Serendipity's Edible Backyard

Joined: 26/11/08 Updated: 07/09/10 Frost:
Location: The Gap

About My Edible Backyard

Garden is a mix of edibles and natives. Mild winter & hot summer, main issue is the wind tunnel that we seem to be in.

Comments

Dragon Fruit - Yellow

Comments: -

Stunning flower followed by fruit. Unfortunately heavy rains led to fruit drop. Plant is fine, but would have liked a harvest this year.

Second Year 2010

Have growing in large pot, allowed to grow & hang over railing. I have a large outdoor umbrella to shield it from heavy rain when it is fruiting. This has been very successful this year and we were able to get 14 fruit from it this season. no fruit lost. Possum hates the spikey fruit and the fruit fly also leave it alone.

Easiest way to remove the spines on the fruit is to wear gardening gloves and just brush them off in a downward motion (with the spines pointing away from you)

The fruit is smaller than the purple varieties but much sweeter. Cut in half they look like tiny pineapples, just scoop out the flesh with a spoon to enjoy.

Planted: 2009

Qty: 1

Pollination: Self Pollination

Blueberry - Sunshine Blue

Comments: -

In heavy flower July. Pollination rate a little low, hoping native bees discover the new blueberry patch soon. ants seem to be doing most pollination so far. Only first year amazed at flowering & fruiting considering a mild winter 

Year 2.

Fruiting Months September, October, November

Planted: 2009

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

First Fruited: 1 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Blueberry - Backyard Blue

Pollination: Self Pollination

Comments

Hey Serendipity, I live just near you, in Mitchelton, and I was really excited to read about your blueberry that does well in Brisbane. You've inspired me to try one!

Dwarf Tangelo - Minneola

Comments: - Had first fruit of this after 1 year in medium size pot. By far the best flavoured citrus I have ever eaten. Fruit is smaller than commercial varieties I've seen, but made up for by the intensity of sweet & juicy flavour. 

Fruiting Months July and August

Planted: 2009

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Olive - Barouni ^10/10

Comments: -

Smaller more gracefully shaped olive tree. currently (spring) fruiting while in pot. 

Year 2 . Still growing in pot and flowering again (spring), only had about 8 olives last year expecting a few more this year. Flavour (after brining) was vey good & meaty. No pest damage on leaves like other varieties I have

Fruiting Months November

Planted: 2009

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: no pest issues.

Organic Status:Organic

Strawberry - Maroochy Flame

Comments: - Initial issues with red spider mite, but fruiting well after that set back.

Berry - Youngberry

Comments: -

Keep on top of these, ensure all shoot are tied off the ground or it will run/invade. Luckily the thornless one is true to to it's description. (not as invasive/vicious/vigorous as Loganberry)  Only seems to be a 1 day difference between under ripe & over ripe fruit. Growing in morning sun/ afternoon shade, fairly protected from wind despite extremes of brisbane climate. Rain during fruiting causes fruit to go soggy and rot if near ripe.

Also watch the ants and their scale farms .. though they do seem to prefer the thornier berry varieties to hide their little sap suckers. 

Tamarillo - Red

Comments: - Grew quickly, I should have pinched back the leader so that it didn't grow so high, but I was expecting it to slow once it got to around 2m. Now is covered in fruit but too high for me to put fruit fly exclusion bags on it. Fingers crossed I get a couple to try with too much added fly protein :-)

Fruiting Months October and November

Planted: 2008

Height 3.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Brazilian Cherry

Comments: - An acquired taste apparently. They also make a good jam, flavour between apricot and sour cherry. I've always loved them, but for some people a resiny/kerosine flavour predominates their taste. Allow to ripen on tree, best when fruit just starts to soften and darken - about 1 day after turning bright red. But I can never wait that long. Crushing under tongue can reduce the kero taste for some people. 

Pollination: Self Pollination

Cedar Bay Cherry

Comments: - Flowering in October. Planted out in Sept 09 

Fruiting Months October

Planted: 2009

Height 15 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Midyim Berry

Comments: - Flowering in October.

Fruiting Months November

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pepino - Kendall Gold

Comments: -

only 3 fruit the first year, really struggled in the heat. It has started spreading and looks well established for this year, just a matter of bagging fruit before fruit fly get them.

No fruit this 2nd year despite plant getting very established and having lots of flowers. Heatwave and dust storm seems to have made it drop all flowers.

Pollination: Self Pollination

Comments

Chilli - Rocoto Tree

Comments: - growing well but Possum eats branches and tries the odd chilli. Fruit fly also love it, but luckily it fruits through out the year, in and out fruit fly season. Grows with some shelter from passionfruit vine, but has grown up and through.

Fruiting Months February, March, April, September, October, November

Planted: 2008

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Months from Purchase in Pot

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: manure

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control: Most effective again fruit fly are exclusion bags. Also use eco-lure and male fruitfly bait traps

Jaboticaba Large Leaf

Comments: - Some young leaf damage from a light frost this year, plus a sucking insect attack at same time. Recovering well.

Raspberry - Heritage

Comments: -

amazing, two crops a year. I would never have believed I could grow Raspberries in Brisbane. Over 1kg of fruit dec-thru-april. Morning sun and part shade rest of day. 

Saw fly? in leaves and some small brown-black larvae in some of the fruit, watch for ant activity to find these. 

I usually freeze the excess picked each day in a freezer bag with a little sugar, really intensifies the flavour and a nice treat on a hot Brisbane day

Guava Yellow Cherry

Eco Naturalure - Male Fruit Fly Trap

Midyim Berry

Olive - Manzanillo

Grape - Pink Iona

Blackberry - Thornless Chester

Yacon - Apple of the Earth

Lemon Drop Mangosteen

Berry - Loganberry

Pepino - Kendall Gold

Dwarf Avocado - Wurtz (A)

Passionfruit - Black

Sorrel - French

Dwarf Mulberry - Black

Berry - Boysenberry

Dwarf Mandarin

Berry - Boysenberry

Avocado - Reed (A)

Comments: - Hail storm shredded bark

Rhubarb - Victoria

Comments: - Clobbered in Nov hail storm and then weather around Xmas was too extreme died in a double whammy of heat & humidity