Phil@Tyalgum's Edible Backyard

Joined: 16/12/08 Updated: 12/10/11 Frost: Low
Location: Tyalgum , NSW, AU

About My Edible Backyard

 12 acre property in the foothills of Mt Warning/Lamington plateau, far north NSW. High rainfall, some chill factor present in winter months. 

Comments

just a note to say I appreciate your effort in detailing your plantings and am amazed at the variety in your selections - very impressive. mike

Are they really real butterflies???!!!

Rollinia deliciosa

Comments: -    A well established tree, 5 ft tall seedling purchased while still dormant at Bangalow market. Have pruned a few inches off to encourage branching, new leaves emerging already. Have given it the prime position at the front of the swimming pool in full sun for a tropical effect. 

Planted: 2010

Sapodilla - Sawo Manila

Comments: - Healthy looking young plant, although no sign of a graft visible, I suspect propagated by some other means. Small amount of scale insect present on purchasing treated with white oil.

Planted: 2009

Cherimoya Spain

Comments: - Actually seedling trees from a collection of rare fruit in country Victoria, also brought with me when I moved early in 2009. Parent was labelled as "Spain", a hard to find cherimoya  - it will be interesting to see what the fruit are like.

Planted: 2009

Comments

Ringbarked by rabbits and replaced with a cool tolerant Canistel variety "Emma"

Pepino Gold

Comments: -

I have a lot of space for this species - productive and rewarding. Cuttings take root within days, and have recently begun trialling seedlings from this plant to try and add something a little different to the narrow selection available in this country.

July 10

I have successfully germinated around 40 seedlings which I plan to trial for some genetic variation. I never see this fruit offered for sale, may sell off excess produce through the local store who seem happy to barter with local growers, a good outlet for organic produce.

Avocado Linda

Comments: - Giant, hard shelled fruit with fair quality flesh, more of a novelty than anything. Grafted trees were being sold alongside ripe fruit at a local stall, bought more as a one-off as I hadn't seen this variety available before. Apparently an older cultivar which has been around since the 1920s.

Planted: 2009

Comments

Drowned in the wet summer of 2010 - 11 - new growth from base, may be the rootstock

White Sapote - Chris (Grafted) ^6/10

Comments: - A small plant I originally had sent to Country Victoria, in the ground for three years with no growth during a prolonged drought. Now replanted in deep soil at the base of Mt Warning, looks like some promising new growth already in the damper conditions

Planted: 2009

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Pest Control: Nil to date

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

Still the same size as it was three years ago... growth always yellows off midway through the season

Fig \"Blue Provence\"

Comments: - Rare fig with blue flush to skin. Once popular, listed in Australian catalogues in 19th century. Now listed " whereabouts unknown". Two precious cuttings kindly sent by fellow gardener, growing well and strongly in this climate.

White sapote - Pike

Comments: - Planted in dappled shade, the tree appears healthy so far and flowering, especially on older wood. Sourced from at nursery at Tweed Heads, have planted it in close proximity to "Ortego" which is in full bloom. Ants seem to like the flowers, maybe they will be useful pollinators.

White Sapote - Lemon Gold

Comments: - Another find at a local fruit stall, this plant was so pot bound it was growing through the plastic into the ground below. Seemed to have transplanted ok, have bought it as a pollinator for "Vista".

Comments

Is it iron deficient? Phil - your plants are beautiful! The colour of them says it all..

Grew so fast the wind snapped off the sappy new growth - it was a little top heavy anyway

White Sapote - Dade

Comments: - Discovered by chance at a run-down nursery at Surfers' Paradise, an established tree which looked like it had been there for some time and overlooked. Already in flower, have started hand pollinating with pollen from the Ortego planted nearby. Having only just gone into the ground, flowers may abort before the fruit develops.

White Sapote Vista

Comments: -

A small grafted tree originally from the famous specimen in Louis Glowinski's Melbourne garden. Struggled in the dry conditions for a few years in Victoria, now growing in a more suitable climate.

Update March 2010

Disaster - this tree was run over by the ride-on mower. No hope of salvaging it as it was chopped below the graft. Have managed to source another from Perry's in SA. Lucky for me, a difficult plant to find.

July 2010

The long awaited replacement tree has finally arrived from Perry's, and has taken prime position in full sun, just outside the gates of the swimming pool. Have married it off to a 'Lemon Gold" so here's hoping for a fruitful union.

Planted: 2009

Comments

Too much sappy top growth, pruned to allow better framework of branches

Green sapote

Comments: - Seedlings from fruit purchased at a roadside stall. Rapidly growing plants, bursting with vigour.

Jujube Suimen

Comments: - A further selection which will be adorning a veranda in full sun

Comments

Phil are these types of pears?

No not related as far as I know but they do taste like an apple when green, more like a date when ripe.

Jujube Li

Comments: -  A dry climate species, hasn't done well but am shifting them into pots as the summer rainfall and humidity don't suit it.

Comments

Hello Phil, may I ask where you bought your jujube plants from? Are they grafted? Regards, Cam

Cam there is a forum user called jujubesforsale" and she normally sells grafted trees over the winter months. You should be able to find some posts from her or if you'd like to leave your e-mail address I'll contact her on your behalf.

Hi Phil, I've read some posts from her but I thought of finding a few other places before deciding where to buy from because these plants are quite costly. Looks like JujubeForSale offers the most variety. Will contact her again. Thanks for your help.

Hi,Phil,Could you give me some of your jujube cutting?I would like to try to grow with cutting,my email is LHY196703@hotmail.com.Thanks.

Pepino Kendall Gold

Comments: - Another selection - yet to bear fruit. 

Avocado Hass

Comments: - Healthy young tree bought locally. Pictured is the original Hass tree in California from whence came the millions of Hass trees growing worldwide. It was a chance seedling in 1926 and unfortunately succumbed to Phytophthora in 2002.

Garcinia humilis

Comments: - Promising new fruit now seasonably available in selected market outlets as "Achacha". Seedlings I have were germinated about three months after receiving seed from a co-forum member. 

Finger lime \"Cheryl\'s Pink\"

Comments: - Grafted variety. Reported to have no seeds.

Mamey Sapote

Comments: - Seedling from a fruit I ate earlier in the year, had begun germinating inside the sapote fruit when cut open. Rapid growth to date, although will attempt to purchase an improved cultivar for superior or earlier bearing.

Planted: 2009

Davidsonia jerseyana - Davidson Plum NSW

Comments: - Young plants bought after tasting jam made from a friends' fruiting tree. Also have a specimen of the Nth Queensland species which has different (less hairy) leaves and flowers more on longer panicles.

Planted: 2009

Comments

Hi Phil, I live in Lismore and have just begun the journey of growing my own fruit. I love plums but thought they required chilling hours???? Are these plums sweet/sour/tangy? I am growing my plants mainly in pots because I rent and want to take my plants with me if need be - would this suit the davidson? Also could you advise me as to a local market that has some of these fruits for sale? Thank you Phil :-)

They are not related to European/Japanese plums at all, so don't require chilling as they are native to Northern NSW. You often see the fruit for sale at the farmers markets, I have some seedlings coming on if you want some.

please see my comment re: tropical apples and yes please and thank you. How is your garden coping with all this rain?

Yes fortunately we are on an elevated site, soggy but everything looking ok

American pawpaw

Comments: - Seddlings from superior varieties I had imported from a breeding program in the US - Shennandoah, Pa Golden, Susquehanna and Allegheny. Hoping enough winter chill here in Tyalgum to initiate flowering

Planted: 2009

Comments

i would be interested in seeds ... if you could help cheers

Burdekin Plum

Comments: - Young trees used as part of an indigenous planting

Planted: 2009

Comments

My Mum taught us to bury the purple Burdekin Plum fruits in damp sand until they became soft and sweet. I think fruit flavour varied tree to tree but the sand trick turns them all into edible fruit within a few days.

Makes great wine - like pink champagne.

Lucuma

Comments: - Kindly sent as seed from a fellow forum member, originally as part of a consignment from New Zealand.

Planted: 2009

Comments

Now have two different sources of seedlings, will be interesting to see how they turn out

Black apple

Comments: - Seedlings from fruit collected in a local rainforest. Easily germinated.

Planted: 2009

Comments

This plant is interesting. How do the apples taste? Where would I get a plant/cutting etc? Thanks

I think I have a spare seedling here if you want one.

Phil that would be wonderful - unfortunately I have just started and have nothing to trade. although i did study horticulture for 1 and 1/2 years so could offer some garden work? How do we arrange this?

If you're ever up this way will arrange for you to get hold of it.

Thank you Phil, will wait until i get a spare tyre before i drive up that way. I will look into nurseries along the way. cheers! I am excited to have the opportunity to expand my collection with two species that grow well nearby.

Blue Quandong

Comments: - Two different varieties, a white flowered specimen and two pink flowered plants.

Planted: 2009

Comments

what does this taste like ? ... the fruit looks cool !

Sandpaper fig

Comments: - A young plant used to assist in stabilizing an embankment along with other locally indigenous trees.

Planted: 2009