Fiona11's Edible Backyard

Joined: 15/04/15 Updated: 23/09/24 Frost:
Location: STREAKY BAY

About My Edible Backyard

Aim - to establish a permaculture garden on 20 acre block of sandy gutless ex cropping country.  Not too far from the beach in Streaky Bay - South Australia.  Its listed as warm/temparate however has its difficulties such as wind that would blow a dog off a chain and cold miserable weather in winter (but rarely a frost).  

We battle european snails (small white snails that eat everything), mice, rabbits and foxes.....

Comments

Fiona11's WISH LIST

Rhubarb - Ever Red

Apricot Low Chill

Apricot - Moorpark

Why Fiona11 wants it: - Hubby loves stone fruit.  One day when we have our grey water system established and shelter for such trees!

Almond - Self Pollinating Papershell

Why Fiona11 wants it: - Almonds at least grow in arid conditions and are known to grow well in SA

Olive - Kalamata

Why Fiona11 wants it: - Want to establish some good eating olives

Pomegranate - Wonderful (Seedling) ^7/10

Comments: -

Growing really well in gutless sandy soil.  Our soil is very alkaline.  Pomegranate's go for around 5.5 to 7 PH but can tolerate considerable amounts of alkalinity and sodium in the soil.  I aim these days to find plants that prefer sandy well draining soil and are happy in limestone conuntry near the sea!.  It is far easier to keep happy plants that enjoy their surrounding than try to change the surroundings to suit the plant.  Putting some structure into the soil (mulch, manue ect.) helps too.  Beautiful flowers and now having its first crop in 2018

Fruiting Months January

Planted: 2015

Height 1.2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Organic Status:Organic

Mulberry - Dwarf Black

Comments: - Dwarf black - planted March 2015 and by Feb 2017 was well over 2 metres.  This one powers along. Fruit keep getting knocked off by the wind.  Is trying to fruit again July 2017.

Planted: 2015

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Mulberry - White Shahtoot (Seedling)

Comments: - Beautiful long pale green fruit, very vigorous grower and now over 2 metres tall.  We have sandy soil, old cropping country and the soil is pretty gutless.  The mulberries are holding their own at present.  We do not live at the location and they really only get attention such as mulching and fertilizer twice a year.  Lucky had summer rain over 2017 (this has helped).  Planted March 2015

Planted: 2015

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 10 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 0.5 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Quince - Smyrna (Grafted)

Comments: - Love the smell of quice fruit.  Planted bare root tree July 2017

Planted: 2017

Height 50 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Rosemary (Cutting)

Comments: - Growing some of the Gallipoli strain along with unknown types to form a hedge

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Natal Plum

Comments: -

Natal Plum - Carissa Macrocarpa - March 2016

This little shrub is still well like under 10cm one year on.  It just hasn't gone anywhere.  Except it did flower!.  The most lovelly smelling little white flower.

July 2017 took the shadecloth guard off it to see if that makes a difference.

It enjoyed having more sun but in 2018 I ended up relocating it to another part of the garden in the hope of giving it a better chance.

Very spiny little shrub with beautiful flowers and hope to see it grow up

Planted: 2016

Height 9 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Olive - Barouni (Seedling) ^8/10

Comments: - The olives are all doing great on the sany alkaline soil.  They are the only trees doing really well without tree guards

Planted: 2016

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Finger Lime - Collette (Seedling)

Comments: - Pretty bush.  Tiny little dark coloured limes with intense flavour

Fruiting Months January and February

Planted: 2015

Height 0.8 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 3 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter and Spring

Fig Prestons Prolific

Comments: -

Prestons Prolific - planted March 2016

So far slow going but may have been the shade guard was not letting in enough light.  Guard changed in Feb 17 so will see where it goes from here

Planted: 2016

Height 0.4 metres

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Olive - Arbequina (Grafted)

Comments: - Arbequina Olive planted March 2016 as polinator for the other olives.  It had fruit on it in the second year.  Growing well.  The olives will do well here on the sandy soil.  Don't seem to mind the wind too much either

Fruiting Months January and February

Planted: 2016

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Dwarf Mulberry - Red Shahtoot (Seedling)

Comments: - Dwarf Red Shahtoot - March 2016.  It has doubled its height since planting last year, when planted it was really just a stick.  Maybe not as vigorous as the other mulberries but going steady.  Fruit late 2017 were just lovely.  Out of the Shatoots this one is my favorite

Fruiting Months October

Planted: 2016

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Acerola - Florida Sweet (Seedling)

Comments: -

Malpiehia Emarginarta - March 2016

Pretty little bush, so far its been steadily growing.  2017 this bush is really healthy and holding its own in the wind and sany soil.

Planted: 2016

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Quongdong (Seedling)

Comments: -

Finally got some native Quongdong to strike.  Hosts are some small wattle trees.

Slow going to get them up out of the ground.  Apparently they put down more root structure than what you see up top.  July 2017 have about 5 that have come up under trees.  We put out some fresh seed (around 300 stones).

Planted: 2014

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 4

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Sheoak - River (Seedling) ^3/10

Comments: -

I have a feeling they are not suitable for SA conditions and while I always thought sheoak was drought tolerant - maybe not.

So far 3 have died

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 6

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Question: How drought tolerant are they?

Comments

Found it is best to get seed or seedlings of sheoak growing naturally in your area - they are all different in what they tolerate

Caper Bush

Comments: - Still under 10cm a year later.  July 2017 took the shadecloth guard off it to see if that would make a difference

Planted: 2016

Height 10 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Comments

Our little bush never grew higher than 10cm and spread across the ground. It has beautiful white flowers on it and had a lot of berries. Had to shift it 2018 - it got attacked by a mower. I hope it survives

Lemon - Eureka (Grafted) ^3/10

Comments: - We have fruit from it.  Good juice.  We have shade cloth guards around all our trees due to the wind. This little lemon grows to the height of the shade guard and then stops.  Poor thing - every time it pokes a little branch up into the wind it gets ripped to shreds.  When we visit we raise the guard up further and further just to let this tree get up.  

Planted: 2014

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Fruit Harvest: 4 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Goji Berry - Shrub (Seedling) ^8/10

Comments: -

Was sold as a type of Goji berry however have since found out it may be a distant cousin.  It hails from Mexico and places like that.  It is sometimes called Pale Wolfberry

Listed as wolfberry - Lycium Pallidum.  This is really drought tolerant!! and will grow between 1 to 3 metres in a thorny thicket.

It thrives on neglect and can get a bit crazy!  It has long sharp thorns on it and creates a haven for lizards to hide under.  Beautiful little mauve flowers followed by bright red berries that are sweet and tart. 

Planted March 2015

Fruiting Months January and February

Planted: 2015

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Fruit Harvest: 100 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 6 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Summer

Pest Control: Havent seen anything attack it yet.

Organic Status:Organic

Comments

The bees love this plant and it has flowers and berries on it all year round now. I gave it a severe trim in 2018

Bay Tree (Cutting)

Comments: -

Love the flavour in stews and corned beef

Have to watch it for affids and black mould.

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Olive - Manzanillo (Seedling)

Planted: 2016

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Fig - Brown Turkey

Comments: - Planted July 2017

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Quince - Champion (Grafted)

Comments: - Planted July 2017

Height 50 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Kurrajong (Seedling)

Comments: - Hopefully drough tolerant and more fire retardent than eculpyts

Planted: 2017

Height 10 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 40

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Comfrey (Seedling)

Comments: -

Great composting plant amongst other benefits

needs regular watering and good mulch

Planted: 2015

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Lavender - French (Cutting)

Comments: - unknown types to form a hedge

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 6

Mulberry - Beenleigh Black (Seedling)

Comments: - Planted March 2016.  Has really huge leaves.  May have got knocked about a bit by the winds so have put in added protection for now.

Planted: 2016

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Tagasaste - Tree lucerne ^3/10

Comments: -

Useful stock feed when things get dry

Jury still out - can this little green tree survive the harsh winds, dry conditions and terrible sandy soil.

Planted: 2016

Height 0.3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Comments

Hi, How did your Tree Lucerne grow?

Hi Faith1, they are still alive but very slow growing where we have them. Not sure if its due to the alkaline soil and they are getting mineral locked or just a very slow growing tree. I am happy they are still alive!

Lemongrass (Seedling)

Height 60 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Mandarin - Emperor (Grafted) ^3/10

Comments: - Unfortunately the little mandarin passed away July 17.  On pulling it up it appeared to be root bound.  

Height 0.2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Question: What makes for happy citriss 

Dwarf Macadamia - A16 (Grafted) ^1/10

Comments: -

Maybe it is more subtropical than a warm temperate zone.  Likely it wasn't protected enough

Too much hard work for the value of the nut.... will stick to something that likes arid conditions until we can actually be there full time to care for the more delicate

Planted: 2015

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Question: How far apart should you plant them.  We have two.

Comments

Where are you fiona as I have an A16 growing well against a north facing brick wall and doing quite well here in Melb and Macca similar to Pinkaliscious in a more open spot doing well too -- see my edibles - markmelb

Thanks Mark. Mine in Streaky Bay SA. I think north wind was a factor and we don't have the conditions yet (shelter / heat mass) to grow subtropical at this time.

Wampee - Yeem Pay (Seedling)

Comments: - Maybe too tropical a plant to survive in a warm temperate zone.  It died, poor thing

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Cinnamon Tree

Comments: - I got it, realised there was no way it was going to grow on the SA block.  I took it home and put it in a pot, maybe I overkilled it with love.  But it just up and died.