We are now in autumn and this is the first Planting Guide of the season.

The following is a list of vegetables and herbs that  you can plant in March in Sydney, a temperate zone. Just click on the name for the growing guide for each vegetable:

• Amaranth
• Beans – broad beans, fava beans
• Beetroot
• Broccoli transplant seedlings
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrot
• Daikon
• Endive
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Mizuna
• Mustard greens
• Parsley
• Radish
• Rocket
• Shallots
• Silverbeet
• Spinach
• Turnip

Plant of the Month: The lovely Liriope muscari

Liriope muscari is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. It is an under-storey plant in China, Japan, and Korea occurring in shady forests at elevations to 1,402m.

It is a slow- growing grass like, rhizomatous,  perennial which forms clumps that expand slowly by short stolens . The clumps grow to 23 – 38 cm high and 30 cm wide. Liriope muscari is commonly used in landscaping in temperate climates and as a ground cover.  Its roots are fibrous, often with terminal tubers but they do not spread aggressively.
(click on the images on this page to see more detail)

The leaves are dark green turning to bronze-green in the winter and are 1 – 2 cm wide and 30-40 cm long.

The small, beautiful infloresences are whorls of dense, violet-purple flowers that emerge along erect racemes (spikes) that emerge from the ground rising above the leaves in late summer.

Lirope muscari flowers resemble those of grape hyacinth especially when in bud stage.

Each tiny flower has 6 tepals, and 6 stamens with violet filaments about 1.5 mm long, attached to the base of the tepals. 

The yellow anthers, also around 1.5 mm long, have two pollen sacs that open through apical pores, with blunt or rounded tips. These reproductive structures are part of the plant’s small, cup-shaped flowers.

The liriope muscari produces single-seeded berries on mature racemes after pollination,in autumn. 

Cultivation:

Liriope muscari is extremely hardy and easy to grow. It require well-draining soil with a pH (6.0 – 7.0)

Select a site with full sun or partial shade. Liriope muscari flowers best in sunny locations.
If your area has extreme summers a position sheltered from the hot afternoon sun is best.

Liriope muscari can be  planted in containers or in a well mulched bed, or an edging that is 45cm  deep. It will grow well to control erosion control on banks or as edging plant beneath trees or around shrubs.

Plant Liriope muscari 30 – 45 cm apart to allow it to grow well. Water regularly as they grow.

After the plants are mature they are drought tolerant and require less water but benefit from additional watering during extreme heat conditions,. Although they like moist soils they do not like wet feet so water when the conditions are dry to ensure that the stolens don’t rot. Plants become dormant in winter and so require less water.

Liriope muscari makes an attractive addition to any garden with its delicately beautiful purple spikes of flowers and strappy green leaves. It is a perfect addition for the water saving garden.