GardenOfColumba's Edible Backyard

Joined: 03/03/12 Updated: 13/01/14 Frost:
Location: Inala

About My Edible Backyard

Why GardenOfColumba Love's Edible Plants

I started with a 1/4 acre block of mostly lawn, and put in about 30 fruits in during the spring of 2011. It has been excellent fun. Depleted sandy loam soil. Site is at the top of streets running down to the east and south. Public park to the west, easement footpath runs along south east fence. Looking forward to seeing my circles based design fill in, and adding chickens to the ecosystem. Only another 5-8 more trees to put in, as stock becomes available. Except once I discovered the chill calculator I found out I am verging on medium chill, so I now have to find room for 5 or 6 stone fruit.

Comments

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Fruit Tree Forum Contributions

GardenOfColumba Forum Contributions
Spice zee nectaplum - I got just one fruit in its first season in the ground here in Brisbane. It is seriously impressive: fantastic flavoured fruit, beautiful dark pink flowers and red new growth, strong and very healthy. My new favourite tree. Relative to my other stone frui..3009 days 19hrs
Nectarine white satin - Check out the chill calculator daleys have provided, lets you figure out what your local chill hours are. I'm in Brisbane southwest and the white satin was my first to fruit. Still a very small tree, but the fruit was outstanding. Even unripe it had a de..3806 days 19hrs
Brisbane choices - Has anyone had the following fruit in Brisbane or Ipswich? If so, how was the quality, flavour, crop size and tree size? I want to add more trees to my garden but need to be selective. Ugni. Tropical Apples-dorsett golden, tropic sweet and tropic Anna....4212 days 22hrs
Avocados planted in hole1 - I'd love to have 4 varieties of avocado, and have not found a supplier who will graft 2 fruit stock onto the one stem. The preferred varieties of fruit are Hass, reed, Sharwill and shepperd. Has anyone experience in planting 2 avocados into the one hole..4619 days 19hrs
Avocados planted in hole - I'd love to have 4 varieties of avocado, and have not found a supplier who will graft 2 fruit stock onto the one stem. The preferred varieties of fruit are Hass, reed, Sharwill and shepperd. Has anyone experience in planting 2 avocados into the one hole..4619 days 19hrs

Tropical apples

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3756 days 20hrs

Comments: - All 3 (subtropical) varieties flowered well, but fruit set was limited to 2 per tree in their first year. The flowers are rose-scented, and the fruit is incredible- sweet, tangy, sparkling flavour, with crisp juicy flesh. Straight off the tree is definitely best.

Qty: 3

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

Bagging of fruit at 2cm in size.

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Pomegranate - Rosavaya ^7/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: - Love the fruit, like eating rubies.

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Question: Is almost 2m tall, in it's second season, but the flowers keep falling off.

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Fig White Adriatic

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: - I've got a north-facing hot spot that needs a tough and productive plant. Only 50cm tall in a self-watering pot, and has 5 figs developing in it's first season.

Pollination: No

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Achacha

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: - Fantastic flavour, rarely seen the fruit for sale. Still in the pot as I'm waiting for kinder weather to plant it. It has already grown 5cm in semi shade. Is going in the shade of my large jacaranda tree.

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

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Peachcot Ora A

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: -

The most vigorous of my stonefruit, it has produced gorgeous golf-ball sized fruit that are golden inside and out. They are firm, and have the classic tinned-peach flavour - minus the tinniness! I will be cooking with these. The second of my stonefruit to ripen, just ready as the White Satin Nectarine finished. Ripeness was determined by when the fruit fell off the tree (into their paper fruit-protection bags).

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

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Nectarine - White Satin

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: - Superb! Beautiful in every way, it has a lovely red skin, melting flesh, very sweet, very flavoursome. The earliest of my stonefruit to ripen, and also the smallest tree. Would recommend this to anyone with a similar climate to Brisbane. I gave more water than usual during fruit formation - about 10L bucket of water alternate days.

Fruiting Months October

Planted: 2012

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 2 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Had a few fruit on it when I purchased it, and will be bagging them shortly.

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Passionfruit - Panama Sweet Gold (G) (Grafted) ^9/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: - Fruiting already...waiting for them to ripen... Waited impatiently all winter for them to colour up. Have had variable quality fruits off the same plants, from best passionfruit ever to a bit bland snd sour. Had quite a few fruit drop off apparently un-pollinated, withered and empty. I figure I'll just put in more vines. Second season had much better results, and friends and family prefer this variety over the panama red.

Fruiting Months February, March, July, August, September

Height 4 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 6 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Fruit have been stung by something but the skin just thickened up in those spots, pulp was unaffected.

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Papaya - Southern Red ^8/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: - Quick, productive, healthy enzymatic fruit. The scent of the flower converted me to the fruit. The red is my favourite, and I've planted a lime just to go with the papaya. The lime enhances the sweetness and neutralises the smell that used to repulse me. Seeds a good substitute for pepper. Unfortunately all my papaya have contracted black spot. I'm getting a few fruit, but they all have unattractive damage, though the flavour is still very good.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 3

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Occasional organic liquid fertiliser.

Pest Control: Affected by black spot mould, I've removed the leaves affected till I get around to spraying. They haven't been able to bring fruit to term, perhaps because they are diseased.

Question: Is there any comeback from black spot fungus? All 3 of my papaya have it and they cannot produce fruit. :( I've been removing diseased leaves as the spots become evident.

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Loquat - Nagasakiwase ^7/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: - A good loquat beats supermarket apricots. Hardy, productive. First season's fruit have been superb. Second season fruits ripened very early due to an unusually warm winter, and were very sweet but not as flavoursome. Will consider thinning fruit for a better harvest next year.

Fruiting Months August

Planted: 2011

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Cloth bags, so I have perfect fruit.

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Dwarf Mulberry - Red Shahtoot ^10/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: -

Rich, sweet, a little musky, slightly tangy, reminiscent of a good plum. Precocious, hardy, productive. In the second season it has about 3 fruit coming out of each bud all over the tree, in 2 main flushes, and a few fruits after this as well. It seems each new set of leaves has flowers emerging with them. Very happy with these trees.

Fruiting Months January, February, March, September, December

Planted: 2011

Height 1.2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

First Fruited: 2 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Occasional liquid organic fertiliser.

Pest Control: None necessary so far, will be watching out for birds.

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Kwai Muk - Richmond (Grafted) ^7/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 3827 days 14hrs

Comments: - Pretty tree. Looking forward to finding out how it tastes. Has set lots of fruit in it's second spring (1.3m tall), and am keeping up the water to it.

Planted: 2011

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Occasional organic liquid fertiliser.

Question: Anyone tried the fruit? Anyone growing it in south east Queensland?

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Blueberry - Biloxi

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4139 days 9hrs

Comments: -

Looking for a fruit that I like that can replace my sheena's gold hedge. Just trialling it this year, keeping in self watering pots. Have had a few fruit ripen that were on the plant when delivered. The fruit is much better than supermarket berries, sweet and tangy.

Planted: 2012

Height 0.3 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 3

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Question: Not looking too happy. Can't remember if I put charcoal in the base of the self-watering pot. Hoping coffee grounds will add enough acidity.

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Wampee - Guy Sam (Grafted) ^7/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4139 days 9hrs

Comments: -

I appreciate the grapefruit flavour without the bitterness and sourness. And I find the grape-like clusters of fruit very appealing.

It has grown very well in a sunny spot after one year, at almost the same rate as my Eureka lemon. In my previous garden I put the same variety in a shaded spot and it was very slow growing- until it reached the sun.

Height 0.7 metres

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Occasional organic liquid fertiliser

Question: I tried an elongated Wampi at Tropical Fruit World, and am wondering now if I should have planted a Yeem Pay variety. Anyone compared that with the Guy Sam?

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Pecan - Shoshonii (B) SP

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4185 days 7hrs

Comments: - Saw pecans growing in the Mt Coot-tha botanical gardens, so I should be able to grow them as well. Will only have room if my macadamia fails. Love the flavour of pecans

Pollination: No

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Dwarf Plum Gulf Gold Tree (G)

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4185 days 7hrs

Comments: - It's likely my greengage won't have enough chill to fruit, so this is my backup plan.

Pollination: No

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Peach - Tropic Snow

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4204 days 12hrs

Comments: - Wanting to try tree-ripened peaches as supermarket stone fruit are generally very disappointing.

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control: Will be bagging it like all of my other fruit that are susceptible to fruit fly and possums.

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Pineapple- rough-leaf ^6/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4212 days 16hrs

Comments: - Easy to propagate, I just take the top off store bought fruit and put them in the ground. I don't give much care to them. They are part of my perimeter defence, spiky things around my fence line to discourage trespassers.

Planted: 2012

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 20

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

When I Fertilise: Never

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Malabar Chestnut ^6/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4227 days 10hrs

Comments: -

Interesting flavour, nicer than raw peanuts. Tree is quite striking when mature.

Fruiting Months September

Height 1.2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

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Banana- Ladyfinger

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 7hrs

Comments: - I prefer the tangy types to cavendish, and this is the variety permitted in QLD backyards without a permit.

Planted: 2011

Height 2 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 4

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Compost heap in the middle of a circle of 4

Pest Control: No problems yet, but I keep it tidy, trimming off the old leaves and keeping the bases clear.

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Asparagus - Mary Washington

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 7hrs

Comments: - Delicious, and too expensive in the shops to really indulge myself as much as I'd like. Likes water, and is doing much better with a seeping hose than hand watering.

Planted: 2011

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 35

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control: No pests so far...

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Finger Lime - Ricks Red

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 7hrs

Comments: - Part of a protective hedge around the perimeter of my yard. Wanted a range of colours in the finger limes.

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 21

Pollination: No

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Tangelo - Minneola

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 7hrs

Comments: - Growing it for juice, fragrance and beauty of the tree when holding the vibrant orange fruit.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

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Lemon - Eureka

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 7hrs

Comments: - Good sour flavour, long cropping season- or so I hear. Has had good growth in it's second spring, but no flowers even though the orange, mandarine, lime and even tangelo have.

Planted: 2011

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: No

Pest Control: None needed yet.

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Dragon Fruit - Yellow (Cutting) ^8/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - Superb flavour, refreshing, far better than dragonfruit. Has grown 1m this rainy spring and summer. 3 plants against fence, 4 more to go in during spring 2012.

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 7

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Question: Advice on options for supporting the vine?

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Dwarf Orange - Washington Navel

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - Easily recognizable fruit, partly motivated to put this in for whoever buys my house when I eventually sell. And it should look beautiful in fruit. Think I'll let the fruit stay on now it has been in the ground for a year. Prolific and beautifully scented flowers.

Qty: 1

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Pest Control: The old bush lemon behind it had suffered from gall wasp, leaf curl, leaf miners etc etc. and have had to take it out to prevent my healthy citrus getting infected. The orange and all my other citrus are healthy so far.

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Dwarf Mandarin - Fremont

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - Looking to replicate the superior flavour of homegrown mandarines from an ex-neighbour's tree, but wasn't sure of her variety. Dwarf type.

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

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Lime - Tahitian

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - To use with my papaya. Dwarf type. Fruited in first year, and flowering prolifically in second season. Part of a citrus circle, so that when full grown it will smell intoxicating in spring.

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

Pest Control: None needed yet.

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Finger Lime - Collette

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - Said to be the tastiest of the finger limes, but the plant isn't doing as well as my other finger limes.

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

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Finger Lime - Tasty Green

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - Protective hedge on my boundary, groovy little sour balls like caviar.

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

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Avocado - Shepard (B)

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - Planted with the Reed, first season in the ground it produced masses of flowers, but took these off to let it concentrate energy into leaves and roots.

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

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Dwarf Macadamia ^5/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - My favourite nut of all time. After 1 year it has had very little growth and consistently yellow leaves. Thinking of moving it to a more protected position and giving it manganese in the new hole.

Planted: 2011

Height 0.75 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

When I Fertilise: Never

Question: Mine is pale, yellow tinge to the leaf. This is the only plant I'm worried about in my garden.

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Jaboticaba (Grafted) ^7/10

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - Love the intense grape-like flavour, and a very pretty small tree, delicate foliage. Mine won't be fruiting for a while. The one on the south side of my house is doing slightly better than the one on south-west. In my previous yard, the tree is almost 2m tall and still hasn't fruited after 6 years...but it will be worth it one day.

Planted: 2011

Height 1 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Occasional organic liquid fertiliser

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Peach - Angel Subtropical

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - Haven't tried this variety, but liked the reviews I've seen.

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

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Grumichama - Orange

GardenOfColumba's Edible Fruits
Update: 4244 days 8hrs

Comments: - Growing this as a sub-tropical substitute for cherries. Liked it when tried at Northey Street City Farm.

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Winter

Pollination: No

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