Growing out through the indoors

February 9, 2010 at 2:02 pm (Consultations: Q&A, Featured plants, Gardening - Basics)
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Mel asked:

My indoor potted Basil plants keep dying. This could be because, a. I don’t live in a warm climate or b. I keep going away and leaving them to die.

Aside from needing to water my Basil plants more do you have any tips for coaxing growth from a cold a and frigid Basil…..

hmmmm

So, as I explained to her, productive indoor plants require as much sun as you can possibly give them. Ideally, they need up to 6 hours per day, or more, in order to produce anything harvestable. Plenty of indoor plants will grow in much lower light conditions than this, but the main difference is they don’t produce anything we’d want to eat (with the possible exception of the awesomely named Monstera deliciosa, but more on that later).

Possibly the first experience growing "vegies" we ever get

Now, probably the first vegetable people ever grow is the Carrot (Daucus carota) who in their life didn’t have a frustrated parent in the school holidays, or an enthusiastic young teacher in primary school, show them the magic of sprouting a cut off carrot top? You put the carrot top on some cotton wool on a window sill, and magically, green sprouts emerge from the remnants of out lunch or dinner! Of course, the plant is growing from stored energy in the tap root, as Carrots are biennial, they store the sun’s energy as starch in a fleshy root over winter, to resprout, flower and produce seeds the following year. If we left the carrot on the window sill it would eventually begin wilting, as the amount of water required by the foliage soon exceeds that provided by contact with the cotton wool, and the energy stored in the cut chunk is not enough to sustain the plant for long.

This indoor experiment highlights some of the problems with indoor growing. Root space is limited in pots indoors, though not to the extent of the carrot. The main issue is one of energy. Plants produce energy from sunlight, converting carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and water taken up by roots (H2O) into sugar (COOH). In order to do this, plants need a reliable constant water supply, which is provided by the gardener, an endless supply of atmosphere, usually not an issue, and energy from the sun.

Indoor plants are often selected from species that naturally occur in low light areas, such as forest the floor. Plants naturally adapted to low light levels or filtered light adapt easily to indoor growth, and ferns are good example of these. In the 1970s, advances in tissue culture and micropropagation technology allowed for cheaper plants for indoor gardens from species that had been previously too difficult to propagate efficiently. Tissue culture is the process by which whole plants may be regenerated from single cells or small parts of existing plants. In effect it is a small scale version of the cloning used in plant propagation generally, allowing greater control of the environment on a very small scale, including temperature, humidity and light levels, as well as hormone manipulation to trigger various growth responses in the tiny plantlets.

However, most plants we consume as food are not adapted to low light conditions or the filtered light they might receive indoors. They require much higher light levels to produce the edible parts from which we in turn derive our energy. As I mentioned, preferably up to six hours a day are required, in a north* or east facing window. Less than this, and the plants will be less productive, and often become spindly as they respond to low light by stretching their stems in order to grow “out of the shade”. West facing windows are less preferable, due to the increased danger of the plants becoming too hot in the afternoon sun. (* In the northern hemisphere, a south facing window is best).

Some older style houses may be blessed with a sun room, or sleep out facing the sun, and these are often used by enthusiastic green thumbs to grow any number of plants. Many people choose to grow herbs, though most of these are suited to a full sun, garden position, many can be grown and harvested from a window sill, especially handy if it is in the kitchen. They are also a good choice, as many of them are “cut and come-again”, meaning they can be harvested several times, and will grow back after each haircut. Oregano and Marjoram (Origanum spp.) are good examples of these, as are

If you get enough sun, you could try growing herbs in a North or East facing sunny window

  • Thyme (Thymus spp.)
  • Rosemary (R. officinalis)
  • Sage (Salvia spp.)
  • Certain Basil varieties (Ocimum spp.)
  • Chives & Garlic Chives (Allium spp.)

Most of these will have a less robust flavour if grown indoors because the volatile oils that make them taste good are produced in higher quantities in full sun. They also have a tendency toward becoming spindly, though regular harvesting will reduce the incidence of this.

Mint will tolerate much lower light than many of the other herbs, even in the garden. It’s one of the few things you can successfully plant in the shade and eat. There are a number of edible plants, for example Coffee (Coffea arabica) and Pineapple (Ananas comosus) that may be grown indoors for a period of time for aesthetic purposes, but ultimately must be moved outdoors in order to produce anything remotely comestible. The one exception I can think of is the exotic looking Monster Plant, or Fruit Salad Plant from Mexico, as mentioned above. A bizarre looking monocot related to Arum Lilies, and producing a fruit annually, indoors or out, with distinctive hexagonal sections. The only plant we know of in the world that has naturally occurring holes in the leaves, it really tends to look like something from another world, though as it has often been used in films for other worldly location setting, the association may have been made for me in the depths of my childhood subconscious.

A very large (outdoor) Monstera deliciosa

While the fruit is delicious, and the plant easily grown (if very slow to mature) it must be noted that it will not live inside forever, as it has a maximum height of about 20 metres, though if the top section is removed, the plant will continue to grow. The fruit itself also contains a nasty surprise in the form of tiny black oxalic acid crystals which can sting the tongue of the unwary gourmet. I used to routinely give these plants as house warming gifts, my 70s upbringing leading me to believe a house without one was not a home.

Growing plants indoors is possible, and there are probably benefits to having tough, tolerant plants in living areas to help clean the air we’re breathing, but just remember they don’t like the same conditions as us all the time, and keep an eye on them for signs they are not coping, especially as seasons change. A stint outside in the sun may change their fortunes, if only during the day. For better or worse. Good Luck!

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The Basil brush up

February 4, 2010 at 2:28 pm (Featured plants, Recipes)
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Having taken the top position in the Garden Doctor poll, I thought I should write a little post about Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum). Though it is the most commonly grown species of basil, it is not alone in its genus for culinary herbs. There is also Sacred or Holy Basil (O. tenuiflorum), Greek Basil (O. obovatum) and a perennial species (O. americanum) along with a number of hybrids and varieties of Sweet Basil. Most are edible, and used in various cuisine around the world from South East Asia to the Americas and all over Europe. Some are used for their supposed medicinal properties, especially in the Ayurvedic tradition, and also may have ceremonial associations.

The Sweet Basil we most commonly encounter is, along with its cousins, a member of the Mint family (Lamiaceae), which is easily deduced from the square stems of the plants. It is an annual, and is grown for its pungent foliage, which is reminiscent of aniseed in flavour. It is commonly grown until it flowers before harvest, as the aromatic oils are at their peak during this period. While it may be tempting to allow the plant to grow back after cutting, I personally think it best to remove the plants and start another crop in their place. If you have, as I consistently advise, planted successive crops a couple of weeks apart throughout the growing season, you should have no shortage of Basil.

Basil will not tolerate frost, and storing cut Basil in the fridge is a surefire way to test its dislike of the cold. I find it best to treat the stems as cut flowers if they are not to be used immediately, and stick them in a jug of water until you want them. But the soft leaves will not last long, and I have included a couple of recipes for pesto (including a vegan version for non-dairy fans) which will allow for longer term storage of the herb. It can also be dried for use in the cooler months, however there is a significant loss of flavour over time. To dry the herb either hang whole stems upside down or place individual leaves in a cloth or paper bag and keep in a cool dry place. When the leaves are crispy to touch, store them in an air tight container in a cool dark place until required.

Cultivation of Sweet basil is relatively easy as long as you follow these simple rules:

  1. Keep away the snails, they love the stuff
  2. Keep them well watered, they will not tolerate drought
  3. Feed fortnightly with liquid fertiliser, they are very hungry oh, and
  4. Keep sowing every couple of weeks for a continuous supply

Basil can be easily grown from seed where they are to grow, and germination will occur after a week, when the distinctive cotyledons will appear. Some gourmet restaurant serve these alone as garnish, and you could easily do so, if you are very hungry, but the plants will not recover after removing the “seed leaves”. Punnets of seedlings are usually pretty cheap, I tend toward the “massed sowing” punnets, which have about fifty or more seedlings each,  rather than the advanced plants some nurseries sell, just for value.

I sowed some seed in to a small planter box, 20 cm x 60 cm. This was to allow better flexibility, as I can move the box around to avoid really hot days, as well as putting it close to the kitchen when it’s ready for picking. I have done the same this year with a mesclun mix of salad leaves, and Rocket (Eruca sativa).

Basil planter before harvest

I have been getting by just eating the thinnings, as the plants are growing so close together, a meal’s harvest barely makes a hole in the coverage, as you can see:

After harvest. The gaps will be gone in a couple of days

So, basil is really easy to grow. Full sun, lots of water, fed regularly, and you should have enough pesto to feed la familia. Buon appetito.

Vegan Pesto (dairy free)

Ingredients:

  • 1 large bunch of basil (about 3 cups, loosely packed)
  • 2-3 large cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup raw pine nuts
  • 3/4 – 1 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Preparation:

Place all ingredients except the olive oil and nutritional yeast into a food processor. Process to a finely ground consistency. Add olive oil and process again, until smooth and creamy. If desired, add nutritional yeast and process again until creamy. Serve immediately/store in fridge for up to 5 days/freeze up to 6 months.

Pesto Alla Genovese

Ingredients

  • 250-500g basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup flat Parsley leaves
  • 100g pine kernels
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp granular sea salt
  • 50g freshly grated Parmesan
  • 50g freshly grated Pecorino/Romano
  • 100-200ml extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Wash & dry basil. Heat fry pan on medium heat and toast the pine kernels 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
  2. If using a mortar, pound garlic & salt to soft mush.
  3. Pound in pine nuts & work in the basil leaves, 2-3 at a time, with a circular movement of the pestle, until all is reduced to a silky paste (Can freeze at this point for up to 6 months)
  4. Work in cheeses, then beat in olive oil with wooden spoon until you have a thick, dense sauce. Add more or less oil depending on the texture you like

OR

  1. If you’re using a processor, drop all the ingredients in the same order and process until smooth
  2. To store the pesto, pour into a jar, float a layer of olive oil on top, cover and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze at this point for a month or two at most. Ice cube trays are good for small portions to add to cooking.

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Planting List: February

February 3, 2010 at 10:12 am (Planting calendar)
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Getting in early with the February planting list, as the month is very short. Some of the summer vegies can keep going in, but think about varieties, for example, only bush varieties of beans will mature before cold weather will finish them off. Successive planting of things that are fast maturing should continue to ensure we don’t run out! It’s also time to start thinking about the cooling weather, which although it may seem a long way off now, is really just around the corner. Autumn and winter vegies can get a good start while the weather is still warm so there’s more than enough for hot dinners on cold nights.

Seeds (direct into the garden)

  • French & Butter beans (Phasaeolus vulgaris) bush varieties only; Not Tas.
  • Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
  • Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) Check variety
  • Carrots (Daucus carota)
  • Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) Vic. only
  • Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) Vic. only
  • Chinese broccoli (Brassica rapa) Not Bok Choi/Pak Choi
  • Endives/Chicory (Chicorium endivia)
  • Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea)
  • Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
  • Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) Check variety
  • Onions (Allium cepa)
  • Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
  • Radish (Raphanus sativus)
  • Rocket (Arugula sativa)
  • Silverbeet (Beta vulgaris)
  • Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
  • Salsify (Scorzonera hispanicus)
  • Swedes/Turnips (Brassica campestris)

Scarlet Runner Bean flowering in my garden

Seedlings/plants

  • All the above listed plants!
  • Brown Onions (Allium cepa)
  • Celery (Apium graveolens)
  • Leek (Allium ampeloprasum)
  • Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Cherry varieties; Vic./NSW only
  • Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)
  • Cape Gooseberries (Physalis peruviana)

While the list appears to be shrinking, the garden should be producing an over abundance at the moment, if you planted out in spring. Basil, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Beans and Zucchini are probably arriving as fast as you can pick them, and Pumpkins should be approaching their full size and begin to harden their outer skin, which helps with storage. Remember to keep up the water, when you’re allowed, and don’t forget to give your plants a liquid feed every couple of weeks to keep them growing strong. Any plants that seem to be finished or slowing down can be pulled out or cut off to make room for your autumns and winter crops.

Have fun, but stay out of the sun. Not only is it bad for you, it is not good for plants to be disturbed in the heat of the day. It’s best to do any planting early in the morning, or in the evening, and waking up early is no problem when the nights are so hot you can’t sleep!

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They must have been spuds, but it’s over now

February 1, 2010 at 10:36 am (Gardening - Basics)
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I’m sure we’ve all done it. Bought an excessive amount of Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) because they were cheap. SPUD’s 10KG’s 4 $5 screamed the sign at the roadside stand, with its endearingly misplaced apostrophes. How could you resist such an offer? You would have potatoes until the cows come home, or other archaically rural expression you find appropriate. But of course, potatoes are not content to just stay in the pantry or cupboard for ever. They want to explore, and after a few weeks, especially during the warmer months, you may find creeping tentacles attempting to escape. Following them back to their origin, you find your once plump spuds all withered and wrinkled, and looking far less attractive as lunch than they had when purchased.

So, of course, you throw them into the compost bin. BUT WAIT! While they are perfect worm food, the alien looking objects you are about to cast out are actually ready for planting. Those tentacles are in fact stems, and when exposed to light, they will turn green and sprout leaves, and eventually sprout new tubers, which are the part that we call potatoes. Botanically “stem tubers”, the new potatoes will form from the stems, not the roots, despite growing under the ground. This also mean that new spuds will form above the one you plant, never below.

Now, growing potatoes is often associated with a lot of digging and hilling of soil, and a huge amount of space, and far more work than I am inclined to put in for something I can buy so cheap, but there’s an easier way. Having found half a sack of spuds in a dark cupboard at my place a few weeks ago, I plonked them into a large pot I had taking up space in the back yard. The stems weren’t particularly spindly, which was good, but each potato had a cluster or two of potential shoots ready to sprout.

Wrinkly, sprouting spuds in a large pot

In order to provide a medium for water and nutrient retention, I then covered these with about 20cm of mulch, in this case, sugar cane bagasse, because that is what I had to hand. You could use anything which holds water and excludes light, though hay, or pea straw rather than grass clippings or dry leaves is probably preferable.

Mulched to a depth of 20cm with sugar cane bagasse

Then, I watered them in with a diluted solution of fish emulsion, and kept the mulch moist. After two weeks, the stems had pushed their way to the surface of the mulch, and green leaves appeared. Now I will continue to keep them mulched as the stems grow, until the pot is full, and the plants are above the rim.

Two weeks later, et voila! New spuds from old

Then when the tops die down, I can simply up-end the whole thing and find the potatoes! No digging, no worries. A couple of things to consider, though. It is actually illegal to plant a crop of potatoes unless you use certified “seed” potatoes, which have been especially grown for the purpose and tested for the absence of disease and virus. I think it’s easy to understand why this is controlled rigorously, as no one would wish to be responsible for the broad scale failure of commercial potato crops. However, I think on a small home garden scale, the risk is low, and the consequences less serious. The feral potatoes from stray peelings probably present more of a risk than a pot full of commercially bought spuds growing in the backyard.

The other issue is with the container. I am sure everyone has been warned at some point in their life about the danger of eating green potatoes. When exposed to light, potato tubers take on a green tinge, as chlorophyll is produced to provide energy so the potato can commence growing. Along with the chlorophyll, toxins which protect the plant from predators are also produced. These toxins include atropine, an alkaloid which can produce dryness of the mucous membranes, hallucination, spasm, convulsion, and death in order of increasing seriousness. In certain cases, facial and neck spasms have been known to persist indefinitely. To avoid green potatoes, any container used for this purpose should be absolutely light proof, and mulch should be thick enough on top to protect any tubers forming near the surface from  exposure.

Aside from this, keep fertilising with liquid fertiliser, such as fish emulsion, on a fortnightly basis, and keep topping up the mulch around plants as they grow. I will update this post when I harvest, to demonstrate, hopefully, the success of this simple method.

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Top 10 plants in the Garden Doctor readership

January 21, 2010 at 2:49 pm (Featured plants, Poll)
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Now, the meagrely awaited results of my garden poll from before Christmas. In a surprising upset, Basil has come from the rear and trounced the ever popular Tomato as top culinary plant among our readership. Possibly because it takes less space to grow, though to be honest, if you are not growing tomatoes to go with the basil, as well as possibly garlic, WHAT’S WRONG WITH YA?

Hello, yes, hello? I'd like to complain about my image being used on your blog. Yes. No, I'm not that kind of Basil.

Anyway, on to the top ten

  1. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) at least I assume it’s sweet basil, there are a number of different types
  2. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) I may have to find out the most popular variety of Tomato, too
  3. Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) Try getting rid of it once you have it
  4. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Easy to grow, but a single plant could supply the whole block
  5. Mint (Mentha spp.) Another one that you will never get rid of!
  6. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) A favourite in summer, though easier grown in winter
  7. Thyme (Thymus officinalis) There are more herb gardens out there than vegie gardens, methinks
  8. Oregano (Origanum sativum) Yet another delicious friend who is hard to kill
  9. Zucchini/Squash (Cucurbita spp.) I hope your friends like zucchini, too!
  10. Chilli (Capsicum spp.) Hot stuff. Another where variety counts for a lot, though

So, there we have it, the most popular plants for the 2009/2010 growing season. I will have to get a post out soon about Basil, because it can be a little tricky. Unless you follow a couple of simple rules. A few notable absences there, doesn’t anyone like snow peas? Or beans? I’ll have to convince you. Speaking of which, off to plant some bush beans now.

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Sex, flies & adhesive tape: saving seeds

January 15, 2010 at 12:01 pm (Seed Saving)
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Now that summer is in full effect, and we’re exactly halfway to autumn according to the calendar, it’s time to start thinking about harvest. Hopefully you have been harvesting already from your garden, if you’re organised enough. Tomatoes, Lettuce, Cucumbers, salad greens, Broccoli, Cabbages, green Capsicum, Chillies, even Eggplant if you got them in early enough. But that’s for you to cook/eat/preserve/use in floral arrangements. But there’s another kind of harvest you should think about, too, that will save you money, and hopefully improve your success in the garden.

Collecting your own seeds from plants you have grown is the single best way to ensure improved plants every year. By selecting the plants which do the best in your own garden, you are selecting the individuals that are best suited to your exact growing conditions. This is like natural selection, only in the case of garden plants, we don’t measure the success of a plant solely by it’s ability to survive and reproduce. We’re also interested in the abundance, size, flavour, colour and texture of harvestable products for our consumption, as well as the disease resistance and general performance of the plants as a whole. Obviously this varies according to the individual crop we’re talking about, as does the method of harvest/protection of the seeds themselves, and I will go over some of the basics here. Some plants are self pollinating, some are pollinated by wind, and some by insects, birds or other animals, and this may be an issue when trying to save seeds in the garden. I’ve broken it up by family, but if I’ve missed anything important, leave a comment, and I will address it. Here we go…

Cucurbitaceae

This family of plants includes Cucumbers, Watermelons, Rockmelons, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Pumpkins and Marrows, as well as things like Choko. The family is generally insect pollinated, and fruit will not set without pollination. On isolated plants, hand pollination with a paintbrush may be necessary, taking pollen from male flowers, and depositing it on female flowers, as they are separate on these plants. The female flowers are easy to spot, as they have swellings in the shape of small versions of their fruits directly beneath the petals. The male flowers have no such swelling. Personally, I don’t use a paintbrush, I rip off the male flowers, remove their petals and apply them directly to the female flowers. It’s quicker and I can do it whenever I’m walking past.

Select the plant that has the best characteristics that you prefer, obviously this varies quite a lot between species in this case. For example, you may choose your most productive Zucchini plant, your juiciest Watermelon, or a particular plant with an unusual colour variation, or particular resistance to mildew. Select a female flower that is fully mature but has not opened yet, and tape it shut with adhesive tape. Do the same with a male flower. After watching your plants for a while, you will know which flowers are only a day or so from opening, and which are immature. Then when they are ready to open, remove the tape and apply pollen from the male flower to the female and tape it shut again. If the pollination is successful, the fruit will begin to swell, and the flower will drop off. Leave this fruit, labelled if necessary, until the plant dies of it’s own accord. This will ensure the maximum number of fully ripe seeds to collect for next year.

Apiaceae

These plants are the Carrot family, including Parsley, Dill, Fennel, Coriander, Parsnip and Celery, among the most commonly grown plants. These are insect pollinated, the family name deriving from the Latin “apis”, meaning bee. These need cross pollination, as flowers on an individual plant are unlikely to produce viable seeds, due to the pollen being produced before the female part of the flower is receptive. The easiest thing to do is just leave a few of your “best” plants to flower and go to seed. Once seed heads are produced, you can probably remove all but a single champion from which to save seeds, though of course diversity is preserved the more individual plants are allowed to continue. Things to look for are resistance to bolting, mainly, that is, plants which are the latest in sending up flower heads. Obviously things like flavour, and for carrots, root size/colour/shape should be considered, too. This may mean leaving your “best” carrot in the ground to flower!

As the seeds often drop off when they are ripe, paper bags may be placed over seed heads to catch any falling seeds, tie them securely with string, or tape them up. Alternatively, wait until seeds are going brown, then cut the whole flower stalk and place it where you want the seeds to grow. This is my method of propagating parsley, and I have never run out. The only issue to be wary of is contamination from wild plants. The weed Queen Anne’s Lace is the same species as the domesticated Carrot (Daucus carota) and will contaminate future crops if allowed to cross. In a similar vein, wild Fennel will dilute the purity of Finocchio, or bulb Fennel (Foeniculum graecum) if it is growing nearby when flowering occurs. The flowers of these plants also naturally attract many predatory insects, such as lacewings (species of Neuroptera) and tiny Trachogramma wasps to feed on their nectar, which lay eggs in the eggs, young or adults of many pest species. Gruesome, but helpful to us.

Solanaceae

Tomato, Capsicum, Eggplant, Potato, Chilli, Cape Gooseberry and Tomatillo are some of the more (or less) commonly grown members of this family. Their flowers are, for the most part, self fertile and will produce seeds that will grow the same kind of plant and fruit as the one they are collected from (in other words they are  “true to type”) without much help. But insects will carry pollen from one plant to another, so if you are growing several varieties of tomato, for example, you may wish to bag a few flowers before they open, especially if they are grown close together. Label the flower stalk if you do bag your flowers, and collect fruit when it is fully ripe to save seeds.

Brassicaceae

The Cabbage family includes all the Cabbages, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Asian Cabbages, Rocket, Turnip, Radish and Mustard to name a few (highly important) crops. It is also the source of Canola oil seeds, though rarely grown in the home garden, the name derives from Canadian Oil, as the modern species were developed in that part of the Commonwealth, and it is much more easily marketed than Rape, it’s older common name. The Brassicas are a tricky one to save, as they require large numbers of plants to achieve good seed set due to self incompatibility of the flowers. This means pollen from one plant has to be taken to another separate plant to produce viable seeds. The higher the number of plants, the greater the likelihood of prolific seed production.

The other problem is that the most commonly grown western Brassicas are all the same species (Brassica oleracea), as are many of the Asian varieties (Brassica rapa) which is also where the Turnip rightfully belongs. This means that each variety must be caged separately while flowering to ensure no cross pollination, or only one variety saved each year, the others being thoroughly removed before flowering. Certain weed species must also be controlled to prevent contamination. The seed pods are also dehiscent, which means they open (or more accurately explode) when they are dry and ripe, spreading the seeds far and wide. Old pillow cases may be the best option for preventing this, applied after flowering has finished, and tied securely.

Of course, if you like novelty, you may be quite willing to grow and eat a hybrid cauliflabbage, or a Broccles sprout, if you so desire. It may even prove popular.

Fabaceae

The Peas and Beans, our nitrogen fixing friends are quite easily the simplest seeds to save. Just leave a few pods on the plant until the plant dies, et voila. The flowers are “perfect” meaning the have both male and female parts, unlike the Cucurbits, and they self pollinate before opening. They are occasionally cross pollinated by insects such as bees, but you can simply bag them with paper or cloth bags and tie or tape them closed before the flowers open to prevent this. Picking peas and beans encourages greater production, so this should be towards the end of the growing season. This includes French Beans, Runner Beans, Broad Beans and Peas.

Asteraceae

Though you may not realise it, one of the most commonly grown garden vegetables, Lettuce, is in fact a daisy. As are Endives, Artichokes and Sunflowers, the latter more obviously. These flowers are adapted for insect pollination, and are far more productive when it occurs. If more than one variety of a single species is grown, which is unlikely except for lettuce in most gardens, you will have to cage or bag individual groups of plants separately to ensure separation of pollen.

Chenopodiaceae

This includes Silverbeet, Spinach, Beetroot and Sugarbeet. They are wind pollinated, so simple bagging of flower heads wil prevent crossing of varieties of the same species. Bear in mind that Silverbeet or Chard is the same species as Beetroot when saving seeds of either.

I will make another post on seed collection and storage a bit later in the season, I think that’s enough to think about for today.

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Attack of the Clones

January 13, 2010 at 2:55 pm (1)
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Aphids are WEIRD. Seriously weird. There are several families of Aphids, hundreds of genera, and thousands of individual species. But this is insects we’re talking about, so it isn’t that unusual for this to be the case, there are more species of insect on earth than pretty much all the other animals put together. There being so many species, they can attack just about anything in the garden, from Apples to Zucchini. But what makes this unusual, and a real problem for the gardener is how fast they can reproduce. In a few days, a single aphid can completely cover a plant with itch inducing individuals crawling everywhere looking for a spot to suck sap.

The way an aphid achieves this feat of reproductive excess is what makes them really weird. They don’t need to have sex. A female aphid can give birth to exact genetic copies of herself up to 30 times without the need for a mate. In fact, the vast majority of aphids are wingless clones, and most of them will die virgins. Only winged individuals will fly away in search of their Prince Charmless to father a new generation of clones. Extensively named French naturalist René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur calculated that if the offspring of a single aphid survived for a summer, they would, if lined up four abreast in a column, extend almost 45,000 km. They can be green or greyish, or brown or black… masters of disguise, it usually depends what they feed on, though individual species don’t change their food source, nor their colour.

Wingless clones (green) and winged sexually reproductive (black) aphids

Of course, they don’t all survive, and in most cases, we do not wish them to. For though they do not kill the plants they feed from, they spend their whole lives sucking out the sugary sap that provides a plant’s energy. This reduces their ability to grow, and ultimately, the productivity of our garden, which means less food for US! So, how do we deal with these pesky freeloading clone machines? We could do nothing. The juicy flightless aphid is a favourite meal of many a garden predator, not least of which is the so called ladybird (of the family Coccinellidae). But the aphids are not without protection, as Dave will explain in the following video

Okay, so as far as natural enemies go, aphids have many. Mostly because they are chock full of sugary sap, and presumably taste accordingly. Also because they are an easy target, their colonies are usually tightly packed around the most easily accessible points at which to access the sap stream. This makes it easy for predators, such as lacewing larvae, to feast on them with little effort. But relying on natural predators means that you should avoid using broad spectrum pesticides, such as Derris dust and Pyrethrum.

If you only have a small infestation, try squashing them, it seems to repel them from the plant – I can imagine how unpleasant it would be to eat surrounded by my siblings’ mangled bodies… You can also try blasting them off with a strong jet of water from the hose, or give the neighbourhood kids high powered water pistols and present them with the mission. Even heavy rain can dislodge them sometimes, though not permanently. For perennial plants you could try spreading a band of honey around the trunk to stop ants carrying them up in the first place.

It’s been suggested that you could plant various companions around to repel them, including Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), and Onions (Allium spp.) but both of these get aphids of their own, so I’m not sure how effective they are. The final resort before poisons is soap spray, which is made by mixing 5g of soft soap, or soap flakes with 1 L of hot water and shaking until it’s dissolved. Allow to cool and spray on the infestations. It works by clogging up the airways of the aphids, and will do the same to other insects, but only by direct contact, there’s no residual effect to hurt other insects. You can beef it up by adding chilli or garlic to the spray, but you will have to strain it before putting it into a sprayer.

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Planting List: January

January 13, 2010 at 12:58 pm (Planting calendar)
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At this time of year, the temperature of both the soil and the air is a major issue for the gardener.  Not only because of the damage it can do to our plants, but for the danger it poses to us as well! If it’s over 30 degrees, you’re probably better off avoiding the gardening work, and focussing on less strenuous pursuits. But here in Melbourne we have a few days’ reprieve from the 40+ temperatures, and it’s probably a good idea to get any planting done now in the cool weather. Don’t forget, even with water restrictions, most areas allow watering for establishment of new plantings, but check with your local water authority anyway.

While it’s not a great time to start a whole new garden, it’s still a good idea to keep planting certain short-term, annual, fast growing crops, like Beans, salad and stir-fry greens and Basil, just so you don’t run out. Also, some things, like Carrots,  you will need to check on the variety to be sure they are the right type to be planted at this time of year.

Seeds (direct into the garden)

  • French & Butter beans (Phasaeolus vulgaris)
  • Runner Beans (Phasaeolus coccineus)
  • Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
  • Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) Check on variety
  • Carrots (Daucus carota)
  • Chinese broccoli (Brassica rapa) Not Bok Choi/Pak Choi
  • Endives/Chicory (Chicorium endivia)
  • Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea)
  • Herbs (various)
  • Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) Check on variety
  • Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum)
  • Onions (Allium cepa)
  • Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
  • Radish (Raphanus sativus)
  • Rocket (Arugula sativa)
  • Silverbeet (Beta vulgaris)
  • Salsify (Scorzonera hispanicus)
  • Sunflowers (Helianthus annum)
  • Swedes/Turnips (Brassica campestris)

Successive sowing of Basil, Rocket and a Salad mix provide fresh tasty food all through Summer. In containers, you can move them closer to the kitchen as they are ready for harvest!

Seedlings/plants

  • All the above listed plants!
  • Brown Onions (Allium cepa)
  • Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
  • Potato (Solanum tuberosum)
  • Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Small cherry varieties will give most reward
  • Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)
  • Cucumber (Cucumis sativa)
  • Cape Gooseberries (Physalis peruviana)
  • Pumpkin/Squash/Marrow (Cucurbita spp.) Check variety, some pumpkins it’s too late for now

If you haven’t filled in my garden poll, please give me your input. I will publish the results next week, and focus on posting about the most popular plants sooner!

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Killing in the Name of… Broccoli

January 5, 2010 at 12:20 pm (Pests and problems)
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I went away for a few days. Okay a week. Okay, it was eight days, but I did arrange for someone to water the garden while I was gone! That was fine. On my return I found several cucumbers swelling and my tomatoes had grown so tall they really needed their supports… with which I have yet to provide them. Hey, have you ever seen a mechanic’s car? Yeah, well, same thing. Okay, anyway, the garden is looking great, despite my absence. Except when I went to look at my patch of broccoli…

My poor Broccoli plants

My Broccoli patch is in a teardrop shaped hole in the concrete in my backyard. I assume there was once a tree here, and the cement was laid around it in order to let it grow. Of course, this killed the tree, and now I just have a funny shaped garden bed. Anyway, they holy-ness of the leaves has nothing to do with the religious overtones to this time of year, and a lot to do with the life cycle of the Cabbage White Butterfly (Pieris rapae). The larvae, or caterpillars of this common garden visitor are the cause of all this damage, and will do the same to  any member Cabbage family (Brassicaceae).

Before I left for my break, I was hand picking them off the underside of the leaves each morning. And when I say picking, I mean squishing. I suppose it may seem a little harsh, but there is nothing more satisfying than popping the little green caterpillars and squirting their guts out. Of course, you may object to this on moral, hygiene or sooky-pants grounds, but the alternative is to pick them off by hand and deprive them of food, basically, and this is quicker.

The virtually invisible Cabbage White caterpillar - trust me, it's next to my index finger - before squishing!

The little chompers start off as tiny yellow eggs, which you can see on the underside of leaves if you look carefully. On hatching, the larvae are not much bigger than the eggs themselves, but they soon grow, and in a day or two you can have big fat caterpillars about the same colour as the plants on which they feed. This can make them hard to spot, but after a while they stop hiding under the leaves and will rest in the base of the leaf on the stalk, making them easier to search and destroy.

Now, there is another solution to hand picking them, and it is in the form of a spray or powder. Because it’s a naturally occurring chemical, it’s also approved by most organic certification bodies, and has pretty much no effect on anything other than leaf eating caterpillars. Available in several commercial preparations, the toxins of the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis disrupt the digestive systems of caterpillars, and they stop feeding, and eventually starve. The preparation can be sprayed freely on leaves of susceptible plants, and only affects leaf eating larvae, including the Cabbage White caterpillars. The commercial versions usually contain both the toxins that kill the caterpillars, as well as the bacteria itself, so it can multiply on the plants after application.

Even though the toxin itself and the bacteria have no ill effects on humans, vertebrates, or even other insects, some people have objected to its use in genetically modifying Potato crops, amongst others, to protect them from attack by pests which usually require far more potent and toxic chemical deterrents. Despite the bacteria itself being used in almost every organic farming operation in the world, it appears some people have an issue with genetic modification technology itself, which may prevent any possible benefits being transferred to farmers and consumers.

Okay, well, I am off to the hardware store to buy some stakes. And some bacteria. And some fertiliser. And… who am I kidding, I’ll be there the rest of the day if you need me.

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I know, it’s just a garden poll, but I like it

December 22, 2009 at 12:04 pm (Gardening - Basics, Poll)

So, I’m curious, there are enough of you reading this thing, so I’d like to know what you grow at home. This will give me a better idea of who my audience is. And possibly inspire me to more posts. So, fill in the poll, and let me see what your favourite home grown plants are, and don’t forget to fill in the “Other” option if there’s something you love that I’ve (very likely) missed!

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