Kathy2's Edible Backyard

Olive - Manzanillo

Comments: - Summer 2010:I bought him at a closing down sale. He wasn't a happy chappy but I could see his potential.He came very wonky but with staking/training and careful pruning he should be strong enough to stand up on his own in about 6 months.Spring 2011:he is strong enough to stand on his own now so I am using the stakes and a good pruning to train him into the shape I want. Flowers everywhere this yearbut I%

Planted: 2010

Chives

Comments: - I love cooking with chives. Love love love. I also love the pretty purple fluffy flower balls.For some reason they aren't growing so well at the moment but I have split them around to different spots in the garden to see where they like it best. I have noticed that they don't like competition from the native violets so keep them separated into pots.

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 4

Pollination: No

Chives

Comments: - I love cooking with chives. Love love love. I also love the pretty purple fluffy flower balls.For some reason they aren't growing so well at the moment but I have split them around to different spots in the garden to see where they like it best. I have noticed that they don't like competition from the native violets so keep them separated into pots.

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 4

Pollination: No

jostaberry - ribes x nidigrolaria

Comments: - Autumn 2012: Can't wait to try the berries. They are supposed to be pretty yummy - cross between black currants and a couple of gooseberry varieties.

Planted: 2012

Qty: 1

Berry - Boysenberry

Comments: -

Summer 2012: gift from my lovely friend Rose

Planted: 2012

Qty: 1

Achacha

Comments: - Autumn 2012: I bought this fruit from the supermarket and we both loved it. It is supposed to be from a small very ornamental tree which sounds enticing. We couldn't find one to buy so we're trying to germinate the single seed (I tried to go back for more fruit but there was none left!).After about 2 months in the glasshouse the seed is finally showing signed of life and a tiny root has emerged (I know this because we were going to throw the pot away and I thought I would take a peek first - lucky I did!).

Planted: 2012

Qty: 1

Rosella

Comments: -

Hibiscus sabdariffa - growing to compare fruit to Hibiscus heterophyllus

Spring 2011: They are generally annual around here and I don't think that any of them survived the winter. I have left them in the ground just in case the roots survived... my friend also gave me some seed just in case.

Nope, all dead but the new seeds have germinated and I have s bunch of new seedlings just coming up. :O)

Summer 2012: They didn't do too well this year. Too wet, too cold, too many ants farming scale on them.

Autumn 2012: The seedlings that came up in Summer got to about 15 cm and stopped. I have moved them into the glasshouse to see if they can survive the winter in there and give me a head start on Summer 2013??

Planted: 2010

Height 1.3 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 10

Pollination: No

Irish Strawberry Tree - arbutus canariensis

Comments: -

Summer 2010: This one was a gift from my sister. She picked it cause it sounded interesting (and she knew I didn't already have it!).

The flowers are pretty but it hasn't fruited yet. It does have lovely bright green new growth.

Spring 2011: lots of new growth. Since spring started it has doubled in volume!

Summer 2011: I don't think that it likes all the rain. Getting brown patches on the inside of a lit of the folliage. Fingers crossed the weather warms up soon.

Summer 2012: The browning has stopped but the growing tips were all getting droopy. I decided not to cut them off just in case and it paid off cause there was nothing wrong with them - they were flowering!!!

Planted: 2010

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Dynamic Lifter, Seasol, Charlie Carp, worm juice (in rotation)

Pest Control: Ants seem to be farming some sort of GINORMOUS fat black bloated scale things on the hardened off branches (just where the leaves come out). I picked as many off as I could and then sprayed it with pest oil.

Peanuts - Arachis hypogaea

Comments: -

Spring 2011: Gift from a lovely friend. I've never had fresh peanuts so I am excited to try some.

Summer 2012: I have been given a second (bought) one as a gift. Gonna have fresh peanuts this year!! Can't wait!

Planted: 2011

Qty: 2

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Tiny leaf-curling caterpillars. They damaged most of the folliage in one day/night. Annoying - too wet to spray, too many to just cut them off. Squished them as I could and moved the plant to the glasshose to recover.

Lemon - Meyer

Comments: -

Summer 2011: Seedling from my friend John. Thank you so much! :O) 

Autumn 2012: Some EVIL monster ate ALL THE LEAVES! Fuming!! I have moved him round the back to the new hospital ward (AKA glasshouse) where I hope that he can recover!

Planted: 2011

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Tarragon Russian

Comments: -

Summer 2012: A cutting given to me by a friend. We're not sure if it will take. It's been in the ground for a few months and is green but I dare not disturb it to see how the roots fair.

I am hoping that it will taste better to me than the French Tarragon I used to have. I was concerned that I had bought grass by mistake because it tasted so similar. My mum's was the same though so I can only assume that it just tastes werid...

Qty: 1

Tamarind

Comments: -

Summer 2012: These have been grown from seeds collected by a friend. ALL of the seeds were viable so I am hoping that is a good sign. The fruit was yummers so I am hoping at least one will be true to type.

Planted: 2012

Qty: 6

Basil Mint

Comments: -

Summer 2010: Very vigorous. Grows more like mint than basil with long runners and then tall spikes. Small purple flowers that form in balls at the top of the spikes remind me of chive flowers.

Nice taste but the name says it all - mint and basil. The only problem is what do you cook that needs both mint and basil?

Planted: 2010

Qty: 1

Pest Control:

Green caterpilars love it but I just pick them off and squish them.

Basil Cinnamon

Comments: - Summer 2010: This basil grows very much like sweet basil but has a purpley colour and pointier leaves similar to Thai basil. The leaves seem a little tougher than sweet basil. You can definitely taste and smell the cinnamon though. They are annuals but self-seed easily. The plants are a bit smaller than sweet basil and the flowers are purple not white.

Qty: 1

Sage

Comments: - For some reason I find sage hard to grow. If I love it, then it dies. If I completely ignore it, then it thrives. Annoyance.

Planted: 2011

Qty: 2

Gac Plant (Momordica cochinchinensis)

Comments: -

Summer 2011: Gift from my good friend. This one is a male but we are all having our fingers crossed that some of the new seedlings will be female!

Pretty soft leaf vine. Doesn't seem too vigorous but it is in a small pot at the moment.

Qty: 1

Comfrey

Comments: -

Autumn 2012: gift from a friend. I have lots of old fashioned home remedies that use comfrey so I thought I might grow some to give it a go. Again I have been warned to keep this one in a pot to make sure that it doesn't take over the world.

Qty: 1

Bay Tree

Comments: -

Autumn 2012: Easter Bunny brought me this one. Pretty little thing now but I think I'll keep it in the pot to stop it from turning into a monster.

Qty: 1

Redcurrant - Ribes rubrum

Comments: -

I bought some berries from the shops and make blackberry and rad currant jam. Yummers! I need to grow my own now.

Autumn 2012: Brand new cutting bought from the lovely owners of Koolkuna Berry Farm.

Planted: 2012

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Chervil - Anthriscus cerefolium

Comments: -

These grow super easily from seed and volunteer everywhere. The leaves are fine and ferny, feeling soft in your mouth. Delicate aniseedish flavour, lovely in salad. Loses a lot of it's flavour if you cook it.

Planted: 2007

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 20

Coriander

Comments: - Self-sewn seedlings everywhere!

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 30

Aunt Molly\'s Ground Cherries - Physalis pruinosa

Comments: -

Summer 2010: Super easy to grow from seed. Grows like a cape gooseberry but the plants and berries are much smaller. They are yellow and very sweet. I really like them.

Spring 2011: Self-sewn babies volunteering everywhere. Yummers!

Planted: 2010

Height 40 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 30

First Fruited: 2 Months From Seed

Raspberry - Winter Fruiting

Comments: -

Summer 2011: They haven't fruited yet but I am looking forward to comparing with the Summer fruiting ones.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Perennial Leek

Comments: -

Summer 2011: I love leek but I haven't tried them yet because I want to make sure I have enough before I start eating them! I can't wait.

They propegate by bulbules which is super easy and they sure smell good. They like a decent amount of sun too.

Planted: 2011

Qty: 10

Currant - Black

Comments: -

Autumn 2012: Only a cutting at the moment. Can't wait to make some jam!

Height 30 Centimetres

Qty: 1

Comments: -

Autumn 2012: My lovely partner brought this home with him from a holiday at a friend's house. Can't wait to compare the fruit.

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 3

Papaya - Sunrise Solo (Seedling)

Comments: -

I'm not 100% sure that this is the right variety. It was grown from a seed by my brother-in-law's father-in-law. It flowered this year but no fruit. Was hammered in winter and lost all of its leaves (which I noticed happened to all of the local pawpaws this year). Coming back now that it's summer and has branched at the crown which I am told is very rare.

2011: HATES being in a pot. I think that it dries out too quickly so I have put it in the ground to see if it perks up. Doesn't much like the cold either. I think that it's 50/50 as to whether I can save it this time.

Winter 2011: It is not doing well and I think might have to go... the middle of the trunk is fine but both ends seems to be getting skanky. Luckily I have a seedling or 2 ready and waiting to try again.

Spring 2011: The big one died. It just rotted from both ends. No idea why but I have noticed that a LOT of the pawpaws around Newcastle have died in the last 12 months. Perhaps it was too dry last year? And there was a lot of wind which I don't think they liked. I also don't think pots are the way to go with pawpaws. I don't think they like to dry out and I am sure that he hates being moved out of the pot and into the ground.

Summer 2012: The seedlings are looking lovely. I kept the biggest and shared the rest with friends. They don't seem to grow as quickly as the  Aussie Reds that John gave me but they have ALL loved the raining summer.

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Pitaya - Red Fleshed Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus)

Comments: -

Autumn 2011: I like the flavour of the flesh better than the white fleshed-red. Mine are currently only teeny tiny seedlings which are going to take FOREVER to fruit but I am a patient woman. :O)

Summer 2011: Am also now the proud owner of a cutting (thank you John!). Fingers crossed that it strikes!!!

Summer 2012: Success! We already have a new shoot on the cutting! The seedlings are also coming along... they are about 3cm tall now! The yellows are growing SO MUCH faster they are all over 20 cm (except where they have snapped in half and now have heaps of little branches)!

Planted: 2011

Height 2 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Pollination: No

Pawpaw - Australian Red

Comments: -

Summer 2011: I got a pot FULL of seedlings as a gift from my friend John (THANK YOU!!!) :O) The leaves seem darker than the other variety I have. Looking forward to seeing how they go!

Planted: 2011

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 10

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Cassava

Comments: -

Spring 2011: Gift from a friend who grew them from cuttings from her plants. Will be trying them out as a windbreak/privacy screen to protect the bulk of the fruit trees.

Planted: 2011

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 3

Pollination: No

Bamboo - Bambusa Oldhamii

Comments: -

Summer 2012: We need to grow a privacy screen and windbreak along the gully and decided to use bamboo (among other things). Oldhamii is supposed to be one of the tastiest so we thought we'd start here. We just bought the one pot and will split it when it goes big enough.

Planted: 2012

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Question:

Summer 2012: We need a wind break and privacy screen along the gully. We decided on a mic of things including some clumping bamboo. This is supposed to be one of the tastiest varieties so we're having an experiment!

The leaves are quite small and thin and very dark.  We bought one pot and intend to split more from it once it gets big enough.

Spinach - Brazil or Sissoo

Comments: -

Summer 2011: Gift from John again!

Summer 2012: The leaves are crunchier than normal spinach and very mild in flavour. I ate them straight from the plant but some people prefer to steam them before eating. They are a little tougher than baby spinach but I don't mind. Doesn't seem to grow very quickly but is quite compact so there are a lot of pretty crinkley leaves in a small space. Apparently it is a perennial and makes a nice edible boarder - I cant beleive that it would help keep weeds out of a bed as it is really very compact.

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pest Control:

Nothing much has attacked it. There are a few small holes but nothing to be bothered with.

Sugar Cane - New Guinea

Height 40 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pest Control:

Nothing seems to bother it.

Question:

Summer 2011: This was a cutting given to me by my lovely friend John. It has only been in the ground for a few months in the pic.

Ginger QLD

Comments: -

Likes a fair bit of water and shadey places. Once you find somewhere that it likes it is very easy to grow. The leaves remind me of bamboo. I have mind mixed in with a bed full of mint basil and native violets... kinda makes it a bit hard to dig up the rhizomes!

DOES NOT like to be moved while it has leaves (all of the leaves will die back) - so wait until it naturally dies back in winter and just move the rhizomes.

Planted: 2009

Height 0.4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 10

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control: I haven't noticed anything that particularly bothers them which is nice!

Cherimoya - White (Grafted) ^6/10

Comments: -

In spring/summer she grows so quickly she can easy get too wispy. Make sure you tip prune!!! I have to make sure to cut her back at least 30% when she loses her leaves otherwise the next spring she isn't strong enough to support all the new growth.

Planted: 2008

Height 1.25 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Pruned By: 30% in Autumn and Winter

Pollination: Hand Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: chicken poo, seasol, charlie carp, worm castings

When I Fertilise: Yearly

Pest Control:

Elephant weevils = only thing you can do is hunt them down, pick them off and squish them. Or put them in a jar and look at how freaky they are!

Curry Tree

Comments: -

Very sweet slightly weeping tree with pretty fragrant folliage. .

I live near the bush so I always make sure that I cut away the flowers before they can turn into berries to make sure birds don't spread the seeds. Apparently the fruit are edible (e.g. as beans in soup) but I have never tried. Pruning away flowers and berries also has the added benefit of increasing the vigor of the tree.

It does like water and you can easily tell if it is thirsty cause the leaves droop.

The leaves turn very yellow over winter then loses them all in spring just when the new growth starts to come in. The first year I was worried that it was dying but it does it every year, looks a bit mottled for a few weeks but is back to lovely when the new leaves fully develope.

Fruiting Months January and December

Planted: 2008

Height 2 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

scale = I have noticed that ants like to farm scale on it. I rub the scale off with my fingers and spray with white oil to keep them away.

cateripllars = squish em

black spot = I haven't had black spot on mine but I have noticed a

Kiwifruit - Male

Comments: -

Very vigorous! You could very nearly watch him and see him growing! Make sure that you keep him under control. He doesn't have to be enormous to get his job done.

I would like to try grafting a female to him and get double bang for my pot space but I don't know anyone with a female vine. Anyone in Newcastle willing to offer me  a piece next time they prune?

Spring 2011: No flowers this year. Very cross! I got flowers on the kiwiberry but nothing on the male. I am thinking that I will graft a piece of her onto him next year and maybe her hormones will encourage him to flower at the right time? Admitedly he might not be a dud, he might justbe too young?

Planted: 2008

Height 1 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: it is the pollinator

Cardamon Ginger

Comments: -

Mine is the non-podding variety. Lovely fragrant folliage. I use the leaves as a substitute for ginger in soups and teas. You just bruise the leaves, add them to the liquid and remove before serving. It's a more mild flavour but works well if there's no ginger on hand.

They love lots of water but equally will survive in drier situations. Very hardly.

Planted: 2008

Height 0.75 metres

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Spiders like to make webs in the middle of the folliage so when you put your hand down there to pick a leaf watch out!

Raspberry - Summer Fruiting

Comments: -

Make sure that you keep them contained cause they go nuts! From my original plant bought in August 2009 I had 6 plants by November 2009!

They need support. I've used She-oaks and gum tree as a trellis. They also like lots of water to make sure that they can fruit well.

2009: I haven't gotten any fruit yet because the original plant had to stay at the old house and the new canes came with me. Being that they don't fruit on the newest canes I missed out this year but next year there will be rasberries aplenty.

2010: so much fruit!!!!

Fruiting Months January, November, December

Planted: 2009

Height 2 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

caterpillars & grasshoppers = pick them off by hand and lux soap spray to keep them off

Dragon Fruit - Red

Comments: -

These are the red skinned white fleshed variety. Very fragile and need support (mine are growing up palm trees). Strikes easily from cuttings.

Winter 2011: I recently found out that they won't branch and flower (or fruit) if you let it get too tall. Apparently you only let the main stem grow to max 2 m and then force it to turn. So I have very carefully peels the majority of it off the palm tree and carefully laid it over our patio frame.

Summer 2011: Success - I have side branches on both!

Planted: 2009

Height 3 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

ants like to eat the growing tips = dragon's blood spray (blended garlic, habanero, and dishwashing liquid - DO NOT GET IT IN YOUR EYES!)

Cranberry

Comments: -

Summer 2010: I love the dried fruit but commercially they usually have so much sugar added. I can't get them fresh in Newcastle so decided to grow my own.

The plant was difficult to get hold of but well worth it. The plant has trippled in size in about 3 months. It's a ground cover so needs to be able to spread. Small dark green leaves (redish tinge to new growth) on very thin woody looking stems.

I have planted it in an old terracotta birdbath which drains very slowly (they like it boggy). Looks lovely trailing down the sides. Seems to be loving it.

I fed it and I do not think that it likes it at all. The leaves have gone purple and it doesn't seem too happy. I cut it back thinking that the branches were dead but them stems were still juicey. I don't think it likes the food. That said, it might be deiduous and the leavse going purple is normal... I guess I will have to wait til next spring?

Spring 2011: These are really quite fragile. I was mulching and snapped off the branch! I have stuck it back in... maybe the roots are OK? Just in case I bought a second one. :O)

Summer 2011: The broken bits did not strike. I think it might need to be layered to propagate. When the new one is big enough I will have a crack.

Planted: 2010

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Green caterpillars seem to be the only thing that eats them. Because the foliage is so small it is easy to spot them so I just pull them off and squish them.

Citrus Splitzer - lemon/lime

Comments: -

One of the grafts seems much more vigorous than the other (not sure which yet). It's also helped by the fact there are 2 grafts of one and only 1 of the other.

Spring 2011: Covered in flowers and just starting to grow teeny tiny fruit.

About a month after this  I decided to get rid of the fruit. There was just so much and I thought that it was a bad idea to leave them all. It didn't seem to like that and suddenly dropped all of its leaves. There are teeny tiny new shoots appearingon some of the branches (mostly on one graft not the other). No idea what I did wrong - I am SURE there was enough food, I am sure it wasn't too wet or too dry. I am hoping that it was a sunlight issue so I have moved into a sunnier spot.

Summer 2012: First day of the new year and I have noticed new shoots on the bare branches. I think that the weather has just started to warm up enough for it to get going again. Catch is that I think they shoots might actually be flowers not leaves. What is it thinking? All I can do is keep an eye on it and keep reminding my man to help fertilise!

Fruiting Months September and October

Planted: 2010

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Charlie Carp, Seasol, and my partner helps out too

Turmeric - Orange

Comments: -

It dies back in winter so be careful to remember where it is! It's heartbreaking to think you're shoving your spade into an empty patch but come out with half an orange rhizome!!!!

They really really like water. I have them in a spot that gets a lot of the runnoff from our roof and they are big and lush.

Summer 2012: Beautiful flowers coming out on the larger clumps. So so pretty. Very very tropical feeling.

Planted: 2009

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 10

Pollination: No

Pest Control: The leaves seem to get attacked by something (you can see a few holes in the pic) but it doesn't defoliate them and the doesn't seem to worry the plants so I don't worry about pesst contol.

Monstera - Fruit Salad Tree

Comments: -

This has been in my father-in-law's garden for 20 years and he never knew it was edible! He is not a gardener and has never done a thing for the plant so obviously monsteras can thrive on neglect. My partner is so excited to be eating them for the first time this season. He loves it.

When you do eat the fruit remember to wait til the plates fall off and don't get the nasty acid/spikey bits in your mouth cause they hurt! I think that I am particularly sensitive to the acid and it burns my mouth if I eat too much.

Planted: 1990

Height 3 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Pollination: No

Olive - Manzanillo

Comments: -

Summer 2010:I bought him at a closing down sale. He wasn't a happy chappy but I could see his potential.He came very wonky but with staking/training and careful pruning he should be strong enough to stand up on his own in about 6 months.

Spring 2011:he is strong enough to stand on his own now so I am using the stakes and a good pruning to train him into the shape I want. Flowers everywhere this yearbut I don't think that I will let him fruit.

Planted: 2010

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Charlie Carp, Seasol, worm juice, Blood and Bone, Dynamic Lifter (in rotation)

Pest Control: He got some sort of sap-sucking gross black thing on his leaves but I just sprayed with Dragon's Blood (habanero chilli, garlic and detergent concoction) and he is right as rain.

Blueberry - Nellie Kelly

Comments: -

Summer 2010: Have had heaps of fruit but not the best flavour and small. They needed little maintenance. I rotate which ones were allowed to fruit each year. They are still small and fruiting takes a lot of energy. Rotation seems to improve vigor.

I had a different variety a few years ago and grasshoppers demolished it but the Nellie Kellies haven't been touched. I'm either luckier this time or this variety isn't so tastey!

Summer 2011: SO MUCH FRUIT! Fruit was much better quality this year. They obviously take a few years to really establish. Plus I think that they have loved the rain!

Fruiting Months January, November, December

Planted: 2008

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 4

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Some sort of grub likes to spin webs through the flowers and berries at the very tip of the branches. Kills the branch. I just cut them off and throw them away.

Mexican Cucumber (Melothria scabra)

Comments: -

Lots of yummy fruit, easy to grow vine, covering two of the eyesore evil palm trees.

They are sometimes called SOUR mexican cucumbers but instead of picking them from the vine, if you wait until the fruit fall before eating them then they are not sour at all.

TIP: when they are fruit make sure that you mulch really well below the vine so that when the fruit fall it is easy to find - of course you have to make sure the mulch is a contrasting colour to the fruit (like nice yellow straw).

These are annuals so make sure you keep seeds for next year.

They go very well with in a salad with cherry tomatoes and cape gooseberries.

Summer 2011: The very cold and wet weather has delayed them coming back up this year but I finally have new vines. I didn't even have to plant them myself - they just came up on their own! Looking forward to the first crop!

Fruiting Months March and April

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 4 Months From Seed

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Haven't noticed anything particularly problematic yet

Acerola - Florida Sweet

Comments: -

Autumn 2011: I loved the fruit so collected the seed. I am hoping that at least some of them will be fertile. I will be so excited to have my own source of this gorgeous fruit.

Spring 2011: The seed cases were empty so we didn't get any plants but I was lucky enough to buy one on the weekend! :O) Looking forward to the fruit! It had hardly any new leaves but there is potential.

Summer 2011: Very happy. New leaves everywhere. They are quite a bright green so you have to be careful not to get confused and think that it is malnourished.

Planted: 2011

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Berry - Youngberry (Cutting)

Comments: -

Autumn 2011: My dad just bought this for me - he was buying onfor himself and it had rooted into a second pot so the nursery just pulled it out and let him have it all.

Spring 2011: New leaves just coming on. :O) And by mid-October I have my first flowers! He is still little but I feel greedy because I have never had youngberries before so I am going to leave them on there!

Fruiting Months November

Planted: 2011

Height 40 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 6 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Charlie Carp, Seasol, worm juice, Blood and Bone

Pest Control: I haven't noticed any pests as of yet although I have put a good helping of iron-based snail pellets around the base of the pot to keep the snail invasion at bay.

curry bush (Helichrysum italicum)

Comments: -

You can't use it to cook cause the flavour goes weird but you can use the fresh tips, chopped finely, in salad dressings to get a nice curry taste.

Be sure to keep it tip pruned otherwise it will go rangey but can withsatnd hard pruning if it gets out of control. Can grow easily from cuttings.

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Wampee

Comments: - Spring 2011: I couldn't resist buying him when I saw him at a spring market. He didn't seem in the best condition - soil had come out of the pot and was exposing roots and his leaves ere yellow- but there was new growth and I knew he just needed some love. His leaves are starting to turn a better shade of green now that I have fed him up.

Planted: 2011

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Got some sort of biggishscale on the upper side of the leaves. Scraped them off with my thumb (squished them) then sprayed both sides of the leaves with pest oil.

Feijoa

Comments: -

Spring 2011: tried some of the fruit earlier in the year. Loved it and promised myself one of these this year! This one was a little bit sad (soil had been washed out of the top of the pot exposing the roots a little bit and he was on his way to being root-bound) but I think with some new potting mix and some lvoe he will be perfect.

Summer 2011: New growth is a good sign but I am getting grew new growth at the growing tips and bright green at the base... it isn't supposed to be grafted????? :O)

Those damned tiny leaf curling caterpillars are at the new growth on this one too. Too wet, can't spray, have to resort to manual termination!

Planted: 2011

Height 60 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Tamarillo - yellow

Comments: -

Spring 2011: my gorgeous friend gave these to me as a gift but unfortuately they got mixed up with the red ones so I don't know which is which! Eep! I guess I will just have to wait until next year to find out!

Planted: 2011

Height 25 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pest Control: Watch out for the mites. They LOVE the tamarillos. I have noticed though that the one in more sunlight has fewer mite issues. I've tried a few sprays and  Dragon's Blood works the best.

Gooseberry - Captivator (Cutting)

Comments: -

Spring 2011: snapped it up when I saw it in the nursery. I love berries so couldn't resist. I beleive that this variety doesn't need frostto bear good fruit... we will just have to wait and see!

This variety (ribes uva-crispa) is thornless which also attracted me-between the various raspberries I usually come away from gardening with holes in something - either myself or my clothes!

Summer 2011: It has taken a while to settle in to the garden. I think more due to the wet and cold than anything else. It is starting to get some new growth now that the weather is warming up. Have notices those nasty leaf curling caterpillars in the new growth. GRRR!

Planted: 2011

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

The leaf curling caterpillars get into the new growth.

Oregano

Comments: -

I love cooking with oregano so it is a must have.

I have started using it in the male kiwi pot as a living mulch and to make sure that I know which one is the oregano and which one is the golden marjoram (because where I had it in the ground everything was all creeping together).

Spring 2011: Has gone bananas this year and I had to hack 2/3 of it off to stop it from taking over the world!

Summer 2011: It seems to have decided to turn into a vine and is growing up the trellis with the male kiwi. And I have pretty flowers this year too. First time I have ever seen flowers on an oregano.

Planted: 2011

Qty: 1

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Pest Control: Nothing ever seems to bother oregano.

Pineapple Sage (Cutting)

Comments: -

Spring 2011: cutting from my grandma's garden. Brings the bees and tastes yummy. What more can you ask for. Have to be careful to keep it pruned into a nice compact shape otherwise it gets leggy and ugly - BUT it doesn't mind a hard prune.

Planted: 2011

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Guava Yellow Cherry (Seedling)

Comments: -

Spring 2011: Brand new baby seedling. Will have to wait to see what happens.

Height 25 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Mint

Comments: -

You can't have a herb garden without mint! But as all mints keep it in a pot otherwise it will take over the whole world! And they like the water a LOT! It will creep out of the drainage holes and try to escape into the garden looking for more water if you aren't careful!

My variety has lowish twisty branches that tend to run along the ground. Roundish leaves too.

When it gets too rangy or there's too many caterpillars eating it I just hack it all back to ground level. Within a few weeks you have a crop again so it's no dramas.

Planted: 2008

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Caterpillars LOVE it but it is prollific enough not to be too much of a problem but you

Basil Perennial

Comments: -

This is a good all year round alternative to sweet basil. I find the leaves a bit tougher and the flavour not so good but it is better than nothing! The leaves can be mixed in with the sweet to make pesto to get a bigger batch.

I love the purplish flowers and they act as an excellent bee/pollinator attractant. 

You do have to be careful not to let it get rangey so I tip prune all the time. It can tollerate a heavy prune a few times a year.

Height 70 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Green caterpillars and snails seem to like like it when there is nothing else about.

Sweet Marjoram

Comments: -

Staple in my cooking when I want a milder flavour than oregano. Love the golden leaves and spreading nature. Doesn't get as tall as oregano, tending to lay flatteron the ground.

I have one in the ground (shown in the picture) and one in the mulberry pot so that it doesn't get out competed by anything else and so that I can be sure where it is (some times in the year the golden colour reduces and it can be hard to tell which is oregano and which is marjoram!).

I have noticed that it hates having any liquid fertiliser on its leaves - burns them really quickly no matter the concentration. So I always make sure to give it a light water after fertilising to make sure it all gets washed off.

Planted: 2009

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

Pollination: No

Thyme - orange

Comments: -

Autumn 2011: still has small leaves like normal thyme but completely different shape. Much lower growing. Had a beautiful orange and thyme fragrance (as the name suggests). It's not big enough to harvest yet but I am keen to cook with it. Smells beautiful.

Because my normal thyme doesn't like competition from other ground covers I have put this one in the pot with the ice cream bean where it will act as living mulch.

Planted: 2011

Height 10 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Plum - Sugar

Comments: -

Summer 2011: Gift from my friend Brett. Looking forward to comparing it to the other unknown plum cuttings we struck earlier in the year.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Strawberries (unknown)

Comments: -

Gifts from my grandad's garden. Grow everywhere.

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Keep the fruit away from slugs!!!

Lime - Kaffir (Grafted)

Comments: -

I have to tip prune to keep him from getting rangy and make sure that the internal part of the tree is kept open for air flow.

I thought I killed him a few years ago when I was pruning a large bottle brush above him. A big branch twisted out of my grasp and landed on him. It ripped a branch and part of his trunk half off. I put him back together and wrapped him with hemp twine. He survived and the wound healed back together. He just looks a bit like an old warrier with battle scars now.

I grow native violets in the pot as a living mulch and as a water indicator - when the violets droop the pot needs water.

Planted: 2006

Height 1.5 metres

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

caterpillars & grass hoppers = pull them off by hand and lux soap spray to keep them off

scale & curly leaf = white oil

Basil - Sweet

Comments: -

Basil pesto is one of my favourite things in the kitchen. Garlic, basil, balsamic, brown sugar, olive oil and parmesan. Yummers.

Summer 2011: The basil has taken ages to come up from seed this year. I hope that I get a decent crop otherwise there will be no pesto for winter!

Growing: In a Pot

Pollination: No

Chives

Comments: -

I love cooking with chives. Love love love. I also love the pretty purple fluffy flower balls.

For some reason they aren't growing so well at the moment but I have split them around to different spots in the garden to see where they like it best. I have noticed that they don't like competition from the native violets so keep them separated into pots.

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 4

Pollination: No

Zante Currant (small red grape)

Comments: -

Very vigorous. Needs a sturdy trellis (or in my case a gum tree) to climb. Deciduous. Dried fruit makes currant-like fruit.

Summer 2010: First fruit set! Yum yum yummers!!!! Can't wait til I get more next year! Make sure that you keep the water up to them though, because without enough water they will just turn to currants on the vine!

Spring 2011: have about 10 little bunches of grapes just starting to form! I am so excited!

Summer 2011: Worst weather EVER for my grape. I was away for a week and the insane winds and heavy rain destroyed my entire crop (even though he was in a sheltered position). Devastated! I have also noticed that the wet is attracting a lot of mealy bugs which is not nice.

Being that I hadn't intended to stay where I am for as long as I have I hadn't put him in an ideal spot (under a tree). While he has still been prollific I don't think that it is the best location for him so this summer I cut him back and moved him onto a trellis agains a big brick wall. I think that he will like it much better here as there is much more sun and hopefully it will also keep the damned mealy bugs down! Plus I have used the prunings to try striking some cuttings. Fingers crossed!

I have read that they like the lime too so I am going to have him a shot and see how he likes it.

Fruiting Months January, February, December

Planted: 2008

Height 2 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Charlie Carp, Seasol, worm juice, Blood and Bone, Dnamic Lifter (all in rotation)

Pest Control: Caterpillars seem to like the leaves but not enough to have decimated it. This year I am trying Dipel to see how that goes.

Avocado - Reed Seedling

Comments: -

Who knows what this one is?. It came up in my friend Mark's compost and it's pretty so I kept it. Probably won't fruit for 10 years but I am a patient woman! :O)

Very thirst. The new growth droops very visibily so you can tell when it needs a drink.

Quite vigorous and the stems and branches seem quite juicey rather than woody.

Planted: 2009

Height 1.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Charlie Carp, Seasol, Dynamic Lifter, Blood and Bone, worm jouce (in rotation)

Pest Control: Nothing much seems to bother it.

Thyme

Comments: -

No herb garden is complete without thyme. I love the pretty flowers and the tiny folliage and the gorgeous smell. Ahhh beautiful.

Thrives on neglect. Doesn't mind a good haircut (which doubles as harvest if you have space to dry it properly). Likes lots of sun and does not like wet feet.

Mine is in a bed with native violets and I have noticed that it doesn't like violets growing too close so I keep it all well back.

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Spearmint

Comments: -

Pointier leaves than normal mint and mine tends to grow in great bit vertical spikes rather than lower twisty brnaches like the normal mint. Slightly different floavour. Same as normal mint in that it will take over the world if you don't keep it in a pot.

Height 50 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Caterpillars LOVE it but it is prollific enough not to be too much of a problem but you have to be careful not to end up with a caterpillar breeding ground that infests the rest of the garden.

Kangkong ( Water Spinach )

Comments: -

Summer 2011: I love love love asian greens and my friend John gave me a few cuttings.

These are the EASIEST thingin the world to grow from cuttings (and I might be suggesting easier than mint!). They are great! And the folliage is pretty so you can't complain on any front! Can't wait for them to be big enough to harvest!!

They do like the water though and will get very sad and doopy when they are thirsty. Bounce back straight away though.

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 3

Pollination: No

Plum (unknown) (Cutting)

Comments: -

Spring 2011: Cuttings given to me by a friend of a friend (thakns heaps Brett!!) who inherited the parent tree with his farm... none of us know what sort they are but they are yummers! The first of the cuttings just appear to be coming to life.

Summer 2011: Out of 5 cuttings only 2 grew leaves (back in spring). One was dead as a dodo but the other 2 were still green - just sleepy?? So I scraped off some bark, dunked them in rooting hormone and repotted them. One is already starting to how signs of success!

Planted: 2011

Height 50 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 4

Pollination: No

Berry - Elderberry

Comments: -

Summer 2011: Cutting struck from John. I got mixed up and thought that it was for making gin. Poo to it not being but still there are PLENTY of things to be done with elderberry and I love the pretty folliage and big fluffy balls of white flowers.

Planted: 2011

Height 20 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Fig Black Genoa (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: -

I love figs. I would say that they are probably my favourite. They fruit well, are a lovely shade tree, are low maintenance and you make SO MANY FRIENDS when people find out you have a fig tree! ;O)

2009: All of my figs have grown from cuttings from my old tree which was one of a very few trees I had to leave behind at my old house. A friend taught me the trick - you crush the bottom 30% of the cutting with a rock and you get a MUCH better striking rate.

2010: The Genoas are crazy and even though it is winter and the other types are losing their leaves the Genoas are putting on new growth.

Autumn 2011: They never did lose their leaves last year and I am sure that some of the leaves they have now are the same ones! AND they do not look like they are intending to lose them this year either.

Summer 2011: With the cold and rain the figs aren't too happy. They also were copping mealy bug and stupid fig leaf curl bug. RAR! Not happy. Was forced to resort to Confidor. I hate to do it but they were is too much pain.

Fruiting Months January, February, March, December

Planted: 2009

Height 1 metres

Qty: 4

First Fruited: 1 Years after I planted Cutting

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: chicken poo, seasol, charlie carp, worm castings

Pest Control:

Ants sometimes attack fruit = I leave them as I am happy to sacrifice a few fruit for the protection from other nasties that the ants provide

Birds (I have only ever once had a currawong attack my fruit but it was a vandal) = netting

Lemon Myrtle

Comments: -

Winter 2011: lots of lovely new growth. I think that it might be a combination of having settled into her new pot and loving all of the rain we're having.

Summer 2011: I have flower buds! So exciting!

Planted: 2010

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Black Apple

Comments: -

Spring 2011: Gift from my dad. Native but doesn't get coloured new growth. Healthy dark leaves, very pretty. Has a very "old" look about it (like a big tree in minature).

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Ants like to farm all sorts of different scale on it so I have to be diligent with scraping them off and spraying with white oil.

Mushroom Plant

Comments: -

Love the taste - just like juicy mushrooms! Great in salads. Pretty dark purple flowers too.

Grow easily from cuttings put directly in the ground. You can pick individual leaves as you need them or if you double-up harvesting and pruning the stalks will keep for a few weeks in a cup of water in the kitchen. Cuttings kept in water don't tend to put out roots so striking is best done straight into the ground.

Planted: 2009

Height 0.4 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 5

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control: I haven't noticed anything at all eating them.

Midyim Berry

Comments: -

Such a lovely bush. I must have more! The new growth is furry and white then goes pink and smooth then turns green. But be careful because the stems are thin and woody and very fragile.

It is a really beautiful bush but has a tendency to be rangy so be sure to tip prune to keep it nice and dense.

The pale blue speckly fruit is small but so tastey. I think it tastes like sweet, mild cardamom. Very nice.

Autumn 2011: I broke a big branch off by accident a few months ago. I split it up and planted the 2 pieces. It's been 2 months and they still have leaves... maybe they are going to strike!!! :O)

Summer 2012: No they didn't strike. The leaves held in there for ages but they didn't root. Not that I was too diligent about watering and I didn't use rooting hormone to help them either. Maybe next time I will be a bot more professional about it?

I got a second bush from Santa (which was non-descriptively called Bush Snacks). It is great though because I would very much like a midyim berry informal hedge. I love the folliage and the fruit and I think the berries would make a really great and unusual jam. Maybe I should try harder to strike some babies?

Fruiting Months January, February, March

Planted: 2008

Height 0.6 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 2 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

tiny black caterpillars that curl the new leaves up around themselves = prune them off and throw them in the bin

black spot = don't let it get too much shade and keep somewhere well ventilated

Lilly Pilly - Riberry

Comments: -

Summer 2012: Gift from Santa. I have had one of these before, way back when I was only just starting to get into gardening. It was bought as a tube stock and I left it in a "temporary" position long enough for the roots to get out of the pot and into the soil below. It died when I tried to get it out of the pot... won't make that mistake twice!

Lovely pink new growth which is one of the things I love most about so many of the Australian natives. The berries are supposed to be yummers so I am looking forward to trying them.

Planted: 2012

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Guava Hawaiian - Pink Supreme (Seedling)

Comments: -

Spring 2011: again seedlings were gifted by a friend so I can't be sure that this is the right variety but it sounds like it might be. They are only little now so we just have to wait and see what happens with them.

Height 10 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 3

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Goji Berry - Shrub

Comments: -

Very fragile branches - snap easily. Leaves can be knocked off easily too. Needs a trellis. They are a bit of a straggly thing but I do like the dried berries so I am willing to tolerate it.

Deciduous but looks really really really sad when it's losing its leaves. Looks like it's sick but it's not!

Spring 2011: still straggly but I am hoping for fruit this year.

Planted: 2008

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Vietnamese Mint

Comments: -

Spring 2011: I am using the mint as a living mulch in with the avocado which HATES drying out so the mint will act as a perfect water indicator. Plus the leaves are pretty and taste yummy!

Planted: 2011

Height 10 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Chilli - Thai flame

Comments: -

Very pretty with upright chillis. Very hot so handle with care.

Planted: 2009

Height 0.4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 4

First Fruited: 2 Years from Seed

Lemongrass

Comments: -

The pictures show the difference in only about 6 months! Grows really fast. Love the soft weaping look.

Planted: 2010

Height 1.25 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Seasol, Charlie Carp, chicken poo, worm juice

Pest Control: Nothing seems to bother it

Thai Ginger

Comments: -

Mum bought me this from a market and she's not 100% sure that the guy selling it knew what he was talking about. The leaves are verigated purple and the plant looks more like turmeric than ginger.

Height 30 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Pollination: No

Question:

Can anyone help me identify what this is exactly?

Aloe Vera

Comments: -

I use it all the time for healing minor wounds and burns, and as a moisturiser when my skin is really dry or sunburnt. One stem cut from the base will last at least a week (without drying out completely) on the bathroom bench and all you need to do is cut the dried end, squeeze out the liquid and apply to the skin.

Planted: 2009

Height 50 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Chilli - kaleidoscope

Chilli - anaheim

Sorrel - French

Planted: 2009

Height 0.6 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Passionfruit - Black

Comments: -

Apparently this is what I have... they were grown from sees from a friend of a friend. Haven't fruited yet so can't be sure!

Planted: 2010

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Fig - Brown Turkey (Cutting)

Comments: -

This cutting was from a friend who tells me that he thinks the fruit is brown... It hasn't fruited yet so I can't be sure. All I know is that the leaves look different to my Genoas so I am hoping it is a Brown Turkey.

Fruiting Months January, February, March

Planted: 2009

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years after I planted Cutting

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Fig White Adriatic (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: -

My white fig was a gift from a gorgeous little old man who brought it with him from Greece a LONG time ago when it was OK to do so. I can't be sure that it is an Adriatic fig but I can guess.

Spring 2010: I decided to try deep-rooting it when I repotted it. Seems to have worked really well. It has been slow to get re-growing but seems really happy once it settled down.

Autumn 2011: I let it fruit this season which admittedly restricted its growth but now with the colder weather it has lost all of its leaves but the fruit have not ripened. Looks like an alien tree!

Spring 2011: It seems to have rotted overwinter. No indication as to why. Prolly shouldn't have let it fruit theyear. Chris has promised me a new cutting - but have to wait til winter next year! :O( 

Fruiting Months January, February, March

Planted: 2009

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years after I planted Cutting

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Native Rosella (Seedling)

Comments: -

Brand new for Xmas 2010. So excited! I already have a Hibiscus sabdariffa so now I can compare.

So far doesn't seem to be as fast growing as the African rosellas but they are in the ground and I have this on in a big pot .

Winter 2011: It is not liking the colder weather. Looking really sad and rangy. It is still flowering though so I have been removing the flowers to try and redirect its energies.

I have also moved it into a more sheltered position and piled bags of decomposing mulch around the pot to try and give it some warmth. Fingers crossed that it helps.

It is annual. Didn't make it through Winter. Next time round will collect seeds - if I can find another one!!!

Planted: 2010

Height 1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Scale loves it! It gets together in huge clumps that look revolting. And wherever the scale attacks it, the branch starts rotting. It is pretty gross. I have been using pest oil but with al

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