Tag: subtropical gardening
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Fruit Fly Resistant (relatively) Crops
Folks out this way are compiling a list of fruits that are not heavily affected by fruit fly. Has anyone had major fruit fly issues with any of these fruits? Any suggestions for the list? Mulberry varieties (Morus sp.) Pitomba (Eugenia luschnathiana) Ice Cream Bean (Inga sp.) Brazilian Guava (Psidium guineense) Jaboticaba (Plinia cauliflora) Mango…
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Madagascar Bean
Madagascar Bean (aka seven year bean) Phaseolus lunatus syn. P.limensis Origin: Tropical and sub-Tropical regions Plant: in Spring Harvest: When pods have dried on vine The Madagascar bean is a perennial vine perfectly suited to Brisbane growing conditions. Best planted in Spring, this vigorous vine will last for up to 7 years (thus the common name 7-year bean).…
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Purple amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus)
When planning an edible garden it is a good idea to plant a variety of nutrient sources. Starchy vegetables are a good basic but many peoples go it are crops like potato but there are a range of undervalued, and very low maintenance crops, which will thrive in our wonderful subtropical climate. Crops like Cassava…
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Gardening in a Rental
Compost Make the most of what you have, especially organic matter. Don’t throw your precious green waste away! Composting systems don’t have to be large, permanent or expensive. If you are in a rental, it can often be a good idea to keep it small and portable. While bayed compost systems are awesome for large…
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Choko
Grown in almost every granny’s backyard, the humble choko is making a comeback! Most of us are familiar chokos but did you know that they also come in white and yellow. You may also see a very spikey version which is apparently the offspring of a white and a green that have interbred. Chokos, not…
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May in the Food Forest
May is my absolute favourite month in our subtropical garden. In season now are pawpaws, citrus, edible ginger flowers and a huge abundance of pumpkins and bananas. If you are lucky enough there are also beautiful rosellas! Also, capsicums, cherry tomatoes, loquats, custard apples, the last of the peanut butter fruits and acerola cherries. Then…
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Beyond the Supermarket
There are over 30 000 edible food plants in the world yet here in Australia we commonly eat less than 1% of these varieties. Given our versatile subtropical climate there is so much more on offer out there than the standard supermarket fare. Commercial crops are not always the most delicious or nutritious. They are…
Brisbane Edible Gardening 