Gardening writer JACKIE WARBURTON tackles apples and garlic in this week’s practical column. 

IT’S almost apple-picking time and, hopefully,  the codling moth has been kept at bay. 

Long over-growth towards the top of the apple tree can be pruned now to allow better airflow for the fruit and get the last of the sunshine to colour them up. 

Prune to a downward-facing bud to slow growth of these large shoots. 

Granny Smith’s should be left on the tree until the first frost to sweeten their flavour. 

Companion planting of marigolds and chives under apple trees is said to prevent apple scab, so it’s worth a try. Apples and potatoes are not good companions and don’t store well together. 

BOX hedges need to have been trimmed by now to protect them from the cold weather. 

They must be only pruned in dry weather to prevent any fungal diseases such as Buxus blight and to prevent them from going a bronze colour. 

This fungal disease causes rapid defoliation, which begins at ground level and moves quickly up the shrub. It looks like they could be waterlogged, but white fungal spores on the leaves are a giveaway, too. 

The key to keeping this fungal disease at bay is to keep the plant in top health and good drainage. Buxus blight can be treated with a fungicide. Cut it out and dispose of diseased material into the green bin. 

PLANTING choices for the veggie garden are waning as the weather cools. Broad beans can be started now but won’t produce pods until the weather warms in spring. 

There still is time for open-leaf lettuces and onions but, most importantly, it’s garlic-planting time in Canberra. 

Planting garlic at the right time and establishing it before the winter’s cold will give them a good start.

Plant garlic where there’s been tomatoes and potatoes growing to maximise the soil nutrients and keep with a crop-rotation program. 

Garlic needs a weed-free, well-prepared, quality soil to produce a good crop. 

Purchase garlic from a reputable supplier at the local markets or Australian seed suppliers but, most importantly, don’t use the garlic bought from the supermarket as it’s been sprayed with a growth inhibitor and won’t be successful. 

There are two main groupings of garlic, and they are either soft neck or hard neck. Hard-neck garlic, such as red and purple garlic, mature quickly; the soft neck will grow slower and needs to be used fresh as it doesn’t store well. 

Locally, the best to try are Red, Italian White and Monaro Purple. The yield should generally be a kilo to  three bulbs of garlic planted, 10-15 centimetres apart. 

This way you can work out how much needs to be planted for the kitchen without running out throughout the year. 

If garlic is planted now, this crop should be ready for harvest around October/November. During winter apply nitrogen-based fertiliser to increase the bulb size before harvesting in spring. 

Keep moist but not wet. A wet winter can cause the bulbs to rot, so protect them, if needed, from extra moisture. 

RED-flowering gums, Corymbia ficifolia are in flower and putting on a show with the wet summer we’ve  had. 

They can be a little tricky to grow in Canberra and need a sheltered spot where the frost won’t damage them. 

It’s a small, fast-growing tree that reaches 10 metres tall. An evergreen, it’s endemic to WA. I’ve never seen one in Canberra above four metres or so. 

THE nights are now getting cool and frost is imminent. Potted plants that are frost tender will need to begin a transition to a sheltered spot under a tree or under the eaves of the house. 

Creating a microclimate in the garden can help with disrupting cool-air movements around the plants and therefore minimise frost damage. 

Jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au