ABC ORGANIC GARDENER ESSENTIAL GUIDES: The popular Essential Guide series, brings together some of Australia’s best gardening writers in a series of guides. The guides are a comprehensive, must-have for every organic gardener. The 124-page, book-quality magazines will serve as a reference for years to come.

Golden oldies

OUR COVER

ABC Organic Gardener Magazine

Growing from the past to ensure our future • ORGANIC GARDENER HORTICULTURAL EDITOR PENNY WOODWARD HAS BEEN GROWING HEIRLOOM VEGIES AND HERITAGE FRUIT FOR DECADES. HERE, SHE EXPLAINS JUST HOW IMPORTANT THESE AGE-OLD EDIBLES ARE TO OUR, AND THE PLANET’S, SURVIVAL.

FROM LITTLE THINGS • FROM HUMBLE SEED TO FLOURISHING PLANT, HEIRLOOM VEGIES ARE REMARKABLE. GROWING YOUR OWN ASSURES SUBLIME FLAVOURS ON YOUR PLATE AND, IF YOU SAVE THE SEEDS, AN ENDURING FOOD FUTURE.

SEED SAVIOURS • A GLOBAL MISSION TO CONSERVE THE GENETIC DIVERSITY OF SEEDS AND HOLD BACK THE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE IS UNDERWAY. MEGAN TROUSDALE MEETS SOME OF THE PEOPLE LEADING THE CHARGE.

Album Vilmorin • Between 1850 and 1895 a series of large-format botanical plates were produced on behalf of then leading French seed company Vilmorin-Andrieux & Co. The plates represent an extraordinary record of the edible plant diversity of the time. Over 1600 cultivars were listed. Shown in this plate are: strawberry ‘Noble’, cabbage ‘Express’, carrot ‘Chantenay Half-long’, pea ‘Telephone Runner’, orach ‘White’ and ‘Deep Red’.

FULL OF BEANS • BEANS ARE ONE OF ANNABEL LANGBEIN’S FAVOURITE CROPS, PRODUCING A PROLIFIC HARVEST FOR MANY MONTHS. HERE SHE TALKS HEIRLOOMS AND SHARES CLEVER BEAN SUPPORT IDEAS.

FACT FILE • PHASEOLUS SPECIES

GARLIC SPRAY

SUPPORT YOUR BEANS!

BOUNTIFUL BROCCOLI • BROCCOLI IS NOT JUST A ONE HEAD WONDER, YOU CAN ALSO EAT THE LEAVES AND FLOWERS AND – WITH THE RIGHT CULTIVARS – ENCOURAGE MULTIPLE HARVESTS OF DELICIOUS SIDE SHOOTS, WRITES JUSTIN RUSSELL.

WHICH CULTIVAR?

BROCCOLI GROWING TIPS

FACT FILE • BRASSICA OLERACEA ITALICA GROUP

CARROTS STRAIGHT UP • JUSTIN RUSSELL BUSTS ONE OF THE BIGGEST MYTHS OF GROWING CARROTS AND LISTS HIS TOP HEIRLOOM CULTIVARS FOR YOU TO TRY IN YOUR PATCH!

Organic vs Conventional

JUSTIN’S TOP CARROT CULTIVARS

FACT FILE • DAUCUS CAROTA SUBSP. SATIVA

CORN RESCUE MISSION • SIMON WEBSTER MEETS A MAN ON A MISSION TO SAVE HEIRLOOM SWEET CORN AND MAIZE CULTIVARS FROM DYING OUT – AND YOU CAN HELP.

TOP TIPS FOR GROWING CORN

HEIRLOOM CORN CULTIVARS

Biodiversity plunge

LETTUCE ENTERTAIN YOU • SUMMER SALADS SING WITH THE INCLUSION OF HOMEGROWN HEIRLOOM LETTUCE. HELEN MCKERRAL SHARES THE BEST HEAT-TOLERANT CULTIVARS, PLUS PLANTING, GROWING AND SEED-SAVING TIPS.

LETTUCES FOREVER

SUMMER SHADE

PEAS DE RESISTANCE • JUSTIN RUSSELL EXPLAINS WHY EVERYONE SHOULD GIVE HEIRLOOM PEAS A CHANCE: THEY’RE EASY TO GROW, TAKE UP LITTLE SPACE AND PRODUCE MASSES OF PLUMP PODS.

FACT FILE PISUM SATIVUM

BURIED TREASURE • PETER CUNDALL LOVES NOTHING BETTER THAN GROWING A BUMPER CROP OF SPUDS THEN DIGGING FOR THE BURIED TREASURE – AND SHOWING OTHERS HOW TO DO THE SAME.

10 SIMPLE STEPS TO NO-DIG SPUDS • PETER CUNDALL’S GUIDE FOR GROWING NO-DIG POTATOES.

TRUE BLUE PUMPKINS • WHEN IT COMES TO VEGIES, FEW ARE AS TRUE BLUE AS THE PUMPKIN, SAYS JUSTIN RUSSELL. HERE HE REVEALS HIS TOP FIVE AUSSIE HEIRLOOM VARIETIES PLUS HOW TO GROW, SAVE SEED AND STORE.

GROWING GUIDE

HOW TO SAVE SEED

STORAGE TIPS

A NEW WORLD OF TOMATOES • PENNY WOODWARD EXPLORES THE EXPANDING WORLD OF TOMATOES WITH NEW CULTIVARS, TOP TASTERS, GROWING TIPS AND MORE.

SEARCHING FOR TOP TASTERS • ENTER THE DIVERSE WORLD OF HEIRLOOM...