WA My Edibles

Tamarillo - Red ^10/10

Comments: -

I eat Tamarillo's when they are in season with Greek Style Yoghurt for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  They cost about $2 each, so my hubby tries to restrict the number I buy as it shoots the cost of grocery shopping through the roof.

It would be so much easier if I could grow my own!!

(Seedling) ^10/10

Comments: -

I grow this every year, and there is always someone who asks 'what is that?'  It looks like a large-leaved silverbeet, with light green leaves. Very prolific - don't know why it isn't grown commercially.

It has a milder taste than s'beet, and is an annual - it grows all winter and goes to seed in summer. I think I bought the seed originally from Phoeniz Seeds, and have kept the seeds ever since.

It only gets water in spring if it is dry. Winter rainfall is enough, even though we have had a very dry winter in WA.

Planted: 2010

Height 40 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: compost, fish emulsion later in season.

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control:

No pests seen apart from an occasional snail.

Organic Status:Organic

Avocado - Seedling (Seedling) ^2/10

Comments: -

taste of fruit

Fruiting Months November

Planted: 2005

Height 18 Feet

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Fruit Harvest: 50 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2009 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting

Organic Status:Organic

Question:

how big does the avocado tree grows in w.a

Acerola Cherry - Florida Sweet

Comments: - from Daleys last winter

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?

Cape Gooseberry ^10/10

Comments: -  Cape Gooseberries are so easy to grow. You just bury one of the fruits (you can probably grow them from cuttings too but I've never bothered) and water occasionally.  The require no maintenance at all, although you may need to cut the plants back because they grow so vigorously and you will get new plants self seeding from fallen fruit every year. The fruit are very attractive and fun to pick as the fruit grow individually inside paper lantern-like cases. When fresh the fruit resemble a cherry tomato and are very juicy with a sharp/sweet flavour, reminiscent of apricots. The fruit can also be left to dry on the bush (although many will fall when ripened before drying out). When dry the fruits a wrinkled and somewhat leathery with a much sweeter flavour. Kids love to pick and eat these.    

Planted: 2010

Height 0.7 metres

Growing: In the Ground

First Fruited: 6 Months From Seed

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

When I Fertilise: Never

Pest Control:  

Question:  I've been told that it can be harmful to eat unripe Cape Goosberry fruits. Do you know if this is true? 

(Seedling) ^10/10

Comments: -

its exotic and very usefully as it can be eaten whole and used in stirfrys

pepino or cameron apple as i know it tastes like rockmelon

my kids love them and just for that fact its a winner in my garden

Fruiting Months September, October, November, December

Planted: 2010

Height 45 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 15 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2010 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control:

i use companion planting and have garlic chives and chillies to keep the bugs at bay also have an area of my backyard left in fallow and covered in weeds the bugs tend to prefer the weeds to my garden

Organic Status:Organic

Passionfruit - Black (Grafted) ^10/10

Comments: -

it tastes yum and I somehow managed to put it in 'just the right spot'. After I planted it it was struggling, but then I had a baby and started chucking his bathwater on there every day - about 9ltrs, and it took off - it is growing like crazy with minimal attention, now! I only water it on the odd occasion if it hasn't rained.

Fruiting Months January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Planted: 2008

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Fruit Harvest: 100 Fruit Per Year

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting

Organic Status:Organic

Question:

I discovered thattoo much nitrogen makes the plant drop immature fruit (I tipped the last of the 'poo tea' on it and it wasn't happy).  What is a good mix of fertiliser, because it is a 'gross feeder', isn't it....?

Finger Lime - Sunshine Yellow

Comments: -

I nearly lost this plant summer 2008-09. Installed new drippers, I think it was dry then drenched, Lost canopy but when water was managed got lots of water shoots. In 2009 Spring I pruned for growth in original canopy and now looking ok. I gradually chopped back the water shoots. Some trunk damage evident, but here's hoping for a healthy tree. First Flower, Nov 2009, didn't hang around. Repotted and relocated Dec 22 2009 - canopy happy again and water shoots removed, but trunk damage still evident. Centre of canopy a little crowded, so pruned before spring 2010

Planted: 2008

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pepino - Kendall Gold

Comments: -

The Pepino grows well in a large black pot surrounded by a trellis to support the fruit, so it doesn't take up much space.  It flowers all year round here in Perth and produces fruit steadily.  If you don't want to pick the fruit, it can be left on the shrub for months without deteriorating.  The Pepino starts producing fruit, about the size of a large apple, in it's first year and is ripe when purple stripes form over the green skin.  . 

When harvesting the fruit, cut the stalk, to protect the plant and the forming flowers.  To prepare the fruit I cut it into quarters and peel the skin back, it slides off quite easily.  The fruit is very juicy and tastes like and is similar in colour to a rockmelon.  It tastes delicious when chilled.

I enjoy growing unusual fruit that I have never seen or tasted before.  I also grow the Goji Berry, a lovely red, sweet berry about the size of the sultana grape that is power packed with nutrition and is very easy to grow.     

Apple - Dwarf Pink Lady (Grafted) ^9/10

Comments: -

I LOVE this apple! Compared to those in the supermarkets, nothing even comes close! I remember the first apple I ate from this tree. It was a dark pink, as I  bit into it I felt the juices dribbling down my mouth, and a burst of flavour delivered to my senses. Total extasy! The sweetness, with a hint of tartness, and the power and flavour of a hundred store bought apples, meant that I spent the entire afternoon, gauging myself on every apple on the tree!

This tree is the one that started it all for me. I now have five apple, five pear, two plum, two peach, one nectarine, five passionfruit, ten grapes, six citrus, two cherry, three gauva, two mulberry and four olives! This tree started an obsession.

Fruiting Months January, February, March

Planted: 2006

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 30 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Summer and Winter

Pruned By: 20% in Spring

Pollination: Cross Pollination

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control:

Fruit fly traps. (Home made)

Organic Status:Organic

Question:

Why have you dwarfed this variety? It should be grown to its full potental!!

apricot - trevat (Grafted)

Comments: -

As they are only babies I removed all the fruit as soon as it set as I want them to get their roots fully established so they can survive the summer!They are being espilared against the fence. A few have been hard hit by the storm and had some unorthordox pruning (thanks Perth storms) - but they seem to have recovered well. All their leaves have been removed for winter and I'm hoping they spring out of dormancy soon)

Planted: 2009

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 4

First Fruited: 6 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control:

ladybugs!

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Mango - Kensington Pride grafted (Grafted) ^8/10

Comments: -

This tree is about 5 years old it was bought from KMart for $10 as it looked sick, it gave two fruit the first year I planted it into the ground.  I then transplanted it to the current location and it gives about 5 to 10Kg of fruit in season.

Fruiting Months January, February, November, December

Planted: 2006

Height 2.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Fruit Harvest: 10 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Never

Pitaya - Red Dragon Fruit (Cutting)

Comments: -

Just got started on this one (red with white flesh) with a cutting from a friend. Currently its about 30cm tall. Dotted with rooting power and planted in potting mix. Will wait and see!

Also picked up a red flesh pitaya recently from Tass1. Now I need to find a spot for them!

12/06/10 - and another cutting from Tass1, this time yellow skin white flesh. Treated same as above. My other two have had lots of new growth over summer but seem to be slowing a bit now in winter.

Planted: 2009

Height 0.3 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Not yet

Mandarin - Emperor ^6/10

Comments: -

Original plant when we moved to house.  Doesn't put out abundant fruit but are quite nice. 

Fruiting Months March, April, November, December

Height 4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 5 kilograms per Year

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: After fruiting

Pest Control: None needed so far

Organic Status:Organic

Finger Lime - Sunshine Yellow (Grafted)

Planted: 2009

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Coffee arabica ^10/10

Comments: -

Arrived about a month ago and have put it in a larger pot. Very happy so far despite being very hot. New shoots growing, looks great.

Planted: 2010

Height 0.4 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pest Control:

No pests as yet. Will update as they arise.

Mango - Kensington Pride grafted ^8/10

Fruiting Months January, February, March

Planted: 2004

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Fruit Harvest: 3 kilograms per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pruned By: 10% in After Fruiting

Fertiliser or Organics Used: seasol/thrive

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting

Bay Tree (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: -

The Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis, Lauraceae), also known as True Laurel, Sweet Bay, Laurel Tree, Grecian Laurel, Laurel, or Bay Tree, is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub reaching 10%u201318 m tall, native to the Mediterranean region.

The aromatic laurel leaves are used in many countries of central and southern Europe to flavour stews, soups, meat dishes, and even fish. They are used to season canned cucumbers or herring, or added to give aroma to vinegar.

It is also widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in regions with mediterranean or oceanic climates, and as an indoor plant in colder regions.

Mainteance free. Its in a herb garden bed so get s water and manure from them. I think this must have been in the pot to long before I bought it and the plant seems dwarfed. Very little growth in 3 years.

Planted: 2007

Height 1.2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

None required yet. SOmetimes the tree gets scale if you let it get to dense and out of control.

Organic Status:Organic

Dwarf Calamondin ^5/10

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Finger Lime - Cutting Grown

Apple - Pinkabelle

Comments: -

Planted 15th of November this year, did flower very well, but they were lost in the strong winds. Hoping that they will stick next season when the foliage is thicker.

Unfortunately it has powdery mildew, which it had when I purchased it, but as a newby I didn't know anything about pests and diseases... 

Planted: 2009

Height 1.2 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Fruit

When I Fertilise: Winter and Spring

Pest Control:

Currently treating it with Copper Oxychloride solution.

14 day intervals

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

there's lots of possible things for powdery mildew - apparently milk works well. I was surprised to find some in my courtyard (despite no spray watering) but haven't treated it yet

One part milk to nine parts water is a preventative. If you can see symptoms, you probably need something stronger. Milk didn't do much for me, but regular seaweed solution has really helped in my garden. Diana.

Thanks guys. I treated with Copper only twice and have found the hot weather to be more beneficial than spraying... fingers crossed for next season.

Neem tree - grafted

Cape Chestnut Grafted Pink

Cherry Tomatoes, Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage, Spring Onions, Chives, Banana Passionfruit, Black Passionfuit, Mandarin,

Organic Status:Organic

Lemon - Eureka ^8/10

Comments: -

trimmed to be relatively compact - lovely lemons and lots of them!

Planted: 2002

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 30 kilograms per Year

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: Spring

Organic Status:Organic

Apple - Dwarf Dorsett Golden ^9/10

Fruiting Months December

Planted: 2006

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Anna

Organic Status:Pesticides Used

Comments

In its 4th year now. Good crop last year, This year looking similar. Very nice crisp apples straight from the tree.

Lemonade Tree (Grafted) ^6/10

Fruiting Months August, September, October

Planted: 2006

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Autumn and Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting and Yearly

Organic Status:Organic

Comments: -