Kath's Edible Backyard

Joined: 19/04/09 Updated: 19/07/11 Frost: Low
Location: Karnup, WA, AU

About My Edible Backyard

I live on a 5 acre block of absolute rubbish grey sand south of Perth.

We get virtually no summer rain but have a great bore-although the water is very alkaline. The soil is gutless, non-wetting & no goodies in it so  use composting worms to help me out. On the upside, we rarely get frosts.

I swap veggies/eggs with some neighbours for horse manure/spoilt hay, put this in old baths & cut down water tanks, chuck a handful of composting worms in then leave them to do their thing. In a few months  I use the castings to make potting mix, and plant in the holes with new plants etc. Also grow veggies in raised baths, the tanks & in the garden filled with the same mix. Also, I mulch everything I can find time to with tree mulch which I swap a tree contractor-a truckload for a carton of beer-the worms turn this into beautful castings. In the citrus orchard I grow clover as a ground cover to keep the soil cool & add nitrogen-mow it every so often .

I grow lots of  hollyhocks, nasturtiums, dahlias, poppies (all self-sow for next year) & sunflowers to bring the bees in as I grow pumpkins each summer. I don't use any chemicals in the food garden but do use glysophate elsewhere on our block as I don't have 10 hours a day spare to weed the kikuyu we grow for our horse (which tries to invade the places it shouldn't) (that is the horse & the kikuyu!!)

I have 12 chooks-2 Isa Browns & 10 Hylines & empty the sawdust out of their shed every few months into the worm system & the girls do a great job cleaning up bugs & weeds. Rotate them through the vegie/fruit yards so they get lots of greens. I have two 44 gallon drums of liquid fertilizer-one horse poo & the other has a chaff bag of seaweed in it plus a bag of comfrey leaves-makes a good brew. Have dozens of comfrey plants & constantly harvesting them to mulch around my plants.

In the last eighteen  months have started adding zeolite, bentonite & spongelite to all new plantings to try & retain water & nutrients-think this seems to be helping. A lot of fruit trees, mainly citrus, are very slow to get going in this sand but getting there slowly. Have trouble fighting the parrots for stone fruit so have bought a heap of new ones more suited to this area in  winter '09 & espaliered them &  have just finished netting all the stone & pome fruits in. Now spring 2010 & they are covered in flowers so hopefully will get some fruit this year.

Have got lots of herbs on the go plus love trying to grow things from cuttings & seeds with mixed success. Love sharing my garden, plants and produce with friends & encouraging them to grow a few things to eat in their own space, & am always reading to learn more.

Besides growing stuff to eat I have planted many many trees & shrubs on our block & now have lots of birds, including blue wrens around. I love recycling &  making daggy little inventions like my worm heated seed-raising box, polystyrene worm farms & blinds for my shadehouse.

I find gardening is a hobby where you can connect  and share with people from all ages & backgrounds & learn from each other, & when you need 'time out'  you can disappear for an hour or two (or ten if you're lucky) & just enjoy all the growth .

Comments

Great effort already. The joys and problems with more space. Might have to organise a trip down one day and bring my seed bank for some swapping :P.

No worries Charles,you're more than welcome to come down .

HI you have a really nice garden. My wife and I are starting from scratch on a 2.5 acrea block and hope it will look even half as nice as yours oneday. We have so many ideas but no clue on how to do things.

Thanks John, all the best with your garden. The free Great Food Gardens are fantastic-can learn heaps-check the website for details-http://www.greatgardens.info/registrationgf.php

Your garden is an inspiration, Kath; thank you for sharing. Mine is a container garden in a car space; small but productive.

Plumcott

Comments: - Planted Sept 2010-had a couple of fruit on it when bought-going to espalier it.

Planted: 2010

Passionfruit

Comments: - Absolutely suck at growing passionfruit!! Grew great vines in NSW & NT & now no luck!! Tried both  grafted and from seed but they get mowed down at the base-? slaters. Will try again in with the ducks.

Comments

did you try a sunshine special? they seem to do well in WA. my theory is these are a bit finicky. when one goes, it will go nuts. I just planted 2 (panama red and gold) up the same fence a sunshine special is on. will be interesting to see what happens

Have put in three mor-two from seeds & one grafted-fingers crossed.

Quince Tree - Smyrna

Comments: - Cut right back 2009, lost most of leaves winter 2010, now shooting again and covered in beautiful flowers

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Comments

Kath, does your quince loose all its leaves in the warm Perth winter? I'm looking for something tough that will screen a window in summer but let light through in winter.

Hi BJ-yes, it's pretty bare at the moment-I keep mine quite short so not sure how tall it would grow if left unchecked. I got mine from Tass 1 up the Swan Valley. Or what about a fig/mulberry? You can prune those really hard & they give great summer shade? Good luck with whatever you choose, Kath

Pear-Flordahome

Comments: - were slow to get going -planted  winter 2009 -now doing well. Planted in a hole with a Hood pear.

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Nectarine - Sunwright

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Orange - Lanes Late

Comments: - finally getting fruit-about 30

Pollination: Self Pollination

Orange - Washington Navel

Comments: - finally getting fruit-about 12 

Pollination: Self Pollination

Assorted herbs

Comments: - A mix of annual and perennial herbs & vegies-grown in worm castings

Cumquat-Nagami

Apple -Golden Dorsett

Comments: - Planted winter 2009-loaded with flowers spring 2010

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Anna

Taro Pacific

Comments: - from Daleys  winter 2009-died down over winter 2010-? will reshoot in spring?

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Tangelo - Minneola

Comments: - first fruit on

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Tangelo - Seminole

Comments: - first fruit on

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Plum - Gulfbeauty

Comments: -

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Peacharine

Comments: - Very slow compared to peaches & nectarines

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pawpaw

Comments: - grown from seed 2009-slow

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Comments

What kind of paw paw are these?

I don't know-I just bought half a pawpaw from the fruit shop, dried the seeds out & planted them. It was a orange oval shaped one.

Olive - Kalamata (Grafted)

Comments: - Recently transplanted to a better position

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Nectarine-Sunlite

Comments: - amazing growth since planted  winter 2009 for all three nectarines-covered in blossoms spring 2010

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Mango-unknown variety

Comments: - SLOW!!

Planted: 2008

Pollination: Self Pollination

Loquat

Comments: - Has fruit on now (after~7year wait!)- great shade for the chooks

Pollination: Self Pollination

Lemon - Eureka

Comments: - Prolific fruiter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Jaboticaba

Comments: - from Daleys

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Grape-Italia

Comments: -

Pollination: Self Pollination

Grape - Flame Seedless

Comments: - radically cut back-dug out & into a pot ready for transplanting

Pollination: Self Pollination

Goji Berry

Comments: - Lost it's leaves over winter-? might reshoot in spring??

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Grumichama - Black

Comments: - from Daleys  winter 2009 -was a bit crook in the heat last summer-touch wood for this year.

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Grapefruit-Ruby

Comments: - very thick skinned fruit. Supposed to be pink. Skin is yellow-flesh 'pinkish'

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Choko

Comments: - Grows each year like a weed, dies down for winter, cover with compost & it reshoots in spring.

Planted: 2007

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Apple-Anna

Comments: - Planted winter 2009 -going well-loaded with flowers spring 2010

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Dorsett Gold

Almond - Self Pollinating Papershell ^8/10

Comments: - Had one nut on it 2009 but it fell off!  Loads of flowers spring 2010. Have done some wacky pruning as trying to get it to shade my broody hen cage.

Planted: 2007

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Avocado - Reed (A)

Comments: - Planted  winter 2009  from Daleys-replacing a bigger Reed the horse ate!

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Avocado - Hass (A) (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: - Had a radical prune has was too tall & had been butchered by the horse so no fruit on this season-previously had 100s. Now about to bud again.

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Acerola Cherry - Florida Sweet

Comments: - from Daleys winter 2009

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: worm castings/horse

When I Fertilise: Spring

Question: I tried to espalier this & all the leaves dropped off-is this normal in Perth's winter or have I killed it?

Comments

did it survive Kath? d'ya know if it will grow from a cutting?

found this useful info re acerola's ...hopefully it might help; http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/acerola.html

It is well & truly dead now.

Nashi-Hosui

Comments: - from Daleys  winter 2009 -now starting to settle in. Planted in a hole with a Kosui Nashi

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Peach - Flordagold

Comments: - three peaches planted  winter 2009 -going well-loaded with flowers spring 2010

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Hibiscus heterophyllus - Native Rosella

Comments: - Grown from seed, set fruit then died in the winter.

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Tamarillos-red

Comments: - Have red & yellow-they grow like crazy, produce lots of fruit for a couple of years then drop dead so try & have a new one on the go all the time. Lucky the fruit are delicious as the leaves smell disgusting!

Pollination: Self Pollination

Comments

Comfrey

Comments: - Great for mulching, compost & liquid fertilizer. Dies down in winter then reshoots twice as thickly each spring. Pull up a root, chop it up & plant-heaps more plants.

Comments

unfortunately just lost the last of my confrey :-(

Sugarcane

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Comments

looks like lemon grass. not like any sugarcane I've seen?

Since this was taken it's grown to about 1.5m-I keep cutting the top off to get it to thicken up. This is when it was a baby.

Silvanberry

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Raspberry - Heritage

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Plum-Sunrise Gulf

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Plum - Gulf Ruby

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Peach - Tropic Snow

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Peach - Tropic Beauty

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pepino - Kendall Gold

Comments: - Amazing-dozens of plants from the original & heavy bearing

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Olive-Verdale

Planted: 2008

Pollination: Self Pollination

Orange-Blood

Comments: - struggling

Planted: 2008

Pollination: Self Pollination

Nectarine - White Satin

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Mulberry - White Shahtoot

Comments: - from Daleys-going great

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Self Pollination

Comments

tasted fruit from this? I'm wondering about this tree - sweet I believe

I only got a couple last season as it was it's first year and they were really sweet-is just starting to fruit now.

Mulberry - Black English

Comments: - doing well

Planted: 2008

Pollination: Self Pollination

Mandarin-Clementine

Comments: - bit sad

Pollination: Self Pollination

Mandarin-Nules

Comments: - finally looking O.K.

Planted: 2008

Pollination: Self Pollination

Mandarin - Imperial

Comments: - poor

Planted: 2008

Pollination: Self Pollination

Guava-Indian

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Guava - Strawberry

Planted: 2010

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Comments

Go chook!

Fig Black Genoa

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Fig White Adriatic

Planted: 2005

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Feijoa

Planted: 2008

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Comments

why do you trimmed it off ?

I cut it back so it would get nice & bushy -haven't grown it before so just experimenting.

Chillis-Rocotto-Orange/Red

Comments: - Have red, orange & peron grown from seed last year-fruiting now. Supposed to live for ten years!

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Brazilian Cherry

Comments: - from Daleys

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Blueberries

Comments: - Really alkaline soil here so in pots-have Reveille,Blue Rose,Northland.Nellie Kelly & Brigitta

Planted: 2009

Growing: In a Pot

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Boysenberry

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Blackberry

Planted: 2009

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Apricot-Trevatt

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Apricot-Newcastle

Planted: 2009

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Apricot - Glengarry

Planted: 2009

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Avocado - Fuerte (B)

Comments: - Another avocado butchered by the horse-now recovering

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Comments

the background looks like a full blown nursery. is it?

No, I just really like growing stuff!

Asparagus - Mary Washington

Comments: - Only a baby-will be waiting a while for a harvest.

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Pollination: Self Pollination

Lemonade Tree

Comments: - struggler

Growing: In the Ground

Rhubarb

Comments: - grow in ground inside plant pots with the bottom cut out 

Mandarin-Emperor

Comments: - struggling

Lemon - Meyer

Comments: - Convalescing!! Has been a great tree

Lime - Tahitian

Comments: - Got so big it split so attacked it with the chainsaw-slowly recovering. Has been my best producing tree-100s of limes over the years

Gooseberry-Cape

Comments: - Self-seeds all over the place

Elderberry

Growing: In the Ground

Comments

I found that elders get serious die off when the temp hits >43C. Never got any berries either. Wouldn't mind a cutting ;-)

Bananas ^10/10

Comments: - Have some Cavendish, Lady's Fingers & an unknown thriving in the chook yard

Apple-Pink Lady/Gala

Comments: - double grafted-doing well

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Comments

do they grow at similar rates?

Pretty much but I cut them back so they're roughly the same so one doesn't take over the other.

Apple-Granny Smith/Jonathon

Comments: - Double grafted-doing well

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cranberry

Comments: - Struggled along then died

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Babaco

Comments: - Got lots of water, compost etc but slowly died-only ever got one fruit from it .

Growing: In the Ground

Comments

Finally carked it after struggling for years & only producing one fruit!!!