I feel the need: The need for seed!

October 3, 2012 at 10:34 am (Gardening - Basics, Planting calendar, Seed Saving)
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Okay, we’re well on the way to the middle of spring, and it’s time to plant pretty much everything you might want to grow in the garden. I love this time of year, spring blossoms on the trees herald the beginnings of delicious stone fruits, and Apple and Pear blossoms are not far behind.

This Pear tree is exploding with blossoms, though it’s purely ornamental. Such a waste of space!

But the vegie garden is where it’s all really exciting, have a look at my planting calendar to get an idea what you can plant where you are, but pretty much, anything goes! Knock yourself out. I try to use open pollinated varieties of vegies and herbs, for the simple reason that you can save the seeds from your best plants to grow again next year. Biodiversity is so important in making sure we have enough food in the future, and the best way to preserve that diversity is to grow and save your own seeds.

Open pollinated means that the plants freely cross with each other, there’s no clever methods to follow to make sure they produce good seed, just let nature take its course. But open pollination means they will cross with other varieties of the same plant if they are growing close by. If you have two or more lettuce varieties, for instance, they will cross with each other when they flower, and the resulting seed will grow into a combination of the parents.

If you want to keep a variety pure, make sure it’s the only one flowering. The easiest way is to remove flowers from other plants until your selected plant has finished and produced seed. In my front garden I have a whole heap of different things growing, and I have left some of each to go to seed, Red Osaka Mustard, Tuscan Kale, Chinese Broccoli, Rocket and Black Spanish Radish have all gone to flower, but none of them will cross even though they are closely related.

So many flowers! The pale yellow Rocket flowers in the foreground don’t cross with the pink Radish flowers in the background, but both will produce more seed than I can use.

But Kale will cross with European Broccoli, and Turnips will cross with Chinese Cabbages and Broccoli. It can be a bit tricky. If you are a bit unsure, there are places to buy good, open pollinated seed so when you build up your confidence you can start keeping your own.

One of my favourite seed suppliers has only recently put up a website at Phoenix Seeds where you can view the catalogue and download order forms. Michael still likes to do business by mail, but his seeds are of top quality, all sourced as locally as possible for things he has no room to grow himself. Have a look through, he has vegies, herbs and other fruiting and useful seeds for sale. Give some of the unusual things a go, it’s always fun to grow something you’ve never even seen before.

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The way things are goin’, they’re gonna crucifer me

July 27, 2011 at 12:18 pm (Featured plants, Gardening - Basics, Pests and problems, Planting calendar, Seed Saving)
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Someone asked me the other day if they could eat Broccolini leaves. They wanted to use them in a recipe, some kind of quiche-like tart which called for Kale to add some greenery. The answer was “Of course you can, they are the same thing”. Because ultimately, they are the same plant species. In south-western Europe, sometime in prehistory, people began to eat a plant now known as Brassica oleracea, a tough plant, tolerant of limestone soils and salt laden winds, which stores water in its fleshy leaves to cope with its harsh native habitat. The plant is a good source of vitamins, including vitamin C, and minerals, containing the highest levels of calcium among vegetable sources. The plant used to belong to the family Cruciferae, so called because of the cross-shaped flowers they all possess. The family name was changed relatively recently to Brassicaceae, and includes many edible plants, including Mustard, Turnips & Swedes, and Radishes, to name a few obvious examples.

A browse through the bounty of the Brassicaceae family, Choi Sum, Cauliflower and Daikon radish

But most surprising to me is the variety of “different” vegetables that are all contained within the species B. oleracea. The list includes many favourite, and commonly grown vegies, at least one of which most people would eat weekly, if not daily. Things like Kale, Collard Greens, Borecole, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, the misinterpreted Kohl Rabi, and the unfairly maligned Brussels Sprouts all spring from the same source. You can track the origin through their names, which mostly contain a variant of “Cole”. This also gives us the name of the ubiquitous coleslaw, derived from the name for cabbage salad: No cole, no coleslaw. Let me elaborate further by discussing each in detail.

Kale, Collards and Borecole

These plants are probably the most closely related to the original wild species, and are grown for their leaves. They are collectively grouped as B. oleracea var. Acephala, the varietal name indicating they have no head, as a cabbage does. Borecole comes from a  Dutch name, Boerenkool, meaning peasant’s cabbage, but genetically these plants are very closely related. This biennial plant (meaning it flowers in its second year of growth) is resistant to frost, and can grow to nearly two metres if left alone.

The currently fashionable Cavallo Nero is really just a variety of Kale. Once regarded as peasant food, now a gourmet vegetable. Some peasant labour is clearly needed in this community garden plot at the Collingwood Children's Farm.

The appearance of some varieties is quite ornamental, and they can easily be hidden amongst flowers in a more ornamental garden, though I am not sure who can justify the time, water, space and effort to grow plants purely for appearance. Some Kales are grown purely for ornamental purposes, and can be found more often in the florist than the greengrocer’s. They have frilly, feathered, brightly coloured purple and white leaves – almost forming Cabbage-like heads in some cases. These are still edible, though the flavour is not great. I suppose like most things, it depends how hungry you are.

One of the most common colour variations in Kale varieties, as well as the other Brassicas, is a purple hue, like this Purple Kale. It usually changes to a blueish colour when cooked.

Kale can be grown pretty much any time of year, and harvested throughout its life cycle. The plants will love a high nitrogen supply, and will probably do better if some liquid fertiliser is applied as they grow. Just remember that the leaves give the plant energy, so if you take them all, recovery will probably be slow, and you may shock the plant into flowering. But you can always cut back the flower heads and keep on gutsing the leaves.

Cabbage

The name Cabbage is possibly a corruption of the Latin for head, caput, referring to the growth of a large ball of leaves in the centre of the plant. This head has been selected over centuries, and is an important food in many parts of the world. In fact, despite being relatively low in energy content, they are high in vitamins and minerals, and remain one of the most grown vegetables. Highest production annually is in China, followed somewhat unsurprisingly by India then the Russian Federation. I have to admit the true Cabbages are among my least favourite of the species. I rarely buy them except with specific recipes in mind, while others I grow all the time or buy routinely, when in season.

The humble Cabbage, growing at the Collingwood Childrens' Farm community garden

There are a huge number of cultivated varieties of cabbage, in numerous shapes, colours and textures, but these are not to be confused with the Asian Cabbages which have often been bred from the related Turnip, or from Mustard. European Cabbages are commonly pickled, such as in sauerkraut, as well as being eaten fresh or cooked in a huge variety of dishes. There are varieties that may be grown all year round, and cut plants will often resprout smaller heads after the main head is removed. The most commonly eaten part is the tightly bound “head” of young, immature leaves, which make the plants compact compared with their close relatives. If left until their second year, a flower stalk will burst through the head, which by this time will be less than palatable, but still technically edible.

Keep sowing a few at a time to avoid a harvest season glut.

Cabbages grow in most places, they will tolerate frost, and grow best at cooler times of year. They like fertile soil in full sun, with plenty of compost and organic fertiliser. They may bolt in hot weather, so harvest as soon as they ready, and plant successively for a continuous supply. This applies to all the Brassicas mentioned here. A few every week is better than a dozen at once come harvest time.  They are ready to harvest in 7-14 weeks depending on the variety.

Broccoli

Broccoli, or more specifically B. oleracea var. Italica has been selected, initially in Italy about two thousand years ago, for the flowering stems of the plant. There are numerous varieties, as one would expect, the most common producing large branching flower heads that look like little trees. This similarity may make it easier to get little people to consume this vegetable, and is worth a try if you have trouble in that department. Sing the Lumberjack song while you eat, if it helps. The generally bluish plants are best grown through the winter as hot weather can make them bolt to seed. They will flower eventually if the heads are not harvested, though again most of the plant is edible anyway, including the flowering stems. They will handle frost, and to get the largest possible heads should be planted 40 – 60cm apart, though closer plants will produce smaller heads.

Broccoli can produce very large heads, like this 40cm monster at the Collingwood Children's Farm gardens. Closer planting means smaller heads, which is more useful for smaller households.

It is thought by some to be a cross between heading Cabbage and the Cauliflower, originally, and has been known in Southern Europe since before the Medicis, who took the plant from Italy to France in the 1500s. By the early 1600s it had made its way to England, and it was planted at Norfolk island as early as 1788, making it among the first vegetables from Europe to be grown in the colonies. There are Green and Purple Sprouting Calabrese varieties, which give a continuous supply of shoots after the main harvest, and there are Perennial varieties which can be kept going for months at a time by continuous harvesting of the side shoots.

Broccoflower like this example at the Queen Victoria Market, is an actual cross between Broccoli and Cauliflower, and has the same growing preferences as Broccoli.

Broccoli is probably my personal favourite of this species, and in the garden, they are not only easy to grow, but many varities produce side shoots after the main “head” is removed, providing ongoing broccoli feasts. Most people are aware the stalks are edible, though the larger they are, the tougher they get. I still use the thick main stalks in the kitchen, peeling away the fibrous outer layers of skin and chopping up the softer insides to use in soups and stews. I have even chopped and then frozen the stalks if I didn’t need them straight away. Delicious.

There's some debate about whether the fractal-patterned Romanesco Broccoli is a Cauliflower or a Broccoli, but it can be treated as either.

The vegetable known as Broccolini, Brocoletti or Baby Broccoli is generally the side shoots, developed after the main head is harvested, though some varieties of Broccoli have been selected specifically to provide these smaller shoots.

Cauliflower

The curds of the Cauliflower are the most eaten part of the plant, they grow much the same as for Cabbages, but tolerate less heat and frost. Heat particularly will break up the compact heads and induce flowering quickly, though of course they are still edible beyond this point. Again, a continuous planting will result in a  continuous supply at harvest. Despite being known in ancient times in the Middle East and North Africa, the Cauliflower didn’t make it to England until the 18th century. Though they were well known in Australia by the early 19th century. There are white, green and purple headed varieties available, so you can be creative with their planting, and they mature in 12-20 weeks, again doing best through the cooler part of the year.

Call me old fashioned, but sometimes I crave Cauliflower in Cheese sauce. Pakora are pretty good, too.

Kohl Rabi

Something of an oddity, the Kohl Rabi is sometimes known as the Turnip Rooted Cabbage, due to the swollen base of the plant. It is in fact the stem that swell, rather than the root, but the Kohl Rabi is treated as a root vegetable nonetheless. It is grown in cooler climates from Spring to Autumn, opposite seasons in warm places. But as it’s mid-winter here, it’s the only type of B. oleracea I could find neither growing nor in the market. The varietal name Gongylodes refers specifically to the “Cabbage Turnip”, if the common name is translated from the original German. Plants must be grown quickly to avoid the swollen stems becoming tough. Several purple tinged varieties are available, but only the skin is pigmented, the edible flesh inside the stem is white or yellowish. The vegetable has a mild cabbage flavour, not unlike Broccoli stems or cauliflower, and is commonly used in stews and soups similar to Turnips, though in North Africa and other places the leaves are commonly eaten also. These cultivars have only been known for a bit over five hundred years.

Brussels Sprouts

Possibly the most hated of Cabbages, the Brussels Sprout has a bad reputation especially among children. I say GOOD, that leaves more for me. The Brussels Sprout, or Choux de Bruxelles, was developed some time before the 13th century when the first records appear in Belgian market records. It didn’t make much headway in the English speaking world until a few centuries later later, and probably arrived in Australia late in the 19th century, but remaining obscure until after the Second World War. The plants do best in a cold climate, so are not really suited north of Sydney or along the coast, but are quite happy in Victoria and Tasmania. They were often included in traditional English Christmas dinners, mainly because they, along with Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum) are one of the few things left standing in the garden at that time of year. Many gardeners will insist that a good frost (or a snowfall) will improve their flavour, but in the cities of Australia, that occurrence is increasingly unlikely. They are planted in late Summer or Autumn, and harvested 12 – 20 weeks later, depending on the variety and the season. The plants need a fair amount of space, and grow quite tall, the sprouts themselves forming along the leaf axils, and may need staking especially in shallow or loose soils. Some popular old varieties to look for are Long Island Improved, an old standard non-hybrid variety, and Ruby Red, which as the name suggests will add some colour to the already interesting looking plants.

Not all that popular among inner city growers, probably because they take up a lot of space for a relatively long time. People still want to eat them, though, Brussels Sprouts for sale at the Richmond market with Broccolini

A particular pest: The Cabbage White Butterfly

I’ve already written about the major pest of this species, the prolific and devastating Cabbage White Butterfly (Pieris rapae). They can wipe out a crop of Brassicas in a couple of days, especially when young, and seem to be more of an issue than the other big garden pest snails and slugs.

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I started a choke, that started the whole world laughing

July 5, 2011 at 3:27 pm (Featured plants, Planting calendar)
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Everyone knows what Artichokes look like, right? Of course. They come in a jar marinated in oil and vinegar and garlic. If you look at my planting calendar you will see that in many parts of the country it’s the time of year for planting Artichokes, it’s also time to plant a couple of other things, which are known as Artichokes, but are quite different in almost every way.

Globe Artichokes (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) are what we call the Artichokes known to us from Mediterranean cuisine. They are the flower buds of a perennial thistle, originally native to Southern Europe. They are easy to grow in most parts of Australia, though they may be susceptible to cold in some areas without protection during winter. The plants are attractive, and are sometimes incorporated in ornamental gardens just for their impressive spiny foliage and silvery appearance. But to be honest, they take up a huge amount of space, and produce a very meagre return, once a year. Basically, if you are have limited space, I’d give them a miss.

The single sad leaf of my Globe Artichoke. When it gets bigger, I will be forced to make a decision about whether it's worth the space.

I would not say the same of the terribly named Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus). I say terribly named, because neither part of that name is accurate. It is not from Jerusalem, and is almost exactly unlike an Artichoke. This relative of the Sunflower is originally from North America, where it can still be found growing wild throughout the warmer states like California. Though botanically it is in the same family as the true Artichoke, the daisy family (Asteraceae) the relationship is distant. The edible part of this plant is the tubers, which form in tight clumps around the base of the plants, and can be dug up in winter. While they are difficult to peel because of their knobbly shape, they are relatively flavourless, the starch-like texture being reminiscent of potatoes, and they can be used in much the same way.

In fact it is not starch, but inulin that is stored in the tubers, which is only partially digestible by the human digestive system, and is suitable for diabetic diets. It may also cause bloating and gas in some people, due to this lack of digestion. There is some interest in the crop being used to create ethanol fuel, too. Apparently, early Italian settlers in the US called the plant “Girasole”, which probably became corrupted to Jerusalem over time, and the flavour has been compared to Artichoke by more than one taster. Many people are trying to popularise the names “Sunchoke” and “Sunroot” as alternative names, to avoid confusion. The plants grow easily, and can be left in place without much trouble, though tuber size and quality does decline with time. Try planting them with a perennial climber, like a Runner Bean (Phaseolus coccineus) to maximise the vertical productivity, the tall Sunflower-like plants provide sturdy support, and provide much needed shade in summer.

Assorted shapes and sizes of Jerusalem Artichoke tubers, ready for planting. The green patches on these are not toxic like those on Potatoes.

The third plant I wanted to mention is the Chinese Artichoke (Stachys affinis). Presumably this picked up the Artichoke moniker because of the tubers it produces being compared to the Jerusalem Artichoke, though it’s a tenuous comparison. This plant is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), and closely related to the common ornamental Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina). The crunchy tubers are commonly used in China and Japan, less so elsewhere. The leaves may be eaten, but usually only in emergencies. Again this plant can be pretty much left alone, and it’s unlikely every tuber will be found at harvest, so it will most likely spring up on its own year after year. I grew mine in a pot, so I could easily find them when the plant top died back.

A heap of tubers from one Chinese Artichoke plant. They are being stored in moist coco-peat to prevent them drying out.

Anyway, it’s the right time to plant any of these three plants, but as I said, unless you have heaps of space, I would avoid the Globe Artichokes, and possibly stick to the other two. But I do like perennials that don’t need replanting every year, it’s so much easier that way.

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Garden Doctor Planting Calendar

April 7, 2011 at 2:17 pm (Gardening - Basics, Planting calendar)
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You know what I get asked most often?

“What can I plant right now in my garden?”

I can usually rattle off a few things to get people started, but I will always forget something, and that’s part of the reason I started this blog in the first place. You can look back for planting lists for every month of the year as posts, but I have made this Garden Doctor Planting Calendar using Google calendars and made it public. The idea is you can subscribe to this, and get reminders sent to your email address if you want them, which will keep you up to date as far as what you can be putting in the garden any time of the year.

I may expand it to include harvesting, too, so you can have an idea what you’re missing, hopefully to encourage you to get out and get ready for next season. Currently it has entries for Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart and Launceston, and Adelaide, but I will expand to other regions as time allows, so stay tuned. If you’re not covered yet and you’re in a hurry to get started, let me know! To use it, just click on the link, which will take you to the calendar, then click on “What to plant this week in [your city]” to get a pop-up list of everything you can put in at the moment. I’ll be updating the information over the next couple of weeks to include upcoming months, until I have covered the whole year.

Here’s the link again: Garden Doctor Planting Calendar

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For ev’rything, turn turn turn, there is a season, turn turn turn

February 11, 2011 at 3:44 pm (Gardening - Basics, Planting calendar, Seed Saving)
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What a year we have had, and it’s only six weeks old. In the late summer, the vegie garden should be in full production. Tomatoes should be ripening, zucchinis doubling size overnight, and all in such abundance your neighbours will be sick of them, if not you bringing more. And a lot of plants will be producing seeds.

The obvious seeds are those you can see directly, the little golden seeds in the tomato pulp, the slightly under ripe seeds in the beans to should be harvesting by the bucketful, the barely-there seeds in the tender squash and cucumbers that are ready for eating now. But there are other seeds coming on now, too. Some of the spring sown cabbages and greens will be flowering, the Apiaceae, including Carrots, and Parsnips, and a number of herbs. And right now my Mint is flowering and producing seeds, though whether that is a good thing for that hardened garden invader is a matter of opinion.

Carrot flowers in various stages of maturity

So it’s a good time to think about keeping some of those seeds. First of all, don’t worry if you don’t catch all of them. They will probably ripen over a period of time, some falling off before others on the same flower head have barely formed. That’s good for the plant’s survival, obviously, avoiding as far as possible having all its eggs in one basket, so to speak. And it’s not so bad for us, either, as it means you will have volunteers springing up in your garden, competing with other plants, let’s call them weeds, that we have no real use for.

Volunteers can pop up just about anywhere, like the Parsley on the right. I'm still not sure I'd be keen to eat it. Anyone have a rabbit?

Volunteers are plants that find their own place. Seedlings that pop up in odd places we’d have never thought to put them, like cracks in the concrete, and gaps in the garden beds. That’s fine, it means the plant likes it there, and has enough to keep it going. Such plants may provide an element of toughness to the garden gene pool, even if they are not the most productive of specimens. And anything is better than having those places filled with grass or other pest plants. Though even they are just showing there are niches we are not using to their full potential.

Parsnips in flower, some only just, some already forming seeds.

So, don’t worry about losing a few seeds here or there, but when the majority of a seed head is ripe, and even starting to dry, cut the stem as close to the base of the plant as you can, or at least, where it branches off the main stem. Stick the whole thing head first in a paper or cloth bag. Even an old pillow case will do, and hang it somewhere dry and shady if you can, but at least out of the rain. Then forget about it. All the remaining energy in the cut stem will go into the seeds, further ripening them.

Mature, ripe Parsnip seeds, ready to be collected

In a few weeks, go back and check, a lot of seeds will naturally drop off by themselves and collect in the bottom of the bag. The pods of the Brassicaceae family, the Cabbages, will split open and drop their seeds as they dry, as will beans and other things. Often all you will need to do is give the stems a shake and pull them out. There may be a few seeds left attached, but there should be more than enough seeds in the bottom for you to plant next season, and some to spare for swapping with friends.

Store the seeds in an airtight container. Commercially they sue plastic ziplock bags, which are perfect, but anything airtight will do, even old glass jars. You might want to put in a sachet of silica gel, which you may find in all sorts of packaged products, from food to shoes, labelled “do not eat”. This stuff helps keep the atmosphere dry, and prevents mould and bacteria as well as possible insect pests from spoiling the seeds. You should also label the seeds with what variety they are, and a date of collection, just so you don’t lose track.

These are the easiest seeds to collects, but next week I will tell you how to get seeds out of fleshy fruits, like Eggplants and Tomatoes. Happy seed gathering!

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Harvest Moon

January 24, 2011 at 12:26 pm (Gardening - Basics, Science)
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A home garden can be very productive, even a small area of only a square metre or two can give you food for a few meals a week, or ingredients for many meals. But the secret that a lot of beginners seem to miss is to actually harvest the food! Growing plants look nice, but most of them will produce better the more they are picked. This may seem counter intuitive, but I will explain why.

Food plants can be roughly divided into shoots, roots and fruits. The shoots covers everything we grow for their leaves, like Silverbeet and herbs; Stems, like Celery and Rhubarb; And flower stalks, like Cauliflower and Broccoli. Roots include things that grow below the ground, like Potatoes (which are actually modified stems), Garlic (really modified leaves) and Carrots. While fruits are everything from Tomatoes and Pumpkins to edible seeds like Coriander.

Most annual plants, like this Basil, will flower and die even if they are not harvested

The range of food we grow in the back yard is relatively limited, but pretty much all edible plants can be slotted into one of these 3 groups, basically because plant parts can be divided into those categories, and humans eat just about any part of a plant that’s non-toxic, as well as a few that are. But while we have selected the tastiest and most productive plants over thousands of years, both consciously and unconsciously, plants don’t actually exist for our benefit. The reason they grow is to reproduce themselves, and carry on their genes.

So, when we come along and chomp on parts of the plant, it’s usually counter to the plants’ goal of reproduction. Sometimes that detrimental effect is minor, sometimes it’s terminal. Eating a Carrot, for example is actually eating pretty much the entire organism. Sure, the little green top is capable of re-growing, and even flowering, but mostly, it ends up cut off and thrown in the compost. In other cases, it’s not so serious, a few leaves here or there will probably not kill the plant, and it can grow and flower and produce seeds for a new generation.

Zucchinis can be harvested any time, even before the flowers have opened, all that happens to them after that is they get bigger, until they are woody and inedible

In cases where we eat the fruit, it can be sometimes a good thing, some seeds, like Tomatoes, can pass through a digestive system relatively unscathed, as long as they are uncooked. They germinate readily after such a journey. Some plants naturally rely on birds or animals to spread seed from one place to another. Other types of seed, for example Beans and Peas, are larger and usually get crushed by our teeth even if they are eaten raw. They also have thin seed coats, and are unable to survive the harsh environment of the digestive tract.

But let’s go back to the growing plant. Unlike animals, plants are capable of regenerating pretty much any organ they lose. Leaves, stems, flowers, roots, even whole limbs can re-grow given enough time, provided some of the plant remains alive. The key to this is in a particular tissue type called “meristem”. The cells in these regions are not specalised as mature cells are, and are capable f division, which creates new cells. Cells created in the meristem become specialised into particular types depending on a number of factors, including where they occur on the plant, as well as hormonal influences, and stress responses to tissue damage.

So, for example, in response to a harvest of leaves, a plant will be stimulated to produce more leaves to take their place. In a similar way, picking fruits, such as Tomatoes, Beans or Zucchini for example, initiates hormonal responses resulting in the production of more flowers to replace the lost seeds. This is especially true when fruit is picked before ripening, as fully ripe fruit means mature seeds. Essentially, harvesting causes stress to the plant, and the stress response is usually to replace the lost parts as quickly as possible. If fruits are fully mature, annual plants have essentially completed their life cycle and will probably decline, having passed on their genes to a new generation in the form of seeds.

Even small partly filled Bean pods should be picked, leaving them on the plant will reduce productivity

The same thing happens with many flowering plants: removing dead flowers will result in more blooms. So harvesting fruits as soon as they are edible will result in more fruit, and grabbing leaves at any time will generally result in more leaves. The inclination to wait until they’re bigger is understandable, but ultimately misinformed. The old saying “treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen” is more appropriate here than anywhere else. So, start picking Basil leaves as soon as they appear, they will be replaced. As will Lettuce, Mustard, and all kinds of edible greens and herbs. All the squash, except pumpkins, taste sweeter and are more succulent the earlier they are picked, and peas and beans will reward a picking with more flowers and more pods to eat.

The same goes for Tomatoes, Capsicums, Chilli, and anything else where the fruit is the edible part. The exception to the rule is root crops. Pull up a Parsnip, and it won’t grow back, and it’s the same for many others, with the exception of Potatoes, which can be harvested as soon as they form, usually when the tops begin to flower, without damaging the plant too much.

So, don’t just marvel at your gardening prowess, get in there and start eating! That is, after all, the whole point.

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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme: Growing Herbs at home

November 8, 2010 at 3:01 pm (Featured plants, Gardening - Basics, Planting calendar)
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According to my own poll from late last year, among the top five plants grown by readers of this blog were herbs. In order of preference, Basil, Parsley, Rosemary and Mint. Also in the top ten were Oregano and Thyme. And Chilli, but that’s a spice, not a herb. Though it may sometimes be regarded as herbaceous.

What’s the difference? My working definition is based on what part of the plant is used for culinary purposes. Some sources may even refer to “culinary herbs” to distinguish plants used in the kitchen from the botanical use of the term “herbaceous” to describe any non-woody plant. But I define a culinary herb as a plant from which foliage (leaves) are gathered and used in cooking, predominantly to add flavour. That includes some woody plants, and even trees like Bay (Laurus nobilis). Some are annual, and have to be replanted every year from seed, some perennial and last for a few years or more before needing replacement. A spice, on the other hand, is a plant product used in cooking that is not foliage. For example, Chilli and Paprika are made from the fruit of the Chilli plant (Capsicum spp.); Cinnamon is the bark of the Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum spp.), Turmeric is a root (Curcuma longa), and so on. I could keep going, but that would take forever, or at least, the rest of the week.

Fennel can be grown to use as a herb, as a spice or as a vegetable. This Bronze Fennel is ornamental, too.

Now we’re all on the same page (this one, if you’re still reading), let’s move on. Herbs are ideal for small gardens, for urban gardens, for non-gardens and for beginners. The plants themselves can take up relatively little space, and even be grown successfully on window sills, either inside or outside, and balconies in containers if no proper garden is available.  They are also expensive to buy, and difficult to keep fresh once picked, giving added incentive to strike them from the shopping list. Nutritionally, fresh herbs are likely to contain more vitamins and minerals than cut bunches, due to the deterioration of compounds during transport as they are exposed to heat, light and air. Fresh herbs also have a much better flavour than dried herbs, and really that’s the reason we eat them. And there’s always the issue of “food miles”, in how far our dinner travels before it reaches the table.

Now, because of the diversity of plants collectively referred to as herbs, there are no strict rules that apply to all. However, many herbs, especially aromatic herbs like Basil (ocimum basilicum), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and Sage (Salvia officinalis) produce a stronger flavour in full sun, due to higher levels of oils in the leaves. These oils are a kind of defence mechanism for the plants, to make them unpalatable to browsing animals. Trust us humans to be the odd ones out. But other herbs, such as Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), will get stressed with too much sun, and shoot up flowers and produce seeds in a hot location. Parsley, in my experience, will grow just about anywhere, including cracks in the concrete. I prefer the flat leaf variety, it has more flavour, and as a chef friend pointed out recently, the only place you see curly parsley anymore is on raffled meat trays as garnish.

It's weeding Thyme, before the grass grows through. Thyme in flower.

I recommend treating groups of herbs in a similar fashion, based mostly on where they come from. The Mediterranean herbs, Rosemary, Basil, Oregano, Sage and Thyme can be grown together as a group, along with Parsley and Garlic. Not only will they all taste good together, they can all handle similar conditions in the garden: As much sun as they can get, and they usually can handle drying out a bit, and they all need a good dose of fertiliser, especially if they are harvested frequently. They would do well in a suitable section of garden, or a large pot together to save space, but mind that none of them dominate, they can be pretty competitive.

Ground covering herbs can be used to help suppress weeds and confuse potential pests, like Golden Marjoram around this Garlic

Another useful grouping is Coriander with Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum), or Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), Mint (Mentha spp.), Hot Mint (Persicaria odorata) and Lemongrass (Cymobopogon citratus) to make an Asian garden. Stick a Chilli in there too, and South East Asian inspired dishes are easily sorted. Most of these will tolerate a bit less sun, and a lot more water, Vietnamese (Hot) Mint and Lemongrass will even grow IN water most of the time.

There are clever ways to design herb gardens if you have the time and space, the Classic permaculture Herb Spiral design can be used, for example to get more plants in a small space that need different conditions. The other thing is to have them close to the kitchen door, you will use them more often if you see them all the time. If there’s no sun close to the kitchen door, think about having multiple planted portable gardens, old wheelbarrows, or planters on castors, so you can move them in and out of the sun periodically without a team effort.

Some people suggest keeping Mint in a pot, as it tends to run a bit rampant. Unless you REALLY like it. Eau de Cologne Mint.

I think herbs are the best option for beginners, too, because they give almost instant, easily repeated harvests from a small space, with only a little bit of effort. It’s pretty satisfying to be able to say to guests at dinner “I grew it myself”, even if it’s only the garnish. And at this time of year in Melbourne, you can pretty much plant anything. Don’t be afraid to interplant herbs amongst vegies and ornamental plants, too, there are no rules.

All the photos in this post were taken by me in the herb garden at Burnley Gardens which are open to the public every day.

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Planting List: August

August 6, 2010 at 2:51 pm (Gardening - Basics, Planting calendar)
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Look, I am just as surprised as you. August already? Where does the time go, isn’t the year flying by, etc. The last few weeks have been hectic as semester two just commenced Monday before last, and I had a lot more on my plate than usual, hence the lack of interesting and witty updates on gardening. But I have been busy in that area as well. Sowing in the glasshouse at work has begun in earnest, and just this week I have put in seeds of Tomatoes, Eggplants, Capsicums, Tamarillos, Alpine Strawberries and Cossack Pineapple (Physalis pruinosa) a relative of Cape Gooseberry and Tomatillo, which I should really feature in a post of their own.

So, anyway, Spring is starting to play hide and seek with us, popping in for the morning or the afternoon, before retreating and leaving us freezing again. But every time the sun pops its head in, the soil is warmed a little more, and the days are getting longer so the worst of the darkness is well behind us. If the weather is kind this weekend, it might be a good time to get out and assess the vegie patch, or potential vegie patch, or patch of un-mown lawn, or even sun-soaked concrete. There are ways of dealing with concrete that don’t require a jackhammer, crow-bar or sledge hammer. But that’s for another day, for now, here’s the list of things to plant this month!

Seeds (direct into the garden)

  • Broad beans (Vicia faba)
  • Beetroot (Beta vulgaris)
  • Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)
  • Carrot (Daucus carota) Tas. only
  • Chinese broccoli (Brassica rapa)
  • Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
  • Cress (Lepidium sativum)
  • Endives (Chicorium endivia)
  • Herbs (various)
  • Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea)
  • Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum)
  • Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) Winter varieties
  • Onions (Allium cepa)
  • Peas – dwarf (Pisum sativum)
  • Radish (Raphanus sativus)
  • Silverbeet (Beta vulgaris)

It may not look like much, but this spear of Asparagus represents HOPE! At this time of year, gardeners take what they can get. PS: reality check - there are aphids on this already

Seedlings/plants

  • All the above listed plants
  • Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) crowns
  • Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) root sections
  • Chinese Artichokes (Stachys affinis) tubers/plants
  • Horseradish (Amoracia rusticana) root sections
  • Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) crowns
  • Multiplier Onions (Allium cepa var.  aggregatum) bulbs
  • French Shallots (eschalots) (Allium oschaninii) bulbs
  • Strawberry (Fragarium x ananassa) crowns
  • Globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) offshoots (slips)
  • Bare rooted fruit & nut trees
  • Deciduous berry & bramble fruits
  • Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)

Under glass

  • Capsicum & chilli (Capsicum anuum & C. frutescens)
  • Cossack Pineapple (Physalis pruinosa)
  • Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
  • Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
  • Tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica)
  • Cucumber (Cucumis sativa)
  • Melons (Cucurbita spp)
  • Pumpkins (Cucurbita spp)
  • Zucchini/Squash (Cucurbita spp)

Okay gang, go nuts.

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The postman sometimes rings twice

July 19, 2010 at 3:38 pm (Featured plants, Gardening - Basics, Planting calendar)
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I was awoken early this morning by the Parcel Post guy knocking at my door. He had two parcels for me, none of which have anything to do with gardening. Then just as I was preparing to make coffee and wake up, and possibly get out of my dressing gown and into actual clothes, there was another knock. Strange, I thought, I hadn’t expected anything more this week. He handed over the post pack and, curious, I took it into my kitchen to open it.

It was from New Gippsland Seeds & Bulbs, a delivery of Sweet Purple Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) crowns. I had ordered these on line some time ago, but they were out of stock, so I opted to wait, and of course, forgot all about them until this morning. Asparagus crowns don’t look like much, a spindly collection of white roots. But from this unpromising base come delicious spears of green (or in this case purple) goodness come spring time. The spears, if left to grow, develop into tall, feathery leafed plants that bear little resemblance to what we serve as a vegetable, and a lot like the closely related Asparagus Fern (Asparagus aethiopicus) , which is not a fern at all, inedible, and can be a serious weed problem in bushland. Talk about the black sheep of the family.

Sweet Purple Asparagus crowns: these ugly critters are beginning of something beautiful

The plants I got are only a year old, so I will have to forgo the pleasure of eating them this year, in order to give them a season to build up some energy. Each year, the crowns need to store enough energy to produce the next year’s crop of spears. So in the first year after planting, it’s best to leave them to stockpile a little before harvesting. I’m going to put these into large pots, as I am in a rental property, and would like to keep them, should I have to move. At this point the containers are also housing a Gooseberry, A Black and a Red Currant, but I am sure their new neighbours won’t disturb them too much.

Ideally, crowns should be spaced 30 – 40cm apart, though they naturally reproduce by division, and end up a lot more crowded than that while remaining productive. As I mentioned, mine are in containers at the moment, and while I am just guesstimating, I think one crown per 30 cm pot would be fine, and because of the extra depth, you could get two into a 50cm pot. These are large pots, by the way, and in general I think for container gardening, bigger is better. You should get anywhere between five and ten spears per plant, and they will definitely all come at once between September and December. Asparagus is massively seasonal, which is reflected in the price paid at the grocer, which means when it’s growing in your garden, it will be cheapest at the shops, so if you develop an addiction, you should be able to afford the habit for a time. Just be warned the shop bought stuff will probably pale in comparison to the home grown, flavour-wise.

They need to go in pretty deep, about 20cm or so below the surface, but only covered initially with about 5cm of soil or mulch until they start growing, then fill in as they get taller, taking care not to cover the tips. The plants need a well fertilised, well mulched bed to do well, but appear to be pretty tough when it comes to surviving in all kinds of soil, except really heavy clay. They can definitely be left alone to do their own thing in the same place for years. You can lift them every few years to divide up the crowns and share them around, though. Once again I have chosen something that’s not commonly available in the shops, this time the purple colour of the spears sets the plant apart. I’ll be sure to update you all when they start appearing in spring.

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Shameless self promotion post #1: Burnley Open Day

July 15, 2010 at 3:35 pm (Shameless Self Promotion)
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Some of you may know that I am a lecturer in horticulture at the Burnley College campus of the University of Melbourne. Well, this Sunday you can come and see where I am lucky enough to have an office. The whole campus is open to the public between 10am and 3pm. If you have just started a garden, or you’re thinking about starting one, come and see what it could look like if it was looked after for over a hundred and fifty years. Even if you have never thought about studying horticulture, the gardens here are one of the best kept secrets in Melbourne. They are only fifteen years younger than the Royal Botanic Gardens in South Yarra, and are the home of Australia’s oldest Horticulture college.

Of course, the history of the heritage listed gardens aren’t all that will be on show. As part of the Melbourne School of Land and Environment, the campus is also home to a huge range of research projects looking at the future of horticulture, especially in urban environments. There is active on-site research on green roofs, where plants are grown on roof tops to reduce energy consumption and help carbon sequestration, as well as other urban sustainability issues, such as grey/black water recycling for urban vegetation. There is also work on the role of ex-situ (meaning off-site) conservation of native species, and restoration of native Australian vegetation.

The heritage listed Burnley Gardens

Anyway, I could crap on for ages about what’s going on, but instead I will copy and paste from the official printed material so you can see what other things will be happening. Read this, it’s quicker than going to their website and downloading a pdf that says the same thing.

Delivered in partnership by the University of Melbourne’s School of Land and Environment (MSLE) and Friends of Burnley Gardens (FOBG), horticultural experts will present you with free lectures and paid workshops, kids activities, forums and seminars on leading sustainable gardening practice, including pruning, pest and disease control, watering and fertilisers, and setting up a veggie plot. There will be tours taking you back in time through the
lush and historic gardens, and University course advice for budding horticulturists.

I’ll be the first to admit, if I never read the phrase “budding horticulturalist” again, that will be fine with me. And don’t be put off if you don’t want to listen to people talk about any of those topics, the gardens are beautiful, and the cafe makes great coffee. The Plant Science labs and nursery will also be open for the more technically minded to see what goes on behind the scenes, too. Anyway, I just though some of you might like to know, and you can come and say “Hi” to me, if you can figure out who I am.

Full program for the day can be found here. Sorry about the pdf.

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