Iogikuma's Edible Backyard

Joined: 26/11/08 Updated: 31/08/10 Frost: Low
Location: St Ives Chase, NSW, AU

About My Edible Backyard

I found the sunniest section of my property, ripped up the lawn and put in raised beds. I surrounded the beds with fruit trees and have planted others all over the property. I just wish I had more space! I also keep bees and chickens. As the garden had been badly neglected, I have spread about 250 bags of various manures through the garden beds. After a year, I have started to see worms when I dig. I have just put about 20 cu m of chipped trees through my garden as mulch. It came from some trees next door. About a third of it was palm trees, and they ended up in the chook pen. I have also installed a 12 sector automatic watering system and a fertigator (fertiliser injector) through which I regularly inject a very dilute mixture of worm juice from my worm farm, seaweed extract, fish emulsion, humic acid and plant growth stimulants. I hope to see my plants benefit greatly from this. Several bandicoots and a blue-tongue lizard live on the property. I now also have lots of birds visiting every day, but it has taken over a year for that to happen as they all seemed terrified when we first moved in.

Comments

What type of chooks - I've got some silkies and belgiums, wouldn't be without them.

I have 5 Isa Browns - friendly, easy-going and very good layers. They have a nice yard about 8m x 8m with lots of bushes and newly planted fruit trees, and now a deep mulch of chipped palms which they just love to scratch in and turn over.

Finger Lime - Grafted (Grafted)

Comments: -

Growing well. Waiting for it to flower and fruit. Getting bigger, still waiting for it to flower.

Planted: 2008

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Organic Status:Organic

Papayuelo (Seedling)

Comments: -

Growing strongly from the time it was planted. Started to flower a few weeks ago, about 4 months after planting. Didn't set any fruit. 2 nights of frost set it back as it lost all of its leaves, but is now growing well at the start of spring. Have read that I might need both a male and a female plant for fruit. Daley's should have made this clear in their description.

Planted: 2009

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 0.5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Pawpaw - Yellow M/F (2 per pot) (Seedling)

Comments: -

As suggested by Daley's, bought 2 pots for a total of 4 plants hoping to get at least one male. Growing vigorously. Major setback due to 2 frosty nigjhts which we have never had before. The plants lost a lot of top leaves but are recovering well. Seem to have had bad luck - all 4 seem to be female, so have no male to polinate them. Need to order another pot to try to get a male.

Height 1 metres

Qty: 4

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Guava Yellow Cherry (Seedling)

Comments: -

Growing well. About 1 dozen good sized fruit ripening at present. Plan to move it out of the pot into the ground.

Planted: 2008

Height 2 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pest Control:

Growing well. About 1 dozen fruit ripening at present. Plan to move it out of the pot into the ground.

Organic Status:Organic

Passionfruit - Grafted Black (Grafted)

Comments: -

Growing vigorously.

Height 8 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Olive - Manzanillo (Seedling)

Comments: -

Growing well. Waiting for fruit.

Planted: 2007

Height 3 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pest Control:

Growing well. Waiting for fruit.

Organic Status:Organic

Guava Hawaiian - Pink Supreme

Passionfruit - Panama Gold (Grafted)

Comments: -

Growing vigorously.

Height 6 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pest Control:

Growing vigorously.

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

This gives excellent fruit. Just make sure the plant gets good watering after fruit set.

Olive - Jumbo Kalamata (Seedling)

Comments: -

Not very happy in the pot. Just sitting there, not really growing.Have increased feed and water and hope it will start growing.

Planted: 2009

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

Hi. I have this tree planted in the ground in full sun and it is indeed a very slow growing tree but doing well. Watch out for 2 problems - small black mites which damage leaves, and occasionally a large caterpillar which can strip leaves very quickly.

Citron - Buddhas Hand (Grafted)

Comments: -

Had a slow start. First flowers were chewed off by cockatoos. Has started to grow properly now and has a dozen or so flowers on it. Waiting to see the fruit set.

Planted: 2009

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pest Control:

White oil.

Organic Status:Organic

Babaco (Seedling)

Comments: -

A bit slow to get going but has been growing steadily. Might need a slightly sunnier spot, but it will get more direct sun as it grows and clears the partial shade of the nearby garden shed and a palm tree. Just noticed that a number of flowers have formed.

Planted: 2009

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pest Control:

None

Organic Status:Organic

Passionfruit - Panama Red Grafted (Seedling)

Comments: -

Growing vigorously.

Height 6 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

Delicious fruit. Make sure to give regular watering after fruit set.

Passionfruit - Sweet Granadilla (Seedling)

Comments: -

Slow to start but now growing very vigorously.

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Black Sapote - Seedling (Seedling)

Comments: -

Growing well.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Persimmon - Hachiya (A) (Grafted)

Comments: -

Looks healthy, but little growth during first season in the ground.

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Tangello - Minneola (Grafted)

Comments: -

Growing strongly from the time it was planted. Should see first fruit next season.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Lemon - Dwarf Lisbon (Grafted)

Comments: -

Growing strongly from the time it was planted. Should see first fruit next season.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Dwarf Lime - Tahitian (Grafted)

Comments: -

Growing strongly from the time it was planted. Should see first fruit next season.

Planted: 2009

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Pomegranate - Rosavaya (Grafted)

Comments: -

Had it in a pot and it didn't really get enough food and water to keep it happy. Now it's in the ground and is growing well. Lightly pruning it to keep it compact and bushy.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Pomegranate - Wonderful (Grafted)

Comments: -

Growing well. I'm pruning it to keep it compact and bushy.

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Quince Tree - Smyrna (Grafted)

Comments: -

Seems to have settled in since planting, and has had several growth spurts. Has one tiny fruit on it at planting, but it dropped off. I hope to get fruit next season.

Height 1.5 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Grumichama - Black (Seedling)

Comments: -

Has been growing strongly since planting. Giving it a light prune here and there to keep it compact and bushy.

Planted: 2009

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Cedar Bay Cherry (Seedling)

Comments: -

Was very slow to get established, althought it looked fine, but after about 4 months it has now begun to grow well.

Planted: 2009

Height 0.5 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Wampi - Yeem Pay (Seedling)

Comments: -

Had it in a pot, which might have been too small for it. Got a couple of very small crops of fruit, but it wasn't doing well. Transplanted into the ground, fed and watered it well, and now it is growing vigorously. Looking forward to a much better crop next season.  

Planted: 2008

Height 1 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Organic Status:Organic

Pepino - Kendall Gold (Seedling)

Comments: -

Plants grew quickly, flowered and fruited, but set only a few fruit. One was by far the biggest Pepino I have ever seen. The others are only about half the expected size. Not sure what happened, but will keep on trying.

Planted: 2009

Height 1 metres

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 0.5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pest Control:

None

Organic Status:Organic

Pawpaw - Southern Red (Seedling)

Comments: -

Planted them in a very sunny and protected position. Grew very quickly and now, at about 1.5m are flowering for the first time about 6 months after planting. Was worried that it might not be warm enough here in Sydney for bisexual reds, but so far so good.

Planted: 2009

Height 1.5 metres

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 0.5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pest Control:

None

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

They fruit from seed in Lindfield so I'm sure you'll get fruits - hopefully before the wildlife do!

Naranjilla (Seedling)

Comments: - Grew very quickly. Very spiky leaves and multiple stems. Flowering since mid-summer but has not set fruit yet. Daleys told me it can flower for months before it actually sets fruit. I look at it every day to see if the first fruit has arrived.

Planted: 2009

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pest Control: None, and something is eating the leaves.

Yacon - Apple of the Earth (Seedling)

Comments: -

Planted in new raised beds of organic soil with loads of manure and blood & bone, trace elements, potash etc. Watered every day by watering system, but still wilts a little on very hot days. My new soil has too much nitrogen, so I'm concerned that I'll get vegetative growth but few roots, as has happened to most of my other root veges. The plants grew rapidly and well, and are now flowering. Might need to wait for good roots next season when the soil has settled down and improved.

Planted: 2009

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 6

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pest Control:

None

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

I grew them in St Ives in very ordinary soil - and they produced tubers.

Blueberry - Tifblue

Passionfruit - Banana

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit

Pitaya - Vietnam Dragon Fruit

Pitaya - Yellow Dragon Fruit

Blueberry - Biloxi

Blueberry - Climax

Blueberry - Gulfcoast

Blueberry - Sharpblue

Blueberry - Sunshine Blue