A year ago, Australians were horrified as the price of the humble iceberg lettuce soared from less than $3 to $10. One supermarket was asking $12 for a lettuce and $20 for a punnet of blueberries. Ouch.
Many other vegies jumped in price and every shopper had a price rise horror story. It was a combination of floods, the pandemic, fuel costs and fertiliser shortages, we were told.
The past year has seen poor growing conditions around Australia as the third year of La Niña prevailed – too much rain and lower temperatures. In Victoria, including on the Peninsula, fruit and vegetables prices have edged downwards in the past few months, but they’re still higher than in past years.
And what if it happens again? Experts are predicting the return of El Niño conditions later this year – less rain, higher temperatures, maybe drought.
Is it time for non-gardeners to think about growing food? We asked Mornington Peninsula Magazine’s long-time Edible Gardener columnist Drew Cooper for the lowdown on fending off high prices – some handy hints and inspirational ideas for beginner gardeners.
“It’s a good time to plant broccoli, leafy greens, root crops and potatoes,” Drew said. “Consider growing salad plants, herbs like parsley and easy to cultivate vegetables. Grow lettuce from punnets and let a couple of them go to seed. Simply shake the seed head around a garden bed to create a field of self-sown lettuce.”
A story about a self-seeding cherry tomato next to a brick wall where the cars were parked at a block of flats in Mornington prompted Drew to talk about the minimal garden – container gardening. “You can make a garden on the cheap. Try the tip shop at Rye or Mornington for planter boxes or big pots – and plants. Go on Facebook Marketplace, find some wood and a box of screws and make a raised garden. Marketplace is like a perpetual garage sale – you’ll often find someone who’s having a cleanout. Set it to show items within a specific distance, say 10km, a bit like food miles, to save having to make long journeys.
“Direct-sow radishes, turnips and onions. A $3 packet of seeds can yield heaps of food. Spend $4 on a punnet of eight plants and you’ll get $50 worth of food. Buy punnets of lettuce, radish, bok choy and broccoli – eight to a punnet – and go for it. Feed regularly. Try Seasol, a natural seaweed plant tonic. A worm farm turns your vegie scraps into fertiliser.”
If you haven’t read them, Drew’s columns ‘Edible Gardener’ each month in Mornington Peninsula Magazine, are a mine of information about gardening. And use the internet to look up ‘how to’ videos.
Drew said he started gardening as a youngster. “I made many mistakes in the first five years but, gee, I learnt a lot.” Inspiration came from his grandad in Box Hill, who fought in World War II in North Africa. “He grew food out of necessity after the war.”
Drew said many people want their Peninsula properties to look like show homes so shy away from growing vegies. “This is where container gardening is great. You can keep the place looking tidy – grow some food but still have a nice yard, front or back.”
Drew’s places to buy seedlings and seeds:
- Transition Farm, 675 Truemans Rd, Fingal
- Boneo Market, third Saturday of the month. There are many other markets on the Peninsula; check out our Markets page in every edition of Mornington Peninsula Magazine
- Bunnings. Why not? They have a good range at good prices
- Diggers Club at Heronswood, 105 Latrobe Pde, Dromana, for heirloom vegetables and fruit.
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