worldwide) that it’s a matter of knowing which ones suit your climate.

Australian garlic guru Penny Woodward, whose book Garlic is the ultimate guide, says: “Garlic seems to have its own idiosyncratic nature, due to its clonal origins. As well as day length, it is the combination of climate – temperature and rainfall in particular – and soil type that determine which cultivar will grow best in a certain region.” Her book includes details of 60 cultivars grown in Australia. Day-length neutral cultivars such as Southern Glen and Italian Pink are recommended for the sub-tropics.

Ideally, buy your cloves from a local farmers’ market, or try several types to see which work best. Planting is from March to June, with harvesting 7-8 months later. Garlic likes well-prepared soil with a pH of 6 to 7, and plenty of organic matter; it dislikes competition from weeds.

Philodendrons

Philodendrons are low-maintenance, easy-to-grow foliage plants that are great for indoors, or shady and sheltered outdoor spots.

Philodendron verrucosum.

Philodendron Rojo Congo.

They range from climbing and trailing varieties to mounded, self-supporting types, in a range of colours, textures and sizes. Try these four varieties.

Philodendron Birkin.

Philodendron Pink Princess.

Q&A

My navel orange tree has always been prolific but this year the oranges are splitting open before they’re ripe. Is the tree lacking nutrients, or is a pest to blame?

Jan Poole, by email

According to citrus experts Bruce Morphett and Ian Tolley, thin-skinned navel oranges and mandarins can split in autumn when the internal pulp pressure is increasing and external fruit growth is decreasing. Mild days and cool humid nights reduce water losses from the leaves and increase uptake from the roots, boosting sap pressure. Other possible causes include sudden growth spurts, excessive rain and weather conditions that warm the fruit during the day but frost them at night. Lack of copper and calcium can also contribute.

My Duranta hedge, probably 60 years old, has some fast-growing stems with long thorns taking over from the non-spiny growth. It’s also quite wide. How should I prune it?

Leona Coleman, Adelaide

It’s common for durantas to develop thorns as they mature; once that happens you can’t stop it. Although they tolerate hard pruning to reduce their height and width, they will probably grow back even more vigorously. You might consider replacing the ageing hedge with something that requires less pruning, isn’t thorny and woody, and doesn’t have poisonous fruits. It’s certainly a big job but you’d reap the benefits over the coming years.

My roses are struggling to bounce back after the recent deluges. How can I help them?

Brigid Burford, Capalaba, Qld

You’re part way between the usual summer prune-and-fertilise in February (which promotes autumn growth and flowers) and the major prune in July. Heavy rain will have leached out the soil nutrients. Given your warm climate, you could prune them by a third or so now and feed them well to stimulate new growth, then delay the main prune until the end of July. Feed again generously in late August.

Charlie Carp fertilisers.

Send your questions to: [e-mail] The best question for May will win a pack of Australian made and owned Charlie Carp fertilisers, worth $112. April’s winner is Lauren Henry of Perth for asking, should one wee on one’s lemon tree?