Tasmania was where I first grew quince. The tree was easy, the harvest generous, and the fruit looked extraordinary. Then I bit into one straight off the tree and understood immediately why quince paste exists. Cook it though, and something remarkable happens. It is one of the more rewarding things you can make from a fruit tree, and the result lasts for months. Worth every bit of the effort.
When we moved to the Macleay Valley we inherited two mango trees. One needed work. The other produced over two hundred fruit in the first season. We stood under it in December not entirely sure what we were going to do with two hundred mangoes. Turns out there are plenty of answers to that question.
We bought this tree in Victoria, where it survived being eaten to the ground by the sheep. Twice. Each time it came back. It made the move to NSW with us and is now producing fruit that looks like something out of a still-life painting and tastes better than any orange I have bought from a shop. The sheep are fenced out. Mostly.
I have killed more lemon trees than I care to admit. Leaf curl, black spot, ants farming aphids, then gall wasp before I even knew what gall wasp was. What I’ve worked out since is that most of it was the same problem in different forms. A stressed tree is a tree broadcasting an invitation. Fix the stress and most of the rest follows.
Hot, humid, and unforgiving if you get the timing wrong. Summer means fast growth, heavy watering, and keeping a close eye on what the heat does to your soil. The right crops in the right beds make all the difference.
The garden finds its feet again in autumn. Temperatures drop just enough to make growing enjoyable, and the soil still has warmth from summer. It’s the season that rewards anyone who plants a little early and stays patient.
Cool nights, reliable rain, and a surprisingly productive patch if you plan for it. Winter is brassica season on the Mid North Coast, and the slower pace suits crops that bolt the moment summer shows up.
Everything wants to grow in spring, including the weeds. Get the beds ready early, watch the soil temperature, and don’t rush the warm-season crops before the last cold snap has actually passed.
