My (edible) plant list.
Rocks
I made a survey of plants which are currently growing (some of them with a
hope and an unqualified prayer) in my (Brisbane, Australian suburban)
garden. The list is mainly to supply seeds/plants for Len and Bev's new
block (and for
my own interest) and to trade (info) with anybody else who has time enough
to make such a list (I would certainly be interested in who is growing what,
where, and how they are doing). My intention was/is to add
comments/qualifications to the individual plants on the list, describing
what I knew about them (mostly observations, I dont 'know'
anything but I like to try things to see what happens) and I will attempt to
do that. If
anyone has any experience (in any context) with any of these plants (what
works in your context, how you use, preserve. cook, eat them) that would be
welcome info (even if irrelevant to my context).
I almost certainly won't finish it in one hit but I will make a start and go
as far as my abysmal typing takes me.
Basil
Bought the plants(2) at the Mount Gravatt Sunday market. From the books I
think it is Italian sweet basil. My neighbour has the same basil and warned
me that it self seeds everywhere. I took a cutting and stuck it in the
(chinese water chestnut) tub, it grew roots so I took it out of the water
and planted it in potting soil. It is still going as far as I know (I traded
it to a local Thai restaurant in exchange for some Galangal tubers, which I
have yet to pick up).
Bay Laurel
Bought at a local gardening show. Not a very well structured tree so I will
probably put it in a bigger pot and use it to take cuttings.
Beetroot
Tried to grow this a few years ago, without success. Recently came across
the seed packet, which was past its use-by date, so I just scattered them
round the garden. The plants appear to be growing reasonably well but I will
reserve judgement till I see some tubers. Don't like pickled beetroot much
(Sheena does) but I have a recipe for fresh beetroot which sounds nice, so
I will try that.
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) (balsam pear, karella, alligator pear)
Self seeded up the back of the garden about six years ago. I didn't know
what it was, looked like a cucumber with leprosy (Sheena's description). The
cucumbers turned yellow and split to drop bright red fleshy (coated) seeds,
which I ate. They were very nice and fruity but there was not much flesh so
it was interesting rather than productive. I did not see the plant again for
five years and regretted not saving some seeds. Then last year they came up
in abundance and I started to see them in the local market (the grower said
that the seeds should not be eaten!). I have since found them described in
an asian herb book and asked some local vietnamese about them. They are very
bitter so nobody wanted to bother with them so they have seeded again and
are coming up this year as well.
Cape Gooseberry (physalis)
Stolen from a neighbour's garden. These look like being a great potential
crop, grow like weeds, self seed, dont need watered and bear profusely (I'm
describing my neighbours plants, mine are still seedlings from those
plants). The fruit is small but very tasty (mixture of orange and
gooseberry) and encased in a papery covering (so no problems with fruit
fly). They bear in the winter/spring dry season and the casings with the
ripe fruit fall on the ground. If they are not picked up (my neighbour
doesnt bother with them) they will dry in the casing and make great
'raisins'. I gathered a lot and scattered them everywhere in the garden as
well as planting some in pots about six weeks ago. They have just started to
grow (in the pots) in the last ten days (it was a full moon, but maybe the
wrong one :). I have (so far) six seedlings and about ten 'raisins' (with
about a dozen seeds in each) and access to more if required.
Caraway?
One potted plant bought at a gardenshow. Not doing at all well (hence the
?). I have recently scattered some store bought seeds (a packet of spices,
grown in Turkey, probably irradiated but maybe they will surprise me).
Cardamom?
Bought about six years ago and kept in a pot on the front patio. Recently
repotted it and discovered it was multiple small plants (exactly sixty).
Some have since died but I have at least thirty growing strongly and the
others may yet recover. The question mark on this one is because I am not
yet sure that it is really cardamom. That is what it was sold as but I will
have to wait for it to flower (and fruit) to be sure. Hopefully the
repotting and planting in various parts of the garden will encourage one of
the plants into productivity.
Celery
Bought as seedlings from the local market, likes a raised bed, grows like
mad. we have five plants, which is four and a half more than we have been
able to use. The big grasshoppers have recently developed a taste for them
so they are helping out. Will probably leave to seed and use the seeds for
spices and planting.
Chervil?
Another recent potted purchase which looks unlikely to survive the summer. I
am keeping it in water, in the shade but even at this time of year it
suffers badly if I put it in the sun for ten minutes.
Chillies (tiny fruity)
Don't know what they are called, invented the name. They are very small
(about the size of a plump baked bean) with shiny red flesh, very hot and
deliciously fruity. They are my favourite (flavouring) chillie. Originally
bought from a local nursery, I attempted to grow seedlings for about four
years, without success. I concluded that the seeds were not fertile and
intended to propagate from cuttings (but did'nt get around to it). Last year
a new plant appeared in a pot with an agapanthus (which I was trying to get
rid of and now I'm stuck with) so I will make another attempt at growing it
from seed).
Chillies (lethal)
Another invented name. One plant appeared in the front garden bed (with the
agapanthus, I wonder if that is a new companion planting combination, I
would put up with the agapanthus if it helped the chillies :). The chillies
are red, 20-40mm long and look like a small wrinkled jalapeno and they are
extremely hot (a tentative nibble of the flesh, avoiding pith and seeds,
will kill your lips for two hours, don't even think about using your hands
if you must go to the loo). I have seen the same shaped (and just as hot)
chillie (at the Thai restaurant) but it was bright yellow when it was ripe.
Chillies jalapeno
These self seeded and have spread to various parts of the garden. They are
mild enough to eat raw but they are the fruit fly's second favourite
chillie, so they will probably be brined and pickled green (Fresh bacon
topped bread, hot out of the oven with lashings of peanut butter and pickled
green jalapenos, absolutely disgusting :).
Chillies Birdseye
Original plant bought at a local market about ten years ago. After about
three years multiple seedlings sprang up around the base. I dutifully potted
about 40 of these and (extolling their virtues) gave them away to neighbours
and friends, then it died! I think it was trying to tell me something. I
begged a seedling back from a neighbour and now have about six growing
around the place. These are the standard small, erect, red chillies used in
southeast asian cooking (as opposed to Indian, I dislike the metallic taste
of Indian chillies). These supply the bulk of the chillie paste we use
throughout the year and generally more than we can use (we use it quite
often but one level teaspoon in a mutton curry is enough to make your eyes
water).
Chillies tricorn
Again I don't know the name. I saw a picture of a similar (but much less
regularly shaped) one called a scotch hat (obviously a sassenach invented
name) so I called it after a tricorn hat. This is the fruit fly's favourite
chillie, to the extent that I ripped out all of the fruiting plants last
year and did sadistic things to the baby maggots. It is another red chillie,
about the size of a plum, relatively mild (like a cross between a capsicum
and a chillie, if you avoid the seeds and pith), which is excellent to eat
green when wandering around the garden. It is an extremely prolific bearer,
hundreds of fruit per plant, which makes it difficult to keep up with, it
self seeds very (too) easily so in spite of last year's holocaust there are
at least sixteen new plants just coming into fruit currently in the garden.
This year I will try to harvest the fruit in smaller batches and probably by
cutting off the branches to try and keep ahead of the fruit fly, dump them
into brine for 10 - 14 days, then pickle them with the jalapenos.
Chinese Water Chestnuts
Bought some chestnuts at the permaculture fair two years ago, planted them
(in compost) in an old concrete laundry trough (which was a triple until I
dropped it). The trough is just off the back verandah and pretty well
shaded by trees at either side. They grow quite well (better if they are
just covered with water when they are first planted then increase the water
depth as the shoots grow). I planted six and harvested twenty eight. The
water is the major problem, it evaporates, stray dogs, possums, birds etc
drink or bathe in it, mosquitoes and algae treat it as their personal
paradise. I ended up stocking it with fish (10 white cloud minnows) to eat
the mossie larvae and (3) ramshorn snails to eat the algae (the snails bred
up but I managed to find them a good home in a neighbours pond). It was more
fascinating than productive and I had hoped, this year, to replace the
laundry trough with a glass aquarium, but the local market aquarium maker
said the glass would shatter outside in summer, particularly with the
temperature differences in dappled sunlight. It made sense so I bought a
cheap version which will spend a summer on the back verandah to see if it
survives before I risk the expensive version.
Citrus unidentified
Citrus seeds germinate very readily in my soil and there are currently
between 25-30 citrus mysteries in the garden. They do not all appear to be
the same type (I hope not) and range in size from 20mm to 4 metres. I keep
hoping the biggest one will set fruit (estimated to be about 5 years old) so
I can find out what it is and whether it is worth keeping (or grafting
onto). It is in a relatively windy position which is supposed to inhibit
them from setting fruit, time will tell.
Comfrey
Divided from Len's plants while I was babysitting during his transmigration.
They are all in pots and all growing flowers and seed heads. I will collect
the seeds for me, Len and posterity.
Coriander
I bought a (one kilogram) packet of seed from a vietnamese supermarket (no
Idea of their country of origin) and, in the spirit of nothing ventured,
nothing gained (another spirit had a lot to do with it) I scattered hundreds
everywhere in the garden. I had too little faith! I now have hundreds of
plants, I have harvested about two kilgrams of dried seed and have given
about three kilograms of green seeds to a local restaurant (they are superb
flavouring when the new green leaves are out of season, as they are here
now). There are now thousands of feral seeds in the garden so I expect the
weeds are going to have to find another home next year.
Cucumber (Giant Russian)
Seeds from 'Green Harvest' Organic Gardening Supplies (Maleny). This is my
(so far) only successful cucumber in this climate. I have grown apple
cucumbers (first year was the best) but have only had (not harvested, I
think it might be one of Sod's laws that if you grow a great plant it will
climb over the fence and grow it's best fruit in your neighbour's yard)
three cucumbers from an estimated thirty plants. With the Giant Russian we
had effectively 100% germination from the initial planting (in a front bed
so they draped over the wall and hung down to the footpath). We harvested
more than we could eat and gave some away. I saved the first (which was the
biggest and the best) for seed (which, with the benifit of hindsight, was
probably not the best plan) and we also left the fruit on the vines till
they were ripened (my prejudice is that a fruit ripened on the plant will
develop a full and robust flavour, but, in the case of cucumbers, it also
develops a robust texture). Next crop will be harvested young. We (meaning
Sheena, I is me, we is Sheena, perks of the typist), planted 79 seeds from
our best fruit and got absolutely nothing germinated, confusing!. I recently
came across the remains of that cucumber (shrivelled up in a bowl under the
back verandah, and I wanted to use the bowl), so I planted all the remaining
seeds (about sixty) in every bed in the garden. Lots of germination! plants
everywhere, so if you want to plant Giant Russian cucumber in Brisbane, do
it in October (none of this, 'if you dont get frosts, you can plant anything
anytime'). The plants seem to bear only male flowers for about three weeks
(which is a bit of a worry the first time it happens) but they do the right
thing eventually. If you do leave the cucumbers to fully ripen on the vine
they dry inside and become a bit hollow so they are only suitable for
cooking (stuffed).
Cumin?
Another experiment, seeds, bought as spice packets, in a local (Greek)
delicatessan and planted (very recently). There are some sprouts which look
promising but it is too early to tell.
Dill?
Bought as a bunch of herbs at the local market (I suspect hydroponic), still
had the roots attached so I planted it (as a bunch, I was unable to
disentangle the numerous plants without damage). It does not look well and I
have grave doubts that it will survive. I may buy another bunch and attempt
to extract the strongest plant and see if that survives.
Eggplant
Sheena planted this, don't know where it came from, it is very fragile and
susceptable to disease and predators in my soil (and I don't like it, so It
does not get well looked after). There are/were two plants which were very
stop/start in their growing cycle, such that they eventually were overtaken
and shaded by surrounding plants. particularly celery, tobacco and
coriander. I had forgotten their existence in that bed until I harvested the
coriander seeds and ripped out the plants. There were two fruit (which were
ripe and yellow and past edible) which will be saved as seed, (although I
think they are a waste of space and overrated, I much prefer a young New
Guinea Gourd in a moussaka). They are also currently severely debilitated by
a mite infestation (which I suspect arrived with these plants, which is
convenient since Sheena bought them :) which has devastated many of the
plants in the garden this year, (paticularly capsicum, tomatoe and mustard).
Endive
Another one bought as a bunch of herbs with (bare) roots attached, at the
local market (probably hydroponic). Sheena bought it for eating ( endive is
about as wersh as Sheena can tolerate) so I tore the top off (rather than
cut it, to preserve the growing tip) and planted the roots. This one worked
very well and we got another crop from it before it went to seed. It has
very pretty cornflower blue flowers (and dozens of flowers) but I do not
recognise any seed carriers (was expecting a standard brassica set of pods
but I have not seen that and I suddenly think I should go and look it up
before I get hit by another Sod's Law).
Fava Beans
Bought from an Indian supermarket in one kilogram packets, scattered around
the garden as a trial, grew very well. Planted them last year as a green
manure crop in a bed I wasn't using (very shaded in the winter). Changed my
mind and decided to use the soil from that bed to make a raised bed in a
more sunny part of the garden. The area had been a flower bed and I
(sneakily) had ventured (flowers are Sheena's responsibility) that the
flowers (daylilies, spider lilies, hippeastriums, evening primrose, red hot
pokers) were not doing all that well but if I built up the bed with lots of
compost rich soil they would probably do better. They are, but they are in a
neat line along the crest of the bed and the flanks are planted with
edibles. The soil I used was full of Fava beans (Egyptian brown beans if you
prefer) and they grew very well, I picked (and ate) quite a lot of them
green and they are very nice. The bulk of the plants were harvested when the
majority of bean pods dried (to a disconcerting black), spread on newspaper
to dry for four days then shelled and left to dry some more (still there). I
weighed the dried beans (500 gm), since they only cost $2.50 per kilogram,
the game might not be worth the candle, but I love Ful Medames and if I ever
manage to get the recipe right, I will be delighted (even bought a cooker
from Egypt, didn't help a bit). They are easy to grow (can be deeply buried
and still push their way to the surface) look very nice (rich light green
with white and black orchid like flowers). They do (mine anyway) develop a
virus (brown spotted leaves) as they grow older, which spreads fairly
rapidly and will kill the plants if allowed to. I pull infected leaves off
younger plants as I see them and by the time it gets away from me the beans
are usually ready to harvest anyway, probably not kosher but it works for
me.
Garlic
Last year was a disaster year for garlic here (the garlic equivalent of 'the
year of the short corn and the wee tatties'), the cloves at harvest time
were (generally) smaller than the cloves I planted. I planted 130 cloves
(first full moon in April, next year I will try first full moon in March.
The Greek Cypriot lady who sold me the garlic said April but, herself,
planted in March and was the only one I know locally who got a crop at all,
I suspect a bit of shrewd marketing) and have harvested about six bulbs with
four or more cloves. I have left the remainder (if there is one) in the
ground in spite of dire warnings (which are probably accurate) that they
will just rot away when the wet season starts. I bought 27 kilograms (9 x 3
kilogram braids) of the GC lady's garlic (about 25% of her crop) so I am
well prepared for both food supplies and next years planting.
Garlic chives
Don't remember where they came from, struggled for years in a very shaded
bed which I mainly used for building soil, I decided to use the soil
elsewhere and transplanted the garlic chives into pots, they went berserk, I
now have four large pots full and a (sort of) hedge up the driveway. We use
them a lot more than we did (sour cream or lemon curd cheese and garlic
chives on potatoes or with fish, Luverly!).
Garlic (Giant Russian)
I know it's not really garlic, but it is still great to eat and bloody
expensive ($25.50 per kilogram for 'organically grown' here last year) so I
would like to grow my own. I planted about 12 (of the above gold plated
cloves) at various times and harvested slightly more than I planted. Some
plants grew only one clove while others produced four, but, as I said, it
was a disasterous year for garlic so I will probably give it another go. On
the positive side, two of the plants have gone to seed and I will attempt to
grow from those in the hope that they will have a better chance of being
acclimatised to my garden (instant evolution :). On the negative side, the
GC lady says they are a waste of space in this climate. She tried to grow
them for four years and gave up (but she also says, every time I see her,
that if I had planted the garlic when she told me (which I did), I would
have had a bumper crop (which I didn't) and I would not have had to buy a
quarter of her crop (which I did)), so I would love to get a good crop of
these, just for devilment.
Ginger
From the local market, in season (when it is less than $3.00 per kilogram),
I buy one or two kilograms and stick it in a dark cupboard. As the tubers
sprout, the sprouts are broken off and planted in any relatively shady spot
in the garden. From then on they are generally forgotten and left to get on
with it. This works but I could probably do better with a bit more effort (I
actually grew larger tubers in a pot indoors in Adelaide). We use a lot of
ginger so I should probably be more concientious with something that is so
easy to grow.
Grapes (Green muscat)
Ted's folly! Grapes are difficult to grow in this climate (like a wet cold
winter and a hot dry summer, we have the opposite). It is hanging on with
admirable courage and has produced for the the first time this year, four
grapes, (not four bunches, one bunch with four grapes). When it begins to
look like cruelty to let it struggle on I will pull it out.
Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) (Yam bean, Mexican Water Chestnut, Potato bean)
Seeds from 'Green Harvest'. Disappointing germination on the first planting
(four seedlings from fifteen seeds, two of which subsequently died). Left
the two survivors to go to seed and planted the seeds this year. Germination
is about 80% and I have about 32 plants growing from seed. There are also
six plants growing from tubers (one from one of the plants that produced
seeds and five from tubers bought at the local market which sprouted before
they were used). The most prolific seed producers were grown in full sun,
the best tubers were produced by plants in poor unwatered shaded soil (as
the Americans say, go figure). I have about sixty seeds (beans) left (I have
planted nearly as much as I can fit in my garden).
To be continued!
Kaffir Lime
Lemon grass
Lettuce (oak leaf)
Lettuce (mignionette)
Loquat
Mint (Spearmint?)
Mint (Peppermint?)
Mixed Spice Herbs
Monstera Deliciosa
Mushrooms
Mustard (Brown)
Mustard (Chinese)
Nasturtium
New Guinea Gourd (Bottle gourd)
Onion Brown
Onion spring
Parsley
Pepino
Persimmon
Pineapple (smooth leaf)
Pineapple (rough leaf)
Pomegranate
Pumpkin (Jap)
Rhubarb
Rocket
Roman Beans (Borlotti)
Rosemary
Sage?
Sideratusa (sp) Paddy's Lucerne
Snake Beans
Snow peas
Stinking Roger
Strawberry
Sweet potatoes (orange)
Sweet potatoes (white)
Taro (Tahitian celery)
Tobacco (Virginia)
Tomatillo/Tamarillo (Tree tomato)
Tomatoes (undifferentiated)
Tomatoes (Tom Thumb)
Turmeric
Turnip? (swede)
Yakon (Sweetroot, Strawberry Jicama)
Rocks
"Rocks" <ro...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:MF7L7.4327$li3.1...@ozemail.com.au...
> Hello People,
> I made a survey of plants which are currently growing (some of them with a
> hope and an unqualified prayer) in my (Brisbane, Australian suburban)
> garden. The list is mainly to supply seeds/plants for Len and Bev's new
> to make such a list (I would certainly be interested in who is growing
what,
> where, and how they are doing).
Sorry Folks,
Didn't realise it had got so long. Surprising how far one can go with 'three
sheets to the wind'.
I'll knock it off at that.
Regards, Ted.
Janet Baraclough
from "Rocks" <ro...@hotmail.com> contains these words:
> Sorry Folks,
> Didn't realise it had got so long. Surprising how far one can go with 'three
> sheets to the wind'.
> I'll knock it off at that.
Not at all..it was really interesting to see what a range you can
grow, only..I had a finger problem and it got deleted with something
else so I'm trying to remember what I earmarked that I've actually grown.
One was beetroot. Here, they can bolt to seed very rapidly in warm
dry weather...this makes the eating part turn woody and disgusting.
So I'd imagine in Len's climate they'd need shade and moisture
mulching. Each seed cluster produces several plants so they need to
be planted spaced out (and thinned later)...not hard as they are big
enough to pick up singly.The little thinnings can be used as salad
leaves. The beets reach about 4" across and mature quite
quickly..something to plant in spring here in Scotland...but I prefer
to eat them much smaller than that, about 2", when they are really
tender, cook quickly, and are sweet and delicious. Rinse the beet
well, don't peel; trim off the top leaves, not the root...this
prevents it bleeding juice and taste away ...put in pan, cover with
cold water, bring to simmer,cook in until tender to a fork prod. Big
old beets can take up to an hour, another reason to eat them
young.They pressure-cook well. Drain, trim the root and stalks, and
the skins slip off very easily.
I like them sliced in a sandwich, or, sliced/cubed and dressed with a
mixture of horseradish sauce with a bit of yoghurt in it. If you do
that, don't add the dressing until the last possible moment before
you serve them, because if you leave it for long it will turn the
most dazzling, unappetising pink.
For storage you can pickle them in vinegar; or, you can make them
into borscht (sp?) soup and freeze that.
Janet.
lflo...@mindspring.com
<janet.a...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>The message <0qKL7.17690$li3.1...@ozemail.com.au>
> from "Rocks" <ro...@hotmail.com> contains these words:
>
>
>> Sorry Folks,
>> Didn't realise it had got so long. Surprising how far one can go with 'three
>> sheets to the wind'.
>> I'll knock it off at that.
>
> Not at all..it was really interesting to see what a range you can
>grow, only..I had a finger problem and it got deleted with something
>else so I'm trying to remember what I earmarked that I've actually grown.
Here it is again, well worth reposting (Ute: maybe you could add this
to PC Online):
<><>
Hello People,
I made a survey of plants which are currently growing (some of them
with a
hope and an unqualified prayer) in my (Brisbane, Australian suburban)
garden. The list is mainly to supply seeds/plants for Len and Bev's
new
block (and for
my own interest) and to trade (info) with anybody else who has time
enough
to make such a list (I would certainly be interested in who is growing
what,
To be continued!
L.F.London ICQ#27930345 lflo...@mindspring.com
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech lon...@ibiblio.org
Fireraven9
>Another invented name. One plant appeared in the front garden bed
>(with the
>agapanthus, I wonder if that is a new companion planting combination,
>I
>would put up with the agapanthus if it helped the chillies :). The
>chillies
>are red, 20-40mm long and look like a small wrinkled jalapeno and they
>are
>extremely hot (a tentative nibble of the flesh, avoiding pith and
>seeds,
>will kill your lips for two hours, don't even think about using your
>hands
>if you must go to the loo). I have seen the same shaped (and just as
>hot)
>chillie (at the Thai restaurant) but it was bright yellow when it was
>ripe.
>
Maybe this is a habanero? They are wrinky and orange and sometimes redorange.
They are so hot ... but also sweet in flavor. Good in crangerry-
orange-habanero relish ... one habanero to a pound of cranberry.
Fireraven9
"No bigger than your fist ... and they're man-made!"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GothicGardeners
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GardeninginNewMexicoandColorado
AM
I missed the original post but have picked up the re-post by LL...
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~jando/chilli.htm
You might be able to ID your chilli on this page, seems to be a devoted
chilli head and gardens in your area.
I have Rocotto's that are 'death-by-chilli' and have actually had blisters
on my finger tips after stupidly cutting them without gloves... rubbed my
nose too apparently ;0(
Jando ID'd them for me on a different forum.
AM
"Rocks" <ro...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:0qKL7.17690$li3.1...@ozemail.com.au...
Ute Bohnsack
> >The message <0qKL7.17690$li3.1...@ozemail.com.au>
> > from "Rocks" <ro...@hotmail.com> contains these words:
> >> Sorry Folks,
> >> Didn't realise it had got so long. Surprising how far one can go with 'three
> >> sheets to the wind'.
> >> I'll knock it off at that.
> >
> > Not at all..it was really interesting to see what a range you can
> >grow, only..I had a finger problem and it got deleted with something
> >else so I'm trying to remember what I earmarked that I've actually grown.
>
> Here it is again, well worth reposting (Ute: maybe you could add this
> to PC Online):
Yep, I was wondering would 'Rocks' be agreeable to that?
Ute
dmiller
zen mind newbies mind - davidm.
<prune>
len brauer
http://www.ibiblio.org/permaculture-online/index.html
len
- -
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'
"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://hub.dataline.net.au/~gardnlen/
Rocks
> Not at all..it was really interesting to see what a range you can
> grow, only..I had a finger problem and it got deleted with something
> else so I'm trying to remember what I earmarked that I've actually grown.
> One was beetroot. Here, they can bolt to seed very rapidly in warm
> dry weather...this makes the eating part turn woody and disgusting.
> So I'd imagine in Len's climate they'd need shade and moisture
> mulching.
That is almost certainly true. I checked mine again after reading your
message and the ones that had come up in the raised beds (which subside and
expose the roots) were small and very woody. I will let those go to seed
(hopefully) and use others that are still buried to try out the recipes for
fresh beetroot. (found some more in an American (US) cook book I picked up
in the local market last Sunday).
> Each seed cluster produces several plants so they need to
> be planted spaced out (and thinned later)...not hard as they are big
> enough to pick up singly.The little thinnings can be used as salad
> leaves.
Have not done that, did not really expect them to grow. If the recipes turn
out to be popular I will make a more concientious effort with the next
planting.
The beets reach about 4" across and mature quite
> quickly..something to plant in spring here in Scotland...but I prefer
> to eat them much smaller than that, about 2", when they are really
> tender, cook quickly, and are sweet and delicious. Rinse the beet
> well, don't peel; trim off the top leaves, not the root...this
> prevents it bleeding juice and taste away ...put in pan, cover with
> cold water, bring to simmer,cook in until tender to a fork prod. Big
> old beets can take up to an hour, another reason to eat them
> young.They pressure-cook well. Drain, trim the root and stalks, and
> the skins slip off very easily.
Thanks, Will give that a go, maybe with some sour cream and garlic chives as
garnish on the side.
The recipe I have suggests that they be tightly wrapped in aluminium foil
and baked in a low oven for 3-4 hours, since I often cook potatoes that way
it would be easy to slip them in as well.
> I like them sliced in a sandwich, or, sliced/cubed and dressed with a
> mixture of horseradish sauce with a bit of yoghurt in it. If you do
> that, don't add the dressing until the last possible moment before
> you serve them, because if you leave it for long it will turn the
> most dazzling, unappetising pink.
I don't really like pickled ones in a sandwich (can only taste the
beetroot), but I have never tried the fresh ones (and never tasted
horseradish) so that looks worth a try as well.
> For storage you can pickle them in vinegar; or, you can make them
> into borscht (sp?) soup and freeze that.
My current intention (adding to my road to hell) is to try them fresh. If I
am not impressed I will pickle them for Sheena (who likes them). I confess
that the soup does not appeal to me (had it once in a very precious
restaurant with tiny portions and an enormous bill (fortunately I wasn't
paying) I didn't enjoy it).
Regards, Ted.
Rocks
> Maybe this is a habanero? They are wrinky and orange and sometimes
redorange.
> They are so hot ... but also sweet in flavor. Good in crangerry-
> orange-habanero relish ... one habanero to a pound of cranberry.
Thanks for your response.
I will change the name to habaneros (if it is wrong somebody is bound to
tell me :).
The relish sounds interesting. I am wondering what might be an acceptable
substitute for cranberries (which I don't have and have never seen here). I
have tasted them once (in 1979) and remember them as resembling a slightly
acid redcurrant. I will keep it in mind.
Regards, Ted.
Janet Baraclough
Coriander....there are two sorts, the one with very finely cut
leaves (almost like fennel) which you grow for the seeds, and the one
with flat broad leaves which you grow for the leaves. The seed
packets usually call the first one coriander, and the second one,
leaf coriander or cilantro. Both delicious, but I use a lot more of
the leaf one.
Basil...in Scotland I can only grow that as a summer pot plant under
glass. Once it goes to seed the leaves lose flavour so keep picking it hard.
Horseradish...as Fran says.. except that it's a terrible spreader
here where it gets more water than Fran's; people usually sink a big
metal barrier in the soil to contain it...and it still escapes. The
big leaves and thick roots can easily choke out other plants.
Grate it raw on a cheese grater for use.
Comfrey
There are loads of sorts and as most of them are rampageous spreaders
by seed and by runners its well worth trying to get the sterile
none-running giant form called Bocking 14..bred for composting and
mulching purposes, it produces a lot more, bigger leaves. Even here
we can cut 3 or 4 harvests during a summer. Its a good plant for
opening up a very poor bit of soil...plant a big bed of root cuttings
and harvest the foliage for a few years. Every time I harvest, i
cover the soil surface with a thick mulch of whatever I have
spare...manure, seaweed, straw, bracken, grassclippings or weeds. In
a few years you can dig out all the comfrey and it will leave behind
rich fertile soil. (But spend some time getting out all the comfrey
roots, as every scrap left behind will grow).
Eggplant...a favourite veg but one that doesn't do well here, even under glass.
Garlic...is traditionally planted at the end of summer here; it will
take any amount of winter cold but needs almost two years to produce
enough bulb to make it worthwhile. Other plants from Ted's list that
I grow in Scotland:
Lettuce mints nasturtium onions parsley rhubarb rocket beans rosemary
sages strawberry turnip. Tomatoes under glass.
What is stinking Roger ??? :-)
Janet
Janet.
Janet Baraclough
I forgot to mention something about comfrey that Len might find
useful...which is to grow a patch for the dogs. I grow a number of
different comfreys and the one dogs prefer is the native wild one
here, symphytum officinale...low growing, maybe 9 ", spreads by
stolons, droopy cream flowers and soft leaves (the larger forms tend
to have rough hairy leaves). Dogs will help themselves to the soft
comfrey leaves whenever they feel off colour.
Janet.
len brauer
haven't shown anyinterest in the comfry in pots but now it is
allplanted out that may chenge i will be in touch. my dogs all eat a
lot of grass 1 or 2 varieties they prefer along with cow poo, kangaroo
and wallaby poo, chook poo and dead cane toads and matter unkonwn to
us, they do eat regular dog food and all the bones we can give them
fresh bones that is.
len n bev
disgusting things they can be at times but they love us
- -
Janet Baraclough
from len brauer <gard...@hotmail.com> contains these words:
my dogs all eat a
> lot of grass 1 or 2 varieties they prefer along with cow poo, kangaroo
> and wallaby poo, chook poo and dead cane toads and matter unkonwn to
> us,
Sounds like a typical country dog diet :-) The all time favourite
is cow placenta, for rolling in, eating, and vomiting up later.....I
won't even try to describe the smell of a happy dog who has just
returned home well slathered in it...
Janet.
lflo...@mindspring.com
wrote:
>that's interesting i will work to that end but at this stage my dogs
>haven't shown anyinterest in the comfry in pots but now it is
>allplanted out that may chenge i will be in touch. my dogs all eat a
>lot of grass 1 or 2 varieties they prefer along with cow poo, kangaroo
>and wallaby poo, chook poo and dead cane toads and matter unkonwn to
>us, they do eat regular dog food and all the bones we can give them
>fresh bones that is.
>
>len n bev
>
>disgusting things they can be at times but they love us
Hmmmmm .... and what kind of dogs are these, Len?
Have you been Xbreeding dingos with Tasmanian devils,
with a little gecko mixed in?
I guess we should say, bon appetit............
len brauer
>snipped
>
>Hmmmmm .... and what kind of dogs are these, Len?
>Have you been Xbreeding dingos with Tasmanian devils,
>with a little gecko mixed in?
>
they could have all of that in them 1 has her fare share of dingo in
her, the locals keep telling us this is normal but us x-city slickers
get a bit disgusted at times.
len n bev
>I guess we should say, bon appetit............
>
>L.F.London ICQ#27930345 lflo...@mindspring.com
>http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech lon...@ibiblio.org
- -
lflo...@mindspring.com
wrote:
>>Have you been Xbreeding dingos with Tasmanian devils,
>>with a little gecko mixed in?
>>
>they could have all of that in them 1 has her fare share of dingo in
Are dingos a domestic breed or wild, i.e. native species?
len brauer
here back in the millenia, so from that stand point i reckon they are
ferel. us landholders are required to treat dingoes as ferel and we
are required to shoot them on sight.
our aussie bred dogs the cattle dog and the kelpie all started with
cross breeding from dingo stock as i know it.
len n bev
- -
Fran
> ..I
> won't even try to describe the smell of a happy dog who has just
> returned home well slathered in it...
GAG!!!!!!
I know that one well Janet, along with rotting kanaroo/wallaby carcase, pond
slime, decayed cockatoo, road kill........
lflo...@mindspring.com
wrote:
>they are the native species by that i mean the aboriginals bought them
>here back in the millenia, so from that stand point i reckon they are
>ferel. us landholders are required to treat dingoes as ferel and we
>are required to shoot them on sight.
>
>our aussie bred dogs the cattle dog and the kelpie all started with
>cross breeding from dingo stock as i know it.
Are these two now standardized breeds kept pure, having emanated from
dingo + whatever? How are they used in farming?
len brauer
(many are sold in the usa a search of the web will turn up enthusiests
in the usa canada and europe etc) usually not found as pets in the
burbs as they require a lot of work/exercise nd get bored very
quickly. i didn' opt for a pure bred because for what i wanted they
are expensive, and they come with conditions like the original breeder
can take them back if they consider you aren't treating them right.
plus breeders are very hard to communicate with on a general level.
they are very into their dogs they live and breathe them but they
should learn to relax and equate to the common person who wants one of
their dogs, after all they breed them to make money so lets not be too
cavalier about it being a thing of devotion hey?
len n bev
On Wed, 05 Dec 2001 23:33:07 -0500, lflo...@mindspring.com wrote:
>On Thu, 06 Dec 2001 09:24:02 +1000, len brauer <gard...@hotmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>>tsnipped
>
>Are these two now standardized breeds kept pure, having emanated from
>dingo + whatever? How are they used in farming?
>
>
>
>L.F.London ICQ#27930345 lflo...@mindspring.com
>http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech lon...@ibiblio.org
- -
Rocks
>
> Coriander....there are two sorts, the one with very finely cut
> leaves (almost like fennel) which you grow for the seeds, and the one
> with flat broad leaves which you grow for the leaves. The seed
> packets usually call the first one coriander, and the second one,
> leaf coriander or cilantro. Both delicious, but I use a lot more of
> the leaf one.
lobed, the upper are linear, finely dissected (as you say, like fennel) and
usually indicate that the plant is going to seed. Cilantro is coriander in
Spanish. The bunches sold in my local market comprise six to ten young
(whole) plants which appear to have been grown in a single cylinder. This
would be perfect for a year round supply but my efforts to emulate this have
so far failed miserably. I will keep trying because Sheena makes a
magnificent (vietnamese style) hot soup which requires fresh leaves. It only
seems to take her an hour, mine take days (months if I allow for the
stockpot which goes on in May and stays on till October).
> Basil...in Scotland I can only grow that as a summer pot plant under
> glass. Once it goes to seed the leaves lose flavour so keep picking it
hard.
I have tried a number of times to grow basil from (bought packet) seeds and
never had much luck. These (two) plants were in flower when I bought them
(about six months ago) and have flowered continously (and more prolifically
since). I cut off metre long branches and give them away but I still can't
keep up with even one of these plants. They are also very easy to propagate
from cuttings. when I cut some new shoots for our own use, I strip off the
leaves without damaging the growing tip and put the sprig in water (I stick
them in with the water chestnuts) and, when they grow roots. pot them up. (I
do the same with rosemary and mint).
> Horseradish...as Fran says.. except that it's a terrible spreader
> here where it gets more water than Fran's; people usually sink a big
> metal barrier in the soil to contain it...and it still escapes. The
> big leaves and thick roots can easily choke out other plants.
> Grate it raw on a cheese grater for use.
I have never tried to grow Horseradish and I have not seen any messages from
Fran since her welcome back (I am getting 1-4 messages a day, which seems a
bit quiet).
> Garlic...is traditionally planted at the end of summer here; it will
> take any amount of winter cold but needs almost two years to produce
> enough bulb to make it worthwhile.
I have been told that they will rot in the ground here during the wet season
(which may have started early, it's bucketing rain outside). Mine were
(mostly) not worth picking so it won't take long to find out if that's true.
>Other plants from Ted's list that
> I grow in Scotland:
>
> Lettuce
Can't grow nice crisp hearted lettuce, only oak leaf and a green/purple
smooth leaf variety (all currently coming into flower, lots of lettuce for
len's chooks). They are a bit limp and bland.
> nasturtium
I like the pickled seeds and Sheena likes " a splash of colour among all
those bloody pumpkin plants".
> onions
I can't really grow onions in my soil, tried many times with miserable
results. The onions in my garden are are generally planted fully grown.
Onion bulbs which sprout in the vegetable basket are planted and the tops
cut as required for salads or soups. Spring onions are inconvenient to store
in the fridge so these are always planted as soon as possible after purchase
and harvested as required. In both cases, once they grow flower spikes I
leave them alone to seed (I still have some hope that one or more of the
seeds will find conditions acceptable to grow and, if not, I havn't lost
anything).
> parsley
This grows amazingly well here. Full sun (which will boil your brains in the
summer) very rarely watered, frequently harvested (Sheena loves Tabbouli or
Fattoush if I can be bothered making it). My kind of plant!
> rhubarb
Since I wrote the list both of my rhubarb plants appear to have died :( At
least there is nothing left above the surface and they did appear to rot
away at the base). Other tuberous plants in the same bed (turmeric, ginger)
are thriving so I will probably try again with plants from a different
source.
> rocket
Makes a good tart up for our bland lettuce (currently seeding and when this
rain stops I should go and collect them before they go everywhere).
> rosemary
Another plant which thrives on neglect in my garden and which I use a lot
for flavouring honey or liqueurs.
> sages
I have one (remaining) plant (which does not look at all well) surviving
under heavy shade. Others, which were planted as companions to the rosemary
have all died (even in the winter sun).
> strawberry
Another lone survivor (from a batch of ten) which I rescued (as a runner)
and planted in a pot.
> turnip.
Another single plant, grown from a bought turnip which sprouted in the
vegetable basket. It was bolting to seed so I let it go to get the seeds but
they do not look promising.
> What is stinking Roger ??? :-)
Tagetes minuta, a species similar to marigold which traps and digests
nematodes in it's roots and the aroma of which is reputed to repel
mosquitos. The name is unkind, the aroma is not at all unpleasant. Not an
edible plant but included on the list for Len in case he wanted it. It
spreads like mad in my garden (which is nematode infested). A well
intentioned neighbour told me (in a very conspiratorial tone) that I was
very game (I think she meant stupid) to grow 'that stuff' in my garden. I
found out (some weeks later) from another (less well intentioned) neighbour
(who told me I was a nasty criminal) that the (original) neighbour thought
the stinking roger was marijuana. I await the outcome with some interest :).
PS Humble apologies for the glut of feral apostrophes, I just remembered :)
Regards, Ted.